Manila Standard - 2021 March 26 - Friday by Manila Standard

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CHURCH TO CONFORM WITH IATF BAN ON PUBLIC MASSES By Joyce Pañares and Vito Barcelo CATHOLIC officials in the National Capital Region and in the four provinces near Metro Manila will hold masses but without public participation inside churches in compliance with the protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano, in an interview with Manila Standard, said only those officiating the mass allowed inside. “We can hold mass, that much is clear, for as long as we adhere to the limits set by the IATF on the number Next page

DEVOTEES. Catholic faithfuls offer

prayers to the images at the closed doors of St. Peter Parish: Shrine of Leaders along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday (March 25, 2021). The InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has suspended mass gatherings, including religious activities, in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal from March 22 to April 4 to curb the surge in coronavirus cases. Joey O. Razon

WHO warns PH on ‘jumpers’ Says country may lose donated 44m vax doses if jumping jab line goes on

By Vito Barcelo

HE World Health Organization warned the Philippines it would lose 44 million doses of donated vaccines for the coronavirus if mayors and government officials continue jumping the line ahead of health frontliners and other persons on the priority list, the Palace said.

In a televised address on Wednesday priority list was not followed. night, President Rodrigo Duterte said “If you do not follow the list of priorhe had been warned by the WHO that ity you might lose the assistance of the the country might lose vaccine dona- WHO. It is quite clear to us,” Duterte said. Next page tions from the COVAX facility if the

VOL. XXXV • NO. 44 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

As cases reach new high, Octa pushes MECQ

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 25)

693,048 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

By Willie Casas AS THE country posted a record high of 8,773 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, researchers tracking the pandemic said the government should consider a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila if the “NCR Plus” bubble fails to blunt the surge in by next week. In an interview on radio dzBB, OCTA Research fellow Prof. Ranjit Rye said National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble should be given a chance to work, but if it doesn’t, the government must consider imposing an MECQ. “Let us give this bubble and our government a chance. This is a stopgap measure. Let’s see if this will work,” Rye said in Filipino. He warned that the current COVID-19 surge could “wash away” all the efforts to contain the virus. “Last year was like a walk in the park and is nothing compared to the increase and seriousness of this year’s surge,” he said. “What we experienced this year is worse than last year. All our gains will be washed away if this surge is left uncontrolled,” he said. Next page

8,773 99,891

VACCINE experts said Thursday those who have received COVID-19 vaccines may need booster shots to give added protection against variants of concern. “I actually foresee that happening. After what we call the primary series — the two doses of Sinovac or AstraZeneca or any of the incoming vaccines, we need

PHIVOLCS: STAY AWAY FROM TAAL Story on A4

ACTIVE

13,095

580,062

574

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

This handout satellite imagery taken on March 23, 2021 and received on March 25 from Maxar Technologies shows Chinese vessels anchored at the Whitsun Reef, around 320 kilometres (175 nautical miles) west of Bataraza in Palawan. Chinese vessels gathered near a disputed reef in the South China Sea are “fishing boats” sheltering from poor weather, the foreign ministry said March 22, a day after the Philippines described their presence as an incursion. AFP

Duterte to China envoy: Arbitral ruling stands in PH favor By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines against China’s massive claims in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS) PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has as- during his meeting with Chinese amserted the international court’s 2016 bassador Huang Xilian, Malacañang

• Booster shot needed By Willie Casas and Rey E. Requejo

NEW

said Thursday. pine Navy ships to bolster the conduct The presidential assertion came as of maritime sovereignty patrols in the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief- West Philippine Sea. of-staff, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, ordered The National Task Force on the WPS the deployment of additional PhilipNext page

• Wasted jabs probed

LOCAL ROUNDUP another dose or a booster shot,” Dr. Nina Gloriani, who heads the country’s vaccine expert panel for COVID-19 vaccines, said at a forum organized by the Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination and the Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Association of

the Philippines. Gloriani said the booster shot “may not be the original one (vaccine) but something that may cover the variants as well.” Gloriani said multivalent COVID-19 vaccines or those made to immunize against two or more variants will be needed in the future. Dr. Lulu Bravo, a vaccine advocate who now heads the National Adverse Next page

DUTERTE’S B’DAY WISH: AN END TO VIRUS PANDEMIC Story on A4

Velasco

Leonen

House acts on oust-Leonen move By Maricel V Cruz

document made available to Manila Standard showed. The one-page letter indicated that VeSPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco has reportedly endorsed an impeachment lasco endorsed the complaint to the House complaint filed against Supreme Court Committee on Rules on March 25, 2021. Next page Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, a

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WHO... From A1 Presidential spokesman Harry Roque repeated the call on Thursday, which the Department of Health and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 underscored with a joint statement Thursday, reiterating that the vaccine prioritization framework must be followed. “We once again emphasize that due to the limited number of vaccines, we should reserve these doses for our healthcare workers on whom we rely on to maintain our most critical health services,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. He said reports of officials skipping the vaccine queue have been referred to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for investigation. National Task Force chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said letting health workers get the COVID-19 jabs first was a “moral obligation.” “We call on the public to follow our prioritization... because it is our moral obligation to allow our frontliners to be the first to receive the protection they need and deserve, especially amid this surge,” Galvez said.

Duque vowed that more COVID-19 vaccines will arrive, and that everyone will have their turn to be inoculated. Duterte identified nine mayors who were found to have skipped the vaccine line: · Alfred Romualdez - Tacloban City, Leyte · Dibu Tuan - T’boli, South Cotabato · Sulpicio Villalobos - Sto Niño, South Cotabato · Noel Rosal - Legazpi City, Albay · Abraham Ibba - Bataraza, Palawan · Elanito Peña - Minglanilla, Cebu · Victoriano Torres III - Alicia, Bohol · Virgilio Mendez - San Miguel, Bohol · Arturo Piollo II - Lila, Bohol Duterte has already ordered the DOH to investigate the cases and bring them to the Office of the Ombudsman. “We said before that mayors moved up the priority list to A4; they’re now part of the economic frontliners, soldiers. But for now, only those in A1 are being vaccinated and so do not jump the line,” Roque said Thursday. Meanwhile, an official at the DILG fumed over the vaccination of actor Mark Anthony Fernandez, 42, who received his jab in Parañaque City. In a radio interview, DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said the actor was strong and clearly did not be-

long in the priority list from A1 to A5, yet he was able to jump ahead of health care workers and senior citizens. Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez defended the decision to inoculate Fernandez, saying the actor has comorbidities such as depression and hypertension that made him eligible to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination. He said Fernandez’s depression was public knowledge and the medical team that inoculated him said he had hypertension. “Depression is a comorbidity,” he said. But Densing dismissed this explanation as an excuse for the city not following the government’s vaccination plan to inoculate health workers first, ahead of everybody else. Based on the country’s vaccination priority groups, frontline healthcare workers (A1) are the first to be immunized against COVID-19, followed by senior citizens (A2) and people with comorbidities (A3). The World Health Organization has set this priority ranking as a requirement for vaccine donations from the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX facility. Roque said breaching the requirement could jeopardize countries’ requests for vaccine donations. Interior Undersecretary and officer-in-

charge Bernardo Florece Jr. said the Department of the Interior and Local Governments is awaiting the response of local chief executives who were asked to explain their inoculation ahead of front-liners. “In the meantime, we hereby advise all governors, mayors, and other local government officials to refrain from getting inoculated ahead of the medical front-liners and strictly follow the prioritization list approved by the DOH. The intent of the national government is that all our medical front-liners must be vaccinated first because we need to protect our health care system first and foremost,” he said. Some of the mayors took to media interviews to defend themselves. Tacloban City’s Romualdez, Legazpi City’s Rosal, Bataraza’s Iba all said they took the jabs to convince reluctant front-liners that the vaccines were safe. “If I did it, it was for the people in our city,” Rosal said. Iba said he considered himself a frontliner. Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas said aside from their medical personnel, he wanted police who were members of the Joint Task Force Covid Shield to be vaccinated as well.

Church... From A1 of people inside the church. There will be no public participation. We will hold mass and livestream it on Facebook,” Secillano added. The Cabinet members of the IATF held a meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss the recommendations of its technical working group that held a dialogue Wednesday evening with CBCP representatives. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who earlier met with Church leaders Tuesday, both declined to comment on the outcome of the meeting, saying an official announcement will be issued today. The IATF earlier prohibited all religious gatherings with the implementation of the general community quarantine bubble in Metro Manila and the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Rizal until April 4, Easter Sunday. Bishop Broderick Pabillo, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, however, insisted that allowing a maximum attendance of 10-percent capacity does not constitute mass gathering. Secillano declined to comment on the IATF meeting “because the CBCP was not involved in that meeting” but said the Archdiocese of Manila “will not defy” the limitations set by the government. “Bishop Pabillo already said he is not defying the IATF,” Secillano added. The Archdiocese of Manila covers the cities of Manila, Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, and San Juan, all within the Metro Manila quarantine bubble. In an earlier interview, Secillano said the ban is inconsistent as baptisms, funeral Masses, and weddings are still allowed with attendance limited to only 10 persons. “[I]t’s quite unreasonable because if you look at the policy, you allow 10 persons for baptisms, weddings, [and] funeral masses. But when it comes to masses, why is there totally none?” he said. “There should be a rational approach to formulate a strategy. However, at the rate things are going, it appears irrational. There seems to be too many loopholes [and] inconsistencies,” he added. Meanwhile, Pope Francis has appointed Capiz Cardinal Jose Advincula as the new Manila archbishop. Advincula succeeded Cardinal Luis Tagle, who was named as prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in December 2019. In February last year, Pabillo was appointed as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila.

House... From A1 In the endorsement letter, Velasco directed the rules committee to include the complaint in the order of business, thus starting the process of conducting hearings on the complaint. “We endorse herewith the original copies of the Impeachment Complaint filed by Mr. Edwin M. Cordevilla against Associate Justice Mario Victor Leonen of the Supreme Court of the Philippines,” Velasco’s endorsement read. Velasco’s endorsement was received by the House rules committee at 10:05 a.m. on the same date the Speaker wrote it. The Manila Standard sought Velasco’s comment on the endorsement but got no response as of press time. Edwin Cordevilla filed the complaint against Leonen at the House on December 7, 2020. Cordevilla, secretary-general of the

POACHERS? Marines and policemen capture seven Vietnamese and their fishing vessel brought to a nearby island in Tawi-tawi for illegal fishing in Philippine territory. The Vietnamese, who were found to be lacking documents, were handed over to the PNP Bongao station. PN

Duterte... From A1 earlier raised the alarm about a Philippine Coast Guard report that around 220 Chinese fishing vessels, believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, were sighted in line formation at the Julian Felipe Reef on March 7. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte raised the issue when the Chinese envoy visited the President to greet him for his birthday. Duterte is turning 76 on March 28. “The President is not surrendering our sovereignty by not aggressively pursuing the arbitral ruling in our favor rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” he said. “Before the presence of the ships, the Ambassador already made an appointment to greet the President for his upcoming birthday. So it was a personal visit between two very close friends,” Roque added. Meanwhile, Canada joined other nations in calling out China for its recent incursions in the West Philippine Sea, saying the actions of the world’s second largest economy “undermine regional stability.” Filipino League of Advocates for Good Governance – Maharlika (FLAGG – Maharlika), said in his complaints that Leonen deliberately violated several provisions of the 1987 Constitution and betrayed public trust. Cordevilla’s impeachment charges were accepted and filed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Barba, cousin of former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos. Barba said he strongly believed Cordevilla, thus he filed the impeachment complaints against Leonen. Among the bases of Cordevilla’s complaint against Leonen were the snail-paced release of his ponente on 82 cases filed at the Supreme Court, failure to act as chairman of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal on the electoral protests of a number of candidates in the 2019 elections, and his failure to submit his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) for 15 years while a law professor and at one time dean at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

“Canada opposes recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea, including off the coast of the Philippines, that escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and the rules-based international order,” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur said in a tweet. China, on the other hand, lashed back at its critics for coming out with “irresponsible comments” and “using the same scripts.” “Neither these diplomats understand the basic facts, nor do they have the ability to think and judge independently,” the Chinese Embassy in Manila said on Twitter. “If the so-called ‘facts’ are false from the beginning, you couldn’t be more wrong to repeat the mistakes. Understand and respect the facts before you make any comments,” the Chinese embassy added. Earlier this week, the United States, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom also criticized China’s recent action which retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio warned might be a prelude to occupation and building of a naval base as it did to Mischief Reef in 1995. “The [People’s Republic of China] uses maritime militia to intimidate, pro-

voke, and threaten other nations, which undermines peace and security in the region… We share the concerns of our Philippine allies,” the US Embassy had said in a statement. “We stand with the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in Asia,” it added. “The South China Sea issues are directly related to peace and stability and a concern for all,” said Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa, that is why his country “strongly opposes any action that heightens tensions.” Manila demanded China’s immediate withdrawal from the reef, which is being claimed by Beijing as part of its territory. From 220 on March 7, about 183 Chinese vessels have remained in the area. China said the vessels were merely seeking shelter from bad weather – a claim dismissed by the US, saying they have been moored there “for several months in ever increasing numbers, regardless of weather.” In a statement Thursday, AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said the additional naval presence in the area aimed to reassure the Filipino people that the military remained committed to protecting and defending them from harassment.

Local... From A1

paid for by the people. Just to complete the story: There are none yet and up to this time, there is no vaccine that we bought that has arrived. I pray it will happen within the month of March,” Duterte said. The Philippines’ current vaccine supply consists of donations — Sinovac’s CoronaVac from China and AstraZeneca from the COVAX facility of the World Health Organization.

Events Following Immunization Committee (NAEFIC), said COVID-19 vaccines would probably be like the flu vaccines now, given every year and contained antigens for different strains. “As time goes by we do not know yet how many variants we will have. It will be quite difficult to treat and therefore has to be included in the vaccine,” she said.

No delivery of purchased jabs yet

President Rodrigo Duterte, in a televised pre-recorded briefing Wednesday, admitted none of the COVID-19 vaccines bought by the government had been delivered, saying the first batch of the ordered vaccines would likely arrive on March 29. “Where are the vaccines? None. There are [vaccines], but they’re not yet

Wasted doses

The Department of Health is investigating reports that around 7,500 of COVID-19 vaccine doses were wasted due to freezer issues while they were being transported in Bicol. Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire made the disclosure replying to a comment of Senator Nancy Binay as regards the wasted AstraZeneca doses. “There has been this investigation or query that has been done in the region where the transportation issue of the

As cases... From A1 Rye insisted that the economy will not collapse even if the government imposes MECQ similar to the one imposed last August 2020 after health workers called for a “timeout.” He said that the reimposition of MECQ in August last year, in face, helped reopen the economy during the last quarter of 2020. “The World Health Organization is clear on that, we will only be able to open our economy once the virus transmission has been managed. That is the playbook being used by other countries that had to deal with variant-driven surge like us,” he added. The OCTA proposal for MECQ will include lockdowns, transportation for workers, and cash aid for the poor. As Thursday’s new cases hit a record 8,773 infections, ICU beds in Metro Manila filled up to a critical level in scenes reminiscent of last year’s peak. The day’s tally, which does not include data from six laboratories, raised the country’s cumulative number of infections to 693,048. Thursday’s new COVID-19 cases surpassed the previous record of 8,019 announced by the the Department of Health on Monday. This marks the second time that more than 8,000 cases were recorded in a single day since the pandemic began. Active cases were logged at 99,891, the highest figure recorded this year. It also surpassed Wednesday’s tally of 91,748 Active cases now account for 14.4 percent of the total cases. Of the active cases, 95 percent are mild; 3 percent are asymptomatic; 0.8 percent are critical; 0.8 percent are severe; and 0.44 percent are moderate. The DOH reported 56 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 13,095, which is 1.89 percent of the total cases. The DOH also reported that 574 patients recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 580,062, which is 83.7 percent of the total cases. The DOH reported that, nationwide, 54 percent of the ICU bed capacity was in use; 43 percent of the isolation bed capacity was in use; 41 percent of the ward bed capacity was in use; and 36 percent of ventilators were in use. In Metro Manila, 74 percent of the ICU bed capacity was in use; 66 percent of the isolation bed capacity was in use; 52 percent of the ward bed capacity was in use; 51 percent of the ventilators were in use. The OCTA Research Group earlier projected a decline in new cases four weeks after the National Capital Region Plus bubble was put in place. Earlier, it said that the reproduction number of COVID-19 in Metro Manila dropped to 1.91 from the previous 1.99. Despite this, OCTA said it is still too early to say if the decrease signals the start of the downward trend in the reproduction rate in the NCR. The group said ICU capacity in Metro Manila has already exceeded the critical level of 70 percent as the number of new cases continued to rise. As of March 24, ICUs for COVID-19 patients are already 70 percent full, while hospital bed occupancy for COVID-19 patients has risen to 61 percent, OCTA said in a statement. “The positivity rate in the [National Capital Region] was 18 percent over the past seven days,” OCTA said. The Philippine Hospital Association had sought help from the national government, saying medical facilities in Metro Manila have been overwhelmed by the surge of new COVID-19 cases. vaccines occurred. We are investigating,” Vergeire said. Binay said a third-party logistics hired by the DOH had a faulty thermometer, which the DOH confirmed but said the vaccines are in “usable condition.”

Mothers can breastfeed

Mothers can still breastfeed their babies even if they test positive for COVID-19 or have mild symptoms. “Yes, even if you’re COVID-positive or have mild symptoms, you can still and actually should breastfeed your baby, and for the same reason, you might transmit antibodies to your baby, all the more that you should not be separated,” Dr. Mianne Silvestre, who is part of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19, said. “Breast milk itself has not been demonstrated to transmit the virus… The transmission is still the same as us, respiratory, aerosols, and droplets,” Silvestre said.

News IN BRIEF Liquor only for residents NON-RESIDENTS are prohibited to buy liquor or any intoxicating drinks in Pasay City. Members of the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale of wine and other intoxicating beverages beyond 8 p.m. to non-residents. Ordinance 6162, approved on March 17, 2021, specifically amended Section 2 of Ordinance 6145, which was passed last year regulating the sale, distribution, purchase and serving of liquor within the city from 8 a.m. up to 8 p.m. only. Under the new ordinance, all persons “natural or juridical are temporarily restricted to purchase, sell or offer for sale any liquor products within the city until such time that the community quarantine has been lifted in Metro Manila, except from eight in the morning until eight in the evening. Meanwhile, city residents are allowed to purchase liquor during the window hours but they are required to show proof of their home address. Establishments within the city like restaurants and hotels are also allowed to serve liquor within the prescribed period, but they must be consumed within the establishments only. Joel E. Zurbano

FRIDAY, MARCH 26 2021

House to tackle ‘Ayuda’ bill By Maricel V. Cruz

HE HOUSE of Representatives Committee on Social Services has finally decided to act on former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s 10K Ayuda Bill after mounting pressure from various sectors.

In a media statement on Thursday, committee chairman and Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas said the bill would be referred to the Committee on Economic Affairs and be read in plenary by Thursday March 25. Vargas says when the bill was referred

to his committee, the plenary had already finished discussing the extension of Bayanihan 2 while Bayanihan 3 was already being discussed by the economic affairs committee. “I suggested the consolidation of this bill with similar measures and its refer-

ral to economic affairs. This is more practical since all these bills have similar legislative intent. By doing so, we can facilitate congressional action on these bills. We will take them all up in a single session,” he said. Vargas’ statement came as Cayetano and his allies appealed to the House leadership to prioritize the bill’s passage and as other officials, including Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, joined the call. Filed by Cayetano, Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano and their allies in the House of Representatives on February 1, 2021, the 10K Ayuda Bill seeks to give each Filipino family P10,000 or P1,500 per family

member, whichever is higher, that they can use for their daily needs or to start their own businesses as the country waits for the full roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination program. On Monday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government will not provide financial aid to families residing in the so-called NCR Plus bubble as businesses will not be shuttered and work will continue despite the imposition of stricter measures, such as travel restrictions and limited operation of establishments until April 4. “There will be no more cash aid because businesses are open. Anyone can go to work,” Roque said.

Farmers win land in Capiz plantation AFTER over 20 years of land dispute, the Department of Agrarian Reform has ended the struggles of farmer-beneficiaries at the Nemesio Tan plantation in Capiz province. In June 2020, the Office of the President junked the petition of Tan’s heirs to retain ownership of the plantation, cancel the certificates of landownership issued to farmer-beneficiaries and stop the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program implementation in the landholdings. Secretary John Castriciones said President Rodrigo Duterte’s order proves that his administration is truly looking after the welfare and rights of the farmers. “Prior to this order, we conscientiously followed up the resolution of this case in the proper authority and upon receiving the order, we immediately created a team that would expedite the process of giving the farmers’ long awaited land titles. We crafted plans and strategies to strictly observe the due process to cover the said landholdings,” he said. Rio N. Araja

Bataan LGUs settle dispute on boundary MARIVELES, Bataan—The local government units of Mariveles and Bagac, Bataan province, have finally agreed to settle their eight-decade-long boundary dispute. “We have already agreed to settle amicably our boundary dispute,” said Councilor Tito Catipon. “We have been conducting a series of meetings with our Bagac counterpart. “We at the Sangguniang Bayan Mariveles led by Vice Mayor Lito Rubia have been pushing for the settlement of the boundary dispute.” “We recently went to Bagac for the joint meeting for the finalization of the boundary dispute”, said Councilor Ronald Arcenal. “The camp of Bagac agreed for Aglaloma beach to become part of Mariveles”, he said. Catipon said the disputed area covers 349 hectares between Barangay Biaan, Mariveles, and Quinawan, Bagac. Butch Gunio

Ordinary Juanas get mega ticket THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office joins the 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration that serves as a tribute, a platform and a call to action that highlights the extraordinary roles of ordinary Juanas in society as trailblazers and harbingers of change. This celebration is also a venue to discuss and address the issues that women continue to face so that empowerment can be fully achieved. The campaign is also a call for concrete, sustainable and inclusive actions towards gender equality. On March 29, 2021, the PCSO will be giving away P100 worth of MegaLotto 6/45 tickets in honor of all women as the agent of change by promoting gender equality. As part of its celebration, the PCSO, spearheaded by its Product & Standard Development Department, came up with a project dubbed as “MEGA TICKET FOR JUANA”: ISANG PASASALAMAT! The objective of this project is to recognize the little acts of women, their achievements and women empowerment. While everyone is facing unprecedented challenges, the PCSO believes that women are the most affected and are bearing the brunt of the economic and social fallout brought about by pandemics. The 1st 50 Juana players who play a minimum of P20.00 for any lotto games at the PCSO Games Hub located at the PCSO Main Office, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City will get the free MegaLotto ticket.

FLASH FLOODS. The town of Buguias in Benguet is hit by flash floods after heavy rain inundated the area. Bugias, Benguet is one the main business hubs of Benguet province. Dave Leprozo

Bill makes red-tagging punishable by up to 10 years By Macon Ramos-Araneta ALARMED by the rising cases of redtagging, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon proposed a measure that will make red-tagging punishable by up to 10 years in prison and disqualify people convicted of red-tagging from holding public office. Senate Bill 2121 or the proposed “Act Defining and Penalizing Red-Tagging” seeks to criminalize red-tagging and provide for penalties as a deterrence “in or-

der to fix the legal gaps, address impunity and institutionalize a system of accountability.” Meanwhile, Health Reform advocate Tony Leacon on Thursday called on the government and the public to wait for the results of clinical trials on ivermectin, possibly an effective drug for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, and then register at the FDA, the highest regulatory agency. Until it’s approved by FDA, Leachon

said, he personally believes it can’t be used as an off label indication. Senator Christopher Go called out the individuals who are allegedly involved in VIP vaccinations in some local government units, urging them to follow the priority list in order not to jeopardize the success of the vaccination program. Under Senate Bill 2121, the crime of red-tagging is defined as the act of labeling, vilifying, branding, naming, accusing, harassing, persecuting, stereotyping

or caricaturing individuals, groups or organizations as state enemies, left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists as part of a counter-insurgency or anti-terrorism strategy or program, by any state actor, such as law enforcement agent, paramilitary or military personnel. “Any person found guilty of red-tagging shall be imprisoned for 10 years and shall suffer the accessory penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification to hold public office,” the bill says.

Bernabe assumes as acting CJ By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Thursday honored Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta who bowed out as the top magistrate after serving the judiciary for 34 years, starting when he was appointed presiding judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 95 in 1994. With the retirement of Peralta as the 26th Chief Justice effective March 27, SC Senior Associate Justice Estela PerlasBernabe will automatically assume the position of acting chief justice until a new chief justice is appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte. Bernabe, along with SC Associate Justices Alexander G. Gesmundo and Ramon Paul L. Hernando, have been nominated by the Judicial and Bar Council to the chief justice post. While the Court’s internal rules pro-

vide for the automatic assumption of the most senior associate justice as acting chief justice, the outgoing top magistrate may issue an order that would formally designate the most senior associate justice as acting chief justice. In a special online En Banc session, the SC justices held a blended retirement ceremony to honor Peralta who extolled his unique and formidable leadership of the judiciary amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The 14 associate justices participated online during a special En Banc session to mark the retirement of Chief Justice Peralta. He was joined at the Session Hall by a very few select guests from the Court, PERALTA RETIRES. Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta and his family temporarily take off their which included his immediately family— masks and shields to pose for posterity after the unveiling of his portrait during the retirement his 95-year-old mother Catalina Madarang ceremonies held in his honor at the En Banc Session Hall on March 25, 2021. Peralta, his wife Court of Appeals Justice Fernanda Lampas Peralta, and their children Dorothy, twins John Christopher and Timothy John and John Isaac.

Velasco seeks additional P54b to augment military pension By Maricel V. Cruz

STRANDED IN MANILA: Around 100 travelers hoping to return home to their provinces by ship are stranded outside the Manila North Harbor on 25 March 2021. Norman Cruz

SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco on Thursday led congressional leaders in filing a bill providing an additional P54.6 billion in the 2021 national budget to augment the Pension and Gratuity Fund for retired military and uniformed personnel. Velasco, together with Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez among other House leaders, said the amount will be used for the payment of pension arrears of retired MUP of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Philippine Coast Guard and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority. “The passage of this supplemental budget will ensure the final settlement

of the long-overdue pension differential of retired MUPs, who have faithfully served the country while they were on active duty,” Velasco said. Under the bill, the sum of P54.6 billion will be allocated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated as additional funding and budgetary requirements for 2021 national budget. The amount will be released by the Department of Budget and Management to the Department of National Defense for the AFP; Department of the Interior and Local Government for the PNP, BFP and BJMP; Department of Transportation for the PCG; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources for NAMRIA “in accordance with budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations.”

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FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

Rody’s birthday wish: For COVID pandemic to end AS HE turns 76 on March 28, President Rodrigo R. Duterte wishes nothing more than “the end to the pandemic,” Malacañang said on Thursday. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is hoping that life will “go back to normal” so his administration could focus on reviving the economy back to pre-crisis levels. “I’m sure the President wishes an end to this pandemic and he wants all of us to go back to our normal life. This means he wants the country to return to high growth rates yearly because his promise is a more comfortable life for all,” Roque said in a virtual press briefing. Roque said Duterte is also determined to continue efforts to fulfil his campaign promise of providing a comfortable life for all Filipinos. “Despite COVID, I’m sure his birthday wish is for a comfortable life for all to come true and that all of us will be able to overcome this pandemic,” he added. Duterte usually celebrates his birthdays in his hometown, Davao City except last year when he opted to spend it in Manila City to oversee pandemic response efforts. He spent his 75th birthday under isolation in Malacañang Palace. Last year, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, his former aide, said Duterte can only have fun when the COVID-19 pandemic ends. “The President will only celebrate when we have fully conquered the Covid-19 situation. For now, he is focused on what needs to be done —and I am here to always support President Duterte,” he said. In a pre-recorded public address aired last March 15, Duterte expressed optimism that Filipinos would be able to overcome the pandemic. “I will just say to my countrymen that do not despair. We can prevail over this COVID. It is just a small thing in our life. We have been through worse, more difficult ones that brought you more tears,” he said.

EMPTY PARK. In this photo taken Wednesday, Burnham Park in Baguio City looks pretty and ready to welcome tourists for the coming Holy Week. But the city has suspended accepting tourists from Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal from March 22 to April 4, as part of the restrictions to help in containing the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019. Dave Leprozo

Airlines suspend more local flights By Joel E. Zurbano

AJOR LOCAL airlines have suspended several domestic flights due to the current restrictions imposed by the government on non-essential travel in and out of Manila. From March 25 to April 4, Philippine Airlines cancelled flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to and from Caticlan and Cebu, while flights to and from Legazpi were suspended from March 26 to April 2. PAL also suspended flights to and from Kalibo from April 1 and 3, and flights to and from Busuanga, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Iloilo, Tagbilaran and Cati-

clan from April 1 to 4. Flights to and from Ozamiz scheduled on April 2 were also suspended. The Cebu Pacific Air also made domestic flight cancellations from March 25 to April 4. Flights cancelled include those to and from Caticlan, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi, Pagadian, Cauayan, Coron, Ozamiz, Iloilo, Naga, Virac and Cebu.

Locsin defends, honors Pacquiao By Rey E. Requejo

PENSIVE POSE. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases core members at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang Park on Wednesday. Presidential Photo

House passes evacuation centers bill By Maricel V. Cruz The House of Representatives on Thursday approved on third and final reading a bill establishing evacuation centers in every city and municipality in the country. The chamber unanimously approved House Bill 8990, entitled “An Act Establishing Evacuation Centers in Every City and Municipality, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.” The bill’s principal author, Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, expressed optimism that the bill’s final approval at the lower house will move the Senate to pass a parallel measure. “The establishment of evacuation

centers in every city and municipality throughout the county has never been more important than it is today,” said Tan, chairperson of the House health committee. The bill, she said, envisions to provide immediate and temporary accommodation for people who have been evacuated or displaced from their homes due to emergency events, such as typhoons, floods, storm surges, drought, and other severe climate disturbances, as well as fire. “It also includes the outbreak of illnesses and diseases that presents imminent danger to life and property, such as the present COVID-19 pandemic,” the bill stated.

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday came to the defense of Senator Manny Pacquiao after the eight-time world boxing champion was criticized by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for lacking the competence to become president of the Philippines. “Don’t vote for (Pacquaio) but honor him,” Locsin posted on his Twitter. He made the statement after Carpio, lead convenor of the 1Sambayan party, disparaged Pacquiao’s competence to lead the country. Carpio, who launched last week a broad coalition of democratic forces to come up with the opposition’s single slate for president, vice president and senators in the 2022 national elections, even criticized Pacquiao’s poor attendance in legislative sessions. “As congressman, Pacquiao was the number one absentee, he was the topnotch in absences in Congress. As senator, he again topped, he was number one in absences,” Carpio said. “That basic qualification, competence, is not there,” the former justice stressed. In defending Pacquiao, Locsin said: “Yes but he is a good and honest man in every fiber of his being; kindness personified in the man who gave our country the greatest honor since EDSA ’86: he made us proud again to be Filipino.” “He did it with less fuss: in a square ring—again and again,” the Foreign Affairs chief added. On Wednesday, Pacquiao debunked Carpio’s criticism of his past record as a top absentee in Congress, saying his “record as a legislator can speak for itself” despite his absences. At least two senators have revealed that Pacquiao is interested in running for president in next year’s polls. The boxing champion neither confirmed nor denied the reports.

2 former ARMM execs sentenced to 10 years each TWO former officials of the now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were sentenced to up to 10 years imprisonment each for the anomalous purchase of emergency medical kits eight years ago. The Sandiganbayan convicted former ARMM disbursing officer Serda Hassan-Bangsa and former ARMM Manila Liaison Office head Socorro Natividad of violating Republic Act 319 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. In a 36-page decision written by Asso-

ciate Justice Karl Miranda dated March 22, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division also ordered the two to pay the supplier, Geneve SA Philippines, the P5 million balance of the purchase price of the GPI rescue kits they failed to deliver. In the same decision, the anti-graft court ordered the case against former ARMM governor Parouk Hussin and former ARMM accountant Ricardo Luna to be archived until such time these are brought within the jurisdiction of the court. Both Hussin and Luna have yet to be arraigned.

Earlier, Hussin asked the Supreme Court to stop the trial of the case, but this was nixed by the tribunal. “Taken together, the overt acts of accused Hassan-Bangsa, Natividad, Luna, and Hussin point to a joint purpose and design, concerted action, and community of interest, which is the processing and approval of the disbursement vouchers and purchase order for the down payment of the GPI rescue kits to Geneve without public bidding, available funds, and incomplete documents,” the Sandiganbayan said. Maricel V. Cruz

At present, the local airlines are operating domestic flights carrying only essential travelers such as returning overseas Filipino workers, locally stranded individuals, and approved persons outside residences, but subject to compliance with travel protocols required by the local government units of final destination. The Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Infectious Diseases passed a resolution prohibiting non-essential travelers to and from Manila from March 22 to April 4, while the National Capital Region and some provinces in Southern Tagalog are placed under general community quarantine. Philippine airlines announced that their domestic flights would be limited to only essential travelers after the government

imposed stricter guidelines beginning March 22, until April 04, 2021 amid rising cases of COVID-19 in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces. On Monday, Philippine Airlines said it will only carry passengers traveling for non-leisure purposes between Manila and domestic stations from March 22 until April 4, 2021. PAL said domestic leisure travelers affected by these restrictions may convert their ticket to a travel voucher, avail of unlimited rebooking or refund their ticket without penalties. “If you are a leisure traveler already in a domestic destination and wish to return home, PAL will operate flights to Manila to accommodate returning leisure travelers,” PAL said.

Stay away from Taal, Solidum warns THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology repeated its stern warning for people to not approach Taal Volcano island after it recorded increased seismic activity and movement of magma on the famous volcano in Batangas. “A steam-driven or phreatic eruption is possible. It’s dangerous to people if they are on the island or on shorelines near the island,” Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo. “Should there be a steam-driven explosion, because there’s no one on the island, it’s currently safe. It’s important that no one violates protocol,” he added. Solidum said the volcano remains under alert level 2, the second-lowest in a five-step system. “We need to monitor if the magma will

come out, and if yes, if it will become explosive or slowly become lava,” he said. “Because we can only see a small volume, it will not be like the 2020 explosion. It will become more explosive if the magma resupplies,” the Phivolcs chief added. On Wednesday, the agency said Taal Volcano has become more active and could have a “magmatic” eruption soon. The famous volcano in Batangas recorded 2,015 volcanic tremors, 734 lowfrequency volcanic earthquakes and 18 hybrid earthquake events since February 13, as seismic activity in the area had an “elevated increase.” The agency said that “harmonic tremor associated with magma migration” was the dominant type of earthquake since March 19.

COVID MONITORING. Staff inside the Pureforce command center in Sta. Cruz, Manila are all busy receiving calls and messages from citizens seeking assistance from possible COVID-19 patients on Thursday. The country recorded 8,773 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, pushing the total active infections to nearly 100,000 (see story on A1). Norman Cruz

Immigration QR feedback system up By Vito Barcelo The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Thursday it will implement a Quick Response (QR) feedback system as part of its drive to stop corruption and receive immediate feedback from the public. According to BI Committee on Good Governance Chief Rey Arvin Sevilla, the improved feedback system will be implemented initially at the BI’s head office in Intramuros, as well as immigration areas in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). “This would allow us to gain much needed immediate feedback from the public, as well as eliminate the use of pen and paper, which can contribute to the

spread of COVID-19,” said Sevilla. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the improved feedback mechanism is very timely in the wake of the corruption issues that hound the Bureau. “It would allow the public to immediately report any malpractice that they encounter,” he said. Senator Risa Hontiveros recently exposed a handful of immigration officers in a human trafficking case. “Those involved in such anomalous activities will face the harshest penalties of the law,” said Morente. He appealed to other BI employees to continue with their duties despite the issues.

Opinion Can foreigners own land in the Philippines?

Praying in church is not ‘mass gathering’

MORE OPINION ONLINE

(www.manilastandard.net)

reaching 92,000 as of Wednesday March 24, although it is but 0.08 percent of the country’s 110 million population. Even with very few health workers getting the vaccines, 580,000 have recovered which represent at least 85 percent of 684,000 total COVID-19 cases in the country. At least 92 percent of the current active cases are mild cases while 13,000 have died. The 49,000 active cases in Metro Manila as of Tuesday March 23 is a nil 0.35 percent of its 14 million population. Since the gradual reopening of the economy, the joblessness reportedly went down from seven million to four million, which is 29 percent of 14 million Metro Manila population. There are, in fact, more hungry people than those who are sick with COVID-19. The latest surge in Covid-19 infections should not be blamed on the people as a whole, although where are quite a few of our kababayan who are really “pasaway.” The people should not be blamed for the inadequacy of the public healthcare system and affordable COVID-19 tests, which have become big business. To quell the surge of infections, the IATF has also reinstituted the age restrictions on the mobility of those younger than 18 and older

Students advocate stricter travel restrictions

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FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

EDITORIAL

main. Under the same amendment, Americans can exploit and utilize the waters, minerals, coal, petroleum and other sources of potential energy in the Philippines. The rights granted to the citizens of the United States or to corporations or associations owned by said citizens was terminated on July 3, 1974. The titles to private lands WITH the big number of Filipinos working acquired by such persons shall be valid as and studying abroad, there is a high chance against other private persons (Section 11, that some of them will get to marry foreign- Article XVII, 1973 Constitution). In the Matthews v. Taylor case, the Suers. In fact, the number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for the period of April to preme Court had to determine the validity of September 2019 alone was estimated to be at an Agreement of Lease of a parcel of land 2.2 million (Philippine Statistics Authority, in Boracay entered into by a Filipino wife Reference 2020-099, Release Date: June 4, without the consent of her British husband. The property was previously acquired by the 2020). We often see Filipinos married to foreign- Filipino wife and was declared for taxation ers acquiring residential properties, beach purposes under her name. When the property was leased by the Filiand vacations houses, and agricultural lands in our country. These properties are reg- pino wife to another person, the British husistered in the name of the Filipino spouse band sought the nullification of the contract on two grounds: first, because his or her forthat he was the actual eign spouse is prohibowner of the property ited from acquiring Foreigners can since he provided the lands in the Philipfunds used in purchaspines. stay, enjoy, and ing the same; and secUnder the 1987 have fun in the ond, that the Filipino Constitution “… no wife could not enter private lands shall be Philippines so long into a valid contract transferred or conas they comply with involving the subject veyed except to indiproperty without his viduals, corporations, Philippine laws. consent. or associations qualiThe Supreme Court fied to acquire or hold declared that the lands of the public domain.” Aliens, whether individuals or corpo- British husband has no right to nullify the rations, have been disqualified from acquir- Agreement of Lease entered into by his Filiing lands of the public domain (Matthews v. pino wife. The British husband is absolutely prohibited from acquiring private and public Taylor, G.R. No. 164584, June 22, 2009). The right to acquire lands of the public do- lands in the Philippines. Considering that the main is reserved only for Filipino citizens or Filipino wife was the “vendee” in the Deed corporations of which at least 60 percent of of Sale of the subject property, she acquired the capital is owned by Filipinos. The rule is its sole ownership. This is true even if the British husband clear and inflexible: aliens are absolutely not allowed to acquire public or private lands in claims that he provided the funds for such the Philippines, save only in constitutionally an acquisition. By allowing the Filipino wife recognized exceptions (Matthews v. Taylor, to enter into such a contract knowing that it was illegal, no implied trust was created in G.R. No. 164584, June 22, 2009). An instance when a foreigner is allowed his favor; no reimbursement for his expensto acquire private lands in the Philippines is es can be allowed; and no declaration can be by hereditary succession (Section 7, Article made that the subject property was part of the XII, 1987 Philippine Constitution). Another conjugal/community property of the spouses instance is when a natural-born citizen of (Matthews v. Taylor, G.R. No. 164584, June the Philippines who has lost his Philippine 22, 2009). In another case involving the purchase of citizenship may be a transferee of a private land (Section 8, Article XII, 1987 Philippine a property in Olongapo City by an American husband and a Filipino wife, the former acConstitution). Under Batas Pambansa No.185, any nat- quired no right whatsoever over the property. ural-born citizen of the Philippines who has In attempting to acquire a right or interest in lost his Philippine citizenship may acquire up land vicariously and clandestinely, he knowto 1,000 square meters of urban land, or one ingly violated the Constitution; the sale to him hectare of rural land for residential purposes is null and void. Having no right over the property, the (Section 2). However, if the acquisition is for business and other purposes, the upper limit American husband had no capacity or perwill be increased to 5,000 square meters of sonality to question the subsequent sale of urban land and three hectares of rural land the property by his Filipino wife. The American husband advanced the theory that he is (Section 5, Republic Act No. 8179). The Parity Amendment of the 1935 Con- merely exercising the prerogative of a husstitution allowed Americans to dispose, ex- band with respect to the conjugal property. ploit, develop and utilize the agricultural, Full version on www.manilastandard.net timber, and mineral lands of the public do-

I’VE said previously that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has taken the right steps in response to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, particularly in Metro Manila. I support the strict enforcement of the unified 10PM-5AM curfew, continued travel restriction on foreign visitors for leisure, and continued suspension of face-to-face school attendance, among others. Indeed, there is no cause for panic and chaos that ensued after we reacted too late to the coronavirus epidemic brought by a group of Chinese tourists from Wuhan City, China in January last year. There is no need for over-reaction, total lockdown, shutdown of businesses and stoppage of mass transportation that cost millions of jobs and massive economic losses. The recent surge in COVID infections is truly alarming with the number of active cases

Adelle Chua, Editor

Recovery dampener The resumption of stricter lockdown measures in Metro Manila and some provinces surrounding it will further weaken the fragile Philippine economy. Consumer confidence is taking another beating while the ranks of the unemployed are certain to increase with the restrictions on dine-in and other mall activities.

HE global economic recovery could have been just a matter of time. Financial markets across the globe had sensed it—the Dow Jones in the US was registering new highs and oil prices were surging past $60 per barrel in anticipation of increased demand and the worldwide rollout of vaccines.

The global economy is not out of the woods yet.

But the global economy, it turned out, is not out of the woods yet. A resurgent COVID-19 and the slow vaccine rollout in Europe have prompted Germany and France to introduce new lockdown measures that threaten to stall economic recovery in the continent and elsewhere in the world. Here in the Philippines, the new COVID-19 spike is certain to derail the economic recovery effort, with some analysts saying the rebound has been pushed back to the fourth quarter of 2021.

The slow vaccine rollout and the inadequate supply doses, as well as the daily spike in COVID-19 cases, have combined to push back Philippine economic recovery. The economy is expected to contract again in the first quarter of the year as a result of a regional bubble centered in Metro Ma-

nila and the industrial provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan. These provinces and the capital region account for about two-thirds of the country’s gross domestic product. The country’s policy makers and health authorities by now realize that a blanket community quarantine is no longer an option. Past measures only restricted economic activities and did not succeed in containing the virus spread. Local government units, meanwhile, have failed miserably in their contract tracing activities and in implementing social distancing and targeted lockdowns. Many restaurants and bars in Metro Manila, for instance, did not limit the number of their diners and customers, and were lax in implementing basic health protocols. The Philippine economy will ultimately recover. But without health discipline and the enforcement of strict rules, the road to recovery could be long and bumpy.

They belong to the circus CITIZEN BAROK LOUIS ‘BAROK’ BIRAOGO LAST March 18, an anti-administration group called 1Sambayan publicly anointed itself as the unofficial political opposition party. The group said it will oppose all candidates to be endorsed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the May 2022 elections. Three names appear to be the front end of the 1Sambayan senatorial ticket for 2022, namely, retired Supreme Court Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio-Morales, and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. They have nothing in common except their consuming desire to discredit President Duterte and to regain their lost influence in government. Carpio was in the Supreme Court for almost two decades and wielded power and influence in several administrations. All that diminished when President Duterte assumed office in 2016, and ended when Carpio retired from office in 2019. Now 71 years old, Carpio still wants to remain in power, and this time as a senator. In June 2010, Morales was more than willing to accommodate the wish of President Benigno Aquino III for her to administer his oath of office, never mind if the traditional honor belonged to her colleague, Chief Justice Renato Corona. Her doing so was a political act, and it politicized the Supreme Court. By administering the oath to President Aquino, Morales knew that she would be seen by the public as a leading ally of the president and his dilawan Liberal Party. About a month after retiring from the judiciary in 2011, Aquino appointed Morales than 65 with the exception of those employed. What I strongly disagree with is the IATF order to restrict church services. I believe this is beyond the purview of its authority under the principle of separation of Church and State. I support the church’s stand elucidated by Archbishop Broderick Pabillo in a Pastoral Letter, saying that the Archdiocese of Manila will continue religious services at 10-percent church capacity. The Archdiocese of Manila includes the cities of Manila, Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, and San Juan. “We will not have any religious activity outside of our churches such as senakulo, pabasa, processions, motorcades, and Visita Iglesia. But within our churches starting March 24, we will have our religious worship within 10 percent of our maximum church capacity,” Pabillo said. He vowed that the worshippers will be spread apart within our churches, following the IATF health protocols that the churches have

March 16, 1521 (Part 2)

Ombudsman. As Ombudsman, Morales was criticized for her virtual inaction on cases filed against Aquino and his political allies. Was it payback time? That was the question in everyone’s mind back then. Why Morales even accepted the job of Ombudsman is puzzling. Forcibly retired from the Supreme Court in 2011 upon reaching 70 years, she still took on the job of Ombudsman. No wonder she was criticized for her lackluster term. She was probably too tired to go after crooks in office. Morales is almost 80 years old now, and she is still eyeing a seat in the Senate.

Carpio, Morales and Del Rosario do not belong to the Senate. Like Morales, the 81-year old del Rosario is an appointee of President Aquino III. Del Rosario was Aquino’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs. His close ties with the Aquino family go back to President Corazon Aquino. Del Rosario often accompanied Mrs. Aquino on her trips abroad. He obtained his high school and college education abroad. It is not known if he can actually deliver a speech in complete Pilipino. Citing failing health, del Rosario stepped down as Foreign Affairs Secretary in March 2016. If that is so, why is del Rosario still planning to run for the Senate next year? At 82 years, and with his health failing, isn’t del Rosario better off retired? At best, the Carpio-Morales-del Rosario threesome is a high-end clown act for a threering circus. Recent history affirms this. In March 2019, Morales and del Rosario

We do not actually socialize when we go inside the church building, where we pray and primarily commune with the Holy Spirit. consistently observed, even as he encouraged other Catholics to join religious services via livestreaming. Pabillo called on Catholics to defy the government’s ban on religious gatherings, reigniting the debate about health protocols against coronavirus and religious freedom. “They are wrong, and we should not follow

1Sambayan is doomed to fail

filed a criminal case against China’s President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court. Citing China’s maritime bullying in the South China Sea, Morales and del Rosario accused Xi of having committed crimes against humanity. To complete the threesome, Carpio lawyered for them. Since China is not a signatory to the treaty which created the ICC, the case against Xi was summarily dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. That is the most embarrassing way to lose a case. As retired justices of the highest court in the land, Carpio and Morales must have known that the ICC has no jurisdiction over China. From the way Carpio has been lecturing in public about the maritime quarrel between Manila and Beijing over the South China Sea, Carpio himself sounds like an expert in International Law The same can be said of del Rosario who, as the top diplomat of the nation, is expected to know the basic postulates in International Law. Carpio, Morales and del Rosario knew that the case they filed against Xi was going to be dismissed. That notwithstanding, they still filed the case. Were they seeking publicity in anticipation for a future run for public office? Whatever their motive was, they sure made the Republic of the Philippines a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. In one swift, brainless move, these three clowns caused the country a lot of public embarrassment. Why then should the Filipino people believe these three clowns? More importantly, why should they be elected to public office after embarrassing the Philippines in the international community? If Carpio, Morales and del Rosario are the best 1Sambayan can offer for 2022, then all their candidates are headed for certain defeat. Clowns like Carpio, Morales and del Rosario belong to the circus, not the Senate. such guidelines that lacked consultations, and it somehow breaks the separation of church and state,” Pabillo said. I see the Church as a totally different setting from shopping malls, cinemas, gyms, spa and tourist spots which the IATF allowed to remain open anyway. Practically and essentially, we do not have “mass gathering” when we go to church where people interact sparingly. We do not actually socialize when we go inside the church building, where we pray and primarily commune with the Holy Spirit. It is where Filipinos go for refuge and boost their spirituality during Holy Week amidst these most trying times. As Bishop Pabillo said, the minimum health and safety standards are observed, although President Duterte himself had said social or physical distancing is impossible particularly in Metro Manila due to overcrowding. I would pray that the members of the IATF learn to respect that.

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World

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

AstraZeneca says vaccine 76% effective BRITISH-SWEDISH drugmaker AstraZeneca on Wednesday revised down by three percentage points the effectiveness of its COVID vaccine after American authorities raised concerns that results reported from its US trial were outdated. The company now says its vaccine is 76 rather than 79 percent effective at preventing any kind of symptomatic Covid. It remains 100 percent effective against severe COVID, it added. The move came after an independent panel of experts appointed to supervise the trial expressed concern that AstraZeneca had failed to include updated data in its initially released figure. The US National Institutes of Health then issued a highly unusual statement asking AstraZeneca to work with the panel and issue a new press release. “We look forward to filing our regulatory submission for Emergency Use Authorization in the US and preparing for the rollout of millions of doses across America,” said Mene Pangalos executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals research and development. AFP

Nokor fires 2 ballistic missiles N Biden.

ORTH Korea fired two suspected ballistic missiles into the sea Thursday, in its first substantive provocation to the new US administration of Joe

The nuclear-armed North has a long history of using weapons tests to ramp up tensions, in a carefully calibrated process to try to forward its objectives. Donald Trump’s first year in office was marked by a series of escalating launches, accompanied by a war of words between him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Pyongyang had been biding its time since the new administration took office, not even officially acknowledging its existence until last week. But Seoul’s joint chiefs of staff said the North fired two short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan, known as the East Sea in Korea, from South Hamgyong province. They traveled 450 kilometers and

reached a maximum altitude of 60 kilometers, the JCS added, and after an emergency meeting South Korea’s National Security Council expressed “deep concern” at the launch. North Korea is banned from developing any ballistic missiles under UN Security Council resolutions, and is under multiple international sanctions over its weapons programmes. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was unequivocal, telling reporters: “North Korea launched two ballistic missiles.” It had been a year since the last such incident, he added, saying: “This threatens

the peace and security of our country and the region. It is also a violation of the UN resolution.” Tokyo said they came down outside the waters of Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Pyongyang has made rapid progress in its capabilities under Kim, testing missiles capable of reaching the entire continental United States as tensions mounted in 2017. Trump and Kim then embarked on an extraordinary diplomatic bromance, holding two headline-grabbing summits in Singapore and Vietnam. AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

Russia belies Navalny health ‘deteriorating’ RUSSIA’S prison service said Thursday that jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny was in “satisfactory” condition after allies reported his health was deteriorating in one of Russia’s most notorious prisons. The prison service told Russian news agencies that medics had carried out a check on Navalny on Wednesday and that “according to the results of the examination, his state of health was assessed as stable and satisfactory.” Lawyers for the jailed Kremlin critic sounded the alarm over his health in prison Wednesday, demanding immediate access, saying he had complained of back pain and leg numbness. Navalny was jailed in February for two-and-a-half years on old embezzlement charges in a move his allies said was a pretext to silence his criticism of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Western countries have slapped sanctions on Russia for jailing Navalny and also for orchestrating a poisoning attack against him last year. Navalny was arrested in January on his return to Russia from Germany where he had been recovering from exposure to the Soviet-designed nerve toxin Novichok. AFP

FLOWER POWER. This photo taken and received from an anonymous source via Facebook on March 25, 2021 shows flowers and signs placed by protesters on the street during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. AFP

‘Drinking blood’: Witnesses testify on Liberia war crimes WITNESSES have come forward in the first war-crimes trial held in Liberia, against former rebel Gibril Massaquoi, to testify about alleged rape and ritual murder during the country’s brutal civil war. Around a quarter of a million people were killed between 1989 to 2003 in a conflict marked by merciless violence and rape, often carried out by drugged-up child soldiers. A Sierra Leone national, Massaquoi was a senior commander of the Revolu-

tionary United Front (RUF), a Sierra Leone rebel group that also fought in Liberia. The 51-year-old was arrested in Finland last March, where he had been living since 2008, after a rights group investigated his war record. But in an unprecedented move, the Finnish court decamped to Liberia’s capital Monrovia on February 23 to hear witness testimony in the case. Very few people have faced trial for war crimes committed in Liberia, and none inside the country itself: the Mas-

saquoi war-crimes case is the first held on Liberian soil. Witnesses in recent hearings have alleged that Massaquoi – whose nom de guerre was ‘Angel Gabriel’ – was implicated in murder, rape and burnings. One 34-year-old witness told the court on March 9, for example, that the RUF commander drank a victim’s blood during unrest in Monrovia in the early 2000s. RUF fighters captured him and several others in a central city market, said the witness, who is not named for security

reasons. Massaquoi then appeared and the fighters saluted him and hailed him as ‘Angel.’ “He asked them to bring his eating plate,” the witness said, referring to Massaquoi. “He took the person who was sitting by me, put his neck on the plate, I was very afraid so I closed my eyes. His neck was cut off.” Massaquoi allegedly drank the victim’s blood, and also poured some of it on a shrine as a ritual offering. AFP

Saudi official denies making death threat A SENIOR Saudi official said Thursday he rejected claims that he issued a death threat against UN investigator Agnes Callamard following her probe into journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder. At a meeting with UN officials in Geneva in January 2020, a senior Saudi official threatened twice to have Callamard “taken care of” if she was not restrained by the United Nations, the Guardian

newspaper reported this week. Without naming the Saudi official, Callamard – the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions – told the British newspaper that the comment was perceived by her Geneva-based colleagues as a “death threat.” Awwad Alawwad, the head of Saudi Arabia’s Human Rights Commission, on Thursday said Callamard and UN officials be-

lieved he had made the threat. “I reject this suggestion in the strongest terms,” Alawwad, who is the kingdom’s former media minister, wrote on Twitter. “While I cannot recall the exact conversations, I never would have desired or threatened any harm upon a UN-appointed individual, or anyone for that matter. I am disheartened that anything I have said could be interpreted as a threat.” AFP

Chrissy Teigen quits Twitter, cites mental well-being MASKED PROTEST. Indonesian student activists take part in a role-play as they demonstrate against alleged

human rights abuses of China’s Uyghur minority Muslim group outside the Chinese embassy in Jakarta on March 25, 2021. AFP

UK university to return looted sculpture THE University of Aberdeen in Scotland is to return a Benin bronze sculpture to Nigeria, saying it was acquired by British soldiers in 1897 in “reprehensible circumstances.” It is the first institution to agree to the full repatriation from a museum of a Benin bronze, raising pressure on other establishments, including the British Museum, to follow suit. The university acquired the bronze sculpture depicting an “Oba” (king) of Benin at auction in 1957, and it is considered a classic example of Benin Late Period Art. It was originally taken in 1897, when a British military expedi-

tion attacked and destroyed Benin City, looting thousands of metal and ivory sculptures and carvings, known as the Benin bronzes, from the royal palace. Benin City, in present-day southern Nigeria, was the seat of a powerful West African kingdom at the time. The university called it “one of the most notorious examples of the pillaging of cultural treasures associated with 19th century European colonial expansion.” “It would not have been right to have retained an item of such great cultural importance that was acquired in such reprehensible cir-

cumstances,” said university vicechancellor George Boyne. Neil Curtis, head of museums and special collections, said a review of its collections identified the work “as having been acquired in a way that we now consider to have been extremely immoral.” “So we took a proactive approach to identify the appropriate people to discuss what to do,” he added. A panel of academic specialists and curators unanimously recommended its return to Nigeria and the university’s governing body supported the unconditional return. AFP

AMERICAN model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen quit Twitter on Wednesday, becoming the latest celebrity to ditch the platform after facing abuse. Like many tech behemoths, Twitter is under increasing scrutiny for facilitating torrents of invective against users, commonly from anonymous accounts, in posts often carrying racist or misogynistic overtones. Earlier this week, Teigen faced a backlash after announcing the launch of a line of plantbased cleaning products, in partnership with reality TV star Kris Jenner. Some users accused her of “selling out” during a time of pandemic-induced economic anxiety, while others questioned her commitment to environmental protection, given her family’s regular use of private jets. “It’s time for me to say goodbye,” she wrote in a tweet Wednesday, shortly before deactivating her account, which had more than 13 million followers. “This no longer serves me as positively as it serves me negatively, and I think that’s the right time to call something.” “My desire to be liked and fear of pissing people off has made me somebody you didn’t sign up for, and a different human than I started out here as! Live well, tweeters.” AFP

Chrissy Teigen

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FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Oil surges on shipping route clog

INTERNET SATELLITES. A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage and 36 UK telecommunications and internet satellites blasts off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East on March 25, 2021. AFP

NEW YORK—Oil prices surged Wednesday following the blockage of the Suez canal, while stocks were mixed as governments struggle to contain the latest wave of the coronavirus. Crude futures surged six percent as traders assessed the likely impact from the grounding of a giant container ship in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Dozens of ships were blocked by the Panama-flagged ship, but historic sections of the canal were reopened in an effort to ease the traffic jam. “The energy market has largely priced in the short-term crude demand hit,” said Ed Moya of Oanda. Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks suffered another down day, despite strength in petroleum-linked equities. The tech-rich Nasdaq slumped 2.0 percent behind drops in Apple, Facebook and other tech giants. “We’re sort of taking a pause for breath,” said FHN Financial economist

Stock market gains for third straight day; DITO advances

HE stock market rose for the third straight day Thursday as bargain hunters pounced on cheap issues that have fallen sharply in recent days.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 83.99 points, or 1.3 percent, to 6,581on a value turnover of P6.1 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 136 to 62, with 50 issues unchanged. DITO CME Holdings Corp., the third major mobile phone company, advanced 5.7 percent to P10.36, while Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, climbed 3.9 percent to P132. Basic Energy Corp. surged 24.7 percent to P0.91, while Semirara Mining and Power

Corp. gained 11 percent at P13.32. The rest of Asian markets rose Thursday but optimism over the pace of economic recovery continued to be offset by worries about rising infections across Europe and the continent’s vaccine struggles, with inflation concerns casting an ever-present shadow. Asian investors pushed tentative gains in early trade Thursday following recent losses. Tokyo rose more than one percent to snap a four-day losing streak, while Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok and Wellington also climbed. But Shanghai dipped while Mumbai was more than one percent off. Hong Kong dipped as investors kept a worried eye on the city’s already slow vaccine program after Pfizer/BioNTech shots were halted Wednesday following the discovery of flawed packaging. After a year-long surge, global equities

have run out of steam with expectations of a strong growth rebound stoking fear that prices will soar, forcing central banks to wind in the ultra-low monetary policies that have supported the rally. And while the stock gains have been boosted by the rollout of inoculations—particularly in Britain and the United States—Europe’s stuttering launch has been compounded by a jump in new cases that has led to lockdowns and containment measures being reimposed. That has many observers questioning whether its economy can recover as quickly as previously hoped. US markets sank again Wednesday, led by a two percent drop in the Nasdaq as technology firms took a further hit from expectations the Federal Reserve will have to lift interest rates earlier than forecast, despite repeated pledges by policymakers that they will not budge. With AFP

ASIAN TERMINALS, INC. ATI Head Office, A. Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila Tel. No. 8528-6000 NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS To the Stockholders of Asian Terminals, Inc.: Notice is hereby given that the 2021 annual meeting will be virtually conducted and streamed live on the link https://bit.ly/ATI_2021ASM on April 22, 2021, 2:00 p.m., to consider and take action upon the following matters: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

In line with the guidelines of the National Government relative to public gatherings and to ensure the safety and welfare of the stockholders against the COVID19 risk, the Board of Directors on February 24, 2021, resolved to hold the annual meeting virtually, pursuant to applicable SEC regulations. The Information Statement and its attachments is accessible at the PSE EDGE website and ATI Website: http://bit.ly/ATI_DefinitiveInformationSheet The detailed procedure of the registration and voting process are stated in Appendix “A” hereof. Manila, Philippines, March 5, 2021. (SGD) RODOLFO G. CORVITE, JR. Corporate Secretary

TOP GAINERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BSC NI SCC ABA PHA LODE CA OV OPM MRC

APPENDIX “A” Procedure for the Registration, Participation and Voting in the 2021 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting

% CHANGE CHANGE 0.18 24.66% 0.26 12.09% 1.32 11.00% 0.11 10.00% 0.2 9.85% 0.1 9.80% 4.9 9.78% 0.001 9.09% 0.001 9.09% 0.025 6.85%

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

DIZ FPH

9 70

-0.68 -5

-7.02% -6.67%

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NRCP VVT DMPA1 BC IMP PNX ATNB CSB

0.75 14.5 9.94 2.66 1.67 11 0.75 8.14

-0.05 -0.9 -0.54 -0.13 -0.08 -0.46 -0.03 -0.32

-6.25% -5.84% -5.15% -4.66% -4.57% -4.01% -3.85% -3.78%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6

ALI DDMPR BDO DITO BSC PGOLD

VOLUME 19333700 204448000 2776900 27165500 298079000 5464400

VALUE (PHP) 680738005 460338200 291508947 275645568 253683170 224082495

7 8

SM SCC

200550 14600400

197537915 191095708

9 10

URC ICT

1413430 1354300

186445838 171253921

Call to Order. Proof of Notice and Quorum. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held on June 4, 2020. Chairman’s Address. Election of Directors. Approval of the Audited Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 2020. Appointment of Independent Auditors. Ratification of ATI-POMS Management Contract. Approval and Ratification of the Acts of the Board and the Management during the year 2020. Other Matters. Adjournment.

All stockholders of record at the close of business on March 25, 2021 are entitled to notice and to vote at the annual meeting and at any adjournment thereof. The stock and transfer books of the Company will be closed from March 25 up to April 22, 2021.

PSEi March 25, 2021

LAST PRICE 0.91 2.41 13.32 1.21 2.23 1.12 55 0.012 0.012 0.39

Chris Low. “There’s definitely some rotation going on.” Low said disappointing durable goods data fueled the rout, including weakness in motor vehicles and parts, an industry that has seen production cuts due to a shortage of semiconductors. Another source of economic pressure has been the Texas power outage in February, Low said. Angst is also rising in the wake of congressional appearances by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who confirmed that President Joe Biden is willing to hike corporate taxes to pay for his administration’s priorities. “People thought Biden was going to be centrist and moderate, but his taxing and spending program are moving him further left than expected,” said Gregori Volokhine of Meeschaert Financial Services. “All the talk of tax hikes is making investors nervous.” AFP

In line with the guidelines of the National Government relative to public gatherings and to ensure the safety of ATI stockholders, directors, officers and other stakeholders against the COVID19 risk, the Board of Directors on February 24, 2021, resolved to hold the annual meeting by remote communication or virtually, pursuant to applicable SEC regulations. All stockholders of record at the close of business on March 25, 2021 are entitled to notice and to vote at the annual meeting and at any adjournment thereof. A) REGISTRATION: Stockholders may register to participate in the virtual meeting at the Registration Portal (“Registration Portal”) at: https://bit.ly/3c485yC Registration will be from 9:00 am of April 5, 2021 until 7:00 pm of April 12, 2021. Stockholders are advised to register as early as possible. To proceed with the registration, personal information will be required. For identification, the Company shall only accept a scanned back to back copy of one valid government-issued ID bearing photo and signature which will be uploaded in the Registration Portal. Consent to process the personal information is included in the Registration Portal. 1.

Individual stockholder with shares recorded in their name: name, valid email address, active contact number and upload a valid government-issued ID. For stockholders with joint accounts, only the authorized stockholder will register and in addition to the above, shall upload scanned copy of a notarized authorization letter signed by the other stockholders, indicating who among them would be authorized to participate and/or vote and upload their valid government-issued IDs.

A satellite handout image released by Planet Labs Inc on March 24, 2021, shows the Taiwan-owned MV ‘Ever Given’ (Evergreen) container ship, a 400-meter-(1,300-foot-) long and 59-meter wide vessel, lodged sideways and impeding all traffic across the waterway of Egypt’s Suez Canal. A giant container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal after a gust of wind blew it off course, the vessel’s operator said on March 24, 2021, bringing marine traffic to a halt along one of the world’s busiest trade routes. AFP

Individual Stockholder under a broker/ PCD: in addition to the name, valid email address, active contact number and a valid government-issued ID, the stockholder needs to coordinate with his broker and secure a duly signed Broker’s Certification stating the full account name and account or reference number which shall be uploaded in the Registration Portal. 2.

Corporate stockholder: the duly authorized representative of the corporate stockholder shall register and provide his name, valid email address, active contact number, valid government-issued ID and the scanned copy of the notarized Secretary’s Certificate and proxy appointing either the ATI Chairman or President.

Maritime trade to slow on Suez Canal jam

A proxy given by a broker in respect of shares of stock held by such broker for the account of the beneficial owner must be accompanied by a certification under oath stating the number of shareholdings and a that the broker has obtained the written consent or authorization of the account holder.

PARIS, France—Maritime trade will slow down for days after a giant container ship got stuck sideways in the Suez Canal, causing a bottleneck in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Here are questions and answers about the incident and its consequences: What happened? The Taiwan-run MV Ever Given had sailed from Yantian, China, and was heading to Rotterdam, Netherlands, when it became lodged at an angle across the canal on Tuesday. The Suez Canal Authority said the 400-meter (1,300-foot) long and 59-meter-wide ship was caught in a gale-force sandstorm which affected the captain’s visibility. Tug boats worked Wednesday to free the Ever Given and analysts say it could be moved out of the way in a matter of hours, but traffic could nevertheless be disrupted for a few days. Dozens of ships were blocked by the Panama-flagged ship, but historic sections of the canal were reopened in an effort to ease the traffic jam. Ships sailing from the Mediterranean were able to travel south. But broker Braemar warned that if the tug boats are unable to move the ship, some containers may have to be removed by crane barge to lighten the vessel and “this can take days maybe weeks.” Why is the canal important? The canal was widened and modernized several times to accommodate new ships since it was inaugurated in 1869. It is responsible for 10 percent of global maritime trade. The waterway drastically shortens travel be-

The Company reserves the right to require additional documents as may be necessary or relevant.

tween Asia and Europe: The Singapore-to-Rotterdam route, for example, is 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) and up to two weeks shorter than going around Africa. It is an “absolutely critical” route because “all traffic arriving from Asia goes through the Suez Canal,” said Camille Egloff, a maritime transport specialist at Boston Consulting Group. “If it doesn’t go through the canal it has to go via Cape of Good Hope,” at the southern tip of Africa, Egloff said. The canal was widened again in 2015 to allow super-sized cargo ships like the Ever Given to use the route. A project is under way to double its capacity by 2023 to allow around 100 ships to use the canal per day, compared to 50 today. Is there a shortage threat? While traffic has slowed down, there is little risk of shortages in goods. “There are existing stocks. If you look at oil supply, it is only the one from the Middle East and we have other supply sources,” Egloff said. Braemer said that, if it takes more than a week to free the passage, then ships could take the alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope. The extra eight or nine days travel “will be problematic for cargo already on the way” but it “can be compensated for in the longer-term by means of ordering cargo earlier than normal,” it said. But there could be an adverse effect on certain sectors. An existing shortage of semiconductors has already disrupted production of cars that rely on the technology. AFP

B) VALIDATION: A notification by email from ATI2021SHMeeting@asianterminals.com. ph shall be received by the stockholder together with a unique passcode which shall be used to access the ATI Voting Portal or other instructions. For queries, the stockholders may communicate with the Company through the above-mentioned email address. Stockholders may only appoint the ATI Chairman or the President as proxy. Proxies should be submitted on or before 7pm of April 12, 2021. The duly accomplished scanned copy of the proxy may be uploaded by the stockholder upon registration or hard copies may be sent at the address below. Proxies will be validated on April 13, 2021 at the said address. Office of the Corporate Secretary Asian Terminals, Inc. ATI Head Office, A. Bonifacio Drive Port Area, Manila, 1018 C) VOTING: All the agenda items indicated in the Notice will be set out in the ATI Voting Portal (“Voting Portal”). Voting shall be online and the Voting Portal shall be open from 9:00 am of April 13, 2021 up to 7:00 pm of April 20, 2021, in the link below: https://bit.ly/2AinOer 1.

Individual stockholder with shares recorded in their name: they may access the Voting Portal by providing the valid email address they used in the registration and the sent unique passcode. For stockholders with joint accounts, only the stockholder who registered and was authorized by the joint stockholders shall vote by providing the valid email address they used in the registration and the unique passcode. Individual Stockholder under a broker/ PCD: they may access the Voting Portal by providing the valid email address they used in the registration and the unique passcode.

Corporate stockholder or broker. Either the ATI Chairman or the President may vote, as may be provided in the proxy.

The Office of the Corporate Secretary shall tabulate all votes received and the results shall be validated by R.G. Manabat and Co. D. QUORUM: The following stockholders shall be deemed present for purposes of quorum: a) whose registrations are validated b) who sent their accomplished proxies and validated c) who voted from 9:00 am of April 13, 2021 up to 7:00 pm of April 20, 2021. E. LIVESTREAM: The meeting will be streamed live on April 22, 2021 at 2pm, on the link https://bit.ly/ATI_2021ASM Every item in the agenda for approval of the stockholders will be shown on the screen during the livestreaming as the same is taken up at the meeting. During the meeting, the Secretary shall report the votes received and inform the stockholders if the particular item is carried or disapproved. The total number of votes cast for each item for approval under the agenda will be shown on the screen. F. QUESTIONS: Questions on the items in the Agenda may be sent to ATI2021SHMeeting@ asianterminals.com.ph with the subject heading “ASM 2021 Question” and the identity of the sender must be stated after the question. Replies may be given during the meeting and any unanswered will be replied to by email. MS-MAR. 25 & 26, 2021)

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Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4 FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

BOI-approved investments up 64% to P137b as of March 19 By Othel V. Campos INVESTMENT pledges approved by the Board of Investments reached P137 billion as of March 19, up 64.6 percent from P83 billion registered in the same period last year. Trade Secretary and BOI chairman Ramon Lopez said investments in the Philippines continued to increase despite the pandemic. “Last year, we hit P1.02 trillion. For perspective, this is a bit lower compared to 2019 which was P1.14 trillion. We still achieved over a P1 trillion in investments considering the impact of the pandemic to the economy. And we continue to sustain the momentum until the first quarter of 2021,” Lopez said during a broadcast meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte Wednesday night. Lopez said these projects were expected to generate 12,000 new jobs, up by 13.28 percent from 10,605 jobs in the same period in 2020. He said the compliance by industries and establishments to the minimum health protocol increased the confidence of investors in the country as a manufacturing base. Constant monitoring of establishments revealed a high compliance rate of between 75 percent and 97 percent for operational capacity, wearing of proper face masks, wearing of proper face shields, adequate ventilation, frequent disinfection and appropriate physical distancing. The BOI also held meetings with six local companies on their plans for vaccine manufacturing including Glovax Biotech Corp. for its proposed P7 billion vaccine plant in the country. Glovax also revealed preparedness to bring 44 million doses of second generation COVID-19 vaccines from Korea. “We’re exploring this kind of investments, so we won’t have to rely on imported vaccines in the future,” Lopez said.

Greenergy to build Batangas food hub and logistics center GREENERGY Holdings Inc. said Thursday it plans to build a logistics center and a food terminal on a threehectare property in Aplaya, Batangas City. Greenergy said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed an agreement with Ala Eh Knit Inc. (Ala Eh), an affiliate of Abacore Capital Holdings Inc., to develop a food terminal that would engage in manufacturing, trading, storage and logistics requirements of the agriculture sector. Under the memorandum of agreement, Ala Eh will increase its authorized capital stock to P1.5 billion, change its corporate name and primary purpose to allow it to engage in the business of operating, managing, leasing and developing the logistics center and food terminal complex. Greenergy will then subscribe to 60 percent of the unissued capital stock of Ala Eh, equivalent to P900 million. The shareholders of Ala Eh will also infuse the Batangas property into the company in exchange for a 40-percent stake in the company. The development of the food terminal project will be operated and managed by Greenergy upon compliance with the terms and conditions in the MOA and the subscription agreement. It said the food terminal would include cold and dry storage facilities and agri-processing facilities. Greenergy, owned by businessman Antonio Tiu, has investments in real estate, agri-tourism, renewable energy, information technology and agriculture, specifically in the cultivation, production and trading of agricultural products locally and globally. Greenergy said earlier it would acquire a majority stake in U-Pay Digital Technologies Inc., a financial technology subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corp. for P54 million. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business BSP maintains borrowing rate at a record-low of 2% T By Julito G. Rada

HE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rate at a record-low of 2 percent, taking into account the expected transitory impact of the higher inflation rate.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in an online briefing the Monetary Board decided to maintain the interest rate on the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase facility at 2 percent, the overnight deposit at 1.5 percent and lending facilities at 2.5 percent. “The Monetary Board noted the latest inflation forecasts had shifted higher over the policy horizon. Inflation may breach the upper end of the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent in 2021, reflecting the impact of supply-side constraints on domestic prices of key food

commodities such as meat as well as the continuing uptick in international oil prices,” Diokno said. “Nevertheless, inflation is still seen to return within the target band [of 2 to 4 percent] in 2022 as supply-side influences subside,” Diokno said. Meanwhile, he said the balance of risks to the inflation outlook remained broadly balanced around the baseline path in 2021 while leaning toward the downside in 2022. Tighter domestic supply of meat products and improved global economic activity could lend further upside pressures on inflation. Diokno said, however, the lingering pandemic continued to pose downside risks to the inflation outlook, as the recent surge in virus infections and challenges over mass vaccination programs tempered prospects for domestic demand. “Given these considerations, the Monetary Board is of the view that prevailing monetary policy settings remain appropriate to support the government’s broader efforts to facilitate the recovery of the economy,” Diokno said. The Monetary Board said the timely

implementation of non-monetary interventions was crucial in mitigating the impact of supply-side pressures on inflation and thereby preventing them from spilling over as second-round effects. “The BSP will remain watchful for any signs of inflation becoming broader based. The BSP is prepared to take immediate measures as appropriate to ensure that the monetary policy stance continues to support the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” Diokno said. Inflation in February accelerated to a 26-month high of 4.7 percent from 4.2 percent in January, driven by higher prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages. This was the fastest increase in consumer prices in more than two years since it hit 5.1 percent in December 2018. This was also significantly faster than the 2.6 percent in February 2020. The latest reading brought the average inflation in the first two months to 4.45 percent, beyond the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, March 25, 2021

83.99 PTS. 6,581.00

Total Volume Total Trades Total Value

2,491,828,243 107,360 6,104,274,181.62

Advances Declines

136 62

Unchanged

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.6810

Japan

Yen

0.009198

0.4478

Pound

1.369200

66.6540

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128730

6.2667

Switzerland

Franc

1.069176

52.0486

Canada

Dollar

0.795165

38.7094

Singapore

Dollar

0.743052

36.1725

Australia

Dollar

0.758200

36.9099

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655055

129.2507

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266674

12.9820

Brunei

Dollar

0.740302

36.0386

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032258

1.5704

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.2545

Euro

1.181500

57.5166

Korea

Won

0.000881

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.153257

7.4607

India

Rupee

0.013776

0.6706

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.242189

11.7900

New Zealand

Dollar

0.696600

33.9112

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035175

1.7124 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Basic Energy bags wind service contract

THE Department of Energy awarded an energy service contract to Mabini Energy Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Basic Energy Corp., to develop a 50-megawatt wind project in Mabina, Batangas. Basic Energy said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it received a copy of the WESC signed by the department for Mabini Energy over the 4,860 square meters of land in the Mabini Peninsula, Mabini, Batangas on March 23. “The WESC provides for a non-extendible five years pre-development stage and 25 years development stage, counted from contract signing and which is extendible for another 25 years, subject to DOE approval,” it said. The proposed project has a potential capacity of 50 MW and is projected to start commercial operations by 2027 or five years from the date of awarding of the WESC. Basic Energy aims to develop more projects with the expected P2.8 billion infusion from MAP 2000 Development Corp. for the acquisition of at least 67 percent of the outstanding capital stock of the company. Alena Mae S. Flores

DBP’s total assets breach P1 trillion

DDMP REIT LISTING. DDMP REIT Inc., the second real estate investment trust company to conduct an initial public offering, lists its shares in the Philippine Stock Exchange on March 24. Attending the bell-ringing ceremony at PSE are (from left, by row) DDMPR chairman emeritus Ambassador Benedicto Yujuico and president and chief operating officer Ferdinand Sia; DoubleDragon Properties Corp. chief investment officer Hannah Yulo-Luccini, DDMPR chairman Edgar Sia II, PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran and PSE issuer regulation division head Marigel Garcia; Philippine National Bank president and chief executive Jose ArnulfoVeloso, DDMPR director Jaime Rafael Yujuico, DDMPR director Jesus Emmanuel Yujuico and Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines chief operating officer Renee Rubio.

STATE-RUN Development Bank of the Philippines, the sixth-largest lender in terms of assets, joined the elite ranks of trillionpeso banks in the country after posting total assets of P1.04-trillion as of end-2020, 37 percent higher than P761.24 billion recorded in 2019, its top executive said Thursday. DBP president and chief executive Emmanuel Herbosa said in a statement the increase in total assets was due to the hefty increases in deposits which grew 47.6 percent to P817.9 billion from P554.18 billion in 2019. Investments also recorded a 26-percent increase to P260.1 billion from P206.57 billion a year ago. “DBP’s latest milestone manifests the public’s continued confidence in DBP as a strong, stable and reliable financial institution,” Herbosa said. “We are emboldened by the fact that the bank was able to achieve this feat two years earlier than our projected timeline and despite the constraints of the prevailing public health crisis,” he said. DBP was designated as the country’s infrastructure bank by the government. It has a branch network of 129. Julito G. Rada

SEC eases listing rules, grants relief to companies eyeing IPO

PLDT assures steady service

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday it approved the relaxation of listing rules and the grant of temporary relief to companies applying for initial public offerings in 2021 or 2022 to consider the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. It said time-bound relief would be granted to IPO applicants that were planning to list in the main board or the SME board of the Philippine Stock Exchange. The corporate regulator said for IPO applications filed in 2021 and 2022, the PSE on a case-to-case basis might consider the profitability of the applicant for any two fiscal years in the three most recent fiscal years, excluding the year of the impact. It said for an IPO application filed in 2021 by a company demonstrating the

negative impact of COVID-19 on its financial condition and results of operations in 2020, the PSE would consider its 2018 and 2019 financial performance. If the application would be filed in 2022 and the year of the impact was 2020, the two most recent fiscal years of 2019 and 2021 would be considered. The SEC, however, said the IPO applicant would be required to fully disclose in the prospectus with crossreference to the audited financial statements the adverse impact of the pandemic on its operations, expected duration of the business effects of the pandemic, recovery measures and business prospects of the applicant in the next five years. Meanwhile, the SEC also approved the easing of listing rules. A company applying to list in the main board should satisfy the profit test and mar-

ket capitalization test and meet shareholders’ equity requirement. Under the approved amended listing rules, a company applying to list under the main board of the exchange should have booked a cumulative net income of P75 million in the past three fiscal years, and a net income of at least P50 million for the fiscal year immediately preceding the filing of the application. PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon earlier said the temporary relief was the local bourse’s way of supporting the government’s initiative to ramp up the economy by assisting companies including SMEs. “We know that businesses need to access capital to revitalize their operations. By easing certain requirements, we hope to make a significant contribution to the country’s economic recovery process,” Monzon earlier said.

PLDT Group on Thursday assured customers of continued service amid fresh COVID-19 restrictions in the country, especially in the National Capital Region, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon and other affected provinces. The country’s largest integrated telco said both its network operations and customer support facilities are in normal service with adequate staffing and resources and would continue to serve Filipinos and help fixed and wireless customers stay connected. “What we have is a real partnership with our customers. We offer various platforms that allow Filipinos to keep in pace with the times and accelerate their own digital transformation―e-learning, telecommuting, e-commerce and e-health―changes that affect individuals, families, businesses and government simultaneously,” said Alfredo Panlilio, Smart president and chief executive and PLDT chief revenue officer. “We will continue to uphold customercentricity and bring them the services that connect them to what matters most to them, even amid this great uncertainty,” Panlilio said. Darwin G. Amojelar

EDC taps US firm to restore Leyte geothermal well By Alena Mae S. Flores GREENFIRE Energy Inc. of the US said Thursday it signed an agreement with Energy Development Corp. to perform a retrofit that will restore and generate steam from an idle geothermal well in its Mahanagdong facility in Leyte province. GreenFire Energy said in a statement EDC’s idle geothermal well had not been usable because of high level of non-condensable gases produced from the well when flowing. It said the heat mining system would correct this and meet its surface system pressure requirements once installed and commissioned in the well by the fourth quarter. Both parties are gathering data to evaluate the feasibility of using Greenfire GreenLoop technology in other opportunity wells of EDC. GreenFire GreenLoop is a patented, closed-loop geothermal energy system that generates power from geothermal resources where conventional geothermal systems cannot effectively operate, typi-

cally due to lack of permeability, water or pressure. “We have been looking at GreenFire Energy’s closed-loop approach to geothermal for some time and are happy to see the progress. While we see potential for the technology in large greenfield projects too, we see the fast payback on well retrofits as the easiest way to start,” said Liberato Virata, senior vice president and head of EDC facilities operations and maintenance group. GreenFire Energy and EDC are also working to analyze other unproductive geothermal wells and less productive geothermal fields where the potential for using the technology will be of the greatest technical and economic benefit. “Being able to generate steam from our idle geothermal wells that will enable us to supply more of that much-needed clean, reliable, stable power that our country needs is all a part of fulfilling EDC’s mission to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future,” said Virata.

CLARK’S GIFTS. Clark Development Corp. president and chief executive Manuel Gaerlan (second row, third from left) leads the distribution of boxes of goods to 150 selected beneficiaries from Sitio Haduan. Each donated gift box contains assorted canned goods, rice, noodles, coffee, medicines and vitamins. The activity was organized by the state-owned firm’s external affairs department. The gift giving project aims to help marginalized communities, especially in the time of pandemic.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor FRIDAY, MARCH 26 2021

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto applauds next to the celebration cauldron on the first day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay in Naraha, Fukushima prefecture. AFP

Zamboanga faces biggest challenge yet By Peter Atencio

Ray of light: Olympic torch relay starts after year’s delay

WAKI, Japan—The Tokyo Olympics torch relay got underway on Thursday after a year’s coronavirus delay, with ofﬁcials hoping it will be a “ray of light” after the problems caused by the pandemic.

and there would have been more excitement if there wasn’t coronavirus.” ‘A great memory’ But 10-year-old Tsuzumi Sugeno was thrilled nonetheless. “This will be a great memory,” he told AFP. “I want to become a professional baseball player and play at the Olympics.” Organizers were making final preparations for the relay last year when the virus prompted the unprecedented decision to postpone the Games, as sport around the world ground to a halt. A year on, the pandemic is still in full swing despite vaccine roll-outs, and many in Japan fear the Olympics will cause a spike in cases. Overseas spectators are barred from the Games, and limits are likely on domestic fans, so the relay is seen as a vital opportunity to build positive momentum. The Fukushima launch also puts the spotlight back on the northeastern region of Tohoku that was affected by the

2011 quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. The Games were initially billed as the “Recovery Olympics”, showcasing reconstruction in the region. The relay will pass through some towns that remain only partially open to the public, as radiation decontamination continues. In Iwaki city, the largest stop on the flame’s first day, 78-year-old Hikomitsu Onodera was dressed in the same blue blazer he wore as an official overseeing weightlifting at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. “It was good -- sport is something that can bring everyone together,” he said, after the flame passed. - ‘Like the Olympics has started’ The torch will travel through all of Japan’s 47 prefectures and take in landmarks including Mount Fuji and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Its circuitous route first heads south to the islands of Okinawa before reversing course for the northern region of Hokkaido and finally back to Tokyo. AFP

FACING her biggest challenge yet, Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga is getting a tougher opponent this time. With her unbeaten record at stake, Zamboanga will square off against a more experienced fighter in South Korean Seo Hee Ham in the first all-female card, ONE: Empower on May 28 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. “This is the biggest challenge that I will face,” said the 24-yearold Zamboanga, who will clash with Ham in the first bout of the evening. Zamboanga, who has changed training camps since her last fight in August, prepared for seven months against Ham. She kept her umblemished record after winning by submission in Round 1 of her encounter with Watsapinya Kaewkhong last time around. Zamboanga boasts of a spotless 7-0 record with ONE Championship. “I know she’s a seasoned fighter. So I will be using my hands and my striking,” said Zamboanga. Ham will be fighting her first ONE bout, is one of Asia’s most decorated mixed martial artists. When she meets Zamboanga, the Korean will come into this contest with a 23-8 professional record and a six-bout winning streak behind her. But Zamboanga looks ready after changing gyms and training camps, allowing her to find her form against the Korean. “She’s very experienced. A southpaw. And I don’t have much experience fighting southpaws,” she added. Zamboanga is seeking a chance to earn an opportunity to challenge reigning atomweight queen “Unstoppable” Angela Lee and snatch the belt from the champ in November.

Spectators were barred from the departure ceremony and first leg over ongoing fears about the coronavirus, which forced the 2020 Games’ historic postponement a year ago. But they will line the rest of the route during the 121-day relay, which will crisscross Japan and involve 10,000 runners before the torch lights the Olympic cauldron on July 23. Organizers are hoping the relay will dispel doubts about holding the Games during a pandemic, and Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto called the flame “a ray of light at the end of the darkness”. “This little flame never lost hope and it waited for this day like a cherry blossom bud just about to bloom,” she told the ceremony at Fukushima’s J-Village sports complex, which was a base for

responding to the 2011 nuclear disaster. Azusa Iwashimizu, one of Japan’s 2011 World Cup-winning women’s footballers, was the first to carry the rose-gold, cherry blossom-shaped torch, accompanied by former teammates. She passed the flame to Fukushima high school student Asato Owada, who like all the runners wore an official white tracksuit with a red diagonal stripe. A handful of fans, wearing their compulsory masks, watched the relay from its second section. But with cheering and large crowds banned for virus safety, the loudest sound came from clicking cameras. “I think it somewhat lacks excitement because there are rules,” Tetsuya Ozawa told AFP in the town of Naraha. “I think more people would have come

TNC Predator, 5 other PH teams join Predator League

PSC chief Ramirez is PSA Awards’ guest of honor

AN ALL-FILIPINO squad will make up Team TNC Predator, one of six Filipino esports squads in the online-only Predator League 2020/21 Grand Final. Team manager Arjay Domdom said they are ready to confront many international teams that will go up against them when action takes place from April 6 to 11. “The group is excited, motivated and confident, considering that this is our first Asia Pacific Grand Finals,” said Domdom in a Zoom huddle with scribes. TNC Predator, since the start of the year, has won four of six matches in the Dota Pro Circuit 2021: S1-Southeast Asia Upper Division. Last September, TNC Predator took home $50,000 in the ESL One Thailand 2020: Asia. The year before, they took in $300,000 in the Mars Dota 2 League. They will be joined by TroubleMaku and Gamers Lounge, which will go for the top honors in the PUBG event. TNC Predator, along with Neon Esports and Reckoning Esports, will seek prizes at stake in the Dota 2 game. Among the regular players expected to participate for the Predators are Kim Villafuerte, Armel Tabios, Jun Kanehara and Timothy Randrup. A newbie, Marvin Rushton, is the latest addition to their list of players. The Grand Finals is pushing through after a one-year layoff brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Numerous teams that have been invited by Acer will now be able to showcase their skills in the coming competition. A total prize of $400,000 is pooled across qualifiers to the four sub-tournaments. The winners will also be given the coveted APAC Predator League Shield and Acer Predator products. ArkAngel Esports had a great run in the first PUBG Continental Series last year, and they hope they hope to stay in contention. Peter Atencio

PHILIPPINE Sports Commission chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez is the special guest of honor in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night on Saturday at the TV5 Media Center. Ramirez, as keynote speaker, is expected to deliver a brief but meaningful speech addressed to the country’s sportswriting fraternity and Philippine sports in general. The PSC is one of the most affected government agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic as most of its funding, which comes from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming

PSC chairman William Ramirez

Corporation, is used to subsidize the allowances and training of national athletes and coaches under its care. Unfortunately, gaming activities were earlier shut down, and upon return to operation, didn’t attract as many patrons as it used to in the past, leading to huge losses in the net income of PAGCOR. During the program, Ramirez is also expected to commend and praise the compact 32-man awardee to be feted in the event presented by San Miguel Corporation and backed by the PSC and Cignal TV. Young lady golfer Yuka Saso leads the 2020 honor roll of the

country’s oldest media organization, headed by President Tito S. Talao, sports editor of the Manila Bulletin. The 19-year-old Saso is the recipient of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award. OneSports+ will air the virtual Awards Night on March 28 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with 1Pacman Partylist, Chooks-to-Go, and Rain or Shine as major backers. Some of the country’s top athletes, sports officials, leaders, and entities will be joining Saso in center stage as recipients of the various awards to be handed out during the event.

Bucks hold off charging Celtics; Magic edge Suns LOS ANGELES—The Milwaukee Bucks pushed their NBA winning streak to eight games on Wednesday, squandering a 25-point third-quarter lead but holding on to edge the Boston Celtics 121-119. Khris Middleton scored 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for the Bucks, who escaped with the victory when Boston center Daniel Theis’s three-point attempt failed to drop as time expired. “Man, I thought it was good,” Middleton admitted of Theis’s wide-open effort—which came on the heels of missed attempts from Boston’s Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart. “Great play, great look.” For most of the night, it hadn’t appeared the Bucks would be cutting it so close. The Celtics trailed 90-65 midway through the third quarter but Jaylen Brown’s three-pointer cut the deficit to two with 1:32 remaining. “They made shots, we slowed down, missed some good looks,” Middleton said. “Credit them, they hung in the game, found a way to get back in it and had a chance to win at the end.” Donte DiVincenzo blocked a Walker layup with 34.8 seconds to play and Brook Lopez blocked a Smart attempt with two seconds to play. Milwaukee’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo had a quiet night of 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as he returned after resting his sprained left knee. Bobby Portis scored 21 points off the bench for the Bucks. Lopez and DiVincenzo added 17 apiece. Jaylen Brown paced Boston with 24 points. Walker

had 23 and Jayson Tatum, back after missing a game because of illness, added 18. Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier drove for the game-winning layup with 6.4 seconds remaining in a 112-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Magic center Nikola Vucevic put up 27 points and 14 rebounds—his 30th doubledouble of the season. Fournier added 21 points and Chuma Okeke scored a career-high 17 off the bench in the dramatic win. “I’m honestly just very happy about the win tonight because I feel like we deserved it,” said Fournier, who is being touted as a likely trade candidate with multiple teams interested as the deadline approaches on Thursday. Devin Booker scored 25 points and Chris Paul scored 23 for the Suns, who had won three straight and were trying to join the Utah Jazz as the only Western Conference teams with 30 wins. ‘Definitely different’ for Lowry The West-leading Jazz improved their league-best record to 32-11 with a 118-88 demolition of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets were a big disappointment in the absence of their big three. Kyrie Irving missed the game for personal reasons and James Harden’s sore neck left him sidelined along with Kevin Durant, who is still nursing a hamstring injury. Nets coach Steve Nash acknowledged his depleted team would face “a big challenge” in the Jazz, who

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on March 24, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. AFP

raced to a 21-point lead in the first quarter and led by as many as 38 in the third. Utah’s Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting. Alize Johnson, a 24-year-old who inked a 10-day contract with Brooklyn on Monday, paced the Nets with 23 points and 15 rebounds. The Toronto Raptors snapped their nine-game losing streak, but star guard Kyle Lowry admitted the 135-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets felt “weird” amid widespread reports he would be traded at the deadline. AFP

Sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

New-look Manila tests Ayo’s system at Doha 3x3 DOHA—Will Aldin Ayo’s Mayhem system work in the halfcourt? It will be put to the test on Friday as the new-look Manila Chooks TM takes on the world’s best and finest 3x3 basketball players in the 2021 FIBA 3X3 World Tour Doha Masters. Composing Manila Chooks TM in this max level FIBA 3x3 tournament are Chico Lanete, Mac Tallo, Zachy Huang, and Dennis Santos. Manila Chooks TM’s campaign begins in the qualifying draw stage that will see them take on Austria’s Graz at 7:30 p.m. before facing Qatar’s Doha at 8:05 p.m. The Philippine-side will be at a disadvantage size-wise as Graz has 6’9” Fabricio Vay and 6’7” Filip Krämer, while Qatar will field 6’7” Abdelrahman Yehia Abdelhaleem and 6-foot-10 Souley Ndour. But the players are confident that Ayo’s schemes will work in the three-a-side game. “Sa practice pa lang, talagang banggaan na talaga. Napakalakas na rin nila yung katawan namin,” said Santos, the tallest in the team at 6’5”. “Going back sa UST days ko, ganu’n pa rin ‘yung schemes ni Coach Aldin. Same approach pa rin tulad ng ginawa namin kaya naka-Finals kami nu’ng UAAP Season 82 ang ginawa niya dito para sa amin,” added Huang, a 6’2” post creator. Only one team from the qualifying draw will advance to the tournament proper. Waiting for the survivor are US teams NY Harlem and Princeton, both topfive teams in the world. Lanete is confident that their skills can negate the tall odds stacked in front of them. “Sa darating na laban, siyempre maliliit kami pero ang ibibigay namin sa kanila eh ‘yung bilis namin at outside shooting. ‘Yun ang power namin,” said Lanete.

LPGA unsure of China event as Singapore, Thailand return

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays his shot on the 18th tee in his match against Antoine Rozner of France during the first round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas. AFP

DeChambeau, McIlroy, Thomas upset at WGC W

ASHINGTON—US seeds Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy were among the upset losers in Wednesday’s opening group matches at the WGC Match Play Championship.

English 60th seed Ian Poulter, a WGC Match Play and World Match Play winner as well as a Ryder Cup stalwart, won the final five holes for a 6&5 rout of 11th seed McIlroy in the 64-player showdown at Austin (Texas) Country Club. French 58th seed Antoine Rozner, who won at Qatar two weeks ago on a 60-foot putt at the 72nd hole, downed fifth-seeded DeChambeau 2-up thanks to a birdie at 18 while 52nd-seeded Matt Kuchar beat second-seeded countryman Thomas 3&2. Unlike a normal match-play event, first-day losers still have a chance to advance from a group stage into weekend knockout matches. Poulter won his 30th match in 15 appearances with birdies at the par-4 ninth and par3 11th and an eagle at the par-5 12th before closing out McIlroy with a par at 13, his allor-nothing attitude dominating. “It gets the adrenaline going, the ticker starts going. You got to pony up and hit shots,” said Poulter, whose lead fell to 1-up after McIlroy birdied six and eight. McIlroy, who has started working with swing coach Pete Cowan, suffered his

worst Match-Play defeat in a decade— since an 8&7 loss to ben Crane in 2011— and hooked his tee shot at the par-4 fifth out of bounds left into the swimming pool of a nearby home. “There’s a couple of areas of his game which I’m sure he wants to firm up a little bit,” Poulter said. “He missed a couple of tee shots left. But it’s Rory, it doesn’t take a lot for Rory to spark up pretty quickly.” Rozner birdied the ninth to go 2-up on reigning US Open champion DeChambeau. The big-hitting American birdied the par-5 16th and forced an 18th hole, where the Frenchman landed his approach inside eight feet from the cup and made the putt for the win. “I was just trying to play a good round of solid golf, not give any shot away,” Rozner said. “It’s the strongest field I’ve ever played in in my life and I played good golf out there.” Kuchar birdied four of the last five holes on the front nine for a 5-up edge and parred his way to victory from there. Spanish third seed Jon Rahm edged Colombian Sebastian Munoz 1 up, sink-

ing a birdie putt from eight feet at 18 after the South American sank one three times as long. Of the top eight seeds, four halved and two lost, the winners being Rahm and world number one Dustin Johnson, who beat 61stseeded US compatriot Adam Long 2 up. Reigning Masters champion Johnson birdied the par-4 third and parred the par-4 fifth to lead 2 up. Long pulled level with five to play but Johnson sank a 25-foot birdie putt at 15 and one from just outside four feet at 18 to win. ‘Huge’ win by Frittelli South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli, the 64th and last seed who lives only 15 minutes from the course, ripped US 12th seed Tony Finau 6&5. Frittelli was 4-up after six and didn’t lose a hole. “It’s huge,” Frittelli said. “I’ve told a lot of people if I can get through Tony with a win, I think I’m definitely the favorite in the group.” US 63rd seed J.T. Poston halved with US fourth seed Collin Morikawa. Spain’s Sergio Garcia jumped atop group eight with a 4&3 win over England’s Lee Westwood after England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Wallace halved. “I feel like I can be quite aggressive,” Garcia said. “If we have a mess up we can move on and can try to get it back.” AFP

MIAMI—No final decision has been made on the status of the LPGA Blue Bay tournament planned for China in May, LPGA officials said Wednesday while confirming Singapore and Thailand events. While tweaking the US schedule to ease travel to Asia for two other events, the LPGA said in a statement the fate of the LPGA event on China’s Hainan Island, planned for May 13-16, “will be announced in the coming weeks as the LPGA continues to fully assess the situation with its partners in China.” The HSBC Women’s World Championship will be played April 29-May 2 at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club while the Honda LPGA Thailand will be staged May 6-9 at Siam Country Club in Chonburi. Both events were wiped out in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic and will be conducted under strict health protocols, with Park Sunghyun of South Korea defending her title in Singapore and South Korean Amy Yang defending her crown in Thailand. “We are incredibly appreciative of our global partners who are going above and beyond to ensure playing opportunies for our athletes,” LPGA chief tournament business officer Ricki Lasky said. The LPGA Lotte Championship remains set for April 14-17 with a Saturday finish at Kapolei (Hawaii) Golf Club with the LPGA Los Angeles Open shifting a day earlier to also have a Saturday finish, on April 24 at Wilshire Country Club, to ease travel issues for Asia-bound players. Both US events will have a field of 144 players with Canada’s Brooke Henderson seeking a third consecutive Lotte win after last year’s cancelation. South Korean Lee Min-jee is set to try and repeat in LA after her 2019 win and a 2020 wipeout. The LPGA has an event scheduled the week following the China event, the Pure Silk Championship on May 20-23 at Williamsburg, Virginia. AFP

Spotlight on Schumacher as famous name returns to Formula 1 Mick Schumacher

BERLIN—Mick Schumacher’s famous name may have helped him to accelerate through motor racing’s lower levels, but it will also add pressure when he makes his Formula One debut on Sunday. Mick, son of seven-time world champion Michael, will drive for US team Haas in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Schumacher, 22, earned his chance by winning the Formula Three European championship in 2018 and the Formula Two title in 2020. His famous name has helped make it easier for Haas to find funding, but the young German’s longer-term career plan seems clear. Mick is part of the academy at Ferrari, where his father won five of his seven world titles. Haas and Ferrari each pay half of Mick Schumacher’s salary and, if he proves himself, he seems destined to eventually race in the famous red of the Maranello-based company. “The name Schumacher is a brand, but it is a brand linked to the first name Michael,” Herve

Bodinier, a sports marketing professional and Formula 1 expert, told AFP. “Ferrari and the others are not patrons, Mick will have to write his own story.” A thick veil of mystery surrounds the current health of Michael Schumacher. The 52-year-old has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013, witnessed by Mick, left the Formula One legend with severe brain injuries. Now, 15 years after his father last raced for Ferrari, Mick will bring one of the most famous names in motorsport back to Formula One. The hype has been building for weeks. According to a survey, 35 percent of Sky Germany’s subscribers say they will watch more Formula One if Mick Schumacher is at the wheel. The German broadcaster has based its entire pre-season advertising around the German, who turned 22 last Monday. Family footsteps “His arrival is already a boost for Formula

One, his name is attracting a lot of attention, and the whole series is benefiting from it,” admitted Stefano Domenicali, the Formula One boss who is close to the Schumacher family. However, Schumacher has been warned that his surname carries extra pressure. “It’s not easy to be a ‘son of’,” 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, who won the Formula One title 34 years after his father Keke Rosberg, told Sport1. “At the beginning the media attention on him will be even bigger than on (defending champion) Lewis Hamilton.” Since his first laps in karting, the media have always taken an interest in Schumacher. He came through the ranks of Formula Three and Two shielded by a management team who made it taboo for reporters to ask about his father’s health. “He has forged a shell, he has a good family and has turned his dramatic story into a strength,” said Bodinier. AFP

Hamilton, Mercedes face Bahrain challenge MANAMA—Lewis Hamilton’s team chief Toto Wolff is confident that champions Mercedes can bounce back from a poor pre-season test and fight for victory in Sunday’s seasonopening Bahrain Grand Prix. The Austrian boss, who conceded that the team had suffered a “tough test” in Bahrain earlier this month, said he believed his outfit would draw on its experience and strengths to recover as Hamilton goes in pursuit of an unprecedented eighth title. “This team’s biggest strengths are our people and our values and after a tough time I know that we can fight back stronger,” said Wolff. “It was a tricky three days—the W12 car wasn’t as stable, predictable or planted as some of our rivals—and Red Bull looked strong on both the long and the short runs, but as always with testing, it’s difficult to be certain

of true performance.” As Wolff and Mercedes pledged to recover, chief rivals and—for some paddock observers—favourites Red Bull played down the potential of their dominant show in testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, where this weekend’s race takes place. “I know people are excited and think we are just saying this, but Mercedes are still the favourites,” said Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who hopes to end Hamilton’s run of six drivers’ titles in seven years with Mercedes. “How can they not be when they have won seven world championships in a row? “I’m sure Mercedes also want people to think we are the favourites and put the pressure on us, but we are just focused on ourselves.” Red Bull team chief Christian Horner went further by suggesting that it suited

Mercedes to escape the spotlight. “There is no denying that after the smooth running of the three-day test in Bahrain, there seems to be an excitement that we can end Mercedes’ seven-year dominance of F1,” he said in Red Bull’s Unleash The Bulls column. “But we had a debrief after the test and it is fair to say we are a little more cautious on the subject and we cannot underestimate the size of the challenge ahead of us on many fronts. “We know that Mercedes have not won by mistake for the past seven years—they are a quality high-class team that will be motivated to come back stronger. “We saw it a couple of years ago when there was a similar stor y during pre-season testing and then they smashed it out of the park at the first race in Melbourne.” Mercedes won 13 of the 17 races in

This combination of pictures shows British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton celebrating his seven World Championship drivers’ titles (from top left) at Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo; at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi; at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas; at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City; (from bottom left) at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City; at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas; at the Intercity Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul and driving during the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix at the Intercity Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul. AFP

a COVID-19 affected season last year, Hamilton triumphing 11 times. However, his dominance tailed off when he contracted the disease and, after delaying signing a oneyear contract for 2021, faces intense

speculation about his future. Hamilton has become involved in many other campaigns, issues and interests, not least after being seen as a leading figure in the sport’s anti-racism campaign. AFP

Entertainment FILIPINOS awaiting Sarah Geronimo's return to the concert stage will be treated to fresh takes on the Pop Royalty's hit songs and two special guests with Tala: The Film Concert, which airs on SKY Pay-Per-View and streams on ktx.ph tomorrow at 8:00 p.m.. The virtual show of the Viva artist will stream in high definition and commercial-free. Under the musical direction of acclaimed maestro Louie Ocampo, the concert features new arrangements of "Kilometro," "Ikot-ikot" and "Isa Pang Araw," with Sarah singing live and accompanied by a live band. Fans can also expect Sarah to have a new interpretation of Rico Blanco's "Your Universe." Joining her are rapper J. Makata and

VERY WANG

NICKIE WANG

ID you know broadcast journalist Anthony Taberna used to live in a squatter area?

In an online presser held last weekend, the 46-year-old radio and television personality recalled living in a small space while trying to make both ends meet. That experience inspired him to encourage people to invest in having their own homes even in the middle of a pandemic. “Ngayon may price freeze. Pababaan ang presyo actually so I think this is the best time to invest in property and housing projects,” Taberna, otherwise known as Ka Tunying, told Manila Standard Entertainment. “Noong 1991, nang napadpad ako sa Metro Manila mula sa aming province sa Nueva Ecija, umabot sa 17 taon na para akong basang-sisiw na kung saan-saan tumitira. Una, tumira ako sa kamag-anak. Alam naman ninyo siguro gaano kahirap tumira sa kamag-anak. Umupa rin kami sa maliliit na espasyo sa isang squatters community,” he said. “Napakahirap po talaga ng walang sariling bahay. Naranasan ko po yun. Umabot ako ng 33 years old at pinagbantaan ko ang sarili ko na hindi ako puwedeng mag-asawa kung wala akong sariling bahay,” he added. During the online event, Taberna, who was accompanied by his wife Rossel, was introduced as the face P.A. Alvarez Properties & Development Corporation. “P.A. Properties believes that his determination is aligned with the company’s thrust of helping the Filipinos achieve their dream to own a home,” said P.A. Properties chairman Romarico “Bing” Alvarez. Before the endorsement agreement, Ka Tunying already featured P.A. Properties on his Youtube Channel; Tune in Kay Tunying. Through that episode, he learned that the heart of the company focuses not only on its stakeholders but also on its employees. There is a special arrangement for their employees who want to acquire a property. Other attributes Ka Tunying liked are the affordability, architecture of units, and the planning of their properties that he personally visited. Its partnership with Pag-IBIG Fund

Sarah G teases fans

POP QUEEN.

Shot on stage at the Araneta Coliseum, Sarah G's first film concert will follow a narrative style, as inspired by film concerts of other global artists.

with special guests, fresh takes on hits in ‘Tala’ film concert

ANTHONY TABERNA recounts experience living in squatter area

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

Pinoy rock vocalist Champ Lui Pio via specially shot music videos. Shot on stage at the Araneta Coliseum, Sarah's first film concert will follow a narrative style, as inspired by film concerts of other global artists. Helmed by Paul Basinillo, the oneof-a-kind show promises to deliver frenetic musical and dance performances choreographed by G-Force's Georcelle Dapat-Sy. Pay-per-view concert passes are now available at mysky.com.ph/vipaccess, priced at P1,500. For more inquiries, visit mysky.com.ph or follow SKYcable on Facebook (fb.com/ MySKYCable), Twitter, and Instagram (@ myskyupdates).

‘Start Up’ actor Kim Seon Ho was officially launched as Globe’s newest ambassador via a virtual fan meet with the Korean heartthrob’s Pinoy fans.

‘Start Up’ heartthrob Kim Seon Ho holds virtual fan meet with Pinoy fans

FANS of Korean actor Kim Seon Ho were taken on a reinvented (virtual) date to officially welcome #TeamGoodBoy to the Globe family, on the Kmmunity PH Facebook group last March 21. The e-fan meet was filled with references from the K-Drama Start-Up, Filipino games that Seon Ho eagerly played (like the traditional sipa), and fun treats given away to fans. Seon Ho gamely worked on several Filipino phrases like “sana mapanaginipan mo ako” (hope you dream of me) or “ang ganda ganda mo” (you are so beautiful), and made serious effort to guess Filipino translations of English phrases such as his on-screen moniker “Dimple Prince” which in Filipino is “Prinsipe ng Biloy”—which he did quite well much to the delight of his fans. “I truly am here because you guys are there. And I am feeling all the support and gratitude. I want to be able to give back all the love that I’ve received from the fans,” Seon Ho shared during the event. The actor’s debut to stardom began when he played the character of Han

Broadcast journalist Anthony Taberna

FIST BUMP.

Anthony "Ka Tunying" Taberna with P.A. Properties’ chairman Romarico "Bing" Alvarez.

made its property prices more costcompetitive; with as low as P6,300 monthly amortization. "Another hallmark of their properties is project developments integrated with the basic necessities of the community. This concept ensures that the residents could avail themselves of basic services and products a few minutes from their own homes," Taberna shared in a statement. P.A. Properties, with Ka Tunying as their new brand ambassador, seeks to pursue a brighter and smarter business ahead. They promise to continue building houses and dreams as they embark on new communities to develop in the CALABARZON, Central Luzon, and

Metro Manila areas. It will also extend its arms to other progressive regions to cover a wider territory. The vision to provide affordable housing to Filipinos was long etched on the company's chairman's heart. Hence, P.A. Properties developed 40 communities and constructed more than 20,000 housing units from its inception 26 years ago. It continues to open projects in pursuit of augmenting the production of housing supply in Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Metro Manila and they continue to help resolve the country's housing backlog estimated to reach 12 million units by 2030 per data provided by Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Inc (SHDA).

From left: Rossel Velasco-Taberna, wife and manager of Anthony Taberna, and Romarico "Bing" Alvarez, chairman of P.A. Properties

SNAPSHOT

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

Ji Pyeong ‘Good Boy’ in Start-Up— becoming one of the most loved in the series with his charming smile and light demeanor. Prior to Start-Up, Kim Seon Ho has also starred in Welcome to Waikiki 2, Two Cops, 100 Days My Prince and Strongest Deliveryman, which won him the best new actor award at the 36th MBC Drama Awards. On being part of Globe’s family, he said, "I am very pleased to be the newest part of Globe's family and I am looking forward to all our projects. While we are having this virtual fan meet now, when this is all over, I hope I can visit you guys." “We are pleased to welcome Kim Seon Ho to the Globe family, with the same spirit of reinvention we have established with BLACKPINK. We continue to bring world-class connectivity and exciting digital experiences to our customers as a way to enable them to transform into the best version of themselves while enjoying the things they love from home,” said KD Dizon, Globe’s Head of Consumer Mobile Business.

GMA’s flagship AM, FM radio stations continue to dominate Mega Manila SUPER Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1 remain number one in their respective categories in Mega Manila, according to the latest Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) data. In the RAM Mega Manila Top AM Radio stations for February 2021, GMA’s flagship AM station Super Radyo DZBB 594 further increased its lead taking more than half of the listenership pie with an average total day audience share of 55.7 percent. It was way ahead of DZRH in the second spot, which only got 20.9 percent. As Filipinos continue to face the challenges brought about the pandemic, DZBB’s unceasing Serbisyong Totoo keeps listeners updated on the latest news around the clock. With its morning line-up also simulcast on GTV via “Dobol B TV”, kickstarting the day’s hottest news is Melo Del Prado sa Super Radyo every Monday to Friday at 5:30 a.m. followed by the tandem of GMA News pillar Mike Enriquez and Joel Reyes Zobel on Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide at 7:00 a.m.. By 8:00 a.m., Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Radio Presenter, Enriquez, anchors Saksi sa Dobol B. The Kapuso Network’s flagship FM station Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! likewise consistently won against all

Mike Enriquez anchors 'Saksi sa Dobol B' as well as 'Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide.'

FM stations with an audience share of 32 percent as the quirky Barangay LS DJs keep listeners company in February. Its closest competition only recorded 19 percent, a far second in the Mega Manila list. Tune in to Super Radyo DZBB 594 kHz and Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! from Monday to Sunday. Select DZBB programs are also simulcast via Dobol B TV on GTV and abroad via GMA News TV. Online, listeners can also catch these stations via live audio stream on www. gmanetwork.com/radio.

Angel Locsin, Neil Arce donate P1-m to Baguio City for its COVID-19 vaccination effort ACTRESS Angel Locsin and fiancé Neil Arce have donated P1 million to Baguio City for its procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. In a social media post on Baguio City’s Public Information Office Facebook page, the city extended its gratitude to the couple who made the donation through their Shop and Share initiative. “We would like to thank the generosity extended by the Shop & Share Initiative through the efforts of Mr. Neil Arce and Ms. Angel Locsin. The foundation was able to source out donations for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for Baguio City,” the post said. Initially launched in 2009, Shop and Share was founded by Locsin with fellow actress Anne Curtis to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

After raising almost P11 million through her #UniTentWeStandPH campaign that provided more than 28 hospitals with tents during the height of the pandemic, Locsin decided to revive the Shop and Share fundraising initiative to provide COVID-19 test kits to Filipinos in need. It was able to raise P700,000 on its first day. Among the celebrities who helped Locsin and Arce raise P1 million for Baguio City’s COVID-19 vaccination effort were Miss Universe winners Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray, Kapamilya stars Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, Maymay Entrata, Kim Chiu, Dimples Romana, Regine Velasquez, and Vice Ganda, and Kapuso artists Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, and Solenn Heusaff, among others.

Angel Locsin

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

TRAVEL & LEISURE

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

The Basilica del Sr. Santo Nino houses the original image of the child Jesus which was presented by Magellan as a gift to Cebu’s Rajah Humabon.

Malapascua Island, known for its pristine beach, is located at the northernmost tip of the province.

Magellan’s Cross, right in the heart of the city, started it all for Christianity in the Philippines 500 years ago. Cebu’s new and ultramodern international airport is in historic Mactan Island.

Guihigugma ko ang Sugbu (I love Cebu)

EING a true-blue Cebuano, born, raised, educated in the “Queen City of the South,” it always thrills me to be able to speak our dialect. Naturally, meeting other Cebuanos here in Manila excites me.

Even if my lifelong career in the tourism industry has made me enjoy the pleasures of foreign destinations and culture, I still hanker for Cebu and anything that reminds me of my roots. As they say, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.” You can imagine how excited I was when my dear friend Margie Munsayac, vice president of sales and marketing at Bluewater Resorts, invited me to the launch of the “I Love Cebu” online sale on March 16, a very significant date, as it was when Magellan landed in Cebu 500 years earlier. Participated in by 18 tour operators and 42 hotels and resorts in the province, this very attractive online promotion organized by the Hotel, Resort, and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC), with super-low rates, is available from March 21 to April 30 this year.

This laudable marketing endeavor is designed to bring Cebu’s tourism industry back on its feet again, after having been severely affected by the various levels of quarantine implemented by the government. The HRRAC members are optimistic that this renewed focus on my dear home province will spark the revival of its tourism industry towards reclaiming its position as the second most visited tourist destination in the country, next only to Boracay. At the launch, another good friend, Alfred Reyes, HRRAC president and general manager of Bai Hotel, gave out an impassioned plea for every sector of government and the industry to continuously work together to put Cebu back on the map again for domestic travelers. The good news for visitors is that only Cebu City requires proof of a negative RT-PCR test, the rest of the province does not. Other industry friends spoke at the launch: Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who happily showed her excitement over the opening of Cebu’s tourist attractions (some of which are shown here); DOT Region 7 director Shalimar Hofer Tamano, who echoed the same jubilation; and Tourism Promotions Board chief operating officer Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones, who announced her agency’s new online platform where information on tourist destinations may easily be accessed by interested visitors. Lapu-Lapu City First Lady and Tourism Council chairman Cindi KingChan further stressed the city’s historical importance, being the place where the first Filipino hero defeated a foreign “conquistador,” Magellan. Another speaker was Hazel Tamondong, tourism officer of Mandaue City, where massive industrial development continues, giving a big boost to the province’s

The street dancing and parade of the very colorful Sinulog Festival had to be cancelled two years in a row because of the pandemic.

economy. Of course, included among the speakers was Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella who is in the process of consulting with medical experts as he is considering waiving the city’s RT-PCR test requirement for visitors coming from other MGCQ (modified general community quarantine) areas. We hope he will have good news very soon regarding this matter, so that the city’s economy can easily leap to full recovery. One piece of very good news was announced during the event by the promo’s sponsor, Philippine Airlines. To commemorate their 80th anniversary, the airline offered one-way Economy domestic fares as low as P80 from Manila and round-trip Economy international fares as low as US$80 from Manila. These fares were offered during the limited period of March 1521, and may be used for travel from March 15 onwards. More information on the “I Love Cebu” Promo is available through its Facebook page or through https://traveloco.ph/ilovecebu. With these promotional offers now in place, and with the country’s population itching to embark on new adventures and new destinations, I’m sure it will just be a matter of time when we’ll hear once again a large chunk of our domestic travelers holler “Magkita ‘ta sa Sugbu!” (See you in Cebu!) YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE LETTER FROM THE TEACHER TO A MOTHER: Dear Mrs. Smith, Edward doesn’t smell nice in class. Please try to bathe him. MOTHER’S REPLY: Dear Teacher Jones. Edward is not a rose. Don’t smell him. Teach him! For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@ gmail.com.

The beautiful Simala temple in the southern part of the province is a favorite pilgrimage destination.

HAPPENINGS Czech night at MOA drive-in cinema THE Embassy of Czech Republic screened the hit film Women on the Run during the of Cine Europa Film Festival held last year at SM Mall of Asia’s drivein cinema. The film screening on Dec. 3, coincided with the embassy’s celebration of the Czech Republic’s 31st Anniversary of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day. Gracing the event was Czech Embassy’s deputy head of mission Jana Peterková. Also present were M. Issam El-Debs, Consul General a.h. of the Consulate General of the Syrian Arab Republic; H.E. Capaya Rodriguez Gonzalez, ambassador of Venezuela to the Philippines; Department of Labor and Employment

SM senior vice president of marketing Millie Dizon and Czech Embassy deputy head of mission Jana Peterková at the screening of ‘Women on the Run.’

international affairs bureau director Alice Visperas; and SM senior vice president of marketing Millie Dizon. Women on the Run tells the story of Vera, and her determination to fulfill her late husband’s peculiar last wish – to run a marathon. While Vera has never run a mile in her life, she believes she can accomplish the goal together with her three daughters and a sophisticated fitness plan. But life, just like the race, can be full of surprises.

Bonding by the bonfire at SM Pulilan

The Picnic Bonfire outdoor set-up at SM Pulilan is inspired by the ‘glamping’ concept complete with huts and tents, throw pillows, and wooden chairs and tables.

Lovers and friends meet and dine under the stars at SM Pulilan. The mall in Bulacan recently opened the Picnic Bonfire, an outdoor dining set-up in the Bike Trail area, where customers can eat, stay, and bond with loved ones in a safe, wellventilated location surrounded by nature. Inspired by the “glamping” (glamorous camping) concept, the Picnic Bonfire is complete with picnic and bonfire necessities including themed huts and tents, comfortable throw pillows, and wooden chairs and tables. It is open Mondays to Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (check SM Pulilan’s Facebook page for updates on mall hours).

Women take the lead in showcasing Filipino hospitality on Airbnb FILIPINO women are the driving force of Airbnb’s Host community in the Philippines, according to the latest data released by the company. With approximately 65 percent of Airbnb Stays (accommodation bookings) in the country being hosted by Filipino women, the Philippines tops the platform’s list of most genderdiverse host communities alongside Australia. Cebu City ranks second globally (67 percent) for the highest percentage of women hosts at a city level, followed by Quezon City and Manila (66 percent). Philippine figures are notably higher than the global average of 55 percent (2 million women hosts out of 4 million). “The pandemic has been incredibly difficult for all of us, but especially hard for women. We have seen a recordsetting departure of women from the workforce,” laments Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb general manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Bajaj is referring to recent data from UN Women which show the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic to women, as most are employed in hard-hit retail and hospitality industries. “And yet, at the same time, we have seen many women turn to hosting on Airbnb,” he adds. Globally, new women hosts who started hosting just one listing on Airbnb since March 2020 have collectively earned more than $600 million. In the

Philippines, 64 percent of new hosts who joined the platform at the start of the pandemic were women. The trend extends to Experiences (activities) as well. Sine Airbnb launched Online Experiences in April 2020 — an idea proposed by its Host community – women now comprise 51 percent of hosts. In a recent survey, 35 percent of these women shared that they started their Online Experience to replace lost income from a full-time or part-time job, and 23 percent said it was their primary source of income.

More Filipino women have turned to Airbnb to host Stays and Experiences such as (in photo) Pottery Crash Course, thereby bringing the Philippines to the top of the platform’s list of most gender-diverse host communities.