Manila Standard - 2021 April 30 - Friday by Manila Standard

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Fishers told: Swarm the seas DFA, Fishery head respond to lingering presence of China boats in WPS

Carpio, Del Rosario fire back at Duterte

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

HE government on Thursday called on Filipino fishermen to swarm the West Philippine Sea after dozens of Chinese vessels were spotted in the area over the last few months.

“We should be there. That area is our traditional fishing ground,” said Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Eduardo Gongona, in an interview on the ANC news channel. The West Philippine Sea, which produces more than 300,000 metric tons of fish for the country annually, generates about 7 percent of the country’s fisheries output, Gongona said. He added that this output was neces-

sary for the country’s food security. “We are telling our Filipino fishermen to go out and fish in the West Philippine Sea because we need more than 300,000 metric tons of fish for our supply of food,” he said. “The best the government can do is to send assets there to protect the fishermen, protect the fishing vessel and protect the environment that produces

By Rey E. Requejo

saying he did nothing when China seized Sandy Cay from the Philippines RETIRED Supreme Court associate in 2017. Carpio was responding to the Presijustice Antonio Carpio lashed back at President Rodrigo Duterte Thursday, dent’s attack on Carpio and former For-

Next page This photo taken on June 7, 2014 shows Filipino fishing boats, about to set sail for Scarborough Shoal, anchored at Ulugan Bay, near the mouth of the West Philippine Sea, off Puerto Princesa on Palawan island. AFP

eign secretary Albert del Rosario, who he said did nothing to stop the Chinese from building on Philippine-claimed territories during the Aquino administration. Next page

Biden vows to ensure freedom of navigation

China unfazed, warns versus US deployments

US PRESIDENT Joe Biden said Wednesday he made it clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping that America will “defend [its] interests across the board,” including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.

CHINA warned the United States on Thursday against imposing its democratic ideals, while criticizing trade sanctions and military moves in Beijing’s backyard just hours after President Biden’s speech on American geopolitical priorities.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 74 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Half-million jobs goal of MECQ Flex By Othel V. Campos and Vito Barcelo THE government aims to recover another 500,000 jobs as it allowed dine-in operations of restaurants at 10 percent capacity and the reopening of beauty salons, nail spas and barbershops at 30 percent capacity in Metro Manila and four other provinces within the NCR Plus bubble that under the extended modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). “These (personal care) establishments shall only provide services that can accommodate the wearing of face masks at all times by clients and service providers,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said late Thursday evening. Prior to the revised MECQ guidelines, only al fresco dining as well as takeout and delivery were allowed in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna – the areas that comprise NCR Plus. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier made a strong proposal to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

MILE-HIGH MILESTONE. The Philippine government receives half-a-million doses of Sinovac vaccines from China via a Cebu Pacific flight from Beijing to Manila, marking a milestone for the airline that delivers its first international vaccine shipment.

10-m doses from 4 drug makers seen beefing up June supply By Vito Barcelo, Joel Zurbano, Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippines will have a steady supply of 10 million doses of COVID 19 vaccines by end-June from pharmaceutical firms Sinovac, Moderna, Ga-

maleya Research Institute and Oxford/ AstraZeneca, officials said Thursday. This emerged as Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Philippines had administered nearly two million out of the 3,525,600 COVID-19 vaccine doses it already received. According to National Task Force

Two lawmakers dole 1,028,738 out ivermectin drug 8,276 69,354 to 200 QC elderlies (AS OF 4 PM APRIL 29) TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

NEW

ACTIVE

17,145

114

DEATHS

NEW

942,239 6,636 NEW RECOVERIES

By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas PARTY-LIST lawmakers Michael Defensor of Anakalusugan and Rodante Marcoleta of Sagip on Thursday led the distribution of the antiparasitic drug ivermectin for free to Next page

Loneliest man in history dies battling cancer, 90 AMERICAN astronaut Michael Collins, who piloted the Apollo 11 command module while his crewmates became the first people to walk on the Moon, died on Wednesday after battling cancer, his family said. Sometimes called “the loneliest man in history” because of his long solo flight while his colleagues loped across the lunar surface, Collins never earned Next page

Against COVID 19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr, the country would receive a first batch of 2.3 million vaccines from US-based Pfizer-BioNTech not later than June. Moderna is expected to deliver 194,000 doses, Sinovac with 4.5 million Next page

MACTAN’S LEGENDARY HERO.

A colorful landscape of flowers where Mactan’s legendary hero Lapulapu can be found at the center island of East Avenue in Quezon City. The landmark was installed in 2020 by Jose “Al” Rabino Giroy, depicting the chieftain of Mactan as he prepared for the Battle of Mactan against the forces of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 152. The month of April commemorates the 500th anniversary of the epic Battle of Mactan. Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

P660-M GOVT DEBT WORRIES LOCAL PPE MAKER GROUP

Story on A4

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FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Fishers... From A1 food,” Gongona added. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said “mutual swarming” of vessels increased the likelihood of a “mis-encounter” that could trigger the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States. “Brinkmanship brings clarity. And fortitude,” he said. Over the weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard and the BFAR deployed eight capital ships to conduct maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea as part of efforts to secure its maritime jurisdiction in the area. Following this, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday recited its claims that it “enjoys sovereignty” over the disputed waters and said Manila must “respect China’s sovereignty and rights and interests, and stop actions complicating the situation and escalating disputes.” But Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said China has no legal basis to prevent the Philippines from conducting maritime drills in the West Philippine Sea. Senator Richard J. Gordon said there was a need to increase coast guard patrolling and monitoring to protect the

national territory. Senator Risa Hontiveros said President Duterte did the right thing when he told Philippine ships in the WPS not to leave the area, despite the risk of damaging the country’s ties with China. On the other hand, she said, the President should not think that remaining firm on enforcing the country’s territorial rights would necessarily lead to war with China. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, meanwhile, said the Philippines should not have any misplaced feelings of indebtedness to China, after Duterte said Manila owes Beijing for its assistance, including the COVID-19 vaccines that it donated. Recto said China’s continuing incursions in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea have displaced Filipino fishermen and reduced the country’s sources of food. “China has taken away our ability to utilize resources in our exclusive economic zone and has destabilized the region by building military outposts in the West [Philippine] Sea,” he said. In a televised briefing Wednesday, Duterte said the Philippines owes a debt of gratitude to China, which has donated 1 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.

But he said the Philippines’ territorial waters cannot be bargained away. “So China, let it be known, is a good friend and we don’t want trouble with them, especially a war. But there are things that are not really subject to a compromise … I hope they will understand but I have the interest of my country also to protect,” the President said. The President’s spokesman, Harry Roque, said it was only right to acknowledge the country’s debt of gratitude to China. “Until now, we only rely on Sinovac, let’s admit that. It has been months since we started our vaccination, it’s only Sinovac that we rely on. It’s only right that we honor our debt of gratitude,” Roque said, referring to the Chinese company that makes the COVID-19 vaccine. But he said the Philippines is also honoring its debt to other countries that contributed to the COVAX Facility headed by the World Health Organization. “We honor a debt of gratitude to them, too,” he said. But a member of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives slammed the President’s remarks on the West Philippine Sea row. “Duterte is desperately trying to show that he’s able to serve two masters—the Philippines and China, but

it’s very clear who he is really devoted to, and sadly it is not his own country. He tried to talk tough when he called on our soldiers to maintain their positions, but eventually prostrated [himself] to his Chinese masters,” said Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite. “He is double thinking and double speaking,” Gaite said. “One cannot strongly assert our sovereignty and at the same time consider as a dear friend, someone you are greatly indebted to and those who blatantly trample on it,” Gaite said. “Duterte is saying that we should wait for China’s next action. What action is he still waiting for? They are already in our territory. Is he waiting for them to build more structures, to deploy more ships, to have the Chinese flags planted on each one of our islands? Is he waiting until it is really too late to assert our ownership? Quite frankly, Duterte’s strategy of waiting is a strategy of slow surrender,” Gaite added. “War is not the solution to address this problem. Vietnam and Indonesia have effectively asserted their claims without going to war. There are other peaceful ways to assert our claims. And so we are being bullied [by the] threat of a war. It’s a lie that Duterte is repeating to cover up his refusal to assert our sovereignty and territory,” Gaite said.

Two... From A1

Carpio... From A1

residents of Barangay Matandang Balara in Quezon City. Defensor said about 200 individuals received the medicine even as doctors were also present in the vicinity to provide prescriptions for the drug. He said individuals who lined up were required to fill out a form before doctors can prescribe them the capsules. The prescription pad used by the doctors was plain paper that did not bear their license numbers or PTR numbers. The patient’s name, date prescribed and the number of drugs and the duration of intake were indicated in the prescription. “What is important are the forms submitted to us which they submitted a day before. Pwede na nila hawakan reseta nila. We have copies,” Defensor said. He added they would continue the ivermectin distribution today (Friday) and on Saturday, and that they will start house-to-house distribution as request forms start to come in. Meanwhile, Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Department of Justice had yet to determine whether the exemptions set by the Food and Drug Administration on the use of ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment had legal basis. Guevarra made the statement after Marcoleta and Defensor earlier distributed the antiparasitic drug. Guevarra explained the FDA Law punishes and prohibits the importation, sale, distribution, and administration of unregistered drugs or vaccines. “In the case of ivermectin, it is not registered particularly as drug for COVID-19 and going by the FDA law, on its face it would appear that the distribution of ivermectin as possible treatment for COVID-19 violates the FDA law,” Guevarra said.

Sandy Cay is just two nautical miles from Pagasa, the largest island in the Spratlys. “China’s seizure of Sandy Cay has resulted in the loss of one-third of our territorial sea in Pagasa, a loss of a maritime area three times larger than the land area of Quezon City. Still President Duterte has declared ‘I simply love President Xi Jinping,’” Carpio said in a statement. Carpio, who has been pressing the government to strongly assert the country’s sovereignty over disputed maritime territories in the West Philippine Sea, also clarified that in late 2012 when China seized Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines, he was in the Supreme Court. Despite not being part of the Executive branch, Carpio said he recommended that the Philippines respond to the seizure by bringing China to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) tribunal “to assail the validity of China’s nine-dash line, which is China’s basis in claiming the West Philippine Sea.” “The Aquino administration agreed and filed the South China Sea arbitration case in January 2013. The Philippines won a landmark victory when the arbitral tribunal issued its award on July 12, 2016 invalidating China’s ninedash line as without legal or factual basis. The tribunal ruled that China has no overlapping interest or claim to the Philippine exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea,” Carpio said. Unfortunately, Carpio added, President Duterte, who had assumed office by then, announced that he was “setting aside” the arbitral award in favor of seeking loans and investments from China amounting to $22 billion. “Today, less than 5 percent of those loans and investments have material-

ized even as President Duterte is already leaving office next year. And yet President Duterte even allowed China to fish in our exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea despite admitting that there is not enough fish stock there for both Filipino and Chinese fishermen,” Carpio said. “We even import galunggong now from China, the same galunggong (mackerel scad) that Chinese fishermen take in the West Philippine Sea,” he said. “Filipinos deserve, and should demand, a President who loves Filipinos first and foremost and who will uncompromisingly defend Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” said Carpio, who is also the lead convenor of 1Sambayan, a coalition of democratic forces opposed to the Duterte administration. Del Rosario, meanwhile, said both sides had agreed to withdraw their ships from the Scarborough shoal in 2012, but China had “deceitfully breached” their agreement to do so. “To seek a peaceful and durable solution, we did our best to bring China before an Arbitral Tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2013 leading to an overwhelming victory for the Philippines,” he said. But instead of embracing the 2016 victory, “Duterte did not waste time in advancing his declared embrace of [Chinese President] Xi Jinping when he very quickly shelved the Arbitral Award in exchange for a promised $24B in Chinese investments and assistance which, until now, has not materialized.” “President Duterte also announced in 2019 that he made a verbal agreement with Xi Jinping allowing the Chinese to fish in the West Philippine Sea in patent violation of our Constitution,” Del Rosario added. President Duterte on Wednesday told Philippine ships in the West Philippine Sea not to leave the waterway despite the risk of damaging the country’s ties

with China. “This will really be a test: I read China said we (Philippine ships) should leave. I now say (to PH vessels): Do not leave. Period. Regardless of whether America will help us or not. Let us stop pinning our hopes on America. They will not help us. A nuclear war – you think America will intervene?” Duterte said in his televised weekly address. The President said he did not want to contend with China over the WPS, but reiterated the Philippines maintains its claim of sovereignty over the islands and the waters within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). “Nobody in the United Nations will go to war for us. For China, the issue is finished – there is a decision, and they do not want to follow the decision. As for us, we have the (favorable) decision but we are at a loss as to how to get back physically the West Philippine Sea. That is the problem,” the President said. “Remember when I assumed office, the South China Sea was already with China because we retreated. We did not take action. And who was the President then? Now, if you dare me to take action, let’s see. Let’s see. We have ships there. I will tell China, ‘We do not want trouble. We do not want war. But do not tell us to leave.’” “What will happen if this escalates and becomes a war? For sure, I will send Carpio and Del Rosario. They started this, they should go there first,” Duterte said. But Duterte blasted Del Rosario and Carpio for moves that he said forced the country to cede territory in the disputed waterway before his administration took over. He asked them why the previous administration did not call in its American allies during the Scarborough Shoal standoff in 2012, when the Philippine Navy tried to arrest eight Chinese fishing vessels but were blocked by two marine surveillance ships from China.

Loneliest... From A1

his historic accomplishments were “90 percent blind luck” and that astronauts should not be celebrated as heroes. “Mike always faced the challenges of life with grace and humility, and faced this, his final challenge, in the same way,” Collins’ family posted on his official Twitter account. Crewmate Aldrin led the tributes, writing on Twitter: “Dear Mike, Wher-

ever you have been or will be, you will always have the Fire to Carry us deftly to new heights and to the future. We will miss you. May you Rest In Peace.” US President Joe Biden said that while Collins “may not have received equal glory,” he was “an equal partner, reminding our nation about the importance of collaboration in service of great goals.” Born in Rome in 1930 to a US army

officer serving as military attache there, Collins went on to become a fighter pilot and test pilot with the air force. He applied to NASA after being inspired by John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, and was selected to be an astronaut in 1963. Collins’ first spaceflight was on the Gemini 10 mission, where he made a then record-breaking two spacewalks. AFP

While Biden said he told Chinese President Xi Jinping the US would maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific to prevent conflict – just as it did with NATO in Europe – China highlighted issues with US deployments in the region. China’s defense ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Thursday that since the inauguration of the current US government, the frequency of US warships sent to China’s maritime territory increased by 20 percent from last year. The frequency of reconnaissance aircraft activity in the region also increased by 40 percent, Wu added, saying that China “resolutely opposes this.” “The US frequently sends warships and planes to carry out activities in maritime waters and airspace near China, advancing regional militarisation and threatening regional peace and stability,” he said. Biden, in his first address to Congress, placed a renewed focus on diplomacy and said the country was in competition with China and others to win the 21st century. Biden added that “autocrats think democracies can’t compete” while noting the US welcomes competition and is not looking for conflict. Asked about the speech, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said it was normal for the US and China to compete in some areas. “But this kind of competition should be a track and field race, not a duel to the death,” he told a regular press briefing on Thursday. Wang also warned that “forcing other countries to accept one’s democratic system... will only create divisions, intensify tension, and undermine stability.” AFP

Department of Tourism has the prerogative on how to manage rehiring workers and creating more jobs. Activities on the negative list like arcade, spa, amusement centers and cinemas will remain shuttered while in the extended MECQ. Indoor sports are still forbidden. Lopez did not reveal how much of the foregone losses to the economy would be staved off if more workers rejoined the labor force and more establishments were opened up. To date, approximated losses to the economy was at P300 billion and foregone wages were at P60 billion. Lopez explained the blanket lockdown was necessary to prevent the virus from spreading out and avoid another surge of infections. Meanwhile, Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said at least one million workers remained “displaced” in the NCR Plus areas due to the implementation of MECQ. “Some 1.5 million employees in NCR Plus were displaced during ECQ but 500,000 of them were able to return to their jobs under MECQ,” Castelo said. In related developments: • Interior Secretary Eduardo Año

said local government units had distributed 67 percent of the P22.9-billion financial aid from the national government to those affected by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces. In Metro Manila, 73.46 percent or over 8.2 million out of a total of 11.2 million beneficiaries in 17 LGUs have received aid. In Bulacan, over 61 percent or around 1.8 million out of 2.9 million beneficiaries already got financial aid. Meanwhile, more than 53 percent or 1.8 million from a total 3.4 million beneficiaries received assistance in Cavite. In Laguna, over 2 million out of 2.7 million beneficiaries got aid which is equivalent to a distribution rate of 76 percent while 61 percent or 1.6 million from a total of 2.7 million individuals received the ECQ aid. • Año also said they received over 23,000 complaints on alleged anomalies in the aid distribution. “A total of 23,292 complaints were received and 15,736 are under deliberation and 3,824 have been resolved. All complaints will be answered. If there are unanswered ones, we will intervene

the same global name recognition as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. But he was hailed as a lifelong advocate of space exploration: erudite and witty yet also self-effacing, maintaining in a 2009 interview with NASA that

10-m doses... From A1 doses of CoronaVac, Gamaleya with 2 million doses of Sputnik V, and some 1.3 million doses of AstraZeneca that is part of the first tranche of Covid-19 jabs procured by the private sector through a tripartite agreement, Galvez said. He said COVAX facility had informed the government that it would deliver 2,385,210 Pfizer jabs not later than June. Pfizer and Philippine authorities are finalizing a deal on legal immunity and who will shoulder compensation in case of adverse effects from the vaccine, Galvez said. “Hopefully, early deliveries of the vaccines by May and also AstraZeneca vaccine might be delivered through COVAX. We are doing our best to have these deliveries,” Galvez said. The Philippines is negotiating for 40 million Pfizer jabs, he added. The government targets to vaccinate more than half of the population by the end of 2021 to achieve herd community

ered to Manila another governmentprocured Sinovac vaccine shipment from Beijing. A total 500,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday via CEB flight 5J-671. “This delivery marks our first international vaccine shipment and we are grateful for the trust and confidence of the Department of Health. More importantly, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support our country’s recovery efforts in every way possible,” said Michael Ivan Shau, CEB chief operations officer.

Storage requirements for Sputnik V

Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, will not be distributed to all local government units due to its stringent storage and handling requirements, Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo said Thursday. Domingo said the vaccine must be 500,000 Sinovac jabs kept in specialized freezers at extremeThe Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) deliv- ly low temperature.

Half-million... From A1 Diseases (IATF-EID) to allow indoor dining at a token capacity of 10 to 20 percent and open up as much as 50 percent capacity of the personal care industry. “We are just after the resurgence of work, but the strict measures on mobility should stay while in MECQ,” Lopez said Thursday. The dining or restaurant industry is one of the most labor-intensive segments of the economy. A rough estimation would be around 2 million in the National Capital Region, based on the estimates of the Department of Trade and Industry. The personal care industry composed of salons and barbershops employs an estimated 400,000, on top of spas and other wellness establishments. “If we are able to further open up these industries, we will be partly addressing the problem of hunger and poverty that has grown dire since the pandemic started,” Lopez said. While staycations are still not allowed under MECQ, Lopez said the

Biden... From A1 “I also told President Xi that we will maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific just as we do with NATO in Europe – not to start a conflict but to prevent one,” Biden said in his first speech to Congress. In an aside that was not in prepared remarks, Biden noted his extensive dealings with Xi when both were vice presidents – and warned that China’s most powerful leader in years had firm plans for the future. “He’s deadly earnest on becoming the most significant, consequential nation in the world,” Biden said. Tensions have sharply risen with China over the past few years as the United States also take issue with China’s assertive military moves and human rights concerns, including what Washington has described as genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority. Biden said he was not seeking conflict with China as he put a renewed focus on diplomacy. “We’re in a competition with China and other countries to win the 21st century,” Biden said, warning: “Autocrats think democracies can’t compete.” Biden said he told Xi in a twohour first phone conversation after taking office: “We welcome the competition – and that we are not looking for conf lict.” “But I made absolutely clear that we will defend America’s interests across the board. America will stand up to unfair trade practices that undercut American workers and industries, like subsidies for state-owned enterprises and the theft of American technologies and intellectual property,” he said. AFP

China... From A1

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FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sandra Cam surrenders to CIDG over murder case PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Wednesday. CIDG director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro said Cam coordinated with their field office for her surrender. The CIDG officers served the arrest warrant to the PCSO official who is confined at an undisclosed hospital in Cavite due to a medical concern. A police escort is now keeping an eye on Cam, Ferro said. Cam was among the seven individuals who were ordered arrested by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 42 on Monday over the killing of Batuan, Masbate Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III two years ago. Aside from Cam, also ordered arrested by the court were her son Marco Martin and five others identified as Nelson Cambaya, Junel Gomez, Juanito De Luna, Bradford Solis, and Rigor dela Cruz. Yuson, his aide, Alberto Alforte, and Wilfredo Pineda were having breakfast at an eatery in Sampaloc, Manila when they were attacked in October 2019. Alforte and Pineda were injured in the incident. Cam had previously denied her involvement in the crime. Marco Martin lost to Yuson’s son, Charmax Jan, in the 2019 mayoralty race in Batuan.

IN BRIEF MIAA lauded for P13.9b remittance THE Transportation department on Thursday commended the Manila International Airport Authority for its impressive performance after remitting P13.9 billion in dividends to the government from 2016 to 2019. This performance was a record breaking for MIAA’s total remittances made in the last 20 years prior to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. It was in 2018 that MIAA made its record-breaking fiscal performance when it remitted P3.42 billion in dividends to the government. The MIAA’s 2018 dividend payment to the national coffers was the highest in MIAA history, exceeding by more than 50% its 2017 remittance of P2.2 billion which was then the highest recorded dividend payment made by the agency in the last two decades. The agency is mandated to remit at least 50% of its annual net income to the government after it was granted fiscal autonomy two decades ago. Since the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016, the MIAA dividend payments have significantly increased. MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal urged his men to continue striving to further improve fiscal management and allocation of resources to ensure effective and efficient delivery of airport services at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Joel E. Zurbano

Regularization of state workers en masse urged

HEAT QUENCHER. Despite the age limit on persons authorized to go out of their houses, children—without wearing face masks and without observing social distancing protocols—flock to an ambulant ice cream vendor amid the sweltering summer heat in Imus, Cavite on April 29, 2021. JR Josue

DOJ backs passage of law to criminalize red-tagging By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

USTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said reports of “red-tagging” during the last few months is “quite disturbing” but he acknowledged that there is no law that can be used to prosecute those engaged in such acts.

Guevarra stressed that if Congress wants to prosecute individuals engaged in what he described as “loosely called red-tagging,” then lawmakers should pass the appropriate law penalizing red-tagging. “Well, in the past few months there were a number of complaints about redtagging and people have raised their voice against it. So might as well have one (law) because the frequency of this act loosely called red-tagging has really become quite disturbing if I may say,” Guevarra said in an interview over ABSCBN News Channel. National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conﬂict (NTF-ELCAC) vice chairperson Sec. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. should just read Article XVI, Sec 5, paragraph 4 of the 1987 Constitution when he decides on the fate of Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. as task

force spokesperson, said Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Lacson said Esperon may not even need one week to review. He said provision in the Constitution is clear: “No member of the armed forces in the active service shall, at any time, be appointed or designated in any capacity to a civilian position in the Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations or any of their subsidiaries.” Because of this, Lacson said Esperon and Malacañang’s legal staff can simply ask themselves the question: is NTF-ELCAC a civilian office or a unit of the AFP? Guevarra, for his part, made the statement backing the statement backing the passage of a law to define redtagging when asked if he was alarmed by level it was being done by some

government officials. “If Congress is minded to investigate and prosecute actual acts which are loosely called red-tagging at this time then appropriate legislation should be enacted because right now these acts considered or deemed redtagging are not punishable exactly for what it is so it seems the best that could be done would be to file complaints which are somehow related but not directly fitting to the act being complained of. So that’s really congressional initiative authority if they want to prosecute people who do ‘red-tagging’ then the appropriate legislation should be passed,” he said. Guevarra noted that at present, complaints revolving around defamation, harassment, coercion, unjust vexation, or violation of privacy laws are the possible complaints that can be filed against those suspected of engaging in “red-tagging” or accusing people of being aligned or sympathetic to communists. The Justice Secretary also admitted that it was possible that the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 might have emboldened some to engage in red-tagging activities.

THE national government—the country’s biggest employer—should celebrate Labor Day with a mass regularization of casual workers who have been in its employ for years, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. “It can begin with contractual workers in government hospitals. Not only medical staff, but essential workers like attendants, cleaning and sanitation personnel, equipment technicians—without whom no hospital can exist,” Recto said. He noted there are many civil servants who work on the basis of one short-term contract to another. “Hindi na e-endo. Hindi rin naman nape-permanent. They languish in the bureaucracy’s version of purgatory.” According to Recto, it is high time for the government to “open a pathway” to regular employment for the thousands of casuals who may be eligible for jobs which carry security of tenure. To get the ball rolling, Recto said the President can issue a policy announcement on May 1. He said such a presidential directive would trigger “a census of temporary workers in the public sector who are hired under such schemes like “job order,” “emergency hiring,” “Memorandum of Agreement” or “Contract of Service.” The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said there are 600,000 contractual employees as of August 2020. Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva underscored the need to include perks for healthcare frontliners in government’s Labor Day package of benefits for workers. The chair of the Senate labor committee was referring to the customary practice of the government to unveil a bundle of pro-labor programs and projects on the holiday honoring workers. He justified his call by citing the “obvious fact that healthcare workers are essential to our country’s survival as they have been exposed to enormous risk during this pandemic. He urged the government, particularly the labor and health departments, to come up “with a package of new and expanded benefits for public health workers for the President to announce on Labor Day.” He said the plan vaccination of these workers should immediately proceed. “Even before coronavirus struck, the pay and allowances of government health workers were already ripe for an adjustment. The pandemic made this upgrade more urgent. Hazardous work must be properly compensated,” Villanueva explained.

‘PH to prosper by exporting complex, diverse products’ By Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Sanaysining’ arts program starts May ARTS Research and Training Institute in Southern Tagalog Incorporated (ARTIST Inc.), a Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Regional Arts Center in Luzon, with the support from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), brings you Sanaysining Online Arts School Program on May 5 - June 12, 2021. Sanaysining Arts School is the regular arts skills training workshop conducted annually by ARTIST Inc. for artists, cultural workers, artist-teachers, educators, organizers, cultural researchers and pedagogues. It aims to develop the educational, artistic, research and organizational capabilities of the participants through hands-on-a activities, games, exercises and laboratory workshops. In its first year in 1989, it launched ten short courses on arts and culture. Since then, Sanaysining has developed fifteen short courses that include trainings for students and teachers of arts and design track, special program for the arts (SPA), other related subjects across curriculum and trainings for community cultural workers and organizers. This year, twelve short courses are offered which include the following: Saliksik Research into production, Likhandula Theatre on Digital Platform, Teleradyo Radio Program Production, Madla Social Media Promotion and Marketing for Arts Organizations, Pangatnigan Music Production, Sinopsining Arts Management, Digital-Larawan Video Production, Sining-Biswal Visual Arts, Galaw-Goryo Ballet, Galaw-Koryo Folk Dance, Panulat Writing plays for stage and film and May-Akda Creative Writing. Each training workshop will culminate into either short performances and/or exhibits.

MEN AT WORK. Workers weld together steel bars to form a column of a building at a construction site on Sucat Road in Parañaque City on April 29, 2021. Work at construction sites is allowed as long as laborers observe the minimum safety health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Avito Dalan

SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara Angara said the Philippines has the potential to become a more prosperous nation if it is able to take full advantage of its resources and make a mark in the global marketplace. Over the past six decades, he noted the Philippines has managed to transform itself from a country that ships out primarily agricultural products to one that produces and exports more complex products, particularly in the electronics sector. In his lecture before graduate students of the Public Policy Program of Stanford University, Angara took note of how the Philippines has managed to jump 10 spots in the Economic Complexity Index, from number 45 in 2008 to number 35 in 2018. The ECI, which is part of the Atlas of Economic Complexity developed by Harvard University’s Ricardo Hausmann and MIT’s Cesar Hidalgo, outlines the productive capabilities of a country based primarily on what it is exporting. Countries that are able to produce more

diverse, complex and uncommon products will score higher in the ECI and consequently, grow at a faster pace than those with a smaller export basket, including rich nations that rely heavily on their natural resources such as oil. “The Philippines ranked 35th, which is not bad, considering that the ranking places us 4th in ASEAN behind only Singapore (5th), Thailand (22nd), and Malaysia (26th), and ahead of countries like Canada (39th), India (42nd), and New Zealand (54th).” “We’re recognized as a regional leader, suggesting that we must have been doing something right,” Angara said. In 2018, the GDP per capita of the Philippines was at $3,102, growing at an average of 4.8 percent over ﬁve years. “Because economic complexity describes the productive knowhow or knowledge embedded within a country’s productive structure, it has a strong correlation with the income per capita that the country is able to generate. Complexity is not only an outcome of prosperity—it is in fact a driver of it,” Angara said.

P8.1m marijuana seized in Malolos City ANTI-NARCOTICS agents seized Wednesday some 68 kilos of dried marijuana with an estimated street value of P8.1 million during a buy bust at Apartment 2B along Look 1st C, Malolos City. Five suspects were arrested shortly after the buy bust operations, said Christian Frivaldo, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 3. He identiﬁed the suspects as John Patrick Sigua Milan, 26, alias Wang; Kevin Paul Idanan Jose, 27; Mispa Jal Jamsen, 28; Jayson Cosico Justiniano, 30; and Enrick Luciano Justin, all occupants of the apartment. Joint elements from PDEA, Bulacan Police Office and Malolos

City Police raided the apartment occupied by the suspects after a successful drug bust. On Tuesday, a female drug trafficker was arrested in Marilao City by PDEA agents. Some 500 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) with an estimated street value of P3.4 million were confiscated from the suspect. Frivalldo said the drug bust was the biggest haul of marijuana in the Bulacan area since PDEA-3 shifted its operations from Angeles City to nearby areas in Central Luzon. Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the arrested suspects.

AYUDA.

Lola Ising’s Buko Pie personnel turn over 270 kilos of premium rice to more than a hundred jeepney driver beneficiaries in Fairview, Quezon City on April 29, 2021. Revoli Cortez

Lani Revilla, 13 solons, 2 officials boost Lakas ranks

News

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

By Maricel V. Cruz

SWORN IN.

Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla, Davao de Oro Rep. Manuel Zamora, and 13 other officials flash their thumbs up after taking their oaths as new LakasCMD members before House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, the party’s national president, in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday.

Cases among frontliners hit high in April NEW COVID-19 cases among health workers in the country recorded during the first 25 days this April have reached 1,412 -- which is the highest monthly tally since October last year, according to data analyzed by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group (IRG). The Department of Health had logged 1,506 cases among healthcare workers in October 2020. The ABS-CBN report said this month’s number of frontliner cases “is also higher than the combined total for January and February 2021, which had 821 and 419 cases, respectively.” The total number of health workers infected with COVID-19 in the country was at 17,365 as of April 25, of whom, 195 are active cases. One death, reportedly involving a nurse, recorded last week brought the deaths among the group to 88. Meanwhile, the National Capital Region (NCR) can ease to a general community quarantine (GCQ) once the COVID-19 daily average cases decline to less than 2,000 infections daily, OCTA Research Group said on Thursday. “We’re hoping the cases will be reduced to less than 2,000. If the number of daily average cases in NCR goes below 2,000 it will still be a significant number, but I believe we can still manage it even under GCQ,” Professor Guido David told ANC’s Headstart. Willie Casas

Gov’t owes us P660m, local PPE makers say By Othel V. Campos and Willie Casas

HILE hurting from the loss of thousands of workers displaced during the coronavirus crisis last year, repurposed garments and shoes companies are worried they may not be paid for the personal protective equipment procured by the government in 2020. The Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (CONWEP) on Thursday said the government still owed the industry as much as P660 million for unpaid PPE procured in November and December 2020. Adding to this is a concern that garments and shoes factories that were repurposed to manufacture critical items like PPEs, face masks, and face shields may

not stand competition from the same imported, critical products, the group said. “That is why we support the pending (pandemic) bills and we agreed to represent our ranks in the Senate hearing so we could save workers and save companies,” said CONWEP executive director Maritess Agoncillo. The Department of Health (DOH) clarified that it has never favored any compa-

ny, not even from China, in the purchase of PPEs. “The DOH does not, and has never, favored any particular source for PPEs,” a statement read by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said. “In fact, it is the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) which serves as the procuring arm of the DOH for PPEs and other commodities for the pandemic -- the DOH only provides the technical specifications of the PPEs and equipment that it needs,” Vergeire said. Nevertheless, she said the DOH recognizes the impact of the pandemic on the garments industry, hence last year the DOH and the DTI tapped garment industry associations and private firms through the CONWEP for the local production of PPEs to help boost the industry.

DAVAO FIRE.

Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard Sub-Station Ilang help evacuate residents during a fire at Purok 11, Block 8&9, Muslim Village, Barangay Ilang, Davao City on Wednesday evening. After two hours, the Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire, which damaged around 200 houses, under control.

BARMM, gov’t ink P146m pact for ex-fighters By Nash B. Maulana THE Philippine government and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao continue to implement the Normalization Track of a bilateral peace process, particularly socio-economic programs designed to help improve the lives of decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants. On April 27, the OPAPP and the BARMM Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) entered an agreement to implement PhP 146.8 million worth of education programs in the region. A handful of livelihood packages are seen to transform the landscape of erstwhile areas of conflict, as these programs would benefit not only former MILF combatants but also members of their families and the communities. Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said the COVID-19 pandemic “has not stopped” the national government and its Bangsamoro counterpart “from implementing all components under the Normalization track of the Bangsamoro peace process, particularly the socioeconomic interventions, aimed to uplift the lives of decommissioned MILF combatants, their families, and other members of their communities.” “Amid the challenges we face during this pandemic, the national and Bangsamoro governments are working hand in hand in carrying out initiatives to improve the welfare of our MILF brothers and sisters using a whole-of-government approach,” Galvez said.

Firm donates antigen test kits, machines to Pampanga By Jess Malabanan CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Belvedere Vista Corp., a real estate firm in Pampanga, has donated P6.1 million worth of antigen testing machines and kits to help the local government in detecting COVID 19 infections. The donation was received by Governor Dennis Pineda during simple rites at the

capitol grounds Thursday. Pineda distributed the machines and test kits to different local government units in the province to speed up efforts against coronavirus infections. The donation is composed of 23 antigen machines and 17,500 test kits. Each city and municipality in the province received one antigen machine and from 500 to 1,000 kits.

“Pinaliwanag ko po sa mga municipal and city mayors natin kasama ang mga medtech and nurses nila na gamitin ang mga antigen machines at kits na ito para makatulong sa pag-screen at mabilis na pag-detect ng mga COVID-19 patients natin,” the governor said. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an antigen test is used to assess whether a patient has an active infection.

THE mayor of Bacoor City in Cavite and a congressman from Mindanao led 15 other local government officials who joined the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD). The new Lakas members were appointed as party heads in their respective localities. Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla, Davao de Oro Rep. Manuel Zamora, and other officials on took their oaths Wednesday afternoon as Lakas-CMD members before House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Lakas-CMD’s national president. With Zamora’s entry to Lakas-CMD, the party’s total strength in the House of Representatives is now 48, of which 26 are district congressmen and 22 are party-list allies. Romualdez, who represents Leyte in the House, said: “Lakas-CMD party is growing stronger and better every day. Our focus now is to use the party’s strength to help our people in this time of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic.” “Thank you, despite the pandemic, we are here working very hard to strengthen our party. Welcome to the ever-growing Lakas-CMD,” Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, told the virtual oath-taking event’s audience. A lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), Romualdez reiterated Lakas-CMD’s support to pass President Rodrigo Duterte’s remaining legislative agenda in the last 14 months of his administration. “With Lakas-CMD gaining momentum in the House of Representatives, our party will continue working closely with Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to wrap up the approval of the entire legislative agenda of President Duterte before our term ends in 2022,” he said.

Palace: ‘F2F’ classes may resume Aug. MALACAÑANG on Thursday raised the possibility that the pilot implementation of face-to-face (F2F) classes might be conducted in August this year. This after National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the country is expecting to secure a steady supply of vaccines against the coronavirus in August. “Perhaps, the pilot testing of face-to-face classes can be done by August or it can come earlier. Let’s see. It depends on our vaccination drive,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser. Roque expressed optimism that President Rodrigo Duterte will not oppose the possible resumption of F2F classes once many Filipinos already get vaccinated against Covid-19. “Since DepEd or the Department of Education has long been recommending for the pilot reopening of schools, the President will have no objection once many have already received the vaccines,” he said. The Asian Development Bank (ADP), in its latest Asian Development Outlook report released on Wednesday, said school closures because of the Covid-19 pandemic left a huge impact on the potential learnings of students. The ADB noted the closure of schools in the Philippines caused limited opportunities for students to learn better skills they could have gained through physical classes. Last December, Duterte directed the DepEd to cancel the planned resumption of F2F classes in areas deemed low risk for Covid-19 in January this year because of the discovery of a new strain of the coronavirus in the country. On March 4, Duterte said the government’s mass immunization program is moving at “full throttle” in time for the proposed F2F pilot implementation.

Taguig opens 8th vax hub along High Street By Joel E. Zurbano THE Taguig City government continues to expand its COVID-19 vaccination capabilities. On April 28, the city opened its 8th vaccination hub on the second floor of B7 Lane P along High Street East in Fort Bonifacio in line with its vaccination program aim to protect one million residents from the deadly coronavirus disease. The latest venue is the 4th mega vaccination hub in Taguig. It is open from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday, and can accommodate 400 vaccinees daily. The local government is operating this vaccination hub in partnership with AC Health of the Ayala Group. “We are grateful to our private partner

for its commitment to help us reach more people by building accessible and easy to locate vaccination hubs,” Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said. Taguig has three other mega vaccination hubs located at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura, Lakeshore area, and Vista Mall Parking Building. It also has four community vaccine centers stationed at RP Cruz Elementary School, Maharlika Elementary School, EM’s Signal Village Elementary School, and Western Bicutan National High School. Aside from mega and community vaccination centers, Taguig also launched the Mobile Vaccination Bus, a vaccination bus that will be deployed to selected communities to accommodate 200 vaccinees daily.

FREE IVERMECTIN. Senior citizens from Brgy. Matandang Balara in Quezon City receive a prescription by doctors for a Ivermectin capsule to fight COVID-19 during a mass distribution led by Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (left) and Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Mike Defensor (right) with members of the Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the Philippines. (Story on A1)

Opinion Your Honor, my next witness duty of the person who testifies in court, better known as the witness. Only those who perceive, and upon perceiving, can make known their perception to others, are qualified to be a witness. (Section 21, Rule 130, 2019 AROE). There is no requirement of special skill, knowledge, THERE are lawyer movies that have experience, training or education to be captured the imagination of a genera- an ordinary witness unless the witness tion. One of those is the movie “A Few will testify as an expert. Good Men” which was released in 1992. In simpler words, the witness can Tom Cruise played the role of a lawyer, perceive with the use of his or her five Daniel Kaffee, assigned to defend two senses, and whatever he or she may have marines being prosecuted for the mur- perceived may be communicated when der of another marine. Opposite Cruise, he or she testifies in court. It is important Jack Nicholson played the role of Colo- to know that the witness can only testify nel Jessup who ordered the extermina- to those facts which he or she has pertion of Santiago, the victim. sonal knowledge of as derived from his The popular courtroom examination or her perception (Section 22, Rule 130, of Colonel Jessup (Nicholson) culmi- 2019 AROE). nated when Kaffee asked him, “Did While a person may be qualified to you order the Code Red?” Jessup re- testify because of personal knowledge plied, “You want of the facts, he may answers?” to which still be disqualified Kaffee quipped, to sit on the witness “I want the truth!” Who, then, must stand for a number Jessup then retorted of reasons. A wife tell the truth? “You can’t handle is disqualified from the truth! Son, we testifying against live in the world her husband or vice with walls that must versa except if it is be guarded…” a civil or criminal case by one spouse Jessup went on to say: “You weep against the other (Section 23, Rule 130, for Santiago and curse the Marines… 2019 AROE). Santiago’s tragic death saved lives. And The reason for the disqualification is my existence, while grotesque to you, to maintain their spousal harmony. A saves lives! … [Y]ou need me on that lawyer or attorney also cannot testify wall. We use words like honor, code, with regard to any communication made loyalty… you use them as a punchline. by him or her to the client, or any advice I haven’t the time … to explain myself given in the course of, or with a view to a man who needs my protection but to, professional employment unless it questions the way I do it.” is made with the consent of his or her His monologue continues, “Better just client (Section 24 (b), Rule 130, 2019 to thank me or pick up a gun and stand AROE). a post. But I don’t give a damn what you However, the disqualification of a think you are entitled!” Again, Kaffee lawyer from testifying will not extend asked him if he ordered the Code Red, to to communications made by the client to which Colonel Jessup, at the end of his the lawyer to further a crime or fraud, in wits, exclaimed, “You’re goddamn right I breach of a duty of the lawyer or client, did.” The question leading to the confes- or if it involves a matter of common insion of Jessup in open court was a gamble terest between two or more clients of the that the lawyer Kaffee took and it paid off. lawyer in an action between any of these Another movie is The Rainmaker, a le- clients (Section 24 (b), Rule 130, 2019 gal drama released in 1997 based on John AROE). Grisham’s novel of the same title. Matt Yet another disqualification extends to Damon played the role of Rudy Baylor, the physician or psychotherapist no mata young and inexperienced lawyer who ter how relevant the information is to the represented a couple against an insurance judicial proceeding. The doctor cannot, company in a damage suit. The insurance in a civil case, without the consent of the claim, if granted, would have allowed their patient, be examined as to any confidenson Donny Ray to undergo a bone marrow tial communication made for the purpose transplant to save his life. of diagnosis or treatment of the patient’s To cap the presentation of evidence, physical, mental or emotional condition, Rudy Baylor presented in court the including alcohol or drug addiction (Secdeposition of Donny Ray which was tion 24 (c), Rule 130, 2019 AROE). taken in his home before he died. The A public officer is disqualified from deposition took the place of the actual testifying regarding communications testimony in court because the wit- made to him or her in official confiness-offended party had died. The pro- dence, if the court finds that the public cess is also allowed in the Philippines if interest would suffer by the disclosure there is an opportunity to cross-examine (Section 24 (e), Rule 130, 2019 AROE). the deponent before he dies. Examples of similar disqualifications As presented in the plots of the films, are: judicial privilege, executive privithe ultimate quest of every litigation is lege, and government privilege. the ascertainment of the truth in order A father, mother, son or daughter canfor justice to be served. The Philipppine not be compelled to testify against the Rules on Evidence has codified that evi- descendant or ascendant except when dence is the means in a judicial proceed- such a testimony is indispensable in ing to establish the truth as to the mat- a crime against that person or by one ter of fact. (Section 1, Rule 128, 2019 parent against the other. Also, a person Amendment to the Rules on Evidence cannot be compelled to testify about a [AROE]). Hence, the object of every ad- trade secret, unless the court directs its versarial proceeding is to find the truth. disclosure (Sections 25 and 26, Rule Who then must tell the truth? It is the 130, 2019 AROE).

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

EDITORIAL

COVID-19 accountability

T IS high time that local government units were made accountable for the spike in COVID-19 cases in their area of responsibility.

Some local officials are remiss in their jobs. protocols after expressing frustration over the high number of recorded daily COVID-19 cases. Mr. Duterte directed Interior Secretary Eduardo Año “to hold the mayors responsible for these kind of [spreader] events happening in their places.” The President’s order is overdue. Some barangay captains have turned a blind eye to large crowds in nearby wet markets, for instance, or some cozy bars frequented by several patrons despite the clear ban on such establishments. The barangay captains know the ins and outs of their small community. They cannot feign ignorance on a po-

LGUs from governors and mayors to the barangay captains are supposed to monitor the pandemic situation and institute corrective health measures to stem the virus infection. An outbreak in a barangay simply means that persons of authority, whose salaries are paid from state coffers, failed to impose basic health protocols, or enforce the law and the local ordinance relevant to containing the pandemic. President Rodrigo Duterte the other night ordered mayors and barangay captains to take the lead in enforcing regulations on social distancing and health

tential spreader event, be it a birthday party or a reunion. The failure of local government units to curb the virus infection has taken its toll on workers and the overall economy. Workers who have been religiously complying with basic health protocols are the first to suffer from lockdowns and strict quarantine rules. Many of them have lost their jobs because of the harsh rules and extended curfew hours that restricted their mobility. Quarantine restrictions and the drop in consumer consumption, according to the National Economic and Development Authority, translated into a total household income loss of around P1.04 trillion in 2020, or an average of P2.8 billion a day. Many jobs and significant incomes are being lost because some local government officials failed to contain COVID-19. They are remiss in their jobs.

Is the UP administration afraid of the Reds? CITIZEN BAROK LOUIS ‘BAROK’ BIRAOGO LAST week, Dr. Teodoro Herbosa resigned from his post as Executive Vice President of the University of the Philippines. Dr. Herbosa is an industrious and efficient university administrator. Through him, UP officials, faculty, students, employees and alumni were always kept abreast of the latest developments about the COVID-19 pandemic during those dark months of March to June 2021, when the pandemic seemed like the beginning of the end of the world. A noted Doctor of Medicine, Herbosa’s periodic advisories gave hope to the many who feared every tomorrow at the height of the pandemic. Like many UP technocrats, Herbosa uses social media to express his views and ideas, confident in the knowledge that UP is a zone of freedom of speech and expression, and the last place in the country where people will be condemned for their views. Herbosa was mistaken. UP is no longer the zone of freedom he thought it was. It is now a campus of intolerance, where only radical views and activities are allowed, and where the university administration itself is afraid of leftist elements surrounding it. In the UP of today, one can get condemned for what he says, by those who don’t like what he said. It all started with the now famous “community pantry” first created by a UP alumna along a street inside UP Teacher’s Village in Diliman, Quezon CIty. After a newspaper reported the success of the community pantry, the idea caught fire and soon enough, many similar community pantries mushroomed all over the metropolis. When Herbosa learned that quarantine protocols were not being properly observed by the crowds lining up at those communi-

ty pantries, Herbosa warned, among others, that the pantries can end up deadly to many. Meanwhile, a television personality decided to celebrate her birthday by putting up her own community pantry, also in Quezon City. While her much publicized pantry attracted a very huge crowd, news reports said the required quarantine protocol of social distancing was not observed. The sad news is that a 67-year-old man

Herbosa wasn’t against the community pantries. He was against allowing the mushrooming of pantries that operate without any regard for quarantine protocols. collapsed while waiting in line. He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead upon his arrival there. It appears that he may have suffered a cardiac arrest, and that if he had been advised to have someone else stand in line for him in view of his age, he may not have died. Thereafter, Herbosa posted his reflections on the incident on social media. In his unique, straight forward style of expressing himself, Herbosa reiterated his previous warnings that if health protocols are not properly observed at those pantries, they become threats to life and public safety. Herbosa’s remarks did not sit well with several UP alumni, who bashed him online. One basher was a former member of the UP Board of Regents whose appointment to the cabinet of President Duterte in 2017 was rejected by the Commission on Appoint-

ments. Some sectors believe that she is a known sympathizer of the left. From the way she spoke, it was as if she embodied all that is right and proper in the UP community. Such audacity! Another basher was a faculty member whom some UP alumni suspect is aligned with the left. He styles himself as an alleged expert on the mass media, and gives skewed interviews on television news programs. On close scrutiny, however, there was nothing wrong or legally objectionable about what Herbosa said online. As confirmed by news reports, quarantine protocols were not observed in the actress’ community pantry, and this fact already made the pantry a threat to the safety of everyone who was there. That publicized pantry, held to mark a movie celebrity’s birthday, was bound to attract a multitude, senior citizens included, to form a very long line, which was what happened. Add to that the blistering summer heat and you have a recipe for health problems. Herbosa wasn’t against the community pantries. He was against allowing the mushrooming of pantries that operate without any regard for quarantine protocols, a view shared by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. It just so happened that Herbosa’s choice of words did not sound nice to those who dislike officials of the government, and to those who are not familiar with the details of the event. Take note that Herbosa is a bureaucrat, not a politician. He simply said what he had in mind, without using the specious, sugar-coated language which traditional politicians are known for. There was nothing libelous or obscene in what he posted online. What he said was, undoubtedly, speech protected by the Constitution. Why then should Herbosa be faulted for what he said online? The more important question is, why didn’t UP President Danilo Concepcion defend Herbosa? Is the UP administration afraid of the reds? It looks like it is.

Common sense should be a DOH protocol ALL this time I thought the government response to COVID-19, though late and chaotic at first, had gotten better than its approach to the African Swine Fever (ASF). To prevent ASF from spreading, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has killed practically all the local hogs, and depended heavily on imports for pork supply. Now, I found out that the Department of Health (DOH) would rather leave to chance what happens to “recovered” COVID-19 patients instead of making sure they have a clean bill of health after being quarantined. The DOH is doing away with the repeat RT-PCR test in releasing “recovered”

COVID-19 patients from government isolation facilities including those of the local government units (LGUs) and barangays. According to the latest DOH guidelines issued by Secretary Francisco Duque last April 5, there is no need to retest recovered COVID-19 patients after 10-21 days of isolation. This includes asymptomatic, mild and critical cases. Those who had close contacts with patients but remained asymptomatic for at least 14 days from the date of exposure may also discontinue their quarantine without retesting. I wish DOH would explain and clarify the rationale of the policy of forgoing the retesting of recovered patients upon their release from “treatment” at quarantine facilities. I am not pretending to be a medical expert but I am raising this issue following

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“They get better on their own, anyway” appears to be the DOH philosophy. reports that DOH authorities refused to conduct swab tests before sending home patients. After being exposed to an infected co-worker, one Batasan Hills Quezon City resident who tested positive for COVID-19 was quarantined in Novaliches for 14 days and then cleared as having “recovered.” He was sent home but this guy, a private driver, is anxious because a confirmatory repeat test would have assured him that he

is well enough to go home. He wanted to be sure that he is 100-percent COVID-free before rejoining his wife and kids, as they await getting vaccinated. “Kung walang follow-up testing, paano ko malalaman na wala na nga akong COVID at hindi mahahawa ang asawa at mga anak namin?” he asked. The recent DOH circular, as approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) however, edicts that retesting is no longer required. But common sense would serve us right that we do repeat testing as an extra precaution, unless the DOH is doing this to keep down the numbers. Why, hasn’t the country’s COVID tally ballooned to horrifying figures, in fact, due partly to positive retest results? If certain local governments units

(LGUs) like Bohol, can effectively require tourists a repeat swab test if visiting beyond one week, we can and should similarly do retests on admitted COVID-19 patients after their quarantine. Our public healthcare system continues to be horribly deficient and inefficient while private medical institutions expectedly remain grossly profit-oriented, and that is why hospitals are said to be “overwhelmed” by ever-increasing Covid cases. Whereas we were incapacitated to control and stop the mysterious COVID-19, not even having enough testing kits for VIPs and politicians in the beginning of the epidemic, the whole pandemic crisis has since become big business in the country. Meanwhile, the greater public, especially the poorest of the poor, have suffered widespread hunger due to loss of livelihood amid the continuous lockdown.

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Republic of the Philippines Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT TODAY

TODAY 5 Judicial Region th

Branch 10 Legazpi City In the matter of the petition for the cancellation of the entry of birth of Pamela Venida Macaraeg with Local Registry Number 85-601 in the Local Civil Registry of Legazpi City, Albay, Spec. Proc. 2601 Pamela Venida Macaraeg Petitioner, -versusOffice of the Local Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Albay, et al., Respondents, x-----------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION To: Loreto D. Dealca Rose Marie Barrera Roselito Dealca Roselie Dealca Loreto Dealca, Jr., and Marinella Grefaldeo GREETINGS: You are hereby required to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff your ANSWER to the Amended Petition and its Annexes, within thirty (30) days after the completion of the two (2) weeks publications of this SUMMONS. You are reminded of the provision in the IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a Motion to Dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff may take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in their amended complaint. Further, pursuant to the Resolution of the Honorable Supreme Court under A.M. No. 03-1-09 SC dated July 13, 2004, parties in a case may avail of the interrogatories to parties under Rule 25 and request for admission by the adverse party under Rule 26 or at their discretion make use of depositions under Rule 23 or other measures under Rule 27 and 28, within five (5) days from the filing of the Answer. WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court this 27th day of August 2020. LOUIGI P. CLEDERA OIC/ACTING BRANCH CLERK OF COURT REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT FIFTH JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 10 Legazpi City, Albay IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR THE CANCELLATION OF THE ENTRY OF BIRTH OF PAMELA VENIDA MACARAEG WITH LOCAL REGISTRY NUMBER 85-601 IN THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OF LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY

Spec. Proc. 2601

PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA, Petitioner,

“Loreto Dealca” and “Lillian Venida” in her Baptismal Certificate (these entries are marked as Annexes “C-l” and “C-2”). A copy of her Baptismal Certificate is attached herewith as Annex “C”. 22. Moreover, in her school records, Petitioner consistently used the name “PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA”. Attached herewith as Annexes “D” to “G” are copies of Petitioner’s elementary diploma, high school diploma, college diploma, and her official transcript of records in college, respectively. It is worthy to note that in the latter (Exhibit “G”), Petitioner’s father is identified as “Loreto D. Dealca” (this entry is marked as Exhibit “G-1”). 23. Most importantly, Petitioner’s father, Loreto, consistently treated Petitioner as his daughter throughout her childhood and adult life. Attached herewith as Annex “H” is a copy of a photograph showing Petitioner (right) as a child with her father, Loreto, and her two siblings, Carlo Gino (center) and Angela Karen (left). This photograph was taken sometime in 1988 during Carlo Gino’s baptism. 24. In her adult life, Petitioner also used the name “PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA” in her passports and identification cards. Attached herewith as Annexes “I” and series and Annexes “J” and series are copies of Petitioner’s passports and government issued identification cards, respectiveIy. 25. Petitioner never used the name “PAMELA VENIDA MACARAEG” as well as the other details in the First Birth Record as the same are erroneous. Since her childhood and up to the present, she has consistently used the name and other birth details in the Second Birth Record because it contains the correct record of her birth. 26. The existence of the First Birth Record creates a confusion as to Petitioner’s identity and she has suffered damage as a result. She was unable to apply for visas to Japan and Korea because she has two birth records, and the Second Birth Record which she uses cannot be authenticated by the PSA. The said countries require visa applicants to submit a copy of the birth certificate authenticated by the PSA. As a result, she was unable to work in the said countries. 27. Furthermore, since Petitioner is unable to obtain an authenticated copy of the Second Birth Record, she might not be able to renew her passport when it expires. 28. Petitioner works as a business unit manager and is part of the sales department of their company. Thus, she travels abroad for work on a regular basis. She also travels often for leisure. Unfortunately, she will no longer be able to do so when her passport expires unless the First Birth Record is cancelled. 29. Most importantly, the First Birth Record incorrectly identifies Perfecto, the husband of her mother, as her father, when in truth and in fact, her father is Loreto, who acknowledged her in the Second Birth Record and raised her as his daughter. 30. In view of the foregoing, Petitioner prays that the First Birth Record which was recorded as Local Civil Registry No. 85-601 at the Register of Births of the Office of the Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Albay be cancelled, as it was made erroneously and it contains incorrect details, namely: her name, the name of her father, and the fact that her parents were married. PRAYER WHEREFORE, Petitioner most respectfully prays for the Honorable Court, after due notice and hearing, to: 1. Order the Local Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Albay to CANCEL the first registration of Petitioner’s birth appearing as Local Civil Registry No. 85-601 of the Register of Births of the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Albay; and

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

World

Crucial next step toward herd immunity

BioNTech eyes COVID jabs for minors in June B

The move comes after BioNTech and Pfizer in late March announced that phase 3 clinical trials of their vaccine for children aged 12-15 showed it was 100 percent effective in warding off the disease. Both companies are also racing to get the jab approved for younger children, from six months upwards. “In July, the first results for five to 12-yearolds could be available, and those for younger children in September,” he said. Ongoing trials so far are “very encouraging,” Sahin said, suggesting that “children are very well protected by the vaccine.” The BioNTech/Pfizer shot is based on novel mRNA technology and was the first COVID-19 jab to be approved in the West late last year. AFP

IONTECH said Thursday that it expected its COVID-19 vaccine, jointly developed with Pﬁzer, to be available to 12 to 15-year-olds in Europe from June.

The German ﬁrm’s CEO Ugur Sahin told Der Spiegel weekly that it was “in the ﬁnal stretches” of preparing its submission for European regulatory approval. The evaluation of the trial data “takes four to six weeks on average,” he added. Vaccinating children is seen as a crucial next step toward herd immunity and ending the pandemic. The prospect of getting older children inoculated before the next school year starts would also relieve the strain on parents who

are juggling the demands of homeschooling while keeping up with jobs. “It’s very important to enable children to return to their normal school lives and allow them to meet with family and friends,” Sahin told Spiegel. BioNTech/Pﬁzer already applied for emergency US authorisation of their jab for 12 to 15-year-olds earlier this month. Sahin expects to submit a similar request to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) next Wednesday, he told Spiegel.

IN BRIEF

2. Order that the said cancellation be thereafter forwarded to the Office of the Civil Registrar General, Philippine Statistics Authority, Quezon City, for appropriate notation. Other reliefs that are just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

For: Cancellation of Entry of Birth in the Civil Registry -versusOFFICE OF THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY, LORETO D. DEALCA, ROSE MARIE BARRERA, THE CHILDREN OF LORETO D. DEALCA, namely, ROSELITO DEALCA, EVANGELINE DEALCA, ROSELlE DEALCA, LORETO DEALCA, JR., CARLO GINO VENIDA DEALCA, PAOLO VENIDA DEALCA, and MARINELLA GREFALDEO; THE CHILDREN OF PERFECTO C. MACARAEG, namely, JESUS VENIDA MACARAEG, GLENN VENIDA MACARAEG, ANTHONY VENIDA MACARAEG, and ANGELA KAREN MACARAEG BALADAD; and LILLIAN VENIDA MACARAEG, Respondents. x-------------------------------------x

AMENDED PETITION Petitioner, through undersigned counsel, respectfully states the following before this Honorable Court: 1. Petitioner is of legal age, Filipino, single, and a resident of Blk 22 L49 Escamilla St., Lessandra Heights, Brgy. Molino IV, Bacoor City, Cavite, where she may be served with notices and other court processes. 2. Petitioner impleads the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Albay as it is the official keeping custody of the record of birth subject of this petition. The said office may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes in its official address, the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Legazpi City Hall, Legazpi City, Albay. 3. Petitioner also impleads her father, Loreto D. Dealca, who is of legal age, married, and a resident of #29 Atom Bldg. Ballecer cor. Espino St. Zone 6, South Signal Village, Taguig City where he may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 4. Petitioner also impleads Rose Marie Barrera, wife of her father, who is his compulsory heir. She is of legal age and a resident of Brgy. Ilawod, Uban, Sorsogon where she may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 5. Petitioner also impleads the children of her father with Rose Marie Barrera, who are also his compulsory heirs, namely: Roselito Dealca, Evangeline Dealca, Roselie Dealca, and Loreto Dealca, Jr. They are all of legal age and residents of Brgy. Ilawod, Uban, Sorsogon where they may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 6. Petitioner also impleads the children of her father with her mother, Lillian Venida Macaraeg, who are also his compulsory heirs, namely: Carlo Gino Venida Dealca and Paolo Venida Dealca. They are both of legal age and residents of Blk 25 Lot 15 J. Yulo St. Katarungan Village, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City where they may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 7. Petitioner also impleads the child of her father with Marilyn Grefaldeo, Marinella Grefaldeo, who is also his compulsory heir. She is of legal age and a resident of #29 Atom Bldg. Ballecer cor. Espino St. Zone 6, South Signal Village, Taguig City where she may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 8. Petitioner also impleads the following children and compulsory heirs of Perfecto C. Macaraeg, the late husband of her mother who was erroneously identified as her father in one of her birth certificates, namely: Jesus Venida Macaraeg, Glenn Venida Macaraeg, Anthony Venida Macaraeg, and Angela Karen Macaraeg Baladad. They are all of legal age and residents of Blk 41 Lot 2 Gianzon St. Katarungan Village, Muntinlupa City; Blk 45 Lot 24 Avanceña St. Katarungan Village, Muntinlupa City; Blk 41 Lot 2 Gianzon St. Katarungan Village, Muntinlupa City; and Blk 16 Lot 6 Policarp Subdivision SirangLupa, Calamba City, respectively, where they may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 9. Lastly, Petitioner impleads her mother, Lillian Venida Macaraeg, who lives in Blk 25 Lot 13 J. Yulo St. Katarungan Village, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City where she may be served with summons, notices, and other court processes. 10. Petitioner was born on 29 November 1984 in Pag-Asa, Daraga, Albay to Loreto D. Dealca and Lillian P. Venida. At the time of her birth, her parents were not married because they were both married to other people. 11. Petitioner’s mother, Lillian, was married to Perfecto C. Macaraeg and they had four children who were all born before the birth of Petitioner, namely: Jesus Venida Macaraeg, Glenn Venida Macaraeg, Anthony Venida Macaraeg, and Angela Karen Macaraeg Baladad. Lillian and Perfecto lived separately since 1983, or a year before Petitioner was born. 12. Likewise, Petitioner’s father, Loreto, is married to Rose Marie Barrera with whom he has four children, namely: Roselito Dealca, Evangeline Dealca, Roselie Dealca, and Loreto Dealca, Jr. 13. Petitioner’s birth was first reported by her mother, Lillian, to the Register of Births of the Office of the Civil Registrar of Legazpi City, Albay and her birth was recorded as Local Civil Registry No. 85-601 (hereinafter, the First Birth Record). Attached herewith as Annex “A” is a copy of the said birth record authenticated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 14. Knowing that Petitioner was illegitimate and fearing the shame and stigma attached to illegitimacy, especially because she was then working in the government, Lillian decided to report her husband, Perfecto, as the father of Petitioner instead of Petitioner’s real father, Loreto. Thus, in the First Birth Record, Petitioner was incorrectly identified as “PAMELA VENIDA MACARAEG”. Perfecto, however, did not consent to being named as Petitioner’s father in her birth certificate and did not even have knowledge of Petitioner’s birth until his death sometime in March 2017. 15. Lillian also wanted to claim maternity benefits from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). She was misinformed that she can only do so if her child is legitimate so she decided to identify Perfecto as the father of Petitioner in order to claim the said benefits. 16. Moreover, at the time of Petitioner’s birth, her parents were not in good terms as Lillian received no support from Loreto. Thus, Lillian decided to raise Petitioner on her own as a single mother. 17. However, when Loreto learned about the birth of Petitioner, he acknowledged her as his daughter. He reported her birth to the Register of Births of the Office of the Civil Registrar of Daraga, Albay and her birth was recorded as Local Civil Registry No. 85-955 (hereinafter, the Second Birth Record). Attached herewith as Annex “B” is a copy of the said birth record authenticated by the PSA. 18. In the Second Birth Record, Loreto correctly identified himself as the father of Petitioner and Petitioner was correctly identified as “PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA”. Loreto himself signed the Second Birth Record and identified himself as Petitioner’s father as proof of acknowledgment of his paternity. 19. Thereafter, Lillian and Loreto reconciled and lived together as husband and wife. In 1987, Lillian gave birth to her second child with Loreto named Carlo Gino Venida Dealca, and in 1989, she gave birth to their third child named Paolo Venida Dealca. Lillian and Loreto separated in 1994 when Petitioner was ten years old. 20. After Lillian and Loreto separated, Loreto lived with another woman named Marilyn Grefaldeo and had a child with her named Marinella Grefaldeo. 21. Throughout her childhood, Petitioner used the name “PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA”, as stated in the Second Birth Record reported by her father. When Petitioner was baptized on 27 April 1985, she was identified as “PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA” and her parents were identified as

Tanker collision spilt 400 tons of oil off China coast

Respectfully submitted. Legazpi City,NOV. 25, 2019 GUIANG AND GUIANG LAW OFFICE Counsel for Petitioner 2/F Reyes Computer Oriented School, Binanuahan Road Brgy. 21 Binanuahan West, Legazpi City, Albay By: Atty. Misheil R. Guiang Roll No. 62569 PTR No. 4605880/03.01.2019/Legazpi City IBP No. 1059897/Lifetime Member / Albay Chapter MCLE Compliance No. VI-0020709/14.04.22 09392340060/misheilrreyes@gmail.com Copy furnished: Office of the Solicitor General No. 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, Metro Manila 1229 Republic of the Philippines) Legazpi City, Albay S.S.) VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION AGAINST FORUM SHOPPING I, PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA, of legal age, Filipino, single, and a resident of Blk. 22 L49 Escamilla St., Lessandra Heights, Brgy. Molino IV, Bacoor City, Cavite, after being sworn in accordance with law, depose and state the following: 1. I have caused the preparation and filing of the foregoing petition. I have read and understood the same and all the allegations therein are true and correct of my personal knowledge and based on authentic records. 2. I have not commenced any action or filed any claim involving the same issues in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or any different division thereof, or any other tribunal or quasi-judicial agency, and to the best of my knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or different divisions thereof, or any other tribunal or quasi-judicial agency.

PPE AND A PRAYER.

Buddhist monks wearing protective plastic suits prepare for the arrival of people at the Wat Saphan temple which has been converted into an isolation center for COVID-19 patients in Bangkok on April 29, 2021. Thailand struggles to contain a third wave since an outbreak was detected in the capital’s nightlife district. AFP

3. I undertake to inform the Court of any similar action or proceeding and its status if there be any, or should I learn that a similar action or proceeding have been filed or is pending, within five (5) days from notice thereof. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my signature this Nov. 25, 2019 in Legazpi City, Albay.

PAMELA VENIDA DEALCA Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me, the undersigned Notary Public, this Nov. 25, 2019, by above affiant who exhibited the above-stated ID as proof of identity.

(MS-APRIL 23, 2021)

India coronavirus deaths surge again PUBLIC NOTICE

This is to inform the general public that personnel whose name appear below is no LONGER INDIA’S coronavirus disaster International deepened on CONNECTED with E-GMP Thursday daily no. death toll climbing Corporation, with POEAitslicense POEA-161-LB091019-R locatedasat more 803 General Malvar Street above 3,600, international aid was Malate.

In many Indian cities, hospitals are running out of beds as relatives of the sick crowd outside pharmacies and suppliers for medicines flown in with the United States sending nearly and oxygen cylinders. one million kits. IT OFFICER “We rushed to multiple hospitals, but were de1. JURIE S. test GOMONANThe United States and several European na- nied admission everywhere,” said the son of an Any transaction entered himrestrictions on the Company’s tions have started to by ease this week 84-year-old woman who died at home this week behalf shall not be honored. following successful vaccination campaigns, but after a desperate search for a hospital bed and Thispandemic publication is in compliance POEAparts oxygen in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state. the continues to worsenwith in many Rules Regulations. of the and world. The spiking body count has also overwhelmed Among the most devastating of those waves is crematoriums and graveyards, and caused a Manila where the death and infection rates have in India, shortage of wood for funeral pyres. Standard been rising exponentially throughout April. The Indian government will open vaccinations to TODAY On Thursday, India reported 3,645 deaths over all adults from Saturday. It had previously limited the past 24 hours, while confirmed new cases shots to the over-45s and certain other groups. were a global record at more than 379,000. The Several states have warned, however, that offiNOTICE cial numbers widely believed be far they do notON have sufficient vaccine stocks and OF are INITIATION OF ANtoINVESTIGATION lower than theAPPLICATION reality. the expanded rollout is threatened by adminTHE FOR AN ANTI-DUMPING The pandemic hasON claimed at leastFROM 3.1 million DUTY CEMENT VIET istrative NAM bickering, confusion over prices and lives around the world, India accounting for technical glitches on the government’s digital (AD with CASE NO. AD01-2021) more than 200,000 fatalities. vaccine platform. AFP (MS-APRIL 23, 2021)

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Trade and Industry has officially received properly documented applications from Cemex Philippines, Holcim Philippines, Inc., and Republic Cement Builders and Building Materials, Inc., for the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation on cement from Viet Nam. The applications allege that cement products are being imported from Viet Nam at dumped prices which cause material injury to the local industry. The Department acting under Section 3 (a) of RA 8752. the Philippine Anti-Dumping Act of 1999, reviewed the evidence adduced in the applications and has determined the existence of sufficient evidence to justify the initiation of an investigation. The products covered by the investigation are cement classified under AHTN Codes 2523.2990 and 2523.9000. The period of investigation (POI) for dumping is from JuIy 2019 to June 2020, while the POI for injury is from 2017 to June 2020. WHEREFORE, IN VIEW THEREOF, interested parties are invited to submit their comments, evidences, and information or reply to the questionnaire to dispute the allegations contained in the application. Submissions may be made to the Bureau of Import Services (BIS), Department of Trade and Industry. 3rd Floor, Tara Building. #389 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue. Makati City, or through electronic submission to bis_irmd@dti.gov.ph and bis@dti.gov ph. within thirty (30) days from receipt of this notice.

LIFE SAVING OXYGEN.

Health workers wearing personal protective equipment attend to COVID-19 patients inside a banquet hall temporarily converted into a COVID care center in New Delhi. AFP

AROUND 400 tons of oil spilt into the Yellow Sea after a tanker collided with another ship off China’s largest crudereceiving port earlier this week, maritime authorities said Thursday. “The amount of oil spilt from the ship into the sea is about 400 tons, and the emergency disposal work is being carried out in an orderly manner,” said Shandong Maritime Safety Administration in a social media post. “The collision incident has had no impact on ships entering and leaving Qingdao port.” It added that 12 decontamination vessels were deployed to clean up the oil spill, which took place around 40 nautical miles (75 kilometers) off-shore from Qingdao port in northeast China. Panamanian bulk carrier “Sea Justice” struck the Liberian oil tanker “A Symphony” near Qingdao Tuesday, causing the tanker to lose “a quantity of oil,” according to a previous statement from vessel managers Goodwood Ship Management. “All crew members have since been accounted for, and there are no injuries.” An unnamed official with the Maritime Safety Administration told Chinese state newspaper Global Times on Thursday that the cargo was labeled as “bitumen solution” but its specific content requires further testing. “The oil leak is in full disposal now and if technological controls are in place, it will certainly keep the impact on the environment to the minimum,” the official was quoted as saying. AFP

US sounds alarm over HK ‘exit ban’ THE United States said Thursday it was “deeply concerned” by a new Hong Kong immigration law which includes powers to stop people leaving the city, raising fears Chinese mainland-style exit bans could be deployed there. The law was passed on Wednesday by a city legislature now devoid of opposition, as Beijing seeks to quash dissent and make the semi-autonomous city more like the authoritarian mainland following huge and often violent democracy protests. It grants the immigration chief powers to bar people from boarding planes to and from the city. “We are aware of this legislation and share widespread concerns in Hong Kong about its content, potential uses, and lack of oversight or accountability,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. “We have long standing concerns about the PRC’s arbitrary use of exit bans without due process of law, including against American citizens.We are deeply concerned by the prospect of Hong Kong authorities adopting similar arbitrary measures,” the spokesperson added. Hong Kong’s government says the law will not be applied to people leaving the city and is aimed at stopping illegal immigrants travelling to the business hub. But the wording of the bill does not limit the power to arriving ﬂights or immigrants and legal experts say it could also be deployed against anyone leaving Hong Kong. AFP

Moderna eyes three billion COVID vaccine doses in 2022

(MS-APRIL 23 & 30, 2021)

US PHARMACEUTICAL rm Moderna Production The Non-Confidential ﬁReport on said the Spain. Initiation of an at Moderna’s US facilities would increase by 50 percent. Thursday it expects to increase global producInvestigation can be accessed at the DTI web page: http://bit. Reaching the three billion mark will depend tion of its cutting-edge COVID vaccine to up ly/notice antidumpingVN on the mix of its mRNA vaccine and potentially to three billion doses in 2022. 20 April 2021. said in a statement that it lower doses of Moderna’s pediatric vaccine The company would make new funding commitments to and variant booster shots, the company said. The company also raised its supply forecast increase supply at its manufacturing facilities RAMON for M. thisLOPEZ year to between 800 million and one in Europe and the United States. billion doses. The investments will double the manufac- Secretary The announcement comes as the spread turing of drug substance at its Swiss partner Lonza and more than double output by Rovi in of virus variants in countries like India have (MS-APRIL 23, 2021)

raised concerns about the world’s ability to overcome the pandemic. “As we follow the rapid spread of SARSCoV-2 variants of concern, we believe that there will continue to be signiﬁcant need for our mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and our variant booster candidates into 2022 and 2023,” chief executive Stephane Bancel said in the statement. The messenger mRNA vaccines hack into human cells and effectively turns them into vaccine-making factories. AFP

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Business

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Oxen replace farm tractors in diesel-starved Venezuela By Margioni Bermúdez

DUTCH COMFORT. Customers wait in line in front of a re-opened Pull&Bear clothes shop on Kalverstraat street in Amsterdam on April 28, 2021, as stores can welcome people again without an appointment, as part of the easing-up measures implemented by the Dutch government following heavy restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. AFP

Stocks rise; JG Summit, Aboitiz Equity advance S HARE prices rose slightly Thursday in step with the rest of Asia in anticipation of an unwinding of quarantine restrictions by mid-May.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 18.37 points, or 0.3 percent, to 6,487.51 on a value turnover of P4.7 billion. Gainers beat losers, 107 to 92, with 45 issues unchanged. President Rodrigo Duterte extended the modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna until May 14 even as COVID-19 cases started to slow down. JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group climbed 3.5 percent to P54.95, while Del Monte Pacific Ltd. advanced 19.9 percent to P14.08. Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. of the Aboitiz Group gained 2.6 percent at P36.25, but AC Energy Corp., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., dropped 3.6 percent to P6.75. The rest of Asian markets rallied Thursday as traders welcomed blockbuster earnings from Wall Street titans and after the Federal Reserve painted a rosy picture of the US economic outlook, repeating a pledge to stick to its guns with an ultralow monetary policy. While US markets struggled to lift off, with all three main indexes ending down, Asia was well in the green, with Hong Kong, Sydney and Singapore leading the way. Shanghai, Wellington and Jakarta were also up, though Seoul dipped and Taipei was flat. Traders were also keeping an eye on President Joe Biden’s first address to Congress as he laid out another huge spending planManila aimed at helping American families and paid for with Standard taxes on TODAY the wealthy.

After a shaky couple of weeks on trading floors, equities appear to be finding their feet again and getting ready to push to new highs as vaccines are rolled out, lockdowns eased and economies get back on track. And while there have been fears the expected surge in activity in this year could fan inflation and force central banks to step back from their loose monetary policies, the Fed said Wednesday it was ready to stay the course. After its latest meeting the bank upgraded its outlook for the world’s top economy, while its boss Jerome Powell said that the expected spike in inflation will be temporary owing to last year’s low base of comparison and is not likely to need policy action. “An episode of one-time price increases as the economy reopens is not the same thing as, and is not likely to lead to, persistently higher year-over-year inflation,” he said in response to a question from AFP. He also said it was not yet time to start talking about tapering its vast bond-buying program Manila that has pumped trillions Standard into the financial system. “The Fed’s outcome-based guidanceTODAY and triple-down bet on not talking about tapering should provide an easy playbook leading up to the June 16th (policy) meeting,” said OANDA’s Edward Moya. “The US will need to see a couple of blowout non-farm payroll reports, herd immunity reached before the June meeting, and inflation above 3.5 percent for the Fed to be willing to start talking about tapering.” With AFP

NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLDERS OF CIRTEK HOLDINGS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION TO ALL STOCKHOLDERS: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the annual meeting of stockholders of CIRTEK HOLDINGS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION will be held at 116 EAST MAIN AVENUE, PHASE V-SEZ, LAGUNA TECHNOPARK, BIÑAN, LAGUNA, 4024 on Friday, 28 May 2021, at 10:30 a.m. The meeting will be conducted virtually and registration can be accessed through the following link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FOcr22n8QsGdly7oPMW_4Q The Agenda of the Annual Meeting is as follows: 1. 2. 3.

Call to Order Certification of Service of Notice and Existence of Quorum Approval of the Minutes of the Special Stockholders’ Meeting Held on 27 November 2020 4. President’s Report 5. Presentation and Approval of the Audited Financial Statements As Of and For The Year Ended 31 December 2020 6. Ratification of All Acts of the Board of Directors and Management 7. Election of Nine (9) Directors (including Three (3) Independent Directors) 8. Appointment of External Auditors 9. Other Business 10. Adjournment The Board of Directors has fixed 29 April 2021 as the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Only holders of shares of stock as of the record date will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The stock and transfer books of the Company will be closed 20 days prior to the meeting. Given the current circumstances and pursuant to the rules issued by the Philippine government prohibiting mass gathering, stockholders may only attend the meeting by remote communication. IF YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THE SPECIAL MEETING, YOU MAY EXECUTE AND SEND A PROXY FORM TO THE OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION AT 116 EAST MAIN AVENUE, PHASE V-SEZ, LAGUNA TECHNOPARK, BIÑAN, LAGUNA, 4024 or by e-mail to corporate_secretary@cirtek.ph. THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF PROXIES IS ON 21 May 2021, 10:00 A.M. PROXY VALIDATION WILL BE ON 21 MAY 2021, 10:00 A.M. AT 116 EAST MAIN AVENUE, PHASE V-SEZ, LAGUNA TECHNOPARK, BIÑAN, LAGUNA, 4024. Stockholders intending to participate by remote communication should notify the Corporation by email to corporate_secretary@cirtek.ph on or before 21 May 2021, 10:00 A.M Stockholders may vote electronically in absentia, subject to validation procedures. The procedures for participating in the meeting through proxy, remote communication, and for casting their votes in absentia are set forth in the Information Statement. (MS-APRIL 30 & MAY 1, 2021)

CARACAS, Venezuela―“We have gone back about two centuries,” groans farmer Alfonso Morales who, for a lack of diesel in oil-rich Venezuela, must now rely on oxen to plow his land. “Plowing a hectare with oxen takes three or four days. With a tractor it is only about five hours,” Morales, 28, told AFP by telephone from Merida in the Andes mountains, where he is finding it increasingly difficult to eke out a living. Venezuela’s deep economic slump, worsened by US sanctions, has seen the former oil giant run low on fuel for domestic use―a deficiency felt even more acutely in the South American country’s rural, food-growing parts than in the capital, Caracas. At its height, Venezuela, with the world’s largest oil reserves, was producing more than three million barrels per day―by far its largest export and revenue source, with America its biggest client. According to the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), the country has some 304 billion barrels of crude reserves. Today, production is less than 500,000 barrels of crude per day, due

to what analysts say is chronic mismanagement, corruption and underinvestment. Not meeting demand Refineries, which have a capacity to process 1.3 million barrels per day, have been largely paralyzed too. Ivan Freitas, a former oil sector unionist now in exile in Bogota, says Venezuela is refining no more than 45,000 barrels a day―not even a quarter of its domestic demand. But fuel imports have been all but frozen by US sanctions to punish socialist President Nicolas Maduro, whose 2018 re-election is not recognized by Washington and a number of other capitals. Until November 2020, fuel had been exempted from sanctions on humanitarian grounds, but this exception has since been lifted―stalling the tractors needed to plow, sow and harvest, the pumps for irrigation, and trucks for transportation. Diesel is also vital for electricity generators in areas plagued by constant blackouts, as well as for the transportation of medicines and passengers. Not Maduro being punished The US measures “affect the people more (than the leaders being targeted),” said Luis Vicente Leon, director of the Datanalisis research company. AFP

A truck transporting vegetables from the countryside to the capital, lines up with collective transport units to have their tanks filled with diesel at a gas station in Caracas, on April 26, 2021. Venezuela, once an oil power, has seen a decline in the supply of diesel, essential for the productive sector. According to experts, the industry has been devastated by mismanagement and corruption, which add up to the international sanctions that prevent the country from importing it. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

B4 FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, April 29, 2021

18.37 PTS. 6,487.51

Partners Group and Aboitiz unit establish telco infra medium By Darwin G. Amojelar ABOITIZ InfraCapital Inc. teamed up with global firm Partners Group to form a joint venture that will establish a telecommunications infrastructure platform called Unity Digital Infrastructure Inc. Aboitiz InfraCapital and Partners Group, through Unity, will build and operate telecommunication towers and support infrastructure across the country. The partnership supports the government’s vision to improve the country’s internet connectivity in local communities by increasing the number of cell sites of mobile network operators. “Now more than ever, it is crucial to build robust, modern and efficient telecommunications infrastructure to support the country’s economic recovery and growth. With Unity, we hope to create a meaningful impact in the lives of Filipinos who rely on the internet for their livelihood, schooling, and other daily tasks, in cooperation with the government and the MNOs,” said Cosette Canilao, president and chief executive of Aboitiz InfraCapital. “We are delighted to be working with global experts from Partners Group in building enabling digital infrastructure and uniting communities,” she said. Under the common tower business model, MNOs can co-locate on Unity’s tower assets to help fast-track expansion, increase service reliability, reduce costs and lessen redundant sites.

HE country’s balance of payments position posted a deficit of $73 million in March, a reversal of the $448-million surplus in the same month last year, due to debt servicing, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday.

“The BOP deficit in March 2021 reflected outflows arising mainly from the national government’s net withdrawal of its foreign currency deposits with the BSP, which were largely used for debt servicing,” the BSP said in a statement. It said the cumulative BOP position also registered a deficit of $2.84 billion,

higher than the $68-million gap recorded a year earlier. Preliminary data attributed the threemonth BOP deficit to the government’s net repayments of foreign loans and the growing merchandise trade gap. The BOP position also reflected the decrease in the final gross international reserves to $104.48 billion as of end-March from $105.16 billion in end-February. “The latest GIR level represents a more than adequate external liquidity buffer, which can help cushion the domestic economy against external shocks,” the BSP said. The buffer is equivalent to 12 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It is also about 7.3 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 5.2 times based on residual maturity. The BOP posted a record surplus of

Total Trades Total Value

4,230,508,190 82,115 4,734,871,348.55

Advances Declines

107 92

Unchanged

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

BOP registered $2.84-b deficit in Q1 By Julito G. Rada

Total Volume

$16.02 billion in 2020, pushing up the GIR to $110.12 billion despite the challenging environment highlighted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investments or hot money also posted higher net outflows of $541 million in March, compared to the $40-million net outflows in February as fund managers reacted negatively to the rising inflation and the re-imposition of community quarantines in NCR Plus to prevent the further spread of the pandemic. Gross inflows in March reached $824 million, while total outflows hit $1.37 billion. “Developments during the month included investor reaction to rising inflation and vaccine rollout amid the surge in virus infection and re-imposition of restrictions on mobility in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces,” the BSP said.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.4400

Japan

Yen

0.009210

0.4461

Pound

1.394100

67.5302

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128819

6.2400

Switzerland

Franc

1.099626

53.2659

Canada

Dollar

0.812018

39.3342

Singapore

Dollar

0.754888

36.5668

Australia

Dollar

0.778800

37.7251

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655549

128.6348

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

12.9180

Brunei

Dollar

0.752049

36.4293

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.031898

1.5451

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.1889

Euro

1.212700

58.7432

Korea

Won

0.000901

0.0436

China

Yuan

0.154347

7.4766

India

Rupee

0.013425

0.6503

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.243902

11.8146

New Zealand

Dollar

0.725800

35.1578

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035908

1.7394 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF ICCP, PCCI hold vaccine summit

THE International Chamber of Commerce Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the International Chamber of Commerce are organizing today a virtual meeting of experts and policymakers dubbed the “Vaccine Summit: Equitable Distribution and Safety.” Ambassador Francis Chua, founding chairman of ICCP and chairman emeritus of PCCI, said the summit would provide information on the status of the global distribution of the vaccines against COVID-19. “We know how critical this vaccination program is to achieve herd immunity faster and hasten our socioeconomic recovery. This is why we have to make sure the inoculation programs of the government and the private sector will be effective, safe, and equitable,” Chua said. Ambassador Benedicto Yujuico, president of PCCI and ICCP, highlighted the importance of equitable administration of the vaccine to the speedy rebuilding and recovery of the country’s economy and society. Leading the presenters at the summit are Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso and Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer and vaccine czar of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

Wilcon Depot’s profit grows 84% to P604m

2021 PAFMI OFFICERS. Senator Imee Marcos leads the virtual induction and oath-taking of the Philippine Association

of Feed Millers Inc. officers and board members for the year 2021-2022. The newly-elected officers are led by Edwin Mapanao, vice president for marketing and corporate affairs of Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company as the association’s president, who reiterated PAFMI’s commitment to developing strategies for food security and safety in the country. PAFMI is the biggest and oldest group of feed millers with 35 members.

2GO Travel buys new vessel as part of modernization SEA transport company 2GO Travel acquired a vessel from Japan as part of its modernization plan to improve operations, an executive said Thursday. The newly purchased ship will be part of 2GO’s fleet of 10 roll-on and roll-off passenger and freighter vessels, sailing to 20 major ports of call and linking Manila to the Visayas and Mindanao. The new vessel is set to sail its maiden voyage in the Philippine waters next month. “This new acquisition is part of our continuing efforts to upgrade our fleet, modernize our operations and to provide a better passenger experience in sea travel,” said 2GO assistant vice president for marketing Blessie Cruz. “As destinations reopen its doors to local tourists, we are ready to bring Filipinos to their favorite Philippine islands,” Cruz said. 2GO Travel is offering discounted tickets as part of its pre-launch efforts until May 3, 2021 for June 1 to Dec. 15, 2021 voyages. These include sail from Batangas to Caticlan and Roxas for only P299 one-way with 50kg baggage allowance. Meanwhile, travel from Manila to Bacolod, Cebu, Coron, Iloilo, Dumaguete, and Puerto Princesa is offered at P399; while routes from Manila to Butuan, Iligan, Ozamiz, Zamboanga, Cagayan De Oro are at P499. Darwin G. Amojelar

WILCON Depot Inc., the country’s leading home and finishing construction supply retailer, said Thursday net income jumped 84 percent in the first quarter to P604 million on the back of a double digit growth in revenues. Wilcon said in a disclosure to the stock exchange net sales climbed 19.4 percent in the first three months to P6.67 billion. The company attributed the increase in sales to higher transaction count particularly of stores in Luzon. All branches remained open despite the re-imposition of the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces starting from the last week of March. The company also opened two new depots, one in Metro Manila and the other in the Visayas. “We’re happy with our first-quarter results and that we were able to achieve this despite the challenges brought about by the recent spike in Covid-19 cases and the reimposition of the ECQ in Metro Manila and nearby provinces,” said Wilcon president and chief executive Lorraine Belo-Cincochan. Jenniffer B. Austria

Robinsons Retail earned P945m in Q1 ROBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc., the retail holding company of the Gokongwei family, reported a 2.4-percent increase in first-quarter net income to P945 million from a year ago on reduced operating expenses to cope with the impact of the pandemic. RRHI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-quarter net sales declined by 11 percent to P35.6 billion from P40 billion in the same period last year. Same-store sales growth was down to -16.1 percent, with the supermarket and drugstore segments coming off from high bases induced by panic buying for essential goods such as food and medicines in the same period last year. SSSG of these essential formats was at record high at 42.1 percent and 34.7 percent, respectively, in March 2020. Sales performance of discretionary formats in the first quarter of the year was also weighed down by three months of varying levels of lockdowns, versus only 15 days of lockdowns in 2020. Jenniffer B. Austria

DOE endorses 16 major power projects to NGCP By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy endorsed 16 new power projects in the first quarter for system impact studies by National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. It said the projects included two natural gas projects in Bataan, including the planned 875-megawatt combined cycle power plant of Excellent Energy Resources inc. in Barangay Alangan, Limay, and the 1,200-MW natural gas project of Mariveles Power Inc. in Mariveles, Bataan. Also approved were the 600-MW Guimaras Straight wind power project of Jet Stream Windkraft Corp. in offshore Negros Occidental and Iloilo, the 600-MW San Miguel Bay offshore wind power of Sitex Windkraft Corp. in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, the 450-MW Frontera Bay Offshore wind power of Ivisan Windkraft Corp. in Cavite and the

600-MW Aparri Bay offshore wind of Triconti Southwind Corp. in Aparri, Cagayan. The department also endorsed Cleantech Global Renewables Inc.’s 100-MW Kalayaan 2 wind project in Paete, Laguna and Mauban, Quezon, and Gigawind1 Inc.‘s 200-MW Zambales South wind power in Zambales for grid impact studies. Other approved projects were GM Energy Construction Philippines Inc.’s 110.7-MW Lal-lo solar power project in Cagayan province, PV Sinag Power Inc.’s 98.14-MW Laoag solar power in Pangasinan, Raslag Corp.’s 18MW Raslag III solar in Pampanga, and Jobin SQM Inc.’s 100-MW Subic power in Bataan. The department allowed two floating solar projects to conduct grid impact study, including Nortesol Inc.’s 250-MW San Pedro solar project in Laguna and Nortesol IV Inc.’s 250-MW Taguig solar in Laguna de Bay and Taguig City.

28TH ANNIVERSARY OF CLARK DEVELOPMENT CORP. Special Feature

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

advertise@manilastandard.net

CDC @ 28

No pandemic can hold back Clark, CDC in creating sustainable impact By Peter Paul Duran

SITE of historical significance where countless stories of heroism abound, Clark still holds its long-established character of hosting brave souls amid turmoil to this day.

Heroes, not clad in armor or full of ammunition, have risen in this premier economic and leisure hub in the Philippines—heroes that have stood up and remained at the forefront in the battle against an unseen foe. If other developing countries are looking for a shining specimen of impeccable COVID-19 efforts, there’s no better example than this prime freeport zone in Central Luzon and the entity behind it. Celebrating 28 years of exponential progress, Clark Development Corporation, which oversees the Clark Freeport Zone, looks back on its numerous efforts to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, and helping industries recuperate from the impact of the economic crisis. CDC honors the bravery, heroism, and dedication of its employees, frontliners, and every individual who worked on the sidelines to help in the fight against an invisible enemy in COVID-19. According to CDC, these “courageous individuals put their lives on the line every day to save the world from the dreaded disease,” as the stateowned corporation also extends its heartfelt gratitude to its locators “for helping vulnerable sectors of society during this time of crisis.” For its part, CDC also received various recognitions from different government agencies for its COVID-19 efforts. While no one was spared from the challenges of 2020, CDC continued to grow by leaps and bounds looks forward to utilize 2021 as a springboard towards continued success. To achieve this, CDC will be capitalizing on the spirited leadership and valuable contributions of its new man at the helm, Manuel R. Gaerlan, whose nomination as President and CEO was approved by President Rodrigo Duterte in January 2021. Now, the retired PNP General, along with CDC’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, is eyeing to boost the investors’ confidence in Clark. “CDC has to re-focus its attention to economic reset, rebound, and recover to arrest the effects of the global pandemic,” Gaerlan said in a statement. And how does this preferred area for business and career growth redefine its global competitiveness through best services that are at par with international standards or in any other countries in Southeast Asia? By creating a sustainable impact on the economy and communities. With its vision to make this Freeport one of the premier investment and tourism destination in the Asia Pacific Region, CDC, despite the far-reaching challenges of the pandemic was able to remain as the beacon of hope in the region by continuously providing employment, driving growth on its finances, and creating sustainable impact in the community through shared

LAUNCHING OF CLARK ‘SWAB AND GO’ FACILITY. Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President and CEO Manuel R. Gaerlan (rightmost) with CDC Chairman Edgardo Pamintuan (3rd from right) led the launching of the “Swab and Go” Facility in Clark. Also present during the event are from (left to right) Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo, Pampanga Board Member Fritzie Dizon, Board Member Cherry Manalo, JBLMGH Medical Center Chief Dr. Monserrat Chichioco, and CILA Chairman Irineo Alvaro, Jr. (CDC-CD Photo)

CDC WELCOMES ITS NEW PRESIDENT. Manuel R. Gaerlan

(left) sworn into office as the newly appointed President and CEO of Clark Development Corporation (CDC) before BCDA President and CEO and Officer-in-Charge for Office of the CDC Chairman Vivencio B. Dizon (right). Gaerlan is the 13th president to lead the state-owned firm. (CDC-CD Photo)

A total of P10.5 million worth of medicines, medical equipment, rice, canned goods was given to the LGUs at the height of the lockdown in Central Luzon, forming part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of CDC for the Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC). Moreover, the Clark Freeport converted buildings into COVID-19 Facilities to bolster the fight against the pandemic. Barely two weeks into the enforcement of Enhanced Community Quarantine for the entire Luzon, officials of BCDA and CDC immediately set into motion the conversion of some of its existing facilities inside the Clark Freeport and the New Clark City (NCC) into quarantine centers for COVID-19 patients in Central Luzon. At the Freeport, the ASEAN Convention Center was promptly converted into a 150-bed Covid Facility. At the NCC, the Athletes Village was also turned into a quarantine area for

suspected cases while the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) also served the same purpose with its 688 beds. The Clark Freeport Zone’s converted COVID-19 facility has proven to be effective towards achieving the government’s ‘locate, isolate, secure’ strategy under the ‘#WeHealAsOne’ battlecry to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the effects of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit (COA) has likewise commended the strategic measures initiated by the CDCCOVID 19 team, citing “CDC’s numerous COVID-response programs which include the establishment of COVID facilities, and the adaption of significant COVID-19 protocols that were benchmarked and emulated by other areas in the country. These and all the other notable projects of CDC became beneficial not only for this Freeport but also for its adjacent provinces and communities.” Offices and divisions such as the Corporate Social Responsibility and Placement Division (CSRPD), Public Safety Division (PSD), Purchasing Division, Health and Sanitation Division (HSD), Accounting Division, Treasury Division, Information Technology Department (ITD), Property Management Division (PMD), Human Resources Division (HRD), Communications Division (CD), Engineering Services Group (ESG), Assets Management Division (AMD) and Transportation Section were also acknowledged. “Whatever adversity the time may bring, this Freeport will remain steadfast in its commitment to creating inclusive development for all,” said the CDC. According to CDC, it “underscores that the Freeport’s achievements are being realized through the contributed support and effort of various sectors of workers, investors, local government units and other neighboring communities of Clark.”

goals with its locators. The Clark Freeport Zone was able to sustain significant figures on economic indicators which include employment, investments, and exports. 1226- Locators 115, 375 – Workers US$ 6.45 Billion – Exports P245 Billion Investments for 2020 – up by 3.38% compared to P237 Billion in 2019 Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority also shows that of the three Investment Promotions Agencies (IPAs) that posted double-digit growth in 2020, CDC led the way with 19%. CREATING A SPIRIT OF BAYANIHAN AMID ADVERSITY “Despite the looming uncertainty, a distinctive trait among us illuminates the spirit of communal unity and cooperation to fight an invisible enemy,” according to the state-owned corporation. Clark, despite having to deal with the effects of COVID-19, still acted as a safe haven for locally stranded individuals or LSIs. These LSIs first came to being in Clark when some 200 passengers, most of them OFWs, found themselves stranded at the Clark International Airport (CRK). But through the efforts of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Clark International Airport Corporation, and Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corporation (LIPAD), the stranded passengers were provided the necessary assistance—free food, and lodging in various locations in Clark. Clark Freeport also helped host local government units or LGUs like the cities of Angeles and Mabalacat.

Upgrade of wastewater treatment facility now underway

EXTENDING HELP TO HEAL AS ONE. Clark Development Corporation (CDC) Vice

President for Security Services Group PBGen. Sheldon Jacaban (4th from left) hands over the portable x-ray machine donated by CDC to the Pampanga Provincial Government received by Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda (4th from right) at the Pampanga Capitol Session Hall. Also in the photo are Pampanga Provincial Administrator Atty. Charlie Chua (2nd from left, back), PDRRMO Executive Director Angelina Blanco (3rd from right), Pampanga Board Members Ananias Canlas, Jr. (2nd from right), Paul Balingit (1st from right), Cherry Manalo (1st from left), and Fritzie Dizon (3rd from left). (CDC-CD Photo)

CLARK Development Corporation, together with Clark Water Corporation, has initiated efforts to upgrade its wastewater treatment processes to prepare the sewage treatment facility serving the Clark Freeport Zone to comply with the new, more stringent standards of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order (DAO) 201608 on biological nutrient removal (BNR). The Notice to Proceed (NTP) has also been issued by CDC to CWC on 22 April

2021 to signal its concurrence to start the implementation of the approved Compliance Action Plan. On the same day, CWC has mobilized its contractor to immediately start the activities relative to the upgrade of the wastewater treatment facility. The parties stressed that this collaboration is a testament of their dedication to adhere with the new government-mandated environmental regulations while serving the current and future needs of the locators of the freeport.

Sports

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

Organizers: Full venues at Olympics ‘very difficult’ TOKYO—Full stadiums will be “very difficult” at the Tokyo Olympics, the head of the Games warned Wednesday, as organizers pushed back a decision on how many domestic fans can attend until June. Overseas spectators have already been barred from the Games for the first time, and a ruling on Japanbased fans was expected by the end of this month. But with parts of the country including Tokyo under a coronavirus state of emergency, organizers said they needed more time. The Games open in less than three months on July 23. “As we look into the evolving situation with the domestic infections status involving new strains, we have agreed that a decision regarding spectator capacity at the Olympic and Paralympic venues will be made in June,” Olympic officials said after top-level talks. Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto said it was now unlikely that fans would fill venues as in past Olympics. “We have to watch the situation and consider accordingly. As of now, full venues is very difficult, I understand that,” she said. “There may be a time that we have to decide on the Games behind closed doors, no spectators,” she added. But “to the extent possible, as many people as possible should be able to enjoy the Tokyo Games”. Organizers also announced new virus rules for athletes including daily antigen virus testing—up from a previous plan for tests every four days. Unclear or positive results will be followed up with additional tests to confirm. “If you have a confirmed positive test for Covid-19 during the Games... you will not be allowed to compete,” an updated virus rule book warns. ‘All necessary measures’ Those deemed “close contacts” of any athlete testing positive may still be able to compete, with their situation assessed on a “case-by-case basis” and depending on “the likelihood of you spreading the virus”, the guide added. Athletes are encouraged, but not required, to get vaccinated before the Games, and the restrictions will still apply to those who are inoculated. Olympic organizers hope that bolstering virus rules for the Games will help build support in Japan, where polls show most people back either a cancellation or further delay. Updates to the rules for other Games participants including thousands of foreign media are expected on Friday. “We are ready with you to take all the necessary measures to minimise the risks to make the Japanese people feel safe,” International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach said at the start of talks with organisers and Japanese officials. “Our top priority is health and safety for everyone—not only for the participants of the Olympic Games but, first and foremost, also of our gracious hosts, the Japanese people.” Those violating the rules will face a disciplinary committee and could be stripped of their right to compete. Japan has seen a comparatively minor virus outbreak, with just over 10,000 deaths, but it is now battling what experts call a fourth wave of cases. AFP

Batangas eyed for PBA practices By Peter Atencio

HILE no green light has been given yet by the government for the restart of the 46th season of the Philippine Basketball Association, the search for venues which will host the bubble training of teams is in the works.

PBA officials are now looking at Batangas City, which could find itself hosting the preparations of many teams now that lockdown status in the National Capital Region has gone down to the General Community

Quarantine level. Commissioner Willie Marcial said he will be heading for Batangas City this weekend with board member Alfrancis Chua to make this possible after the league received no assurance

from the government that it will be able to open the season within the next two months. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senator Bong Go met with Marcial and Chua last Wednesday as the league forwarded its letter of appeal to the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. Medialdea and Go, in an hourlong discussion with league officials, told Marcial that for the PBA to be able to restart its season, NCR will have to move out of its Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine status.

Talisay City nails outright finals’ seat in Super Cup

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial (right) and Barangay Ginebra Gov. Alfrancis Chua (left) are shown with Senator Bong Go (2nd from left) and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea after a meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday.

Men’s volley aspirants praise PH team tryouts THE men showed up almost in full force on Day 2 of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation national volleyball team tryouts at the Subic Gym bubble, each packing strong potentials that would send the coaching staff deep into the night figuring out who to pick and who not to. Marck Espejo, a member of the silver medal-winning team in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, showed the pandemic didn’t slow him down, squeezing out inspired performances from national teammates Jessie Lopez and Josh Reta-

mar—and 29 others who were split into morning and afternoon sessions. “I’m sure the coaches will have a hard time determining who to pick,” PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who added that the men’s and women’s volleyball teams will be composed of 20 players each. Thirty-one of the 40 players were invited to the men’s tryouts answered the call with nine missing the exercise, including Bryan Bagunas, who arrived in the country from his stint in the Japan V.League only recently and had to

National team aspirants show their wares at the tryouts.

complete a 14-day quarantine. The PNVF scheduled the three-day tryouts in Subic through the efforts of Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig City, the federation’s local government unit “godfather.” The women’s volleyball tryouts were staged on Wednesday with the beach volleyball tryouts capping the major PNVF activity on Friday. All participants underwent RT-PCR tests with the players wearing face masks all throughout the tryout proceedings. Long-time Philippine team skipper John Vic de Guzman led the morning session aspirants, who includes his teammates Mark Alfafara and Jao Umandal. “Maayos ang tryouts, una kasi batch by batch ang tryout at sobrang dami ang nag-attend,” De Guzman said. “Makikita mo din na talagang gusting-gusto ng lahat na makapasok sa national team.” “Masaya kami kasi sobrang organized and tryout lalo na pagdating sa safety protocols,” the former NCAA champion from College of Saint Benilde De Guzman added. JP Bugaoan, Kim Dayadante, Anthony Ekwenugo, Mark Enciso, Alche Gupiteo, Noel Kampton, Kim Malabunga, Chumson Njigha Jr., Leo Ordiales, Ish Polvorosa, Jian Matthee Salarzon Ricky Marcos, and Manuel Sumanguid completed the morning session. The afternoon session was composed of Rex Intal, Nico Almendras, Leo Aringo, Lloyd Josafat, Joeven dela Vega, Jack Kalingking, Louie Ramirez, Ysay Marasigan, John Mark Ronquillo, Kharyl Parce, Rayver Sison and Francis Saura.

Retirement not in Folayang’s plans IT’S not yet over for Eduard “The Landslide” Folayang. Retirement is still not an option for the 36-year-old Folayang after he lost via submission to Japanese fighter Shinya Aoki in the 4:20 mark of the first round. After a second straight setback to Aoki during one of the undercards of ONE on TNT IV in Singapore, Folayang said he will be ready for two more showdowns with Aoki. “Along the way, baka may Game 5 pa. Makakabawi din tayo,” said Folayang, who added that retirement is not in his immediate plans for now. “Retirement? Nandiyan lang iyan. Pero sa ngayon, marami pa akong

Marcial said the start of the coming season will happen once the cases of COVID-19 go down in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. “Kailangan bumaba ang mga cases. Kapag bumaba na ang cases, may appeal na kami sa IATFna mapayagan na,” said Marcial. The PBA chief said the choice of Batangas City came up after Chua took the initiative to discuss the matter of allowing the Barangay Gin San Miguel Gin Kings train there. Ilocos Norte and Antipolo are also among those being considered to be a bubble venue for training, according to Marcial.

natututunan,” added Folayang. Aoki also beat Folayang back in 2019, in 2:16 of the first round via an arm triangle choke for a victory by technical submission. “Hangga’t nandito pa kami ni Shinya, magmi-meet pa kami,” added Folayang. The Team Lakay stalwart said Aoki deserves the win after he was able to execute his game plan. “He really put his words in action. And he really dominated,” added Folayang. Another fight between the two is not far off as Aoki is open to the possibility of fighting the Filipino again. “Five years ago, I lost to Eduard Folayang. Today, I got the

win. If I have the chance, I would like to have (a fight) with him again,” added Aoki. If not, a clash with Yoshihiro Akiyama or a rescheduled encounter with Sage Northcutt will do. “My (four) consecutive wins don’t matter. I’ll just keep on fighting because this what I love doing,” said Aoki through an interpreter. It was Aoki’s fourth consecutive win since losing his lightweight crown to Christian Lee in 2019. Aoki, a replacement fighter, wanted to meet Lee once he got past Folayang. But clamors from his followers in Japan made his change his mind, that’s why Aoki is seeking out Akiyama. Peter Atencio

Shinya Aoki pounds Eduard Folayang.

ALCANTARA — MJAS ZenithTalisay City gained an outright spot in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup—Visayas Leg finals as it completed a sweep of the elimination round with a 99-62 rout of the ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu, Thursday at the Civic Center here in Cebu. The win gave Talisay City an immaculate 10-0 record after the double round-robin elims, which earned them an automatic spot in the bestof-three Visayas leg finals. The development meant the rest of the field would have to play in a stepladder format to determine who will get the other ticket in the bestof-three finals. In this format, the second seed would advance to the semifinals where they will have a twice-to-beat advantage. The third and sixth seeds, as well as the fourth and fifth seeds, would compete in knockout games where the winners would face one another for the right to take on the second-seed in the semis. “Malaking bagay sa amin na makuha namin ‘yung sweep para makapahinga kami,” said Aquastars head coach Aldrin Morante. “Siguro masasabi ko lang is all of this is because of the players. They deserve to rest.” The Aquastars rode the red-hot shooting of Patrick Cabahug in the first period, where he tallied nine, to help the team establish a 24-9 lead. From there, it was all Talisay City as Lapu-Lapu struggled to find the basket and did not get the deficit down to double-digits, going only as close as 12 the rest of the way. Talisay City closed out the game in dominant fashion, outscoring LapuLapu, 30-11, in the fourth period, highlighted by a pair of slam dunks from the high-leaping Jaymar Gimpayan. Cabahug finished with 22 points spiked by five triples while Kevin Villafranca helped out with 12 points, five boards, and two assists. Darrell Menina came off the bench and tallied 11 points, four boards, four dimes, and two steals while widebodied big man Allan Santos missed out on a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. The Aquastars’ skipper Paulo Hubalde also orchestrated Talisay City’s offense to perfection and finished with six points, seven boards, and 13 assists.

Entertainment HOUSE producer Majestic and German act Boney M have recently unveiled the riotous official video for their smash “Rasputin,” which has become a big hit among social media denizens across the globe. Shot at Soho nightclub The Box and featuring a star-studded cast that includes Ru Paul’s Drag Race finalist Bimini Bon Boulash, Pete from grime duo Pete & Bas, and an array of the venue’s entertainers, the official video for “Rasputin” is an invigorating dose of nighttime debauchery. A certified hit, the track has already racked up over 15 million global Spotify streams to date and is charting on Spotify in the UK, the Netherlands, France, Australia, Ireland, and more. “Rasputin” has peaked at #1 on Shazam in the Netherlands, and #4 in the UK, and has broken into the top 50 on Shazam Globally in addition to in a long list of further countries.

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

Official video for viral ‘Rasputin’ out now

Not stopping there, the track continues to break boundaries since making it onto the BBC Radio 1 playlist, A-list playlists at Capital FM, Heart in the UK, and keeps climbing up the APCs across Europe. Crossing into a multitude of dance music genres, from UK Garage and house to D&B and Dubstep, Majestic has performed with the likes of Sigma, DJ EZ, MJ Cole, Judge Jules, and Laidback Luke. He pioneered an all-new concert-rave hybrid known as LIMITLESS, selling out five shows in London and also taking it to Mallorca’s iconic BCM, Ibiza, and Malia. A high-quality remixer, he has previously reworked tracks from Craig David, Preditah, and Kaskade, to name a few. After months of the unknown in lockdown, the official video for “Rasputin” gives an insight into what we can expect when clubs finally reopen.

Official music video of ‘Rasputin’ by Majestic and Boney M.

Iwi, Nicole Laurel make another

‘Special Memory’

Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, Jr. takes viewers on a journey to protect the environment via the actionpacked fantasy drama ‘Agimat ng Agila.’

VERY WANG Mother and daughter Iwi (left) and Nicole Laurel revive the ‘80s hit ‘Special Memory,’ to be launched on Spotify on Mother’s Day.

AS A special Mother's Day tribute, noted mother-daughter artists Iwi and Nicole Laurel are launching their version of the ‘80s hit “Special Memory” on May 9 via Spotify. The music video will have a digital launch on May 14 via Facebook Live. “This song really took me by surprise because way back in 1983, I was singing, working, and studying at the same time, so when I was offered this song, I thought my mind was set on becoming a lawyer, but then the film became a hit and the song garnered awards, and so I guess I became a singer, not a lawyer,” Iwi says. It was three years after Iwi’s serendipitous first encounter with the Cecile Azarcon masterpiece that she had become a mother to Nicole. Raising Nicole as a single mother had its many challenges, but ultimately, an unbreakable bond between them, through blood, unconditional love, and music was forged. Nicole recounts her utmost gratitude through a musical tribute. “Growing up I was familiar with ‘Special Memory’ because everyone knew my mom for it and I would constantly run into people who would ask me: ’So, you are Iwi’s daughter…. Can you sing her song?’ I grew up around that beautiful melody, but it was only as I got older that I

realize how much more ’Special Memory’ meant to me than a song my mother once sang,” Nicole shares. “It was the last song she recorded before changing her life entirely to raise me. I saw how tough things were for mom when I was growing up around her, how she worked tirelessly making ends meet, how she made countless sacrifices to ensure me a better life. I relished every home-cooked meal and home-baked cake. I saw the tears and I saw the happiness, I am forever grateful,” she adds. Homer Flores had arranged the original version of “Special Memory.” The 2021 version, on the other hand, was given a contemporary twist with the help of Home’s son, Nikko. “I thought it would be an interesting twist to have a stellar and greatly accomplished ‘father-and-son-in-music’ arrange the 2021 version of the song as a tandem. Thankfully Nikko immediately said yes,” Nicole says. Homer, Nikko, and the rhythm section recorded in their homes, and as soon as Nicole had the tracks, they immediately booked Wildgrass studios where the horns section and vocals were recorded. The tracks were then mixed by awardwinning engineer Angee Rozul and mastered in Abbey Road UK.

Gerald-Yam series hit 6 million YouTube views on pilot week Gerald Anderson and Yam Concepcion in a steamy scene in ‘Init Sa Magdamag.’

ABS-CBN Entertainment’s newest primetime series Init sa Magdamag earned six million views on YouTube on its pilot week. With an average view of one million, the show earned its biggest number on April 23 as it hit over a million and a half views. Before the show premiered, its trailer amassed over 12 million views 13 days following its release. Followers witnessed how the love between Rita (Yam Concepcion) and Tupe (Gerald Anderson) blossomed during the show’s first week. The two may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but Rita slowly felt how genuine and sincere Tupe is. Soon, the two fell in love. But their relationship proved to be short-lived after Rita discovered that the money Tupe used to get her treated at the hospital came from his father’s unlawful dealings with the

town mayor. Unable to bear what she had just learned, Rita decided to break up with Tupe. Rita will soon meet Peterson (JM de Guzman), with whom she will fall in love. Can Tupe will himself to forget Rita? Will Rita finally find peace in a relationship with Peterson? Produced by Star Creatives, Init sa Magdamag is under the creative management of Henry Quitain and directed by Ian Lorenos and Raymond Ocampo. Init sa Magdamag airs nightly at 9:20 on TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, Jeepney TV and Kapamilya Online Live via the YouTube channel and Facebook page of ABS-CBN Entertainment. Filipinos abroad can catch it on The Filipino Channel. Advanced episodes can be streamed on iWantTFC and WeTV iflix.

NICKIE WANG

HEN director Rico Gutierrez received the offer to be part of Agimat ng Agila, he did not have any second thoughts. He agreed to do the project right away. With his brilliance as an acclaimed director, the series is now having its grand premiere this Saturday on GMA.

The series promises to give viewers an exciting adventure “as the bearer of the powers of an enchanted eagle sets off on a journey to protect the environment and to battle evil forces.” The action-packed fantasy, headline by Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, also marks the much-awaited return of the actor-politician to the small screen. “Everyone was so focused on their task. The staff and artists were so efficient. As a director, I think it’s just right that this series was done in a bubble setting because it enabled us to be more efficient in our jobs. And it also allowed us to bond like family while completing our shoot,” Gutierrez told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview. In the series, Revilla is Major Gabriel Labrador, the valiant head of Task Force Kalikasan who is wrongfully accused of his family’s death and is chosen as the bearer of the Agimat ng Agila. “It’s not an ordinary TV series. It’s really like a film basically because of the effort put into it by the whole production team. Dumaan sa butas ng karayom ito. In fact, it’s supposed to be a movie. When I offered this to GMA, they greenlighted it immediately and I'm glad that the director and scriptwriter gave it justice,” Revilla shared. “Given its story, there are so many possibilities that we could do with this project. So having season two and expanding its universe are all possible. Agimat is my dad Ramon Revilla, ipinamana niya sa akin at pewde ko din ipamana ito,” he added. With the recent celebration of Earth Day, Agimat ng Agila heralds on every Filipino’s guardianship of the environment and promotes how pivotal it is when a man embraces his love for his one and only planet. Following his five-year-long hiatus from acting, Revilla shares that he is both glad and blessed to be doing what he loves again, "Acting is an integral part of my life, and I owe who I am today to the industry. Hindi ko talaga maiiwan ang industriya. Na-miss ko rin 'yung camaraderie and 'yung collective creativity with my co-workers—from co-actors to the writers, the directors, the crew, and the staff. All in all, namiss ko 'yung buong experience, and I am blessed to be doing it again." In addition, Revilla also wishes to

Bong Revilla

back with movie-like series

‘AGIMAT NG AGILA’

Bong Revilla shares the screen with Sheryl Cruz playing a special role in the weekly television series.

EA Guzman as Julian

Sanya Lopez as Maya Lagman

Elizabeth Oropesa as Nanay Berta

instill environmental awareness to the viewers and encourage them to be proactive stewards of nature, "Napakaganda ng Pilipinas at punong-puno ito ng likas na yaman. Agimat ng Agila shows this— the rich ecosystem and biodiversity in the country. Ipinakita rin namin dito ang epekto nito sa mga tao—the good and bad. Kung maipapaalala lang namin sa mga tao ang kagandahan ng ating kalikasan at ang mga simpleng pwedeng gawin para huwag nang lalo pa masira ito, then we have imparted a meaningful message." Completing the powerhouse cast of Agimat ng Agila are Sanya Lopez as Maya Lagman, the headstrong but compassionate adopted daughter of Nanay Berta; Elizabeth Oropesa as Nanay Berta, the reclusive and mysterious elderly woman who will assist Gabriel on his journey as the tagapagligtas; Roi Vinzon as Alejandro Dominguez, a respected and feared businessman and crime lord; Benjie Paras as Sgt. Wesley Dimanahan, Gabriel's trusted confidant and right-hand man;

Allen Dizon as Capt. Gerry Flores, secondin-command of the task force; Michelle Dee as Serpenta, an evil shadow creature who acts as an oracle for Alejandro; EA Guzman as Julian, an earnest man who secretly fancies his childhood friend Maya; Miggs Cuaderno as Bidoy, a smart-aleck who eventually becomes close to Gabriel; Ian Ignacio as Malvar, deputy henchman of Alejandro. The series also features the special participation of Sheryl Cruz as Dr. Myrna Labrador, the soft-spoken and ethereal wife of Gabriel. Playing equally vital roles in the series are King Gutierrez, Jhong Cuenca, Mike Lloren, Althea Ablan, Dentrix Ponce, Yuan Francisco, and Seth Dela Cruz. Catch the premiere telecast of Agimat ng Agila tomorrow night at 7:15. Viewers abroad can also watch the series via GMA's flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

Life

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

TRAVEL & LEISURE

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021

OU are probably asking yourself now: “How could this guy travel to Rome amidst this pandemic, with quarantine restrictions still being imposed all over the world?”

Well, I didn’t…my mind did. Being a senior citizen who, unfortunately, the IATF thinks does not know how to protect himself or take precautions from the rage of this virus, I have been under “house arrest” for more than a year now. Being a global traveler who is suddenly “restricted to quarters” for a long period of time can be a big blow to one’s psyche. So, to keep my sanity intact, I always remind myself that I live in an imperfect world and I can still be happy by seeing beyond these imperfections. I often allow my playful mind to hark back to my many foreign trips in the past and relive each of them, in the comforts of my bedroom. To complete such dewy-eyed moments, I even play songs that remind me of the places I visited. Today, I fondly recall my very first trip to Europe and what led to such choice of destination. I’ve declared many times in the past that I am a cinephile because watching movies was the most popular form

The Roman Colosseum, right in the center of the city, is the largest ancient amphitheater, and is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater because it was built during the period of the three emperors from the Flavian dynasty. (Inset) Inside the Colosseum which was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as dramas, animal hunts, and executions.

My Roman holiday of recreation during my growing up years in Cebu. One movie that struck me when I was still in grade school was the black-and-white Hollywood film, Roman Holiday, starring a very young Audrey Hepburn and the tall, dashing Gregory Peck. This awesome travelogue opened my eyes to the beautiful attractions of Rome. Then, when I was in high school, another captivating movie set in the same city, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone, this time in Technicolor, further heightened my desire to experience the city’s tourist spots. This is why I chose Rome for my first European vacation when I earned my first free

The Fontana di Trevi is perceived to be the most famous fountain in the world, after being featured in dozens of Hollywood movies. The coin-throwing tradition of visitors earns for the city government millions of dollars yearly.

ticket a year after I joined Pan Am, the airline that hired me fresh out of college. While all my other coemps used their first Trip Pass to go eastward, to visit the USA, I used mine to go the other way, to the “Eternal City,” my heart’s long-desired destination. As I now reminisce about that trip, I’m also listening to the lilting sounds of Arrivederci Roma, Volare, O Sole Mio, Three Coins In The Fountain, etc. to further heighten my enjoyment. On the way to my downtown hotel from Rome’s Fiumicino airport, now called Leonardo da Vinci, I was so thrilled to see immediately one of the attractions in my must-see list, the Roman Colosseum. I remember having asked the driver to stop for a while so I could take a nice photo but he said something in Italian which sounded like a

The Spanish Steps got its name from the Spanish Embassy which is located on top of it and is a favorite meeting place for residents and tourists.

“no,” so I took some Liras from my wallet not be in any future trips. I can’t recall and waved them at him while saying “extra, how many coins I tossed but, since that extra.” He understood my bribe and rattled first visit, I’ve had the opportunity to go off again in Italian, together with some hand back to Rome five times. gestures, which I interpreted as telling me Another popular attraction I had to be that he would have to go to the side street in was the Spanish Steps leading to the because he couldn’t stop on the main road. Piazza di Spagna below it, a setting for So, for a few many HolLiras more, lywood movI was able to ies I’ve seen YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE capture on film in my childBOB HOPE (when asked about his six brothmyself in front hood. There ers): That’s how I learned to dance. Waiting of the historiis something for the bathroom. cal icon, taken romantic by the driver, about the 135 as selfies were steps that go still unheard of those days. up the steep slope from the Piazza below Resting only for a few minutes after to the Spanish Embassy on top (how this checking in at my hotel, I wasted no attraction got its name). People just sit on time in heading towards the next attrac- the steps, usually with a cone of gelato tion on my list, the Fontana Di Trevi, on hand, while chatting and enjoying the the most famous fountain in the world, mild sunshine and the cool breeze from setting for the movie and the song, all directions. An interesting structure Three Coins In The Fountain. Since it next to the right side of the first few steps was only two blocks from my hotel, I used to be the house of the famous Engwas there in five minutes. This marble lish Romantic poet, John Keats. It is now fountain is the largest baroque fountain a museum exhibiting his works. in Rome and marks the point where the There were many other tourist destinathree aqueducts that supplied water to tions I visited on my first trip to Rome. ancient Rome converge. Although my current high-spirited mind Of course, when I got there, I im- still wants to gallivant to those interestmediately positioned myself to do what ing sites, my column’s space constraints the other thousands of tourists do— dictate that I tackle them some other time. throw coins. I made sure I did it corLet me now turn off my CD player rectly, using my right hand to throw the and get back down to Earth…to my coin backwards over my left shoulder, bedroom…as I look forward to my next so that it landed on the water, as this mental escapade to foreign shores. Towould mean that there would be another morrow, perhaps? chance for me to visit Rome again. If it clinks and lands on any of the marble For feedback, I’m at structure in the fountain, Rome will bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

FRONT DESK

Conrad Manila named ‘sustainable’ property ENVIRONMENTAL experts at Hilton International recognized Conrad Manila as a sustainable property in addition to making an impact in its local community. The Pasay-based hotel is among the “Sustainable Bucket List: Ten Best Eco-Conscious Hiltons Around the World,” an initiative within the context of Hilton’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy to drive responsible travel and tourism globally. “Then and now, we are committed to leading sustainability, having a strong focus on providing our guests with inspired stay, while supporting communities and leading ways in protecting our environmental resources,” enthused Conrad Manila general manager Linda Pecoraro. As part of a multi-use LEED Gold certified building, the hotel’s guest rooms are outfitted with occupancy sensors that control both lighting and cooling functions, and dual-

flushing and low-flow plumbing, among other irrigation fixtures to control water usage. “When travel restrictions ease,” Pecoraro said, “we look forward to welcoming eco-friendly travelers and guests for their next adventure to experience our unique features as an international luxury destination where they are safe, healthy, and invigorated.” Conrad Manila boasts a celebrated art program which aims to promote art beyond its decorative function, mounting exhibitions featuring artworks by local artists. The hotel features an expansive collection of 736 art pieces, to date. It is also committed to supporting the community through quarterly meal packing events with Rise Against Hunger, recycling soap through the Soap for Hope program, and various food banking initiatives.

Five-star hotel Conrad Manila is a LEED Gold certified building whose guest rooms are outfitted with occupancy sensors that control lighting and cooling functions.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts unveils new logo

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts marks its 50th anniversary with a new, refreshed logo.

AS PART of the 50th anniversary celebration of Shangri-La, the Group recently unveiled a refreshed logo for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. According to the multinational hospitality company, the new logo reflects the brand’s journey and evolution with its guests, while staying true to the brand roots that have continually delivered warm Asian hospitality since the first property opened in Singapore in 1971. The new logo presents a more contemporary look and feel: the signature “S” mark is retained and takes on a new gold color, and the original typeface is refined for a more modern feel.

The brand has opted not to include “Hotels and Resorts” in the new logo, recognizing that Shangri-La is more than a place, but a feeling and an experience that inspires personal moments of joy. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “Shangri-la” as “a remote beautiful imaginary place where life approaches perfection”. “Our brand evolution is our way of looking forward to the future and delivering on our promise of heartfelt hospitality in every moment across stay, wellness, family experience, gastronomy, and more,” said Shangri-La Group chairman Hui Kuok.