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HIDILYN LIFTS FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD FOR PH By Riera U. Mallari TOKYO—For the first time in 97 years, the Philippine national anthem was sung in the Summer Olympic Games. A five-foot dynamo with a heart as huge as the iron plates she lifts, Hidilyn Diaz set a new Olympic record in the clean and jerk at 127 kgs, and then won the country’s first Olympic

gold with a total lift of 224 kilograms in the women’s 55kg weightlifting competitions of the quadrennial games at Tokyo International Forum here on Monday night. “Pinatunayan ko lang na kaya ng mga Pilipino, walang imposible sa Pilipino,” said the 30-year-old Diaz, dedicating her gold back home to a Filipino nation battered by Next page

HIDILYN DIAZ

VOL. XXXV • NO. 162 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte: Rise as one nation Longest SONA makes last, big push for gov't reforms By Vito Barcelo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel Cruz and Joyce Pañares

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday rallied Filipinos to “rise as one nation” amid the threats of the more transmissible Delta variant of the novel coronavirus and the persistent problems of corruption, drugs and insurgency that beset the country. “A peaceful and prosperous Philippines is no longer a distant dream, but one that is within our grasp if our future Filipinos would continue and seize the opportunity to work together.

• Still a long way to go in war against drugs • Vows to 'reach' corrupt officials • Continue to erode communist fronts • Vaccination still best solution to Delta

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his last and longest State of the Nation Address since 1986 during the opening of the 3rd Regular Session of the 18th Congress on July 26, 2021. He is flanked by Senate President Vicente Sotto III (left) and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. AFP

We have laid down the groundwork and are continuing to push for landmark reforms and key accomplishments to the last day of my term,” the Next page

Oppositionists Congress prodded to pass new military pension, 10 other bills sum up Du30 gains: Disaster By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

OPPOSITION lawmakers on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte did not give Filipinos a genuine appraisal of his kind of governance, as thousands marched in Quezon City toward the Batasang Pambansa to protest his final State of the Nation Address. Senator Risa Hontiveros said: “All we need to do is look at the dolomite disaster at Manila Bay. It sums up his term perfectly—wasteful and pretentious, foolish, dangerous, and all in all, fake." Hontiveros led a "Goodbye Duterte Rally" along Commonwealth Avenue made up largely of militant and progressive groups, which were blocked by policemen as the President delivered his remarks to Congress.” Senator Leila M. De Lima, who has been detained by authorities on illegal drugs charges almost since the start of the Duterte administration, said the current “reign of terror” and “continued deception of the Filipino public as shown by his unfulfilled promises to the nation” must end. De Lima cited her indictment letter to Duterte where she bewailed his failure to fulfill all of his campaign promises, particularly on illegal drugs, corruption, the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and the economy. She said Duterte’s regime thrives on the weaponization of the law, repression Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JULY 26)

1,555,396 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

6,664 55,140 NEW

ACTIVE

27,247

1,473,009

5,766

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday asked Congress to pass a unified system of retirement and pension for military uniformed personnel, and to give them free legal assistance if they are sued in connection with their offi-

cial acts, among 11 priority measures he expressed in his State of the Nation Address. In his sixth and last SONA, Duterte said a unified system for the separation, retirement, and pension for MUPs will promote the government's ability to maintain flexibility and provide service members with benefits. He said, however, that the new sys-

tem of retirement and pension be applied only to new entrants in the military, because a big part of the budget has been allocated to retirement benefits, and funds would not be available to cover all MUPs. Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda of Albay, chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee tasked to look into the military pension and benefits system, said

his committee had proposed the removal of the automatic indexation of the MUP pensions to the salaries of those still in active service. However, there will be no cuts in the pensions. In the same speech, Duterte—who ordered the campaign against illegal drugs —called for Congress to provide free legal assistance to both the military and the Next page police force.

Rody’s remark gladdens Sotto: I'm humbled By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SONA RALLIES. Tens of thousands of anti-administration protesters march along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, occupying the entire lane of the main road and blocking traffic flow. In the right panel, pro-administration rallyists led by the League of Parents of the Philippines stage their own protest, denouncing the left-leaning Makabayan Bloc, along Chino Roces (Mendiola Street) in Manila. Uniformed personnel meanwhile take a rest while listening to their commander-in-chief delivers his last SONA held at the Batasang Pambansa Building in Quezon City. Norman Cruz, Danny Pata

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, who has said he might seek the second highest office in the land after his term expires next year, on Monday said Senate President Vicente Sotto III was “someone who can become a good vice president.” Sotto, who would run against Duterte, thanked the President for the acknowledgment during his sixth and last State-of-theNation Address. "I am humbled by the words of the President. I thank him profusely for mentioning me," Sotto said. Sotto, acting president of the Nationalist People's Coalition, will run in tandem with Senator Panfilo Lacson, who is running for president. While Sotto and Lacson will make an official announcement on Aug. 4, they have already begun their “Tour of Luzon” to get the pulse of the people. Duterte Next page

DOH keeping close watch on NCR, 5 other regions for rising cases By Willie Casas THE Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring six regions—including Metro Manila--that reversed a decline in COVID-19 infections over the last two weeks. The other regions are Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday.

Vergeire said the reproduction number, which refers to the number of people that each case can infect, was at 1.009 in Metro Manila, 0.95 in Cagayan Valley, 1.12 in Central Luzon, 0.98 in Calabarzon, 1 in Central Visayas, and 0.91 in Northern Mindanao. A reproduction number of 1 or higher suggests sustained COVID-19 transmission.

Nationally, cases grew by 1 percent during July 11 to 24, but Vergeire cautioned against the use of the term “surge” to describe the rise in infections. “A surge has an epidemiological definition which is not what’s happening right now. Cases are increasing—that, we can verify,” she said. Vergeire also said the Cordillera and Ilocos regions have been posting a twoweek case growth for six weeks now,

while Northern Mindanao and Davao regions are being closely monitored due to their high ICU utilization rate. The DOH is also keeping an eye on 26 provinces that registered a high average daily attack rate and low- to moderaterisk two-week case growth rate but it did not specify which areas. Authorities are on alert following the DOH’s confirmation of local transmission Next page

News

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

With habagat, rainy days persist "That is untrue. There will be no weather disturbance for the next two to three days, but the southwest monsoon will still bring rains," Meno Mendoza, a weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA),

said Monday. However, a total of 202,213 individuals or 50,676 families in six regions were affected by the southwest monsoon, which dumped heavy rains over the weekend, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)

said Monday. The monsoon rains were fueled by Typhoon Fabian, which was nearly outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, and another storm near Vietnam. In its latest report, the NDRRMC said affected individuals were from Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the National Capital Region. Also Monday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Monday collected two truckloads of garbage in Manila Bay following the heavy downpour over the weekend. MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. personally supervised the agency's

Duterte:...

'I will kill you because I love my country' "We still have a long way to go in our fight against the proliferation of drugs," he said, lamenting how critics only saw the casualties in the anti-narcotics campaign and not the victims of illegal drugs Government data showed some 293,841 drug suspects were arrested since July 1, 2016, of which some 6,147 were killed. “The problem is this: You only see the dead criminals. And what about their victims?” he said as he taunted the prosecutors of the International Criminal Court that wanted to probe his administration's anti-drug campaign. "The ICC can record this: Those who destroy my country, I will kill you. Those who destroy the young people of our country, I will kill you. Because I love my country," the President said. Corruption cannot be stopped On the anti-corruption front, Duterte said while major strides have been made, corruption is “endemic in government.” “You cannot stop corruption unless you overturn the government completely,” he said. “If I were the next president, if you think there's really a need for you to change everybody in the system, then you declare martial law and fire everybody

and allow the new generation to come in to work for the government,” he added. Duterte, however, vowed to be relentless in hunting down corrupt officials in government. “I will reach you,” he said. Continue eroding the communist movement The President also trumpeted his administration's achievements in dismantling communist fronts across the country. “Peace must be realized. Peace and security is not only just a military concern. That is why we deviated from the traditional purely military approach in dealing with matters of national security,” the commander-inchief said. “In our continuing efforts for safe and conflict-resilient barangays, we have worked towards the sustainable rehabilitation and development of communities where the communist used to operate. Because of these interventions, more than 17,000 former communist rebels have surrendered to the government. They have returned to the fold of the law and are happily reintegrating to the community,” he added. He said some 15 communist fronts have already been destroyed by the police and the military. "With the support of our local gov-

ernment units, I am confident that support for the communist movement will continue to erode in the next few months," Duterte said. Brace for Delta The chief executive also warned Filipinos to remain vigilant against COVID-19, especially with the entry of the more transmissible and more aggressive Delta variant. “If ever the Delta variant will spread – I hope it will not go any further but if something wrong happens, I have to be strict and there will be (lockdowns) just like what happened in the early days,” he said. “I really do not know what to do. I have to listen to the task force,” he said. “Maybe we just have to pray for salvation.” The arrival of more life-saving vaccines, however, is an encouraging development, Duterte said. “We cannot continue living in the shadow of this potent enemy, especially now that science and medicine has proven that it is possible to live with – if not entirely defeat – this virus. The health and safety protocols we put in place have proven effective in slowing the spread of the virus. But the best solution is still vaccination,” the President said.

sisted that corruption under President Rodrigo Duterte was three times more than the previous administration. Pacquiao is in the United States in preparation for a boxing bout with American boxer Errol Spence. Sotto said the Senate would not only focus on legislative measures but expose corruption in the government. He said they would shine a line “towards the dark corners of our bureaucracy where corruption and injustice thrive unnoticed.” Also on Monday, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Monday hailed the President for his “no-nonsense campaign against criminality and corruption” and for leading the country’s fight against COVID-19. In his speech at the opening of the third regular session of the 18th Congress, Velasco paid tribute to President Duterte in time for his SONA. Velasco started his speech by going back to 2016 when, he said, Filipinos “dared to choose an unconventional local chief executive as the leader of our country.” Five years after, Velasco said people continue to put their trust and confidence in President Duterte, as recent surveys show. “Only President Duterte among his predecessors, has kept his approval ratings above 75 percent for most of his

term, according to Pulse Asia,” he added. Velasco also cited the strong partnership between the President and Congress, which led to the passage of vital legislative measures. “We in the House of Representatives fully supported the legislative agenda of this administration, passing laws that promoted economic development, strengthened the administration of justice and the rule of law, enhanced the protection of labor and social welfare, improved the quality of and increased access to education and information, enhanced our health and emergency response system, and strengthened our political and governmental institutions,” Velasco said. In his SONA, the President asked Congress to pass a number of economic bills that would bankroll the remaining flagship programs of the Duterte administration. These include the Foreign Investments Act, Public Service Act, Retail Trade Liberalization Act, and the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program. He also asked Congress to pass the e-Governance Act that would allow the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve government services. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the "deficiencies and weakness[es]" of

the government in serving Filipinos using ICT, the President said. "As such, I ask Congress to pass an egovernance act that will set a transition of government processes to the digital age," he said. Also included in the priority bills of Duterte are the measures establishing Philippines’ Center for Disease Control and a Virology Institute, through which Filipinos can make their own vaccines. “We hope to pursue the creation of public entities dedicated to managing emerging diseases. I fervently ask Congress to enact a law creating the Center for Disease, Prevention and Control, and the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines,” Duterte said. Duterte also asked Congress to prioritize the bills creating a Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino, which he described as a single agency that will focus on the needs and concerns of overseas Filipino workers. "We need this because they are suffering... with so many inadequacies both in our government response and including the monetary assistance," said Duterte. The bill has already passed the lower house but remains pending at the Senate. The President also wants the passage of a law creating the Department of Disaster Management.

SONA was comprehensive, as the President spelled out all the reforms that were undertaken by his administration. On the scale of 1 to 10, Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez gave the President a grade of 8. He said while the President has been consistent with his prime advocacy on the anti-drug war, Rodriguez said much of its impact has fallen on the poor and marginalized. "We have yet to see prosecution on big time importers of illegal drugs and the big distributors in the country," he said. Going to war with China is not an option in enforcing the country’s arbitral victory in the West Philippine Sea, Rodriguez, of Cagayan de Oro, said. But he added: "President Duterte should also be lauded for going against onerous contracts against the people, such as those he mentioned in the area of water distribution.” “He should also take a look at electricity rates, which are among the highest in our region. The law that is supposed to reform the power sector has failed us and has brought about even higher rates,” the lawmaker said. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said Duterte’s decision to endorse anew three investment-friendly bills indicates that Malacañang “does not consider Charter Change (Cha-Cha) as the silver bullet that would address the country’s relatively modest FDI (foreign direct investment) inflows.” Rep. Elpidio F. Barzaga, Jr. of Cavite's fourth district said the President “has done a great job in the past five years, bringing meaningful change to the Filipino people

through his no-nonsense policies particularly in the area of peace and order as seen in his war against illegal drugs." "We were on the way to a better future when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and threw a monkey wrench to some of the administration's economic achievements, something that other nations have also experienced," said Barzaga, chairman of the House committee on natural resources. "Despite this, we cannot discount the fact that the Duterte administration did all that it could to safeguard the public, cushioning them from impact of this health crisis through various measures," he added. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday said the President accomplished most of the things he planned to do in the security sector. "Five years on, I believe we’ve accomplished most of the things we planned to do. The Department of National Defense is stronger than it was before. President Duterte strongly supported the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) especially in protecting our national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. “We have intensified our internal security, counter-terrorism and peace-building efforts and HADR (humanitarian assistance disaster relief)," Lorenzana added in a Facebook post. Placard-beating members of various militant and progressive groups flocked to the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City early Monday to stage their protest ahead of the SONA. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Hidilyn...

By Joel Zurbano and Jess Malabanan

HE southwest monsoon or “habagat” will continue to dampen most parts of the country Monday even as the state weather bureau debunked posts online about a "Super Typhoon Maria."

From A1

President said in his final State of the Nation Address that ran for two hours and 46 minutes, the longest SONA since 1986. “I have full confidence that the Filipino spirit will persevere and triumph together. And together, let us rise as a nation,” said the commander-in-chief. Not a swan song Duterte, who has toyed with the possibility of running for vice president next year to avoid becoming a lame duck leader in his remaining 11 months in office, said his last SONA is “by no means my swan song.” “I shall never cease to implore Congress to pass vital and critical legislation, as well as to push the entire government to ensure that othing less than the full recovery and revitalization of our country,” he said. The 76-year-old Duterte devoted large chunks of his address to his "unyielding" war against drugs that has officially killed more than 6,000 people even as rights groups put the figure in the tens of thousands. He hailed his signature drug war policy, but lamented there was a "long way" to go in the controversial crackdown.

Congress... From A1

“It is also high time for us to pass the law providing free legal assistance to AFP and PNP both enlisted and officers to help them from charges arising from incidents related to the performance of official duty,” he said. Later in his speech, Duterte also asked Congress to prioritize the passage of the following measures: • Foreign Investments Act • Public Service Act • Retail and Trade Liberalization Act • A law creating a Department of Overseas Filipino Workers • e-Governance Act • A law creating the Philippine Center for Disease Control (CDC) • A law creating a Virology Research Institute • Disaster Resilience Act • Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act Senate President Vicente Sotto III, however, said senators would focus on exposing corruption in public service when they resume the 3rd Regular Session of the 18th Congress. Earlier, Senator Manny Pacquiao, who is seeking the presidency next year, in-

Oppositionists... From A1

of basic freedoms and the manipulation of the truth, “citing political assassinations, extrajudicial killings, red-tagging, and his use of foul tactics against her and all those whom he perceived as threats to his reign.” “And now the man who turned death, destruction and disorientation into a state policy wants to stay in power, this time, as Vice President because as he said, he will have immunity from suit,” she said. Senator Grace Poe said she was looking for assurances that there will be jobs in the near future and food on the table. "Our people are tired and hungry. What I believe we needed to hear was the plan moving forward. What’s the plan to restore the dignity of our people and provide opportunities for their future?" Poe said she believes many were looking forward to hearing whether or not the country will be able to afford another round of cash assistance. "The assistance that was given before was merely enough to help some Filipino families through two months but this pandemic has gone on for over a year," said Poe. As this was the President’s last SONA, she said he should not only have focused on what he has accomplished but rather what he still wishes to accomplish to safeguard the future of the country in terms of jobs, education, and health care. “That in my opinion would leave a message of hope and a better legacy for our people,” she said. Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said the

cleanup operations as an influx of trash was swept into the bay due to heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon. In Pampanga, 91 villages in 12 lowlying and coastal municipalities remained under water 4 to 5 feet deep in some areas as residents fled to higher grounds, the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office said in its latest update. Angelina Blanco, PDRRMO Officer, said the flooded towns include Candaba, Sasmuan, San Simon, Sto. Tomas, Masantol, Macabebe, Lubao, Bacolor, Apalit, Minalin, Guagua and San Fernando City. She said 346 families, or 1,378 individuals, had been transferred to 28 evacuation centers as of Sunday.

From A1

torrential rains and flooding for a week, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake, and a coronavirus pandemic that claimed the lives of thousands. A silver medalist in the Rio Olympics in Brazil four years ago, Diaz entered the competitions here as the underdog to world record holder Liao Qiuyun of China. But Diaz, a Philippine Air Force sergeant, was a woman on a mission. She posted a 97-kg lift in snatch and went on to set the Olympic record in the clean and jerk at 127 kgs for a total lift 224 kgs, sending Liao to the silver and Kazakhstan’s Zulfiya Chinshanlo to the bronze medal. “Hindi ako makapaniwala, nasorpresa ako na nagawa ko ‘yun. Sa lahat ng pinagdaanan ko, prinepare ako ni God to be strong,” said Diaz. She first made the Olympics as a wildcard entry in 2008, becoming the first Filipina weightlifter in the quadrennial meet. She returned to the Games in 2012 in London, but did not finish after unsuccessfully completing her clean and jerk attempts. But for her feat in Tokyo, the Zamboanga City native is expected to receive at least P33 million in incentives from private donors and the government, which congratulated her just a few hours after President Rodrigo Duterte finished his last State of the Nation Address. Social media was flooded with congratulatory messages for Diaz— the fifth of six children of Eduardo

Rody’s... From A1

made the remark as he was explaining why he “toyed with the idea” of seeking the vice presidency next year. “The statistics I just learned the other night, that plenty of those who are in the middle class have been released from prison despite the fact that they are charged with trafficking which is nonbailable,” said the President . “And that is why I said I toyed with the idea, I said if there is still space...with due respect to the Senate President, he is a good man, he can become a good vice president,” Duterte said. “With due respect to Senator Sotto, who’s also running for the vice presidency, he is a capable man, a good man, and a Filipino,” Duterte added. Lacson said he agreed completely with Duterte’s assessment of Sotto. "Levity aside, the legislative measures that we passed like the Free Irrigation, Free Tertiary Education, Universal Health Care and so forth are regular legislation that did not need prodding by Malacanang or by the President for Congress to pass," said Lacson. He noted that Duterte's banner programs, particularly fighting illegal drugs and corruption, by the President’s own admission, have fallen short.

DOH.. From A1

of the highly contagious Delta variant. The Philippines has tallied 119 Delta cases so far, only 12 of which remain active. Davao City detected its first case of the Delta variant, its task force against COVID-19 said Monday. The 28-year-old female patient was swabbed on June 26 after exposure to a symptomatic COVID-19 case at her workplace, an official of the task force said. The official added that the patient had received two COVID-19 jabs before she was infected. The DOH said nine carriers of the Delta variant have already been vaccinated against the virus, as they had only mild to no symptoms. The DOH said it had yet to verify the vaccination status of the 119 people infected with the more transmissible strain. Among the fully vaccinated, three had mild cases while one was asymptomatic, Vergeire said. Three of those who received one dose of COVID-19 vaccines had mild cases while two were asymptomatic patients, she said. Of the three who died, two were unvaccinated, she added. Vergeire emphasized that the data shows vaccinated people have better protection against the Delta variant. Some 24 Delta variant carriers were confirmed to be unvaccinated, while the status of 86 cases are still being verified, the DOH said. “It seems that most of them are unvaccinated but it still needs to be verified,” Vergeire said. Over the weekend, the Philippines detected 55 additional cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant, bringing the case load for the highly transmissible variant to 119. The Philippines logged 6,664 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,555,396. Twenty-three new fatalities brought the COVID-19 death toll to 27,247. and Emelita Diaz—from government officials, fellow athletes and Olympians, and common Filipinos alike. Her teammate Elreen Ando will try to use the inspiration of Diaz’s win when she joins the women’s 64kg category on Tuesday. Earlier, another Filipina, boxer Nesthy Petecio moved to within a win shy of a bronze medal and three wins of gold after scoring a 3-2 split decision victory over top-seed and world no. 1 featherweight Lin Yu-Ting of Chinese Taipei, the biggest stumbling block to her quest for glory in the 54-57kg boxing competitions at the Kokugikan Arena here. The ambidextrous Petecio’s skills were in full display in the first round, where the champion of the 2019 World Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia peppered the Taiwanese with power blows from both hands. “Kaya ko po gamitin ang dalawang kamay ko. Kung saan po nakakatama ako, doon ko po inuulit. Kapag nabantayan na po niya, ililipat ko na po ako sa kabila,” said Petecio. Lin used her 4-inch height advantage and longer reach to the hilt with nifty counters to erase all the points that Petecio built in the first round. But the Filipina regained the upper hand in the third, where she managed to score crucial points that allowed her to spend the last few moments staying out of trouble. Petecio shoots for the bronze medal on Wednesday at 10 a.m. (Philippine time) against Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda, whose biggest claim to fame is her bronze-medal feat in the 2019 Pan American Games. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Congratulations on

107th Anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo

GREETINGS FROM:

Governor Danilo Suarez Congresswoman Aleta Suarez Congressman David Suarez Congresswoman Anna V. Suarez Board Member Donaldo Suarez Atty. Joanna Suarez Former Vice Mayor Danilo Suarez Jr. Executive Assistant Jenny Suarez Lopez

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

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Beijing urges US to halt ‘demonizing’ China

EIJING—Beijing urged Washington to stop “demonizing” China on Monday as rancor marked the start of talks with the highest-level US envoy to visit under President Joe Biden’s administration.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman’s visit to the northern city of Tianjin is the first major meeting between the world’s leading economies since March discussions in Anchorage between the countries’ top diplomats collapsed into mudslinging. Sherman’s trip aims to seek “guardrails” as ties continue to deteriorate on a range of issues from cybersecurity and tech supremacy to human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. “The hope may be that by demonizing China, the US could somehow... blame China for its own structural problems,” Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng told Sherman, in a readout issued by China’s foreign ministry early Monday. “We urge the United States to change its highly misguided mindset and dangerous policy,” the statement quoted Xie as saying, adding that Washington views China as an “imagined enemy”.

Xie also described relations as at a “stalemate” and facing “serious difficulties”. He claimed that Chinese people view the United States’ “adversarial rhetoric as a thinly veiled attempt to contain and suppress China”, in comments reminiscent of the fiery exchange between Washington and Beijing’s top diplomats Antony Blinken and Yang Jiechi in Alaska. Sherman will also meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. She tweeted Sunday that she had spoken with US businesses about “the challenges they’re facing in China”, and also sent her “heartfelt condolences” to flood victims in Henan province. The United States said last week it was hoping to use the “candid” talks as an opportunity to show Beijing “what responsible and healthy competition looks like” but wanted to avoid the relationship veering into conflict. AFP

FOREST FIRE. The sun sets behind burnt and dead pine trees destroyed in a 2020 wildfire at Oroville Lake in Oroville, California on July 25. The Dixie Fire has been raging in the forests of northern California since mid-July, part of a climate crisis that has brought sweltering heat and an alarming drought. AFP

IN BRIEF UN climate talks open amid floods, fires

PARIS—Nearly 200 nations start online negotiations Monday to validate a UN science report that will anchor autumn summits charged with preventing climate catastrophe on a planetary scale. Record-smashing heatwaves, floods, and drought across three continents in recent weeks, all amplified by global warming, make the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment more than timely. “It’s going to be a wake-up call, there’s no doubt about that,” said Richard Black, founder and senior associate of the London-based Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. The report, he noted, comes only weeks ahead of a UN General Assembly, a G20 summit, and the 197-nation COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. The world is a different place since the IPCC’s last comprehensive assessment in 2014 of global heating, past and future. Lingering doubts that warming was gathering pace or almost entirely human in origin, along with the falsely reassuring notion that climate impacts are tomorrow’s problem, have since evaporated in the haze of deadly heatwaves and fires. Another milestone since the last IPCC tome: the Paris Agreement has been adopted, with a collective promise to cap the planet’s rising surface temperature at “well below” two degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit) above late-19th century levels. AFP

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 1.

Sale of GSIS Investment Properties – Retail Units (IP-RUs) shall be through competitive public bidding.

Acceptance of Purchase Offers shall start on the scheduled bidding date and time.

Dropping of bid envelopes will be on the date of bidding from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM only. Opening of Bids will immediately follow. Late bid envelopes will not be accepted.

The sale IP-RUs is on an “As-Is, Where-is” basis. Interested bidders are enjoined to personally inspect the GSIS IP-RUs for sale. “As-Is, Where-Is” is defined as the present physical condition of the retail unit that GSIS is selling and the buyer is buying, “with all attendant faults, if any,” whether or not immediately apparent and without any express or implied warranty. The buyer takes this condition at his or her own risk, without recourse against the GSIS as to their condition. This includes knowledge by the buyer of the presence of occupants in the retail-unit being purchased.

Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 10963 or the Tax Reform Act for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, the selling price of GSIS properties above PhP2 million shall be subject to twelve percent (12%) Value-Added Tax (VAT).

Purchase offers are only accepted in CASH or MANAGER’S CHECK/S payable within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of bidding, without privilege of extension.

KABUL—The United Nations warned Monday that Afghanistan could see the highest number of civilian deaths in more than a decade if the Taliban’s offensives across the country are not halted. Violence has surged since early May when the insurgents cranked up operations to coincide with a final withdrawal of US-led foreign forces. In a report released Monday documenting civilian casualties for the first half of 2021, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it expected figures to touch their highest single-year levels since the mission began reporting over a decade ago. It also warned that Afghan troops and pro-government forces were responsible for a quarter of all civilian casualties. “Unprecedented numbers of Afghan civilians will perish and be maimed this year if the increasing violence is not stemmed,” UNAMA head Deborah Lyons said in a statement released with the report. “I implore the Taliban and Afghan leaders to take heed to the conflict’s grim and chilling trajectory and its devastating impact on civilians.” During the first half of 2021, some 1,659 civilians were killed and another 3,254 wounded—a 47 percent increase compared with the same period last year, the UNAMA report said. AFP

A downloadable bid form shall be properly accomplished with the following data:

France adopts vaccine passports law

12.

PARIS—France’s parliament voted to make vaccine passports a key part of daily life in the battle against Covid-19 on Sunday, after a compromise between lawmakers from the upper and lower houses. The breakthrough in talks came a day after France was again shaken by protests against the rules that saw over 160,000 rally and dozens arrested. President Emmanuel Macron last week ordered that the health pass -- proof of full vaccination or a negative test -- would be required for the French to visit venues such as cinemas or nightclubs. The announcement was a move by Macron to make vaccinations the top weapon against Covid-19 as new variants emerge, essentially requiring people to become vaccinated if they want to continue daily routines. Those changes were implemented by decree, but parliament has been engaged in a marathon session since Tuesday debating whether to extend them. Vaccine passports have encountered fierce opposition from some, who believe they erode civil liberties. The ruling party has faced a tough task pushing the legislation through parliament. Pro-Macron MPs control the National Assembly, but the Senate -- the upper house—is dominated by the opposition right.AFP

A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

Date of Bidding Name of the bidder Exact address of property you are interested to bid Transfer Certificate of Title No. Mode of Payment Amount of bid (in numbers and in words) Signature of the bidder/representative

Bid proposal shall be written in words and in figures and must not be lower than the Minimum Acceptable Offer of the property. Should there be a difference in the amount in words and in figures, the amount in words shall prevail.

10.

Bidders’ deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer plus the 12% VAT, if applicable, shall be in the form of a MANAGER’S CHECK payable to the Government Service Insurance System.

11.

Current Mayor’s Permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located If the winning bidder is a cooperative, a. duly accomplished Company/Corporate Profile b. Cooperative Development Authority Registration or any proof of such registration c. Current Mayor’s Permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located

16.

A Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS) shall be issued to the highest/winning bidder on the day of bidding. The Bidder’s deposit of the other non-winning bidder/s shall be returned immediately.

17.

The deposit equivalent to at least ten percent (10%) of the Bid Offer plus 12% VAT shall be paid not later than 3:00 PM on the day of bidding. The 90% balance of the bid amount plus 12% VAT shall be paid either in cash or in manager’s check within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of NOAS, without privilege of extension. Sample Computation: Bid Amount is PhP2,610,000.00

Strictly, “One bidder, One specific property” only, which means that a bidder cannot submit two (2) or more bids for one property. A bidder may submit one bid each to as many properties as he/she wants to buy, as long as, he/she posts the required 10% bid deposit of the total bid price for each property. The bidder must present valid government IDs upon registration on the date of public bidding.

‘Unprecedented’ Afghan civilian deaths

Deposit - (10% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% = PhP 261,000.00 + 31,320.00 = PhP292,320.00 Balance - (90% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% = PhP2,349,000.00 + 281,880.00 = PhP2,630,880.00

18.

Non-compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the NOAS will result in the forfeiture of the bidder’s total deposit.

19.

In case the highest/winning bidder fails to comply with the requirements within the specified time, the said NOAS shall be deemed automatically revoked and the highest/winning bidder shall be informed in writing. The second highest bidder, if any, shall be informed in writing if he/she is still interested to acquire the property. If still interested, he/she must remit the required non-refundable 10% deposit within three (3) working days after receipt of notice from GSIS.

20.

GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice.

21.

For bidding inquiries, you may call the Real Property Accounts Management Department (RPAMD) at trunk line numbers (02) 8479-3600, and (02) 7976-4900 local numbers 3228, 3374, and 3396 or send an email at mbgonda@gsis.gov.ph, chplogdat@gsis.gov.ph, mmmagbanua@gsis.gov.ph, amqjulian@gsis.gov.ph, or jsvicaldo@gsis.gov.ph.

Only the participating bidder shall enter the bidding room.

The bidder must properly wear a facemask and face shield any time.

Social distancing must be strictly observed.

Bringing of ballpen is encouraged.

Please follow the health and safety protocols before entering the GSIS Building.

Additional health and safety measures shall be published on the GSIS website page once the IATF issues additional or new guidelines.

Present the sealed Bid Envelope enclosing eligibility documents between 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM to the RPAMD Secretariat.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS UNDER NEW NORMAL

ALL participating bidders shall insert the following documents in a bid envelope: 1)

Properly accomplished bid form;

Manager’s Check payable to Government Service Insurance System representing deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer plus 12% VAT, if applicable.

Special Power of Attorney (SPA), if the bidder is being represented by another person.

GUIDE FOR BIDDERS 4)

Two (2) proofs of occupancy, if the bidders is the occupant of the subject property: a. b.

13.

Barangay certificate that the bidder is occupying or residing in the subject property; and Valid Government Issued ID with an address showing that the bidder is currently residing in the subject property, or c. Latest Billing Statement under the Bidder’s Name that shows he/she is currently residing in the subject property. The following information shall be clearly written outside the sealed bid envelope (mailing envelope).

The existing tenant or occupant or his duly authorized representative through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) has the right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, provided: A. B.

If the occupant will exercise his/her Right to Match the offer of the declared highest bidder, he/she shall adjust his/her initial deposit based on the bid amount of the declared highest bidder. He/she must also pay the adjusted deposit on the day of bidding.

15.

The declared highest/winning bidder shall submit within fourteen (14) calendar days of the actual bidding, the following documents:

Ensure to read and follow the General Guidelines;

•

Ensure that the downloadable Bid form is properly accomplished; and

•

Ensure that the Bid form contained in the sealed envelope;

Make sure to final check the content of the sealed bid envelope before proceeding to the Bid Box.

Only participating Bidders will proceed to the Bid Box to drop the sealed Bid Envelope (ask assistance of RPAMD Secretariat/Personnel only).

Once the sealed envelope is inside the Bid Box, we are refrained from retrieving the envelope.

Opening of Bids will immediately follow.

He/she participated in actual bidding and Inserted the two (2) proofs of occupancy inside his/her bid envelope as indicated in Number 9 of these guidelines

14.

•

If the winning bidder is an individual, a. duly accomplished Personal Profile (with attached recent two (2) pieces of 2x2 ID pictures of the winning bidder) b. photocopies of two (2) valid IDs (at least one should be a government-issued ID) If the winning bidder is a corporate entity or partnership, a. duly accomplished Company/Corporate Profile b. Registration Certificate from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) c. Articles of Incorporation (if corporation), Articles of Partnership (if partnership), General Information Sheet, and By-Laws duly certified by the SEC

(MS-JULY 26,27 & 28, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard TODAY JULY 27, 2021 A6 TUESDAY,

News

lgu@manilastandard.net

Unspent funds: Double whammy for pandemic-hit Filipinos—Lacson

EMPOWERING PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno leads the groundbreaking ceremony of the new 10-storey building of the Manila Science High School along Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila on July 26, 2021. The new building features 158 classrooms and 16 offices. Norman Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas FILIPINOS who were hit by the pandemic suffered double whammy as help did not come to them on time due to the more than P63 billion underspending under the Bayanihan 2, Senator Panfilo Lacson said. “Filipinos whose lives and livelihoods were affected by the pandemic have been hit with a double whammy as much-needed aid did not reach them,” he said. And since the Bayanihan 2 Law already expired on June 30, the funds can no longer be used unless a new law is passed. Lacson said the P63 billion covers P46.397 billion undisbursed funds and P17.272 billion in unobligated funds. “We should keep in mind that underspending is determined not by fund releases but by obligations and disbursements. And based on my research, is there underspending? Yes!” the senator said. “If the money was not fully disbursed, the affected Filipinos suffer because they are denied the aid meant for them. It is a disservice to many, to say the least,” he added. Meanwhile, the Department of Health said it would look into bottlenecks blocking the release of benefits due health workers under Bayanihan 2 after a nurses’ group said many still have not received their special risk allowance (SRA). Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the department has already released funds for health workers’ benefits to regional offices and hospitals.

2.8m vaccines arriving this week By Joel E. Zurbano, Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

ORE than 2.87 million doses of life-saving COVID-19 vaccine are scheduled to arrive this week, according to the Manila International Airport Authority.

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SALE OF 383 UNITS IMPOUNDED MOTOR VEHICLES The CITY GOVERNMENT OF MAKATI, through its Committee on Awards on Disposal (CAD), wishes to announce to the public and all interested buyer/s to join the sale through Public Bidding of THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE (383) UNITS IMPOUNDED MOTOR VEHICLES on a “AS IS, WHERE IS” basis on August 16, 2021 detailed as follows: Items Motorcycles Tricycles Sedan Owner Type Jeep

West Rembo, Makati City 142 units 30 units

Calamba, Laguna 153 units 54 units 3 units 1 unit

Floor Price

P816,332.00

No bid shall be allowed lower than the said Floor Price. Schedule of bidding as follows: Activity Issuance of Bid Documents Inspection of Unserviceable Property Pre-Bidding Conference Deadline for Submission of Bid Offer Opening of Bid Offer

Date July 27 August 9, 2021 July 27 August 9, 2021 August 9, 2021 August 16, 2021 August 16, 2021

Time 8:00 AM 5:00 PM 10:00 AM 5:00 PM 2:00 PM 2:00 PM 2:01 PM

Bid documents shall be issued only to interested bidders upon presentation of a Letter of Intent and a non-refundable fee of ONE THOUSAND PESOS (PhP 1,000.00) to the Committee on Awards on Disposal Secretariat not later than twelve o’clock in the afternoon of August 9, 2021. Interested bidders are advised to conduct actual inspection of the unserviceable property subject for disposition. The CAD will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 9, 2021, Friday, 2:00PM at the Sampiro Conference Room, 21st Floor, Makati City Hall Building I, J.P. Rizal St., Brgy Poblacion, Makati City and through video conferencing which shall be open to prospective bidders to discuss the Eligibility Requirements and the Technical and Financial Components required. However, only those interested bidders who have purchased bidding documents are allowed to raise and submit queries or clarifications regarding the auction. Deadline for the submission of bids is on August 16, 2021, Friday, 2:00PM, at the Sampiro Conference Room, 21st Floor, Makati City Hall Building I, J.P. Rizal St., Brgy Poblacion, Makati City. The time for the deadline of the submission of bids shall be based on the Philippine Standard Time (PST) pursuant to R.A. 10535 otherwise known as “The Philippine Standard Time Act of 2013”. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the said address. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of Cash, Manager’s Check or Cashier’s Check in favor of Makati City Treasurer in the amount equivalent to at least Ten Percent (10%) of the bid. Late bids shall not be accepted. The winning bidder shall remove all 383 units of Impounded Motor Vehicles within Forty-Five (45) calendar days upon issuance of an approved Sales Invoice. Handling of Documents still follow current Makati City Government Protocols. All Public Conferences shall follow social distancing protocol of the City. We will follow the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines on mass gathering. To manage attendees, we will only allow at most one (1) representative per bidder who should confirm with the Committee on Awards on Disposal Secretariat at least a day before the scheduled conference of its attendance. We will allow at most one (1) pre-registered representative from prospective bidders to attend the Pre-Bid Conference / Bid Opening through virtual (zoom) meeting. Please register with the CAD Secretariat Office at least one day before the scheduled Pre-Bid Conference or Bid Opening. The meeting ID and password will be provided to the register representative. For ease of recording attendance and identification of attendees, please log in using the registered name. Format of zoom profile name should follow: <<Company>>-<<Last Name, First Name of Representative>>

First to arrive Monday evening was a shipment of 375,570 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Health officials made the supply agreement with the US drug maker last month for a total of 40 million Pfizer doses that require to be stored at negative 70 to negative 80 degrees Celsius temperature. The firm was also tasked to distribute the

Most Pinoy families feel poor or borderline poor—SWS

MAJORITY of Filipinos rated themselves as either poor or borderline poor, a recent survey by the poll firm Social Weather Stations for the second quarter of the year showed. Some 48 percent of the respondents, estimated to be about 12 million families, considered themselves poor while 29 percent rated themselves as borderline poor. The number of families that considered themselves poor was slightly lower than the 49 percent logged in the first quarter of the year but still above the 45 percent pre-pan-

SELF-ADJUDICATION Notice is hereby given that the Estate of the late JOHN PHILIP GIBSON has been self-adjudicated by his spouse and lone heir, Maria Victoria Gutierrez Gibson: • Real Property  OCT No. 80224 (Tax Declaration No. F02409602/ Makati City) As per Doc No. 310; Page No. 63; Book No. II; Series of 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. SHERLUCK JUN C. VILLEGAS.

(MS-July 13/20/27, 2021)

ATTY CLARO F. CERTEZA Chairperson Committee on Awards on Disposal M. Standard - July 27 & August 2, 2021

demic average in 2019. Broken down, the percentage translates into 1.8 million “newly poor” families, 1 million “usually poor,” and 9.1 million “always poor.” The number of respondents that considered themselves “borderline poor” was also lower than the 33 percent registered in the previous quarter. Some 23 percent of the respondents rated themselves as “not poor,” up by six percentage points from the 17 percent recorded in the first quarter of the year.

“The movement of the Self-Rated Poor is compatible with the series of official poverty incidence rates,” SWS said. “Still, it is both more up-to-date and revealing of the volatility of poverty during intermediate points of time,” it added. The proportion of self-rated poor is highest in the Visayas region at 70 percent, followed by Mindanao with 51 percent, Metro Manila with 43 percent, and Balance Luzon with 38 percent.

RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW! email us at advertise@ manilastandard.net or call us at 8564-6229

Notice of Revocation Notice is hereby given to the public that Samsun Yurt Savunma Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi (“SYS”), a company organized and existing under the laws of Turkey, hereby revokes any and all powers and/or authority it has granted to Atlantis Group II LLC and Barozzo Law to act on its behalf under the Letter Of Authorisation dated 7 November 2018 and Letter of Authorization dated 15 April 2021, respectively, as well as any other power or authority in any other contract, deed, instrument, and/or agreement whether oral or written. Warning is hereby given to the public that any act by Atlantis Group II LLC and/or Barozzo Law for and/or on behalf of SYS is unauthorized. (MS-JULY 20/27 & AUGUST 3, 2021)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the following estates has been extra judicially settled among their heirs: I.

Real Properties  TCT No. 14433 (w/ improvement covered by Tax Declaration No. C5-124-00146 / Pasay City)  TCT No. 17389 (w/ improvement covered by Tax Declaration No. CS-124-00148 / Pasay City)

As per Doc No. 93; Page No. 20; Book No. 05; Series of 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. HOBERT N. LLUZ. II.

Estate of the late FELIPA DELA CRUZ BERSOLA •

Real Properties  TCT No. 14433 (w/ improvement covered by Tax Declaration No. C5-124-00146 / Pasay City)  TCT No. 17389 (w/ improvement covered by Tax Declaration No. CS-124-00148 / Pasay City)

•

Personal Properties  Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Savings Account No. 3729-0734-73  Common Shares (101,000 shares) in Cristelmon Homes, Inc.

As per Doc No. 92; Page No. 20; Book No. 05; Series of 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. HOBERT N. LLUZ. III.

SLOW-MOVING. Bumper-to-bumper traffic reached over 12 kilometers long on the southbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) due to a police checkpoint along Balintawak in Quezon City as part of security preparations for President Rodrigo Duterte’s last State of the Nation Address yesterday. Andrew Rabulan

Estate of the late JULIAN CRUZ BERSOLA, JR. •

For further inquiries, interested bidder/s may call or contact the Committee on Awards on Disposal Secretariat at Tel. No. (02) 870-1779 / 1793. THE CITY GOVERNMENT OF MAKATI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY OR ALL BIDS, TO WAIVE ANY FORMALITY THEREOF AND TO ACCEPT ONLY SUCH BIDS THAT ARE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT.

vaccines to various parts of the country. The country is also expected to receive a total of 2.5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine from China – 1.5 million on Thursday and one million on Friday. Health secretary Francisco Duque III said the arrival of the additional vaccines will allow more Filipinos to get inoculated against COVID-19.

The Philippines has so far administered more than 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the Department of Health said on Monday. A total of 11,113,107 have received their first doses while 6,089,314 have already gotten the complete protection of the COVID-19 vaccines. Manila ranked number one among the local government units in the National Capital Region in terms of vaccine rollout, accounting for 30 percent of the total doses administered in the region as of July 25. “Come hell or high water, we will vaccinate,” said Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.

Estate of the late ELVIRA BERSOLA TABANAO •

Real Properties  TCT No. 14433 (w/ improvement covered by Tax Declaration No. C5-124-00146 / Pasay City)  TCT No. 17389 (w/ improvement covered by Tax Declaration No. CS-124-00148 / Pasay City)

•

Personal Properties  Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Savings Account No. 3729-0734-73  Common Shares (101,000 shares) in Cristelmon Homes, Inc.

As per Doc No. 94; Page No. 20; Book No. 05; Series of 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. HOBERT N. LLUZ.

(MS-July 13/20/27, 2021)

Rody to end ‘endo’ within his term PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte never disregarded his campaign promise to end the practice of labor contractualization, Malacañang said on Monday. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque echoed the statement made by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III that Duterte is still determined to fulfill his promise of approving the security of tenure bill before his term ends. “That is really one of the promises of the President. Even if he vetoed the version passed by Congress because some provisions were inconsistent with the Constitution, it does not mean that he disregarded his promise to end endo,” Roque said in a radio interview. Duterte has called on Congress to pass a law that will give workers security of ten-

ure to address the issue of unfair labor contracting practices. However, in July 2019, he vetoed the Security of Tenure (SOT) Bill, saying it “unduly broadens the scope and definition of prohibited labor-only contracting, effectively proscribing forms of contractualization that are not particularly unfavorable to the employees involved.” Roque expressed hope that Congress would “rectify” provisions that Duterte vetoed. “The anti-endo measure is among the administration bills and we expect some provisions in the bill passed by Congress to be rectified,” the Palace official said. Last week, Bello said he has formally asked Duterte to certify as urgent the proposed SOT and End of Endo Act.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

News GSIS rents out housing units; lessee given option to buy THE Government Service Insurance System is now offering its housing units for lease. Under the scheme, GSIS will rent out its housing units to interested parties who will be given the priority to purchase it any time during the lease agreement, GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said. The program, dubbed “Lease With Option to Buy” (LWOB) Program, offers a lease agreement that will be valid for one year, renewable at the option of GSIS. If the unit is occupied, the occupant will be given the priority to lease with an option to buy the property. If the property is unoccupied, it will be open for rental to anyone who will qualify for the program. To qualify for the program, an interested lessee must be a Filipino citizen who is legally authorized to enter into a lease agreement and ﬁnancially capable to pay rental obligations. If lessees will opt to buy the property, they must submit an option-to-buy proposal for approval of GSIS. The purchase amount is equivalent to the current market value of the property at the time of approval or any offer received for same property, whichever is higher. “Prospective lessees only need to submit a properly accomplished application form and two valid government-issued identiﬁcation (ID) cards,” Macasaet said.

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Dolomite project intact—Cimatu T By Rio N. Araja

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Monday assured the public that after its assessment of the beach nourishment project in Manila Bay, the dolomite area as well as the geotubes and geotextiles installed as interventions for the project are all intact.

The dolomite sand has not been washed out and the dolomite pebbles were only pushed to the perimeter of the beach area, Secretary Roy Cimatu said. While the normal high tide level is 1.3 meters, it rose to 1.5 to 1.6 meters because of the southwest monsoon

that started last week and into the weekend, he said. As a result, a huge amount of trash was swept by the waves and accumulated in the area, and that these were found to have come from the Pasig River and Cavite and from all the tribu-

taries that flow into the bay. Plastic cups, wrappers and styropor were among the trash collected. A huge number of bamboo poles from fish pens, fish cages, and baklads/sapras were also washed ashore. “In view of this, I have ordered Region 4A Executive Director Nilo Tamoria to conduct an inventory of all the fish pens, fish cages, baklads/sapras in Cavite, and to identify those with permits to operate. Legitimate operators will be required to repair their damaged fish pens and cages. On the other hand, those with no permits will be immediately demolished,” Cimatu said.. “Even prior to the start of the habagat or southwest monsoon, I have

already directed the Regional Executive Directors of the National Capital Region, and Regions 3 and 4A to strictly implement proper solid waste management especially in their areas of jurisdiction,” he added. “I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to all the volunteers, river rangers and estero rangers who are helping clean the Manila Baywalk and Baseco of all trash as part of the continuing rehabilitation of Manila Bay,” he said. “We at the DENR believe that behavioral change is the key and ultimate solution to address the issue of solid waste management in the country,” he noted.

Oil price cut by 75c /liter, halts uptrend By Alena Mae S. Flores

OBSERVERS. Health Undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo Vega welcomes the team of Israeli medical experts on Monday (July 26) at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City to observe the country’s pandemic response and share Israel’s best practices in treating COVID-19 patients. Joey Razon

Parlade bows out of military service; Bacarro takes over

TABACO VAX. The first batch of senior citizens in Tabaco City in Albay wait in line to receive their single-shot dose of Johnson and Johnson vaccine at BUTC Lagman Auditorium. Norman Cruz

A CONTROVERSIAL military general who once called some senators “stupid” has bowed out of service after 38 years. Lt. General Antonio Parlade Jr. formally retired on Sunday. He served as Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief. Parlade was replaced by 2nd Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro in a joint change-of-command and retirement ceremony on Monday. AFP chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana presided over the ceremony at the Solcom headquarters in Camp Nakar, Lucena City, Quezon. “Southern Luzon Command, under Lieutenant General Parlade, certainly ensured that the people of Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region are free from the inﬂuence of the enemies of the state, who continuously resort to violence, intimidation, and deception in pursuing their crooked interests and vile goals,” Sobejana said. As Solcom commander, Parlade pursued the effective and timely implementation of campaign plans that aim to ﬁnally

neutralize or destroy the remaining communist terrorist groups (CTGs) operating in southern Luzon. Working hand-in-hand with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conﬂict (NTF ELCAC), Solcom was able to address insurgency in the region through combat operations and addressing its main causes. Parlade, at a recent Senate hearing, minced no words and called several senators as stupid for seeking to defund the anti-communist task force when, he said, it was the Senate that approved the task force’s budget. Parlade also led Solcom in stakeholder engagements and community support programs to identify and address issues that the CTGs exploit for their propaganda. He was also instrumental in the activation of humanitarian assistance and disaster response task groups, in close coordination with disaster risk reduction and management councils, which enabled Solcom to respond to any eventualities, especially during the unrest of the Taal Volcano.

THE country’s oil firms cut the price of gasoline by P0.75 per literand diesel and kerosene by P0.60 per liter effective 6 am Tuesday toreflect the movement of prices in the world market. “PTT Philippines (will) implement the following price rollbacks effective 6 a. m. Tuesday, July 27, 2021: Gasoline, P0.75 per liter and diesel, P0.60 per liter,” PTT Philippines said in its advisory. Other oil companies also announced the price cut, namely Cleanfuel, Seaoil Philippines, Unioil Petroleum Philippines and Chevron Philippines; still others are expected to follow suit. Over the weekend, Unioil said consumers can expect fuel prices to go down this week by P0.60 per liter for diesel and gasoline by P0.75 per liter. World oil prices declined this week amid global demand recovery concerns due to the Delta variant of COVID-19. New infections are increasing in the US, one of the biggest consumers of oil products, due to the Delta variant while China, another oil consumer, saw fresh clusters of COVID-19 infections recently. The prevalence of the Delta variant and the slow pace of vaccination in other countries has raised fears of a delay in the global economic recovery. Meanwhile, the anticipated price rollback this week will put an end to nine weeks of consecutive oil price hikes, the latest of which was on July 20. The oil firms raised the price of gasoline by P0.05 to P0.10 per liter, P0.30 per liter for diesel and P0.30 per liter for kerosene last week. These resulted in year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P13.60 per liter for gasoline, P10.90 per liter for diesel and P9.30 per liter for kerosene.

War on drugs, crime brought peace to nation—LIPI DESPITE the protests of a few, President Rodrigo Duterte’s zero-tolerance approach to the ﬁght against illegal drugs and crime has brought peace to communities across the Philippines, the group Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) said Monday. “Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s presidency, widely regarded as the best in Philippine history, is coming to an end. He turned a floundering country riddled with corruption, elitism, and crime into a respectable state worthy of international leaders’ and the Filipino people’s recognition,” said Jose Antonio “Ka Pep” Goitia, Secretary-General of Liga Independencia Pilipinas. “The President’s actions have inspired groups such as Liga Independencia Pilipinas to take an active role in combating those who oppose our ideals, rights, and way of life,” Goitia added. He said LIPI is at the forefront of combating “the spread of disinformation by the

CPP-NPA-NDF and opposing political parties whose agenda is to demolish the government’s policies and programs. Our advocacy will continue until we are successful.” One of the President’s most notable achievements, he noted, has been the implementation of the nationwide infrastructure development plan “Build Build Build” with its primary goal being to encourage investments and stimulate socioeconomic growth across all sectors of society. Goitia said 6.5 million new jobs have been created “as a result of this project.” “The President’s ﬁscal prudence policy and his push for tax reforms enabled us to achieve the highest revenue-to-GDP ratio of 16.1% and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio of 39.6% in 2019. We were able to obtain an unprecedented credit rating upgrade, allowing us to access funds for our priority programs at lower interest rates and on more favorable terms,” he said.

“The President should discuss the ongoing AFP modernization program and its implications for defending our sovereignty from internal and external threats, what military equipment we have so far, and what the next phase of the program will entail,” Goitia added. He said Duterte’s pursuit of an independent foreign policy “is another trending issue on which he needs to report. The President must explain how his foreign policy has beneﬁted us in terms of international trade, security, and global standing.” “The signing of Executive Order 70, which institutionalized the ‘Whole-of-Nation’ approach to achieving inclusive and sustainable peace by establishing a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conﬂict (NTFELCAC) in dealing with communist terrorist groups (CTGs), has brought peace and prosperity to the countryside,” Goitia said.

NO TO BTA. A Muslim group calls for the rejection of a Senate bill proposing a 3-year term extension for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority at a rally along Commonwealth in Quezon City on Monday, July 26, 2021. Danny Pata

Immigration eases travel entry rules for Filipino spouses, kin By Vito Barcelo FOREIGN spouses, children and parents of Filipino citizens who are travelling to the Philippines as tourists to visit their kin will no longer be required to present entry exemption documents (EED), the Bureau of Immigration said. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the new policy is in compliance with the latest resolution of the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infection Diseases (IATF) which eased the entry travel require-

ments for foreigners related by marriage or filiation to Filipinos. Previously, these aliens were allowed entry into the Philippines only if they had valid 9(a) tourist visas as well as an EED issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) through its various embassies or consulates abroad. Those who fail to secure and present either one of the two documents are excluded and turned back upon arrival at the ports of entry. Under the new IATF resolution, foreign spouses, children and parents of Filipinos will only be required to present 9(a) tourist visas beginning on Saturday.

The IATF, however, instructed the DFA to include in the visa of said aliens the notation: “EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (s.2021).” “We welcome this latest ruling of the IATF as it will now be easier and convenient for foreigners whose Filipino spouses and children are currently in the Philippines to visit and reunite with their loved ones,” Morente said. The BI chief stressed that the new travel guidelines apply only to foreigners who are not accompanied by their Filipino spouses or Filipino parents in going

to the Philippines. “Foreigners who are traveling with their Filipino spouses or parents are eligible for the Balikbayan program and they may be admitted visa-free for a one-year stay,” Morente said. He explained that those who are not traveling with their Filipino principal must apply for a 9(a) tourist visa from a Philippine consulate abroad, which they would use for entry to the Philippines. BI Port Operations Division Chief Atty. Carlos Capulong reminded that while the exemption on alien families of Filipinos

has been loosened, the ban for those coming from 10 countries due to the COVID-19 Delta variant remains. “Those coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are still not allowed to enter the country,” said Capulong. “This includes those who have a travel history to said countries within the last 14 days from their date of arrival,” he added. Said travel ban, said Capulong, remains in effect until July 31, unless extended or expanded by the IATF.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

Paalam not ready to say goodbye, yet TOKYO—Carlo Paalam just couldn’t let all those years of training go down the drain. With this in his mind and heart, Paalam hammered a split decision win over Brendan Irvine of Ireland in the men’s 48-52kg boxing competitions of the Summer Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena here on Monday. “Ang haba-haba ng training, tapos tatalunin ka lang. Buhos buhos muna,” said Paalam after scoring a 4-1 win against the no. 3 flyweight in the 2017 European Championships, earning the nod of the four judges from Morocco (30-27), Colombia (29-28), Argentina (30-27) and Russia (29-28), except the official from Kazakhstan, who favored the Irish, 29-28. “Thankful, kasi nanalo tayo on the first day ng laro ko,” said Paalam, the champion of the 2017 and 2018 editions of the President’s Cup in Kazakhstan and Thailand. The Cagayan de Oro native was the aggressor from the start, his 1-2 combinations hitting their mark and throwing the Irish boxer off his game. Irvine, however, figured out Paalam’s game-plan starting in the second round and went toe-to-toe with him. It didn’t helped Paalam’s cause, too, that he thought he was behind in the scorecards, prompting him to be reckless in the second. “First round po sinasabihan po ako ng mga coaches namin magaling po talaga, matangkad pa. Binabasa ko sya nu’ng first round. Hanggang second round, nabasa nya rin po ako,” revealed Paalam. “Sukatan na kami ng laro po. Sa last round, ibinuhos ko na talaga kasi alam kong may natititira pa sa akin.” Their furious exchanges had Paalam nearly draining his energy. “Medyo dikit man ang laban, at least, ibinuhos ko kung anong natitira sa pagod ko, Binuhos ko na lahat po. Nakita nyo naman kahit pagod na pagod na ako, suntok pa rin ako ng suntok kasi gusto ko talaga manalo para sa pamilya, para sa team,” said Paalam, who takes on Algeria’s Mohamed Flissi on Saturday at 10:48 a.m. (Philippine time). Riera U. Mallari

Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Ting Lin (red) and Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio fight during their women’s feather (54-57kg) preliminaries round of 16 boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena. AFP

Ambidextrous Petecio removes biggest stumbling block for gold By Riera U. Mallari

OKYO—A year ago, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-Ting would have beaten Nesthy Petecio handily.

But not her 2021 version. The one with power in both hands. In a scintillating show of ambidexterity, Petecio confused Lin with her varying fighting stance en route to a well-earned 3-2 split decision victory that may have eliminated the Filipina

boxer’s biggest stumbling block to the gold medal in the 54-57kg boxing competitions of the Summer Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena here on Monday. “Kaya ko po gamitin ang dalawang kamay ko. Kung saan po nakakatama ako, doon ko po inuulit. Kapag nabantayan na po niya, ililipat ko na po ako sa kabila,” said Petecio, needing one more win to assure herself of a bronze medal, or three more for the gold. The ambidextrous Petecio was in full display in the first round, where the champion of the 2019 World Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia, peppered the Taiwanese with power

blows from both hands. Lin, the topseed here and ranked no. 1 in the world, used her 4-inch height advantage and longer reach to the hilt with nifty counters, to erase all the points that Petecio built in the first. Petecio regained the upperhand in the third, where she managed to score crucial points that allowed her to spend the last few moments staying out of trouble. “It was about not over-committing, but getting into her punching range and using fast feet and to get her opponent to lead off and then counter with one or two punch combinations,” said Team Philippines’ boxing coach Don Abnett

Didal in pain, but still having fun TOKYO —Margielyn Didal ended her campaign in the Women’s Street Skateboarding Competitions with a seventhplace f inish at the Ariake Urban Sports Park here on Monday. Bothered by an ankle sprain, Didal scored just 7.52 in the finals, nearly just half the tally of eventual champion, 13-year-old Japanese wonderkind Nishiya Momiji, who won it all with a total score of 15.26. After a successful landing during her second trick where she completed a nosegrind for a score of 2.97, Didal was limping at the end of the runs after her third trick. “This is for the country. I’m really proud to represent the Philippines,” said the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games champion, who was still having fun despite hurting her knee and ankle following several spills during the preliminaries and the finals. Brazil’s Rayssa Leal secured the silver with a 14.64 score, while another Japanese in Nakayama Funa bagged the bronze with a 14.49 total.

“We made it to the finals but we were not able to carry the flag on to the podium. We would like to thank the POC most especially Congressman (Abraham) Tolentino for doing everything to get us to our first Olympics, most especially cheering Margie on today to get us to the finals and looking out for us in all ways, always. So stoked, may Olympian skateboarder po tayo, Paris 2024 we coming at you!,” said Skateboard Pilipinas president Carl Sambrano. Didal’s stint in the skateboarding finals was a feat in itself as the 22-year-old Cebuana even placed ahead of eliminated skaters Pamela Rosa, 2019 World Skate Championship in Brazil and 2013 X Games champion Leticia Bufoni. Skateboarding is one of four sports making their debut in the quadrennial games, along with surfing, sport climbing and karate.

Obiena’s next foe —jet lag

The Philippines’ Margielyn Arda Didal reacts as she competes in the women’s street preliminary round during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Sports Park Skateboarding in Tokyo. AFP

Doncic scores 48 in Olympic debut as Slovenia mauls Argentina SAITAMA—Luka Doncic debuted at the Olympic Games in record fashion, scoring 48 points to power Slovenia to a 118-100 victory over Argentina on Monday at the Saitama Super Arena. In Slovenia’s first Olympic game ever, the Dalla Mavericks star scored 31 points in the first half, before slowing down in the second when the game was already settled. He ended up equalling the record set by Australian Eddie Palubinskas in the 1976 Games in Montreal. The record, though, still stands at 55 by Brazilian Hall of Famer Oscar Schmidt in 1988. Luis Scola scored 23 points for Argentina. Facando Campazzo of the Denver Nuggets added 21. Meanwhile, USA coach Gregg Popovich says his star-studded team must discover more consistency if they are to successfully defend their Olympic basketball crown. The US line-up suffered their first defeat at the Olympic basketball tournament in 17 years on Sunday,

Slovenia’s Luka Doncic and Argentina’s Patricio Garino (top) fight for a rebound during the men’s preliminary round group C basketball match between Argentina and Slovenia of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama.

slumping to an 83-76 loss to France warm-up games in Las Vegas earlier in their opening game in Saitama. this month, where Popovich’s side sufIt followed an unconvincing series of fered surprise back-to-back defeats to

from Australia. “The girl (LIN) was waiting for her to over commit with the punches, she is notorious for that, trying to make her opponent miss,” added Abnett of the Taiwanese, who broke down in front of TV cameras at the Mixed Zone. “She never comes into your punching range, she uses her range really well, so Nesthy played a cat-and-mouse game. It was really good and it paid off.” Petecio shoots for the bronze medal on Wednesday at 10 a.m. (Philippine time) against Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda, whose biggest claim to fame is her bronze-medal feat in the 2019 Pan American Games.

Australia and Nigeria. Sunday’s loss has raised the possibility that the US reign over Olympic basketball which has included three consecutive gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016, could be in jeopardy. Popovich said the Americans must make an all-round improvement to get their Olympic campaign back on track as they prepare for their game against Iran on Wednesday. “We need to be more consistent, we led a lot, and we erred on defense, made too many mistakes, had too many sterile possessions and took bad shots,” Popovich said. Popovich also bristled at suggestions that the US defeat could be characterised as an upset, pointing out that the French line-up was spearheaded by NBA stars of the calibre of Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert. “France have a great coaching staff, NBA players, other talented players playing in Europe who’ve been together for a long time,” Popovich said.

TOKYO—After a 13-hour flight from Italy, pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena has a week to shake off jet lag. Obiena has already spent three days in Japan, since arriving Friday. “We have to gradually allow EJ to adjust to the time zone,” said Obiena’s father, Emerson, at the Conrad Tokyo on Monday. Obiena has made Italy, specifically at the world pole vault center in Formia, as his base at least for the last two years. Tokyo is seven hours ahead of Italy. “We’re doing it one hour a day for EJ to adjust,” the elder Obiena said. It’s crucial for Obiena to adjust his body clock, Obiena said, in time for the Tokyo Olympics men’s pole vault competitions at the Tokyo National Stadium on Saturday. “His event starts at 8:45 a.m. [7:45 a.m. in Manila],” Obiena said. Obiena and his team arrived in Tokyo last Friday and are still billeted at Conrad Tokyo. They are expected to move to the Olympic Village this week.

Ernest John Obiena

IN BRIEF

Business

UnionBank’s income jumps 94% to P8.3b

UNION Bank of the Philippines said Monday net income surged 94 percent in the first half to P8.3 billion from a year ago, on sustained strength in core businesses. The bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange this income translated into a return on equity of 15.9 percent. Net revenues increased 16 percent to P25.5 billion while net interest income grew 7 percent to P14.8 billion, driven by higher net interest margins at 4.7 percent compared to 4.4 percent a year ago. Non-interest income also rose 33 percent to P10.7 billion on the back of strong trading gains, higher foreign exchange income and higher fees and commissions. Loan loss provisions were recorded at P3.1 billion, 56 percent lower than last year’s as nonperforming loans started to stabilize. The bank’s NPL ratio improved to 4.7 percent from 5.1 percent as of year-end 2020. UnionBank chief financial officer and treasurer Jose Emmanuel Hilado said the bank’s strong first-half performance and good trajectory gave them confidence that it would hit its full-year target. Julito G. Rada

BDO, AMEX to launch online shopping card

AMERICAN Express and BDO Unibank Inc. are launching the BDO American Express Virtual Card as more consumers shop online for everything, from food delivery to groceries and entertainment. Linked to the card member’s primary card, the virtual card comes with its own credit card number and offers adjustable credit limit, which gives greater control over online spending and offers an additional layer of account information security. Card members will continue to enjoy the same benefits on their primary card when they use the new Virtual Card to shop online. “With the BDO American Express Virtual Card, we are offering our card members a product that addresses their reservations about online credit card payments and gives them the assurance they can shop online confidently,” said Nannette Regala, BDO senior vice president and consumer banking marketing head. Leveraging the exponential growth of ecommerce, the BDO American Express Virtual Card is a timely addition to the diverse range of card products offered by BDO and American Express. Manila

Meralco’s income hitstP9.9b as sales rose 7% in 1 half By Alena Mae S. Flores

ANILA Electric Co., the biggest electricity retailer, said Monday net income surged 45 percent in the first half of the year to P9.9 billion from P6.844 billion a year ago on the back of a 7-percent increase in energy sales volume with the gradual reopening of the economy. Meralco said consolidated core net income increased 8 percent in the first six months to P11.4 billion from P10.6 billion in the same period last year on higher volume and contribution from from San Buenaventura Power Ltd. Consolidated. “The arrival and dispensation of vaccines should pave the way for a gradual opening of the economy. It is my ardent hope that we carry on with fortitude until we win the battle,” said Meralco chairman

TODAY BALANCE SHEET As of JUNE 30, 2021 ASSETS

CURRENT QUARTER 1,226,029.81 63,625,366.08 627,996,153.73 0.00 0.00 10,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 2,391 ,428,752.97 2,423,199,657.97 0.00 31,770,905.00 109,137,188.95 0.00 27,738,143.68 2,667,855.50 218,579,536.10 24,108,255.53

AMOUNT PREVIOUS QUARTER 1,458,434.02 79,354,820.80 598,724,221.38 0.00 0.00 15,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 2,472,528,054.35 2,505,306,295.88 32,778,241.53 112,437,519.85 0.00 25,783,502.51 3,110,404.84 218,657,038.26 5,965,082.69

0.00

3,476,507,282.35

3,533,019,078.70

Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Due to Other Banks Bills Payable a) BSP (Rediscounting and Other Advances) b) Interbank Loans Payable c) Other Deposit Substitutes d) Others Bonds Payable-Net Unsecured Soubordinated Debt-Net Redeemable Preferred Share s Special Time Deposit Due to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies/(Philippine branch of a foreign bank)

0.00 2,075,601,115.56 0.00 560,000,000.00

0.00 1,979,697,182.18 0.00 714,000,000.00

560,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 28,360,572.69 17,151 ,286.74

714,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 25,521,950.35 24,223,257.34

TOTAL LIABILITIES

2,681,112,974.99

2,743,442,389.87

704,500,936.85 (6,462,012.27) 97,355,382.78 0.00

704,168,379.65 (16,333,312.64) 101,741,621.82 0.00

TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS FR. ANTONIO CECILIO T. PASCUAL Chairman ATTY. MICKEL M. BORIGAS Vice-Chairman PATRIA T. CHIONG ROMEO A. DE JESUS DORIS R. DORIGO JOVITO P. GAMMAD SEGUNDO R. LANUZA, JR. EDITA S. LAURON GARIBALDI O. LEONARDO ROBERTO C. MASCARINA WILFREDO F. MERCADO DIVINA C. QUEMI NICOLAS H. VERONILLA SATURNINO GALANG JR. PONCIANO D. PAYUYO BOARD SECRETARY ATTY. SIMEON T. ASIA, JR.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER IGNACIO A. MANIPULA President & Chief Executive Officer

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings Assigned Capital TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

795,394,307.36

789,576,688.83

3,476,507,282.35

3,533,019,078.70

Guarantees Issued Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Securiites Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts c) Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Others

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,974,530.56

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.974,530.56

TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

7,974,530.56

Gross Total Loan Portfolio (TLP) 2,547,224,671 .81 Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP 124,025,013.84 Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs 700,145,333.75 b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) 27.49% c. Net NPLs 576,120,319.91 d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) 22.62% e. Ratio of total allowance for credit losses to gross NPLs (%) 22.25% f. Ratio of specific allowance for credit losseson the gross TLP to gross NPLs (%) 17.71% Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross allowance for credit losses 45.00 DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross allowance for credit losses 387,481,639.72 Ratio of DOSRI loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to gross TLP (%) 15.21% Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables 0.00 Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables TLP (%) 0.00% Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Small Enterprises 13.52% b. 2% for Medium Enterprises 36.66% Return on Equity (ROE) (%) (2.00%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations a. Total CAR 20.07 b. Tier I CAR 19.12 c. Common Tier 1 Ratio (%) 0.00 Deferred Charges not yet Written Down 0.00 Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instrument Received 0.00

2,593,455,418.78 88,149,122.90

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

540,816,956.46 20.85% 452,667,833.56 17.45% 22.36% 16.30% 45.00 360,513,411.64 13.90% 0.00 0.00% 12.46% 40.22% (7.00%) 20.52 19.58 0.00 0.00 0.00

Republic of the Philippines ) Makati City ) s.s. I/We, RODA L. CRUZ and IGNACIO A. MANIPULA of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above balance sheet are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. RODA L. CRUZ Finance Head

IGNACIO A. MANIPULA President & CEO

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 22 day of July 2021 at Makati City, affiant exhibiting his/her/their Passport No. P1057056A , issued at DFA NCR EAST on December 01, 2016 and Passport No. P6986875A, issued at DFA NCR South on April 30, 2018. nd

Doc. No. 457 Page No. 93 Book No. 142 Series of 2021

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

of Quarantine opens its first satellite office at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City that will facilitate the vaccination of international travelers and the issuance of World Health Organization international certificate of vaccination and prophylaxis. Attending the ribbon cutting ceremony are (from left) Health Undersecretary Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay, Defense Undersecretary Cesar Yano, Transportation Undersecretary Raul del Rosario and SM Supermalls president Steven Tan.

Standard

Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit of Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net Loans and Receivable - Net Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables- Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Equity Investment in Subsidiaries,Associates and Joint Ventures-Net Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Non-Current Assets Held for Sale Other Assets-Net Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies, if any (Philippine branch of a foreign bank)

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

QUARANTINE SATELLITE. The Bureau

Century Properties reports strong sales

PROPERTY developer Century Properties Group Inc. said Monday its affordable residential business posted a 38-percent increase in reservation sales in the first half to P4.4 billion from P3.8 billion in the same period last year. CPG president and chief executive Marco Antonio said during the annual stockholders’ meeting the company would continue to focus on strengthening its affordable residential business which has been resilient despite the pandemic. “We remain very optimistic with the affordable segment business of CPG under PHirst Park Homes, in partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation. Strong sales in our affordable housing business reaffirmed the real demand coming from local end users and Overseas Filipino Workers, who are looking for good quality homes in safe communities that are located in key growth centers,” Antonio said. The company sold 2,327 units, or 28 percent more than 1,819 units in the same period last year. Total collections in the first half soared by 172 percent to P2.03 billion from P744 million in the same period last year. Jenniffer B. Austria

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

NOTARY PUBLIC

Manuel Pangilinan. Pangilinan did not provide full-year earnings forecast on the possible impact of the Delta variant of COVID-19. “We have seen the uptick in Meralco’s core income for the first half...and the volumes are up, customer count are up, net system input and peak demand are also up. We have not given any guidance for the full year because we are concerned about the recent spread of Delta virus which could lead to further lockdowns. That’s a factor we cannot foresee the impact on sales moving forward,” Pangilinan said. “But we are very optimistic that profits will be ahead barring any unforeseen circumstances. Ahead of last year for 2021,” he said.

PH car parts makers seeking duty protection By Othel V. Campos CAR parts makers called on the gov-

ernment to strengthen the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program to protect local producers, as the Tariff Commission halted investigations on the alleged import surge that may lead to the lifting of provisional safeguard duties on foreign-made vehicles. The Philippine Parts Makers Association said the government should protect parts manufacturers with the strengthening of the local industry. The Tariff Commission earlier said it found no dramatic increase in the volume of imported vehicles from 2014 to 2019. PPMA president Ferdinand Racquelsantos said industry data covered by the period of investigation yielded no significant increase in the volume of imported vehicles and even showed that imports were steadily declining. “In fact, recent sales have been declining due to the provisional safeguard duties imposed on foreign-made completely built-up units. But sales of CKD [completely knocked-down] vehicles were sustained coming from last year,” Racquelsantos said Monday. The TC subjected vehicle imports to provisional safeguard duties of P70,000 per unit of imported passenger cars and P110,000 per unit of light commercial vehicles since February 2021.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business

B2 || TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market slumps; DITO, LT Group lead decliners S

HARE prices tumbled Monday along with the rest of Asia as traders continued to fret over the fast spread of the Delta coronavirus variant, which has sent infections spiking and forced some governments to reimpose economically painful lockdowns or other containment measures. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slumped 148.13 points, or 2.3 percent, to 6,372.61 on a value turnover of P4.2 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 151 to 49, with 39 issues unchanged. DITO CME Holdings Corp., the third major telecommunications firm, sank 6.2 percent to P6.98, while LT Group Inc. of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan fell 5.8 percent to P9.80. International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator and owned by business tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., dropped 4.3 percent to P154.10, while BDO Unibank Inc. of the Sy Group, the largest lender in terms of assets, declined 3.1 percent to P102.30. Markets in Asia mostly fell Monday morning, led by Hong Kong after Beijing at the weekend further cracked down on China’s tech firms, while education companies were hammered as the government unveiled sweeping reforms of the sector. The selling extended from Friday, despite a strong lead from Wall Street,

where all three main indexes ended at record highs with the Dow ending above 35,000 for the first time. Investors have a packed agenda of possible market-moving events this week including the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting, US economic growth data, and earnings from some of the world’s biggest firms such as Apple and Amazon. They will also be keeping tabs on a meeting between US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi later in the day, the highest-level visit by the Biden administration. The talks come at a time of increasingly strained relations between the superpowers, which have cracked heads over a range of issues including technology, Hong Kong and human rights. Hong Kong sank more than four percent with education companies battered after China on Saturday unveiled reforms that will massively change the way they do business.With AFP

Are you too young to be a Director? ARIELLE V. MARIANO

Green LiGht IS THERE an age requirement to as assume a top position? Should not job and management skills be given greater importance? I, along with other millennials, are experiencing ageism in the workplace. I work in a non-profit organization and am one of the company’s youngest members. When I got hired, I was offered an officer position. To say that other company members are surprised is an understatement, especially since the culture values seniority and age back then. Imagine being a newly-hired millennial with a higher position and a more competitive salary grade than those who have stayed in the organization longer and older than you are. Imagine their hawk eyes whenever you are performing your tasks. It feels like you, a millennial with stage fright, are always doing a catwalk in front of a room full of judgmental people. In the years that I have worked, I have encountered this situation several times. It can either make me lose my self-confidence or simply encourage me to show my capabilities and worth. And I chose the latter option. I was able to overcome that stage fright and worked hard to provide superior service. During all these challenging times, I confided with my director. She engulfed me with her motherly presence and assured me that the burning passion that she saw in me gave justice to the position I was offered. She motivated and

pushed me to go out of my box and continue improving myself. Little did I know, she is already training me to follow in her footsteps. Since the pandemic hit the country, our organization is one of the companies that was affected. Thus, we are currently undergoing restructuring. By the end of May 2021, three directors were retired, including my director. Upon learning her status, my director has told me that she recommended me to replace her but did not know if the top management would approve it. I was overwhelmed with the news and the recommended promotion. However, I started to feel uneasy when no one from the top management or HR contacted me since the release of the retirement news. As May approached, I still have not received any news about job posts or promotions from within. While my colleagues were vying for me as the next director and friends supported me to keep a positive outlook about my career, some made me feel incompetent or questioned my worth. I heard from a very close friend, CF, that my previous colleague and a mentor, CM, was asked by top management to replace my retiring director. CM told CF that management was looking elsewhere because of my age and lack of experience. CM further said to CF that the gesture would not get in our relationship if CM accepts the offer. Before management’s call to CM, I met CM to confide in my current status in my organization and how I feel so low because I was not informed about the succession or plans regarding our unit. Learning these stories hit me hard, and I got so upset about the age discrimination. My self-esteem

got trampled on, most especially from the person that I least expect it to be. I doubted my capabilities, my faith and myself. On my retiring director’s last day at work, she emailed all our network to bid farewell, and to my surprise, introduced me as the Officer-in-charge (OIC). She knew that I was getting demotivated due to top management and HR’s delay in deciding her successor. Hence, before she left the organization, she made a final push for me. A strong stance is that she believed that I am well-equipped to be her successor. If that’s how my retiring director sees me, why should I doubt myself? Even people in the office are cheering me on after our Chief Operating Officer’s official announcement regarding my status; our network has welcomed me warmly as the OIC and expressed their continued support of our programs. So, if these people see me as a gem, then I might really be a gem, right? It is not about your youthfulness. It is about your capabilities. It will come one at a time. OIC first, then let’s fill the gap and push for that promotion! One person’s derogatory remark does not define you. Your work, your connections, your principles, your vision does. So, carry on, millennial. As Dr. Seuss said, “you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!” The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, DLSU. She can be reached at arielle_v_mariano@dlsu.edu.ph. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

World Bank: Myanmar’s economy to fall 18% due to coup, pandemic BANGKOK—Myanmar’s economy is expected to shrink by 18 percent in 2021, the World Bank said Monday, as a result of massive unrest following a military coup and a resurgent coronavirus outManila break. Standard TheTODAY country has been in turmoil since the military took power in February and launched a bloody crackdown on dissent that has killed more than 900 people according to a local monitoring group. A mass civil disobedience movement has also paralyzed the economy, with many banks shuttered and authorities unable to issue bills or collect taxes. Already weakened by the coronavirus pandemic, the economy is “expected to

contract 18 percent” in the Myanmar fiscal year ending in September, the lender said. Shutdowns, strikes and internet blackouts have reduced liquidity and constrained the banking sector, it said, with the local kyat currency depreciating by around 23 percent against the United States dollar. The contraction would mean Myanmar’s economy is “around 30 percent smaller than it would have been in the absence of COVID-19 and the military takeover,” it said. The proportion of the country’s population living in poverty was “also likely to more than double” by the beginning of 2022 compared with 2019 levels, it Capitol View Park, Barangay Bulihan added. City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines Investors piled ace.malolos.doctors@gmail.com into Myanmar after the military reNOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING laxed its iron grip in 2011, paving the Dear Stockholders, way for democratic Please be informed that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Allied Care reforms and ecoExperts (ACE) Malolos Doctors, Inc. (“ACE Malolos Doctors”) will be held on August 16, 2021 (Monday) at 8:00 o’clock in the morning, via Zoom Webinar, nomic liberalizain light of the current health crisis. tion in the country To be able to attend the Zoom Webinar, please register on or before Aug 14, of more than 50 2021, through the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Mbqry 87SLOapj5zqiDcaA million people. The link will provide you the process for the registration. You will receive Since the putsch, a confirmation email once you have successfully registered in the online several foreign inplatform, including the details and procedures for the conduct of the meeting. Voting will be done via the online tool which you can access once you have vestors have suslogged in to the Webinar; voting in the election of directors may also be done in absentia through the above link. pended operations or pulled out comThe Agenda: pletely. I. Call to Order Norwegian teleII. Invocation III. Determination of Quorum coms giant TeleIV. Welcome Message from the Chairman of the Board V. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of the Y2020 Annual Stockholders’ nor announced Meeting earlier this month VI. Audited Financial Report for Y2020 VII. President’s Report it was selling its VIII. Ratification of the Acts and Proceedings of the Board of Directors, Officers, and Management of the Corporation Myanmar subIX. Election of the Board of Directors 2021-2022 sidiary, which is X. Appointment of External Auditor for the year 2021 XI. Other Matters one of the leadXII. Adjournment ing operators in Only stockholders of record at the close of business on July 27, 2021, Tuesday, the country, with shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. If you cannot personally attend the meeting, you may opt to send your proxy to attend in your behalf. 18 million mobile Kindly submit your duly executed proxy form with the undersigned, via email, at ace.malolos.doctors@gmail.com not later than 5:00 p.m. on August 15, phone customers. 2021, but preferably, on Aug 14, 2021, to enable your proxy to register in the The junta has Zoom Webinar. Attached is a sample proxy form for your reference. [NOTE: Management is not soliciting proxies.] justified its The meeting shall be recorded (visual and audio) for future reference. power grab as a The Information Statement and Management Report and SEC Form 17-A are means of protectavailable at the Corporation’s website www.acemalolosdoctors.org ing democracy, You may contact the undersigned via email at ace.malolos.doctors@gmail. alleging electoral com or call 044-8167698 if you have inquiries/concerns regarding the meeting. fraud in NovemVery truly yours, ber’s election, won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s NaARLENE NG LIM-VITUG, MD. Corporate Secretary tional League for Democracy. AFP (MS-JULY 26 & 27, 2021)

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

Korean superstar Son Ye Jin ‘felt the love’ of Pinoy fans in online meet

Korean superstar and Smart endorser Son Yen Jin will be working on ‘Thirty-Nine,’ a series about 39-year-old women and the love and friendship between them.

SMART Hallyu Hangouts, a series of online shows where subscribers can watch their idols through a live feed from wherever they are in the world, kicked off on July 16 with no less than Crash Landing On You (CLOY) actress Son Ye Jin. The 39-year-old superstar and Smart Signature endorser was joined by Philippines-based host Sam Oh, Koreabased co-host Park Kyung-lim, and 40 lucky fans. During the event, Son Ye Jin shared a lot about her acting philosophy, her workout regimen, and even her behind-the-scenes moments from global phenomenon CLOY as well as her commercial for Smart released earlier this year. “There were very long hours during the Smart shoot and we were on location.

It took all morning and all night to shoot. And we were also remotely shooting with the Philippine team,” Son Ye Jin recalled. “It was kind of a strange situation but also very fascinating to be virtually communicating with the team in the Philippines. But I was very honored to have shot this commercial for Smart and I’m very happy to be working with the brand right now,” she added. The actress also offered interesting trivia about herself, such as her favorite color (light Indian pink), hobbies (exercising and walking her dog), favorite aspect of herself (when she can make someone laugh), and beauty secret (indulging in hair treatments). She has also been practicing Pilates for 10 years,

she never watches herself on TV as she feels embarrassed and awkward, and she attributes her ability to play diverse roles and genres to a deep sense of empathy for whichever character she plays. When asked about her experience in the Philippines, she said: “I’ve been to the Philippines a very long time ago, and the most memorable thing about that trip was the friendly faces of the Filipinos. I could see that everyone was very happy and friendly, and there was an innocence about them. The next time I go again, I would really love to go to Boracay.” “I hear through the messages and gifts that Filipinos send me that they’re very thankful for helping them get through this difficult time,” she added. “But I haven’t done anything; all I did was my job. I’m so

moved that people from far away, across oceans, feel this way about what I’ve done. It almost feels a little odd sometimes but overall, I’m just very thankful and I look forward to meeting you all in the Philippines.” Smart Hallyu Hangouts is one of the brand’s ways of bringing amazing experiences to its valued subscribers. Despite the physical limitations brought about by the pandemic, Smart champions its dedication and cutting-edge technology to bring its Korean endorsers closer to their Filipino fans. Fans can catch highly acclaimed Korean actor, Crash Landing On You leading man, and fellow Smart endorser Hyun Bin in the next episode on July 31.

Why Tom Rodriguez feels like a newbie in ‘The World Between Us’ ACTOR Tom tolerate and really help Rodriguez has only me out,” Tom related. good words for veteran Talking about actresses Jaclyn Jose his character in the and Dina Bonnevie, his JOSEPH PETER primetime soap, the co-stars in The World actor describes it as a GONZALES between Us top-billed complicated character by Alden Richards and and something not Jasmine Curtis-Smith. relatable at first. “I can’t stress enough how lucky I “After reading the script, I asked why feel to be working with actresses of Bryan is like that. What’s in him and such caliber. They’re treasure troves of what’s driving him? Then I realized that wisdom and knowledge. Not only when he’s just longing for love and its warmth. it comes to our craft but life experiences He’s a wounded person. Actually, each as well,” the 33-year-old actor said character in the soap, you can in a virtual interview. empathize with. You know “They’re so generous where they’re coming with their wisdom from. They’re not oneand experience and I track characters. They absolutely agree. They’re have the chance to see very good motivators for their mistakes---to see a new breed of actors like outside of themselves. us to continue honing our They can see the world craft,” he added. through the perspective of Tom admitted that he feels as others,” he explained. if he’s still a newbie actor whenever Apart from Dina, Jaclyn, he does scenes with them. Jasmine, and Alden, Tom is “There’s so much that is still with a bunch of dependable out of my capacity. If I were to compare actors in the series such as Sid Lucero, it to painting, it’s like the palette of my Kelley Day, Yana Asistio, and Glydel contribution to the show is still limited. Mercado in a special participation. It’s nice seeing the palette that they have “With this talented cast, I feel very and they’re nice enough to hand me a positive about the program,” he ends. tube of paint and put it in my own palette. Read full story on manilastandard. I’m grateful to both of them because they net

SHTICKS

A memorable digital celebration

AFTER a memorable digital celebration #PascualLoveLiveat75, Pascual Laboratories, Inc., one of the trusted pharmaceutical companies in the Philippines, extends the celebrations to more Filipinos by joining hands with health guru Dr. Willie Ong. True to its 75th anniversary campaign #PascualLove, the company found it fitting to partner with Dr. Willie Ong because of their shared passion for health and social responsibility. Dr. Ong or “Doc Willie” as he is more popularly known, is a cardiologist and a known philanthropist. As part of the partnership, Dr. Ong will be mounting two “MEDtalks with Doc Willie Ong” to provide more health information, the first one happening on

“MEDtalks with Doc Willie Ong” provides more health information, the first one happening on July 30.

July 30. Dr. Ong who is an advocate of more affordable medicine for a wider public, shares his knowledge through his newspaper column, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and youtube @Doc Willie Ong Through the tie-up, PascualLab will be donating vitamins and food supplements to Dr. Ong’s chosen donees. Dr. Ong is a philanthropist who has been donating medicines and beyond, to less fortunate members of society. Leveraging on what PascualLab has to offer in terms of health innovations, Dr. Ong has been sharing Poten-Cee adult and pedia products to community members in Southville III, Muntinlupa City; frontliners at San Lazaro Hospital; and residents at Baseco Compound in Tondo starting last year. This July, officers of PascualLab will welcome Drs. Willie and Liza Ong to Balagtas, home of PascualLab’s manufacturing plant, to personally turn over Poten-Cee N.A., Poten-Cee Plus, and C-Lium Fibre Special Edition to the residents, children, and medical frontliners in the municipality through the Regional Health Unit. The partnership is part of PascualLab’s CSR program SEED which stands for Sowing to Empower, Educate, and Develop. Driven by the company’s value of social responsibility, PascualLab’s CSR program hopes to plant the seeds of charity, fellowship, and volunteerism through initiatives in health, education, and the environment.

Radio program empowers local industries Broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and Rep. Alfred delos Reyes host radio program ‘Basta Promdi, Lodi,’ a radio show that aims to promote local products and businesses.

By Areeya Tatjana Ho

NG Probinsyano Party-list representative Alfred delos Santos teamed up with veteran journalist Ces Drilon to host Basta Promdi, Lodi, a radio show that aims to promote local products and businesses, address pressing concerns in the country’s many provinces, and advocate for rural development.

The radio program airs from Monday to Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on RMN-DZXL 558 with livestreaming on RMN’s official Facebook page. The program has various segments, including news, features, and a portion dedicated to the concerns of the different provinces that may be forwarded to the different local government units. “I think it’s time that we put the spotlight on our kababayans in the provinces, to highlight their stories and show that they are ‘lodis.’ Magiingay kami on their behalf. Sana maging boses kami ng mga probinsyano.‘Yun yung aim,” Drilon said in a virtual press junket.

Congressman Delos Santos shared that it has always been their intention to have a radio program to reach the different provinces of the country. Basta Promdi, Lodi was temporarily halted due to the pandemic. “The show is to give recognition to the promdi,” he told Manila Standard Entertainment. “The focus of the radio program is aligned with our current projects – be more accessible to our kababayan. The show will have a supplemental role in how we tackle and provide resolutions to promdi issues and concerns,” he added. As a “returning probinsyana” and

Horror thriller ‘Old’ tops North American box office

A scene from M. Night Shyamalan horror-thriller ‘Old,’ which topped the North American box office in its debut weekend, taking in an estimated $16.5 million.

journalist, Drilon was the perfect candidate to be the co-host for the program, Congressman Delos Santos explained. “As a newbie in Congress and especially in the media, we always wanted someone with integrity, credibility, and experience who can teach us and guide us,” he said. Drilon expressed her excitement to co-host the radio program, “I’m more exposed to farmers because it’s aligned with what I’m doing.” The hosts noted that they look forward to “Promdi Pride”—a segment in the radio show that trains the spotlight on businesses and products from the different provinces—which encourages people to support local products and businesses. “When you do stories like this, malaki ang impact sa iba. It’s inspiring and we’re at a time that we want to inspire people, ayaw natin ng masyadong nakakalungkot,” Drilon related. “There are many of them, ‘di lang natin naha-highlight. So I hope we become an instrument, our show becomes an instrument, to be able to tell their stories and inspire others,” she ended.

NEW M. Night Shyamalan horror-thriller Old aged to perfection at the top of the North American box office in its debut weekend, taking in an estimated $16.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. The movie, about a family that becomes trapped on a beach where they begin to age precipitously, stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Vicky Krieps, and beat out the weekend's second-highest money-maker Snake Eyes by more than $3 million. Paramount's latest G.I. Joe installment, also in its debut weekend, took in an estimated $13.4 million, recounting the origin story of its titular character Snake Eyes' involvement with the famed squad. In third place was Disney superhero flick Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson, which earned an estimated $11.6 million. Last week's top earner, the Warner Bros. live action/ animated Space Jam: A New Legacy, fell to fourth with $9.6 million. And in fifth was Universal's F9: The Fast Saga, at $4.6 million, bringing its five-week domestic total to more than $160 million. AFP

Alden’s new drama, Heart’s upcoming series, more latest GMA titles on iQiyi and iQ.com FOLLOWING GMA Network’s major deal with international streaming platform iQiyi, more Kapuso dramas are set to become available for iQiyi’s subscribers in the Philippines. Following the acquisition of initially announced shows First Yaya, Legal Wives, Nagbabagang Luha, and Love You Stranger, iQiyi is set to stream six more GMA shows, namely Agimat ng Agila, recently-launched dramas Ang Dalawang Ikaw and The World Between Us, as well as upcoming programs I Left My Heart in Sorsogon, Artikulo 247, and Love. Die. Repeat. The Kapuso Network taps into the

streaming platform’s cutting-edge technology to provide viewers more options to catch up on their favorite GMA shows within 24 hours express from TV airing via the iQiyi mobile app or iQ.com. Likewise, the OTT platform continues to expand its premium Asian entertainment portfolio with high caliber Filipino content, through GMA programs, that deliver on the promise of bringing the best in Asian entertainment. Be empowered to be proactive stewards of nature and join the exciting adventures of Major Gabriel Labrador played by Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. along with Sanya Lopez in the top-rating action-packed family drama

Agimat ng Agila, a show which centers on every Filipino’s responsibility to guard and care for the environment. New GMA Afternoon Prime series Ang Dalawang Ikaw, headlined by Ken Chan and Rita Daniela along with Anna Vicente, is a progressive and advocacy-driven story involving the life of a married couple and the challenges they face brought about by the husband’s mental disorder. Launched last July 5, The World Between Us is Alden Richards’s return on primetime as he takes on the remarkable role of an intelligent orphan Louie Asuncion, with Jasmine Curtis-Smith as Lia Libradilla, and Tom Rodriguez in his most offbeat role yet as Brian Libradilla. Completing the powerhouse ensemble are Dina Bonnevie, Sid Lucero, Yana Assistio, Kelly Day, and Jaclyn Jose.

Watch out for soon-to247. As she moves on be-launched primetime and tries to forget about show I Left My Heart in the past, she finds herself Sorsogon starring Heart faced with her attacker Evangelista-Escudero again and she is forced who portrays a young to fight for justice and her woman from Sorsogon, chance for a new life as who has reinvented her antagonist tries to get herself in Manila as a away with murder twice. fashion designer and Lastly, Jennylyn socialite, and is torn Mercado takes on the role between two men that she Heart Evangelista and Richard Yap of a woman who is stuck loves. She is joined by share a snap during the show's lock- reliving the day of her two leading men Richard in taping in Sorsogon. husband’s death over and Yap and Paolo Contis in over again on Love. Die. this romance drama. Repeat. Artikulo 247 is about a woman, played For only Php99 per month, subscribers by Rhian Ramos, who becomes the victim can enjoy premium content and catch up on of a frustrated homicide. Unfortunately, her their favorite Kapuso shows anytime and attacker gets away with it because of Artikulo anywhere via iQ.com or the iQiyi app.

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

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

Life

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

A ‘fur-pect’ love Giving pets right food, healthy attention, and protection

By Theriz Lizel R. Silvano

WNING a pet brings joy and pleasure. These furry companions lift our spirits, help alleviate stress, and accompany us in desperate times. But having a pet also means being responsible for their welfare. Owners have to look after their pets’ needs such as shelter, food and nutrition, exercise, and attention. Their lives depend on us. In the “FURfect Love Protection” webinar held recently, Dr. Norbert Robles, veterinarian and founder of Petlink Veterinary, talked about caring for pets, particularly dogs.

Keeping them well-fed and healthy

“Like us humans, they [pets] need carbohydrates, protein source, vitamin source, or any supplements. And of course, tayo [pet owners] yung magbibigay ng (will provide) proper water and food to our dogs and to our other pets as well,” he said. As pet parents handle food and nutrition, Dr. Robles said seeking professional help would be most beneficial for medical concerns. “Yung basic needs kasi na pino-provide natin, kayang kaya natin yun.” (We can easily take care of basic needs.) But

for medical concerns, he said, “your trusted veterinarian will help you” with vaccinating against diseases and diagnosing and treating health problems. And since not all pet parents can have a veterinarian at their beck and call, Dr. Robles reminded them to observe their dog’s energy level and changes in food habits to know if they are experiencing any health problems. “Checking our dogs is important because there are signs that your dog is sick,” Dr. Robles said. “You as a fur parent should have that eye, na malalaman natin na parang may mali, parang ‘di siya kumakain ng tama (that knows something is wrong, like they are not eating right).” He mentioned the different kinds of diseases and issues dogs could have, such as common viral diseases (canine parvovirus, distemper virus, and coronavirus), bacterial diseases (leptospirosis, blood parasite, Bordetella, Salmonella, E. coli), parasitic infections (intestinal worms, heartworm, mites, Veterinarian Dr. Norbert Robles encourages pet owners to ‘trust the vet’ especially on their pets’ healthcare needs.

HEALTH BULLETIN

Hypertension expert on the importance of knowing your blood pressure HYPERTENSION or high blood pres- health conditions, and diet and lifestyle sure is an important risk factor for as risk factors. “Aside from genetic family history stroke and cardiovascular diseases which are among the leading causes of and other medical health conditions, it is primarily our lifestyle choices that mortality in the Philippines. It is estimated that one out of every increase our risk for high blood presfour Filipinos has high blood pressure. sure such as unhealthy diets, physical Yet, many hypertensive Pinoys, more inactivity, and excessive smoking and drinking,” explains Dr. than seven million of the population, reDavid- Ona. main unaware of their condition, as “But with the right lifemost cases do not display style changes,” the docany symptoms. tor says, “hypertension “Left untreatcan be avoided and, in ed, high blood patients with the conpressure puts you dition, can be properat a significantly ly managed through greater risk for lifestyle changes developing stroke and proper intake and other health of prescribed medproblems that are ication.” far more physically She recomand financially burmends patients densome,” warns Dr. to exercise more Deborah David-Ona, It is estimated and adopt healthpresident of the Philipthat one out of ier eating and pine Society of Hyperfour Filipinos has high blood tension (PSH) and clinical pressure, yet many of them are drinking habits associate professor at the unaware of their condition. regardless of age or health. She Division of Hypertension, also emphasizes Department of Medicine in University of the Philippines–Philip- that having a heart-healthy diet of lesser fat and sodium, avoiding alcohol and topine General Hospital. According to Dr. David-Ona, the bacco, and learning how to manage stress long-term or permanent effects of stroke can greatly reduce risk of hypertension. The doctor is part of the “Ang Stroke, range from body paralysis to speech problems and severe memory loss, with Hindi Joke!” education campaign of PSH average hospitalization fees of at least and pharmaceutical company Viatris. “Through this campaign in partnerP17,141.50 in public hospitals—higher ship with PSH, we are helping educate in private healthcare institutions. It also pays to know one’s status amid Filipinos on why it’s important to know an ongoing health crisis, the doctor adds. if they are hypertensive or at risk for hy“At this time when the government pertension,” says Viatris country manis rolling out its COVID-19 vaccina- ager Ester Tacanay. Dr. David-Ona seconds, “With the tion program, it is important for hypertensive patients to ensure normal blood right information, medication, and medpressure prior to inoculation so that they ical supervision, we can save millions of lives. So it’s important to understand can get vaccinated,” she says. To identify whether a person’s at risk the risk factors and take action to keep of hypertension, the medical expert your heart healthy, because ang stroke identifies family history, other medical ay hindi joke.”

ticks, fleas), nutritional cases (urinary problems, bladder stones, diabetes, obesity, malnutrition), and accidents. In his presentation, the veterinarian explained the ideal appearance of dogs based on body conditioning scoring (BCS): the ribs and spine can be easily felt but not seen, the waist can be viewed from above, and the abdomen is not sagging when viewed from the side. “Our dogs will convert [the food that they eat] into good and proper muscle. [There is a problem] when the muscle or the body is not converting it into what you want your dog to have: a good body,” Dr. Robles said.

What can we do to protect our fur babies

Get them an insurance. The aforementioned responsibilities can be overwhelming, but one thing that can help ease pet parents’ minds is getting their furry friends protection from uncertainties. Malayan Insurance Co. (MICO) earlier introduced Pet Care Insurance, a “3-in-1 insurance plan” for pets and pet owners. It provides medical reimbursement for any veterinary treatment, liability coverage, and personal accident (PA) insurance for dog owners. “The pet insurance of Malayan can lessen your worries and fears about your dog’s health. This is our way to give peace of mind to fellow fur parents since we recognize that having dogs can be financially demanding,” said MICO vice chairperson Yvonne S. Yuchengco. Medical reimbursement covers up to P300,000 of medical expenses incurred to treat or diagnose the insured dog in case it gets involved in an accident or acquires a disease. The owner’s liability benefit covers damages and costs incurred for any liabilities to third parties caused by the insured pet like accidentally attacking other people. The PA also covers the insured dog owner in the event of accidental death, disablement, and dismemberment while the policy is in force. Dogs qualified to avail of the Pet Care Insurance have to be between six months and eight years old, and currently vaccinated as prescribed by the Philippine Animal Hospital Association.

LOVE IN FOUR LEGS. Pet owners/ parents are responsible for their pets’ needs such as shelter, food, exercise, and protection from uncertainties such as diseases and accidents.

Doctors answer questions about cough and COVID-19 HOW does a regular cough differ from one that’s caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus? Is tuob (steam inhalation) a solution for COVID-19? Can over-the-counter (OTC) drugs help? These frequently asked questions about cough and COVID-19 were answered at a webinar held recently.

How to know if a cough is COVID-related

Experts say coughing is the body’s natural reflex to get rid of unwanted elements like smoke, dust, phlegm, and other irritants in the airways and lungs. “Essentially, ang ubo ay senyales na may underlying [problem] or meron tayong ibang sakit,” said Dr. Earl Sempio, biochemist and pulmonologist. (Essentially, it’s a sign of an underlying problem or sickness.) Bacterial or viral infections are usually accompanied by fever, body pain, and other signs of infection. Considering the various causes for cough, it is hard to say whether a person who has it has COVID-19. An infectious diseases specialist also debunked the common misconception that there is a single indicator that a cough is related to the viral disease – for instance, some COVID-19 patients reported having dry cough, others a cough with phlegm. “Mahirap sabihin na yung ubo is due to COVID-19. Ang importante kapag nagka-ubo ka, protect others. Mag-isolate na muna kayo,” said Dr. Joseph Adrian Buensalido. “Hindi namin masasabi kung COVID-19 ‘yan unless mapa-test natin.” (It’s not easy to determine whether a cough is due to COVID-19 or not, so if you have a cough, it’s better to protect others and self-isolate. Even doctors cannot certainly say that a patient has COVID-19 without testing.)

How to manage COVID-19 and cough at home

Aside from proper isolation to stem the spread of the virus in the household, Dr. Buensalido advised mild COVID-19 patients at home to take enough rest and fluids. OTC medicines such as carbocisteine can be helpful to relieve symptoms like cough with thick and hard to expel phlegm, while supplements like zinc can help strengthen the immune system to fight off viruses and bacteria, according to internist and pulmonologist Dr. Gwen Agra. Mucolytics like carbocisteine help clear the chest by making phlegm (mucus) less sticky and easier to cough up. Dr. Agra cited a study where carbocisteine was proven to lessen the growth of rhinovirus (common cold) in cultured human airway cells and decrease inflammatory chemicals.

Clockwise: Dr. Gwen Agra, Dr. Earl Sempio, host Boy Abunda, and Dr. Joseph Adrian Buensalido address common misconceptions about cough and COVID-19 during the ‘Kwentong Viral News Webinar’. “Ibig sabihin meron din siyang konting anti-inflammatory effect at nakakatulong din siyang mag-suppress ng virus hindi lang sa common cold, meron din sa influenza,” she added. (It means carbocisteine has a bit of anti-inflammatory effect and it helps suppress viruses like the common cold and influenza.) Zinc, on the other hand, is crucial for growth, development, and maintenance of immune function. Several studies show zinc can help resolve the common cold faster. “Nababawasan niya ng mga dalawa hanggang tatlong araw yung illness. At ang zinc, magaling siya actually sa viruses kasi ang number one cause ng karaniwang sipon ay rhinovirus at ang number two, even before the pandemic, ay coronavirus,” explained Dr. Buensalido. (Zinc shortens the days of illness from two to three days, and is great in suppressing viruses like rhinovirus and coronavirus that usually cause the common cold.) A local study conducted by Dr. Agra and her team among patients with non-bacterial cough found that the combination of carbocisteine and zinc for treatment resulted in reduced severity of cough caused by virus in three days and resolution of cough in just five days compared to the 10 to 14 days of recovery. An infectious disease specialist advises people with cough to self-isolate to protect others.