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WHO WARNS OF FOURTH WAVE; WORLD RACES TO CONTAIN DELTA (Story on B2)

NCR back to ECQ lockdown

Palace: Enhanced restrictions start Aug. 6; public transport suspended By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas, Joel E. Zurbano and Othel V. Campos

HIRTEEN million people in the National Capital Region will go back into lockdown next week, the government said Friday, as it tries to head off a surge in cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 166 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Experts have warned of an explosion in infections fueled by the Delta variant that could overwhelm hospitals in the coming weeks if restrictions are not drastically tightened in the crowded capital. "We had to make this difficult decision in order to save more lives," President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said on government television. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), meanwhile, said every week under the ECQ would cost the economy P105 billion. It would also increase the number of poor

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) and Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana shake hands after a bilateral meeting at Camp Aguinaldo military in Manila on July 30, 2021. AFP

MECQ

ECQ

(Until Aug. 15)

NCR (Aug. 6-20)

VFA ‘in full Transmission of cases rising force’ again steadily, OCTA Group warns —DND chief By Willie Casas

By Vito Barcelo, Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cuz and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has walked back on a decision to end the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, Defense Secretary Delfin Lornezana said Friday during a visit by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. Duterte told the United States in February last year he planned to axe the VFA after Washington cancelled the visa of a close ally who led his internationally condemned war on drugs. The deal has been extended three times since then, most recently in June after months of negotiations between the two sides. Lorenzana said Friday the VFA was "in full force again," during a news conference with Austin, who was in Manila on the last stop of a Southeast Asia tour. Next page

METRO Manila could possibly have as much as 2,000 new COVID-19 cases per day by next week, independent researchers tracking the pandemic said Friday. “What we’re seeing right now is possibly 2,000 cases per day in the NCR by next week and this would be worrisome,”said Guido David of the OCTA Research Group. OCTA has led calls for a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown to arrest the

spread of the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant. Currently, the National Capital Region (NCR) is averaging almost 1,100 new cases per day. OCTA said the reproduction rate of the virus in Metro Manila has climbed to 1.35, indicating sustained COVID-19 transmission. “If we get to the 2,000, it would be close to our surge capacities, meaning our contact tracing would start to break down Next page

(Until Aug. 7) Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro City, Gingoog City

Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu City, Cebu province (subject to further appeals from LGU)

Baguio City, Apayao, Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon, Puerto Princesa, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Daval del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Cotabato City

• Indoor dine-in and al-fresco shall not be allowed. Operations limited to take out and delivery. • 30 percent seating capacity for salons, parlors, barbershops and nail spas. • Indoor sports are not allowed. • Outdoor tourist attractions at 30 percent capacity • Only APORs (Authorized Persons Outside Residence) are allowed to travel into and out of the NCR Plus Area. • Only virtual religious gatherings are allowed. Wakes, funerals and inurnment for those who died of causes other than COVID shall be limited to immediate family members.

DRIVE-THRU.

By Vito Barcelo and Ben Cal PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., the current commander of the joint task force in Mindanao, as the next chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, vice Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Malacañang said Friday. “We confirm that President Duterte approved and signed the designation of Lt. Gen. Jose C. Faustino, Jr. as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the

Budget chief told: Produce ayuda funds By Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, who approved the return of the national capital region to Enhanced Community Quarantine starting August 6, has ordered the budget department to look for funds to aid the area's residents, Malacañang said Friday. The return to the strictest form of lockdown will be until August 20 to check the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant and to shield the country's medical system, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a text message to reporters.. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Development Authority Chairman Bengur Next page

Morato, former MTRCB head, passes away; 87

Manuel “Manoling” Morato

Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Lucena City, Naga City, Antique, Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Butuan City

GCQ

GCQ with heightened restrictions:

Maintenance personnel from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office prepare to install a signage for the drive-through vaccination at the Quirino Grandstand in the City of Manila, July 30, 2021. The drive-through vaccination begins today July 31, 2021. Norman Cruz

Sobjena retires, Rody names new AFP chief

GCQ

(With heightened restrcitions until Aug. 15)

THE former head of the Movie and TV Review and Classification Board, Manuel “Manoling” Morato, passed away yesterday. He was 87. According to his grandnephew, actor Jake Cuenca, Morato was hospitalized less than a week before he passed away. Next page

PH golfer stumbles, teammates see action Aug. 4 By Riera Mallari TOKYO—Juvic Pagunsan stumbled with a two-over 73 after two rounds of men’s individual golf action in the Summer Olympic Games on Friday at Kasumigaseki Country Club. After a solid start on opening day, Pagunsan was hounded by bogeys on holes No. 5 and 8, plus two more at the back nine to slip into a tie for 25th spot with Romain Langasque of France, Kim Si Woo of Korea, Colin Morikawa

and Patrick Reed of the USA, Tommy Fleetwood of Great Britain, Rikuya Hoshino of Japan, Joachim Hansen of Denmark and Joaquin Niemann of Chile. That seven-shot turnaround dropped the Filipino to a three-under-par overall as he fell 20 places down the standings. Pagunsan, the 43-year-old Japan Tour regular, is eight shots behind American leader Xander Schauffele, who crawled out of 12th place and ended the second round on top after shooting a 63 and assembling an 11-under total. Next page

1,580,824 8,562

61,920

27,722

145

1,491,182

2,854

(As of 4 PM, JULY 30)

News

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CHR fears bias vs ‘unvaxed’ ones The CHR recognized that preventing transmission and mitigating the effects of the coronavirus to individuals, households and businesses must be a shared national priority of the government. “Vaccination against COVID-19 is one of the most important steps in easing out of this pandemic, alongside

the recommended test, trace, and treat strategy,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said. “The reality, however, is that vaccine supply remains to be a challenge. At the same time, certain populations also experience vaccine hesitancy due to various reasons, including receiving

wrong information on vaccines and its effects,” she added. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the government might impose restrictions for unvaccinated Filipinos to contain the further spread of the COVID-19 virus and promote the general welfare and public health. President Duterte recently said that he could not wait for a law to punish unvaccinated Filipinos and he wanted police and barangay chairmen to restrict the movement of people who would not want to get vaccinated against COVID-19 virus. “It is well within the power of the State to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals. However, a law must be passed if the government wants to punish,

NCR...

Independent research group OCTA, which advises the government on its pandemic response, had called for an immediate lockdown in the capital, warning daily cases there could triple to 3,000 by mid-August if action were not taken. "It could overwhelm (the health care system) in a few days at that rate," Ranjit Rye of OCTA said. Duterte flagged the possibility on Monday, even as he lamented the country could ill afford it. Previous lockdowns have already shattered the economy, thrown millions out of work and left many families hungry. Mayors in the NCR, which is made up of 16 cities and one municipality, had reportedly backed stay-at-home orders if the national government provided assistance to residents. The NCR, also known as Metro Manila, and surrounding provinces were last locked down in March as record infections pushed hospitals to their limit. As new cases eased earlier this month, the government lifted a ban on children aged 5 to 17 going outdoors for the first time since the start of the pandemic. But two weeks later it reimposed the stay-at-home order as authorities confirmed local transmission of Delta. The tougher restrictions come as the country struggles to vaccinate its population due to tight global supplies and logistical challenges. Only 7.8 million people -- or 7 percent of the population -have received two jabs. Metro Manila mayors met Friday to discuss how best to limit the spread of the Delta variant and how best to use the time during the ECQ lockdown. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the economy and especially small-scale businesses would suffer greatly under another lockdown, but said the ECQ was necessary to prevent the loss of thousands of lives in another COVID-19 surge. He said it was important that some production in agriculture, industry and services be allowed to continue even under an ECQ to save jobs and income. Lopez assured the public that there

would be an adequate supply of goods in supermarkets and groceries during the lockdown. Meanwhile, the business community said the announcement of the return to ECQ was not entirely unexpected, given the apparent spread of the Delta variant and the potential for a devastating surge similar to what Indonesia is experiencing. “While this will further hurt our struggling businesses, we expect the government to mitigate the damage by increasing vaccine supply and ensuring that vaccination programs continue even under ECQ, as this is really the solution to controlling the pandemic,” the Management Association of the Philippines said. MAP also urged the government to relax rules to allow all sectors to avail of vaccination, specially those given by the LGUs which are not covered by COVAX rules. “We also hope that thorough contact tracing will be done to identify and isolate all cases to stop the spread of the virus. Otherwise, we will likely continue to see surges in the future, and we cannot afford more lockdowns,” the group added. On the other hand, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) president Henry Lim Bon Liong thanked the government for heeding the call of the OCTA Group to prevent spread of the Delta variant. “This is hard but necessary. Let us cooperate and make this work. Let us trust science and the government to accelerate vaccination. We hope the government can still help MSMEs and businesses,” Lim said. Business leaders this week appealed for a week to prepare for the two-week lockdown. The Philippines has extended the suspension of entry of travelers from India and nine other countries until Aug. 15 to prevent the spread of the highly infectious Delta COVID-19 variant, Malacananag said. The travel ban exempts Filipinos who

are part of repatriation efforts or special commercial flights, Roque said. Travelers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand will not be allowed entry to the Philippines due to reported high cases of Delta variant in those countries, Roque said. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific said they would abide by ECQ restrictions that limit travel to essential travelers. PAL said international and domestic flights to and from Manila will continue operating during the ECQ and heightened GCQ periods, subject to compliance with the travel restrictions and related travel protocols. “We may have to reduce or cancel flights on certain routes as a result of the restrictions, and we will make the appropriate announcements on any adjustments once these are finalized,” PAL said. Cebu Pacific said it will continue to operate flights as scheduled until Aug. 5. However, passengers who wish to postpone their domestic flights and those traveling for non-essential reasons until Aug.t 20 may cancel up to two hours before their scheduled time of departure, and may select their preferred option through the Manage Booking portal on the Cebu Pacific website. The Department of Tourism (DOT) reminded tourism stakeholders of the strict IATF guidelines. In the interim week under the GCQHR, point-to-point (P2P) flights for leisure are suspended, effective immediately. However, returning flights are allowed for tourists residing in the NCR Plus (NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal). To prevent congestion in the borders of NCR, any type of non-essential travel to and from the NCR Plus will be prohibited. Indoor tourist attractions may not operate, and staycations shall not be allowed. DOT-accredited accommodation establishments (AEs) outside of NCR+ may no longer accept leisure guests from NCR+ beginning Friday, regardless of the date of booking.

total number of infections to 1,580,824. One hundred forty-five new fatalities brought the COVID-19 death toll to 27,722. The DOH reported 2,854 persons who recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 1,491,182. There were 61,920 active cases reported, the highest since May 8. Of the active cases, 94 percent were mild, 1.2 percent were asymptomatic, 1.2 percent were critical, 2.1 percent were severe, and 1.49 percent were moderate. Nationwide, 59 percent of the ICU beds, 50 percent of the isolation beds, 47 percent of the ward beds, and 38 percent of the ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 52 percent of the ICU beds, 44 percent of the isolation beds, 41 percent of the ward beds, and 37 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

The Department of Health (DOH) said Friday that six of the eight Delta variant fatalities were local cases. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Delta variant deaths were recorded in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte (one fatality); Balanga, Bataan (one fatality); Pandan, Antique (one fatality); Cordova, Cebu (two fatalities); and Pandacan, Manila (one fatality). The two other deaths were returning overseas Filipinos, she said. Vergeire said the fatalities were aged 27 to 78 years. Five of them were male. Three have been confirmed to be unvaccinated against COVID-19, while five others are still undergoing verification. Vergeire said authorities are still studying if community transmission of the highly contagious Delta variant— which means links among cases can no

longer be identified-- has begun. She said, however, that there was a need to act as if this kind of transmission was already happening. The Philippines has so far reported 216 Delta variant cases. The government on Friday announced that it is placing Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine from August 6 to 20 to curb the spread of the new variant. The Department of Health (DOH) is currently monitoring four areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) due to an increase in COVID-19 infections. Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, assistant regional director of DOH-CAR, said Apayao province had been identified as "high risk" for the spread of coronavirus.(See full story online at manilastandard.net)

secured," he added. Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, said the only recourse was to pass a supplemental budget through the proposed Bayanihan 3. "The economic managers were broaching the idea of a 173 billion package. We can live with that. The Senate majority appears willing to live with it as well," Salceda said. For his part, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano appealed to the national government to provide P10,000 cash aid to families residing in Metro Manila after the announcement that it would be placed under ECQ by next month. Cayetano, a former Speaker, said the government' Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program must continue for the businesses and workers to survive amid the strictest lockdown if the P10K ayuda bill would not be passed on time. “Some businesses will not survive the ECQ because the people have not saved enough for the new lockdown. Workers like waiters, chefs, and entertainers will slowly lose their jobs and they have not had regular work for one year already” Cayetano said in a statement. "If they want to keep businesses alive pending the 10K ayuda, then go for TUPAD,” he added.

Sobejena...

previously served as acting chief of the Philippine Army. Meanwhile, when Sobejana retires today (Saturday), he will turn over his government-issued M-653 Baby Armalite Rifle which he used in many combat operations for nearly three decades. “It was this weapon I used in 27 gun battles against the rebels and terrorists, particularly the Abu Sayyaf on that fateful day of Friday the 13 th 1995 in Matarling, Basilan where I was seriously wounded,” Sobejana said in an exclusive interview with Ben Cal, a former defense reporter, a day before his mandatory retirement on reaching 56 years old. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

By Rio N. Araja, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Joel E. Zurbano

HE Commission on Human Rights said Friday with scarce supply of COVID-19 vaccines, this might result in extreme discrimination against people still unvaccinated who have been forced to stay home.

From A1

people by 177,000 and the number of unemployed by 444,000, said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua. Restaurant dining and mass gatherings have been banned with immediate effect and a two-week stay-at-home order under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) will start on Aug. 6 and end on Aug. 20, Roque said. From July 30 to August 5, Metro Manila will still be subjected to general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions. “The heightened restrictions for the National Capital Region are more stringent compared to the GCQ with heightened restrictions of other areas,” he added. Under the ECQ, only authorized persons outside their residences (APOR) shall be allowed to travel into and out of the NCR. Only essential establishments and industries will be allowed to operate. Hospitals, groceries, courier and delivery services, certain manufacturing firms, business process outsourcing will remain fully operational. Banks; veterinarian clinics; telecommunications; dental, optometry, and other medical clinics; power and energy; internet services; water and sanitation services; teachers; certain legal services can operate with a skeletal workforce. Public transportation will be suspended, but Roque said it's possible for the Transportation department to allow limited use of public transportation. The Philippines has recorded more than 1.5 million coronavirus infections -- the second highest in Delta-ravaged Southeast Asia -- including nearly 28,000 deaths. So far, it has confirmed more than 200 Delta infections, many of them local cases, and there are fears the more contagious strain could tear through the nation like it has in neighboring countries.

Transmission... From A1

or become less efficient and our testing would be strained,” David warned. David pointed out that in August 2020, the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) — the secondstrictest lockdown classification — was imposed when Metro Manila was only logging around 1,800 new cases daily. “Our MECQ lasted only two weeks, and then after that, we were fine. So it worked,” he said. “Last March, we had a lockdown but we were at almost 5,000 cases when we had the lockdown so we waited too late to pull the trigger and that lockdown lasted seven weeks,” David added. The Philippines logged 8,562 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the

Budget... From A1

Abalos said the national government would distribute cash aid to poor families in Metro Manila once the ECQ begins. The 17 local chief executives in the National Capital Region agreed to place Metro Manila under hard lockdown if the national government could provide cash aid to poor families and allocate more COVID-19 vaccines. Abalos, who coordinates between the COVID-19 task force and Metro Manila mayors, said the government had approved their request. In the House of Representatives, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda stressed the need for the passage of the Bayanihan 3 that would provide a cash subsidy to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. "The imposition of ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) in Metro Manila due to the threat of the Delta variant brings to light the urgency of Bayanihan 3, and we appeal to our counterparts in the Senate to pass this measure and to our economic managers to secure funding for this bill," Velasco said. "We must strive to find a balance between keeping our citizens safe while ensuring that their essential needs are

From A1

Philippines effective July 31, 2021,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. He said the incoming military chief was expected to help ensure national security as well as pursue the AFP modernization program. “We are confident that Gen. Faustino will continue the peace and development efforts of his predecessors while aggressively building up our defense capability. We pray for Gen. Faustino’s success as he embarks in his new role as AFP Chief,” he added. Faustino, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988,

PH... From A1

He was a stroke better than Mexico’s Carlo Ortiz, who shot a 67. First-round leader Sepp Straka of Austria fired an even 71 and slipped to a tie for third at eight-under overall. Inclement weather halted the proceedings for nearly two hours and then another break ended the round for good, leaving a few golfers needing to finish their rounds. Pagunsan’s female teammates

arrest or jail those unvaccinated from going out,” Drilon said. “It is a valid and reasonable exercise of police power to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the people. The general welfare clause also provides sufficient authority to the State to implement measures for the ‘maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and promotion of the general welfare,’” Drilon explained. As of June 29, reports suggested that only 6.66 percent of the population, or about 7.2 million Filipinos, have been fully vaccinated, and only 10.48 percent, or about 11.43 million, of the population have received their first dose. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Women’s US Open champion Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan begin women’s play on Aug. 4. Meanwhile, Cris Nievarez completed his Olympic debut by finishing at 23rd place in the men’s single sculls of rowing at the Sea Forest Waterway. Nievarez submitted a time of seven minutes and 21.28 seconds to land fifth in the event’s Final D of the classification round. Those numbers were faster than the 7:22.97 he registered in the preliminary round that qualified him for the quarterfinals last July 23.

NBI collars two in vaccine-slots for sale scheme By Willie Casas THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Friday agents of NBI-Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU) arrested two individuals in Tondo, Manila for selling COVID-19 vaccination slots. NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor identified the suspects as Benjie Lagasca Montaos and Arturo Flores Magtalas. Suspects were presented for inquest proceedings before the Office of the City Prosecutor, Manila for violations of RA 11032 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 and RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Additional charges for violation of R 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) were filed against Arturo F. Magtalas. Distor said the case stemmed from a report regarding an alleged illegal sale of vaccination slots to POGO employees by certain “Benjie.” According to the information received, Benjie offered to personally assist the individuals who wish to avail themselves of the vaccination in Manila.

5 dead, 556 K displaced amid monsoon rains FIVE people, including a 39-year-old female from Baguio City, died from effects of the southwest monsoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Friday. The NDRRMC identified the latest fatality as an 18-year-old male from Ibaan, Batangas, who died due to drowning while the Baguio victim died in a vehicular accident involving a fallen tree on July 23. Three persons were reported injured due to the bad weather, including a 63-year-old male and a 29-year-old male in the July 23 vehicular accident. A 29-year-old male was also injured after a branch of a tree fell on him in the same city, it added. Reports on the three other fatalities are still awaiting validation, the NDRRMC said. Due to the effects of the monsoon rains, the NDRRMC said Masantol and Macabebe in Pampanga declared a state of calamity effective on July 26 and 28, respectively.

VFA... From A1

"Last night, after the meeting between Secretary Austin and the President... the President decided to recall or retract the termination letter for the VFA," Lorenzana said. "We are back on track.” The 1998 VFA provides the legal framework for the US to hold joint military exercises and operations in the Philippines and is a key component of their decades-long alliance. It is also seen as a bulwark against China's growing clout in the region. Austin, who was visiting Southeast Asia for the first time as US defense secretary, welcomed Duterte's decision, saying it "provides us some degree of certainty going forward.” "A strong, resilient US-Philippine alliance will remain vital to the security, stability and prosperity of the IndoPacific," Austin said. "A fully restored VFA will help us achieve that goal together." The move comes with tensions growing in the hotly contested South China Sea, where Beijing's growing assertiveness has raised alarm. China claims almost all of the resource-rich sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Beijing has ignored a 2016 international tribunal decision that declared its historical claim over most of the waters to be without basis. (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

Morato... From A1

“It was so fast—a matter of a week. It took us all by surprise because he usually overcomes challenges,” Cuenca told ABS-CBN News. Morato hosted a weekly talk show, Dial M, with former actress Maggie dela Riva. In 1992, he ran for senator but lost. He lost to Joseph Estrada in his 1998 presidential bid, after which he made another unsuccessful senatorial run in the 2001 elections. In 2004, he was appointed as board director of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes by then President Gloria Arroyo.

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SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

11 vying for vacant seat at SC Vizcaya gov faces charges over P149-m project delay NUEVA Vizcaya Gov. Carlos Padilla is facing a criminal and administrative complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for delayed and unfinished infrastructure projects worth P149 million. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, in a May 21 letter received by the Ombudsman on June 13, endorsed the complaint to Ombudsman Samuel Martires for appropriate action. “The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, together with the Special Action Unit of the National Bureau of Investigation, conducted a fact-finding investigation on the delayed and unfinished infrastructure projects, specifically the Nueva Ecija Convention Center, the improvement and expansion of the provincial capital building phases 1 and 2, and the Conference Hall at Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park, Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya,” the letter read. Others to face the charges included Padilla’s wife, ex-governor Ruth Padilla; lawyer Voltaire Garcia, bids and awards committee legal officer; engineer Manolo Norial; treasurer Rhoda Moreno; budget officer Alejandra Dacumos; agriculturist Alexander Domingo; technical working group chairman Honorio Sierra Jr., and several others. After a probe, the NBI-SAU issued a report with the recommendation to file criminal and administrative charges against the accused for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. The complaint was anchored on the Commission on Audit’s Jan. 30, 2017 report citing that “the three flagship projects totaling P149 million were not accomplished within the respective time duration, hence, early utilization thereof was not possible, and a basis for the termination of the contracts as provided under Item No. 8(4) Annex E of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9184 known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.” “Completion of the three projects were delayed by more than 10 percent when reconciled from the agreed time duration to complete the respective projects. Although the extension was approved for the completion of the Convention Center, still 30.5 percent accomplishment as of 31 December 2016 indicates that the project lagged from the revised target completion date last August 2016,” the complaint read.

By Rey Requejo

HE Judicial and Bar Council on Friday announced that there were 11 aspirants for the post of Supreme Court associate justice, which was left vacant last June 30 following the early retirement of Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos.

In an advisory, the 7-member JBC said the applicants include Commissioner Antonio T. Kho Jr. of the Commission on Elections, Finance Undersecretary Antonette C. Tionko, Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, Deputy Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, Court of Appeals Associate Justices Apolinario D. Bruselas Jr., Ramon A. Cruz, Japar B. Dimaampao, Ronaldo Roberto B. Martin and Maria Filomena D. Singh, and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje Tang and Associate Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg.

The JBC, a constitutional office that accepts, screens, and nominates appointments to the judiciary, has set the public interviews of the aspirants on August 11 and 12. SC’s Public Information Office chief Brian Keith Hosaka said the dates of the interview may change since the National Capital Region would be under enhanced community quarantine from Aug. 6 to 20. Currently, there are two existing vacancies in the 15-member bench. The first vacant post for associate justice arose from the promotion of then Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo as Chief Justice last

April 5. Then Delos Santos retired last June 30. Last June 18, the JBC sent to President Duterte its list of nominees to the post left by Gesmundo. The nominees include Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotage Tang, former Ateneo de Manila University law dean Sedfrey Candelaria, Court of Appeals Associate Justices Ramon Cruz and Japar Dimaampao, Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Geraldine Faith Econg and Rafael Lagos, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, CA Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh, and Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva. As of Friday morning, July 30, the President has not announced his appointee from among the nine nominees. The President, under the Constitution, has 90 days from the date of vacancy to ﬁll up the vacant SC post.

ESCAPE ARTIST. A car driver tried to evade a traffic enforcer along Mel Lopez Boulevard (former Radial Road 10) and ended up wrecking his car in Manila on July 30, 2021. Eye witnesses told police that the driver rammed his vehicle into a traffic enforcer of the Manila Traffic and Park Bureau. The driver escaped with the enforcer’s motorcycle and left the enforcer dead. Norman Cruz

Cebu Pacific kicks off employee vax program CEBU Pacific, the Philippines’ leading carrier, has rolled out its vaccination program which will inoculate employees and their dependents, and third-party workers for free. This is part of the Gokongwei Group’s COVID Protect Program which kicked off on July 6 with the vaccination of frontliners from Robinsons Retail. The conglomerate-procured vaccines were administered to Cebu Pacific’s first batch of 300 employees at the airline’s headquarters in Pasay City. CEB expects to complete administration of first dose this August and fully vaccinate all employees and third party workers by October this year. Prior to the COVID Protect, CEB has been championing vaccination, citing that the earliest vaccine is the best vaccine. Therefore, it forged partnerships with the Pasay LGU and the Project Balik-Buhay of Cebu, alongside LGU vaccination programs where employees reside. To date, 51% of CEB’s total workforce have been inoculated; while 58% of its flying pilots and crew have received their vaccine doses.

“Even before the pandemic, the safety and overall flight experience of our passengers have been topmost priorities. With the pandemic, now more than ever, health is of primordial concern. Rightfully so, we continue to ensure everyJuan will feel confident to fly with CEB thus our championing vaccination efforts not only for organic employees but also for dependents, and our third party workers,” said Felix Lopez, Cebu Pacific Vice President for People Department. The airline continues to intensify its safety drive to inspire passenger confidence as more Filipinos gear up for the easing of requirements and restrictions for air travel. “We are thankful to the CEB management for always ensuring we fly safely amid this pandemic, so we can also make sure we deliver the best service to our passengers,” said Cebu Pacific pilot Capt. Joey Mananghaya. The employee vaccination initiative is also in line with the airline company’s shared vision with Ingat Angat, a privatesector led campaign that promotes safety measures and vaccination to help foster a nationwide economic recovery.

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TODAY

ANNOUNCEMENT

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of the following senior officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), namely: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.

MONTANO B. ALMODOVAR to the rank of Colonel, PA WILLIAM VICTORIANO F. UPANO to the rank of Colonel, PA ROSALINO U. ESTORQUIA to the rank of Colonel, PA LEAH L. SANTIAGO to the rank of Colonel, PA CRIZALDO A. FERNANDEZ to the rank of Colonel, PA PHILIP M. FAGEL to the rank of Colonel, PA ELMER M. BOONGALING to the rank of Colonel, PA JONAS B. TEMPLO to the rank of Colonel, PA ROGELIO S. GABI to the rank of Colonel, PA WARREN C. MUNDA to the rank of Colonel, PA CLAIREMONT W. PINPIN to the rank of Colonel, PA HONORATO S. PASCUAL JR. to the rank of Colonel, PA DON D. TEMPLONUEVO to the rank of Colonel, PA NOLITO A. QUEMI to the rank of Colonel, PA (Res.) JOEL F. CASTRO to the rank of Colonel, PA (Res.) ALVIN A. ASPIRAS to the rank of Colonel, PA (Res.) WILLESTER S. ROBLES to the rank of Captain, PN ARNOLD C. FORTIN to the rank of Captain, PN GERALD S. BAUTISTA to the rank of Colonel, PN(M) EILEEN C. DOMINE to the rank of Captain, PN MARZ D. TADULAN to the rank of Captain, PN ELOISE SOTERO C. FABIAN JR. to the rank of Colonel, PN(M) MARCUS JASON D. BARTOLOME to the rank of Captain, PN JEMUEL D. ANGDASON to the rank of Captain, PN FLITZERALD P. CAÑETE to the rank of Captain, PN (Res.) REY A. GUBANTES to the rank of Colonel, PAF SUSAN T. RODOLFO to the rank of Colonel, PAF DERRICK S. ABLOG to the rank of Colonel, PAF OLIVER P. CASUNCAD to the rank of Colonel, PAF FLORANTE S. BATERINA to the rank of Colonel, PAF MA. CHRISTINA O. BASCO to the rank of Colonel, PAF ANGEL E. CUENO to the rank of Colonel, PAF (Res.)

The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions to the above ad interim appointments in six (6) copies to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila. For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 8831-1824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 88342706 and 8551-1989. 29 July 2021.

Manila

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(MS-JULY 31, 2021)

Cardiologists want entire PH ‘CPR-ready’ By Rio N. Araja AMID the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine Heart Association wants the Philippines to be CRP(cardiopulmonary resuscitation) ready. At the Usapang Puso sa Puso’s Zoom conference, Dr. Don Robespierre recommended that at least 70 percent of every barangay in the Philippines must know how to do a CPR, and that each barangay must have an automated external deﬁbrillator (AED) to be able to save a patient’s life. “CPR is a very important action,” he said. He said a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is now a big challenge amid the pandemic. The heart doctors even advised those who conduct the CPR to wear a pair of gloves if possible. “All places must have AEDs, even in churches,” past PHA chairman Richard Henry Tiongco II said. “Airports of our neighboring countries have too many AEDs, too. Sad to say, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has a few. At our airport, as if you are on an Easter egg hunting (for an AED),” Robespierre said. He said there is a need to train and educate even children on CPR, citing “every Filipino 10 years and above should know how to conduct CPR to save lives.” He, however, said the PHA needs the help of the government and the other groups in the private sector to enable the Philippines CP-ready. The heart doctors raised alarm over a high incidence of sudden cardiac arrest among the Filipino people. “With the CPR, we increase the chance of survival of a patient by 30 percent,” Robespierre said. AED even triples the chance of survival, he added. “It is now a big challenge as to how to train the people on CPR because of the pandemic. That is why we came up with a blended type of training, online training, lectures, and a face-to-face training and written exam based on the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (on Emerging Infectious Diseases),” he said. Dr. Ronald Law of the Department of Health’s Health Emergency/ Management Bureau said they welcome a partnership with the private heart doctors.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

TODAY COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCEMENT

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for its consent on the nominations and for the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of the following officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), namely: Nominations: 1. Ms. NORALYN JUBAIRA BAJA

2. Ms. DEENA JOY DY AMATONG 3. Mr. IGOR GARLIT BAILEN

4. Mr. ENRICO TRINIDAD FOS Ms. MARIE CHARLOTTE GOLIM TANG

6. Ms. MARIAN JOCELYN R. TIROL-IGNACIO

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.

Chief of Mission, Class I as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of South Africa with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, Kingdom of Lesotho, Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Zambia, and Republic of Zimbabwe Chief of Mission, Class II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Chief of Mission, Class II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus and Republic of Kazakhstan Chief of Mission, Class II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Iceland Chief of Mission, Class II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya with concurrent jurisdiction over the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Seychelles, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi, and Union of the Comoros Chief of Mission, Class II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Negara Brunei Darussalam

Ad Interim Appointments: Mr. NARCISO TEODORO CASTAÑEDA Chief of Mission, Class I Ms. GINA ALAGON JAMORALIN Chief of Mission, Class I Mr. CHARLIE PACAÑA MANANGAN Chief of Mission, Class I Ms. HJAYCEELYN MANCENIDO QUINTANA Chief of Mission, Class I Mr. JOSE ALMODOVAR CABRERA III Chief of Mission, Class II Mr. JOSEL FRANCISCO IGNACIO Chief of Mission, Class II Ms. MARIA THERESA STA. MARIA LAZARO Chief of Mission, Class II Ms. ROSARIO PAULINO LEMQUE Chief of Mission, Class II Mr. PORFIRIO MARALIT MAYO JR. Chief of Mission, Class II Mr. IVAN FRANK MODEQUILLO OLEA Chief of Mission, Class II Mr. MARCOS ANGELO ABAD SANTOS PUNSALANG Chief of Mission, Class II Mr. ARVIC VENTURA AREVALO Career Minister Mr. ARIZ SEVERINO VILLAESCUSA CONVALECER Career Minister Ms. MARIA PAZ GABAN CORTES Career Minister Ms. MELANIE RITA BALISI DIANO Career Minister Ms. MARY JENNIFER DOMINGO DINGAL Career Minister Mr. BRYAN DEXTER BURGOS LAO Career Minister Ms. LEAH VICTORIA CARADA RODRIGUEZ Career Minister Ms. CATHERINE ROSE GALANG TORRES Career Minister Ms. RACHEL ANNE LINDAIN ORONCE Foreign Service Officer, Class I Ms. MARY GRACE VILLANUEVA VILLAMAYOR Foreign Service Officer, Class I

The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions to the above nominations and ad interim appointments in six (6) copies to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila. For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 8831-1824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 8834-2706 and 8551-1989. 30 July 2021.

HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary

One of Cebu Pacific’s pilots gets inoculated during the vaccination kick-off.

(MS-JULY 31, 2021)

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021 Email: mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

No delay in 2022 budget despite looming election period—Lacson P5.2m shabu in 3 packages T seized at NAIA By Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo CUSTOMS agents assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have seized three shipments of shabu valued at almost P5.2 million. The drugs, concealed in a birdhouse, shuttlecock casing, and figure trimmer waist twister, respectively, were about to be exported to Australia, Bahrain, and United Kingdom when the authorities intercepted them at the DHL warehouse in Pasay City. On Friday, Customs NAIA officials turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency the three packages containing a total of 763 grams of shabu. The authorities did not identify the exporters of the shipments. They said the three senders were residents of Makati City and Dasmarinas, Cavite, based on recovered documents. Customs agents seized the contraband with the help of PDEA and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Group (NAIA-IADIGT) operatives. The Port of NAIA legal department is now readying criminal charges against the owners of the three shipments. Officials said the owners will be held liable for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 and RA 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) of 2016, specifically Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation and Exportation) in relation to Section 119 (d). The latest seizure came two weeks after the confiscation of a smuggled shipment of party drug Ecstasy worth P9.5 million, also at the airport. Port of NAIA operatives also arrested the claimants of the package containing 5,637 tablets of ecstasy from Neuss, Germany. Five months ago, Customs NAIA agents also intercepted a smuggled shipment of ecstasy worth P4.9 million and arrested one Ronron Salonga who had claimed the package at the Manila Central Post Office. Salonga’s package, containing 2,878 tablets of ecstasy, was also misdeclared as women and kid clothes and shoes, and was sent by a certain “Mary Lumbao Edward” from the Netherlands.

here will be no delay in the passage of the proposed P5.024trillion national budget for 2022 amid preparations for the May 2022 general elections, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson assured Friday.

“The passage of the national budget bill will not be delayed if we can help it. While we are aware of the Oct. 1-8 schedule for filing of certificates of candidacy, we can assure our people that the preparations for the 2022 elections will not disrupt our efforts to scrutinize and pass the national budget,” he said. Lacson, who will seek the presiden-

cy in 2022, said senators will do their duty to scrutinize the proposed budget and pass it before Congress’ December break. “Until we are in the Senate, we will do our job as senators. We will be legislators first and foremost,” he said. Lacson said he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, are hopeful there will be no reenacted budget, and that the budget bill will be passed before the December break. The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has approved the expenditure ceiling of the 2022 National Expenditure Program at P5.024 trillion, 11.5 percent higher than the 2021 NEP. But Lacson said this does not mean he will be any less eagle-eyed in inspecting the budget bill and questioning the officials concerned, to ensure accountability.

Lacson said he will also grill officials on why the government’s borrowings are bigger than the projected deficit, even in an executive session if need be. “What is unacceptable is that projects that did not go through planning and vetting are inserted into the budget bill, and there is no way for the implementing agency to determine if the project will not be substandard. That’s what we will fight for – proper accountability,” he said. On the other hand, Lacson said he will examine the government’s spending for COVID-19 vaccines, to maximize limited resources and make sure there is no wastage of funds. He also said the budget should have a much bigger allocation for research and development (R&D), than the miniscule share of the national budget, averaging only 0.4 percent in past years.

Sy, witness vs. De Lima, dies of stroke in NBP prison By Rey E. Requejo A CONVICTED drug lord died on Thursday night at a military detention facility after suffering from stroke. Vicente Sy, a high-profile inmate at the Bureau of Corrections extension facility at the Philippine Marine Corps in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, was first brought to the Philippine Marine Naval Hospital on Tuesday after experiencing difficulty in breathing. Sy previously testified that he contributed campaign funds to jailed Senator Leila de Lima. He was among 10 New Bilibid Prison inmates who testified against the lawmaker in her three criminal cases. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday said the death of Sy will no longer affect the prosecution of the illegal drug trading charges filed against De Lima. Guevarra stressed that Sy had already testified in the criminal cases and had also been cross-examined by De Lima’s lawyers. “His death will not have any impact on the prosecution of the cases,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters. Sy was administered emergency treatment, hooked to an oxygen machine, and returned to his cell at night. Two days later, NBP doctors from Muntinlupa City determined he had suffered a stroke. “He experienced several seizures while still at Fort Bonifacio but was revived,” BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said in a message to newsmen. From the Marine Corps facility at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sy was brought to the NBP Hospital for further treatment, management, and preparation for outside emergency referral to Ospital ng Muntinlupa.

Raise gov’t nurses salary now—solon By Maricel V. Cruz

SARI-SARI AID. Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, and Rep. Edgar Erice lead the distributions to the 400 beneficiaries of

the Sari-Sari Store Community program in Caloocan City on Thursday. This is on top of 100 sari-sari store owners from the city who received aid from the program. Norman Cruz

Solutions, strategic direction urged amid health crisis TOP political analysts called for urgent solutions and more strategic direction to the health and economic crisis during the recent post-State of the Nation (SONA) virtual town hall discussion hosted by think tank Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi). Judge Raul Pangalangan of the International Criminal Court and Stratbase ADRi Trustee said: “We’ve got the biggest crisis of all, the pandemic which threatens our health and our economy, but it is also an opportunity for well-

meaning Filipinos to forge a solidarity unknown in ordinary time and possibly even if fleetingly bring forth the fictive nation that cuts across the lines of social class that divide us today.” Pangalangan added: “This SONA comes at a time where many nations around the globe have recognized the arbitral award on the South China Sea rendered at the permanent court of arbitration at the Hague. If we listen to the SONA this Monday, the President’s position on this matter depends on which

part of the speech you heard.” “Notice that the categorical affirmation of the triumph at the Hague early on in the speech was somehow diluted towards the end,” he said. “Monday this week was the turn of the President to declare what he considered the State of the Nation. Today and the days following is the turn of the Filipino Nation to speak its many voices, and to say what dreams and hopes that began in 2016 remain alive and kicking in 2021,” Pangalangan said.

Call for mining tax regime, ‘rainy day’ trust fund renewed in PH-EITI confab

VAX DRIVE. A resident gets jabbed as Iloilo City rolls out the 2nd dose of Sinovac at Robinson Mall in Jaro District. Iloilo City increased its target population for vaccination to 525,000 to achieve 85% herd immunity from Delta variant. Iloilo City PIO

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Friday called for the passage of the proposed fiscal regime for the mining industry, saying the industry is a potential job creator in the post-COVID future. Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, emphasized the natural wealth potential of the Philippines, but observed “key deficiencies in the country’s extractive industry governance framework,” some of which can be resolved by a “coherent tax regime.” “The country is the fifth most mineral-rich country in the world for gold, nickel, copper, and chromite. It is also

home to the largest copper-gold deposit in the world. Estimates suggest that up to 840 billion dollars of untapped mineral wealth is in Philippine soil,” Salceda said in his keynote speech during the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI) National Conference on Thursday. “This is not to mention the 17.1 billion barrels of oil deposits that China’s Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources estimates to be in the Spratlys, or the 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas that the US Energy Information Administration believes to be in the area. Maricel V. Cruz

A PARTY-LIST Lawmaker on Friday urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Health (DOH) to implement Malacanang’s order to increase the basic salary of most government nurses by at least P3,000. Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor made the appeal after learning that nurses in Quezon City hospitals are still awaiting the pay hike. He said the June 1, 2021 memorandum of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea reversing the demotion of nurses and increasing the salary of most of them has remained unimplemented. “Our healthcare workers holding Nurse ll positions should have been receiving an additional P3,000 a month but they are not getting it. We call them heroes of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic together with other frontline personnel, but that’s just an empty rhetoric,” he said. Defensor said the DBM could tap the P29.3-billion compensation adjustment fund in the 2021 national budget for the salary increase. “The DBM should take it upon itself to immediately implement Secretary Medialdea’s directive. It was the DBM in the first place which demoted our nurses last year, including those in local government units (LGUs) throughout the country,” he added. He pointed out that based on a previous statement of the nursing staff association at the Philippine General Hospital, most government nurses are Nurse ll holders. According to the group, out of PGH’s 1,142 nurses, 823 or 72 percent are ranked as Nurse ll.

Historic Lanao town groomed as BARMM’s Cultural Tourism Capital By Nash B. Maulana

(First of Two Parts) PICONG, Lanao del Sur — This seashore and riverside town is being groomed as the cultural tourism capital of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). For one, common historical narratives traditionally bind the tribal diversity of Mainland Mindanao and the islands here. The municipality of Picong lies along the Lanao del Sur section of the Seaside Road connecting the province to Cotabato City in the south and to Lanao Norte and Pagadian City in the north by the east-tosouth coastal contour of Illana Bay. Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong says Sultan Gumander, Picong’s former name, had been gerrymandered by the Marcos govern-

ment from the old Malabang trade settlement, along with Balabagan and Kapatagan towns. Hallowed ground is the Picong River headwater in Palaw-A-Bukid, majestically overlooking both Lake Dapao and the Illana Bay adjoining the Moro Gulf. When in Picong, an eastward travel to Tanaon towards the Picong River headwater at Palaw-A-Bukid heads to the historic seat of power of the old Nago Sa Picong, the ancestor of the powerful Balindong clan that rules the adjoining Malabang and Picong towns. Palaw a Bukid is a landscape picturesque of the proverbial bests of both worlds: the scenery of Lake Dapao to the east and overlooking the Illana Bay by the west. It’s like the double treat that most tourists would prefer in a Turkey package for the view of two continents— Asia down south by the Mediterranean

Sea, and Europe up north by the Black Sea. Datu Barrage Balindong Ramos Datu, the municipal planning and development officer, said long before becoming a territorial part of the modern-day Lanao del Sur, Picong significantly situated a home-base defense for the Moro people’s wars against western colonization, after Spain had conquered and colonized most of “Las Islas Filipinas.” Efforts to preserve structural landmarks of the beginnings of the Moro Revolution here in 1969 start with a daylong tour and dialogue between Ramos Datu and a team sent in by BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, composed of Architect Gloryrose Metilla, and Engineer Abibazar Sali, MILG project development officer. Tourism sites to an erstwhile battle-

ground were popularized in Vietnam, in places like the War Remnants Museum and the Khe Sanh Combat Base Museum, among others. The local government of Picong is also developing the coastal village of Ramitan, where Philippine Muslim hero Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat landed in April 1639 from Bangingi, a Sulu island near Basilan. The west side of Basilan became the first line of defense of Sulu under Kudarat’s father in-law, Sultan Mawallil Wassit Bungsu, in the expedition of Governor General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera from 1637 to 1638. Ramos Datu shares that the historical facts of Kudarat’s landing here and his delivery of his famous Lake Speech at Dapao will make for interesting cultural tourism development in annual festival rites and re-enactment of historic events.

The seaside spot where Sultan Kudarat was met by Maranao rulers in 1639. Nash B. Maulana

Opinion Rekindling patriotism

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

EDITORIAL

his usual “talk to the nation” addresses, only, he had as audience his political allies who were only too happy to oblige him with generous doses of applause. On the other hand, this SONA has strengthened the resolve of many to do better in the next elections. This is not a president that the Filipinos deserve. Patriotism LAST week was a rollercoaster ride. It was was rekindled by Duterte’s SONA, not because he inspired it, but because of how he a week of lows and highs. Depending on which political side to disregarded people’s aspirations. In the evening of the SONA, the country which one belongs, the last State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo was greeted with the wonderful news of HidDuterte was met with much anticipation or ilyn Diaz’ success in bagging the gold medal trepidation. It was disturbing to see Duter- at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. This woman te losing his balance and almost stumbling athlete who was red-tagged by the Duterte administration, and who had to virtually beg for (again) as he was walking. Since this was not the first time, it seemed support to be able to compete, gave the counthat even the simple act of walking is now a try our first Olympic gold medal. She won challenge to the aging head of the country. over her closest rival who was from China. The news of Hidilyn’s success was met This is concerning especially for his family, friends and allies, and for the whole nation with much jubilation by a nation that is very because the state of the president’s health is hungry for good news. It also provided them with some respite from the just finished a serious concern. People had expectations of the SONA SONA that got people so riled up. The but certainly, no one thought it would last country’s first gold medal gave the Filipino for two hours and 46 minutes. Duterte loves people a reason to celebrate for a change. Hidilyn’s successful to talk and (like in prebid at the Tokyo Olymvious addresses) many pics was sweet but it times deviated from We have been very was even sweeter behis prepared speech cause she is a woman, and resorted to his hungry and thirsty for and she vested her Chiusual rambling mana reason to again feel nese opposition. I shed ner of speaking. He tears when for the very tried to, but could not pride as a Filipino. first time, the Philipreally control himself pine national anthem, from threatening to Lupang Hinirang, was kill people, and utterplayed in the Olympics. It warmed my heart ing his favorite cuss words. Those in attendance at the plenary of the to see Hidilyn passionately singing our counHouse of Representatives for the SONA were try’s song behind her face mask. I was filled obviously Duterte’s close allies. Who else with pride as a woman because of Hidilyn, and would clap at almost every sentence from as a Filipino when the country’s flag was hoisted Duterte, even the most inane, but his fandom? ABOVE China’s flag. It was a glorious moment. It was a heartwarming experience to, for Obviously for this president, the biggest problem of the country is not the still rag- once, see and hear our country’s foremost ing COVID-19 pandemic, but drugs. It was symbols given the respect we, as a coundrugs then, and it still is drugs now. Need- try, deserves. Maybe this is because for less to say, his campaign promise of ridding the last five years, we have felt repeatedly the country of illegal drugs in three to six disrespected. Our country’s sovereign rights have been disregarded and set aside by this months is a huge failure. People wanted to know how his administra- administration that is supposed to defend tion would defeat COVID-19 especially since the country’s honor and sovereignty. We have been very hungry and thirsty for the pandemic has been ravaging the country for almost one year and five months now. Metro a reason to again feel pride as a Filipino. Manila and nearby provinces have been under We wanted especially to prove to China that various forms of quarantine for the same peri- the Philippines is a co-equal nation and that od, and more and more Filipinos suffer from it cannot continue to occupy our territories worsening poverty and experiencing anxiety. and rob our resources. We have been wantEnding the pandemic would have been a good ing to show Duterte that we can go against his friend China. legacy for Duterte’s administration. Duterte’s SONA gave us a reason to reBut it was not to be so. It was such a disappointment when the President instead new our patriotism in our quest for better focused on drugs, and merely said that the public servants who will protect the peoanswers to this terrible plague were vac- ple’s rights and the country’s sovereignty. Hidilyn rekindled and gave us the opportucines and prayers. Duterte’s last SONA was a huge let- nity to proclaim our patriotism. As Hidilyn very aptly said, “I defeated down. It was not inspiring at all. It did not offer the country a roadmap to recovery. It China, kaya natin.” Indeed with patriotism, did not give people a reason to hope. It did we can. not rally Filipinos to be united in defeating @bethangsioco on Twitter; Elizabeth COVID-19. His last SONA was nothing more than Angsioco on Facebook

The team to beat? who were adopted by the Nacionalista Party, Bongbong placed 7th, garnering a total votes of 13,169,364. Even NP’s standard bearer, Manny Villar could only get a third of Bongbong’s votes. And this could only mean one thing—the Marcos supporters are still very much around. Still in doubt? LAST Sunday, Philippine Star columnist In 2016, despite the all-out campaign Dick Pascual, in his column, floated the waged against him by the Aquino adidea of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. ministration, and assuming he really was teaming up with a Duterte—either Presi- not cheated, Bongbong got 14,155,344 dent Rodrigo Duterte or his daughter, Sara votes in the vice presidential race. In fact, —for the 2022 elections. Mr. Dick Pascual contends the Marcos have Without giving a detailed explanation, helped Duterte get elected in 2016. And this Pascual averred that if ever the two families could actually hold water. link up, “it would be so overwhelming that Duterte got a total of 16,601,997 votes. only divine intervention could prevent its While Bongbong’s running mate then was sweeping the 2022 national positions down the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago, she to the senatorial level.” only got 1,455,532 votes, meaning the maActually, I have been discussing this jority of those who voted for Marcos, did scenario in some political circles as early not go for her. So, who will these Marcos as last year when rumors of a possible Mar- supporters vote for? cos-Duterte team up began circulating. I Definitely not the other candidates who have stated then, and I am maintaining this, are identified with the Yellows who they abeven in the midst of these political surveys hor to their bones, and vice versa. Mar Roxshowing Marcos placing a distant second to as is the official Yellow candidate, Senator Inday Sara, that should the two decide to Grace Poe is the Yelrun as a team, they will low’s reserved horse, be unbeatable. Either having even been inof the two can head vited to ran as Roxas’ Marcos-Duterte the ticket. running mate. Even My reason is simor Duterte-Marcos former Vice President ple: I think the vilificaJojo Binay was identiwould be formidable. tion campaign against fied with the Yellows the Marcos family has having dilly-dallied on already lost steam and his decision to sever in fact, slowly reversties with the Aquino administration even after ing itself. being heavily persecuted in a Senate investiFor the longest time, the Marcoses have gation after having made known his position shied away from national electoral posi- on the controversial Disbursement Accelerations having been traumatized by the events tion Program. Add to it the fact Binay was a of 1986. And no other family, not even the staunch anti-Marcos activist in the 80s. Arroyos, have been as vilified as much as So, who would these Marcos supporters vote this family. Even school textbooks have for? The obvious choice would be Duterte. to be rewritten to portray not only their It would be even safe to assume that Duterte patriarch, the late Ferdinand Sr. but the won not because he was popular that time. whole family as well, as the worst family He won because of the overwhelming frusto have occupied Malacañang Palace. After tration and hatred of the people that time returning from “exile,” they have to content against the Aquino administration. And themselves with locally elected positions as the Marcos supporters would willingly they believed then they could only count on deliver their votes for the former Davao their kababayans to support them. City mayor rather than suffer another six But all these changed when Bongbong years of Yellow rule. decided to run for a national position in Never mind Cayetano, Duterte’s running 2010—a seat in the Senate. mate got more than 5 million votes that time With even his partymates campaigning as he cannot deliver those votes to Duterte as against him, the Bayan Muna candidates he is also largely identified with the Yellows

Fighting an unseen enemy T

HE return to Enhanced Community Quarantine on August 6, as recommended and approved while COVID-19 vaccinations continue, is certainly not ideal. Most affected will be the daily wage earners who will have to ﬁnd another way to earn their keep. Small businesses, which have managed to get by during the past few months, will again see diminished activity— hence revenue.

effect until August 5 in the NCR Plus Bubble, which includes the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna. Local chief executives in the national capital region previously called for the imposition of the strictest form of quarantine—a circuit breaker to the noted increasing daily rate of infections—in Metro Manila to pre-

We defer however to the authorities and decision makers. We are sure they have analyzed the data and deliberated the pros and cons of imposing yet another lockdown. The return of Metro Manila under ECQ from August 6 to 20, to be reviewed after that period, will succeed the general community quarantine status with “heightened and additional restrictions” which is in

vent the spread of the disease. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos said the national government has approved the request of local chief executives in the NCR to distribute cash aid to the affected families during the two-week ECQ. Presidential and Task Force spokesman Harry Roque reminded the public not to resort to “panic buying” since they have a

We need to brace ourselves for a much longer struggle.

week to prepare for the ECQ. Businesses that will be affected are also encouraged to make the necessary preparations. Under the latest IATF Resolution 130A, outdoor dining will not be allowed under the stricter GCQ starting July 31. Take-out and food deliveries are the only services allowed. Starting July 30, personal care services can operate up to 30 percent of venue or seating capacity. Indoor sports courts and venues; and indoor tourist attractions; and specialized markets of the Department of Tourism will not be allowed to operate. Public transportation will remain operational. Only authorized persons can travel into and outside NCR Plus composed of Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna. Only virtual religious gatherings shall be allowed starting July 30. Beyond doubt, the return to ECQ is not the development we all had hoped for—but we need to remember that we are still ﬁghting an unseen enemy. We need to brace ourselves for a much longer struggle.

The four revolutions undertaken by the CPC Plan. Others disagree. First, the Marshall Plan selected the countries to receive the economic rehabilitation given by the US while the BRI was open to all, provided they apply for membership. Second, the BRI is beneﬁcial to countries as it is intended to develop both the public and the private sectors of the economy. Third, the Marshall Plan had ideological undertones of promoting free enterprise. Fourth, unlike the Marshall Plan, the BRI is one that can generate its own income, and is not dependent on funding from China. Fifth, the overall ledger of the BRI is the accelerated development of the member states. In effect, the BRI can use it to measure the country’s economic development as it provides the basic infrastructure like the opening of arterial roads and ports and the creation of commercial centers to promote trade and enhance the income of the people and economy.

IT IS rather appropriate to term the 100th founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as the rejuvenation of the nation. The term used by President Xi Jinping is to describe the occasion to include the strides it has achieved. American professor Graham Tillett Allison, Jr., author of the book “Thucydides Trap” concurs that “China’s rejuvenation” is the re-emergence of its economic power, much that for five thousand years, it has been a great power, and was only eclipsed at the turn of the 18th century when the West imposed unequal trade until it ended in 1949. President Xi Jinping’s description of China as one of great rejuvenation of China is accurate because China once traded in the ancient world, has influenced the propagation of culture and invented products of great value like gunpowder, paper and compass. China has a long history of civilization. This explains why the Middle Kingdom, as it was then called, imposed an isolationist policy since it has all the resources it needs. The CPC remains humble but proud of its achievements. China also calls the anniversary as the end to an era of humiliation. When somebody in the incoming Truman administration then whispered that the defeat of the Nazis did not mean the US would emerge as a monolithic power, President Truman could not believe it. Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard later applied the win-win formula in international relations to avoid the ghastly destruction of World War II. He wanted to avoid the US and China ending up in what Allison termed as the “Thucydides Trap.” In fact, ahead was George C. Marshall who came out with a novel idea similar to the present Marshall Plan. Many say it is a carbon copy of today’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China. The Marshall Plan extended economic assistance to the war-ravaged countries of Europe, including the drastic reform in the monetary system. Surprisingly, the Plan excluded countries in Eastern Europe. For this, the US transferred over $13 billion to economically rehabilitate Europe and to prevent it from being overrun by the Soviet Union. The plan included Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and then West Germany. As stated, many countries observed, the BRI of China was lifted from the Marshall ever since. But granting for the sake of argument, Cayetano did deliver votes for Duterte, it would still mean more than half of Duterte’s voters were also from the Marcos camp. The Marcos command vote was again validated in 2019 when Imee Marcos placed 8th in the senatorial elections, garnering a total of 15,882,628 votes. The figures don’t lie. The number of Marcos supporters is around 13 million to a little less than 16 million. It would have been a different story if the figures would show an erratic rise or fluctuation. But no, after nine years, it seems

On the rejuvenation of the nation The BRI is estimated to cost around $4 trillion to 8 trillion involving 60 countries. China and the participating states are not counting on the cost, for as said, the project is self-sustaining. They will reap the income as soon as it is completed. Unlike the Western-sponsored developmental projects, the problem of paying the cost is left to the host country which is often subject to political blackmail by the lending countries which reason why many debtor-states are mired in debt or abandoned the project for lack of funds. Strictly speaking, the CPC has already attained its objective of capturing political power, understood as the success of the revolution. From the Marxist point of view, the revolution involves changes in the social and economic system. In China’s case, the shift to socialism with Chinese characteristics did not end there. It continues to improve and better serve the people well. The CPC went beyond the stage of promising liberation to their people. That was the ﬁrst revolution. And it is now committed to constantly ﬁnding solutions to problems confronting their society. This is an important task necessary to avoid the Party from stagnating to irrelevancy. The Party has to offer something novel to put tangible meaning to their liberation. The ascendancy of Deng Xiaoping saw the re-structuring of China’s economy towards modernization. This was the second revolution that kept the party relevant and vibrant. Deng stunned the world when he said: “To get rich is glorious.” This was his way of promoting a free market economy in an erstto be slowly but consistently on the rise. With such a formidable number to back him up, and adding up Duterte’s own supporters, the tandem of Bongbong and Duterte, be it the father or the daughter, would really be unbeatable. But the major contention of course would be is this: Who will be the standard bearer? The Duterte camp would surely bat for the equity of the incumbent as they are the ones in power. But to slide down to the position of vice president would be more acceptable as it would do away issues of morality and political

MORE OPINION ONLINE (www.manilastandard.net)

while egalitarian society. It was this shift to socialism with a Chinese characteristic that today is threatening to crumble the very foundation of US free enterprise. It was this shift that made China the most economically powerful country in the world today. The third revolution undertaken by the CPC was the promise to eradicate poverty. Although this revolution was ahead of the majestic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the policy was intended to uplift the people in rural China. Unless achieved, the revolution will remain shaky. People will always find excuses to change their government and poverty is the external manifestation of social and economic inequality. This breeds corruption and the reason why nations are deeply divided and wracked in civil war. The eradication of poverty by President Xi Jinping proved to be correct and timely. As China was slowly industrializing and the people enjoying the fruits of a moderately prosperous economy, the China’s National People Congress redirected the thrust of development to supplying the needs of the people better suited to their standard of living. China has to attend to the needs of its internal market by supplying the emerging market with goods to cushion their economy which is why it was able to avoid the cyclical economic shocks experienced in the West. China today has the biggest population of the middle class in the world. China knows about the cycle in the capitalist system of economy, and the lifting of the more 600 million Chinese from poverty would necessitate the consumption of new products attuned to the lifestyle of what they described as a moderately prosperous society. The progress in China affected the needs of the internal market of rural China, and the emergence of the middle class gave buoyancy to its economy. It was as what the Chinese would say a win-win formula. The fourth revolution was the launching of the BRI. The gargantuan economic project was a declaration that the world has a community of shared future. China cannot remain isolated while the rest of mankind wallows in poverty, disease, employment, and wrapped in ignorance. Maybe this is the final revolution. The People’s Republic of China is true to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence enunciated by its late Premier Zhou Enlai. It continues to avoid the entanglement of the Cold War they know could lead China and the rest of mankind to the Thucydides Trap. China has repeatedly said that it will not start a conflict but will never shy away if attacked. The BRI is China’s universalization of the win-win formula in international relations or should we say the application that we truly have a “community of shared future.” rpkapunan@gmail.com dynasty. Anyway, she’s still young. She’s only 43 now. And if she decides to run for president in 2028, she would still be only 49. Anyway, no one among the two has made known their preference for next year. Even afNAKED ter getting the commitment of the Solid North, Bongbong says they are still weighing their THOUGHT options. And the same I believe goes for Sara. CHARLIE But in the event these twoV. decide to team up, as Mr. Dick MANALO Pascual puts it, “barring any divine (or devious) intervention, a Marcos-Duterte tandem would be formidable.” Tapos na ang boksing.

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Who will watch the watchdogs?

People vs. Sapla

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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TODAY SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Flawed papers fueling COVID misinformation

SCIENTIFIC studies with poor methodology and inaccurate findings are exacerbating a COVID-19 misinformation crisis that is discouraging vaccination and putting lives at risk. The intense public interest in the pandemic and divisive debate in the United States over how to address it facilitates the spread of faulty research papers online, including by vaccine opponents. And even if a study is retracted, it is too late. “Once the paper is published, the damage is irrevocable,” said Emerson Brooking, resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, which focuses on identifying and exposing disinformation. Flawed papers “have been fuel to the fire for COVID-19 skeptics and conspiracy theorists. They are frequently the subject of viral online activity. Their findings are further filtered through salacious and misleading articles from fringe websites,” Brooking told AFP. Inaccurate information about vaccines is especially dangerous at a time when uptake of the shots has slowed in the United States, where health officials say almost all recent COVID-19 deaths occurred among those who were not immunized. AFP

SCORCHED EARTH. The remains of a burnt animal lay in a torched area during a massive forest fire which engulfed a Mediterranean resort region on Turkey’s southern coast near the town of Manavgat, on July 29, 2021. At least three people were reported dead and more than 100 injured in the blaze. AFP

WHO WARNS OF ‘FOURTH WAVE’

(MS-JULY 31, 2020)

World races to contain Delta as US steps up anti-virus plan

OVERNMENTS around the world raced to head off a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the Delta variant, with US President Joe Biden offering new incentives to vaccine holdouts and Israel authorizing booster shots. The World Health Organization warned the highly transmissible strain of the virus, first detected in India, could unleash a “fourth wave” of cases in its Eastern Mediterranean zone – an area stretching from Morocco to Pakistan. Those countries are especially at risk because vaccination rates are low – only 5.5 percent of the region’s population has been fully vaccinated. So in nations where vaccines are more available, public officials are sounding the alarm. “People are dying – and will die – who don’t have to die,” Biden said in a speech on his administration’s new initiatives aimed at curbing the spread. “If you’re out there and unvaccinated, you don’t have to die.”

He said all federal government workers would be asked to reveal their vaccination status – and those without the jab would have to mask in the workplace and submit to COVID-19 tests. The Democratic president also said he would ask the Pentagon to consider making the coronavirus vaccine mandatory for active duty military personnel, and asked state and local governments to offer $100 to holdouts who get the shot. Delta cluster reaches Beijing A coronavirus cluster that emerged in the Chinese city of Nanjing has now reached five provinces and Beijing, forcing lockdowns on hundreds of thousands of people as authorities scramble to stamp out the worst outbreak in months. AFP

DEADLY ROYAL.

(MS-JULY 31, 2020)

Belgium’s Crown Princess Elisabeth is shown attending a three-day training camp at the Training Center Commando to finish her one year formation at the Royal Military Academy in Marche-les-Dames. Among other things, she does rock climbing, abseiling, death rides and dinghy. AFP

IN BRIEF Japan to extend virus emergency as daily cases hit top 10,000

JAPAN’S government will extend a virus state of emergency in Tokyo and impose the measure in four more regions on Friday, as cases surge a week into the pandemic-postponed Olympics. The Japanese capital reported a record number of new infections on Thursday as daily cases nationwide topped 10,000 for the first time. On Friday, Tokyo 2020 organizers reported 27 new cases related to the event – the highest daily figure yet – although they insist there is nothing to suggest a link to rising infections in Japan. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the government is acting “with a sense of urgency” and would announce a decision Friday on widening anti-infection measures. Tokyo’s current virus emergency, which shortens restaurant and bar opening hours and bans them from selling alcohol, is due to end August 22, but the government plans to extend it until the end of the month. AFP

Democracy movement moves out of Suu Kyi’s shadow

Imprisoned by the military, detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is isolated from the young protesters now forging their own struggle for democracy outside of her shadow. Sunday marks six months since her National League for Democracy (NLD) government was ousted, setting off a mass uprising and violent military crackdown that has killed nearly 1,000 people. Suu Kyi remains a revered figure locally for her courageous opposition to a previous junta, despite her international reputation suffering after she governed in a power-sharing deal with the generals. But for many still fighting, the revolution must go further than the movement the Nobel laureate led decades ago, and permanently root out military dominance of the country’s politics and economy. AFP

British ex-adviser to Najib has graft charges dropped

(MS-JULY 31, 2020)

A CONTROVERSIAL British former media adviser to Malaysian ex-leader Najib Razak has had money-laundering charges dropped after agreeing to pay $1.7 million to scandal-hit sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, officials said Friday. Paul Stadlen is believed to have left the country shortly after his boss, former prime minister Najib, suffered a shock election defeat in 2018. Najib and many of his confidants faced corruption charges after the polls for their roles in a massive scandal involving the fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Billions of dollars were looted from 1MDB in a fraud that spanned the globe, with the money spent on everything from a super-yacht to art. AFP

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Business PSEi July 30, 2021

TOP GAINERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

VMC OPM

2.46 0.012

0.21 0.001

9.33% 9.09%

ABSP

11.16

0.66

6.29%

4 5

MVC BCB

5.4 5.23

0.3 0.23

5.88% 4.60%

BMM

72.1

3.1

4.49%

LCB

0.148

0.006

4.23%

PSE

224.2

8.2

3.80%

9 10

2GO UPM

8.36 0.0091

0.3 0.0003

3.72% 3.41%

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

PTC VUL

80 1.35

-17.1 -0.2

-17.61% -12.90%

EVER

0.28

-0.035

-11.11%

BHI

0.092

-0.011

-10.68%

5 6

CAB ACE

53.6 1.76

-6.2 -0.18

-10.37% -9.28%

SMC

104

-9

-7.96%

8 9 10

CAT PHN ALI

13.4 13 32.7

-1.1 -1 -2.45

-7.59% -7.14% -6.97%

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market sinks on new lockdown rules

HE stock market plummeted Friday after President Duterte approved a recommendation to place Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine, the strictest lockdown level, to curb the spread of the virulent COVID-19 Delta variant from Aug. 6 to 20.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. slumped 226.30 points, or 3.5 percent, to 6,270.23 on a value turnover of P6.3 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 159 to 47, with 42 issues unchanged. Major property developer and retail mall

operator Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group sank 7 percent to P32.70, while Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, declined 4.4 percent to P126.70. SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group, the largest shopping mall owner, dropped 4.1 percent to P31.45, while parent SM Investments Corp. fell 4.8 percent to P910.50. The rest of equities fell in Asia on Friday, setting them up to end a volatile week on a negative note as China’s regulatory crackdown continued to spook investors. Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta were all in negative territory, though Singapore and Mumbai rose. “It’s the fear of the unknown,” Justin Tang, at United First Partners, said. “Market sentiment is on thin ice. Investors probably expected more meat,

however they only got bones in respect to details of the Chinese government’s exhortation to calm down.” The losses came despite a positive lead from Wall Street, where traders were cheered by data showing the US economy returned to its pre-pandemic size in the second quarter but fell short of forecasts, which eased pressure on the Federal Reserve to begin tapering its ultra-loose monetary policies. While the corporate earnings season has beaten expectations and economic data suggests the global recovery is still on track—despite spiking Delta COVID variant cases—Asian markets have been clobbered this week by China’s sweeping moves against the private tuition, tech and property sectors. The measures, which include banning education firms from making a profit and

US economy expanded 6.5% in 2nd quarter

MOST ACTIVE 1

SMPH

VOLUME 14518900

VALUE (PHP) 464825450

2 3

ALI BDO

12663000 3870590

423160630 401204721

4 5

ICT ACEN

2353460 40524800

369427320 325631150

6 7

SM AC

344130 420290

316126295 303299015

8 9

TEL MONDE

174760 13607300

215002295 202743066

JGS

3028490

170519020

forcing Tencent to give up its exclusive music rights, have fueled concerns that others might be in Beijing’s crosshairs. Hong Kong lost more than nine percent in three days in reaction to the announcements, while Shanghai took a hit and other markets globally were also rattled. Chinese state media and regulators looked to soothe investor fears by saying officials were not preparing a wideranging crackdown on a range of industries and that economic fundamentals were healthy, which provided a springboard for Asia on Thursday. But trading floors remained nervous, and analysts warned Beijing might not be finished just yet. Tencent, ecommerce giant Alibaba and food delivery firm Meituan—which had also faced Beijing’s ire— and tutorial firms were all solidly lower again in Hong Kong. With AFP

GAP CLOSES. Store Closing Sale signage is displayed at a Gap store in central London on July 28, 2021. US apparel company Gap will close its 81 stores in Britain and Ireland by September but remain online there as it becomes a ‘digital first business,’ the retailer has said. AFP

In Spain, villages struggle for drinking water By Thomas Perroteau LASTRAS DE CUÉLLAR, Spain—Less than two hours from Madrid, 76-year-old Francisca Benitez has to brush her teeth every night with bottled water because her village has no supply of drinking water. In Lastras de Cuellar in the central Castilla y Leon region, nitrates and arsenic have made the water undrinkable for the village’s residents, who number 350 in winter and nearly 1,000 in summer. And across the country, dozens of villages are suffering the same fate because groundwater resources are at risk from agricultural pollution, a lack of water quality controls and drought. Every Monday, the villagers walk to the main square in Lastras to buy multipacks of mineral water in 1.5 liter bottles, sold at a discounted price, which some take away in wheelbarrows. Alejandro Martin, 17, is there to help his 95-year-old grandfather bring home the precious resource which is then poured into a pan so they can prepare coffee. Outside, clusters of empty plastic bottles dangle from the balconies alongside banners demanding access to drinking water. “This is not normal in the 21st century!” protests Mercedes Rodriguez, 41, who belongs to a local residents association. Mayor Andres Garcia also points to the “lack

of (public) funding” which has slowed down a project to ensure drinking water supplies by the end of the year. In Castilla y Leon alone, 63 municipalities were without running water in March, according to the region’s main television station. National figures are not available. According to the health ministry, a 2019 study of national water resources found that 67,050 samples—some taken from the same place on different dates—were undrinkable. Nitrates and manure Nitrate levels are a cause for concern, with nearly three out of 10—28 percent—of Spain’s groundwater monitoring stations registering a concentration close to or above the potability threshold. Fully 22 percent of Spain’s overall surface area—which covers 506,000 square kilometers (195,000 square miles)—is exposed to nitrate pollution due to the nature of the soil or through agricultural activities, the environment ministry says. And many are increasingly blaming agricultural pollution for the water crisis. Lierta, a tiny village in the northeastern Aragon region, has been deprived of drinking water since 2018 because of nitrate pollution and residents are currently fighting plans to set up a new farm for 3,000 pigs. AFP

BLEAK PROSPECTS. Tourists visit Ronda on July 29, 2021. The prospects for Spain’s tourism sector are

getting bleaker, with European reservations slowing over soaring COVID-19 cases, but industry figures hope the summer won’t resemble the catastrophe of 2020. AFP

Contentious Robinhood falls by 8.4% in its Nasdaq debut

WASHINGTON—The US economy expanded 6.5 percent annualized in the second quarter, according to government data released Thursday, a far slower recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic than economists had expected. The gain reported by the Commerce Department meant the world’s largest economy surpassed its pre-pandemic size, climbing above its level in the fourth quarter of 2019 to $19.4 trillion. The pandemic caused a sharp downturn in the United States last year, with the economy ultimately shrinking 3.5 percent, its worst collapse since modern record-keeping began in 1946. Massive government spending authorized by Congress as well as vaccinations that allow business activity to recover from COVID-19 are expected to propel the country out of its slump, with the IMF predicting seven percent growth this year. The rate in the April to June period represented a slight acceleration from the 6.3-percent growth seen in the first quarter, and was driven by increases in consumer spending, exports and local government spending, the report said. Growth was undercut by the end to a government program to give loans and grants to small businesses, as well as less federal government spending. The data also showed the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) price index rising 6.4 percent in the second quarter from 3.8 percent in the period before, confirming that inflation is spiking as demand returns from its depressed levels a year ago. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, the PCE price index rose 6.1 percent. AFP

NEW YORK—Robinhood had a rough start on Wall Street Manila Thursday, falling sharply in its Nasdaq debut after the fastStandard TODAY growing online trading app raised $1.9 billion in an initial public offering. Trading under the ticker “HOOD,” Robinhood Markets ended at $34.82, dropping 8.4 percent after entering the market at $38. The Silicon Valley firm, launched by two friends who met at Stanford University, has NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING billed itself as an accessible and fun platform for young and first- DEAR STOCKHOLDERS: time investors, scored outsized growth during the coronavirus Please be informed that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Allied Care Experts (ACE) Dumaguete Doctors Inc. will be held on August 12, 2021 pandemic. (Thursday) at 8:00 o’clock in the morning, via Zoom Webinar, to ensure But the company, which now the safety of our stockholders who will be attending the meeting. has a valuation of around $29 For the conduct of the Webinar, please register on or before August 10, billion, has also drawn skepti- 2021, through the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/ cism over its business model and register/WN IlFa5P07TLymUgHOWibmSA criticism from key regulators The link will provide you the process for the registration. You will receive a over its practices. confirmation email once you have successfully registered in the platform, Commentators on CNBC including the details and procedures in the conduct of the meeting. Voting monitoring the IPO described will be done via the online tool which you can access once you have the offering as “polarizing,” with logged in to the Webinar. loud voices in the investment The meeting shall be recorded (visual and audio) for future reference. community on both sides. Agenda: “The brand Robinhood really The I. Call to Order stands for this next generation II. Invocation of consumers,” the company’s III. Determination of Quorum Welcome Message from the Chairman of the Board Chief Executive Vladimir Tenev IV. V. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of the Y2020 Annual said in an interview with the netStockholders’ Meeting VI. Approval of the Y2020 Audited Financial Statement work. The company had set aside 20 VII. President’s Report VIII. Ratification of the Acts and Proceedings of the Board of Directors, to 35 percent of shares for cusOfficers, and Management of the Corporation tomers in the initial offering, IX. Election of the Board of Directors 2021-2022 an unusually large portion for X. Appointment of External Auditor for the year 2021 XI. Other Matters individual investors. But Tenev XII. Adjournment declined to provide the level of Only stockholders of record at the close of business on July 23, 2021 participation. (Friday) shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. If you Founded in 2013 by Tenev cannot personally attend the meeting, you may opt to send your proxy and Baiju Bhatt, Robinhood has to attend in your behalf. Kindly submit your duly executed proxy form pitched itself as a niche for un- with the undersigned, via email, at office staff at acedumaguetedoctors@ not later than August 11,2021 on or before 5:00 PM but derinvested “everyday people,” yahoo.com.ph preferably by August 9, 2021, to enable your proxy to register in the Zoom who are younger and more di- Webinar. A sample proxy form is posted at the Corporation’s website for verse, according to a prospectus. your reference. [NOTE: Management is not soliciting proxies.] Robinhood’s median customer The Information Statement and Management Report and SEC Form 17-A age is 31. are available at the Corporation’s website at http://acedumaguetedoctors. Individual investors using the org/. app played a role in the so-called You may contact the undersigned via email office staff at “Reddit Rebellion” earlier this acedumaguetedoctors@yahoo.com.ph or at telephone number: (035) year when retail investors on 421-2119 if you have inquiries/concerns regarding the meeting. the social network joined forces to support beaten-down stocks such as GameStop and Black- AEJELETH B. EYAS Berry to fight back against insti- Corporate Secretary tutional investors. AFP

(MS-JULY 31/ AUG. 2, 2021)

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

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, July 30, 2021

-226.30 PTS. 6,270.23

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,807,666,387 94,752 6,274,877,989.36 47 159 42

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.3420

Japan

Yen

0.009136

0.4599

Pound

1.396300

70.2925

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128694

6.4787

Switzerland

Franc

1.104118

55.5835

Canada

Dollar

0.803406

40.4451

Singapore

Dollar

0.739481

37.2270

Australia

Dollar

0.739500

37.2279

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

133.5403

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

13.4231

Brunei

Dollar

0.736757

37.0898

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030432

1.5320

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.7067

Euro

1.189000

59.8566

Korea

Won

0.000875

0.0440

China

Yuan

0.154880

7.7970

India

Rupee

0.013469

0.6781

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236016

11.8815

New Zealand

Dollar

0.700600

35.2696

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035887

1.8066 Source: BSP

New Bicol airport to start operation this year—Tugade

Business URC sells out 60% of Oceania unit to German food company By Jenniffer B. Austria

OOD manufacturer Universal Robina Corp. is exiting the Oceania snack food market with the sale of its remaining 60-percent stake in URC Oceania to German-based snack food maker Intersnack Group for an undisclosed amount. URC Oceania owns Snack Brands Australia, the country’s second largest salty snacks player and Griffin’s, New Zealand’s leading biscuit and snack food company. URC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed an agreement to sell its remaining shares in its consolidated business in Australia and New Zealand to joint venture partner Intersnack Group. Intersnack Group, one of the leading manufacturers of savory snacks in Europe, acquired a 40-percent interest in URC Oceania in 2019. URC said it sold 40 percent of its Oceania business in 2019 to Intersnack Group to monetize

some of the synergies it generated from early investments in Australia and New Zealand. URC acquired 100 percent of NZ Snack Food Holdings Limited, the holding company of Griffin’s Foods Limited for NZ$700 million in 2014. In 2016, URC through URC International Company Limited, bought 100 percent of Snack Brands Australia for AU$600 million. Snack Brands Australia is one of Australia’s leading salty snack manufacturers with a wide portfolio of strong local brands while Griffin‘s is New Zealand’s largest biscuit manufacturer. “The acquisitions of Griffin’s Foods

and Snack Brands Australia were URC’s biggest forays outside of Asia. Over the past seven years, we have invested in delivering significant operational improvements and value creation programs. We are pleased to be handing full stewardship of these strong businesses to our partner Intersnack, while we continue to focus on other growth segments and geographies across developing markets,” URC president and chief executive Irwin Lee said. URC and Intersnack Group intend to close the deal upon obtaining necessary approvals from the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board and New Zealand Overseas Investment Office. URC said first-half net income jumped 45.7 percent to P8.05 billion from P5.52 billion in the same period last year, driven by lower finance costs and net foreign exchange losses. Consolidated revenues in the first half rose 1.7 percent to P68.52 billion, as the strong sales from international market was tempered by the decline in sales from the domestic market.

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said Friday the Bicol International Airport is on track to be operational by end of this year. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the BIA, dubbed as the “country’s most scenic gateway” with the iconic Mayon Volcano as its backdrop, would start operations within the year. Once completed, the gateway is expected to boost air traffic in the Bicol Region and accommodate 2 million passengers annually. The construction of the P4.798billion BIA in Barangay Alobo, Daraga, Albay was certified a priority by the Duterte administration under the “Build, Build, Build” program. It started pre-construction works in 2008. The airport project gained traction when Tugade directed the DOTR’s air sector to fast track its construction. Under the direction of Tugade, the project employed 755 workers despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 1,100 indirect jobs would be created for locals once the airport became operational. Meanwhile, the two contractors of the airport project committed to complete all civil works under their respective contracts by Aug. 30. The DOTR said that as of July 28, the BIA’s construction accomplishment rate stood at 89 percent. This included Package 2A and Package 2B of the project. Package 2A was 96-percent accomplished and was expected to be fully completed by Aug. 30, subject to further necessary works after an inspection by the DOTR and by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. Included in Package 2A are the construction of the airport’s air traffic control tower, administration building, crash fire rescue building and cargo terminal building. Package 2B was at 86-percent completion and was expected to be fully completed by end of August. Package 2B includes the construction of the passenger terminal building which was 90.5-percent completed. The building was expected to be finished by Aug. 31.

CEBU PACIFIC VACCINATION.

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific rolls out its vaccination program among employees, their dependents and thirdparty workers for free. This is part of the Gokongwei Group’s COVID Protect Program, which kicked off on July 6 with the vaccination of front-liners from Robinsons Retail. The conglomerateprocured vaccines were administered to Cebu Pacific’s first batch of 300 employees at the airline’s headquarters in Pasay City. CEB expects to complete the administration of first dose in August and fully vaccinate all employees and third party workers by October this year.

Moody’s says PH to outshine most countries By Julito G. Rada DEBT watcher Moody’s Investors Service is upbeat about the Philippines’ recovery prospects from the COVID-19 crisis and expects the economy to outperform most countries until 2025. Moody’s, in its latest credit analysis on the Philippines, cited its 10year average growth projection for the Philippines for the period 2016 to 2025 at 4.8 percent—despite the sharp contraction last year resulting from the pandemic. “Although this 10-year average includes the steep recession in 2020 associated with the global coronavirus pandemic, we expect the Philippines to grow faster than nearly 85 percent of rated sovereigns,” Moody’s said. The debt watcher said the recession in 2020 did not represent a material weakening of the Philippines’ growth prospects. The rating agency said the Philippines was expected to grow 5.8 percent in 2021 and 6.5 percent in 2022. It expects the Philippines to restore full-year GDP growth to 2019 levels by next year, ahead of rating peers like Panama, Uruguay and Mauritius which were expected to revert to prepandemic growth levels only by 2023 or beyond. Higher government spending, such as on infrastructure, will be among the growth drivers for the Philippines this year and next, it said. To accelerate economic recovery, Moody’s highlighted the importance of restoring business confidence to revive private domestic investments. The country also benefits from a growing working-age population, which significantly contributes to potential economic growth, Moody’s said. The Philippines’ median age is around 25 years old, compared with more than 30 years in Malaysia and Vietnam and nearly 40 years in Thailand.

IN BRIEF

SEC forms new office to control fintech firms

YOUTH SUMMIT. Amid physical distancing measures that make digital transactions more appealing especially for the techsavvy youth, close to 32,000 participants, mostly from the youth sector, view the livestream of the first youth summit of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. With the theme ‘Ibangon natin and ekonomiya, i-digital mo na!’, the 2021 BSP Youth Summit2 on digitalization and financial inclusion streamed in English, Filipino, Cebuano and Ilokano. Joining the virtual summit are (from top left, clockwise) BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, Economic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan and BSP Youth Summit participants.

Bangko Sentral sees July inflation rising to 4.3% on higher petroleum, food prices BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Friday inflation in July likely accelerated to 4.3 percent from 4.1 percent in June, on higher prices of food and petroleum products. The BSP said inflation would settle within a range of 3.9 percent to 4.7 percent, with a midpoint of 4.3 percent in July. “Higher prices of domestic petroleum products and key food items along with the upward adjustment in Meralco electricity rates and a weaker peso are the main sources of upward price pressures for the month,” Diokno said in a statement. “Moving forward, the BSP will continue to monitor emerging price developments to ensure that its primary mandate of price stability conducive to balanced and sustainable economic growth is achieved,” he said. The Philippine Statistics Authority earlier said headline inflation slowed

down to 4.1 percent in June, after recording an inflation of 4.5 percent for three consecutive months. However, it was higher than 2.5 percent in June 2020. Inflation averaged 4.4 percent in the first half, over the upper end of the 2021 target range of 2 percent to 4 percent. The slower pace of inflation in June was traced to the lower annual rate of increase in the transport index at 9.6 percent from 16.5 percent in May 2021. ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said that as meat prices stayed stubbornly high and select food items were set to become pricier on the adjustment of suggested retail prices, food items would likely tip the inflation path to the upside in the coming months. “We now expect inflation to breach the upper end of the BSP target as the peso remains weak and persistent food inflation keeps price pressures elevated,” Mapa said. Julito G. Rada

FPI warns retailers, consumers on fake and illicit cigarettes THE Federation of Philippine Industries circulated posters in provinces to warn retailers and consumers against patronizing illegal cigarettes, saying they will face corresponding charges and penalties, including jail time. The government is losing about P30 billion to P60 billion a year from illicit trade in cigarettes based on estimates by the House committee on ways and means. Taxes collected from cigarettes are used to fund the Universal Health Care program of the government. For this year, the government targets to collect P2.081 trillion, 16 percent of which will come from excise tax paid by tobacco, alcohol, fuel, soda and automobiles. In 2020, the government collected P148.45 billion in excise taxes from the tobacco Industry. Recently, a raid was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation in a town in Palawan. It was the biggest so far in terms of the number of retail outlets or sari-sari stores targeted. The NBI raided at least 23 retail establishments for selling illicit cigarettes. According to FPI, sari-sari stores raided were selling the illicit cigarettes at very low prices and without the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s official tax stamps. Charges of violation of the tariff and customs law will be filed against them while the seized illicit cigarettes are now under the custody of the NBI.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission said Friday it launched a new office to promote and regulate the use of financial technology in the country. The new office called PhiliFintech Innovation Office is mandated to reduce gaps in consumer and investor protection tempered by financial inclusion, integrity and stability through a dedicated focus on the regulation and growth of fintech activities. It will create better-informed policies for new and existing fintech innovators and capacitate the SEC with expertise to effectively regulate fintech activities and promote an innovative culture in the corporate sector. “Integral to our mission of championing the business sector, the capital market and the investing public, is fostering innovation,” SEC chairman Emilio Aquino said. “Accordingly, the commission has supported new and emerging business concepts while taking a proactive stance against any excessive risk buildup to ensure market integrity,” Aquino said. Jenniffer B. Austria

153,000 PLDT clients shift to fiber Internet

PLDT Inc. said Friday more than 153,000 homes and business establishments migrated from copper to fiber in the first seven months, as the company ramped up efforts to upgrade copper connections. The initiative to upgrade or migrate copper lines to fiber connectivity is a critical part of PLDT’s and Smart’s sustained network rollout nationwide to improve the quality of service provided to homes and businesses across the country. PLDT operates the country’s most extensive fiber infrastructure at more than 511,000 kilometers as of June. This fiber infrastructure also supports Smart’s mobile network, which covers 96 percent of the population from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi. Fiber connectivity provides more reliable broadband services, enabling customer access to high-speed internet for work, education, and entertainment, further improving customer experience. The fiber rollout also coincides with PLDT’s massive cleanup and recovery drive of old, worn, and sagging copper cables nationwide, which also promotes safety in communities. Darwin G. Amojelar

Bank loans fell 2% in June, says BSP

OUTSTANDING loans of universal and commercial banks, net of reverse repurchase placements with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, decreased 2 percent year-on-year in June following a 4-percent drop in May. The BSP said that on a month-on-month seasonally-adjusted basis, outstanding universal and commercial bank loans, net of RRPs, went up by 1.1 percent. “Outstanding loans to residents, net of RRPs, fell by 1.4 percent [from 3.5-percent contraction in May] while outstanding loans to non-residents decreased by 19.7 percent [from 18.8 percent decline last month], as concerns over the spread of new coronavirus variants continued to temper market sentiment and the outlook for economic recovery,” the BSP said. Consumer loans to residents dropped 8.6 percent in June as motor vehicle loans and salary-based consumption loans declined further. Outstanding loans to major industries continued to fall, but at a slower rate. Meanwhile, domestic liquidity or the money supply circulating in the financial system expanded by 6.4 percent year-on-year to about P14.4 trillion in June, faster than the 4.7-percent growth recorded in May. Julito G. Rada

Sports

‘Nievarez’s Olympic journey has just started’ TOKYO—Cris Nievarez completed his Olympic debut by finishing at 23rd place in the men’s single sculls of rowing on Friday at the Sea Forest Waterway. There were 24 participants in the event but for a 21-year-old seeing action in his first Olympics, the future looks bright for Nievarez. “Cris’s journey as a world-class rower just started in Tokyo,” Philippines Rowing Association president Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said from Manila. “He has a long way to go— still young at 21.” Nievarez submitted a time of seven minutes and 21.28 seconds to land fifth in the event’s Final D of the classification round. Those numbers were faster than the 7:22.97 he registered in the preliminary round that qualified him for the quarterfinals last July 23. Greece’s Stefanos Nyouskos was timed 6:40.45, an Olympic best time, to win the gold medal. Norway’s Kjetil Borch (6:41.66) clinched silver and Croatia’s Damir Martin (6:42.58) bagged bronze in the event, where Nievarez was one of the shortest participants but the only Southeast Asian rower. “It took Hidilyn [Diaz] four Olympic cycles to win the gold medal, she never gave up,” he said. “So Cris, don’t give up. He is top 23 in the Olympics. It’s a great way to start.” Gregorio thanked the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MVP Sports Foundation, Maynilad and Smart for supporting Nievarez’s campaign.

Petecio fights Italian cop, tries to assure PH of silver T

OKYO—A Rio Olympics veteran with her own dreams of glory will be standing in the way of Nesthy Petecio, who will try to assure the Philippines of a silver medal Saturday (Philippine time) in the 54-57kg boxing competition of the Summer Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena here.

Already assured of a bronze here, Petecio tries to go deeper into the tournament when she fights the taller Testa Irma of Italy at 12:39 p.m., eyeing a win that will put her into the gold-medal round. Irma is a copycat of tournament topseed Chinese Taipei’s Lin YuTing, who has already been eliminated by Petecio. The police-in-train-

ing Italian has made it her mission to bounce back from being knocked out in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. But the Philippine camp is equally motivated. “We have a game plan on the next fight. The Italian girl weighed 60kgs. She’s similar with the Taipei girl, but she hooks and sways back. So we’re

Obiena shoots for seat in 12-man finals By Peter Atencio ERNEST John “EJ” Obiena doesn’t cower in fear at the sight of world no. 1 and record holder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis of Sweden, No. 3 Piotr Lisek of Poland, no. 5 Christopher Nilsen of the United States and no. 7 Thiago Braz of Brazil, the Rio Olympics champion. That’s because Obiena himself is perched at no. 6 in the world and is among the best in the sport. The 25-year-old Obiena realized that he can compete with the best when he saw action against Duplantis and several top 10 pole vaulters many times in Europe. “It showed that I can compete with the best. It was like a preview,” said Obiena on his numerous encounters with Duplantis and the rest. On Saturday, Obiena tries to secure one of the 12 medal-round slots at stake in the pole vault competitions of the Summer Olympic Games at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium at 8:40 a.m. (Philippine time). Even without COVID-19 infected Sam Kendricks of the United States, the field is still filled with the world’s

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio (red) reacts after winning against Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda at the end of their women’s feather (54-57kg) quarter-final boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo. AFP

By Riera U. Mallari

Cris Nievarez with his giant rivals in rowing

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

Ernest John Obiena: I can jump 6 meters

best pole vaulters. compete. And now, it’s a mental game,” “They are the top athletes in the world said Obiena. rankings. That showed me that I can In order to qualify to the 12-man finals,

gonna take a counteract move, but I’m comfortable with Nesthy’s performance,” said Philippine Olympic Team’s boxing coach Don Abnett of the Italian, who has gone down in weight to fight in the featherweight division. On Wednesday, Petecio barged into the semifinals with an emphatic 5-0 victory over former tormentor, Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda in a dominant win matched by the Italian after whipping her Canadian foe Caroline Veyre. Only two wins separate Petecio from the Philippines’ first boxing gold ever, but don’t tell that to the veteran 30-yearold champion of the 2019 AIBA World Championship in Russia. “Isa-isang laro lang po muna, baka madapa tayo,” cautioned Petecio, who nevertheless is pumped up by weight-

lifter Hidilyn Diaz’s golden conquest five days earlier. “Sobrang na-inspire po ako kay Hidilyn. Hinintay ko po talaga na matapos ‘yung laban niya. Sobrang saya po namin, sobrang proud kami kay Hidilyn. Jump high po,” said Petecio. Meanwhile, Carlo Paalam is expected to use the same game-plan of his 4-1 win over Ireland’s Brendan Irvine when he fights Algeria’s Mohamed Flissi earlier at 10:48 a.m. (Philippine time). “Carlo’s opponent is a very experienced boy. He’s boxing in the WSB (World Series of Boxing),” said Abnett of Flissi. “But Carlo’s gonna get moving, similar to the game plan that he did in his last fight, he’ll probably just continue with that. If it’s working, then we won’t change it.”

a pole vaulter must leap 5.80 meters, a mark Obiena has been breaching in his last several tournaments. This, or the best 12 will advance. His personal best is 5.87 meters, which he set at the Irena Szwewinska Memorial/Bydgoszcz Cup in Poland, but in order to finish in the podium here, Obiena must target at least 6 meters. “I know I can jump 6.0 meters. I’m not sure how I got it dialled in. I’ve seen how well I can jump, and I’ve seen what I’m capable of, and make sure that I bring that in the game,” said Obiena during a zoom conference with Filipino scribes. On Friday, Obiena finally went back to training at the Edogawa Stadium after he was spooked by the situation involving Kendricks, the world no. 2-ranked pole vaulter now out contention in these games. “May pag-aalala rin dahil uncertain ang situation. Hindi natin nakikita ang kalaban. Kailangan ng higit na pag iingat,” said the Obiena’s father Emerson Obiena. The Filipino pole vaulter has since recovered from the initial shock of learning of Kendricks’ COVID-19 infection and had a great morning training session with his coach Vitaly Petrov and his father Emerson.

Prime residential lot awaits medal winner from golf

Marriage, family can wait for Diaz By Randy Caluag IF Hidilyn Diaz could resist the comfort of coming luxuries following her goldmedal conquest in the Tokyo Olympics, she might find herself competing one last time in Paris. So far, nearly P50 million in cash incentives both from the government and private sectors is set to be given as incentives to Diaz, who finally nailed the country’s firstever Olympic gold with a record-breaking lift of 224kgs in weightlifting’s women 55kg category. The figure is expected to rise as more pledges of perks continue to pour in, including houses and lots, cars and a condo unit. But all of these have not diminished Diaz’s passion for the sport that has brought a mix of fame, fortune, heartaches and disappointment for her. Not just yet. In an interview with GMA’s 24 Oras Thurs-

day night, Diaz said she feels she still has the strength to continue competing. “Sayang ang momentum. Sayang ‘yung lakas, kaya habang may lakas pa, ganyan naman ang atleta ‘pag malakas pa at kaya pa, gawin mo,” said Diaz, dismissing the idea of retirement. The next Olympics will be held in Paris, France in 2024, which is just three years away. When asked if she is ready to walk down the aisle with long-time boyfriend Julius Naranjo, her strength and conditioning coach, Diaz said: “Siyempre gusto ko ring magpakasal, pero hintay lang ako ‘di ba. Yes (gusto ko din) magka-anak, magka-pamilya. Pero sa ngayon, nakikita ko malakas pa ako (to continue competing).” At 30 years old, the pride of Zamboanga City admitted she wants to enjoy the perks that are coming her way and achieve more outside weightlifting, including finishing her studies at the College of St. Benilde. “I want na makatapos sa college,

Expect Hidilyn Diaz to be training again soon. (Artwork by Rockefeller Losorata)

maraming beses na kasi ako nag-stop. Gusto ko rin naman mag-enjoy sa buhay, like mag travel,” she said. After a short rest, expect Diaz to be lifting weights again.

A PRIME residential lot awaits Filipino golfers who will win a medal of any color in the Tokyo Olympics. Executives of Golf Batangas made this announcement as the men’s golf competitions of the quadrennial meet, where Juvic Pagunsan is competing, is now halfway through at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, in Saitama, Japan. Women’s US Open champion Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan start their bids on August 4. A golfer who will win a gold will enjoy the same perks to be received by Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who stands to get at least ₱43.5 million cash and other rewards after she ended the country’s 97-year Olympic gold-medal drought. Diaz will get a ₱10 million cash incentive from the government through Republic Act 10699, or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act. There’s also the ₱10 million, pledged by San Miguel Corporation president and CEO Ramon Ang, and the ₱10 million offered by business tycoon Manny Pangilinan, through the MVP Sports Foundation. She also gets ₱3 million from a pledge by Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero of 1-PACMAN Party-list, plus a ₱2.5 million and a P5-million cash incentive from the local government of Zamboanga City, which is Diaz’s hometown Cash amounting ₱5 million and free fuel for life from Siklab Atleta Sports Foundation head and Phoenix Petroleum chair Dennis Uy is also in the pipeline. President Duterte promised a ₱3-million incentive from his own pocket, and a house and lot in Zamboanga, while a ₱14 million residential condominium unit is waiting for her in Eastwood, Quezon City, as promised by Megaworld. There’s also a ₱4 million house and lot at any PHirst Park Homes community of her choice from Century Properties, along with a house and lot in Tagaytay from Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. Peter Atencio

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

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

Home/Design

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PROJECT AT NUVALI

YALA Land Inc. (ALI) is building its latest project, LHK Square South, in Nuvali’s Lakeside Evozone-South, a campus-type business and commercial hub.

Nestled in the cities of Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba Laguna, Nuvali fuses urban conveniences and green development practices with the goal of a more environmentally-integrated way of life. Standing nine stories tall, LHK Square South is designed by JSLA Architects, which is also behind such projects as the Ore Central Building in Bonifacio Global City, the SMX Convention Center, and the Aseana Towers in Aseana Business Park. To highlight its commitment to its design and planning philosophy, JSLA Architects aims to secure a Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for LHK Square South. “Going green in design means building for a world that is environmentally-conscious and sound, and we’re shaping that here in Nuvali,” promised Architect Jose Siao Ling , JSLA founder.

An Inspired way of living

Shoring up a new generation of builders THE Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) is ramping up its efforts to equip young professionals and students with skills needed to future-proof the industry. Through a series of webinars and training programs, the 75-year-old nonprofit organization is bent on guiding the next generation of nation-builders to the right path – as they start their respective careers in the construction industry. The 1,500-strong PCA is offering an internationally-assured Construction Supervisors Training Program nation-wide, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. It also recently completed the introduction to FIDIC for Contractors, in partnership with the International Federation of Consulting Engineers. To further empower Filipino contractors, it is offering a Masterclass Certificate on Quantity Surveying. “We cannot just build, we have to build better and in order to do that, we need to have a more skilled workforce and Filipino construction firms that can compete globally with international firms,” explained Anthony Mariano, program director of PCA (Shown in photo)). To know more about PCA’s webinars, masterclasses, and training, visit: www.philippineconstructors.org.

GREENFIELD City, a project of Greenfield Development Corporation, is 400-hectare self-sustaining network of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational communities, in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The growing township includes Zadia and Trava, two of Greenfield’s

developments that look toward the future. Zadia was created with the spirit of fusing modern living with a nature-inspired lifestyle. The property devotes 80 percent of its area to parks, outdoor amenities and green open spaces—a comfort practically unfounded in Metro Manila. Trava, a 33-hectare residential

development, dedicates 45 percent of the property to expansive green meadows, playgrounds, and tree-lined wide roads. Greenfield City is located a few kilometers away from the South Luzon Expressway via the Greenfield City-Unilab interchange and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway.

Giving entrepreneurs a boost SM Development Corporation (SMDC) is helping Filipinos whose lives have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, by introducing them to the exciting world of entrepreneurship. The company’s “Refer A Home Buyer” program, enables anybody to earn two percent of a property’s selling price just by referring a buyer.

PUBLIC E-BIDDING FOR BULACAN LOTS THIS MONTH.

Mark August 27 in your calendar. The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) will sell 54 residential lots in Magdalena Subdivision 2, Brgy. San Juan, Balagtas, Bulacan, through an electronic public bidding (e- bidding) at https:// assetsforsale.pdic.gov.ph. To be sold on an “as-is, where is” basis for an aggregate minimum disposal price of PhP9.9 million, the residential lots are properties of the closed Winbank, Inc. (A Thrift Bank), a bank ordered closed by the Monetary Board. Land areas range from 109 to 193 square meters. Online bids shall be accepted by the PDIC Real and Other Properties Acquired (ROPA) Disposal Committee only from direct buyers who registered in the e- bidding portal. For more information, buyers may call the PDIC Public Assistance Department at (02) 8841-4141. Inquiries may also be sent via e-mail to pad@pdic.gov.ph.

The SMDC Referrer can receive a minimum of P60,000 when your buyer gets a property worth P3 million, or P200,000 if the buyer opts for a place worth P10 million. No need for an office, and so long the pressure of monthly quotas. As an SMDC Referrer, simply use your influence to help your friends find

the best SMDC home for their needs, while SMDC’s professional sales agents handle the selling part. SMDC has a portfolio of properties conveniently located near malls, schools, or even airports, as well as property management and leasing services. Visit https://refer.smdc.com/ to learn more.

Tech & Gadgets SIM swap scam: Don’t be next victim YOU may have heard or read about fraud modus involving what is called a “SIM swap scam” and thought, how can this happen exactly? A SIM swap is the last step to be carried out by the scammers in order to take over an individual’s financial accounts, be it banking, trading or credit cards. The sneaky part of this scheme is that the victim is targeted long before the SIM swap. The fraudster has invested time to gather bank account numbers, email address, online credentials, personal facts and identification together with the mobile number registered to the bank for sending a one-time password (OTP). Last leg will be to take over the SIM of the mobile number registered for the OTP sending. Although it may seem safe to share your home address, birthday, school or company ID, passport details, electric bill, your dog’s name, favorite movie, or credit card photo on social media, such information may mean the difference between safety and danger. They may get the answer to your security questions from your favorite pet or movie title or even discover your password or Personal Identification Number (PIN) from your birthday or anniversary. There are also phishing emails or text messages that may look like they came from a company you know and trust. They will often ask you to click a link or input sensitive data such as your password, PIN, government ID number, and account number. Following these instructions will compromise your data. Scammers may also call you pretending to be telco or bank representatives requiring some personal information and bank details in exchange for some offers or perks. Bank statements, utility bills, delivery packages and other documents that contain your personal information disposed of in an unsecure manner can also be a source of identity theft. If you think you are a victim of SIM swap here’s what to do: ● Immediately change the password/PIN of your bank and digital accounts ● Inform the concerned bank about the incident ● Make your passwords unique and difficult to replicate Globe Postpaid users may go to GlobeOne app under “Account Requests” or call 211 to request temporary line disconnection. Both postpaid and prepaid customers may go to the nearest Globe Store to immediately recover their mobile number and get a SIM replacement. Globe is also implementing stricter measures to prevent unauthorized SIM change. For replacement of lost SIM, this includes 24-hour SIM reactivation to allow a stronger customer verification. Also, a notarized affidavit of loss is mandatory patterned with the banks which require the same document when replacing lost cards and other financial records. To know more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

URING the past few decades, the world has rapidly shifted towards digitalization of everyday practices, including dating. In some countries dating apps have become the most popular way for people to meet, while modern couples’ communication is almost unthinkable without social media. However, there is another side of the coin: with love transferring to the digital world, the gathering and public exposure of personal data (also known as “doxing”) have become a major concern.

The Kaspersky team conducted a survey, exposing main threats and fears that users faced while dating online. As a result, the company’s experts found that every 6th user has been doxed while dating online, globally. In Asia Paciﬁc (APAC), 22% of the respondents admitted experiencing this malicious act, out of which, 14% were doxed while dating online but being unfamiliar with the notion of “doxing”, did not know they were doxed. With the spread of social networks and dating apps, communication has become easier, faster, and much more convenient. Kaspersky's research also found out that more than half (64%) of respondents from the region admit that dating apps have made dating easier for them. However, 65% claim that they are concerned with potentially being stalked by someone they met online, which is one of the consequences of doxing. “Indeed, social media and various apps have made dating much easier for us. You might ﬁnd the love of your life online but unfortunately, there are also bots and fraudsters looking for prey on dating platforms. That is why while communicating with someone online, it is still important to remember the basic rules of digital privacy,” comments Anna Larkina, security expert at Kaspersky. Oversharing personal information in dating apps and social media is something that may lead to big problems in the future. Users leave a vast trace of identifying information online, and this data can be picked up and used to doxers’ advantage. Doxers’ access to a target’s home address, place of work, name, phone number, etc. increases the risks of transferring threats from the online world to the physical one.

SATURDAY, JULY 31 , 2021 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Risks of online dating:

Every 6 user doxed while looking for a relationship th

Kaspersky study shows almost 5 in 10 users in APAC experienced privacy risks related to virtual matchmaking

Kaspersky’s fresh research also reveals more details on privacy threats APAC users face when dating online. Almost half (49%) of interviewees admit that, while communicating online, their partner shared screenshots of their conversation without their consent, threatened them with personal information they found online, leaked their intimate photos, or stalked them in real life, which is also a direct consequence of doxing. The most widespread problem is cyberstalking—19% of respondents admit that they have been stalked on social media by a person they did not match with. “To date online safely, I recommend not

sharing personal identifying information, such as your phone number, location, home, and work address, etc. Preventing threats at such an early stage will let you enjoy online dating without any fears,” adds Larkina. If you want to learn more about how technologies can change dating and relationships, follow this link. Learn about the ways users can be doxed and discover how to minimize the risk of having personal information stolen by watching the free “Doxing: dangers and prevention” course, developed by Kaspersky privacy experts together with Endtab.org. To keep your personal information

protected, Kaspersky also recommends: • Handling private online data responsibly by following the tips from the Kaspersky “Deﬁnitive Checklist: how to protect your data online” • Always checking permission settings on the apps you use, to minimize the likelihood of your data being shared or stored by third parties—and beyond— without your knowledge • Using two-factor authentication. Remember that using an application that generates one-time codes is more secure than receiving the second factor via SMS. If you need additional security, invest in a hardware 2FA key

HP EliteBook 840 G8: A secured laptop for every multitasking WFH professional THE demands of multitasking rose along with the shift to working from home. To stay productive while juggling multiple tasks, a powerful, hardworking device is needed. This is where the HP EliteBook 840 G8 Notebook comes in—the laptop that enables one to work efficiently, packed with the latest security features to ensure safe and seamless collaboration with the team, even while working remotely. DESIGNED FOR COLLABORATION With the HP EliteBook 840’s innovative features, collaboration among the team is made easier. Connectivity won’t be a problem with the laptop’s optional quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ vPro® processors. Set up your “office” anywhere and still stay connected, thanks to Intel® WiFi 6 (Gig+) which delivers nearly 3x faster1 WiFi and the laptop’s optional support for up to 5G wireless broadband technology. The HP EliteBook 840’s high performance allows up to 32% faster office productivity2 and remarkable responsiveness

make it a reliable partner, especially when working on urgent deadlines. Create, edit, revise, and do more without disruptions and with ease with the help of this laptop. A bonus factor of the HP EliteBook 840 is its noise cancellation feature. Say goodbye to background noise during Zoom meetings, thanks to HP’s industry-leading, noiseﬁltering, and audio enhancing technology. A PRODUCTIVITY-ENABLING LOOK & DISPLAY One of the basic requirements of productivity is comfort, which the HP EliteBook 840 provides. This 14-inch business laptop comes in a slim and lightweight size that makes it portable and easy to carry anywhere—perfect for remote work. It may be light, but the aluminum construction can withstand the jolts and bumps that may happen to any business laptop user. The HP EliteBook’s keyboard is also one of the best ones in the market, promising excellent key travel and clicky feedback. The keyboard’s backlight makes it easier to work

Infinix NOTE 10 Pro coming this August INFINIX has confirmed that the NOTE 10 series, including the game-changing NOTE 10 Pro, will be launched in the Philippines this August. The NOTE 10 Pro delivers peak performance for gaming and data processing with its MediaTek Helio G90T chipset and memory storage of 8GB RAM and 128GB RAM. Paired with HyperEngine Gaming Technology, users benefit from faster response times, stronger connectivity and low latency reduction by utilizing two Wi-Fi bands or routers at the same time. To be priced under P10,000, it is set to be a game-changer in both its price and product categories. Graphics and images seamlessly glide on the NOTE 10 Pro’s 6.95” full high definition (FHD+) display, boasting of a 91% screen-to-body ratio, 90Hz refresh rate, and 180Hz touch sampling rate, offering users the smoothest and most immersive gaming and entertainment experiences. The NOTE 10 Pro also delivers stunning professional-quality images and beautiful nightscape imagery, with its rear-facing 64 megapixels (MP) 6P ultra night camera and a 16MP AI Beautify Selfie front-facing camera with two frontal flashes. Other innovative technologies on the NOTE 10 Pro include a 5000mAh Battery and 33W Fast Charge Technology. The batteries are integrated with Ultra Power Mode, providing an extra 58 hours of calling time when the battery reaches 5% capacity, 25% of battery backup with the Power Marathon Technology, and safe fast-charge technology. Aside from the NOTE 10 Pro, Infinix will ip sh g T, the fla e 0 9 G also launch the MediaTek Helio G85-powo li e ek H e th by MediaT e from Infinix will b ,000 ered NOTE 10 in the Philippines. Powered 0 n artpho er Php 1 For more details visit: https://www.infigaming sm M smartphone und A s R e B in G p ip nixmobility.com/smartphone/note-10-pro il h first 8 P e in th

during the night. Plus, it’s spill-resistant, so good news for the clumsy multitaskers. To complete the package, the HP EliteBook 840 G8 features a Full HD IPS display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. With the screen’s antiglare feature, working on tasks with tight deadlines will be easier on the eyes. The display also offers a great resolution for your entertainment needs. These features make the business laptop a suitable device for multitasking professionals. But what sets it apart from the other premium laptops in the market? The answer: A SAFE AND SECURE DEVICE FOR MULTITASKING One of the issues about working from home is the vulnerability of networks and devices to cybersecurity threats. To keep ﬁles secure and protected, the HP EliteBook 840 sports top-of-the-line security features. For instance, it has a remarkable tamper lock intrusion detection system that will

HP EliteBook 840 G8

send an alert if someone attempts to open it, prompting the system to require an administrator password to restart the system. Another promising security feature is the HP EliteBook 840’s ability to block prying eyes from viewing your screen, thanks to its optional HP Sure View Reflect. This feature makes the screen unreadable by producing a copper reflective finish when the screen is viewed from the side. In a nutshell, the HP EliteBook 840 is a reliable, powerful, and secure laptop that meets the multitasking demands of today’s workplace environment. For Inquiries and orders, visit https://bit.ly/HPEliteBook800G8Series.

The gaming mice for you By John Christopher Aquino and Jonas Ryan Nitura THE revolutionary mouse has seen some improvements far from its trackball roots. Today, it has undergone some drastic changes as further advancements have helped gamers hone their skills as they use the suitable mouse amid a wide market of gaming mice. Aside from the various design choices that range from flashy to minimalistic, the market offers various types of mice that gamers can choose from. There are types of mice that have extra buttons on the left and/or right sides where gamers can map various actions toward. Logitech G502 HERO “The buttons on the side definitely help a lot when it comes to games. I assign macros for it so it's easier for me to play games. For example in DOTA 2, I use the side buttons to use items in the game,” said Iggy Bernardo, a Logitech G502 HERO user. While Diego Yap, a SteelSeries Rival 310 user, added that the side buttons will make you feel comfortable because of the modifiable side buttons. “If you are playing video games, having extra mouse but-

tons or side mouse buttons is very useful. You can change some of the game settings into your mouse, giving you more comfort as you play the game,” the gamer said. Pricier options also come in the form of wireless mice which ease the problem of a wired connection that may restrict movement. “I use a wired mouse because a USB ensures a much more stable and responsive connection with minimal input lag for optimum gaming performance. The only downside it has, is the restriction of the wires,” claimed Yap. “Both have their perks but a wireless mouse is definitely more advantageous in terms of practicality as it is easily portable and the absence of wires is convenient,” added Bernardo as he aims to upgrade to a wireless version of his mouse. Even when using a wired mouse, Dave Yadao, a Logitech G102 owner, said that he would prefer wireless mice over a weird mouse. “I observe in my day-to-day life that my mouse cable gets tangled up which becomes a hassle for me. I am all for a cleaner desk setup,” the user explained. When asked if the gaming mice users would revert back to a normal optical mouse, they all declined as their current mouse can both serve as a normal mouse in addition to the features added to it. “I would not go back to a normal office mouse because of the familiarity I have with my macros settings and my in-app DPI configurations,” said Yadao. “I wouldn't mind using an optical mouse for daily tasks. However, I really wouldn't buy one for myself since a gaming mouse is more ideal for me to use since gaming is a hobby of mine that I do regularly,” added Bernardo.

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

NEW CIVIC TYPE R

unleashed

ONDA’S automobile business unit in the Philippines has launched the new Honda Civic Type R, refreshed with a new sporty exterior design and mechanical updates which aim to further improve the model’s already exhilarating driving performance. The Civic Type R was first introduced in the Philippine Market in 2017. Having the highest distinction for performance for the Civic model line-up, the Civic Type R has been phenomenally sought after with the first one hundred (100) units made available for the Philippine market, booked within 48 hours upon the announcement of its availability. The Civic Type R continues to be one of the most sought after and desired performance vehicles today, HCPI said in its launching statement, This is due to the model’s strong following, multiple recognitions, rich racing heritage, and several track records broken in some of the world’s most challenging racetracks. Exterior Outside, the New Civic Type R receives a refreshed sporty update while still boasting a comprehensive and improved aerodynamic package. The front and rear bumper get updated with new lower fog light surrounds. It features a new symmetrical design, smooth surfaces, and sleek styling blades which contributes to the New Civic Type R’s cleaner styling. The front and rear bumpers and side skirts continue to sport a carbon fiber effect front splitter, side underspoilers, and rear diffuser with a sporty red accent line, which runs around the entire vehicle contributing to its distinctive look. At the rear, the Type R spoiler works in

Wing-type Spoiler

Sleek and saucy dashboard

conjunction with vortex generators found by the rear edge of the roofline. Diverting air flow across the tail and generating additional downforce on the rear axle, the wing contributes to overall negative lift, and improves road-holding abilities, particularly through high-speed corners for better highspeed stability. The New Civic Type R sports a new front grille design with a new thinner grille beam. It provides a 13 percent larger air intake area. Combined with the Type R’s updated radiator core, this decreases coolant temperature by up to 10 degrees (under Honda internal testing) during high-demand situations, such as track driving. Filling the enlarged wheel arches are 20inch Berlina Black alloy wheels completing the New Civic Type R’s sporty exterior stance. Interior Inside, the New Civic Type R builds on the sporty, sleek and sophisticated interior space of the 10th generation Civic’s cabin. The New Civic Type R features a high center console complemented by the striking Type R spec bucket seats sporting a suede-effect red and black fabric trim. It gives the driver and passenger that sports car feel given its low seating position. Carbon center inlays and red accents can be found on the Type R’s dashboard extending towards the side door panels. A new Alcantara-wrapped steering

wheel and a new teardrop style gear knob, similar to previous Type R models, have been introduced for the New Civic Type R. These updates aim to provide optimized steering wheel grip and improved gear shift feel and accuracy. These subtle changes combined aim to enhance the driver’s feel once behind the wheel. On top of these new upgrades, the exclusive Type R serial number plate is found below the gear shift lever. In front of the driver, the instrument display layout provides vivid clarity and highly intuitive user interface. A 7-inch full color Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD Display makes up the central section of the instrument cluster and can display a variety of different function readouts including, Driving mode display (+R, Sport, Comfort), LED gearshift indicator light, Turbo boost pressure gauge, Throttle/brake input display and G-Meter. On top of the center console sits an updated 7-inch Touch Screen Display Audio System with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. The control functions for the infotainment and climate control system have been updated with additional physical buttons and tactile knobs for optimum usability and functionality Drivetrain Under the hood, the New Civic Type R retains its 2.0-litre VTEC TURBO engine that produces a maximum power output

of 310 PS at 6,500rpm, and peak torque of 400 Nm from 2,500rpm to 4,500rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission equipped with a rev match control system enabling the car to sustain maximum power during gearshifts. To emphasize its soulful performance, the New Civic Type R now comes equipped with Active Sound Control (ASC), complementing the Type R’s triple exhaust system’s refined note. With the ASC, the Type R’s audio system provides an enhanced engine sound within the cabin during aggressive driving in Sport and +R modes, refining it during acceleration in Comfort mode and enhancing the driving experience. Suspension and brake systems have also been updated for more responsive and sharper handling. The Civic Type R’s Adaptive Damper System’s control software has been upgraded to allow faster road condition evaluation, resulting in improved damper reactions for better handling response and ride quality. In terms of braking, upfront, the New Civic Type R comes equipped with Brembo four-piston calipers paired to a new twopiece floating 350mm front brake discs and new brake pads. The enhancements in the Type R’s braking system not only improves thermal efficiency but also reduces brake fade for increased capabilities during highintensity driving for optimized on-track

‘I’D DO IT AGAIN’

Hamilton defiant after Verstappen crash LEWIS Hamilton said on Thursday he would be ready to repeat his attempt to pass Max Verstappen which caused the championship leader to crash out of the British Grand Prix earlier this month. Dutchman Verstappen was taken to hospital as seven-time champion Hamilton closed the gap to eight points in the standings before this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. "In terms of the move, I'd do it again exactly as I've done it in the past," he said. "I think, growing up, wheel-to-wheel racing was always the best, from karting. The most exciting part of motor sport is when you see close racing.

Lewis Hamilton

"We're now seeing two teams incredibly close on performance. And if there's more people watching then that tells you all you need to know," he added. Earlier, 23-year-old Verstappen said he remained unhappy with Hamilton despite clearing the air with the Briton during a phone call following their spectacular crash. The Red Bull driver declined to go into any detail, adding instead he was more upset by the defending champion's post-race celebrations. "One guy is in hospital, the other guy is waving the flag around like nothing has happened while you pushed the guy into the wall with 51Gs," he said. "And not only that, just the whole reaction of the team. That's not how you celebrate a win. Especially a win -- how they got it. "That's what I found really disrespectful. In a way, it shows how they really are. It comes out after a pressure situation. I wouldn't want to be seen like that." - 'Emotions run high' Mercedes' Hamilton defended his reaction after the win. "I don't believe our behaviour was disrespectful. It's one thing knowing and then celebrating what happened and there's one thing not knowing and celebrating. Obviously I wasn’t aware," Hamilton said. "It was my home Grand Prix and we worked incredibly hard for who knows how long to get a result like that. "Emotions were running high. It wasn't an intentional celebration it was just the joy of seeing so many people and so many people celebrating, being together and that’s the natural emotion. I'm not going to

Max Verstappen

hide my emotions. It was an amazing feeling," he added. Verstappen distanced himself from claims made by his team boss Christian Horner who accused seven-time champion Hamilton of "dirty driving". "That's the first time I heard it like that. No, I think he just misjudged the moment in that corner." Hamilton, 36, received a 10-second penalty for his role in the collision and Verstappen said it was too lenient. "I don't think the penalty was correct because basically you take out your main rival and, especially with the speed we have in our cars, we are miles ahead of, let's say, the third-best team. "We are easily 40, 50 seconds ahead in normal conditions. So, a 10 second penalty doesn't do anything so definitely that penalty should have been more severe." The Dutchman holds a slender lead over Hamilton ahead of the 11th race of the season on Sunday, subject to a possible review of the Silverstone result that could be triggered by Red Bull's attempt to persuade a stewards' hearing, later on Thursday, that the penalty was insufficiently severe. AFP

performance. Honda SENSING As part of Honda’s aim to provide collision-free and safe mobility, the Civic Type R now comes equipped with Honda’s SENSING suite of driver-assistive functions. Through a monocular camera and wave millimeter radar simultaneously working to monitor and assess various road conditions in front of the vehicle, Honda SENSING alerts the driver of potential hazards that may occur. Honda’s suite of driver-assistive features provides an array of advanced safety features such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). Together with Honda SENSING, the New Civic Type R comes standard with an array of safety features such as Front Driver and Passenger Airbags, Side and Side Curtain Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), and Multi-View Reverse Camera w/ Guidelines. All these and more features of the new Civic Type R are available at a suggested retail price of P3,210,000. As a special treat, HCPI is offering an introductory P100,000 discount for the New Civic Type R until September 30, 2021, HCPI said.

Mercedes-Red Bull ‘war of words’ rages MERCEDES ramped up the war of words with Formula One rivals Red Bull on Thursday by accusing them of attempting to "tarnish the good name and sporting integrity of Lewis Hamilton".The accusation came after Red Bull failed to win a review into the 10-second penalty handed to Hamilton for the world champion's controversial collision with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at the recent British Grand Prix "In addition to bringing this incident to a close we hope this decision will mark the end of a concerted attempt by the senior management of Red Bull Racing to tarnish the good name and sporting integrity of Lewis Hamilton," said a Mercedes statement. Red Bull had claimed that the penalty was "insufficient" and sought a review of the decision. The first lap crash at Silverstone ended Verstappen's race and left the Dutchman in hospital. Hamilton went on to win and slash Verstappen's championship lead to just eight points ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. While Hamilton celebrated in front of 140,000 fans at Silverstone, Verstappen ended up in hospital. Verstappen blasted the seventimes world champion for being "disrespectful and unsportsmanlike" for celebrating while he required medical treatment. Red Bull team chief Christian Horner said it was a "hollow victory" for Hamilton, claiming the manoeuvre was "dangerous and desperate". AFP