Manila Standard - 2021 August 20 - Friday by Manila Standard

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MM, Laguna shift to MECQ

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

ETRO Manila and Laguna will shift to the less stringent Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) starting Aug. 21 until the end of the month, but there will still be no dinein, al fresco dining, beauty salons, barbershops, nail spas and religious services allowed, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said. Roque said the new lockdown classification was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force Thursday evening, hours after the Department of Health reported 14,895 new COVID-19 cases yesterday – the second highest number of cases in a day since the pandemic started.

IATF keeps ban on dine-in, salons

CURFEW VIOLATORS. At least 28 Manila residents, including 8 minors

undergo profiling by the Manila Police District’s Station 11 while they are temporarily detained at a covered court in Binondo, Manila on Thursday midnight for violating the curfew hours imposed under the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila. According to PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar, 9,000 protocol violators are accosted daily in the NCR since the reimposition of ECQ to curb the spread of COVID-19 Norman Cruz VOL. XXXV • NO. 186 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Auditors flag DOH anew: P1m too much for virtual food catering P240-b COVID kitty included in 2022 budget By Rio N. Araja, Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has called the attention of the Department of Health (DOH) regional offices for “irregular, unnecessary, and excessive” expenditures of more than P557 million, including P1.08 million for catering services for virtual meetings. The catering expenses incurred by the Region 6 Center for Health Development were “not essential” to the conduct of activities, COA said, adding that those who took part in the virtual meetings were just at their workplaces while performing their usual functions. The audit agency also flagged as an irregular expenditure the P2.11 million worth of hazard pay given to personnel of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Region 7, who did not physically report to work, and some of whom Next page

1,791,003 14,895

111,720

30,881

258

1,648,402

8,248

(As of 4 PM, AUGUST 19)

By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas THE government will need over P240 billion for its COVID-19 response in its proposed P5 trillion national budget for 2022, Malacanang said. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said this amount would be needed to fight the pandemic, based on preliminary data as of Aug. 19, but added that the amount was just not yet final. “This is what was in the National Expenditure Plan. But the Congress can, of course, change it. They can add to it, or they can deduct,” he said in a virtual press briefing. Next page

STATE insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said Thursday it was looking into instances of “upcasing” committed by hospitals and healthcare providers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PhilHealth spokesperson Shirley Do-

By Rio N. Araja

3.7m seniors fully vaxxed but still short of target

By Willie Casas and Joel E. Zurbano

ALMOST half of the elderly population in the country have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, four months after vaccination of this priority group began, the Department of Health said Thursday. As of Wednesday, Aug. 18, some 3.77

PhilHealth probes ‘upcasing’ practice of hospitals, providers By Willie Casas

HMDF also draws red flag over car plan

WAITLISTED. Pregnant women wait at the makeshift triage of Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Medical for an interview on Thursday, August 19, 2021. About 30 pregnant patients are infected with the COVID-19 virus while 40 percent of their employees test positive with COVID-19 and are now in the isolation room of the hospital, according to Fabella Memorial Medical union president Dr. Margaritas Esquivel. Danny Pata

mingo said upcasing happens when a person confined in a hospital is tagged as a COVID-19 case to get larger reimbursements from the state health insurer. “Sometimes it’s just cough and cold and yet they report it as COVID to get higher reimbursements from PhilHealth,” she said in a television interview.

million senior citizens, accounting for 45.67 percent of the Philippines’ elderly population, have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje revealed during an online briefing. “Our Janssen vaccines are a big help,” she said, referring to Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccines. Cabotaje said 3.2 million others or

38.81 percent were partially vaccinated. The World Health Organization had alerted the Philippines late last month regarding its “sluggish COVID-19 vaccination rate among senior citizens in some LGUs.” “The slow rollout among senior citizens leaves the Philippines vulnerable to its hospitals being overwhelmed due

Evacuation bid of 90 Pinoy in Kabul fails By Rey Requejo

POLICE seized more than P170,000 worth of shabu, a hand grenade and a gun from a 27-year-old man who they initially accosted for not wearing a face mask in Taguig City. Southern Police District director B/Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said the suspect Jamoran Cayagcag is now detained at the Taguig City Police Station custodial facility and will be

FLIGHT cancellations have hampered government efforts to evacuate the remaining 90 Filipinos in Afghanistan, which is now under the control of the militant Taliban group, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. In a statement, the DFA said it continues to exhaust all avenues for repatriation after two unsuccessful attempts. “Last night, two attempts were made to evacuate Filipinos via New Delhi and Islamabad. However these were unsuccessful due to cancellation of all commercial flights,” department said. “As experienced by the groups last night, access to and even within the airport is very difficult and if able to check in, this is still no

Man unmasked as drug suspect, yields shabu By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Commission on Audit has flagged Pag-IBIG Fund’s Home Mutual Development Fund for the procurement of 21 cars for its officers last year without the approval from the Office of the President. In its 2020 audit report, COA said Pag-IBIG disbursed P36.355 million in line with its 2015 car plan. “This is composed of the P34.298 million cost of the 21 vehicles purchased for its officers and other expenses, specifically repairs and maintenance, insur-

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Espinosa indicted for drug trafficking By Rey E. Requejo

HE Department of Justice has found sufficient evidence to indict self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa and 10 others in connection with the illegal drugs trade in Eastern Visayas from 2011 until 2016.

In a resolution, DOJ’s prosecutors also recommended the indictment of Marcelo Labay Adorco, Jose Ortiz Antipuesto, Jose Jernie Estrera, Galo Sptehen Bobares, Ferdinand Rondina, Brian Anthony Zaldivar, Nickjune Canin, Virbeca Diano, Alfred Batistis, Jose Dumaguit for violating Section 26 (b) in relation to Section 5 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The said provisions penalizes any attempt or conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade and imposes the punishment of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from

P500,000 to P10 million on any person who will be found guilty of the offense. However, the panel cleared respondents Maba Limbo, Galo Legaspi, Baysay Custodio, Victor Espina, Martin Espina, Marites Ang, Chief Inspector (CInsp.) Wilfredo Abordo, Police Office 3 (PO3) Dennis Torrefiel, Police Chief Supt. (PCSupt.) Asher Dolina, Police Chief Inspector (PCInsp.) Eufracio Javines, Police Capt. (PCpt.) Bernie Magamay, Police Staff Sergeant (PSSg.) Eduardo Betuin, PSSg. Roberto Arafol, PSSupt. Elizar Egloso, and PSSg. Marvin Parac.

P240-b... From A1

MM,... From A1

Next year’s proposed national budget includes some P45 billion for the procurement of COVID-19 booster shots. “In the 2022 budget, we have a budget entry for booster shots for all Filipinos. The cost of the booster shot is P45 billion,” Roque added. The biggest share of the budget will go to the Department of Education with P99 billion to fund its flexible learning options, textbooks and other instructional materials, and computerization programs amid the implementation of blended learning, he said. On the other hand, the Department of Health will get P93 billion for its health facilities, prevention and control of communicable diseases, procurement of supplies, and the emergency hiring of health workers. A total of P33.63 billion will be allocated for the programs of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Of the said figure, P22.33 billion was set for the agency’s Livelihood and Emergency Employment programs while the remaining P11.29 billion was for the welfare services of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The government has set aside P11.52 billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) would be getting P1.28 billion; the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) would get P1.2 billion; and the University of the Philippines (UP) System would get P140 million. The proposed national budget for 2022 worth P5.024 trillion is expected to be submitted to Congress on Monday, Aug. 23. The DOH on Thursday said it is considering the inclusion of COVID-19 booster shots in the 2022 budget. Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, chief of the National Vaccination Operations Center, however, said the DOH All Experts Group has yet to recommend booster shots. “The need for booster shots is still being studied, although we are considering it in the 2022 budget. There is no firm recommendation from the All Experts Group yet,” Cabotaje said during an online forum. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III had said that the Philippines would need around P55 billion to purchase booster shots—P10 billion more than the figure Roque quoted.

Roque said Bataan will also be placed under MECQ starting Aug. 23 until Aug. 31. “These latest classifications are without prejudice to the strict implementation of granular lockdowns,” he said. “In addition, local government units of the aforementioned areas are directed to improve their vaccination rates, Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) strategies, and observance and compliance to Minimum Public Health Standards,” the Palace official added. He said the stricter MECQ protocols shall be observed in Metro Manila, Laguna and Bataan under their respective inclusive dates. Thursday’s number of new infections was considered the highest since April 2, when the country registered 15,310 new cases. It is also the ninth straight day that new cases counted more than 10,000. There were 258 new fatalities yesterday, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 30,881. The DOH also reported 8,248 newlyrecovered people, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,648,402. There were 111,720 active cases of which 95.3 percent were mild, 1.8 percent were asymptomatic, 0.7 percent were critical, 1.3 percent were severe, and 0.87 percent were moderate. This was the fifth straight day that active infections numbered more than 100,000. The positivity rate is at 23.8 percent, based on test results of 59,828 individuals who got screened for the virus on Tuesday. Nationwide, 72 percent of the ICU

Evacuation... From A1

pinos staying in Afghanistan have sought for repatriation from the government. The DFA urged Filipinos still in Kabul to prepare to leave at a moment’s notice and to travel with minimal luggage. DFA also reported that seven Filipinos in Afghanistan on Wednesday

assurance that a flight would be able to leave,” it added. According to the DFA, 79 out of 90 Fili-

3.7m... From A1 to severe cases among the elderly, and possibly higher deaths due to a surge in cases from the fast-spreading Delta variant confirmed to be locally transmitted,” it said in a statement. “We are very concerned that most of our older, more vulnerable people are still missing out on essential, life-saving vaccines against COVID-19. Not vaccinating most of our elderly now means more of them will suffer from severe illness and death. This is unacceptable when we already have adequate vaccine stocks to protect them,” said Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines. At the time, only about 25 percent of senior citizens were fully vaccinated, and about 35 percent received their first dose.

The investigating fiscals said the National Bureau of InvestigationTask Force Anti-Illegal Drugs (NBITFAID), which investigated and filed the complaint before, failed to prove that the said 16 police officers and civilians conspired with Espinosa in selling illegal drugs in the region. The DoJ noted that the NBI’s evidence against 16 respondents were taken from several affidavits, including the extra-judicial confessions of some of the respondents in the case. But the investigating prosecutors ruled that an extra-judicial confession is binding only upon the confessant and is not admissible against his co-accused. On the other hand, the prosecutors took into consideration the extra-judicial confessions made by respondents Espinosa, Adorco, Antipuesto, Bobares, Rondina, Zaldivar, Diano, Estreta, Canin, Batista and Dumaguit in

finding probable cause to indict them for conspiring in the illegal drug trade in Eastern Visayas. The panel explained that a confession is admissible as evidence if it was done voluntarily and with the accused having full knowledge of its consequences and significance. “It then becomes evidence of a high order, since it is supported by the presumption – a very strong once – that no person of normal mind will deliberately and knowingly confess himself to be the perpetrator of a crime, especially if it be a serious crime, unless prompted by truth and conscience,” the resolution stated. “Verily, the confessions contained therein are admissible as evidence against them for the crime charged,” it said. The panel also did not give credence to the recantations of the extra-judicial confessions of Antipuesto, Bobares, Zaldivar and Diano.

beds, 61 percent of the isolation beds, 65 percent of the ward beds, and 53 percent of the ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 73 percent of the ICU beds, 60 percent of the isolation beds, 67 percent of the ward beds, and 61 percent of the ventilators, were in use. Earlier, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año admitted there were no more funds for cash assistance for people affected by an ECQ lockdown. In Manila, the director of the Ospital ng Sampaloc said its COVID-19 bed capacity was 90 percent full. This was a decrease from the 96 percent that it reported on Wednesday, said Dr. Aileen Lacsamana. “This is still controlled. It’s not yet like our experience last March and April when people queued in the emergency room,” Lacsamana said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo. Lacsamana said the hospital has one pediatric COVID-19 case, a 2-yearold, while half of its adult virus cases were unvaccinated. Around 44 percent of its COVID-19 patients are moderate cases, she said. It has also set up a delivery room tent for pregnant women with COVID-19 as there is only one delivery room inside the hospital, Lacsamana said. Also on Thursday, Senator Nancy Binay recommended that free cluster testing be carried out in highly dense communities and in areas where COVID cases are high. Given the government’s poor testing capacity, rationalizing the IATF’s and the DOH’s screening and testing strategies to cover more individuals is necessary to control community infections, she said.

“Why are we not testing enough? What happened to the target of 90,000 to 100,000 tests daily? Given the country’s low testing capacity, how can we be effective in isolating carriers and spreaders? Testing is very crucial in areas where there is an increasing number of COVID cases,”she added. Binay said that in communities under hard lockdown and in critical zones where surges have been reported, the DOH, together with the LGU, can conduct a full community testing using RT-PCR tests. “The goal is to test more, not to test all. What we need is a rationalized, more targeted cluster approach to suppress the spread of the virus at the community level,” Binay said. Meanwhile, independent researchers tracking the pandemic said they were optimistic that Filipinos will be able to celebrate “a brighter” Christmas even with COVID-19. Ranjit Rye of the OCTA Research Group, said in an interview on “The Mangahas Interviews” that the government made the right decision to place Metro Manila and other areas under a strict lockdown in August to curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta coronavirus “We will prevail over this Delta variant and because vaccination is ramping up in NCR Plus, we can look forward to a brighter 2021 Christmas once we achieve our vaccine goals, which is population protection for at least the NCR by October,” Rye said. “It’s going to be a good ending for 2021, that’s my optimistic view. Long term, it’s harder to say it will be done in two or three years. I think we will have to learn to live with the virus,” he said.

The WHO said “the elderly are at the highest risk of the most severe outcomes of COVID-19,” with “seven out of 10 COVID-19 deaths in the Philippines are from this group.” As of Aug. 18, the Philippines has fully vaccinated 12.87 million people against COVID-19, while 16.25 million others have received their first dose. The government rolled out its vaccination program on March 1, kicking off with the country’s health workers. The country hopes to vaccinate up to 70 million to attain herd immunity against the disease that has killed some 30,000 people in the country since last year.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this after Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III reiterated the need to impose bubbles for those fully vaccinated amid the emergence of the more transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant. Roque described Concepcion’s proposal as a “point well taken,” especially since Metro Manila is close to achieving its “population protection” target.

4th shipment of Pfizer

Malacañang supports the proposal to implement “transport bubbles” for those fully vaccinated individuals against COVID-19 once half of Metro Manila’s target population received the jabs.

The fourth shipment of governmentprocured COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer consisting of 365,040 doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport - Terminal 3 Wednesday night. Of these doses, 51,480 shots were transported to Cebu City, also on Wednesday night, via domestic flight LD457, while another 51,480 doses were shipped to Davao City Thursday morning.

were evacuated to Qatar and another five to the United Kingdom with the help of their employers. “There are reports of other Filipinos who have left Kabul which our embassies are verifying,” the agency said. Filipinos in distress may contact

the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan for assistance: Whatsapp/ Viber: +923335244762. DFA already raised Alert Level 4 or mandatory evacuation for Filipinos in Afghanistan due to the Taliban takeover of the country.

‘Transport bubbles’

Man... From A1

HMDF... From A1

charged with violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act; illegal possession of a firearm, explosives and ammunition -- and for violating health protocols. Macaraeg said members of the Police Sub-Station 9 led by Maj. Crisanto Agualin were conducting their routine patrol around 5 p.m. Wednesday when they saw Cayagcag along Roldan Street in Barangay New Lower Bicutan not wearing a face mask. The police officers alighted from their mobile cars and approached Cayagcag. “The suspect was reminded by our operatives on the mandatory wearing of face masks in relation to COVID-19 pandemic but instead of heeding the advice, the suspect tried to escape prompting our officers to chase him,” Macaraeg said. When the lawmen searched the suspect’s belongings, they found 25 grams of shabu, a hand grenade, a .38 cal. revolver and four live ammunition. Macaraeg commended the Taguig City police for the arrest.

ance and registration of the subject vehicles totaling P2.057 million,” the report read. Pag-IBIG Fund paid the bill of 50 percent of the cost of the vehicles, while the other half would be deducted from the wages, allowances and/or bonuses of the 21 officers. The car plan program benefited department heads up to vice presidents. The prices of the cars ranged from P800,000 to P1.8 million. Pag-IBIG Fund, however, stood firm on its ground that a presidential approval was no longer necessary. The laws cited by COA require presidential approval only in case of new benefits or when there is an increase in benefits, it said. “In our case, the car plan is not a new benefit. It has been in place since 1983. It is also not an increase in benefits. On the contrary, it is a reduction in benefits that we implemented following COA’s recommendation in 2014,” vice president for public

relations Kalin Franco-Garcia said. “In fact, we must also emphasize that in the very same COA Report, COA awarded us their highest audit rating. This makes it nine straight years that Pag-IBIG Fund has received the highest rating from COA. This is proof that Pag-IBIG Fund’s financial records have been and continue to be transparent, fair, and accurate,” she added. Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives filed a resolution seeking a legislative investigation into allegedly anomalous transactions in the distribution of the social amelioration program flagged by COA. The bloc, composed of Bayan Muna Party-list Representatives Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, and Eufemia Cullamat; ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro; Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas; and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago filed House Resolution 2146 to investigate the distribution of SAP funds under the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The bloc said the previous distribution of the billions-worth SAP was awarded to a dubious company Starpay, as exposed recently by Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

Auditors... From A1 were not eligible for the hazard pay due to their accumulated leaves of absence. COA also noted Region 2’s “excessive expenditures” in hazard pay, which exceeded the allowable amount set under Administrative Order No. 26 on the grant of hazard pay to government personnel who physically reported for work during the lockdown. It said the expenditures failed to comply with established rules, procedural guidelines, practices, and the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1445 or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines, and COA Circular No. 2012-001. “The apparent disregard of existing laws and regulations affected the regularity, validity and propriety of covered transactions. Government funds and property were exposed to the risks of loss or misuse,” the audit report read. The report also cited the non-utilization of Marawi City’s crisis funds of the DOH amounting to P58.9 million. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III failed to acknowledge his department’s shortcomings and instead blamed others for the delay in the release of funds for health workers during the Blue Ribbon committee hearing Wednesday. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Duque should stop pointing fingers and blaming others for the unpaid benefits and special risk allowances of health workers. He added that Duque’s explanation on Wednesday was “totally unsatisfactory.” The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, meanwhile, rejected the DOH claim that they are responsible for the delayed disbursement of special benefits to medical frontliners. In an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo, Dr. Jose Rene De Grano, association president, said the bureaucratic system was the culprit for the delayed disbursements. “Based on our survey, the [benefits] are still on hold in the offices of the Department of Health. Others are coursed through local government units,” De Grano said. De Grano estimated that about half of private health care workers have yet to receive the benefits as private hospitals and the DOH had yet to come up with a memorandum of agreement on the release of the benefits. De Grano also dismissed the DOH’s claim that private hospitals had yet to accomplish the requirements for the special risk allowance (SRA) and hazard pay. “Many of our hospitals have already submitted [the requirements]. They are only waiting [for the release of the benefits,” De Grano said. All health care workers should receive the benefits and not only those assigned to COVID-19 wards, he added, since they all breathe the same air in hospitals. Data from DOH showed that between September 2020 and June 2021, the agency released nearly P15 billion worth of allowances and monetary benefits for 1.2 million medical workers. Under the law, health workers attending to COVID-19 patients are entitled to receive SRA and hazard pay on top of their usual salaries.

PhilHealth... From A1 Domingo said PhilHealth’s legal division was already looking into reported cases of upcasing. Domingo said the hospitals would be given due process during the investigation. “There is a process, the hospital will be asked to explain, there is a hearing,” she said. If proven that the hospital or healthcare provider committed upcasing, its PhilHealth accreditation could be revoked or suspended, she warned. “It will depend on the decision of our legal division,” said Domingo.

Pacquiao earlier bared that some P10.4 billion in SAP funds are missing, with about 1.3 million beneficiaries supposedly unable to get critical pandemic aid. He questioned the use of Starpay for the program. A 2020 COA report also showed personnel of staterun People’s Television Network Inc (PTV) received a total P189.782 million in salaries which could not be ascertained as legal, valid and accurate. State auditors noted the non-submission of properly filled-up and signed Daily Time Records or DTRs, contrary to provisions of Presidential Decree 1445 or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines and COA Circular No. 2012-001. The salaries were paid to regular employees as well as contractual and contract of service (COS) personnel. In a statement, the network’s board and management appreciated the “fairest possible audit of the accounts and transactions of the network.” “We take to heart the findings of the audit team and guarantee that our concerned offices are working hard to ensure that the recommendations are implemented,” the PTV board and management said.

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Manila-bound aliens urged to pre-apply for work visas By Vito Barcelo

PROTOCOL MONITORS. Police officers (left) watch people fill up information sheets

at the reception table during the vaccination drive at the second floor of Robinson Place Dasmarinas along Aguinaldo Highway in Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Thursday August 19, 2021. Gil Caling

Senators decry LTFRB’s slow move on service deal By Macon Ramos Araneta

ENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Thursday called for an investigation into what the Commission on Audit described as “slow implementation” of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board’s service contracting program for displaced transport workers.

Several other senators also decried the LTFRB’s failure to deliver on the terms of the service contract intended as a temporary livelihood for PUV drivers. Pangilinan has proposed Senate Resolution 861 that directs the appropriate Senate Committee to look into the 1.07

percent utilization of the total P5.58 billion budget of LTFRB for their Service Contracting Program. In its 2020 report, COA flagged the LTFRB for the delays in implementing the program. The audit commission also revealed

that only 49.79 percent or a total of 29,871 drivers of the 60,000 targeted driver-participants were registered in the program at the end of 2020. Senator Grace Poe condemned the “dismal” rollout of the service contracting program by the LTFRB under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Republic Act 11494. “It is lamentable that the government simply shrugged its shoulders over its inability to disburse payments to our operators under the service contracting program,” said Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services. Poe had filed a resolution (unnumbered) seeking an inquiry into the slow implementation of the service contracting program, which she earlier pushed to be included in Bayanihan 2 to help give live-

Searca joins study on agro industries LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—While the current agricultural initiatives and policies are focused on rice and corn, an intergovernmental treaty organization and its partners are currently undertaking an International Benchmarking Study of the Philippine Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Industries co-developed and funded by the National Economic and Development Authority.

Dr. Glenn Gregorio, director of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, said the study aims to help boost and reboot the Philippine livestock, dairy, and poultry subsectors. He said Searca is implementing the collaborative study with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and selected Asian research institutions.

“The study has been deemed necessary and timely as the Philippine government’s current agricultural initiatives and policies are skewed towards rice and corn,” Gregorio said. He said the study also aims to determine comparative advantages of the Philippines and other Asian countries in terms of costs, production management, and marketing practices.

Signs of time come, seen in peaceful environment By Nash B. Maulana

(Conclusion)

PIGCAWAYAN, Cotabato—Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco and Pigcawayan Mayor Jean Dino Roquero joined Muslim residents and officials in a peaceful gathering for ceremonies where only very few men in uniform from both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were present to secure the area. And neither the usual heavy presence of armored personnel carriers (APC) was in sight on a Tuesday morning assembly (in strict observance of social distancing), in honor of 150 widows of war at ceremonies in Barangay Datu Binasing here. Honoring and ensuring the welfare of orphans and widows of war is an avowed commitment of a Muslim government sought in Chapter 4 of the Qur’an (Surah An-Nisa, meaning The Chapter on the Females of Humanity) Senior Minister Abdulra of Macacua and Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) led the distribution of relief and cash assistance to 150 widows of war, including wheelchairs to 15 of them. Republic Act 9994 of 2021, the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, entitles elderly citizens with welfare assistance. Motorized bancas were awarded to groups of inland fishermen in the barangays adjoining the marsh. Macacua also symbolically switched on the solar street lights complementing the street lighting project of the BARMM’s Ministry of Public Works under Minister Eduard Uy Guerra. Macacua said he was moved seeing widows of Moro combatants happy to have received their share of the regional govern-

Senior Minister Abdulra of Macacua

ment’s gift package (wheelchairs and food assistance) to mothers of children orphaned by wars. The recipient widows of wars have now turned senior citizens themselves. Macacua recalled he was also wounded in an encounter decades ago with state forces in one of these villages. The United National Development Program (UNDP) has helped organize and is paying the wages of a team of young Moro women and men assisting the community in needs-assessment forums, and in preparing proposals seeking to establish projects that residents deem most needed, like water system, schools, livelihood, farm-to-market roads, agricultural pre- and post-harvest facilities, and inland fishing implements. During the years of Moro conflict, parachute journalism would usually bring the story back to base at Manila newsrooms, sadly in the context of “killings” and animosity involving religions— like a lead that reads: “Muslim rebels seek to bring down a Catholic-led Philippine Government.” Supporters of the peace process have said spoilers of peace may even attempt to revive the old conflict that gave rise to the Moro movements in response to covert govern-

ment support to armed Christian militias, then evolving in the 1969 (through 1971) political events, and land-grabbing expeditions stemming from the post-World War II agrarian unrest of the communist-backed Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (Hukbalahap) in the administrations of Presidents Quirino and Magsaysay. Under Marcos, some local Christian leaders had no choice but to host the transient pro-government militias behind the hit-and-run attacks on Moro communities in the 1970s. The cycle of attack-and-retaliation had left local Muslims and Christians bitterly divided—even in terms of economic connectivity and community development initiatives. But here lies the reality: Village leaders from old families of Christian settlers in villages nearby did not cash-in on what could be a “common knowledge” with their Muslim neighbors about a clandestine situation that Ebrahim was in— or that he might just be in any of the adjoining communities that Muslim and Christian shared. Indeed, Murad’s experience is a living proof that there is simply no real enmity between Christians and Muslims— or at least, in the MILF turf.

lihood to drivers who were left without income amid the pandemic. “We had hoped that the provision of assistance to PUV drivers would be given the express lane treatment. Instead, it got stuck in bureaucratic gridlock,” said Poe. Senator Nancy Binay for expressed disappointment over the government’s lack of effort to fast track the implementation of the Service Contracting Program for PUV drivers. She noted that DOTr and the LTFRB are invisible, and have become the singlebiggest job stranglers since the start of the pandemic. “Lef us give them a little dignity. We barred them from pyling their route and yet, we are not giving them financial aid,” Binay said, referring to the PUV drivers.

THE Bureau of Immigration said on Thursday that foreigners currently abroad who are hired to work in the Philippines by employers based here will be allowed to pre-apply their work visas before entering the country. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente disclosed that he just issued an operations order allowing companies who wish to engage the services of foreigners who are still abroad to apply for a 9(g) working visa on behalf of these expatriates. Immigration adopted the new procedure pursuant to a resolution of the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) which authorizes the issuance of working visas to foreigners who intend to come to the Philippines for a long-term employment with a Philippine-based employer. The IATF said the visa may also be issued to foreign workers whose expertise will be tapped for foreign-funded government projects such as those in transportation and infrastructure. Morente explained that at present, only foreigners who are already in the country and whose services are engaged by companies here are issued 9(g) visas by the BI upon the filing of a petition for issuance of such a visa by their employers. “With the promulgation of this new policy, would-be expatriates bound for the Philippines will be able to apply for their working visas, which they would present when they enter the country,” the BI chief said. Morente, however, stressed that as in the case of foreigners who were previously issued their 9(g) visas, the employers of these alien workers must still apply for an alien employment permit (AEP) on their behalf with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

DOJ official issues warning PCOO’s Arcena vs. scammers bags int’l award as ‘Media Hero’

THE Presidential Communications Operations Office has won another prestigious international award, this time at the 2021 International Business Awards. With 3,800 nominations from different organizations in 65 countries, PCOO Assistant Secretary JV L. Arcena has been named as the 2021 Gold Stevie winner for the “Media Hero of the Year” category in the 18th Annual International Business Awards . This is the second “Media Hero of Year” award that he has received. According to Arcena, PCOO’s mandate and commitment to serving the Filipino public will continue as the country battles with COVID-19, and that providing information amid the pandemic is crucial for the public’s health and safety. “Being hailed as the “Media Hero of the Year” in the 2021 International Business Awards is truly an achievement for the work that we do as individuals and as an organization. It is a validation of the effort that we have been making to inform the public with vital facts and information, particularly those related to COVID-19 and those related to the programs and policies that benefit the public,” Arcena said.

By Rey Requejo

THE identity of an official of the Department of Justice under the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking is being used by scammers in their fraudulent money-making scheme. This came after the IACAT issued an advisory warning the public of a bogus email address that allegedly belonged to IACAT’s Executive Director Jinky Dedumo who was apparently being used to solicit assistance in the purchase of eBay gift cards. The scammers behind the scheme were using the email address “executivedirector1028@gmail.com” and made it appear that it belonged to Dedumo. In its advisory, the IACAT noted the similarity in an earlier money-making scheme that targeted DOJ Secretary Guevarra. A false email address “osecmig1@gmail.com” was attributed to belong to the Justice Secretary. The fake Guevarra email account was being used to request assistance for the procurement of iTunes gift cards as donations to patients to hospice care units across the country, and subject to reimbursement. The IACAT earlier said Secretary Guevarra only has one official email address, “osecmig@gmail.com”. While Dedumo’s official email accounts are jpdedumo.iacat@gmail.com and jpdedumo@gmail.com.

DEFIANT. Traffic enforcers confront a tricycle driver along Aguinaldo Highway in Dasmarinas City, Cavite on August 19, 2021, after noticing that his wife and children are inside the vehicle. Children below 14 yrs old are not allowed to go outside of their homes amid the lingering threat of COVID-19. JR Josue

News

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

Comelec halts 5 plebiscites before polls

CURING FOG.

Members of the Manila Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office conduct fogging and misting operations in Barangay 532 Zone 53, Sampaloc, Manila on Thursday. With COVID-19 cases rising in Southern and Central Luzon, the OCTA Research group said the number of new cases in the country may reach as many as 16,000 per day next week. Norman Cruz

By Vito Barcelo THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has postponed all plebiscites that were scheduled to be conducted before the 2022 elections so as not to delay the preparations for the May 2022 national elections. In Resolution No. 10716, the Comelec identified five pending plebiscites to be postponed: • The plebiscite to ratify the division of Maguindanao into two provinces; • The plebiscite to ratify the conversion of the municipality of Calaca in the province of Batangas into a component city; • The plebiscite to ratify the conversion of the City of San Jose Del Monte into a highly urbanized city; • The plebiscite to ratify the creation of Barangay New Canaan into a regular and distinct barangay in the municipality of Alabel, Sarangani; and • The plebiscite to ratify the merging of Barangay District 1 to Barangay District 28 and renaming of Barangay 29 in Ormoc City. “The Commission En Banc...hereby resolves to suspend the conduct of all plebiscites and schedule the holding of said plebiscites within four months from the end of the election period for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections,” the resolution read. “Considering the timeline laid above for the preparation for the 2022 NLE and the arduous preparations needed for its implementation, in order to concentrate all its resources in the preparation for the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections, there is a need to set a cut-off date for the conduct of plebiscites,” it read. The Comelec also cited that their calendar of activities is already filled – from the configuration of vote-counting machines, to the preparation of the final database for all elective positions, to the printing of ballots – for them to work on the conduct of plebiscites in 2021.

NCRPO arrests scammers using Sara Du30 name A MEMBER of the Cerbito-Fernandez organized crime group recently surrendered to the Philippine National Police - National Capital Region Police Office after a strategic operation. According to NCRPO chief PMGen. Vicente D. Danao Jr, the person of interest—who allegedly used the name of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in soliciting funds supposedly for her campaign in 2022—surrendered last June 30. The Davao City government commended the NCRPO for the arrest of the scammers who used the name of Duterte-Carpio in illegal activities. The city’s Public Information Office said the mayor was thankful for the efforts of the NCRPO in capturing the members of the organized crime group. Danao said the scammer solicited money using a mobile number (09260241365) and pretended to be lawyer Tristan Dwight Domingo, Davao City Assistant Administrator. The solicited money was deposited to various banks under the names of a certain Kristian Acero, Rezelyn H. Nemenzo, and Richard C. Yu. The suspects were charged with Syndicated Estafa punishable under PD 1689 Sec 1 in relation to Article 315 under the Revised Penal Code. The operation stemmed from the information from PCol Kirby John B. Kraft, City Director of Davao City Police Office, about a scam involving individuals claiming to be senior officials from the government.

QC judge quashes warrant that led to NDF staff arrest By Rey E. Requejo

COURT magistrate has quashed a search warrant issued earlier by fellow Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert that led to the 2019 arrest and detention of National Democratic Front (NDF) peace talks staff Alexander and Winona Birondo. In his order dated August 13, Judge Ferdinand Baylon of Quezon City RTC Branch 77 granted the motion of the defense seeking to quash the search warrants issued by Villavert on ground that they were issued without probable cause. “The questions left unanswered and the inconsistencies not clarified belies the existence of probable cause, which justify the issuance of the search warrants. For this reason, the warrants

should be quashed,” Baylon ruled. “Wherefore, above premises considered, the search warrants are hereby quashed and declared invalid. The evidence recovered pursuant to these search warrants are deemed inadmissible as evidence,” he said. Baylon said he found that in one of the two search warrants, BurgosVillavert failed to ask searching and probing questions as to the inconsistencies in the statements of the primary

witness, who claimed to have seen a grenade inside the Birondo’s room in his affidavit but did not say so in his testimony. “This puzzling dissonance in the witness’ sworn statement could have been clarified during the hearing for the application of the search warrant but unfortunately, such was not touched upon during his testimony,” Baylon stressed. “The testimony that he saw a grenade appears to have been spoon-fed to him when he was reminded of what he stated in his sworn statement. The witness appears to have been led to state that he saw a grenade, together with the firearm. He was only made to affirm what he stated in his sworn statement. This is not enough especially if we are to note that prior to these questions, the witness never stated that he saw a grenade,” he said.

MORE PFIZER JABS. More

Filipinos will get protection from COVID-19 as 365,040 doses of US-Made Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in the Philippines Wednesday night. US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John C. Law and National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. witnessed the arrival of the fourth batch of vaccines procured by the Philippine government.

Banayo quits MECO to back Isko’s ’22 run

ANGELITO “Lito” Banayo, President Rodrigo Duterte’s envoy to Taiwan, on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the Philippines’ Manila Economic and Cultural Office. Banayo resigned purportedly to join the campaign team of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, who is being eyed by some political groups to run for president in 2022 national elections. Banayo, who was also a key political strategist of President Duterte in the 2016 presidential campaign, revealed that he resigned as MECO chairman effective last July, after Moreno’s camp initiated talks with him. “Yung napupulsuhan ko at (the one I picked and), honestly, I encourage to run, is Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso,” Banayo said in a podcast interview on “Facts First” hosted by journalist Christian Esguerra. “It’s not right that you’re not going to support who’s going to be the candidate of the administration. It’s not right that you’re there at the same time,” Bayano explained in resigning as head of MECO. Nonetheless, Banayo admitted that he had been advising Moreno on campaign strategy, helping the latter’s campaign team in interpreting commissioned pre-election surveys and focus group discussions. One of the top political strategists in the country, Banayo had beenpart of the campaigns of President Joseph Estrada in 1998, Sen. Panfilo Lacson in 2004, and the late President Benigno Aquino III in 2010. Rey E. Requejo

Cebu patriarch ’Pabling’ Garcia passes away at 95 Navotas gains By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER Cebu governor and congressman Pablo “Pabling” Garcia passed away on Wednesday. He was 95. Garcia’s death was announced by his son, incumbent Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, in a Facebook post. “It is with deep sorrow that the family of Pablo ‘Pabling’ Garcia announces his passing last night, the 18th of August 2021,” the younger Garcia said. Lawmakers led by Speaker Lord All-

lan Velasco on Thursday mourned the passing of their former colleague and political patriarch, who was the father of current Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and former GSIS chairman Winston Garcia. “He was a devoted public servant who dedicated two-thirds of his life to public service — an extraordinary feat worthy of emulation,” Velasco said in a statement. In a separate statement, Presidential Communications Operations Office

(PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar also condoled with Garcia’s family. “We extend our deepest condolences to the rest of the Garcia family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, their family and friends,” Andanar said. Velasco said Garcia had served the people of Cebu province from 1951 to 2013 in various capacities—councilor, board member, congressman, vice governor, and governor—”with utmost dedication and commitment.”

Caloocan’s Malapitan in survey top 10

PRAYER VS. COVID. Catholic devotees from the Immaculate Heart of Mary community kneel down and pray for healing of those infected with COVID-19 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Thursday. Norman Cruz

CALOOCAN First District Rep. Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan has placed sixth out of 32 congressmen on the Top 10 District Representatives list in the National Capital Region (NCR). This is according to the independent House of Representatives Public Satisfaction Survey conducted by RP Mission and Development Foundation Inc. Malapitan garnered a 65% approval rating from the respondents based on the satisfaction rate of his performance as a legislator, his roles of representation and constituent service. Serving for five years in congress, Malapitan has passed a number of laws and resolutions, including House Bill 7770 or An Act of Reapportioning the First Legislative District of the City of

Caloocan into Two Legislative Districts, which was signed into law as Republic Act 11545. He is also the co-author of House Bill 4236 or the Magna Carta for BPO Workers Act, which aims to protect Business Process Outsourcing employees and provide them with mandated benefits. In terms of infrastructure projects, the first district congressman has coordinated with several national agencies to build roads, bridges, flood control walls and multi-purpose buildings for his constituents. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he also provided utmost service through his continuous medical and laboratory assistance, vaccination campaigns, and nonstop relief operations. Jun David

top audit mark from COA anew By Jun David FOR the sixth year in a row, the City Government of Navotas has received the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit (COA). COA gave an “unmodified opinion” on the city’s presentation of its 2020 financial statements. Navotas has received the same rating since 2016, the only local government in Metro Manila to have such a record. Mayor Toby Tiangco commended the department heads and employees of the city government for performing their duties well, despite the unconventional working conditions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic has forced us to realign most of our funds for COVID response. It was difficult to let go of some planned projects and programs, but we had to prioritize spending on personal protective equipment, relief packs, cash assistance, and other urgent needs,” he said. “We had to optimize the use of our meager budget and make sure that we spend our people’s taxes judiciously. Getting the highest COA rating, for six years now, is but an icing on the cake. Our focus remains on giving the best service we could give to every Navoteño,” Tiangco said.

World

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US troops may stay longer in Kabul

RESIDENT Joe Biden said US troops won’t leave any Americans behind in Afghanistan, even if it means staying in Taliban-controlled Kabul for longer than agreed.

In his first interview since the Taliban US leaders have said they are stickseized the Afghan capital, sparking a ing to an August 31 deadline for removpanicked exodus by foreigners and Af- ing the last troops and handing over the ghan allies, Biden told ABC News that country to the victorious Taliban. “chaos” had been unavoidable. However, Biden said for the first time

that US soldiers could stay longer if any Americans were still trying to flee. “If there are American citizens left, we’re going to stay to get them all out,” Biden said. The US president did not explain how an extension would work. The Taliban are currently standing aside as US troops fly in to secure Kabul’s airport and organize evacuations. But the militants have full control of the rest of the city and are essentially able to decide who gets through and who

doesn’t, while foreign forces are highly limited in their ability to maneuver safely beyond the confines of the airport. Taliban hold political talks Senior Taliban members have met with former president Hamid Karzai and senior official Abdullah Abdullah as they seek to form a government in Afghanistan, pledging it will be “positively different” from their brutal rule two decades ago. In the United Arab Emirates, ousted president Ashraf Ghani – who fled as the

insurgents closed in on the capital – said he supported negotiations between the Taliban and former top officials, and was in his own talks to return home. But US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Ghani was “no longer a figure” on the country’s complex political stage. The Taliban have come full circle after being toppled from power by a US-led invasion in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. AFP

Images of women vandalized as Kabul faces up to Taliban rule IMAGES of women have been covered up or vandalized on storefronts around Kabul, a sign of the Afghan capital’s rapidly changing face in the days since the Taliban took charge. The new regime’s fighters took control of the city on Sunday after a lightning offensive that saw the former government’s provincial strongholds around the country topple like dominos in a matter of days. In the two decades since the US-led invasion that ousted that administration in 2001, hundreds of once-forbidden beauty parlors have proliferated around Kabul. They have plied a trade in make-up and manicures, serving a clientele of women who had grown up compelled to keep every inch of their body hidden from public view. But as Taliban forces closed in on the capital, at least one of these stores began whitewashing its outdoor walls to cover up advertisements showing the faces of smiling women in bridal regalia. Manila Standard Another Manila shuttered salon, spotted on TODAY Standard TODAY

Tuesday as a Taliban fighter patrolled the street outside with an assault rifle slung over his shoulder, had its walls defaced with black spray paint to conceal the visages of its models. The United Nations Human Rights Council said it would hold a special session on Afghanistan next week to address the “serious human rights concerns” under the Taliban. The European Union, the United States and 18 other countries issued a joint statement on Wednesday saying they were “deeply worried about Afghan women and girls,” urging the Taliban to ensure their safety. Demonstrations have been staged in cities around the world in support of Afghan civilians, and women and girls in particular. During their 1996-2001 rule, the Taliban were notorious for banning girls from school, preventing women from working in contact with men and publicly stoning to death women accused of adultery. AFP

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT of ESTATE with WAIVER of RIGHTS Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late CARMENCITA LENTEJAS-CASTAÑOS has been extrajudicially settled among her heirs WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS consisting of: • ½ share of land covered by TCT No. 27013 – Barrio Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City; • ½ share of land covered by TCT No. 27014 – Barrio Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City; • 1/7 undivided portion of land covered by TCT No. T-6758 – Sagcahan, Tacloban City; • 1/7 undivided portion of land covered by TCT No. T-35922 – Mun. of Jaro, Prov. of Leyte. As per Doc. No. 306; Page No. 63; Book No. 10; Series of 2019 before Notary Public ATTY. ALEX BLAISE J. CUNANAN; and Doc. No. 435; Page No. 87; Book No. 51; Series of 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. EDGARDO Y. RAAGAS.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK GONE GIRLS. A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty salon with images of women defaced using spray paint in Shar-e-Naw in Kabul.

AFP

Scandal-hit Malaysian party poised to win PM race

A SCANDAL-PLAGUED Malaysian party looked set Thursday to regain the country’s leadership that it lost at landmark elections three years ago, after the last prime minister resigned this week. Muhyiddin Yassin quit Monday after a turbulent 17 months in office when allies withdrew support, and amid mounting anger at his government’s handling of a worsening coronavirus outbreak. With an election ruled out due to the pandemic, the king will pick Republic of the Philippines the country’s next leader based on Province of Misamis Oriental who commands majority support MUNICIPALITY OF OPOL in parliament. Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was OFFICE OF THE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE deputy premier in Muhyiddin’s coalition, has received the backing of INVITATION TO BID (DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION) OF MUNICIPAL HALL IN 114 out of 220 lawmakers, the Star THE NEW OPOL GOVERNMENT CENTER newspaper reported. 1.) The Municipality of Opol intends to apply the sum of One Hundred Million Pesos The 61-year-old’s supporters Only (Php. 100,000,000.00), inclusive of all applicable taxes and fees, being the (MS-AUG 6/13/20, 2021)

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Design and Construction of the New Municipal Hall in the New Opol Government Center located in Barangay Malanang, Opol, Misamis Oriental. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals.

2.) The Municipality of Opol now invites bids for the Design and Construction of the New Municipal Hall in the New Opol Government Center located in Barangay Malanang, Opol, Misamis Oriental. Completion of the Works is required two hundred ten (210) calendar days. Prospective bidders must have completed a similar project, both in design and construction, with a contract amount of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the ABC or a combination of one (1) completed similar construction project with a contract amount of at least 50% of the ABC and one (1) completed similar design project with a final design cost of at least 50% of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. The Design and Build Contractor must have completed projects in the amount of at least fifty (50%) of the approved ABC in the last three (3) years which are similar in nature. For the Pre-Detailed Design and Detailed Design portion of the contract, the bidder is required to engage the minimum number of people Lead Architect, Architect, Environmental Planner, Geodetic Engineer, Civil Engineer, Professional Electrical Engineer, Master Plumber/Sanitary Engineer, Professional Mechanical Engineer and Professional ECE. For the Construction Phase the bidder is required to engage an Architect, Project Supervisor, Environmental Planner, Geodetic Engineer, Civil Engineer, Professional Electrical Engineer, Master Plumber/Sanitary Engineer, Professional Mechanical Engineer and Professional ECE to be assigned to the contract to be bid. The description of eligible bidders is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. 3. Bidding will be conducted through an open competitive bidding procedures using the non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships; and partnerships, corporations, organizations or joint ventures with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. 4.) Interested bidders may obtain further information from Opol Municipal LGU and inspect the Bidding Documents at the BAC Office of the current Opol Municipal Hall from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or download it from PhilGEPS provided the bidders shall pay the fee for the bidding documents upon submission of their bids. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the above mentioned address starting August 20, 2021 until 5:00 PM of September 10, 2021 upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos Only (Php. 50,000.00).

were called to the national palace Thursday to confirm their pick, one of his backers, MP Ahmad Maslan, said on Twitter. If confirmed, it means the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the lynchpin of a coalition that ruled Malaysia for six decades until losing power in 2018, will reclaim the premiership. The party was already part of the last government, although Muhyiddin is from a different group. An official announcement is expected Friday after a meeting of the country’s royals. UMNO was booted out of power after facing a storm of corruption cases, notably the 1MDB scandal. Billions of dollars were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB in a fraud involving ex-leader Najib Razak, and spent on everything from a super- yacht to pricey artwork. Najib has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail, although he remains free pending an appeal. AFP

RITUAL.

A man cuts his head to bleed in mourning with a knife as Shiite Muslims take part in mourning rituals on the day of Ashura, 10 Muharram according to the Islamic calendar, commemorating the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammad’s grandson Imam Hussein during the 7th century AD battle of Karbala, at the Imam Ali shrine in Iraq’s central holy shrine city of Najaf early on August 19, 2021. AFP

5.) The Opol LGU will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 31, 2021 at 10:00 AM, BAC Office at the current Opol Municipal Hall which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. 6.) Bids must be delivered to the above mentioned address on or before September 13, 2021 12:00 NOON at the BAC Office. Opening of bids will follow on September 13, 2021 1:00 PM. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. (SGD.) JOSE F. ESCUZAR, JR. BAC Secretariat Municipality of Opol, Misamis Oriental LGU-Opol e-mail Address: lgu.opol2013@gmail.com 555-1950 0906-792-2864 (SGD.) EDGAR C. OLACO, MPA, REA Chairman, BAC Municipality of Opol, Misamis Oriental 0917-172-9478 (MS-AUGUST 20, 2021)

POPE Francis accepted a Brazilian bishop’s resignation Wednesday amid a scandal over a leaked sex tape and allegations he covered up cases of sexual abuse by priests in his diocese. The pope “accepted the resignation presented by Monsignor Tome Ferreira da Silva of the Diocese of Sao Jose do Rio Preto” in southeastern Brazil, the Vatican said in a statement. It did not give a reason for the departure of the 60-year-old bishop, who had been in the post since 2012. According to Brazilian media reports, Ferreira da Silva tendered his resignation after a video circulated on social media of him undressing and caressing his genitals while talking with the person filming. The cleric was also ensnared in a scandal in 2018 when Brazilian media reported the Vatican had opened an investigation into allegations he attempted to cover up sexual abuse by priests working under him. AFP

THE death toll from a devastating earthquake that struck Haiti over the weekend rose by almost 250 on Wednesday to 2,189, the Caribbean nation’s civil protection agency said. “The toll from the earthquake is 2,189,” the agency said on Twitter. More than 12,260 people were injured when the quake hit the southwestern part of Haiti on Saturday, about 160 kilometers to the west of the capital Port-auPrince, according to the updated toll. The civil protection agency added that 332 people have been reported missing and rescue operations were ongoing. Tens of thousands of buildings were destroyed and damaged in the impoverished country still recovering from another devastating earthquake in 2010. Haiti has also been beleaguered by gang violence, COVID-19, and political chaos, which spiked last month after the assassination of president Jovenel Moise. The government has declared a monthlong state of emergency in the four provinces affected by the quake. AFP

6.) Bids must be delivered to the above mentioned address on or before September 13, 2021, at 12:00 NN. Opening of bids will follow on September 13, 2021 1:00 PM at the BAC Office. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

For further information, please refer to:

Bishop resigns amid sex scandal

Haiti quake death toll rises to 2,189

5.) The Opol LGU will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 31, 2021 10:00 AM, Office of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), Municipal Hall, Poblacion, Opol, Misamis Oriental which shall be open only to all interested parties.

7.) The Opol Municipal LGU reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to terminate the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

IN BRIEF

New Zealand says it has solved COVID-19 outbreak ‘puzzle’ NEW Zealand reported a breakthrough Thursday in tracing the source of a COVID-19 outbreak that plunged the nation into lockdown, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying it should help “stamp out” the virus. Health officials have been trying to determine how an Auckland man contracted the coronavirus this week, ending a six-month run of no community cases in New Zealand. Tests showed the man had a version of the Delta strain found in Australia, and Ardern said investigations narrowed down the origin to a person who arrived from Sydney on August 7. She said the traveler had been in quaran-

tine and hospital since touching down, indicating the virus had not been in the community as long as initially feared. “We believe we have uncovered the piece of the puzzle we were looking for,” Ardern told reporters. She said finding the outbreak’s source also increased the “ability to circle the virus, lock it down and stamp it out.” Case numbers grew by 11 overnight to a total of 21, she said. Ardern ordered a three-day national lockdown – New Zealand’s first in 15 months – when the first case emerged on Tuesday, with Auckland and nearby Coromandel facing re-

strictions for a week. “We’re all prepared for cases to get worse before they get better, that’s always the pattern in these outbreaks,” she said. But she said there were grounds for cautious optimism “because we believe it wasn’t here for long before it was found.” The infected traveler arrived from Sydney on a so-called “red zone” flight, arranged to bring back New Zealanders stranded when Wellington suspended a trans-Tasman travel bubble due to multiple outbreaks in Australia. The person tested positive two days later and was hospitalized a week after that. AFP

Business

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

US Fed officials expect stimulus pullout this year

PSEi August 19, 2021

TOP GAINERS 1 2 3

TECHW MHC GSMI

LAST PRICE 1.83 0.53 104.8

CHANGE 0.63 0.11 12.8

% CHANGE 52.50% 24.71% 13.91%

4 5 6 7

ANS KPPI AGI KPH

6.8 4.67 10.6 5.4

0.7 0.45 0.79 0.4

11.48% 10.66% 8.05% 8.00%

8 9 10

DELM PA HVN

13.44 3.29 480

0.94 0.23 32

7.52% 7.52% 7.14%

TOP LOSERS 1 2 3

MA NI RCI

LAST PRICE 0.01 1.2 0.88

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MJC ALCPC LRW CHI HOUSE UPM AT

1.91 103.1 0.49 6.05 7.06 0.0082 6.05

CHANGE -0.001 -0.11 -0.06

% CHANGE -9.09% -8.40% -6.38%

-0.13 -6.9 -0.03 -0.35 -0.37 -0.0004 -0.25

-6.37% -6.27% -5.77% -5.47% -4.98% -4.65% -3.97%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

EMP GLO ACEN TECHW ALI CNVRG SMPH AP GTCAP ICT

VOLUME 35846600 152300 34780100 135269000 5557000 6957900 3534700 4771300 218260 605540

VALUE (PHP) 609835454 320199370 299621932 251218780 191159890 190338305 122176640 120663240 115158285 110602052

RESTAURANT PASS. A restaurant owner checks a customer’s health pass, at the restaurant L’Orangerie in Bordeaux, southwestern France, on August 18, 2021. A bracelet to be kept on the wrist, to avoid taking out their sanitary pass every time customers go to a bar or restaurant, is being tested by the Umih 33 in agreement with the prefecture of the Gironde. It will be given to regular customers of its establishments. A total of 20,000 bracelets will be made available in the most popular tourist locations in the Gironde region. AFP

Market rallies for 4 day; Alliance Global advances th

TOCKS inched higher for the fourth straight day Thursday in anticipation of government’s move to ease lockdown restrictions in Metro Manila.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 38.33 points, or 0.6 percent, to 6,718.51 on a value turnover of P5.3 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 95 to 88, with 46 issues unchanged. Emperador Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan, the biggest liquor producer, climbed 6.2 percent to P17, while parent Alliance Global Group Inc. advanced 8 percent to P10.60. JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group rose 3.5 percent to P62.80, while Converge ICT Solutions Inc., a fiber internet service provider, gained 2.8 percent to P27.95. The rest of Asian markets fell on Thursday following a second straight day of losses on Wall Street in response to Federal Reserve minutes indicating it could begin withdrawing its huge financial support by the end of the year. Expectations of an end to the largesse that helped drive a global equity rally for more than a year added to the already

somber mood on trading floors caused by the fast-spreading COVID Delta variant, which is forcing a re-evaluation of the economic recovery as fresh curbs are put in place. The sell-off on Wall Street filtered through to Asia. Manila Hong Kong fell more than two percent with Tencent addStandard TODAY ing to the pressure after warning of more moves by Beijing against tech firms, having already unveiled a series of measures in recent weeks. Tencent sank more than three percent, while rival and market heavyweight Alibaba dived more than five percent to a record low. Tokyo and Singapore also shed more than one percent with Taipei and Jakarta off more than two percent. Seoul lost 1.9 perRepublic of the Philippines Province of Misamis Oriental cent and there were also retreats MUNICIPALITY OF OPOL in Shanghai and Sydney. Still, Wellington added almost OFFICE OF THE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE two percent after authorities said INVITATION TO BID FOR ONE (1) LOT BRAND NEW HEAVY EQUIPMENT they had achieved a breakthrough in tracing the source of a virus outThe Municipality of Opol, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) intends to invite suppliers/manufacturers/distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder project: break that plunged New Zealand Name of Project : PROCUREMENT OF ONE (1) LOT BRAND NEW HEAVY into lockdown. With AFP Location ABC Delivery Period

: : :

Terms of Payment : Project Description Item No.

IMF stops funds to Afghanistan, reserves sealed WASHINGTON—Despite its swift takeover of the government in Afghanistan, the Taliban will not have access to most of the nation’s cash and gold stocks, while the IMF announced it won’t provide aid. A spokesperson for the Washingtonbased crisis lender on Wednesday said it had decided to withhold its assistance to Afghanistan amid uncertainty over the status of the leadership in Kabul. “There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access... IMF resources,” the official said. Central bank governor Ajmal Ahmady said on Twitter the Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) had around $9 billion in reserves, but most of that is held overseas, out of reach of the Taliban. “As per international standards, most assets are held in safe, liquid assets such as Treasuries and gold,” said Ahmady, who fled the country on Sunday, fearing for his safety as the Taliban swept into the capital. The US Federal Reserve holds $7 billion of the country’s reserves, including $1.2 billion in gold, while the rest is held in foreign accounts including at the Basel-based Bank for International Settlements, Ahmady said. A US administration official told AFP on Monday that “any central bank assets the Afghan government have in the United States will not be made available to the Taliban.” Amid reports the Taliban were quizzing central bank staff on the location of the assets, Ahmady said, “If this is true—it is clear they urgently need to add an economist on their team.” He repeated that Washington on Friday had cut off cash shipments to the country as the security situation deteriorated, which may have fueled reports the Taliban stole the reserves since the country’s banks could not return dollars to account holders. AFP

Joseph Oliver, CEO of British-based cannabidiol firm LDN CBD, poses outside Chelsea Health store in London on August 16, 2021. AFP

Britain’s legal cannabis market is booming By Jean-Baptiste Oubrier LONDON—Britain’s legal cannabis market has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic to become the second biggest after the United States, as consumers rushed to alleviate COVID-linked symptoms, industry experts say. Cannabidiol or CBD, which is most commonly sold as oil at high street retailers, is one of the active ingredients of non-psychoactive cannabis. CBD is touted as have relaxing and antiinflammatory properties, but experts argue the market has long suffered from questions about its efficacy and a lack of regulation. Britain’s Food Standards Agency now regulates the sector and its marketing, after the European Union classified CBD as food in 2019. Such products will generate sales of £690 million ($856 million, 811 million euros) in 2021, according to the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI). That was almost a third higher than the UK trade group’s pre-pandemic 2019 projection. ‘Pandemic increased demand’ “The pandemic increased CBD demand because there obviously were stress, sleep problems, anxiety, these kind of risks,” ACI co-founder Steve Moore told AFP. Britain has experienced a “quiet cannabis revolution” that has transformed it into “the world’s second largest consumer cannabinoids market,” ACI said. Such products are stripped of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol or THC molecules, which are found in recreational cannabis that remains illegal in Britain.

WASHINGTON—US central bankers expect to start pulling back on stimulus measures this year, if the economic recovery continues, according to the minutes of the July policy meeting released Wednesday. While the discussions showed some division among Federal Reserve officials on the prospects for inflation and employment, with few exceptions they see a slowdown in the massive asset purchases in coming months. But they also recognized the challenges facing policymakers, as well as the uncertainty about the outlook amid rising COVID-19 infections driven by the Delta variant, as well as the global supply chain bottlenecks hurting businesses. The Fed slashed interest rates to zero at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and began buying huge amounts of bonds to provide liquidity to the world’s largest economy and support the recovery. As businesses shutdown nationwide, the central bank vowed to keep the stimulus measures in place until it had achieved “substantial progress” towards its maximum employment goal and inflation was on track to hold above the two-percent target for some time. “Most participants” at the July 2728 meeting of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) “judged that it could be appropriate to start reducing the pace of asset purchases this year,” the minutes said. The majority felt recent inflation data satisfied the central bank’s objectives, and unemployment was near to doing so, after falling to 5.4 percent from 14.8 percent in April of last year. AFP

The state-run National Health Service warns there is “no guarantee” that products claiming to be medical cannabis and sold in health stores as food supplements, such as CBD oil, are of “good quality or provide any health benefits.” The UK allows the sale of hemp products that can be made only from the cannabis plant’s fibers or seeds, but not the buds. Aside from COVID, such products have also experienced strong demand from Britons seeking to ease pain from chronic illnesses such as severe arthritis. ‘No definitive evidence’ British charity Versus Arthritis recommends patients contemplating CBD should consult their doctor beforehand, and also wants more work done to understand its impact. Faced with booming sales, professor Sagnik Bhattacharyya, who researches psychotic and substance abuse disorders at King’s College London, says clinical trials are needed. “CBD products available over the counter from many shops or online may not contain what it says on the tin,” Bhattacharyya told AFP, adding they can include potentially harmful substances. “Most importantly, there is no definitive evidence as yet that CBD would work for any of the myriad health conditions which it is supposed to benefit, except for certain types of epilepsy.” Despite those concerns, Joe Oliver, head of British-based cannabidiol firm LDN CBD, says his products help those with chronic illness. AFP

EQUIPMENT Municipality of Opol, Province of Misamis Oriental Php. 65,000,000.00 One Hundred Eighty (180) calendar days after receipt of operative Letter of Credit Irrevocable, confirm and transferrable Letter of Credit :

Quantity

Description

unit

Brand New Bulldozer Net Power : Operating Weight : Dozing Capacity : Blade Width : Blade Type :

unit

Brand New Wheeled Hydraulic Excavator Engine Power : 110 kw Bucket Capacity : 0.6 m³ Operating Weight : 14.5 tons Bucket Digging Force : 95 KN Max. Dumping Height : 5870 mm Max. Digging Depth : 4870 mm Max. Cutting Height : 8500 mm

unit

Brand New 10-Wheelers 6x4 Left Hand Drive Heavy Duty Dump Truck Engine : 4-stroke, direct injection diesel engine, Euro IV Emission standard, 6-cylinder in-line with water Cooling, turbo-charging and intercooling Rated Power/Revolution : 310 hp (228 kw) at 2200 rpm Loading Capacity : 20,000 kg Gross Vehicle Weight : 25,000 kg Cargo Body Size : 13.25 m³ Transmission : 10 forward & 2 reverse Rear Axles : planetary rear axle with differential lock

162 kw/220hp/1800 rpm 23.4 tons 6.4 m³ 3725 mm Straight-tilt

Bids received in excess of the ABC for each lot shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. Delivery of the Goods is required within 180 days upon Opening of Letter of Credit. Bidders should have completed, within two (2) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, Instruction to Bidders. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail’ criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorship, partnership, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to the citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulation of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 518, and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last two (2) years, with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. We also require that the prospective supplier/bidder should be: (1) MORE THAN TWENTY (20) YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SELLING BRAND NEW HEAVY EQUIPMENTS AND TRUCKS as certified by the company where the firm started from the SEC registration date with track record; must have a (2) CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION from the BUREAU OF CUSTOMS and a (3) PLATINUM MEMBER OF PHILGEPS; must have a (4) CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION from LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE (5) AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year 2018 to 2020 with Income Tax Return filed thru EFPS (6) AVAILABILITY OF AFTER SALES SERVICE Interested bidder may obtain further information from BAC SECRETARIAT, Mr. Jose F. Escuzar, Jr. and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during Mondays to Fridays at 8 AM to 5 PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by Interested Bidders on August 20, 2021 to September 10, 2021 from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos Only ( Php. 50,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charges from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity provided that the Bidders shall pay the Non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The MUNICIPALITY OF OPOL, MISAMIS ORIENTAL, will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 31, 2021 1:00 PM at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), Municipal Hall, Poblacion, Opol, Misamis Oriental, which shall be open to all interested parties. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before September 13, 2021 9:00 AM. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid Opening shall be on September 13, 2021, 10:00 AM at the BAC OFFICE. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representative who chooses to attend the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. The MUNICIPALITY OF OPOL, MISAMIS ORIENTAL reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the bidder or bidders. For further information/inquiry, please refer to: JOSE F. ESCUZAR, JR. Secretariat, Bids and Awards Committee Municipality of Opol, Misamis Oriental E-mail Address: lgu.opol2013@gmail.com Telephone No. (Landline) 555-1950 Mobile Phone No. 0906-792-2864

EDGAR C. OLACO, MPA, REA Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Municipality of Opol, Misamis Oriental Mobile Phone No. 0917-172-9478 (MS-AUGUST 20, 2021)

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

B4 FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

Ayala Land plans to raise P9b from local debt market By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. said Thursday it plans to raise P9 billion from the debt market to refinance debt and fund capital expenditures. Ayala Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the additional P9billion fund would be sourced through the issuance of retail bonds, corporate notes or bilateral term loans. “This will bring Ayala Land’s total approval to P50 billion primarily for the purpose of refinancing outstanding loans and partially financing our general corporate requirements,” Ayala Land said. The property firm earlier said it would seek another P50 billion in fresh bond shelf-registration to support refinancing activities and take advantage lower local interest rates. It also plans to spend P88 billion in capital expenditures this year, higher than P63.7 billion it earmarked in 2020 as it prepares for a V-shaped recovery in its businesses. Ayala Land posted a net income of P6 billion in the first half, up 34 percent from the same period last year as businesses showed significant improvements in performance compared to the first half of 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. First-half revenues also rose 19 percent year-on-year to P49 billion. The company launched 14 projects with a total sales value of P44.3 billion in the first six months, or nearly half of the P100 billion worth of projects it programmed to launch for the whole year. It spent P32.1 billion in capital expenditures in the first semester, including 50 percent on residential projects, 21 percent on estate development and 12 percent on land acquisition and others. It launched in June a new estate development called South Coast City. The 26-hectare waterside development is located within the South Road Properties in Cebu City. The project is a joint venture of Ayala Land, SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Cebu Holdings Inc. The company plans to spend P90 billion to complete the project.

GCash upbeat, reports monthly deals of P300b GCash, the mobile wallet of Globe Telecom, said Wednesday it is now processing around P300 billion in monthly transactions as more Filipinos turned to cashless options. It said with the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a catalyst for digitalization, registered users reached around 46 million as of end-July. The number of merchants and social sellers also increased to more than 2.5 million. GCash said it also reached another milestone by achieving positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and net income after taxes in June. This shows a healthy overall financial performance for GCash, it said. The company said it was expecting to sustain its remarkable growth story by almost tripling its gross transaction value target to over P3 trillion this year from over P1 trillion in 2020, given the increasing reliance of many people on GCash and other online platforms for their various needs. “We are glad to see that GCash has become an extension of the Filipino digital life. It is our goal to democratize access to financial services because everyone deserves to have ways to protect and grow their money, especially during these difficult times,” said GCash president and chief executive Martha Sazon. Aside from payments and money transfers, GCash expanded its services to include savings, loans, insurance and investment. These include GSave, a savings account in partnership with CIMB Bank, and GInsure, which offers a variety of life & health insurance products that covers illnesses such as COVID-19 and Dengue for as low as P39 a month. GCredit is a revolving mobile credit line on the GCash app that can be used to pay for goods and services. GInvest allows hassle-free, affordable and secure access to the products of the country’s most trusted investment companies. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business Bangko Sentral to close digital bank applications T By Julito G. Rada

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will close the window for new digital bank applications by the end of this month to closely monitor their impact on the domestic banking system, Governor Benjamin Diokno said Thursday. Diokno said in an online briefing the policy-setting Monetary Board limited the number of digital bank players to seven, with five digital licenses already approved and two other applications being processed. “The closure of the application window will allow the BSP to monitor the performance and impact of digital banks on the banking system and their contribution to the financial inclusion agenda,” Diokno said. “We need to ensure that the business environment continues to allow healthy competition among banks enabling them to offer innovative and competitive financial products and services to their clients,” he said. The BSP said digital bank applications that were received until Aug. 31 would be processed on a first-come,

first-served basis and would be assessed for completeness and sufficiency of documentation/information and compliance with the licensing criteria on the establishment of digital banks. Applicants that are able to submit the complete documentation on or before the said closure date would be processed by the BSP. Applications with noted documentary deficiencies or did not meet the BSP’s pre-qualification criteria would be returned and would not be subject to further processing, it said. The BSP said the organizers would be informed that their applications would be deemed closed. After Aug. 31, the BSP will no longer entertain nor accept new or returned applications. Data showed that the Monetary Board approved the application of five digital

banks, including UNObank, UnionDigital Bank and GoTyme. Overseas Filipino Bank Inc. and Tonik Bank converted their existing licenses into digital banks. The approval corresponds to the first of the three-stage licensing process. The BSP said it is also processing two other digital bank applications. “As these tech-savvy, customer-centric players introduce innovations in the banking sector, we are confident that the BSP is on track to achieving its digitalization and financial inclusion goals,” Diokno said. GOtyme, a partnership between the Gokongwei Group and Singapore-based digital banking group Tyme, earlier announced the approval of its license to operate a digital bank in the Philippines. It said the approval was in line with the BSP’s commitment to achieve its goal to bring 70 percent of Filipino adults into the banked population and have 50 percent of payments done online by 2023. “GOtyme will leverage the Gokongwei Group’s extensive eco-system that is highly integrated into the daily lives of Filipinos—where they already shop, eat and spend family time,” said Jojo Malolos, president and chief executive of GOtyme.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, August 19, 2021 38.33 PTS. 6,718.51

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,304,587,284 79,675 5,277,468,683.88 88 95 46

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.3500

Japan

Yen

0.009107

0.4585

Pound

1.375300

69.2464

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128406

6.4652

Switzerland

Franc

1.090869

54.9253

Canada

Dollar

0.790077

39.7804

Singapore

Dollar

0.735132

37.0139

Australia

Dollar

0.723500

36.4282

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

133.5615

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

13.4256

Brunei

Dollar

0.732440

36.8784

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030044

1.5127

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.7089

Euro

1.171000

58.9599

Korea

Won

0.000854

0.0430

China

Yuan

0.154223

7.7651

India

Rupee

0.013468

0.6781

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236072

11.8862

New Zealand

Dollar

0.687700

34.6257

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035913

1.8082 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF

PH Resorts raising P599m for casino

PH RESORTS Group Holdings Inc. is raising P599 million through a private placement to fund the completion of its casino project in Cebu province. PH Resorts said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would undertake a placing and subscription transaction where its major shareholder Udenna Corp. agreed to sell 352.44 million common shares in the company to certain qualified institutional buyers. The shares will be sold at P1.70 each, which was 1.76 percent higher than the stock’s closing price of P1.67 Thursday. Udenna also agreed to subscribe to the same number of shares it sold from PH Resort. “The placing and subscription transaction allows the company to raise capital in a most expeditious and efficient manner to partially fund the ongoing construction and development of Emerald Bay Resort and Casino project,” PH Resorts said. Abacus Capital & Investment Corp. and China Bank Capital Corp. are handling the transaction. Jenniffer B. Austria

IPOPHL named among top performing bodies

1M COCONUT TREES. Century Pacific Food Inc., one of the largest branded food companies in the Philippines, along with mobile wallet GCash and non-profit impact organization HOPE, launches GForest, an initiative to jointly plant 1 million coconut trees in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani within 24 months. GForest is an environmental protection feature on the GCash app that allows users to take an active role in helping mother nature through tree planting. GCash users can do so by collecting enough green energy to plant virtual trees. For every virtual tree planted, CNPF, GCash and HOPE then plant a real coconut tree, which users may select on the app.

NLEX, SCTEx operator posted 62% growth in 1st half profit By Darwin G. Amojelar NLEX Corp. said Thursday net income rose 62 percent in the first six months, as vehicle traffic along its two expressways gradually recovered since the imposition of strict quarantine in March 2020. The operator of North Luzon Expressway and Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway said net profit amounted to P2.7 billion from January to June, up from P1.64 billion in the same period last year. The company said revenues increased 34 percent in the first half to P6.7 billion, as traffic figures continued to trend upward since April 2020, supported by the higher toll implemented in November 2020 and May

2021. It said that as of June 30, average daily traffic along NLEX reached 246,843 daily vehicle entries, while average daily traffic along SCTEX reached 54,334 daily vehicle entries. In the first six months of the year, traffic figures for NLEX and SCTEX exceeded 2020 figures by 40 percent and 29 percent, respectively. “In addition to higher traffic volume, NLEX toll revenues increased due to the implementation of toll rate adjustment in May 2021 related to the third tranche of NLEX 2012 and 2014 petitions,” NLEX said. The company implemented the addon toll in November 2020 for Segment 10: C3-R10 Section and the second

tranche of NLEX 2012 and 2014 petitions. It completed the upgrading of RFID facilities at the toll lane level throughout the entire NLEX and SCTEX network aimed at boosting detection capability and improving the overall customer experience. NLEX said the number of NLEXSCTEX toll lanes with advanced reading feature increased to 188 as 132 antennas were realigned last year and additional 56 this year. The RFID upgrading project involved a thorough engineering review that identified the best possible positioning of the antennas and sensors to quickly detect the RFID stickers installed in customers’ vehicles.

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines is one of the top performing international patent authorities in terms of completion and transmittal of international search report to the World Intellectual Property Organization, according to WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty Yearly Review 2021. Based on WIPO’s 2020 global data, the review said the Philippines, through IPOPHL, which operates as an international searching authority and international preliminary examining authority for the PCT, completed and transmitted 100 percent of ISRs requested at its office and achieve 100 percent compliance in the timeliness of transmittal within the prescribed deadline of nine months from priority date. “Only in our second year as an ISA/IPEA, we take pride in our efficient international authority operations, and we continue to be inspired in providing timely and quality patent services at par with advanced economies to facilitate the entry of Filipino innovations to the global market,” said IPOPHL director-general Rowel Barba. Othel V. Campos

SM backs efforts on climate initiative SM INVESTMENTS Corp. sealed its commitment as a supporter of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures in a strong bid to ensure its businesses meet global sustainability targets. This was announced by the company in a virtual roundtable discussion on climaterelated financial disclosure organized by the Climate Change Commission on Wednesday. “We recognize the material role we play in the Philippines. We understand our responsibilities and we commit to using the TCFD recommendations to be part of the solution to climate change,” SM Investments president and chief executive Frederic DyBuncio said. TCFD is a globally recognized set of recommendations by the Financial Stability Board and is one of the frameworks recommended by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines on environmental, social and corporate governance reporting. “Ours is a responsibility to help build and protect our vulnerable country,” said Tim Daniels, SM Investments’ head of investor relations said during the roundtable.

Donato Marcos appointed new Napocor chief By Alena Mae S. Flores MALACAÑAN Palace approved the designation of Energy Undersecretary Donato Marcos as officer-in-charge of staterun National Power Corp., which he will serve in a concurrent position. Marcos replaced Melchor Ridulme, Napocor vice president for legal affairs, who was previously designated as OIC following the early demise of president and chief executive Pio Benavidez on June 22. Acting on the letter signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, the Napocor board held a special meeting on Wednesday to formally welcome Marcos to Napocor. Marcos received the authority to oversee the day-to-day activities of the corporation and execute plans, programs and policies approved by the board. He will represent Napocor in all dealings and transactions with offices and agencies of the government and with other entities, subject to board confirmation and appli-

cable provisions under the corporation’s manual of approvals. He will also act on all personnel movements and promotional appointments subject to Civil Service Commission guidelines. Marcos was appointed DOE undersecretary in 2014 and is responsible for an array of portfolios, which include energy efficiency and conservation, alternative fuels, energy resource development (coal, oil and gas), downstream oil industry management and nuclear energy program, among others. Marcos said he sought permission from Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to relinquish some of his functions at the DOE to allot more time and energy in leading Napocor. “Apart from ensuring smooth operations and prudence in the use of its resources, we would also like to focus on impactful projects that will benefit stakeholders especially the poor and some of the minority groups that Napocor affects,” Marcos said.

WASTE MANAGEMENT. Aboitiz Construction, in collaboration with Lipa City Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, conducts a capacity building activity on waste management for officials of Barangay Simlong and Barangay Pinamucan Ibaba in Batangas City. Aboitiz Construction spearheaded the ‘Scrap to Crop and Waste Management’ program, where the company sells scrap materials from its project sites to raise funds for waste management initiatives, including planting seedlings that will eventually be a food resource for the communities.

Sports

Pandemic allowed Pacman to rest body EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao has not lost his touch and is expected to be dangerous as ever against Cuban World Boxing Association Super welterweight world champion Yordenis Ugàs. The two-year layoff that has stalled Pacquiao due to the ongoing pandemic has allowed him to rest his body and get a chance to prepare better for his confrontation with the Cuban this Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the T-Mobile Arena. “Good thing for me. It was a two-year rest for my body. I have been in the boxing sport since I was 12, it’s a total non-stop,” said the 42-year-old Pacquiao, who plunges into action boasting of a 62-7-2 winloss-draw record, with 39 knockouts. Pacquiao seeks to dethrone current champion Ugàs, who claimed the WBA belt away from him last January even without throwing a single punch. The WBA stripped Pacquiao of the title he won against Keith Thurman due to inactivity. Pacquiao said he will go for a knockout victory if the opportunity presents itself. “I didn’t like that someone took my belt without challenging me inside the ring. After Saturday, let’s see who still has it,” added Pacquiao. Ugàs, the 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist, said he won’t let chance to beat Pacquiao slip away. “I’m certain that he cannot knock me out. I’ve done all the preparations over these past six years to get in this position. I have hit my stride and I just don’t believe I can be stopped by Manny (Pacquiao),” said Ugas through an interpreter. Ugas added that he prepared for 12 hard rounds to give Pacquiao the fight of his life—whether it will be his last one or not.

FRIDAY,

AUGUST 20, 2021

Manny Pacquiao (left) and WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas face off during a news conference at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao will challenge Ugas for the title at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. AFP

Guion ready for heavier lifts at Tokyo Paralympics By Peter Atencio

CHELLE Guion is ready for the lift of her life in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The 49-year-old Filipino powerlifter last saw action in a high performance event during the 2012 Summer Paralympics, placing sixth among eight competitors with a lift of 70 kilograms. Guion hopes to do better this time around. The performance of gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz in women’s weightlifting during the Tokyo Olympic Games a few weeks ago has inspired her to do better. Guion, who was stricken with polio, said she is ready to lift a heavier weight when action gets underway in the 16th Summer Paralympic Games slated from August 24 to September 5. “Nagagawa ko na pong bumuhat na

mas mabigat sa practice. Mas confident na po ako,” said Guion, who feels that she can reach up to 81 kgs. With coach Antonio Taguibao guiding her, Guion, who will compete in the women’s 45 kilogram, was able to increase her load by 11 kgs during training. Guion is one of six para athletes comprising the Philippine Paralympic Team for the Tokyo games. The other athletes are blind discus thrower Janette Aceveda for athletics, Gary Bejino and Ernie Gawilan for swim-

ming, Allain Ganapin for taekwondo and Jerrold Mangliwan, who is entered in T52 wheelchair racing. In T52 wheelchair racing, athletes use their shoulders, elbows and wrist muscles for wheelchair propulsion. Guion and her teammates were feted on Thursday by Citi Philippines during a virtual send-off as a show of support before they leave for Tokyo on Sunday. “I wish all of you the very best of luck at this year’s Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Over the years, some of us have had the opportunity and great pleasure to meet with many of you, and we have all been extremely impressed, inspired and encouraged by your tremendous determination and resilience. We couldn’t be prouder to support such an amazing team of athletes and will be cheering for you in your quest for a medal,” said Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed. To help the athletes get mentally prepared for the respective events, sports

Diaz receives housing incentive; boxers’ units completed by X’mas TOKYO Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is ready to move in to her brand new house-and-lot, while fellow Olympic medalists Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Felix Marcial will be spending Christmas this year as neighbors. Diaz was awed with the two-story house given to her by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who on Wednesday handed the women’s weightlifting champion the keys to one of her multi-million rewards for winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal. “I am very grateful to Congressman Tolentino for this wonderful and blessed gift,” said Diaz, whose parents—Eduardo and Emelita—were equally enamored with the house that sits on a 220-square meter lot with a total floor area of 168 square meters. Immediately, Diaz pointed to the yard at the right side of the house as her future home gym. “This is where I’ll build my home gym,” Diaz told Tolentino as she toured the house inside serene Isabel Heights in Barangay Kaybagal Central. “I’ll keep the backyard as it is—that’s where we do the laundry.” So when will the Olympic record holder move in? “Maybe in a month? Not sure yet,” said Diaz, who’ll be returning to Malaysia with strength

and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo to prepare for the world championships—the only gold missing in her collection—in November in Lima, Peru. It was a day to honor the country’s Olympic medalists in cool, breezy and picturesque Tagaytay City. After a Thanksgiving Mass at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish celebrated by Cavite Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista, OFS DD, and a hearty lunch of Tagaytay City’s world famous bulalo, the Olympic medalists motored to Barangay San Jose. There, construction was ongoing for three housing units, each sitting on a 110-square meter lot, for silver medalists Petecio and Paalam and bronze medalist Marcial. Construction actually started a day before the medalists, Tolentino and Senator Francis Tolentino made the ground breaking ceremony. “This is a very previous gift,” said Petecio, who couldn’t hold her emotions and thanked Tolentino with a tight hug. “These are for you, for your enormous effort, for bringing pride and honor to the country,” said Tolentino, who was accompanied in the daylong activity by Tagaytay City Mayor Dr. Agnes Tolentino. Only a handful POC and Tagaytay City officials and media attended the ceremonies. Every-

RISING junior golfer Monique Arroyo continued to make a name on the greens as she ruled the FCG National Tour Series at the Lomas Santa Fe in California last July 12—two weeks before the historic Olympic gold medal of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz. The Grade 11 student at International School Manila, the granddaughter of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and daughter of Rep. Mikey Arroyo, shot a 78 to beat Emma Rahn of the United States.

psychologist Marcus Manalo, who helped keep the Filipino boxers sharp and motivated during the Olympiad, will take care of the male athletes. Dr. Marissa Guinto, who is an associate professor and research director at the University of the Philippines, will be around to take care of the mental wellbeing of the female athletes. “Our para athletes have been preparing for this moment for many years and have overcome the adversity of the games being postponed as well as the challenges of training during the lockdown. We are proud of what they have accomplished, and we are confident that their performance in the upcoming Paralympic Games will inspire us all. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Philippine Sports Commission and sponsors like Citi who have supported us on this challenging road to Tokyo,” said Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo.

Davao COCOLIFE Tigers join FILBASKET

POC president Rep. Abraham Tolentino is embraced by Tokyo Olympic Games’ boxing silver medalist Nesthy Petecio.

one was subjected to Antigen tests and were obliged to wear face masks and face shields the entire time while observing social distancing.

Arroyo wins FCG National Tour Series in California Jungolfer Monique Arroyo displays her trophy

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

Arroyo’s impressive effort also proved too much for Boys College Prep division champion Kai Myers, who just managed an 80. Arroyo then joined the Los Angeles Junior Championships on July 17-18 and held her own against the best players of Los Angeles County in the event recognized by the United States Golf Association. This time, she strongly finished with a 151 against eventual champion Rilee Crosby of USA (145) and Jillian Leh of Taiwan (148).

THE Davao Occidental COCOLIFE Tigers will see action in another cage war zone, the newly established Filipino Basketball League (FILBASKET). The reigning Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League national champion Tigers, along with other familiar powerhouse teams in the amateur/commercial cage leagues in the country, will show their wares when FILBASKET fires off hostilities in September in the National Capital Region or suburbs via a bubble setup, depending on the quarantine protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases. Tigers’ deputy team manager Ray Alao said veteran starters, headed by skipper Mark Yee, along with frontliners Bonbon Custodio, Billy Ray Robles, Emman Calo, Joseph Terso, Chester Saldua and Marco Balagtas will banner the campaign of the champion-caliber team, owned by Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista and Dumper Party List Congresswoman Claudine Bautista Lim. New players Keith Agovida, Robby Celiz, Gab Dagangon, Chris Lalata, Jose Presbiterio, Alvin Alday, Irven Palencia and Daniel Bayla will beef up the mission of the team, supported by COCOLIFE president Atty. Jose Martin Loon, SVP Joseph Ronquillo, VP Rowena Asnan and EVP Joie Franz Araque. “The Davao COCOLIFE Tigers will surely continue its winning tradition in the FILBASKET. Hear them roar once more,” COCOLIFE SVP Ronquillo said.

Sports

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

Eyes on Saso, young guns at Women’s British Open

ARNOUSTIE, United Kingdom—A women’s major golf season dominated by youngsters and newcomers culminates with the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie starting on Thursday.

Yuka Saso, Women’s US Open champ

Patty Tavatanakit, Yuka Saso, Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee have all become first-time major winners aged 25 or under this season, but experience could yet prove important over a tricky Scottish links course with a brutal reputation. Korda, who became world number one after her win in the LPGA Championship in June, enhanced her status as a rising star by claiming the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo last month. Now she is preparing herself for the rather cooler climes of the North Sea coast of Scotland. “This is the most ‘linksy’ course I have ever played,” said Korda on the eve of the

fifth and final major of 2021. “It is certainly going to be a tough challenge.” The 23-year-old, who had earlier declined formal press interviews, added: “It was so hot in Tokyo and this week I’m expecting it to be chilly and rainy. “But I have to mentally prepare myself for hitting some bad or unlucky shots. I do like the course. It is very, very nice and it will be an interesting test over the next four days.”

‘Dominant force’

Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, who won the title in 2009 and is aiming to captain Europe to a second successive Solheim Cup win in the United States next month, has no doubt Korda is a blossoming talent. “She has the potential to be a dominant force and I think that would be good for women’s golf,” said the 51-year-old home hope.

“It is always good to have a stand-out player, someone who is known outside the golfing bubble.” Korda has already shown form in the British Open, finishing ninth at Woburn in England two years ago, but links or coastal golf is a different matter. Tavatanakit, one of a generation of world-class women golfers from Thailand, has specifically targeted a victory at Carnoustie. “I played in my first British Open at Troon (another Scottish links course) last year and I didn’t do too well (Tavatanakit missed the cut) so I told my coach I needed to develop my links game,” she said. “I wanted to be able to shape the ball in the wind, make my game more wholesome. I feel so much better prepared this year. “Last year, I was trying to hit everything perfect but I have learnt that it is never going to happen in tough courses. “So you just have to take your medicine and be very patient. I am so excited about the next four days.” Sophia Popov, a shock winner a year ago, has built on her Troon triumph to secure a place in Matthew’s Solheim Cup side that will be named on Monday. AFP

Entertainment

nickie.standard@gmail.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

BEYOND THE HARDCOURT Kai Sotto shares inspirational experiences, stories online

Pinoy boxing legend Manny Pacquiao (left) and WBA Welterweight Champion Yordenis Uga

PACQUIAO vs. UGAS fight on WeTV STREAMING platform WeTV brings the “biggest comeback fight of the year”— between Pinoy boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and WBA Welterweight Champion Yordenis Ugas. As the official SVOD streaming partner of the boxing event, WeTV gives its audience a front-row seat to experience all the action live with Ultimate TKO sa WeTV on Aug. 22, Sunday, at 9:00 a.m. Eight division and former welterweight champion Pacquiao was originally slated to go up against Unified Welterweight Champion Errol Spence, Jr.. Unfortunately, Spence had to withdraw due to an eye injury. The 35-year-old Ugas stepped up to the ring, and will now be defending his WBA Welterweight championship against the PacMan. Ugas was supposed to be co-feature of the Pacquiao-Spence ticket, defending his title against Fabian Maidana. Moving up to the main event against boxing legend Pacquiao means Ugas could be a careerdefining fight for the boxer. In an announcement issued by TapSPORTS, Ugas stated, “It’s an honor to fight the great multiple division world champion, Manny Pacquiao, as I am more than ready to take on this challenge. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Pacquiao.” Avail a limited offer by subscribing now to WeTV’s one-year plan for only P599, originally priced at P1490. Thirty lucky subscribers will get a chance to win exclusive Pacquiao vs. Ugas Ultimate TKO Training kit containing boxing gloves, boxing hand wraps, jump rope all in a cool duffel bag. One Grand Prize winner takes home all these plus a bonus of 100 lbs punching bag worth P5,000. For more details on how to win, check out the WeTV Philippines social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

‘Makulay ang Buhay’ returns on air

VERY WANG

NICKIE WANG

ILIPINO basketball wunderkind Kai Sotto understands the importance of giving back to the local sports community if it wants to have a chance at international success. That’s why he began the Kaiju Global Academy, his very own training and developmental facility located in Hamilton, Ohio in the USA.

“We started with the idea of the Kaiju Global Academy, and we continue to work on it para mas lumaki at mas gumanda pa yung program,” said Sotto in Kai’s Stories, a video interview series with Smart Prepaid. The cademy, which started construction earlier this January, is set to become a world-class performance center for all athletes from around the globe. The plans for the Academy include more than 20 basketball courts, football fields, batting cages, a track oval, and even a rock-climbing wall. However, Sotto also aims to improve more than athletes’ physical performance at the Academy. He also wants to sharpen their mental game, as it is just as important as a key to winning. “Part na rin ng matuturo ko sa kanila, yung mental aspect ng player. Hindi lahat, madadaan mo sa skill o talent. Siyempre, kailangan mo rin ng heart and mind para maging successful na athlete at person sa buhay,” he says. While the Academy is still under construction, Sotto believes athletes in the community can already start honing

International action superstar Jackie Chan joins leading e-commerce platform as its newest ambassador.

JACKIE CHAN Off the court, Kai Sotto fosters the local basketball community and touches base with fans as he shares his inspirational experiences and stories online.

themselves for a better playing future. “Dream big, believe in yourself, put t h e work in, and makikita mo mabubuhay yung pagtatiyaga mo,” he advises. Here's a short video featuring Kai and how he realizes his dreams for younger Filipinos: https://www. facebook.

c o m / 1 3 7 5 9 9 3 7 7 3 1 0 / videos/1922468951264502.

Connect with your community

On the court, Kai shares the basketball and makes sure his contributions go beyond scoring. Off the court, Kai fosters the local basketball community and touches base with them as he shares his inspirational experiences and stories online. Smart subscribers can also share parts of themselves with their community and support one another despite the challenges we all face today via online stories. Powered by the country’s fastest mobile data network as reported by third-party mobile internet analytics firm Ookla® and Opensignal, Smart’s Double GIGA Stories lets you share your passions and stories. Double GIGA Stories comes with 2 GB for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, and Kumu guaranteed every day, plus data for all sites! To register, go to your Smart GigaLife App or dial *123# and choose Double GIGA. For more basketball news and K a i ’ s stories, follow S m a r t ’s official Facebook p a g e (https://www. facebook.com/

is the new face of SHOPEE

LEADING e-commerce platform, Shopee, has launched its year-end shopping promo and welcomed Jackie Chan as its newest ambassador. The international action superstar will be featured in a range of activities across Shopee’s end of year shopping festivals starting with its signature 9.9 Super Shopping Day. “I enjoy putting a smile on people’s faces. It’s exciting to partner with Shopee to celebrate the action-packed year-end festival and bring more joy to my fans and Shopee users,” said the 67-year-old Hong Kong actor, director, and martial artist “I had a lot of fun working with Shopee and I think people of all ages will enjoy the activities and content that we have prepared together. I hope everyone can join us to make the year-end shopping season a memorable one,” he added. With Jackie Chan on board, from now till Sept. 9, Shopee has lined up the best deals and activities. Shoppers can satisfy all their shopping needs, win exciting rewards from their favorite games on Shopee Prizes, and enjoy non-stop entertainment with special appearances by their favorite celebrities. “The pandemic continues to affect both individuals and businesses. As communities continue to live, work, shop, and play from home, we have stepped up our efforts to ensure users have access to their daily essentials through our shopping campaigns,” Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said. “We are also committed to supporting local MSMEs and have launched a series of support initiatives as well as Support Local campaigns to generate greater visibility and enable users to easily identify and support local businesses. We look forward to bringing some joy to our local communities during this year-end season,” Yu ended. Find out more about 9.9 Super Shopping Day here: https://shopee.ph/m/99.

Wolverine meets Bogart in Jackman sci-fi ‘Reminiscence’

‘Makulay ang Buhay’ host Camille Prats with the show’s puppets Benjie and Penpen.

JOIN ‘Mom C’ Camille Prats—with lovable puppets Benjie and his best friend dog Penpen—in a fun and colorful morning as edu-tainment program Makulay ang Buhay returns on air every Saturday and Tuesday beginning tomorrow, Aug. 21 on GMA. Makulay ang Buhay was launched last year and ‘Mom C’ Camille only has fond memories of the TV program. “Shooting Makulay Ang Buhay Season 1 was really an experience I will never forget as we shot it during a pandemic,” she shares. “[I am] truly grateful to be part of a program that is not only informative but also teaches Filipino children about the benefits of eating healthy.” As a mom herself, ‘Mom C’ Camille has brought to the program her experience in raising kids and teaching them about eating healthy. Now that Makulay ang Buhay is back, parents and kids will surely enjoy watching it together. “Children will always have a special place in my heart, being part of a project that teaches our kids to better take care of themselves is really something I am grateful for. Mom C, Benjie, and Penpen are so happy to be back as we read stories, cook our favorite healthy dishes and play virtual games!” she adds. Makulay ang Buhay airs every Saturday at 9:45 a.m. and every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., only on GMA Network.

AUSTRALIAN actor Hugh Jackman helped pioneer the superhero sequels that dominate modern megaplexes, but the former X-Men actor leapt at the chance to star in something more rare these days—a totally original sci-fi from a major studio, in Reminiscence. The Warner Bros film, out tomorrow in the US, comes from the creators of TV smash hit Westworld, and imagines a dystopian near-future Miami in which a rising ocean has flooded the streets. All but the wealthiest live a precarious existence huddled on crime-infested islands and waterlogged back alleys, and the only "superpower" on show is a technology that allows paying customers to revisit cherished memories from better days in vivid detail. "Hey, I'm not one to lecture about sequels, I did nine movies playing Wolverine! But I do think audiences want something fresh and something new," Jackman told AFP. In the film, which has shades of Minority Report, Jackman plays a scientist running one such backstreet memory lab. His life gets turned upside down when a mysterious woman

arrives with a seemingly straightforward request for help remembering where she left her keys. The movie was written and directed by Lisa Joy, who along with husband Jonathan Nolan created the similarly dystopian sci-fi/Western Westworld. "It was a challenge and it would not have been made had it not been for Hugh's support of this film," said Joy. "I'm a first-time feature director, and I had an original (movie) that I wanted to get made that involved sinking Miami. To take that leap of faith, I think I was really bolstered when Hugh jumped in and said 'well I believe in her,’” he ended. That same year saw Jackman's first turn as Wolverine in X-Men, a film credited with launching Hollywood's superhero era, and paving the way for wildly popular Marvel movies like Avengers: Endgame that have smashed box office records. Jackman's nine X-Men films grossed more than $4 billion in total worldwide, including three spin-off movies for Wolverine. AFP

Hugh Jackman, a versatile Australian actor who has done musicals and superhero movies, takes on the role of a scientist running a backstreet memory lab in the dystopian Miami of 'Reminiscence.'

Coco Martin expresses lifelong gratitude to viewers, promises a more action-packed ‘Ang Probinsyano’

Coco Martin with new leading lady Julia Montes

TELEVISION action star Coco Martin is ushering in the sixth year of “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” with a grateful heart as he prepares for the series’ history-making anniversary celebration next month. The actor, who serves as one of the directors and the creative head of the series, expressed his lifelong gratitude to Filipinos for their continued love and support. He also invited viewers to continue tuning in, as new stars, led by Julia Montes, join the show soon. “Marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob kung ano man ang ibinigay sa

‘yo at kung anuman ang ginawang maganda sa ‘yo. At mahirap kalimutan ‘yun. Habangbuhay kong tatanawin ng utang na loob,” said Coco. “Sisiguraduhin naming mas magiging kaabang-abang, mas maganda, mas maaksyon, mas madrama. Sisiguraduhin po namin na hindi po namin kayo bibiguin,” he added. This week, meanwhile, Cardo (Coco) goes back into battle with Lia (Jane De Leon) and the entire Task Force Agila as they clash with Vera (Simon Ibarra) and his men

to avenge the death of Lia’s sister, Audrey. The Palace has also been in a state of disarray after the real President Oscar (Rowell Santiago) escaped the clutches of both Renato (John Arcilla) and Lily (Lorna Tolentino) and is nowhere to be found. Will they catch President Oscar before it is too late? FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano airs weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, CineMo, Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, iWantTFC, WeTV, and iflix.

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

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

Life TRAVEL & LEISURE

Where we are on our travel plans

By Steph Llarena

ILIPINOS’ desire to travel does not necessarily translate to urgent travel bookings – at least not this year – according to a survey.

Filipinos eager to travel, but hesitant to do it this year

Using convenience sampling method, EON Trust Central (ETC), in partnership with mobile app Tangere, asked 5,000 respondents from all over the Philippines on April 21-23 about their sentiments and concerns regarding travel and tourism during the pandemic. ETC functions as the think tank of EON Group, an integrated marketing communications firm. While more than half of the respondents from across all age groups declared a desire to travel – reasons range from visiting family members and loved ones, going on vacation, and work/business opportunities – only 58 percent of them plan to do so within this year. The rest defer their travel plans to 2022. “This indicates a hesitation to travel ARE WE THERE YET? Only 58 percent of Filipinos excited to travel plan to do it this year, as the rest defer their plan until 2022, a survey reveals. in the near future [because of] the pandemic,” ETC said in its report “Zooming in on the Filipino Traveler”. The excitement over embarking on an adventure is also seen in Agoda’s recent travel sentiment survey conducted between June 10 and 14, weeks before Metro Manila and other parts of the country shifted back to the stricter enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), with seven out of 10 Filipinos “optimistic that they will be able to travel domestically before the end of 2021”. The survey was carried out online and participated in by 1,102 Filipino adults.

No YOLO for Gen Z

Gen Zers are the least keen to travel this year, and should they do, are the most likely to go on a solo trip.

Interestingly, the younger generation is the least keen to travel this year, as data from Agoda’s “Next steps to travel” survey found 20 percent of Gen Z will most likely hold off any domestic travel plans. Gen Zers are also the most likely generation to think there will be no travel at all (19 percent for domestic travel, 47 percent for international). But should Gen Zers travel, they are the age group most likely to do it solo, according to Agoda; and they are the most likely to go on a food trip once the pandemic is over, according to ETC. More than half or 56 percent of mil-

lennials, on the other hand, are most looking forward to traveling with their immediate family.

Fear and added expenses

ETC’s survey uncovered that fear (at 31 percent) is the prevailing feeling of Filipinos when it comes to leisure travel, followed by safety (19 percent) and sadness (12 percent). While health and safety remain one of the major concerns of respondents, it is only second to budget considerations, which now include additional expenses for travel requirements such as pre- and post-travel COVID-19 tests and other travel permits. “More than the risk of getting in contact with a COVID-positive person, Filipinos find the administrative aspects of traveling to be the most challenging,” ETC said. If Filipinos do travel, they expect destinations and hospitality establishments to follow safety protocols such as regular sanitation and disinfection, health screening, and observance of limited capacity. “Most respondents trust that the Department of Tourism’s health and safety protocols are strictly implemented in the country’s tourist destinations.”

My neighborhood hotel’s ‘ECQ’

Cebu Pacific’s loyalty program GetGo is now part of the larger membership program Go Rewards. (Photos from @cebupacificair/Instagram)

Got GetGo points? They are now Go Rewards

CEBU Pacific announces the migration of its loyalty program GetGo to Go Rewards, giving the former’s members more ways to enjoy deals and benefits. GetGo points earned from Jan. 1, 2020 onwards are converted into Go Rewards points. One Go Rewards point is equivalent to P1 which can be redeemed by the member for flights with Cebu Pacific or purchases in over 2,000 retail outlets. “We are excited to be part of this new and improved loyalty program where we are now able to offer more rewards and options for our customers,” said Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and customer experience. Under Go Rewards, members can earn and redeem points from purchases in Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, The Marketplace, Shopwise, Southstar Drug, True Value, Daiso, Toys R Us, Ministop, Daiso Japan, No Brand, Caltex, Handyman, and more. Meanwhile, GetGo points earned before Jan. 1, 2020 are converted into Travel Fund which may be used to purchase flights and add-ons on Cebu Pacific’s website. The airline says GetGo members “have been informed of their corresponding point conversions via registered email”. Members with GetGo loyalty cards

GetGo points earned before Jan. 1, 2020 are converted into Cebu Pacific’s Travel Fund.

may exchange them for the new Go Rewards Classic card in any Robinsons retail store, and activate it through the Go Rewards app. GetGo members with existing Go Rewards membership can merge both accounts through the app, while those new to Go Rewards can register and link their GetGo account. Once linked, the GetGo number will be deactivated and the new Go Rewards number will be the membership account moving forward.

THESE days, when working from home, attending online classes, and participating in webinars are practically the norm, food preparation by housewives and heads of families can be a daunting responsibility, especially if one has to juggle several tasks – attend to personal needs, help with the children’s school assignments, and beat job-related deadlines. So, when the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) announced the inclusive dates for this current enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region, a five-star hotel in my neighborhood immediately assured Century Park Hotel offers Essential Culinary Quick-Fixes (ECQ) through its food-on-thethose who worried about food supply for go service. the household that they can easily have nutritious, satisfying meals through its opt for Turkey Ham cold cuts, perfectly sea- try Crisp Chicken which is delivered with soned with paprika, oregano, and other fla- fragrant rice, fried bananas, and bacon. own version of “ECQ”. Of course, any meal wouldn’t be comCentury Park Hotel’s Essential Culi- vorful spices. Another popular item on the plete without dessert. For nary Quick-Fixes are availYOLO (You Only Live Once) able through its Food-Onbelievers, the scrumptious Red The-Go service, thus, menu YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE Velvet Cheesecake is a must! planning for the family, from LAW OF GRAVITY: Any tool – nut, bolt, screw – when There are also the mouthwaappetizers to dessert, can be dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner. tering Torta Nocciole di Cioa breeze. colato and the delectable Pecan Here’s a sample of what Coffee Crepe Cake. the hotel offers: Smoked Incidentally, Century Park Hotel has Norwegian Salmon coupled with Ta- menu is the Barbecue Pulled Pork Panini on recently been awarded the Safety Seal gaytay greens and asparagus and served Rye, which comes with green salad. Certificate by the Department of TourFor a taste of Japan, many of the with Italian dressing, a healthy choice hotel’s loyal foodies go for the Bimi ism, assuring their customers that proper for those watching their calories. Those who want to reward themselves Okonomiyaki, the famous and savory health and safety protocols are always obwith a hearty meal will definitely enjoy pancake made with Japanese flour, cab- served in their food preparation. General manager Anthony Tan dethe Grilled Lamb Chops which comes bage, bonito flakes, dried green seaclares that he and his team handle their towith gratin potatoes and herb garlic sauce. weed, and Japanese mayonnaise. Children will probably prefer the Coun- go meals with extra special care because Those who prefer something lighter may it is their way of extending their brand of Filipino hospitality beyond the confines of the hotel. Such assurance is good enough for me. The hotel’s Food-On-The-Go service is available from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. through mobile number 0917-633-2497 or landline (02) 8528-8888. Bill may be settled using PayPal, GCash, or bank transfer. For YOLO believers, this Red Velvet Cheesecake is a must.

These Turkey Ham cold cuts would be perfect for light snacks.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com