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WHO: Keep calm amid Omicron Pleads with countries not to overreact but adopt rational global response

HE World Health Organization called Tuesday for countries to keep calm and take "rational" measures in response to the new, fast-spreading COVID-19 variant Omicron, which has sparked global panic.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 289 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

"We call on all member states to take rational, proportional risk-reduction measures," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing to countries. "The global response must be calm, coordinated and coherent." First reported to the WHO in southern Africa less than a week ago, the new strain

has rapidly spread across continents, with dozens of countries announcing travel restrictions. The UN health agency has cautioned against such restrictions, fearing that blocking travel from countries where new variants are first spotted could be unfair Next page and dissuade surveillance.

Bong Go drops from prexy Año: Face shield back once strain enters race, says ‘not yet my time’ By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas and Othel V. Campos

By Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's chosen successor announced Tuesday his withdrawal from the 2022 presidential race, saying it was "not yet my time." Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, 47, a close aide to the 76-year-old president, entered the contest for the country's highest office two days before the November 15 deadline, after previously registering for the vice presidential race. His sudden exit narrows the Next page

THE government will reimpose the face shield requirement in all public areas once the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is detected locally and the current alert level for COVID-19 is raised, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday night. "Of course, when Omicron enters and the alert level is raised, we will reimpose face shields," Año said in President Rodrigo Duterte’s regular televised “Talk to the People.” The President said he would support the mandatory use of face shields if the government task force on the COVID-19 pandemic recommends it as a measure

against the Omicron variant. “I would suggest to the task force to make a statement whether or not really to [reimpose the face shield requirement because] when it comes to Omicron, since we have a dearth of data on this,” he said. “In the meantime, if—prudence would just dictate that maybe we’ll be strict again and to the Task Force, you have to sort it out whether we have to reimpose the shield because it can add protection,” Duterte added. Duterte issued the statement when he convened the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 and several medical experts in Malacañang to discuss the latest updates on COVID-19 Omicron variant, as well as government efforts to con-

tain it once it is detected in the country. The President assured the public that the government is ramping up preparations for its possible entry and vowed to implement all measures to keep people safe. Local hospitals are already preparing for the entry of the Omicron variant. San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, for instance, is stocking up on its inventory of personal protective equipment (PPE) for its health workers and more medicines for its patients. "First [preparation] is the inventory of PPEs and anti-viral drugs like remdesivir and tocilizumab. We now have more time to prepare for it and have stocks of Next page

Duterte calls on Filipinos to emulate Bonifacio PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte asked the Filipino people to emulate the heroism of Andres Bonifacio and contribute to nation building, particularly as the country faces many challenges. “As we commemorate these

events, I invite every Filipino to become a hero like Bonifacio by participating actively in our nation-building efforts, especially in those challenging times when we have to secure our nation’s health, safety, and wellness,” Next page

Senator Christopher 'Bong' Go

Rody chides unvaxxed: Live or die By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday scolded Filipinos who are still hesitant in getting the COVID-19 vaccine and told them to “choose between living longer or drying early” while repeating his stand on making immunization mandatory, especially with the threat of the more virulent Omicron variant. This was after Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano told the President that local government units (LGUs) have the authority to impose mandatory inoculation against COVID-19 and eliminate hesitancy and brand preference, based on the power granted them by the Local Government Code. “So, while we cannot really impose mandatory laws because we don’t have laws, national law, but at least through Section 16 of the Local Government Code, a local chief executive can issue executive orders or ordinances that will protect his constituents. That is considered legal unless stopped by the court,” Año told Duterte during their meeting in Malacañang on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Department of Health said Tuesday more than 2.5 million Filipinos were vaccinated against COVID-19 at the start Monday of the three-day "Bayanihan, Bakunahan" Next page

2,832,734 425

15,800

48,545

2,768,389

909

(As of 4 PM, NOV. 30)

BONIFACIO HONORED. A student actor waves the Katipunan flag in front of Andres Bonifacio shrine in Lawton Manila on Tuesday during the 158th birth anniversary of the father of the Philippine Revolution against Spain. At the same time, President Rodrigo Duterte (inset) sings the National Anthem as he leads the wreath-laying ceremony to pay homage to Gat Andres Bonifacio and other heroes of the Katipunan at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City. Danny Pata and Presidential Photo

Weak explosion’ rocks Mt. Pinatubo, no magma activity A "WEAK explosion" was recorded on Mount Pinatubo past noon Tuesday, sending a plume detected as far as Tokyo, or 2,981 kilometers from Zambales, Phivolcs said. The state seismology agency said the Pinatubo Volcano Network "recorded seismic and infrasound signals of a weak explosion at Mt. Pinatubo between 12:09 p.m. and 12:13 p.m." The explosion produced a plume "detected by the Himawari-8 Satellite and reported to DOST-PHIVOLCS by the Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center." Phivolcs said seismic and infrasound signals detected at the volcano are "not typical of known volcanic processes," and so the agency is looking at other possible sources. Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said. “What we're saying is the signal that Next page

SC GRANTS BINAY REQUEST FOR TRIAL NEWS / A2

RESUME DRUG WAR PROBE, ICC URGED NEWS / A2

UNEXPECTED PLUME. In this photo taken by Philippines AirAsia Captain Aljess Lasmarias on a flight on Tuesday, a plume from a 'weak explosion' at Mount Pinatubo reaches the sky over Pampanga province. Photo via Twitter

LONE LOTTO BETTOR WINS P162-M POT NEWS / A3

News

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

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SC grants Binay plea for split trials In a resolution dated June 14, 2021 but only made public last November 25, the SC granted the plea of Binay, saying “the consolidation of the cases would result in a confusion

of evidence.” “Individuals not charged in Criminal Case Nos. SB-11-CRM-0272-0273 would be confronted with pieces of evidence and allegations unrelated to

their cases. The same goes for individuals who were charged only under Criminal Case Nos. SB-11-CRM-0274-0275,” the SC said. “While it is true that a separate trial would entail additional costs and time in the presentation of witnesses and documents, allaying these extra burdens cannot take precedence over petitioner’s (Binay) constitutional right to a speedy trial,” the high court ruled. Binay, who served as mayor of Makati City from 1998 to 2001, was among those included in 2014 as co-accused of other city officials who had earlier been indicted in 2011. She and the other city officials were charged with graft and malversation in the

WHO:...

(WHA) that kicked off in Geneva on Monday. The WHO chief said it was understandable that countries wanted to protect their citizens "against a variant that we don't yet fully understand." "But I am equally concerned that several member states are introducing blunt, blanket measures that are not evidence-based or effective on their own, and which will only worsen inequities." In the Philippines, the use of face shields on top of face masks is not mandatory in areas under Alert Level 1, 2 and 3, unless indoor establishments require it. But acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles urged Filipinos to continue using face shields for added protection. Abeyasinghe, however, said compliance will be higher if the approach is risk-based. "There is significant discontentment on the mandatory use of face shields, so it is better to get compliance when it is risk-based,” he said. Face shields have been widely unpopular because they are unwieldy and make it difficult to breathe. Critics have also pointed out that no other country in the world mandates the use of face shields. Moreover, a UP wind engineer, Joshua Agar from the University of the Philippines, found that the shields may actually increase risk of exposure to the coronavirus because it sucks in air particles and keeps them trapped behind the shield. In an earlier briefing, Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said health officials expect the variant to enter at any time. The WHO has classified Omicron as a variant of concern. The global organization said it is not yet clear if the variant is more transmissible compared to other variants or if it causes a more severe disease. Abeyasinghe assured that WHO supports the Philippines' COVID-19 alert level system.

"We recognize that COVID-19 is here for the long term, and we need to manage the risk of COVID-19 without harming the economy," he said. On Monday, the WHO said no deaths had yet been linked to the new variant. The WHO said the latest variant has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic. At the same time, the WHO said some countries may just not have the sequencing capacity to detect COVID-19 cases. Abeyasinghe called on Philippine authorities to conduct whole genome sequencing of returning Filipinos or foreigners coming into the country. “I would go to say that we should not be looking for Omicron only in countries that have confirmed the virus for now because there are many countries [where] the variant may be, but they may have no capacity for sequencing,” Abeyasinghe said. “So, any returning overseas Filipinos or foreigners coming in who test positive, I think we need to do whole genome sequencing now and what is important from our genome sequencing perspective is because of the recent detection of the variant, we need to rapidly do genome sequencing of the most recent arrivals,” he said. The official recommended concentrating the sequencing of samples to people who recently tested positive in the country’s entry points. Elsewhere, health ministers from the Group of 7 (G7) nations on Monday called for "urgent action" to combat the newly identified Omicron COVID-19 variant spreading across the world as US President Joe Biden said the strain is "not a cause for panic." Australia and Japan led the growing list of countries imposing fresh travel restrictions or slamming shut their borders as the new strain

has stopped until the end of the year, maybe next year we will see new resignations," said PHAPI President Jose Rene de Grano. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said it was a matter of time before the Omicron variant reached the country. "It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when, so it will really enter the country, just as we have experienced with Alpha [and] Delta among the variants of concern," he said during Monday’s Talk to the People with President Duterte. To prepare for the entry of the Omicron variant, Duque said minimum health standards must be enforced. He also recommended the use of face shields in areas that are crowded, where there

is close contact and confined and enclosed spaces. Duque also said the trajectory of the vaccination rate in the country must be maintained to achieve population protection. "We need to widen and increase the vaccination coverage to reach population protection," Duque said. He also underscored the need to prepare the health care system for the worst case scenario. "In case there will be a sustained high community transmission on account of this possible Omicron variant entry in our country—let's take advantage of our low number of cases and prepare the health system’s capacity, again for the worst-case scenario,"

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bringing the total to 2,832,734. This figure is the lowest daily number of new infections since July 2, 2020, where 294 new cases were recorded. It is also the seventh straight day the country registered less than 1,000 daily COVID-19 cases. These new cases account for 2.1 percent of the 24,442 tests conducted— which is almost 10,000 lower than the tests conducted for results on Nov. 29, which were at 32,629. The government is targeting to cover 9 million people during the vaccination drive that ends Wednesday, Dec. 1. Out of the total doses administered on Monday, the biggest bulk of 366,000 were in Calabarzon. Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Bicol region

complete the top 5 regions with the biggest output, said Cabotaje, who chairs the National Vaccination Operations Center. If more people voluntarily get inoculated against COVID-19, a new law that would compel vaccination might not be necessary, Malacañang said on Tuesday. Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles made this remark after the President on Monday night said he favors mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. During his regular televised Talk to the People, the 76-year-old Duterte warned that once the COVID 19 virus infected the body, it would spread and cause death to a person with the virus if he or she had not been vaccinated.

“I mean no offense, but for those who don’t want to get the vaccine, it's easy, you will not live longer if you want to die,” he said. “‘If you get infected, there is nothing you can do, and when you go to the hospital, you will be intubated,” he said. The President convened a meeting with an expert group advising the government on pandemic response amid the threat of COVID-19 Omicron variant, which was detected in several countries. Unvaccinated individuals are more vulnerable, he said, recounting he hadn’t seen a time in his life in which many people he knew, friends and acquaintances, died after being infected by the coronavirus. (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

This year’s celebration of Bonifacio Day saw the opening of the newly restored El Deposito Underground Reservoir, historically known as the site where the Philippine Revolution started in 1896 with the Battle of San Juan del Monte. A new diorama at the Museo ng Katipunan showcases the historic battle. Duterte congratulated the San Juan City government for successfully hosting this year’s celebration in the Pinaglabanan Shrine, which played an important role in the Katipunan’s quest for Philippine independence. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domago also paid tribute to Bonifacio, saying he should serve as an inspiration, especially for the youth. Domagoso, the Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer in the upcoming elections was joined by Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and Rep. Yul Servo in the celebration held at Liwasang Bonifacio. Domagoso called on the youth to help shape a better country by choosing the right leaders. Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Weak...

In Cabangan town, only 32 kilometers from Pinatubo, which typically senses activity on the volcano, residents claim they did not notice any shaking or ashfall, said a barangay officer. When the volcano erupted in 1991, the mushroom plume was within sight from the village, said Genaro Ofunda Jr., chief of Barangay Felmida-Diaz. But at the time the activity was recorded on the volcano Tuesday, he said there was no ashfall. Neither did they feel any volcanic quake. Meanwhile, Phivolcs urged the public to avoid venturing into Pinatubo, which has become a trekking site years after its cataclysmic June 15, 1991 eruption. More than 350 people died during the eruption, most of them from collapsing roofs. Disease that broke out in evacuation camps and the continuing mud flows in the area caused additional deaths, bringing the total death toll to 722 people. The event left more than 200,000 people homeless.

By Rey E. Requejo

HE Supreme Court has granted the appeal of former Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay to have her two criminal cases, each for alleged graft and malversation, be tried and heard separately by the Sandiganbayan to prevent confusion in the proceedings and to afford her speedy trial of the cases filed against her.

From A1 "I thank Botswana and South Africa for detecting, sequencing and reporting this variant so rapidly," Tedros said, adding that it was "deeply concerning to me that those countries are now being penalized by others for doing the right thing." The WHO also advised Philippine health officials there is no need to reimpose the mandatory use of face shields even amid the possible entry of the more transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus. "The virus is airborne, transferred via close contact transmission. What is important is observing social distance, wearing a face mask and hygiene," WHO representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said during a briefing. "As long as these minimum public health protocols are complied with and we ensure that people do not congregate in closed settings...face shields, at this point, are not mandatory because we are still looking at and understanding the transmission dynamics of the Omicron variant," Abeyasinghe said. He also advised Filipinos not to overreact to the possible entry of the new COVID-19 variant. "We just need to be very rational in our approach," Abeyasinghe said in a televised public briefing. "They (public) should not assume that something is here, it needs to be confirmed by testing," the WHO officials said. At the same time, Tedros stressed that it remains unclear how dangerous the variant is. "We still have more questions than answers about the effect of Omicron on transmission, severity of disease, and the effectiveness of tests, therapeutics and vaccines," he said at the special session of the World Health Assembly

Año... From A1

medications," said Dr. Rontgene Solante, the government’s infectious disease expert.

"The number of cases in the past weeks have made us more prepared for the next surge," he added. The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) said nothing has changed with their preparations against COVID-19 but they continued to worry about their shortage of health workers, who had resigned at the height of the pandemic. "In hospitals, our limitation now is the number of nurses. But right now, although it

Rody... From A1

campaign, adding it received reports that some walk-ins failed to get inoculated. Authorities on Monday administered 2,554,023 million COVID-19 shots, which is 2.5 times the daily average last week, said DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje – but still short of their 3-million daily target for the campaign. Cabotaje, who heads the National Vaccine Operations Center, said figures for Tuesday’s inoculations would be released today. The government aims to reach 9 million vaccinations for the threeday campaign. This came as the Philippines logged on Tuesday 425 new cases of COVID-19,

Duterte... From A1

President Duterte said in his speech during the commemoration of 158th Birth Anniversary of Andres Bonifacio at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City. “In this light, I call on our kababayans to emulate Gat Andres Bonifacio’s strong sense of civic duty, courage, and love of country in our daily lives, even in the simplest ways. May we be challenged to give our very best for the benefit of our people and nation.” Bonifacio could provide a sense of hope, determination, and optimism for today’s generation of Filipinos, especially as the country surmounts difficult challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. The bravery and patriotism of Bonifacio and other Filipino heroes who fought the colonizers must serve as a guiding post in beating the odds that hinder the country’s progress as a people and as a nation, the President said.

From A1

was detected is not a typical known volcanic process... so we are also evaluating it together with other potential sources for example aircraft activity, helicopter, because sometimes there are signals like that or ordnance disposal, sometimes they detonate there. We can't say that it came from Pinatubo because the issue is the signal.” Phivolcs noted that seismic activity around Pinatubo had been very low, and that a survey at its crater earlier in November discounted magmatic activity given its "low diffuse volcanic CO2 flux of 257 metric tons per day." Solidum said a survey by a Phivolcs team at the Pinatubo crater earlier this month showed "very low" presence of volcanic gas. He added: “Based on the parameters we observed, we are discounting magma activity beneath the volcano. That's the most important, we don't see activity on Pinatubo.”

purchase in 2001 of P36.4 million worth of hospital beds and bedside cabinets, and in the purchase in 2000 of autoclave machines and dry heat sterilizers. When she learned of the consolidation, Binay pleaded with the anti-graft court to re-raffle the cases and conduct separate trials. She also sought the inhibition of Sandiganbayan Presiding Amparo Cabotaje Tang for alleged bias and partiality. On January 13, 2017, the Sandiganbayan denied Binay’s pleas. The anti-graft court ruled that the cases had been consolidated as early as 2011 and Binay was included in the charges only in 2014. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) identified last week spreads rapidly to Europe, Asia, and North America. However, Biden told Americans he did not foresee new lockdowns or extending travel restrictions for now because of Omicron. While no deaths have yet been reported from Omicron, and it remains unclear how infectious and how resistant the strain may prove to vaccines, its emergence underscores how besieged the world remains by COVID-19, nearly two years after the first cases were recorded. Many governments, particularly in western Europe, had already struggled with rapid rises in cases and have reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing, social-distancing measures, curfews, or lockdowns--leaving businesses fearing another grim Christmas. Following emergency talks, G7 health ministers said: "The global community is faced with the threat of a new, at a first evaluation, highly transmissible variant of COVID-19, which requires urgent action." The WHO said the overall risk from Omicron was "very high" and warned that any major surge would put pressure on health systems and cause more deaths. "If another major surge of COVID-19 takes place driven by Omicron, consequences may be severe," the WHO cautioned, concluding that "the overall global risk related to the new VOC (variant of concern) Omicron is assessed as very high." Scientists in South Africa said they had detected the new variant with at least 10 mutations, compared with three for Beta or two for Delta—the strain that hit the global recovery and sent millions worldwide back into lockdown. However, South African doctor Angelique Coetzee, who raised the alarm over Omicron, said the cases she saw suggested the symptoms were milder than other variants. AFP (See

full story online at manilastandard.net) Duque said. He said the government might reimpose the previous pandemic response in anticipation of a surge in cases due to the new variant, which was first detected in South Africa. Año noted that the face shield requirement was not totally discarded as part of the COVID-19 response strategy. He said the policy on face shields was just integrated into the Alert Level System used nationwide. In jurisdictions under Alert Level 1, 2, 3, the use of face shield is voluntary, while those under Alert Level 4, local government units (LGUs) have the discretion to make its use mandatory. Under Alert Level 5, face shield use is mandatory. (See full story

Kin of drug war victims ask ICC to resume probe FAMILIES of people killed in the Duterte administration's war on drugs have asked the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor to resume its investigation in a supplemental communication filed on Tuesday. They argued there is no genuine domestic investigation, much less prosecution, being conducted into crimes against humanity in the context of the war on drugs, contrary to the claim of the government. Rise Up for Life and for Rights’ Irma Locasia, Dennise David, Maria Lozano, Mariel Sabangan, Normita Lopez, Purisima Dacumos and Christine Pascual filed the communication. The ICC had granted the government’s request to suspend the probe. The Duterte administration said that it had been looking into the deaths, referring to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) referral to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of 52 cases where the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service found administrative liability on the part of police officers. “The Deferral Request failed to inform the OTP that there is no domestic investigation at all of President Rodrigo Duterte, who was charged by herein Complainants in their Communication of August 2018 as the respondent who is the most responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.” (See full

story online at manilastandard.net)

Bong... From A1

field of candidates vying to replace Duterte, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second six-year term. He is running for the Senate. "My family doesn't want it either, so I thought maybe this is not yet my time," Go told reporters. If Duterte wins, he would become a colleague of Go, a first-term senator who still has 3 years left on his tenure and could serve in the chamber until 2025 even if he lost in the May 9 polls next year. Meanwhile, the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is set to hold a series of meetings to discuss its next move after the withdrawal of Go, Malacañang said on Tuesday. Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles was mum on details, saying it is best to wait for the PDP-Laban to issue an official statement on the matter. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, president of his faction in PDP-Laban, which initially supported Go’s bid for vice president – with fellow Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as the presidential candidate -- said he is sure Go did it for good reasons. He said PDP-Laban respected and supported Go, who eventually jumped to the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), substituting for the smaller party’s original presidential bet, Grepor Belgica. In an interview with CNN Philippines, PDDS founder Belgica said the party was meeting within the day to talk about the group’s plans and direction for the upcoming elections. “Right now, until we sit down with our leaders and our principal, the President and Senator Bong Go, we’re not thinking about that yet,” Belgica said when asked if the party has been eyeing other candidates. “All options are open. Whatever is best for the country, best for the party,” he added. There will be no substitution for the withdrawal of Go from the 2022 presidential race, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Tuesday. “Since it would be a voluntary withdrawal, no substitution,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a statement. Go is required to physically appear before the Comelec to formalize his withdrawal, but since it was a holiday yesterday, Jimenez said its Law Department would receive the senator’s withdrawal today. Go said his decision to withdraw was also to avoid causing "more problems" for Duterte, who he professed to love "more than as a father." "I remain loyal to him, and I promise to be with him forever," Go said. "In the past few days, I realized that my heart and my mind are contradicting my own actions." Most analysts had given Go little chance of success in the May election, though he was the most likely candidate to protect Duterte from criminal charges in the Philippines, and an International Criminal Court investigation into his deadly drug war. "From the very start he has launched a lukewarm campaign and it's very obvious that he was just thrust into that job by President Duterte," said Jean Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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SC orders 75% of staff in courts By Rey E. Requejo

HE Supreme Court (SC) has ordered all trial courts in areas under COVID-19 Alert Levels 1 and 2, like those in the National Capital Region, to have a least 75 percent of ofﬁcials and personnel or full workforce in their ofﬁces Monday to Friday starting today, Dec. 1.

In a circular, the SC through the Office of the Court Administrator directed that those in areas under Alert Level 3 and those under general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified GCQ (MGCQ) should maintain at least 50 percent or at most 75 percent of the total personnel in their offices. Saturday duty in trial courts under Alert Levels 1 and 2 should have 50 to 75 percent of the total workforce, while those under Alert Level 3, GCQ, or MGCQ should have from 30 to 50 percent. Trial court judges may continue to conduct hearings through video conferencing

In areas under Alert Levels 4 and 5 and those under granular lockdown, enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), and modified ECQ, with or without heigh ened restrictions, all trial courts are closed. Judges should conduct hearings on important and urgent cases through video conferencing. Night courts are still not allowed in all alert levels and quarantine classifications. The new work schedule in the trial courts – municipal trial court, municipal circuit trial court, municipal trial court in cities, metropolitan trial court, regional trial court, shari’ah court – was contained in a circular issued last Nov. 29 by Officer-in-

Charge Raul B. Villanueva of the Ofﬁce of the Court Administrator (OCA). Villanueva said the trial courts’ work schedule starting Dec. 1 was issued in consultation with Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo and should be implemented until further notice. Aside from the NCR, also under Alert Level 2 from Dec. 1 to 15 are the Cordillera Administrative Region: Benguet, Abra, Kalinga, Baguio City, Mountain Province, and Ifugao; Region I: Dagupan City, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Pangasinan; Region II: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and City of Santiago; Region III: Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Zambales, and Tarlac; Region IV-A: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, and Lucena City; Region IV-B: Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa City, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan; Region V: Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Naga

City; Region VI: Aklan, Antique, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Iloilo City, and Negros Occidental; Region VII: Bohol, Cebu, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor; Region VIII: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Tacloban City, and Western Samar; Region IX: City of Isabela, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay; Region X: Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental; Region XI: Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental; Region XII: General Santos City, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat; Region XIII (Caraga) Butuan City, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Agusan del Norte; and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Basilan, Cotabato City, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao.

IN BRIEF Lucky bettor wins P162m lotto jackpot A TICKET sold in Parañaque City bagged the P162 million jackpot prize draw of the 6/55 Grand Lotto on Monday night. In an advisory on Tuesday, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Ofﬁce (PCSO) said the lucky bettor guessed the winning combination of 29-42-12-41-01-35 with a jackpot of P162,347,069.60. The ticket was purchased in Parañaque City. A total of 11 other bettors who guessed ﬁve out of the six winning combinations won P100,000 each, the PCSO said. About 941 bettors got P1,500 each for getting four of the winning combinations while 20,456 bettors won P60 each for guessing three right combinations. The Grand Lotto is drawn every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. This is the eighth time this month and third from Metro Manila wherein a sole bettor bagged the jackpot prize of the state lottery’s games.

CA says Coke followed retrenchment procedures THE Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed a suit filed by nearly 100 regular employees of a soda company after they were retrenched due to redundancy in 2018. The CA Special First Division dismissed the petition of 93 members of Coca-Cola Femsa Phils. Inc.’s (CCFPI) Manila Sales Force Union in a 16-page decision dated November 26 and uploaded recently, saying there was no proof that petitioners were coerced into signing the deed of receipt, release, waiver, and quitclaim. The appellate court said while the retrenched workers claimed they did not voluntarily sign the documents, “no fraud was employed in the execution of the deed and the consideration is sufficient and reasonable.” The workers were in the pre-selling department, which markets and processes orders of stores, restaurants, and similar businesses. They were granted 175 percent of their salary per year of service as separation pay and hospitalization and medical benefits for five years or upon reaching 65 years of age, whichever comes first, on March 1, 2018.

QC seeks dialogue on Bongbong event THE Quezon City government on Tuesday invited Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor to a dialogue on Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. to thresh out the details of his request to use a portion of the Quezon Memorial Circle for the political events of presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. At a webinar conference, Mayor Joy Belmonte said “it is clear that no permit has (already) been granted.” “We have invited him (Defensor) on Dec. 2,” she said. “We are open to your request for the use of the Liwasang Aurora of the Quezon Memorial Circle Park on 6-9 December 2021,” Department of Public Order and Safety chief (ret.) Elmo San Diego said in a one-page letter to Defensor. “However, before granting your request, we propose having a coordination meeting ﬁrst to set ground rules to ensure the safety of park-goers the strict observance of health standards,” he added. Rio N. Araja

BONIFACIO DAY. In celebration of the 158th birth anniversary of revolutionary and hero Andres Bonifacio, San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora and Senator Bong Go together with city officials lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the unveiling of a mural of the Filipino hero along Santolan Road in San Juan. Officers gather at Bonifacio’s shrine at Monumento Circle in Caloocan to honor Bonifacio (inset). Manny Palmero and Andrew Rabulan

‘Rush hour’ coding back in the metro, says MMDA By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will start today the reimplementation of the afternoon rush hour number coding scheme covering all private vehicles. The move was made in time for the holiday season when traffic is expected to be heavy. The Metro Manila Council (MMC), the MMDA’s governing board and policymaking body, approved a resolution on the implementation of the calibrated traffic mitigation measures in the National Capital Region aimed to avoid a traffic management crisis in the future. The MMC is composed of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila. Resolution 21-30 stated that per the recent travel survey and analysis conducted by the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center - including vehicle volume count, travel time and travel speed study, and average daily traffic rate - it was determined that the current traffic situation is approaching the pre-pandemic levels. MMDA chair Benjamin Abalos Jr. said the resumption of the number coding scheme in the metropolis will only cover private vehicles. Those with registration plates ending in 1 and 2 are prohibited on Monday, 3 and 4 on Tuesday, 5 and 6 on Wednesday, 7 and 8 on Thursday, 9 and 0 on Friday. Exempted from the scheme are public utility vehicles (including tricycles), transport network vehicle services (TNVS), motorcycles, garbage trucks, fuel trucks, motor vehicles carrying essential and/or perishable goods. “Data shows that the travel speed along the northbound portion of EDSA is 9.66 kilometers per hour. Hence, we have to reinstate the number coding scheme during the afternoon rush hours to address the problem. We are trying to exhaust all options here,” Abalos said. “The solution to this problem is efficient traffic management and mass transport system,” he added. With the return of the number coding scheme, the agency is expecting approximately 2,700 vehicles per hour will be reduced plying EDSA alone. The light truck ban along EDSA will be reimplemented, also with modification.

DHSUD, partners complete seven housing projects in November By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and its partners have launched seven housing projects in November to fulﬁll its commitment of providing decent and affordable homes to Filipino families. “These housing projects are solid testament of the Duterte administration’s commitment to provide resilient, safe and affordable shelters to all Filipinos,

especially the underprivileged,” Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said. “Through DHSUD, the government is now expanding its reach to assist more Filipino families to avail of decent and affordable homes they can call their own,” he added. In November, seven government housing projects have been inaugurated or launched and broke ground targeting over 3,500 families in various parts of the country as beneﬁciaries.

On Nov. 4, Del Rosario flew to Iloilo City for the groundbreaking of the Uswag low-rise residential building in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro District. Six days later, he graced the ribbon-cutting and ceremonial turnover for the three-story Marangal Village Homeowners Association Inc.’s high density housing in Barangay Longos, Malabon City, and the four-story Samahang Magkakapitbahay Na Nag-

kakaisa HOA Inc. in Barangay San Agustin, Novaliches, Quezon City. On Nov. 19, the housing czar led the groundbreaking and ceremonial turnover of check donation for land development of the 1Bataan Village in Orion, Bataan. Three days later, he went to Baler, Aurora, and celebrated his birthday by rolling out two more housing projects in the province that intend to beneﬁt 143 families living along danger zones.

BI arrests American wanted for theft By Vito Barcelo Bureau of Immigration (BI) authorities arrested an American fugitive wanted by US federal authorities for theft and forgery. In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) identiﬁed the fugitive as Howard Bernard John Highley, 68, who was arrested at his residence in the town of Mangaldan, Pangasinan. Highley faces immediate deportation for being an undesirable and undocumented alien as his US passport was already revoked by the State Department. Morente earlier issued a mission order for Highley’s arrest at the request

of American embassy authorities which sought his deportation to the US so he could stand trial for his alleged crimes. The US government said that Highley is the subject of an arrest warrant issued in October 2020 by a court in Hamilton County, Tennessee. He was reportedly charged before the said court with two counts of theft of property and one count of forgery. Highley is now detained at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings. He will be placed in the immigration blacklist and barred from re-entering the country after he is deported

BLOCKADE. Police block members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other groups from entering Mendiola to celebrate the 158th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio. The groups were allowed to hold their program along Espana Blvd. in Manila. Danny Pata

Taguig achieves 88% vaccination rate vs COVID-19

AWARD CEREMONIES. Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III led the TUPAD PayOut ceremonial awarding of safety seal certificate, awarding of OWWA assistance, and awarding of Bicycles under the Bike Nation Project at the Albay Astrodome. With Bello are Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara, Vice Governor Grex Lagman, Cong. Alfredo Garbin, several mayors in Albay Province headed by Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman and DOLE Region-V Representatives.

THE Taguig City government said it has vaccinated 769,438 individuals or 88 percent of the total population against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The local government said that 675,592 individuals or 77 percent of the total population have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 while a total of 1,433,492 jabs have already been administered across the city’s vaccination hubs. Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said the city is consistently coordinating with the national government and ensures that a comprehensive vaccine portfolio is in place for a fast, safe, and accessible vaccination rollout. “Vaccination will continue until the last eligible Taguigeño gets protected,” he said.

Cayetano said the local government is also in full support of the Department of Health’s goal to reach nine million jabs in the ongoing National COVID-19 Vaccination Days. In the city’s ongoing vaccination rollout, the ﬁrst vaccine doses are currently being given to the pediatric population or individuals aged 12 to 17 years old Vaccination sites such as Medical Center Taguig, Bonifacio High Street Mega Vaccination Hub, Lakeshore Vaccine Information and Training Center, RP Cruz Elementary School Vaccination Hub, Western Bicutan National High School Vaccination Hub, and Signal Village National High School Vaccination Hub are the city’s designated sites for their inoculation.

Alongside the current vaccination rollout for the pediatric population, booster shots are being administered to the A1 (Healthcare Workers), A2 (Senior Citizens), and A3 (Persons with Como bidities) Priority Groups as an added layer of protection against COVID-19 virus. Currently, only A1, A2, and A3 are the priority groups who are eligible to get their booster shots. Individuals are eligible for booster shots 6 months after they received their second dose. The city is working closely with the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center for the preparation of booster shots for those who are part of A4, A5, and for the rest of the population. Joel E. Zurbano

Lacson vows to end ‘kotong’ as part of drive vs. corruption

By Macon Ramos-Araneta RIDDING the streets of “kotong”— where jeepney drivers lose some P300 a day to crooked cops—will be one of the first priorities under the presidency of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. Lacson said he had done this when he headed the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001, when he rid the police force not only of mulcting cops but the kotong culture. “This I can promise: kotong in the streets will disappear,” he said during a sectoral forum with bus operators. He said that under his watch as Chief PNP, he led by example and did not allow corruption, much less extortion, among his men. Before that, he said traders and dealers would even give their drivers an extra P1,000 as “panlagay sa highway” or grease money for the road. Lacson said his “no-take policy” reached a point that policemen would even refuse offers of money from drivers who they would flag down for traffic violations. Lacson, who is running for President under Partido Reporma, recalled how his late father, Buenaventura, would come home tired and stressed after being victimized by “kotong” cops. This memory would influence him to stop the kotong culture in the police force. His stopping of the kotong culture in the PNP, as well as other reforms, earned the police – and himself as its chief – high approval ratings from the public, as well as their trust. Lacson, who is running on an anticorruption platform, earlier promised to put an end to corruption in government projects where up to 40 percent of the costs are lost “depending on the greed of those who implement them.” He said that even as the national debt has ballooned to P11.9 trillion, Filipinos still are not benefitting from the projects these funds are supposed to be earmarked for. “For example, the government implements a project worth ten million pesos, but not all ten million goes into the project. It is reduced by 20 percent, 30 percent, sometimes 40 percent depending on the greed, the greed of those implementing it,” he said.

Be like Supremo: Heroism still alive, Leni tells Filipinos

Isko: ‘Thank you in advance’ if Rody chooses to support him

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 E-mail: mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

GROUFIE. Vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is assisted by Lakas-CMD Party President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez in taking a group photo with their supporters during their arrival at Borongan Airport in Eastern Samar. Ver Noveno

OFFERS UNIFYING GOVERNANCE

BBM-Sara tandem woos Eastern Visayas voters T By Rey Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

HOUSANDS gathered to show a warm welcome to UniTeam presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, when they visited Borongan, Eastern Samar on Monday. From the airport, the tandem went straight to officially inaugurate the UniTeam headquarters in Borongan City before proceeding to a UniTeam rally set in the province. “We are planning, and we are thinking, how to raise the Philippine economy, how we can develop the Philippines, how to get to Samar and continue what President Duterte started as ‘Build, Build, Build’ which we

will grow even more. We will intensify even more,” Marcos said. “The first thing we must do is to reunite every Filipino, not fighting, but working together. Not remorseful, but united for our beloved country,” he added. Duterte-Carpio, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) chairperson, urged Warays to support Marcos in next year’s presidential elections.

“I am pleading to you: when you vote, vote for the Bongbong-Sara tandem. Choose Bongbong-Sara because I will be hampered in doing my job as vice president if he is not our president,” Duterte-Carpio said during a brief stop at St. Mary’s Gym in Borongan City. The presidential daughter was accompanied by Lakas-CMD President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez during the sortie. She expressed belief that Marcos’ political experience as a former governor, congressman and senator is a big advantage in addressing the country’s major problems if he is elected president. The tandem met with Lakas-CMD officials and friends in Borongan City where they held a motorcade.

By Rio N. Araja VICE President Leni Robredo believes Andres Bonifacio remains an inspiration, now more than ever, in seeking justice for the aggrieved and holding accountable people in power. “On this day, we remember and honor Andres Bonifacio – his leadership that led to the unity of the Filipino people wanting for a change, his courage emanating from the love of his fellow Filipino, and his heroism,” said Robredo, an independent presidential aspirant, during the celebration for the 158th birth anniversary of Bonifacio, who was called the Supremo of the Katipunan that fought against Spanish rule. “Bonifacio stood up, and that served as an inspiration to many people. He is an inspiration until now. We remember his example every time we need to lay down everything in the name of justice and humane society,” she added. His heroism, Robredo said, remains a reality today among everyday Filipino heroes. “Bonifacio signified the spirit of those wanting to protest against abuses of those in power. His words are still our guide,” she said. “This is love that is willing to sacrifice and give all. Let us continue to live that way every day. Through this way, we can shape the nation our heroes dreamt of.” Meanwhile, Robredo, in her keynote address at the 63rd Ramon Magsaysay Awards Tuesday, said the pandemic has taught people and governments to espouse “radical solidarity” as nations begin to rebuild and pursue a better normal after the pandemic upturned the world.

BLUE RIDERS.

Angkas riders assemble at Bonifacio Shrine in Manila to show their support for the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso Tuesday. Norman Cruz

Castro: Tangible support for teachers, students needed By Maricel V. Cruz ASSISTANT Minority Leader France Castro on Tuesday urged the Department of Education to provide adequate material support for teachers and students using the blended distance learning program to help their mental health. Castro said DepEd’s mental health helpline is a welcome step, but giving adequate support for the blended distance learning and genuine academic ease should also be a priority to help students and teachers cope with the stress. “Many students and teachers suffer from added stress with the demands of blended distance learning. Families of

many pupils are affected by decrease or worse, loss of income. Many families barely have enough for their basic everyday needs due to the worsening economic crisis. Students do not only have to think about their lessons every day, but also how they can help their parents,” Castro said. “Teachers are also burdened by the demands of blended distance learning and now also by the preparation being done for the face-to-face classes with minimal support from the DepEd,” she added. She said in many cases, teachers do not have internet allowance and have to provide for their own gadgets. “With insufficient funding for distance

learning, it is up to the teachers to find funds to ensure that there are enough printed modules for their students so that education can continue amid the pandemic,” Castro said. “The primary responsibility in providing safe, quality and accessible education lies in the hands of the national government. Teachers have gone beyond what is asked from them and beyond what is provided by the government to make sure that they still are able to fulfil their duties as frontliners in education. The Duterte administration must still address its shortcomings in education and prioritize education in the 2022 national budget,” she added.

AKSYON Demokratiko standard bearer and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Tuesday said he would not refuse an endorsement from President Rodrigo Duterte should the chief executive decide to raise his hand now that Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has withdrawn from the presidential race. “I will not refuse. Beggars cannot be choosy,” he said in an interview with reporters. “If they will choose me, thank you, thank you in advance. But I do not want to get ahead of myself until they say so. For the meantime, I am always hopeful. I will wait until they decide they like me as their candidate,” Domagoso added The Manila mayor, who placed third in a recent SWS survey among presidential bets, next to former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and Vice President Leni Robredo, said he needs all the help he can get at this point. “I have been honest that I need help. I need allies, loyalists, believers, followers and volunteers,” he said. Meanwhile, at least a thousand motorcycle riders in blue, consisting of the whole Metro Manila fleet of motorcycle taxi hailing service firm Angkas, along with members of the Young Entrepreneurs Supporting Isko Moreno (YES Isko), gathered Tuesday at the Bonifacio Shrine as a show of support for Domagoso’s presidential bid. The 47-year-old Domagoso engaged the group in a dialogue to hear the problems they face amid the pandemic, as well as their other grievances. Moreno thanked them for the assistance they provided to Manila City’s medical front liners, as well as their full support to past “Blue Wave” caravans. During the modified lockdown in the capital region in August last year, Angkas partnered with Moreno to provide medical front liners in the city of Manila with free motorcycle rides and face shields as part of its continuing campaign to assist healthcare workers. Angkas bikers were deployed to the city’s six district hospitals — Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Ospital ng Maynila, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Tondo, Sta. Ana Hospital, and Justice Jose Abad Santos Memorial Hospital — to ferry medical frontliners after their shift. Rey Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

SC dismisses writ of kalikasan case vs. power plant By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by environmental organizations and several residents seeking the issuance of a writ of kalikasan and a writ of continuing mandamus to stop the construction of a diesel power plant by a power generation company in Mambajao, Camiguin. In an en banc decision written by Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda, the SC unanimously sustained the resolutions of the Court of Appeals on May 26, 2014 and June 27, 201 which also dismissed the petition filed by the Citizens for a Green and Peaceful Camiguin, Sulog, Inc., Save CDO (Cagayan de Oro) Now Movement Inc., Task Force Macajalar and several other individuals. “We do not find that the CA committed reversible error in dismissing the petitions for issuance of a writ of kalikasan and writ of continuing mandamus in his case. Lest there be any misunderstanding, the Court shares petitioners’ concern for the environment. This concern, however, is not an excuse to invoke Court’s jurisdiction in cases where other remedies are available,” the SC said. The high court held that there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the appellate court in dismissing the petition against King Energy Generation Inc., (KEGI); the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Barangay Balbagon of Mambajao, Camiguin; the Municipal Government of Mambajao; the Provincial Government of Camiguin and the Camiguin Electric Cooperative (Camelco).

Recto Bank gas drill to proceed despite China tensions—Pimentel

BIGGEST SPANISH ARTIFACT. San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora leads a media tour at the El Deposito, an underground water reservoir that has since been transformed into a museum. Manny Palmero

THE chairperson of the House strategic intelligence committee said Tuesday he expects two offshore gas drilling activities in Recto Bank to proceed as scheduled regardless of the tensions with China. “We have no choice but to carry on with the drilling activities because the Sampaguita gas discovery in Recto Bank has the potential to energize the entire national grid – not just Luzon – for the next 20 to 30 years,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said in a statement. The Sampaguita gas field could also yield up to $18.2 billion (P910 billion) in future royalties for the government, based on a 60 percent net share, he said. “In fact, if the groups clamoring for a government buyout of the Malampaya gas field really want to carry on with their foolishness, they should target Sam-

paguita, which is far more valuable to the country’s future energy security,” Pimentel said. Pimentel said Sampaguita is “an untapped value-changing asset” with up to 4.6 trillion cubic feet of gas, while Malampaya, which has been producing gas for the last 20 years, has only 1.6 trillion cubic feet of residual gas at best. “There is even one study suggesting that the entire Recto Bank has up to 20 trillion cubic feet of potential gas in place,” Pimentel said. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in July 2016 that Recto Bank is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, as defined under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas. By virtue of the ruling, the Philippines enjoys absolute rights to exploit all re-

sources in the seamount. Amid rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Pimentel warned the Department of Energy (DOE) against imposing another force majeure on Forum Energy Ltd., the operator of Sampaguita, which is located 250 kilometers southwest of Malampaya. “A second force majeure would be a colossal sign of weakness on the part of the Philippine government,” Pimentel said. “We also do not want Forum Energy to invoke the tensions as an excuse to voluntarily postpone the programmed gas drilling activities,” Pimentel said. During the Aquino administration, the DOE in December 2015 placed all petroleum service contracts in and around Recto Bank under force majeure on account of the dispute with China over maritime claims.

Opinion OMG, now it’s Omicron

JUST when we thought COVID-19 was about to be nearly contained worldwide with the rollout of vaccines from the United States, United Kingdom, China and Russia, among others, and more recently, the introduction of oral pills for mild cases of the deadly disease, what else could pose a grave threat to everyone’s health and sanity? It’s the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus from South Africa and now beginning to show itself in different countries. And it looks like it’s just a matter of time before it begins to wreak further havoc on our health and on the economy. Omicron could not have come at a worse time: we’re just starting to recover from the recent surge in cases due to the Delta variant and we’ve begun preparations for the Christmas holidays and to welcome another year.

What else could pose a grave threat? Add to that the opening up of more sectors of the economy, including domestic tourism, and a brief respite from the prolonged confinement of families, including children and seniors in their homes. The Omicron variant is believed to be more transmissible than Delta and could therefore in all likelihood lead to another round of lockdowns and restrictions on mobility. What Omicron also means is that we will have to continue to bear the inconvenience of health and safety protocols such as wearing face masks and even face shields and practicing social distancing, and another episode of closure of certain businesses while the new variant again exacts a heavy toll on lives and lifestyle until it wears itself out. Up to when? We don’t really know. Meanwhile, it’s back to the drawing boards—and laboratories—for scientists and medical researchers to dissect the new variant and to come up with new vaccines and drugs that could contain the spread of COVID-19 and its variants and reduce it to nothing more than the seasonal flu or the common cold. The development of vaccines and now oral drugs has given the world hope that life would begin to return to normal. But the fight against COVID-19 is certainly far from over. New strains of the virus will continue to emerge: we’ve had the B.1.1.7 strain (Alpha), B.1.617.2 (Kappa) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) and now B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Scientists are now undertaking genomic surveillance to

Here’s a timeline since the 1980s. Doctors identify “opportunistic infections” among injected drug-users late in the year and in haemophiliacs and Haitian residents in the United States (mid-1982). The term AIDS appears for the first time in 1982. 1983: Identifying HIV In January 1983, researchers in France, Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Jean-Claude Chermann, working under Luc Montagnier, identify the virus that “might be” responsible for AIDS. It is

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EDITORIAL

control the spread of the pandemic. This will allow public health officials to track the epidemic, understand transmission routes and determine the rate of viral evolution. The dire prospect of another surge of COVID-19 infections is certain to ruin everyone’s Christmas holidays, except perhaps those who see it as another crisis that is yet another opportunity to make more money from the misfortune of others. The big pharmaceutical firms now reaping huge dividends from developing and manufacturing vaccines and drugs will of course be laughing all the way to the bank, but so will the profiteers and scammers out there eager to make a fast buck at every opportunity from the gullible or the easily deceived. Omicron and the political season While we’re at this, will Omicron derail the conduct of the May 2022 general elections? With lockdowns a likely possibility once Omicron makes its presence felt on this side of the Pacific, we can expect inperson campaigns to be limited in scope, with politicians forced by circumstances to campaign using both traditional and social media platforms rather than go through the hustings, at least for the moment. But the bigger worry in so far as our democratic system of government is concerned is the emergence of another form of political virus, which is dynasticism. We’re seeing the virtual end of party politics as we know it and its replacement by dynastic politics aimed at ensuring that politicians from the same family or clan taking turns at public office remain in power for years and decades to come. We’re told by no less than the highest elected official in the land that there’s nothing wrong with political dynasties, even if the 1987 Constitution specifically provides in Article II Section 26 that “the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” We’ve tackled this issue not a few times in the past, but it bears repeating here. The framers of the fundamental law, aware of the gradual rise of political families since the post-war era, saw it fit to prohibit them from mutating from one generation to another, precisely to allow others to hold public office not on the basis of genetic make-up, but on integrity, competence, and track record in governance. But certainly, we’re told, not all political dynasties are bad. There are good ones, and there are bad ones. But the latter seem to dominate our political landscape, with the good ones, already few and perhaps far between, hustled out of the picture by the proverbial guns, goods and gold. We’re saying that political dynasties rarely equate with good governance and its hallmarks of transparency and accountability, and more often than not because they see public office as a private enterprise where profit-making rather than public service is the norm. Email: ernhil@yahoo.com

AIDS: Four decades but still no silver bullet WITH hopes of eradicating AIDS badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, we look at the fight against the deadly condition since its emergence 40 years ago, as the planet marks World AIDS Day on Wednesday. 1981: First alert In June 1981, US epidemiologists report five cases of a rare form of pneumonia in gay men in California, some of whom have died. Unusual versions of skin cancer are identified in others. It is the first alert about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), still unknown and unnamed.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

dubbed L AV. The following year, US specialist Robert Gallo is said to have found the “probable” cause of AIDS, the retrovirus HTLV-III. The two viruses turn out to be one and the same, and in May 1986 it becomes officially known as the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Barre-Sinoussi and Montagnier win a Nobel prize in 2008 for their discovery. 1987: Anti-retroviral treatment In March 1987, the first anti-retroviral treatment known as AZT is authorised in the US. It is expensive and has many side effects. The World Health Organization (WHO) declares December 1, 1988 the first World AIDS Day, to raise awareness. By June the following year, the number of AIDS cases worldwide is estimated at more than 150,000. Early 1990s: Falling stars US actor Rock Hudson is the first high-profile AIDS death in October 1985. A host of other stars succumb to the disease, including British singer and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury (November 1991) and the legendary Russian dancer and choreographer Rudolf Nureyev (January 1993). In 1994, AIDS becomes the leading cause of death among Americans aged between 25 and 44.

Courage

NDRES Bonifacio, whose birth anniversary the country commemorated yesterday, is remembered for his bravery in leading fellow Filipinos to revolt against an oppressive, repressive foreign power trampling on our rights in our very own territory. Today, 158 years after the birth of this man, Filipinos are wishing that another passionate, courageous leader would emerge to protect us from the incursions of a foreign power into our shores. A recently commissioned survey by the Social Weather Stations revealed that more than eight in 10 Filipinos believed our next leader should assert our rights in the West Philippine Sea in accordance with the favorable ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. Admittedly, during this time of health and economic hardship brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the administration’s lackluster response to it, it seems far-fetched

that Filipinos would feel strongly about an issue that is, quite literally, many miles away from their modest dining tables.

Searching for truly brave leaders For whatever reason, however, the numbers tell us otherwise. Eighty-five percent of the respondents to the survey also want to seek alliances with other countries in defending our economic and territorial rights. Unfortunately, it appears that China, our giant neighbor to the north, continues to frustrate our

efforts to assert our claim to territories within our exclusive economic zone, in open defiance of the arbitration court. It does not help that our leaders are, at best, only sporadically cognizant of the threats that China poses to our territory and to our fishermen. Indeed, these leaders tout China as our friend. A strange friendship it is, however, based on bad faith and a constant attempt to sideline our territorial interests. As we spend the next few weeks and months leading to the May 2022 elections, we should remember that courage is never measured by mere tough talk or bombastic claims, only to be negated by a policy of acquiescence to a “friend.” We need to pick out the truly courageous among the candidates, who are steady and firm, knowledgeable and accountable, and who will assert our rights over those of foreign “friends.”

Omicron America. The World Health Organization initially declared Omicron a virus of concern― its highest level of alert. And then WHO warned that the Omicron coronavirus variant poses a high risk of infection surges around the globe.

Should we panic?

NOW it’s Omicron, a mutation of the COVID-19 virus that promises to be more infectious and more lethal than the Delta variant which has ravaged mankind in the past 12 months. Delta was 50 percent more contagious than the original COVID-19 virus. Where before a person infected by the original virus could infect an average of 2.5 people, a person infected with the Delta variant infected 3.5 to 4 other people. Eventually, Delta accounted for 99 percent of COVID cases since it became apparent in December 2020 in India. Now, it’s December again, and we have a new variant, the Omicron. The variant is said to have much higher transmissibility and to be more resistant to current vaccines. Omicron has panicked the world, sent stock markets crashing (the Dow lost 905 points on Friday, its worse session since October 2020), forced several countries to close their borders to anyone who is not their citizen, froze a reviving global tourism, and aborted a nascent worldwide economic recovery. Amid the stock market slump, shares of vaccine makers Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and BioNTech partner Pfizer jumped in prices after the drug makers said they were working to adapt their COVID-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant. The share price of a pharma company making anti-COVID drugs, rose 30 percent. Moderna said it would be months before an anti-Omicron could ship in massive quantities. On Monday, US President Joe Biden called the Omicron Covid-19 variant a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic” a day after it was detected in North

That the WHO made such declarations is remarkable. Firstly, little is known yet about Omicron. Secondly, there is no certainty yet on Omicron’s potential harm or damage. It takes at least two weeks to conduct definitive tests. And three months to develop a counter vaccine. Speculation and caution have taken over science in coping with Omicron. How do you explain WHO’s premeditated haste? One explanation: WHO lately has been hard up on cash. And the one country with plenty of that commodity is China. China, as you know, has been blamed for triggering the worst pandemic in 100 years. In December, 2019, COVID-19 was supposed to have started from a public market in WUHAN, from animals, where they are sold in that market. COVID-19 should have been named the Wuhan virus but the Chinese objected. WHO then resorted to naming virus variants using the letters of the Greek alphabet. China would welcome that the blame is spread out. Delta originated in India. Omicron originated in Africa. The major COID-19 viruses are coming from China, India, Africa, in that order of diminishing number of huge populations―1.4 billion, 1.3 billion, and 1.2 billion, respectively. Actually, Omicron should have been named Xi, in accordance with WHO’s new nomenclature business. But Xi is the name of the leader of China. So naming Omicron as Xi would be like bringing back the blame for the pandemic to China. In the Philippines, the IATF was quick to see the business side of things. It thought right away of mandating back the much

1995-96: New approach A new class of drugs signals the start of combinations of different anti-retroviral therapies. Called tri-therapies, they provide the first effective treatment for HIV although they are not a cure and remain costly. 1996 is the first year in which the number of AIDS deaths declines in the US. 1999: 50 million infections A report released by WHO and the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) in November 1999 estimates the number of people infected with HIV since it first appeared at 50 million, of whom 16 million have died. Africa is the hardest-hit continent, with

12.2 million cases. 2001: generic medicines After an accord signed in 2000 by UNAIDS and five major drug companies to distribute affordable treatments in poorer countries, a deal is signed on November 13, 2001 at the World Trade Organization to allow developing countries to make generic medicines. 2012: HIV ‘shield’ In July 2012, the first-ever daily pill to help prevent HIV infection is approved by US regulators. Truvada is a pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, taken by high-risk people who are HIV-negative in order to prevent them from being infected. 2017: Treatment spreads

despised face shields, now the symbol of corruption in the Duterte government. It seems some companies (Pharmally?) haven’t unloaded their huge inventory of overpriced face shields. Omicron has come to the rescue for these people. Accordingly, during the awards ceremonies for outstanding foreign service officers at Malacanang Monday, everybody, except President Duterte, wore –ta da---- face shields! In the US, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday strengthened its Covid-19 booster-shot recommendations, reflecting the potential threat the new Omicron variant poses to the pandemic response in the U.S. and worldwide. The CDC asked everyone 18 and older to get an additional shot after completing a first course of Covid-19 vaccination. Previously, only those 50 and above needed a booster. “The recent emergence of the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters and prevention efforts needed to protect against Covid-19,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. She urged unvaccinated people who are eligible for COVID-19 shots to get them. CDC has said COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 and was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It is very contagious and has quickly spread around the world. COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, a flu, or pneumonia. COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory system. Other parts of your body may also be affected by the disease. WSJ said Omicron has rattled officials in the U.S. and around the world, as researchers race to understand the changed pathogen. What then for us Filipinos? Well, as my colleague Alex Magno, advises: Do not panic. biznewsasia@gmail.com For the first time ever, more than half of the global population living with HIV are receiving anti-retroviral treatment, UNAIDS reports. Today the proportion is three quarters: 27.5 million people are being treated out of 37.7 million who are infected, according to UNAIDS. 2020/2021: Impact of Covid The Covid-19 pandemic undermines UNAIDS’ goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The new disease has disrupted access to health systems, to testing, and treatment, slowing progress in the fight against AIDS which in 40 years has killed 36.3 million people. AFP

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1. Leira S. Buan 2. Aizel Perez Buenaventura 3. Mary Beth Remiendo Morales 4. John Eric Aragon Soriano 5. Lourdes Badiola Aquino 1. Irene Gay F. Saulog 2. Uzziel F. Caponpon 3. Gladys Claire V. Quillao 4. Ricel P. Garcia 5. Michael M. Cruz 1. Dante O. Tinga 2. Teodorico P. Fernandez 3. George A. Elias 4. Lucenito N. Tagle 5. Gene M. Dela Cruz 6. Reynaldo L. Villanueva 7. Majorita C. Tinga 8. Juanito F. San Pedro 9. Edelwhinna R. De Leon 10. Alexander I. Glipo 1. Janela Paula R. Tomacruz 2. Steve G. Resari 3. Arnel F. Eclarinal 4. Cherrybeth B. Calleja 5. Febes R. Rosales

1. Troy Bel F. Cabrera 2. Jose Adrian R. Sy-Alvarado 3. Kristtine Mei M. Nieto 4. Roman P. Del Rosario 5. Abbey Louie F. Cabrera 1. Percival V. Cendaña 2. Raymond John S. Naguit 3. Cristina C. Oganiza 4. Angelina L. Katoh 5. Juan Carlo P. Tejano 1. Reynaldo S. Tamayo 2. Sittie Haynah M. Ibrahim 3. Richard B. Liban 4. Jarecki C. Barillo 5. Roseller S. Tamayo 1. Mufaida A. Macatoman 2. Kennedy B. Basmala 3. Arba M. Matua 4. Miriam M. Luna 5. Abduljuhari A. Macatoman 1. Imelda S. Enriquez 2. Orestes T. Salon 3. Aldrin S. Cardenas 4. Cherrylyn S. Iglesias 5. Moises S. Buan 6. Albert L. Datu 7. Andres Justino F. Abalos 8. Reuel L. Yumul 1. Julien A. Dancel 2. Rodrigo O. Pepino Jr. 3. Julio Jose R. Virtucio Jr. 4. Christine B. Adorna 5. Terencio A. Servillon 1. Catalina G. Leonen-Pizarro 2. Myla Mercedes L. Banta 3. Bienvenido F. Gruba Jr. 4. Teresita F. Castillo 5. Rogelio C. Arroyo 1. Harlin Gleeperf J. Abayon II 2. Paz Louella Erica Beatriz O. Marquez 3. Wendell M. Serrabo 4. Gizelle Lou M. Cabahug-Fugoso 5. Elmer Lorenzo M. Castillejo 1. Vladimir Neil P. Valdepenas 2. Mark Brian N. Paz 3. Francisco Xavier Xacinto S. Padilla 4. Edgardo M. Capulong 5. Melchor R. Monsod 6. Arnold J. Arriolia 1. Lex Anthony Cris A. Colada 2. Larry P. Nacionales 3. Jose L. Garin 4. Crisanto A. Palmares 5. Paolo M. Guanco 6. Kenneth G. Gersabalino 7. Joe Abad S. Lazaro Jr. 8. Jose S. Cruz 9. Luis G. Cruz 1. Ymil Rjiv D. Matba 2. Adorita C. Villacruses 3. Cesar A. Sakilan 4. Julhadi J. Habi 5. Alkin H. Murajil 1. Genevive L. Reyes 2. Peter Paul P. Dy, Jr. 3. Miguel David C. Laperal 4. Antonio V. Aninon 5. Ma. Concepcion B. Agos 1. Felix P. Reyes 2. Frank Levi C. Uysad 3. Vincent Vos R. Bartolome 4. Martin Lorenzo S. Reyes 5. Edwell M. Hidalgo 1. Baldwin L. Sykimte 2. Lydinyda B. Nacpil 3. Flora Asiddao-Santos 4. Manuel R. Toribio 5. Julius A. Panday 1. Teodoro A. Casiño 2. Ferdinand R. Gaite 3. Amirah A. Lidasan 4. Maria Kristina C. Conti 5. Pepito M. Pico 6. John T. Ruiz III 7. Roman L. Polintan 1. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza 2. Jerry John M. Taray 3. Michael Democrito C. Mendoza 4. Archie P. Capoy 5. Cecilio O. Seno III 1. Shernee Tan Tambut 2. Mohammad Salmann M. Sakili 3. Alson C. Juljani 4. Hilda B. Maulurana 5. Michael Dan A. Valdopiera 1. Aminola P. Abaton 2. Philip Josef T. Vera Cruz 3. Estella Marie D. De Guzman 4. Isniehayah D. Abaton 5. Norhakimah B. Lamping 1. Michael Angelo C. Rivera 2. Annalie E. Alcala 3. Nolando B. Sanchez 4. Dakila P. Atienza 5. Roman C. Araño 6. Victor H. Camitan, Jr. 1. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel 2. Angelica V. Galimba 3. Jandeil B. Roperos 4. Maria Jianred G. Faustino 5. Jayvie C. Cabajes 6. Vince Joseph O. Alloso 7. R.J. Nichole L. Ledesma 1. Walfrido Francisco R. Sun 2. Leah U. Uy-Encela 3. Reynaldo A. Banto 4. Joel S. Servino 5. Romel B. Gelacio 1. Princess Elaine A. Tan 2. Danielle Vicaldo 3. Walter S. Santillan 4. Jimmy Uy Tan 5. Alex O. Zepeda, Jr. 1. Jernie Jett Valdecanas Nisay 2. Christopher Palatino Laus 3. Alberto Aga Dela Cruz 4. Randy Briones Rogelio 5. Maria Melisa Del Mundo Matienzo 1. Carol Jayne B. Lopez 2. Jose Mari M. Oquiñena 3. Noel R. Dizon 4. Benhur B. Lopez, Jr. 5. Analiza Q. Navarra 1. Joher H. Joson 2. Arturo N. Atayde 3. Ruby Rose B. Lumbad-Del Castillo 4. Jaybee C. Ruiz 5. Poch Merick B. Bonifacio II 1. Elizaldy S. Co 2. Raul Angelo D. Bongalon 3. Ramiro B. Borres, Jr. 4. Cherryl R. Barrios 5. Melinda T. Ebio 1. Roy M. Señeres, Jr 2. Rhodge Lendel P. Bermudez 3. Minerva M. Señeres 4. Krizia Ann G. Loyang 5. Joseph R. Urbiztondo 1. Mariano Michael Del Monte Velarde 2. Wharton Rodriguez Chan 3. Wilfrido Buyson Villarama 4. Crisanto Cuala Villamin 5. Rafael Calzado De Los Reyes 1. Edgar A. Catarongan 2. Ayn Mie T. Carmona 3. Chito O. Aragon 4. Leo Joselito E. Bono 5. Rhyan T. Orbeso 1. Darlon Jay S. Sayarot 2. Henry L. Chua II 3. Ian Dwight Y. Bangayan 4. Ross S. Arguelles 5. Rogie M. Suria 1. Virgilio S. Lacson 2. Carmencita P. Lacson 3. Paul L. Sembrano 4. Gil T. Magbanua 5. Asuncion B. Howe 1. Ray Florence T. Reyes 2. Regina R. Mandanas 3. Raymundo Tingson Roquero 4. Ronald Santos Reyes 5. Liezl Luna Comia 1. Richelle Raia Louise S. Michael 2. Allen G. Singson 3. Christian Luis T. Singson 4. Dante R. Tacata 5. Erneste L. Calindas 1. Darwin P. Angeles 2. Richard Kevin R. Carandang 3. Manuel S. Reyes VII 4. Guillermo G. Hernandez, Jr. 5. Christopher Manuel M. Gallego 1. Rogelio Mapoy Villanca 2. Anna Flossiemay Bautista Ferro 3. Carlito Laurel Morales 4. Jacquiline Rivera Ramos 5. Ferdinand Ferrer Alfonso 6. Fernando Calata Francisco 1. Nixon T. Dizon 2. Ferdinand A.Cayanong 3. Hernando C. Gutierrez 4. Jose Jason Espiritu 5. Bryan B. Revilla 1. Mark Oliver S. Banaag 2. Imelda I. Diego 3. John John P. Felix 4. Eduardo Luisito E. Lozada 5. Norman Bethune G. Geronimo

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK BUTIL FARMER’S PARTY

BUTIL

TUTOK TO WIN

BABAE AKO PARA SA BAYAN

BABAE AKO

1 TAHANAN, INC.

1TAHANAN

ANG NATIONAL COALITION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ACTION NA! INC.

ANAC-IP

AKO BISAYA PARTYLIST

AKO BISAYA

ANAK MINDANAO PARTYLIST

AMIN

PROBINSYANO AKO

ALLIANCE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ORGANIZATION, INC.

KILOS MAMAMAYAN NGAYON NA KALIPUNAN NG MARALITA AT MALAYANG MAMAMAYAN, INC.

AP PARTYLIST

KM NGAYON NA

KAMALAYAN

BAHAY PARA SA PAMILYANG PILIPINO, INC.

BAHAY

USWAG ILONGGO PARTY

USWAG ILONGGO

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS FOR REFORMS, INC.

KONTRA BROWNOUT

CITIZEN’S BATTLE AGAINST CORRUPTION

CIBAC

TINGOG SINIRANGAN

TINGOG

SOCIAL AMELIORATION & GENUINE INTERVENTION ON POVERTY

SAGIP

BUNYOG (PAGKAKAISA)

BUNYOG

SAMAHAN NG TOTOONG LARONG MAY PUSO FOUNDATION

STL

MALASAKIT AT BAYANIHAN FOUNDATION, INC.

MALASAKIT@ BAYANIHAN

DUTERTE YOUTH PARTYLIST

DUTERTE YOUTH

PARTIDO COCOMAN

COCOMAN

SOLID MOVEMENT TOWARDS COMPREHENSIVE CHANGE

SOLID-CHANGE

KILUSANG MAYPAGASA

MAYPAGASA

ABE KAPAMPANGAN

SUBANEN PARTY-LIST ADVOCATES FOR RETAIL & FASHION, TEXTILE & TRADITION, EVENTS, ENTERTAINMENT & CREATIVE SECTOR KABALIKAT NG BAYAN SA KAUNLARAN

LUNGSOD AASENSO INC.

BISAYA GYUD PARTYLIST

ABEKA

SUBANEN

ARTE

KABAKA

LUNAS

BG PARTY-LIST

NAGKAKAISANG PILIPINO PARA SA PAGANGAT NG MARALITANG MANILEÑO

ANGAT PINOY

AVID BUILDERS OF ACTIVE NATION’S CITIZENRY TOWARDS EMPOWERED PHILIPPINES

ABANTE PILIPINAS

1. Celcilia Leonila V. Chavez 2. Benjamin M. Galang Jr. 3. Prudencio F. Consolacion 4. Joel B. Catle 5. Jay D. Pascual 1. Samuel S. Verzosa, Jr. 2. Ferdinand A. Domingo 3. Rossini Stallion Mikaelo S. Lu 4. Lorabel O. Flores 5. Katrina S. Verzosa 1. Yumi G. Capalongan Aka Ester Guinigundo 2. Lorellai T. Turingan 3. Virginia S. Cabaron 4. Jonaline A. Lao 5. Zenaida D. Matias 6. Maribec M. Madia 7. Gina B. Lovete 1. George Jt D. Aliño II 2. Erwin L. Cortez 3. Ronelyn P. Malinao 4. Christopher John B. Pizaña 5. Leo L. Moncatar 6. Vanessa R. Gregorio 1. Jose T. Panganiban, Jr. 2. Napoleon S. Dy 3. Janelle Micaela S. Panganiban 4. Rizalino G. Segundo 5. Norberto C. Duran 1. Sonny L. Lagon 2. Joannes P. Alegado 3. Jarvis S. Prochina 4. Maria Kara L. Copingco 5. Rex Dante L. Palomar 1. Amihilda J. Sangcopan 2. Ernesto F. Ubando Jr. 3. Eddie P. Enodio 4. Mohmd Saleh T. Constable 5. April V. Rivas 1. Rudys Caesar I. G. Fariñas 2. Vini Nola A. Ortega 3. Jonas Alexis G. Cajigal 4. Ralph Kenneth A. Bueno 5. Oscar C. Felipe II 1. Ronnie L. Ong 2. Rey Asterio L. Tambis 3. Christopher Rey M. Tio 4. Christopher S. Pastrana 5. Perfecto R. Maque 1. Kenneth Paolo Tereng 2. Doris G. Ramirez 3. Gema B. Macandog 4. Anna Marie P. De Leon 5. Kevin Michael C. Batac 1. Justine Louise R. Burgos 2. Raymundo B. Ferrer 3. Joven F. Santos 4. Datu Nur-Ali U. Midtimbang 5. Domingo D. Divina 1. Naealla B. Aguinaldo 2. Naereeza Grace M. Bainto 3. Antonio Miguel C. Lu 4. Jose Florinio Y. Farcon 5.Kym Leiner C. Hernandez

GREEN FORCE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF MOTHER EARTH

GREENFORCE

AKO BREEDER PARTYLIST

AKO BREEDER

EDUCATORS IN THE SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY

ESC

ALTERNATIBA NG MASA

ALTERNATIBA

PHILIPPINE SOCIETY FOR INDUSTRIAL SECURITY

PSIS

ASSOCIATION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS ADVOCACY IN LEADERSHIP INC.

ARAL

HELP PILIPINAS

H.E.L.P PILIPINAS

KILUSANG PAGBABAGO FOUNDATION, INC.

KILUSANG PAGBABAGO

BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO CIRCLE) SECTORAL ORGANIZATION JUAN-PINAGKAISANG ORDINARYONG MAMAMAYAN PARA YUMABONG KOALISYON AT AKSYON NAG-IIMPOK PARA SA EKONOMIYA AT GABAY NG MGA ORGANISASYON NG SAMBAYANANG MAY YAMANG ORAS

BPO CIRCLE

JUAN PINOY

KANEGOSYO

CITIZEN CRIME WATCH ASSOCIATION

CCWAI

KEILAH LIVELIHOOD ASSOCIATION, INC.

ANGAT KABUHAYAN

1. Petronilo L. Ilagan 2. Rogelio G. Reyes 3. William R. Espiritu 4. Rafael Antonio M. Acebedo 5. Wilfredo M. Garrido, Jr.

GO TAYO SA BATANG MAYNILA

BATANG MAYNILA

1. Eduardo C. Villanueva 2. Domingo C. Rivera 3. Catherine C. Valencia 4. Stanley Clyde C. Flores 5. Melquiades A. Asi

AKSIYON NG MASANG MAKATAO, INC.

AKMMA

ANG KALIPUNAN NG MGA MAMAMAYANG PILIPINO LABAN SA KATIWALIAN

ANG KAMPILAN

ANG TANOD NA AKTIBONG NAGBABANTAY AT ORGANISADO PARA SA DEMOKRASYA

ANG TANOD

AYUDA SA MAY KAPANSANSAN

AYUDA

ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRATIC PROGRESS, INC.

ABANTE MASA

KILUSANG PAGBABAGO LEAD ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED (LOI)

KP-LOI

NURSES UNITED PARTYLIST

NURSES UNITED

UGYON MANGUNGUMA, MANGINGISDA KAG MAMUMUGON NGA ILONGGO

UMA ILONGGO

ABANTE SAMBAYANAN

SAMBAYANAN

MALAY DEMOCRATS OF THE PHILIPPINES

MDP

MAMAMAYANG LIBERAL INC.

MAMAMAYANG LIBERAL

BANGON PHILIPPINE OUTSCOURCING PARTYLIST

BPO

1. James A. Ang, Jr. 2. Raisa Maria Lourdes S. Trenas-Chu 3. Concordio G. Gorriceta 4. Anthony R. Marquez 5. Jeric J. Jucaban

1. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez 2. Jude A. Acidre 3. Carla E. Ford 4. Jaime J. Go 5. Alexis Dv. Yu 1. Caroline L. Tanchay 2. Erlinda M. Santiago 3. Kristine Angela S. Redoble 4. Fenicris E. Santos 5. Emelinda J. San Antonio 1. Ricky P. Tomotorgo 2. Angelita J. Tamoria 3. Jose P. Brimon, Jr. 4. Gwendolyn F. Pollescas 5. Jimmy D. Calanog 1. Ma. Yvonne C. Feliciano 2. Howard Jesper R. Marzan 3. Martin L. Marzan, Jr. 4. Charmie Jean M. Simpal 5. Roger D. Nicon 1. Anthony Rolando T. Golez, Jr. 2. Maria Lourdes Victoria A. Fanlo 3. Sittie Fharmina D. Balt 4. Christian T. Arrieta 5. Kerwin M. Pagaran 1. Drixie Mae D. Suarez 2. Ralph Raymon T. Preza 3. Manasseh Ephraim S. Dizon 4. Michael Christian U. Marcial 5. John Michael M. Dagcuta 1. Anna Kharina M. Lao 2. Mohammad Bajunaid L. Basher 3. Margarita T. Molina 4. Mhar A. Ulangkaya 5. Johary H. Diampuan 6. Anshari M. Lao 7. Rajib B. Mua 8. Hafid B. Lao 1. Darryl Morito B. Viojan Jr. 2. Sheila Marie T. Viojan 3. Alex J. Montero 4. Rigel C. Sasis 5. Sophia Reyes - Sasis 1. Al A. Parreño 2. Silverio E. Tacardon 3. Ryan H. Quisai 4. Marlo P. Dela Cruz 5. Gilbert A. Valdez 1. Alberto D. Pamintuan III 2. Joaquin Angelo De Guzman 3. Patrick R. Cura 4. Angelo T. Yanga 5. Aymer M. Alvarado 1. Wilfredo L. Sanggayan 2. Rolando C. Gasal 3. Fortunato T. Lumawan 4. Pedro P. Lanuza, Jr. 5. Hidelito M. Sisona 1. Shamcey S. Lee 2. Jonas A. Gaffud 3. Joaquin Noel C. Aquino 4. Albert George F. Andrada 5. Lloyd Peter T. Lee 1. Eduardo E. Francisco 2. Robert B. Jurado 3. Rosalino M. Garcia 4. Hospicio G. Abrito 5. Rolando J. Canlas 1. Brian Raymund S. Yamsuan 2. Darwin B. Icay 3. Monica Ann F. Mitra 4. Ronald Dionnie D. Olavides 5. Jaico L. Catolico 1. Alelee A. Andanar 2. Jose Dominic Flores Clavano IV 3. Jorge Roman Antonio Baula 4. Victorio Velasco Garay 5. Daisy Eusebio Batay-An 1. Agree Sabine C. San Buenaventura 2. Mary Rose R. Salem 3. Mark Anthony N. Galono 4. Eduardo P. Paris Jr. 5. Ruben P. Palmaria 1. Ma. O R. Aplasca 2. Roberto B. Fajardo 3. Aldrin T. Parreño 4. Evelito A. Flores 5. Piergiovanni M. Tila

PARTYLIST GROUPS WITH PENDING MOTIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION PARTY LIST NAME ACRONYM NOMINEES 1. Rovin Andrew M. Feliciano 2. Katrina Reiko R. Chua TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT AND TODA 3. Crisanto P. Padua ACTION 4. Roel A. Natividad, Jr. 5. Charles John P. Quimpo 1. Ramil Joselito B. Tamayo 2. Bonifacio A. Icamen AKO TANOD AKO TANOD 3. Marvin S. Zuniega 4. Jewell Nathan M. Zosimo 5. Alan R. Bulawan 1. Marilyn D. Esden 2. Jaime P. Tamondong WOMEN AND CHILD CRIME WACCAA 3. Anna Liza A. Yulaga ABUSE ASSISTANCE 4. Rosemarie D. Ramillano 5. Maria Elisa C. Arancon 1. Nicanor A. Antonio 2. Giovanni M. Amantillo VOICE PHILIPPINES VALUES VOICE PHILS. 3. Marlon L. Era 4. Raineer Q. Chu 5. Emilio G. Ybanez Jr. 1. Mario S. Valbuena Jr. 2. Ryan W. Oclarino SAMAHANG MANIBELA, 3. Lorilie M. Valbuena MANANAKAY AT NAGKA 4. Willieta A. Albores MANIBELA ISANG TERMINAL NG 5. Joselito G. Ricardo TRANSPORTASYON INC. 6. Eduardo A. Doroja 7. Alfredo L. Abobo Jr. 8. Ferdinand D. Tatad 1. Morgan P. Say 2. Michael G. Say ILOCANO DEFENDERS INC. ILOCANO DEFENDERS 3. Solomon P. Say 4. Caroline P. Pichay 5. Gloria P. De Los Angeles 1. Elpidio D. Gabriel Jr. PROGRESIBONG 2. Concepcion D. Ramilo PAGTUTULUNGAN SA PAG4P’S 3. Jose R. Reyes UNLAD NG PILIPINAS 4. Salvadoire Alexis D. Ramilo 5. Nilo Jolly O. Cacapit 1. Patricia C. Dalmas 2. Antonio M. Galvez AKO’Y TECH VOC ATV 3. Alessandra Maria Dominique C. Dalmas 4. Jeff Edward L. Galvez 5. Dominador V. Solis 1. Rosalie Nancy Calubad-Rayos 2. Norberto G. Reblora Jr. ALALAYANG KUYA AT ATE SA AKAP 3. Joseph G. Huang PILIPINAS 4. Rogelio M. Rontas, Jr. 5. Thamerlane M. Perez 1. June R. Magno 2. Manuel O. Buenaventura III TDP TRUCK DRIVERS TDP TRUCK DRIVERS 3. Ruel L. Tolentino PHILIPPINES, INC. PHILS PARTY-LIST 4. Edgardo R. Magno 5. Solita M. Patiag 1. Pablo R. Logro 2.Jose F. Salanguste, Jr. AANGAT KUSINERONG PINOY LOGRO KUSINERO 3. Reynaldo F. Cornelio 4. Armando M. Paulino 5. Renato S. Jose, Jr. 1. Virginia S. Mangawit 2. Jerson Q. Bantag IGOROT WARRIORS IWI 3. Patrick S. Namuco INTERNATIONAL, INC. 4. Jimory A. Pulquiso 5. Ramil G. Palisoc 1. Crizaldo O. Nieves 2. Edward J. Aguilar LINGKUD BAYANIHAN PARTY LBP 3. Conrado S. Capa 4. Mimilanie L. Marquez - Lawyer 5. Maximo G. Caro

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

KONGRESO NG MGA EMPLEYADO NG PILIPINAS, INC

EMPLEYADO

ABANTE MIDWIFE

AKO NA PARTY-LIST

AKO NA PARTY LIST

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SOLO PARENTS, INC

SOLO PARENTS

ANTI-WAR / ANTI-TERROR MINDANAO PEACE MOVEMENT

AWAT MINDANAO

DUNONG AT ULIRANG TAO EDUKADONG REBOLUSYONARYONG MAY TALAS SA EKONOMIYA - KABALIKAT NG BAYAN SA GAWAIN AT ADHIKAING NASYONALISMO PARTY-LIST

DUTERTE KBGAN

MALABUNG WORKERS PARTY

MALABUNG

PAMILYANG MAGSASAKA

MEDICAL CANNABIS PARTY IPEACE EPANAW PARTYLIST (MINDANAO INDIGENOUS CONFERENCE FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT) ANG PROGRAMANG AASENSO TAUMBAYAN DREAM, ACT, PARTICIPATE AND ADVOCATE FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION ORGANISASYONG NAGSUSULONG NG LIBRENG INTERNET NGAYON SA EDUKASYON 1-ABANTE MASANG PINOY AASENSO INC.

ANG TULAY MO PARTYLIST

PAMILYANG MAGSASAKA

MED CANN

IPEACEEPANAW

1. Eufranio Y. Eriguel Jr. 2. Anthony Fernand M. Sunga 3. Ramon R. Ignacio 4. John Edwin P. Francisco 5. Roiben T. Baun 1. Jaime G. Mariquit 2. Edilberto A. Aguilar 3. Princess Joana Jo A. Campos 4. Ramon N. Vios, Jr. 5. Cynthia C. Ledesma 1. Joseph Noel M. Estrada 2. Charis Christelle J. Go 3. Royce S. Torres 4. Guillermo Rodante C. Estrellado 5. Mariano L. Macaleng, Jr. 1. Elijah R. San Fernando 2. Alex S. Arellano 3. Hernando C. Jucutan 4. Larry P. Dela Cruz III 5. Deobel B. Deocares 1. Eduardo M. Fulgencio 2. Edward B. Parocha 3. Grace M. Martinez 4. Jovito A. Gutierrez Jr. 5. Lesmer G. Evasco 1. Maria Socorro M. Malitao 2. Rogelio C. Sambrano 3. Dante T. Taverner 4. Romulo E. Morelos 5. Joselito P. Jalandoni 1. Mildred V. Vitangcol 2. Florecita V. Gatpayat 3. Antonio C. Tambunting 4. Arfel Joseph M. Austria 5. Antonio B. Salazar Jr. 1. Dionisio G. Magpantay 2. Carlos M. Carlos 3. Domingo B. Jangayo 4. Donna Marie M. Magpantay 5. Emma M. Magpantay 1. James Kristofferson M. Bonifacio 2. Cindy Grace P. De Leon 3. Maria Nenita M. Asauro 4. Christy Jean P. Diodos 5. Mary Kathleen Malbarosa-Bonifacio 1. Martin R. Nieto 2. Richard S. Querido 3. Benjamin James F. Viriña Jr. 4. Rodolfo B. Espiritu Jr. 5. Yolanda O. Tangog 1. Dodie D. Lagarto 2. Almanzor P. Sarip Macmod 3. Dino R. Capispisan 4. Don M. Magpantay 5. Elmer N. Barcelon 1. Diego L. Magpantay 2. Ferndinand S. Topacio 3. Manuel O. Agustin 4. Wilfredo M. Quitiongco 5. Rio S. Peñaflor 1. Rossel C. Dimayuga 2. Alvin M. Gonzaga 3. Edwin I. Coquilla 4. Loreta Caburnay 5. John Arwin M. Viloan 6. Rex T. Polinag 1. Joseph Ross S. Jocson 2. Joseph Jerver A. Toribio 3. Roland M. Roque 4. Arvin C. Santos 5. Joseph Honorio L. Villaescusa 1. German C. Calimlim Jr. 2. Agustin Z. Soria Jr. 3. Madki A. Acbar 4. Christine T. Lingat 5. Warren U. Windsor 1. Winston John R. Casio 2. Rodolfo G. Santos Jr. 3. Dennis S. Lagumen 4. Dino B. Bobier 5.Simon Lennard R. Pitao 1. Rhoderick C. Pono 2. Arnel B. Escobal 3. Eduardo A. Chico Jr. 4. Marlon J. Diwata 5. Joseph Alexander M. Delgado 1. Rodel C. Valdez 2. Lineth F. Espineli 3. Angelo A. Katigbak 4. Mary Adelyn M. Cortez 5. Roberto N. Habaluyas 1. Gerardo D. Herbolingo 2. Jill Kathryn S. Lao 3. Cherry Lou A. Maglasang 4. Menelao A. Calzada 5. Jorge G. Thompson II 1. Joselito T. Libres 2. Wendell Martin A. Cabrera 3. Virgilio S. Ferrer II 4. Gerlyn A. Ogong 5. Camal L. Ma-Amor 1. Maristela Presto-Abenojar 2. Robert T. Mendoza 3. Cyruz P. Tuppal 4. Eleanor Miran-Nolasco 5. Violeta Villanueva-Casiguran 1. Hansel O. Didulo 2. Felix L. Feria IV 3. Jose M. Borres 4. Joel J. Laud 5. Josefino E. Sobrino 1. Jeffrey L. Celiz 2. Winefredo C. Doblizo, Jr. 3. Arthur J. Tariman 4. Lolita O. De Jesus 5. Abundio C. Hambura 1. Paulino C. Dela Peña 2. Maricar C. Sarreal 3. Edizon L. Ebora 4. Oliver F. Valera 5. Mark S. Balamon 1. Jobelle Joan S. Domingo 2. Dwight Harold C. Calucag 3. Analyn R. Borbe 4. David Renn S. Santos 5. Teodoro G. Lopez 1. Michael M. Cubos 2. Ian Ceasar J. Canete 3. Mae Elaine T. Bathan 4. Jan Carlo M. Canete 5. Gerald A. Yuvallos 1. Anthony Jose Loth Alfredo I. Layco 2. Rudolf Daniel O. Parreño 3. Bryan T. Mecha 4. Ronelio M. Simon 5. J Aster M. Hiponia 6. Ronie D. Baclas 1. Patricia M. Gomez 2. Corazon L. Paras 3. Elda M. Cordero 4. Susan B. Espeso 5. Estrella S. Ong 1. Liborio P. Gonzales, Jr. 2. Lowell B. Pillejera 3. Scott Oren N. Pusing 4. Alexander S. Lucenesio Jr. 5. Edwin A. Sandoval 1. Romeo Ernesto D. De Guzman 2. Cecile G. Benitez 3. Mavi Veratta G. Millora 4. Emerita P. Nicanor 5. Editha S. Castulo 1. Jose G. Agduma II 2. Richard P. Tugay 3. Ali A. Mindalano 4. Freddie A. Catajay 5. Jhonny L. Padua 1. Diosdado Angelo A. Mahipus 2. Noe B. Indonto 3. Alicia C. Manuel 4. Reynaldo C. Reyes, Jr. 5. Rosario Leilani S. Francisco 6. Nelson Daryl F. Biasura 7. Nenita R. Mesias 8. Consuelo B. Cariño 1. Ferdinand P. Labung 2. Albert L. Lacanilao 3. Czarina Chlariza E. Mascuñana 4. Norberto T. Guiao 5. Percival C. Panopio 1. Randy R. Cirio 2. Margarita B. Cabria 3. Marion M. Bitara 4. Enrique B. Candia 5. Mela G. Gipanao 1. Henrie F. Enaje 2. Rowena R. Pilapil 3. Jonette Jakosalem-Del Prado 4. Edward T. Ruiz 5. Edison K. Ching 1. Reuben Dasay A. Lingating 2. Marlon P. Bosantog 3. Jeorgelyn V. Largado 4. Ramcy C. Astoveza 5. Alimpoyos Engwan S. Ala

Standard

BAGONG HENERASYONG AALALAY SA MANGGUGULAY NG PILIPINAS

BAHAY KUBO

PASSENGERS ASSSISTANCE AND SUPPORT ASSOCIATE

PASAHERO

COALITION OF HEALTH AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS, INC.

CHAMP

ATING GURO PARTYLIST

MOTORIST ORGANIZED FOR TRAFFIC AND ORDER REFORMS POLITICAL PARTY GENTLEMENT UNITED ASSOCIATE OF OUR RACE DAUNTLESS INGENUOUS ADVOCATOR OF THE NATION AND SOCIETY

MOTOR

GUARDIANS

ANGAT TURISMO ASSOCIATION, INC.

ATAI

ONE TRAINERS EXPERTS SKILLS DEVELOPERS AND ACHIEVERS CORE

1 TESDA CORE

ABAY SA PAG UNLAD PARTYLIST

ASPA

ALLIANCE FOR RESILIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY AND EMPOWERMENT

ARISE

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR RESPONSIVE ADVOCACIES FOR THE ARTS

NORAA

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PILIPINO SOCIETY AND DEVELOPMENT ADVOCATES COMMUTER-CONSUMER (PASADA CC) INC.

PASADA CC

1. Chad Dominic J. Hernandez 2. Roberto C. Guevarra 3. Dionesio R. Estrada 4. Angeleus B. Humarang 5. Eric M. Caraan

LABAN NG ISANG BAYAN PARA SA REPORMA AT OPORTUNIDAD (LIBRO)

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1-ANG TRABAHADOR NA PINOY

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SAMAHANG NAYON

1. Teodoro G. Montoro 2. Sheryl N. Alberto 3. Alfredo S. Martin 4. Rey C. Pabilona 5. Jasmin B. Yumul

1. Alarice D. Gadon 2. Ma. Emily Mae L. Fuentes 3. Eduardo K. Veloso 4. Horacio M. Montefrio 5. Danilo V. Ayap 6. Froilan M. Dollente 1. Abolcair D. Guro 2. Geraldine S. Espinosa 3. Rodolfo L. Cornejo 4. Nelson P. Ramirez 5. Agnes V. Noguera

1. Rodolfo Noel I. Lozada, Jr. 2. Restituto A. Cabrera 3. Alendry P. Paloma 4. Paul Abraham C. Lozada 5. Efren A. Zamora

FILIPINO LEAGUE OF ADVOCATES FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE MAHARLIKA

1. Eliezer P. Casas 2. Dondi K. Dy-Po 3. Lionel E. Buenaflor 4. Bernard Joseph E. Guerrero 5. Jessica Noelle C. Wong 1. Rafael A. Esnardo 2. Delyrose O. Esnardo 3. Edezer P. Lumtan 4. Teresita Grace J. Barros 5. Rhaff Richard R. Ruiz 6. Rosalie L. Malabanan 7. Abdurahman P. Pattaalam 8. Emmanuel M. Fiel 9. Rene Q. Nepomuceno 1. Agapito D. Pacorsa, Jr. 2. Reverendo Adonis B. Alcid 3. Tuesday T. Sagun 4. Crisanto S. Tablizo, Jr. 5. Jose B. Ronquillo, Jr. 1. Arze G. Glipo 2. Rene E. Ofreneo 3. Trinidad M. Domingo 4. Perla D. Reyes 5. Mary Jean B. Hecita

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SAFETY FIRST

1. Juanito B. Dona, Jr. 2. Raquel D. Castillo 3. Emelando R. Arevalo 4. Arsenio R. Jallorina 5. Alvin A. Calamba 1. Ermelo C. Rañola 2. Joselito Angelo M. Jugo 3. Baby Cashmere April C. Montalvo 4. Eliseo R. Rodriguez III 5. Hieroteo L. Villarosa III 1. Melvin L. Contapay 2. Esberto B. Eubra Jr. 3. Paul G. Gabunales 4. Art June A. Jago 5. Dominador T. Cudal

ALLIANCE OF OFW PARTY

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SAFETY FIRST

1. Nonilon F. Reyes 2. Joel M. Nimo 3. Francia Romelia S. Daleon 4. Alejandro A. Rostata Jr. 5. Paul John C. Merto

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1. Marietta Clenista-Nacional 2. Patricio P. Achas 3. Noel D. Hizon 4. Francisco A. Apostol 5. Paul B. Rosero

1. Avelino L. Andal 2. Gazer B. Pialago 3. Pedro L. Andal, Jr. 4. Renante A. Bautista 5. Marissa B. Moyet 1. Noemi C. Binag 2. Anthony Joseph C. Tagle 3. Nathaniel C. Binag 4. Isagani M. Ramos 5. Perfecto C. Maniquez Jr. 1. Edwin M. Cordevillla 2. Martin Nicolo P. De Los Angeles 3. Ismael A. Amigo 4. Katherine Anne Aenlle G. De Los Angeles 5. Edwin P. Sarenas 1. Diogenes M. Garay Jr. 2. Reynaldo G. Tan 3. Carlo D. Busmente 4. Raffy A. Borejon 5. Cleveland Z. Buela 1. Karla Agapita K. Fernandez 2. Richard T. Lim 3. Felipe Claudio C. Remollo 4. Nonnato P. Lopez 5. Leo S. Gellor

Manila 1. Jeffrey V. Asistio 2. Marlon M. Vendivel 3. Jullian Raphael M. Del Rosario 4. Jasper V. Asuncion 5. Israel D. Perez 6. Victor O. Lucerna 7. Bryan D. Briones 1. Jericho A. Labonete 2. Danilo J. Carandang 3. Benjamin G. Lumasag 4. Cesar C. Bersamina 5. Maria Noli M. Chua

1. Gigi C. Ibasco 2. Carlo Magno M. Batalla 3. Ruel A. Benisano 4. Shalymar C. Molon 5. Silvestre B. Bonto, Sr 1. Voltaire S. Engracia 2. Cheryl A. Reyes 3. Bato B. Macalaba 4. Leonardo T. Malimping 5. Shiela A. Robles 1. Jesus C. Dacpano 2. Floro M. Camenforte, Jr. 3. Edgar J. Kiamco 4. Romeo R. Dela Merced 5. Danilo M. Duban, Jr. 1. Najeeb Lucman Taib 2. Ahmad Lagman Barcelon 3. Abdul Barie Said Marcom 4. Sitti Ashma Sabal Ambulong 5. Saaduden Mimbantas Macadato 1. Enrique O. Olonan 2. Moh’d Mansor D. Solaiman 3. Jane F. Alberto 4. Richard L. Areno 5. Joebry V. Garcia 1. Edwin S. Duterte 2. Elson O. Formoso 3. Jaynor N. Macadawan 4. Roque M. Bagayna, Jr. 5. Dominico E. Labadan 1. Magdaleno B. Palacol, Jr. 2. Richard T. Dela Rosa 3. Erwin Kim S. Manalili 4. Gregg C. Gregonia 5. Sylvia O. Palacol 1. Romeo E. Redelicia 2. Prisco B. Tendoy 3. Rodolfo O. Reyes 4. Salvador A. Gallo 5. Arthur P. Ornias 1. Christian R. San Agustin 2. Milagros V. Uy 3. Gaudencio G. Uy 4. Roselyn O. Catanyag 5. Joan S. Manahan 1. Neal Jose O. Gonzales 2. Michael Stephan O. De Dios 3. Rogel C. Gatchalian 4. Anthony A. Dy 5. Kenneth Ang 1. Maria Kristina Jihan C. Bana 2. Ronillo D. Lee 3. Benjamin Y. To 4. Teomila A. Nobleza 5. Nathaniel Leonard Y. Flores 1. Rhea Charisse B. Fulgencio 2. Juan P. Sanchez, Jr. 3. Rhea Nicole B. Fulgencio 4. Joseph Mark F. Salonga 5. Aurelyn U. Valdez 1. Timothy Rich P. Gabriel 2. Nelson A. Gudani 3. Salvador L. Quirimit 4. James L. Marcos Tallano Tagean 5. Roger F. Jamolin, Jr.

1. Aminah P. Usodan 2. Zenobia P. Hadji Noor 3. Nurlaila S. Camid 4. Rasdam M. Usodan 5. Elmer M. Cotiamco 1. Agakhan I. Dianalan 2. Ezalde I. Dalojo 3. Liberato G. Siaron 4. Abdul Azis D, Dianalan IV 5. Patrocinio J. Santos 1. Zuriel S. Zaragoza 2. Aida P. Mananquil 3. Ocito C. Del Monte 4. Virgilio A. Anonuevo 5. Irene D. Sabbaluca 1. Angelica N. Reyes 2. Jinkeyleen D. Lim 3. John Mark G. Forcado 4. Felipe C. Rabulan 5. John Rufinel S. Sagun 1. Teroy B. Taguinod 2. Vicente Alexander P. Quillope 3. Dante J. Mirambil, Jr. 4. Lynie O. Panganiban 5. Jose D. Defeo, Jr. 6. Orlando C. Camposano 1. Remedios D. Arquiza 2. Stephen C. Gabur 3. Rhon Mae Lessert L. Rubio 4. Allaine U. Cruz 5. Jennifer B. Olmoguez 1. Samuel R. Roculas 2. Ferdinand D. Gubaton 3. Jay Ryan S. Baylon 4. June Amiel S. Palmero 5. Joseph Michael A. Rosuello 1. Jewel May C. Lobaton 2. Joecel J. Luy 3. Evangeline T. Mayuga 4. Mark Christopher G. De Guzman 5. Alexander M. Andan 1. Yusoph T. Bagul 2. Edelyn Edwardine I. Chua 3. Cherrylyn S. Iglesias 4. Daisy A. Lee 5. Madani M. Magarang 1. Evangeline G. Silva 2. Maria Maaya L. Thind 3. Ferdinand A. Rebollido 4. Michelle L. Linatoc 5. Domil B. Monzales 1. Tito Paulo M. Fontanos 2. Edgar E. Arbozo 3. Marietta S. Balaoro 4. Doy Richard C. Aguila 5. Elgeline C. Merquita 6. Jesus Roi V. Galfo

PARTYLIST GROUPS WHOSE PETITIONS ARE PENDING RESOLUTION PARTY LIST NAME

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BARKADAHAN PARA SA BANSA

BARKADAHAN

MALASAKIT MOVEMENT PARTYLIST

MALASAKIT MOVEMENT

UNITED SENIOR CITIZENS KOALITION NG PILIPINAS, INC.

UNITED SENIOR CITIZEN

WALANG IWANAN SA FREE INTERNET (WIFI) INC.

WIFI

MOTHER FOR CHANGE

MOCHA

NOMINEES 1. Renee Caraig-Pasco 2. Nolan V. Banda 3. Pascula R. Ragos 4. Ariel B. Potot 5. Rhodora D. Reyes 1. Pircelyn B. Pialago 2. Mark Ryan B. Ponce 3. Eusebio Simbajon Avancena Jr. 4. Nastasha Supan Rodriguez 5. Monroe Laurenze B. Dimaano 1. Milagros A. Magsaysay 2. Rolleo L. Ignacio 3. Perlita P. Viernes 4. Rhodora A. Bohol 5. Carmelita V. Turtal 1. Gertrudo A. De Leon 2. Samuel M. Buenviaje 3. Marlon D. Suplig 4. Joaquin L. Samaniego, Jr. 5. Albert D. Dionela 1. Esther Margaux J. Uson 2. Michele Theresa I. Gumabao 3. Susana C. Brojan 4. Estrellita J. Uson 5. Victoria C. Manuel

World

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 E-mail: mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF

Myanmar delays Suu Kyi verdict

NAYPYIDAW—A Myanmar junta court on Tuesday postponed giving a verdict in the incitement trial of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a source close to the case told AFP. The court, which had been due to rule on her trial for incitement against the military, adjourned the verdict “until December 6,” said the source. The 76-year-old Suu Kyi has been detained since the generals ousted her government in the early hours of February 1, ending Myanmar’s brief democratic interlude. The Nobel laureate faces three years in prison if found guilty of incitement against the military, as well as a catalogue of other charges that could see her jailed for decades. Journalists have been barred from proceedings in the special court in the military-built capital Naypyidaw and Suu Kyi’s lawyers were recently banned from speaking to the media. In recent weeks, the trials of other ranking members of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy have wrapped up, with the junta doling out harsh sentences. A former chief minister was sentenced to 75 years in jail earlier this month, while a close Suu Kyi aide was jailed for 20. More than 1,200 people have been killed and over 10,000 arrested in a crackdown on dissent since the coup, according to a local monitoring group. AFP

Same-sex marriage bill set for Chile OK

Barbados now a republic; new leader in Mason BRIDGETOWN—Barbados formally declared itself the world’s newest republic at the stroke of midnight, as the Caribbean island-nation removed Queen Elizabeth II as head of state in a solemn ceremony Tuesday attended by her son Prince Charles. Symbolizing the historic handover, the Royal Standard flag representing the queen was lowered during a ceremony inaugurating the current governor-general, Dame Sandra Mason, as the first president of Barbados. “I, Sandra Prunella Mason, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Barbados according to law, so help me God,” the new president said in taking the oath of office. The new era for the nation of 285,000 ends Britain’s centuries of influence, including more than 200 years of slavery until 1834. A long-running pandemic curfew was suspended to allow Barbadians to enjoy the festivities, including projections at various points across the country and large fireworks displays timed to mark the historic transition. “I remember in the old days we would be really excited about the Queen and Prince Charles and Princess Diana and royal weddings,” Anastasia Smith, a 61-year-old nurse, told AFP. “But I don’t know if we ever quite saw them as our royal family. Now, everybody is talking about a republic. I’m not sure that anything about my life is going to change. But I think we’re doing the right thing and it’s a proud moment for Barbados.” The “Pride of Nationhood” ceremony itself was closed to the wider public but Barbados’ most famous citizen, the singer Rihanna, took place alongside top officials for the event, complete with military parades, a mounted guard of honor and gun salutes. AFP

Afghanistan ends tumultuous year, future uncertain KABUL—Few nations endured as tumultuous a year as Afghanistan in 2021, and the country’s woes are far from over as a bitter winter draws in. The Taliban’s astonishing return to power caught everyone on the wrong foot -- not least the hardline Islamists themselves -- and Afghans are stumbling to make sense of what happened, and what the future holds. For the Taliban, the biggest challenge remains being able to transform from an insurgent force into a political and administrative body that can manage so complex and diverse a nation as Afghanistan. For Western nations such as the United States and its NATO partners, the fear is twofold: that conditions will deteriorate so much it will lead tens of thousands more Afghans to flee and seek shelter abroad, and that terror groups such as Al-Qaeda will again find safe haven. And for ordinary Afghans, food, shelter and employment are a priority -- with women in particular bearing the brunt of the Taliban’s oppressive social policies. “The consequences of the takeover were calamitous and immediate,” Kate Clark wrote in a special report for the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN). The Taliban, she argued, “had no plans for how they would run the Afghan state without aid, an entirely predictable outcome of their decision to push for a military victory”. AFP

NEW REPUBLIC. Dame Sandra Mason speaks at the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony at Heroes Square on November 30 in

Bridgetown. Barbados formally removed Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and the current governor-general, Mason, was sworn in as president. AFP

Pentagon plans stronger posture vs. China, Russia

ASHINGTON -- The US military will reinforce deployments and bases directed at China and Russia, while maintaining forces in the Middle East adequate to deter Iran and jihadist groups, the Pentagon said Monday, referencing results of a review. The US Defense Department will be upgrading and expanding military facilities in Guam and Australia, underscoring its focus on China as the country’s leading defense rival, officials said. The details of the “global posture review,” commissioned by President Joe Biden’s administration early this year, would remain classified, the officials added, so as not to reveal plans to rivals. The move comes in the wake of the formation of a new defense alliance, dubbed AUKUS, between the United States, Britain and Australia to coun-

ter a rising China, which has been building up its own navy and testing decades of US military dominance across Asia. That pact was formed as Beijing solidifies its control over the disputed South China Sea and intensifies its military threats towards Taiwan, for which the United States is a key ally and arms supplier. The review confirmed the priority region for the US military was the IndoPacific, said Mara Karlin, a top Pentagon policy official.

The review “directs additional cooperation with allies and partners across the region to advance initiatives that contribute to regional stability and deter potential military aggression from China and threats from North Korea,” she told reporters. In addition, it “strengthens the combat-credible deterrent against Russian aggression in Europe and enables NATO forces to operate more effectively,” she said. The Middle East, however, remains an area of flux for the Pentagon after the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Global responsibilities “require us to make continuous changes to our Middle East posture, but we always have the capability to rapidly deploy forces to the region based on the threat environment,” Karlin said. AFP

TRAVEL GEAR.

International travelers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) arrive at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport on November 29 as Australia records its first cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. AFP

NATO eyes Russia’s buildup in Ukraine amid invasion fears RIGA, Latvia—NATO foreign ministers will meet on Tuesday to discuss how to counter a Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s border amid fears the Kremlin could be preparing to invade. The long-scheduled gathering in Latvia’s capital Riga comes at a volatile moment on NATO’s eastern flank as allies also grapple with a migrant crisis the West says is fuelled by Kremlin-backed Belarus. Western countries spearheaded by

the United States worry that Moscow could be planning an incursion into Ukraine after accusing the Kremlin of massing forces close to the frontier. “There is not clarity about the Russian intentions but there is an unusual concentration of forces for the second time this year,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told AFP during a visit to alliance forces in Latvia. “We see heavy armour, drones, elec-

tronic warfare systems and tens of thousands of combat-ready troops.” Moscow, which seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and backs separatists fighting Kiev, has strongly denied it is plotting an attack and blames NATO for fuelling tensions. NATO diplomats say the bloc remains uncertain of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions—but ministers will discuss contingency plans should Russia invade. AFP

SANTIAGO—Chile’s parliament is set to approve a long-awaited bill to legalize same-sex marriage Tuesday, joining just a handful of countries in majority Catholic Latin America with similar laws. The bill will also enable married samesex couples to adopt children. Chile, which legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015, has been awaiting this bill since 2017, when it was sent to congress by socialist then-president Michelle Bachelet. In a surprise move, her conservative successor, Sebastian Pinera, announced in June he would seek the bill’s urgent passage through parliament. It was given the go-ahead by the lower house, or Chamber of Deputies, earlier this month, and must now be approved by the upper house, or Senate, before finally being signed into law by Pinera. “We want to insist that this bill should become law right now. There can no longer be excuses for continuing to drag out the discussion in congress while hundreds of families wait anxiously,” said Isabel Amor of the Fundacion Iguales LGBT rights group. “Love does not discriminate, but the law does,” added Lorena Grez, who with other activists delivered 20,000 signatures in support of the new law. “In Chile we are not recognized as a family,” but rather are treated as “secondclass” citizens, she said. AFP

Court asked to rule on Bill Cosby release

WASHINGTON—Prosecutors have asked the US Supreme Court to review comedian Bill Cosby’s overturned conviction for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman 15 years ago, they announced Monday. “The US Supreme Court can right what we believe is a grievous wrong,” Kevin Steele, district attorney for Montgomery County, Pennsylvania said in a statement announcing that the appeal had been filed last Wednesday. Cosby was freed from prison on June 30 following a ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that he had been denied a fair trial, in a move seen as a blow to the #MeToo movement. At the time of his release, the comedian had been jailed since 2018 for assaulting Andrea Constand at his Philadelphia mansion in 2004 when she was an employee at Temple University. In its decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court focused on a non-prosecution agreement between a former district attorney and Cosby over evidence he gave in a civil case. Cosby had admitted giving Quaaludes, a now banned party drug, to women with a view to having sex with them in deposition testimony in that case. However the testimony was then used against him in a criminal trial years later brought forward by Steele. Cosby’s lawyers argued he believed that testimony was immune from prosecution in criminal court when he gave it. They argued that the non-prosecution agreement meant he should not have been charged, which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices agreed with. However Steele said Monday that “petitioning to ask the High Court for review was the right thing to do,” and denounced the “far-reaching negative consequences” of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision. AFP

Pope to pitch migrants in Greece, Cyprus trip VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis heads to Cyprus and Greece on Thursday for a five-day trip intended to strengthen ties with the Orthodox Church and highlight the plight of migrants with a return trip to Lesbos. Just weeks from his 85th birthday, months after undergoing colon surgery in July and despite the rapidly changing coronavirus situation in Europe, the pontiff is back on the road to push two of the priorities of his papacy. The first stop is Cyprus from December 2-4, followed by two days in Greece -- both countries with an Orthodox majority that are home to tens of thousands of Catholics. The 4,500-kilometre round-trip will include a dozen speeches and various meetings with political and religious leaders, including Greece’s top cleric, Archbishop Ieronymos. In a highly symbolic moment, Fran-

cis will also return on December 5 to the island of Lesbos, a key gateway for migrants into Europe where he famously declared in April 2016: “We are all migrants.” At the time, Europe was facing a huge influx of migrants from Syria. But it remains a tragically live issue today, from the recent drownings in the Channel to the escalating situation at the border between Belarus and Poland, where migrants desperate to reach Europe have been trapped in squalid, freezing conditions. The pope is expected to again call the world’s attention to the migration crisis, which he has called “the worst humanitarian catastrophe since World War II”. - ‘Very strong message’ In Lesbos, the pope plans to make “a humanitarian statement, not a political statement”, Josif Printezis, the archbishop of Greece’s Aegean islands, told AFP. AFP

SISTER IN COURT. Isabel Maxwell leaves the courthouse at the end of the first

day of her sister Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in federal court on November 29 in New York City. AFP

Business

TODAY

Diokno expects November inflation to moderate to 3.7%

Business B IN BRIEF

PAL expanding Iloilo routes to Cebu, Davao

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) on Monday said it is expanding Iloilo services by relaunching routes from Iloilo to Cebu and General Santos City as well as Davao next month. The expanded route network will increase connectivity between Visayas and Mindanao just in time for the peak holiday season, enabling more people to reunite with families in their home provinces. Beyond the holidays, the new flights will help foster economic recovery as various parts of Visayas and Mindanao reopen for business and tourism. “As travel restrictions ease, we are happy to reopen these prime routes to and from Iloilo City just in time to host more passengers this coming Christmas season,” Harry Inoferio, PAL senior assistant vice president for Philippine sales, said. Inoferio said the new routes will help the airline in the urgent task of reviving domestic tourism. “We also hope to restore more of our prepandemic routes and mount new services in the coming months, while strictly adhering to the latest health and safety protocols set by all Local Government Units (LGUs) involved,” he added. Darwin G. Amojelar

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

the month,” Diokno said. “These could be offset in part by rollbacks in domestic petroleum prices and ANGKO Sentral ng the appreciation of the peso,” he said. Data from the Philippine Statistics Pilipinas Governor Authority showed that inflation eased Benjamin Diokno to a two-month low of 4.6 percent in said Monday inflation in October from 4.8 percent in September, pulled down by lower annual increases November 2021 would in the prices of food and non-alcoholic likely moderate to 3.7 beverages. The October print, however, remained percent from 4.6 percent in faster than the 2.5 percent inflation in the October, following a series same month last year. This brought the average inflation from January to October of oil price rollbacks and 4.5 percent, still above the 2021 target the appreciation of the peso to range of 2 percent to 4 percent. against major currencies. Diokno said earlier inflation was exin a statement the No- pected to average above the target range ByDiokno Julitosaid G. Rada vember inflation would settle within a in 2021 but would ease close to the midrange of 3.3 percent to 4.1 percent, with point of the target range in 2022 and to recover in October the lower ANK oil priceslending offsetting continued the higher 2023. electricityamid rates. the easing of COVID-19 He said quarantine the balance of risks to the in“Higherrestrictions electricity andand LPGfaster prices vaccination flation outlook that remained on themore upside trigger along with uptick in the prices of meat, for the remaining months of 2022, but economic thetheBangko Sentral tongbePilipinas said for fish, fruits and activity, vegetables are prima- continued broadly balanced ry sources of inflationary pressures for 2022 and 2023. Tuesday.

By Julito G. Rada

RESTAURANT chain Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. opened its 50th Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken & Sauce Bar store as part of an aggressive storeB. expansion for the full reBy Jenniffer Austria opening of the economy. Shakey’s 50th Peri-Peri store is located in MaTKC Corp. plans residential to investarea, in talino, Metals Quezon City, a thriving information businesses and a well-knowntechnology food hub in Metro Manila. acquiring the brand inas 2019 withas 23 andAfter broadband internet, well stores in the energy Metro, Shakey’s moresteel than renewable after ithas exits doubled the store network of Peri-Peri. manufacturing. “We are delighted to open our 50th Peri-Peri TKC said in this a disclosure to brand the Store. Even during pandemic, the has demonstrated all stock exchangestrong theperformance, company and had the new storesfeasibility have received very strong marconducted studies on the ket acceptance,” Shakey’s president and chief planned new ventures. Butin the comexecutive Vicente Gregorio said a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday. pany is re-evaluating the studies and adapt to changed consumer behavtheTotiming ofthe new businesses because iour because of the pandemic, Peri-Peri’s of the pandemic. store formats are especially designed to cacompany dining also said it independent would reterThe to off-premise while stores offer park and order options. main a holding company with interJennifferthe B. Austria ests in businesses outside metal

industry. The company plans to comSMtheInvestments 3 plete sale of all assets bags before the end of the magazine year. Alpha awards The proposed sale Corp. will include the SM INVESTMENTS takes home three awards conferred by Hong Kongstake in major subsidiaries, namely based AlphaSteel Southeast Asia magazine.Ltd. Billions International In the recent 11th Institutional Investor and its unit, Zhangzhou Corporate Awards 2021, SMStronghold received the Steel Works (ZZ Strongnods from some Co. of theLtd 502 individual investors and analysts whoSteelworks voted to clinch the holder), Treasure Corp. following recognitions: MostMineral Organized Inand (TSC) Campanilla Revestor Relations, Best Senior Management sources Corp. (IR) Support, and StronInvestor Relations ZZAdherence Stronghold manufactures and gest to Corporate Governance. The company topped two out of thepipe three distributes various types of steel categories in byChina. garnering the highest number products It started in March of votes for the Best Senior Management the second the phase of plant upgrade IR Support, 7th consecutive year for SM, teamed and Strongest Adherence to Corporate and up with third-party SK Governance, 8th year. Forcoating the Mostand OrGroup over itsfabrication, ganized Investor Relations, this is the 10th galvanizing activities set to be in opyear SM received this award. erations in 2022. Consultant for Investor SM Investments Relations andthe Sustainability Timothy DanTSC, on other hand, has susiels said the are especially pended its awards production of steelmeaningbillets ful this time around, considering the chalin Iligan Cityindustry since 2013. lenges every has faced with the TKCofsaid it plans topandemic. secure the fair impact the COVID-19 value of its assets. “The disposition of the non-performing assets of TKC will help the corporation end the years of unprofitable operations which (have) prompted the corporation, as the parent company, to support the operations of its subsidiaries through advances which the latter have not been able to return TWO major organizations joined hands so amany years,” TKCofsaid. toafter push shared agenda ensuring “Being in a more positive clean, orderly and honest localfinancial and nastate elections will hopefully put the corporational next year. tion a better position to pursue othTheincooperation was formalized durer lines of businesses,” it added. of ing the signing of a memorandum The company set conduct a agreement between will the Integrated Bar of special stockholders’ meetingorganizaon Dethe Philippines, the mandatory cember 30, 2021 shareholdtion of lawyers in to theobtain country, and the ers’ approval Legal of theNetwork planned for action. cause-oriented Truthful Elections. TKC registered a net loss of P113 “The IBP helping million in thewill firstbe nine monthseducate of the and capacitate public on the to differyear, slightly the better compared the ent netelectoral loss of laws, P124 issues millionand in processes. the same Through our year. regional chapters and legal period last

Legal professionals join forces to push for clean elections

Preliminary data show outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks, net of reverse repurchase (RRP) placements with the BSP, increased at a faster rate of 3.5 percent year-on-year in October from 2.7 percent in September. “The continued recovery in outstanding loans of U/KBs reflects the expansion in business activity amid easing quarantine restrictions, declining CO-

VID-19 cases, and increasing vaccinations,” the BSP said. Outstanding universal and commercial bank loans, net of RRPs, rose 0.6 percent on a month-on-month seasonally-adjusted basis, . Outstanding loans to residents, net of RRPs, grew 3.7 percent in October from 3.2 percent in September due mainly to the increase in loans for production activities.

Monday, November 29, 2021 -77.56 PTS.

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

7,200.88

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

The private sector’s inflation expectation is also consistent with inflation WEDNESDAY, 1, 2021 reverting backDECEMBER to the target by 2022. In 2020, inflation averaged 2.6 percent, below the midpoint of the target range. The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, retained the overnight borrowing rate at a record low of 2 percent on Nov. 18 to continue supporting economic recovery amid the pandemic. It was the eighth straight monetary policy meeting where the policy rate was kept at 2 percent since Nov. 19, 2020. The board said also inflation was projected to settle close to the midpoint of the target range in 2022 and 2023. Outstanding loans for to production Diokno said while the risks the inflaactivities 4.9 percent tion outlookrose shifted towards in theOctober upside from 4.4they percent in September, supfor 2022, remained broadly balanced ported the growth in mainly loans for real for 2023.byUpside risks are linked activities (7.6ofpercent); infortoestate the potential impact weather disturbances thecommunication prices of key food items, mationonand (27.7 perpetitions for transport hikes and the cent); financial and fare insurance activipossibility a prolonged of doties (11.5 of percent); and recovery manufacturing mestic pork supply. (5.0 percent). Meanwhile, the decline in outstanding loans to other industries such as agriculture, forestry and fishing (-6.8 percent) tempered the overall increase in outstanding loans for production. Consumer loans to residents also fell at a slower rate of 7.2 percent in October following a 7.8-percent decrease in the previous month due to the slight yearon-year increase in credit card loans and the slower contraction in salary-based general purpose loans.

Business activities perk up as bank loans improve 3.5% TKC Metals Shakey’s Pizza opens going into IT, 50th Peri-Peri outlet renewables

PSE INDEX CLOSING TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,997,331,899 153,438 28,020,901,537.36 57 150 45

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.4580

Japan

Yen

0.008796

0.4438

Pound

1.334300

67.3261

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128230

6.4702

Switzerland

Franc

1.082251

54.6082

Canada

Dollar

0.784437

39.5811

Singapore

Dollar

0.729661

36.8172

Australia

Dollar

0.713700

36.0119

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652872

133.8586

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266581

13.4511

Brunei

Dollar

0.727008

36.6834

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.029762

1.5017

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.7391

Euro

1.130400

57.0377

Korea

Won

0.000837

0.0422

China

Yuan

0.156421

7.8927

India

Rupee

0.013326

0.6724

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236016

11.9089

New Zealand

Dollar

0.683400

34.4830

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035890

1.8109 Source: BSP

Ayala sells all IN BRIEF shares in BPO BSP’s Diokno eyeing subsidiary HCX offline digital payments

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is looking offline digitalB. payment solutions to ByatJenniffer Austria enable transactions without the need for internet connection in anAyala effort toCorp. boost on fiCONGLOMERATE nancial inclusion in off-grid areas, GoverMonday will sell its shares in businor Benjamin Dioknooutsourcing said in a statement ness processing firm Tuesday. HCX Technology Partners Inc. to Diokno said while an effective and Asti Business Services Inc. (ASBI) reliable internet connectivity is a necfor an condition undisclosed essary for amount. digital finance to Ayala Corp. said a disclosure to flourish, “the central in bank is also purthe stock exchange signed suing digital solutionsMonday to enableit‘offline an agreement to sell 14.25 million payments.’” shares 100BSP percent of its stake in Dioknoorsaid was working on the HCX to ASBI. initiative under the Digital Payments HCX, formerly called which HRMall Inc., Transformation Roadmap, aims to is a full-fledged integration convert 50 percent ofsystems the volume of retail payments digitalhuman form and bringcus70 companyinto offering capital, percent Filipino adults to the formaland fitomer ofrelationship management nancial by to 2023. digitalsystem solutions clients. He the digital during It discussed was established byreforms the group in the Philippine Economic Society’s 2016 as a shared services centervirtual proconference themed,capital “Building Back Betviding human management ter: Harnessing services to theDigitalization Ayala GroupTowards of com-a Transformed Philippines.” panies. G. Rada It offers managed Julito payroll out-

sourcing, infrastructure, personnel

NEW COURIER. Flash Express, the fastest-growing courier and logistics service company in the Philippines, officially presents

NextPay andmanagement payments and knowledge services. provider Ayanna tie up “With its strong expertise in pro-

HOMEGROWN fintech startup NextPay viding business and shared has teamed up withprocess with local online-toits full services through a grand launch and press conference in Parañaque City with the theme ‘Fast Forward with Flash Express’. service support, IT systems integraoffline (O2O) payments provider AyanFlash Express Philippines general manager John de Guzman-Tarampi (third from left) presents the company’s services and plans tionto and and nah allowconsultancy customers to services, disburse funds that involve hiring 10,000 Filipinos this year. With Tarampi are (from left) Flash Express Philippines public relations and partnerships having a recipients. wide clientele network, to unbanked manager Reginald Rex Pumihic, spokesperson and head of legal and compliance Sherry Lou Bernabe, shareholder representative ABSI is best positioned take HCX ROAD Metro Pacific TollwaysNiquee Corp., aLouise subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., The partnership enablestosmall busiTony Luo,SAFETY. head of legal express operations Yap Espiritu and marketing director Davepromotes Khodr. the safety of children on to its tonext growth,’ Ayala the road through its support to UNICEF under the United Nations’ Second Decade of Action for Road Safety. MPTC signed a multi-year nesses sendphase moneyof to their employees, Corp. said. agreement with the child rights agency to help support 100 schools in high-risk areas, reaching potentially 20,000 children. Leading suppliers, and customers through almost the signing ceremony are (seated, from left) Carli Snyman, UNICEF chief of private fundraising and partnerships; Malalay Ahmadzai, ABSI is a remittance business centers processnationsolu10,000 partner UNICEF chief of health and nutrition; Rodrigo Franco, MPTC president and chief executive; J. Luigi Bautista, NLEX Corp. president and tionsNextPay company under unitmoney of Aswide. users may asend to general manager; and Roberto Bontia, MPT South Management Corp. president and general manager. Roy Tomandao aticom single Technology individual or do disburseInc.batch It provides we also take this opportunity to reiterate stead of paying expensive fees. ments to several recipients. solutions and support services to sevBy Darwin G. Amojelar our call for the reduction and/or ratioHB 9851, approved by the House of “Weindustries, understandincluding that a majority of eral telecompopulation are still unbanked with munications, technology, banking, THE country’s two largest telecom nalization of SUF for other spectrum/ Representatives and transmitted to the our threelogistics out of 10 owning Senate on September 22, is an effort by only fintech, andFilipinos e-commerce. companies want the government to re- frequencies,” PLDT Group said. account. with pervaSpectrum fees imposed on PTEs are legislators to regulate exorbitant SUFs a bank Ayala Corp. isEven one of thethe country’s duce other spectrum fees (SUF) after Philippineunreasonable Ambassador and to South Ko- lion in exports and employing 42,675 of eWallets, a huge of excessive, levied on telecoms firms, which in turn siveness By Othel V. Campos largest conglomerates with part investCongress passed the Zero Spectrum becoming the population still does not have acrea Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, workers as of September 2021. said PLDT. SUF must be set at modest is expected to help “promote the accelments in banking, real estate, power User Fee for Telcos Using Wi-Fi Act. to basic telecommunications financial services,” Don who joined Global Biz with PEZA of said it sustains “bal-and cess THE Philippine Economic Zone Auwith a the view11th to recovering only the eration internet use invarious the country generation, and The bill mandates the Department of levels Pansacola, chief executive and coPEZA forum, called for stronger ties ancing acts and business assistance” to thority urged more South Korean regulator’s spectrum management costs the expansion of WiFi technology and healthcare services. NOTICE OF LOSS EXTRA-JUDICIAL Information and Communications TechFor founder ofofNextPay said. SETTLEMENT between PEZA andit added. South Korean registered enterprises and ensure unmandated by law, infrastructure in unserved and undercompanies to invest in the Philippines NOTICEstarted IS HEREBY GIVEN The conglomerate toallowexit nology (DICT) and the National Tele- as ESTATE “NextPay aims to serve them byCOLLEGES THAT THE ST. JOHN “We have been ecozone actively developpursuing hampered served areas.” through servicesfast as they ad contribute Notice the as the country gradually eases restricBPO sector in 2014 to focus on communications Commission (NTC) to investors STOCK CERTIFICATE NOS. is hereby given ing estate unbanked recipients to receive funds F-886 (36 share), C-1011 (18 of growing the lowering of spectrum user fees to the Globe earlier called for the samethat the ment. global supply and demand. tions to revive the the economy. other fast businesses. effectively establish zero SUF policy the shares), F-1001 (49 shares), results, throughAUGUSTO the nearest remittance centers in MARTIN thePhilippines NTC and Congress, since we zero of spectrum user’scontrifees forlate C-1381 Ayala (23 shares),Corp.’s F-1117 (172 “The continues to invite Datarating confirmed the valuable this month, are not this crisis hin- with ARAULLO MANJON has and “We regulation by letting not imposing charges, theirEarly area,”he added. shares), C-1862 (82 shares), been extra-judicially settled please believe that telecommunications is frequencies that are internationally conlogistics unit entered into an agreedercollecting us; rather, continue re- the business engagement of our friends butions of South Korean investors to among his nor feeswe from telcos forour using F-1152 (51 shares), C-1998 (24 Aside from offline remittance, NextPay heirs consisting shares), C-2231 (2067stake shares) an essential service thatstory should sidered as unlicensed frequencies, sinceof: has ment acquire avarious controlling WiFi or wireless networks. in South Korea in our growth –a the Philippine economy even during lentless effortsdata to attract and invite now call alsotointroduced ISSUED TO digital ALBERTO finanALCASID Unit No. made affordable for users,” “SUFs that are set too high in combi-• 1/3 Condominium RIVERA HAVE BEEN REPORTED in Air21 Holdings Inc. for P6 billion. “We will most likely endnew withpartnerrough- be story nowmore informed and shaped by the pandemic. investors. We establish cial since itMISSING, secured fresh fundBrentsolutions Bldg. Pasig PER AFFIDAVIT OF Globe Telecom Inc. chief withsaid taxes, regulatorydid feesnotand 1110 Corp. Inofthe first nine City. ing Ayala lyships the same P2.4 billion expenditure in the first half 2021. LOSS DATED NOV.months 4, 2021 AND the realities of the new normallawyer and nation De Vega the pandemic as well with various govern- said RECORDED AS DOC. NO. 315, other charges onAdvertising public telecommunicathe No. year217;registered a 64, 70-percent onment SUFagencies for 2021.soWhile PLDT, Darwin Amojelar the needCastelo. to build back better and to hamper the Philippines’ economic re- As per ofDoc. that we mayInc. be Froilan PAGE NO. G. BOOK NO. 6,

PLDT, Globe Telecom want other spectrum fees lowered PEZA asks more Korean firms to invest in economic zones

(PLDT) Communications, able to and urgeSmart more local and foreign Inc. (Smart) to thank the Houseinforthe passing investors do business Philthe subjectby Zero Wifi spectrum fees bill, ippines improving the efficiency factors for investments,” said PEZA director-general Charito Plaza. ICTSI-BLOOMBERRY South Korean Ambassador to the VACCINATION. The Philippines Kiminitiative In-Chul vaccination support of and the

He said the SUF would alrecover in reducing a forward-looking, innovalow divert essential resources tive,telcos green,toand resilient manner,” said to much needed network projects inDe Vega. Data showed that there were 320 South Korean locators in the country’s economic zones contributing P53.982 billion in investments, $1.095 bil-

Page No. 45; Book No. tions with entities (PTEs) negatively SEREIES to OF 2021 OF NOTARY net income P19.4 bilSeries ofin 2021 lation South Korea. “In 2020,impact the CCCXXX;increase Department PUBLIC AARON S. TOLENTINO before Notary Public ATTY. economic growth and impedes digital lion on the improved performance of OF PARAÑAQUE CITY, METRO Republic of Korea was the 5th major DOMINGO KargaX B. TEJERO. starts trucking MANILA. transformation.” most of its business units. trading partner of8564-6229 the Philippines, 7th web and mobile platform biggest export market and 4th largKARGAX is launching one of the est import supplier. Total Republic bilateralof the Philippines country’s first nationwide trucking web trade with South Korea was DEPARTMENT valued at and mobile platforms this week. OF TRANSPORTATION $13.92 billion,” she said. Kristofer Montebon, KargaX president, (MS-NOV. 12,19 & 26, 2021)

(MS-NOV. 26, DEC. 3 & 10, 2021)

aid offices, we hope to file cases against said the platform is designed to connect International Container Terminal election law violators to set an example shippers to multiple carrier options and Services Inc. and Bloomberry and be a deterrent to future violators,” vice versa.HEARING This gives the shippers the NOTICE OF PUBLIC Resorts Corp. administers over most cost-effective solution and the IBP national president Burt Estrada said 300,000 doses of mRNA Moderna On the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) oftrip. the proposed truckers a more optimized during the signing ceremony. vaccines since the ICTSINEW CEBU INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER PORT PROJECT of “We’ve seen (DOTr) use-cases truckers Former IBP national president and sponsored vaccination sites at the DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION to where be located in traverseOF theCONSOLACION, Philippines withCEBU. cargo on the BARANGAY TAYUD, MUNICIPALITY LENTE original convenor Jose Vicente Solaire Resort and Casino and at forward and backload and shippers saving the Nayong Pilipino Foundation Salazar said he is excited with the reter, it garnered Notice a consistency scoreto of By Darwin G. Amojelar is hereby given all parties whopercent wish to give their opinion regarding 10-30 of the shipment costs by property in Parañaque City newed and invigorated partnership be82.13 percent. This a steadyofimthe marked implementation the proposed NEW CEBU INTERNATIONAL finding the right truckers,” Montebon opened midyear. The SolaireCONTAINER PORT PROJECT to attend the Public Hearings scheduled CONVERGE ICT Solutions Inc. said it provement in consistency tween the two national associations at from 72.75 persaid. as follows: ICTSI Foundation Vaccination emerged as the most consistent fixed in- cent in the first quarter to 79.46 percent in this critical juncture of Philippine history Montebon’s 12-yearVenue experience in Center -Nayong Pilipino ternet provider in eight regions, including the second quarter. and ahead of elections on May 9, 2022. Date Time technology and startups from Ninja Van, Foundation, which opened in Metro Manila, for the third consecutive The score measures the percentage of a “All elections are vital, albeit on dif07 December 2021 9:00 AM On-Site: 5thand Floorothers is Lalamove, Transportify August, administered 158,515 quarter this year. provider’s samples that equals or exceeds ferent levels, hence, it is the duty and reRegistration Startson at the Consolacion Municipalas he focused logistics industry doses while the SIVC-Solaire Based on the recent Ookla Speedtest a fixed threshold of 25 Mbps download 8:00AM Hall, Consolacion sponsibility of the electorate themselves, believes “everything from food, fuel administered 150,737 doses for Online: Zoom Intelligence data for third quarter of 2021, and 3 Mbps upload. and that includes us, practitioners of the to constructionMeeting materials hinges ID: 833 7093on an a combined 309,252 doses as of Converge provided the most consistent Converge said it had an average latency legal profession, to safeguard our right to 3614 efficient supply chain.” Nov. 22. high-speed broadband in Metro Manila, rate of 8ms and jitter rate of 19ms in the Passcode: 433302 German select our leaders on the basis of honesA study by the ASEAN Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Ilocos, Bi- third quarter. The Philippines had an averMeeting Link: ty, integrity, and capability to efficiently Technical Cooperation in 2018 showed https://us06web.zoom. col, Cordillera Administrative Region, age latency rate of 20ms for third quarter. steer our nation’s state of affairs,” Sala56 percent of delivery trucks from Manila us/j/83370933614?pwd=U Central Visayas and Davao. These are the “We take it to heart to deliver the reli2ZRMm4vc3hwVkVONVJ zar said. to the provinces return under-optimized same areas where Converge operates. able connectivity that Filipinos deserve, GTEExMjdlUT09 LENTE founding chairman Christian or empty. About 35 percent of those Ookla’s data showed Converge’s avand being recognized by a credible enPampanga and Batangas. By Othel V. of Campos TVIRD’S AWARD. Mining Ventures Inc., a project TVI Resource Monsod underscored theAgata role of lawyers outbound of Metro Manila returning The Public Hearing is being conducted in connection with the review to of erage internet download speed in Metro confirms our hard PDO broke ground for Pueblo de tity Oro such Town-as Ookla Development Philippines Inc.,that receives the 2021 Presidential Mineral Industry and law students in ensuring the rule their base in the provinces areManagement also underthe EIS of the aforementioned project by the Environmental Manila reached 81.76 megabits per secwork while we continuously expand the PUEBLOfordeexceptional Oro Development Corp., the prop- square, a three-level commercial strip at Sitio JuBureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Award, theand country’s highest environmental optimized. Montebon said innovations of law would be upheld, the voice of distinction ond; Calrbarzon, 80.36 Mbps; Bicol, das Belt, Babag II, Lapu-Lapu City innetwork October.and It consistently (DENR). provide worlddevelopment of the ICCP Group, began performance, safety and practices, development andarm effective like the KargaX platform can solve one the people especially thehealth vulnerable sec- socialerty Mbps; Davao, Mbps;deand class internet located within62.66 the Pueblo Oro Cebu Com- connectivity to more areas the construction commercial centers in65.47 its is Information, education Prior to itsof maiden shipment of of the most persistent problem of “empty tors, would be heard. and communication programs. The project’s EIS and Executive Summary for the Public are downloadable Central Visayas, 79.54 Mbps. nationwide,” Converge chief operaMar and said communities to improve the access of munities, which houses the La Aldea Del laterite nickelwas ore ain 2014, alreadyofbeganresidential reforestation activities, underscoring miles” inManagement the industry. Bureau Region 7 at Romero. the EMB 7 website: Environmental Monsod formerAgata chairman Converged said that for the third quartions officer Jesus Park Place residential subdivisions. residents to daily essentials. (emb.gov.ph) (kindly access the “Announcement” link found in the EMB that responsibilityon starts even before mining the Commission Elections and one of does.“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are Pueblo de Oro Townsquare will have six retail 7 website). the organizers of the National Citizens looking for more accessible retail centers that are units, with sizes ranging from 13.78 to 51.70 square Should you have questions and clarifications, please do not hesitate to Movement for Free Elections. less dense, with open air design rather than big box meters and one anchor store with a size of 214.61 contact us through our designated focal person for this Department, Engr. LENTE executive director Ona Caritos malls with high population,” said PDO president square meters. The group is targeting a convenience Mario Tan of the Cebu Port Authority via email at ncipp@cpa.gov.ph and/or said the partnership among the legal store or pharmacy as their major tenant with the mobile number +63 9 1763 1 9800, or the LTI Environmental focal person, and chief Tax operating officer Prim Nolido. THE Department of Finance said it is reNational Allotment—formerly known from the NTA must be adequately adincrease by 16.2 percent in 2020 before 2024, revenue wouldA.reach around Mr. Emmanuel Cleofas, LTI Managing Director,losses Ms. Rachel Vasquez, at professionals and various stakeholders other units to be leased to smaller retailers such as Nolido said the construction of commercial viewing the viability of pursuing a fiscal as the Internal Revenue Allotment—for dressed by the next administration’s ecoCOVID-19 struck at the onset of last year. P1 trillion on average every year because +63 2 8637 8209, and Arup Environmental Coordinator, Ms. Nicole Guerra including the general public would bakeries, meatshops, water stations and other stores at +63are 2 3485 8167. to be of tax revenue losses from the pandemic consolidation plan to minimize the long- strips LGUs.started within their projects in Cebu provnomic team,” Finance Secretary Carlos Foregone revenues expected be pivotal to have a “genuine 2022 that cater to the needs of the community. Construcandrevenue Cagayan de Oro A similar setup (MS-NOV. 26 & 30, 2021) term economic scarring from the COVID ince “Tax losses fromCity. the pandemDominguez III said Tuesday. even larger in the coming years as the im- and the foregone revenues from CREATE tionascost is estimated at P32 million. elections.” being planned for residential developments in said 19-induced crisis and the budgetary impli- is ic-induced economic slump, the rise in He a result of the pandemic, the pact of the Corporate Recovery and Tax and FIST. cation of the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling debt to fund our COVID-19 response, the national government incurred hefty tax Incentives for Enterprises and Financial COVID-19 YELLOW related loans for the CYAN MAGENTA BLACK that expands the share of local govern- looming revenue impact of our economic revenue losses amounting to P785.64 bil- Institutions Strategic Transfer—which are pandemic response and budgetary support ment units on national government taxes recovery measures and lower spending ef- lion or 4.4 percent of the gross domestic both crucial to a quick economic recov- to finance the deficit also translated effective next year. ficiency as a result of the Supreme Court product in 2020, according to initial DOF ery—take effect. into increased financing costs for the The SC ruling refers to the expanded decision to expand the share of LGUs estimates. Tax revenues were expected to The DOF estimated that from 2021 to government.

Converge ICT is the most consistent fixed internet provider in eight regions

Pueblo de Oro starts commercial center projects

Fiscal consolidation needed to cut economic scarring from pandemic and SC ruling on LGU tax share

Sports

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

Fiery start expected as LPGT Riviera gets going SILANG, Cavite—Harmie Constantino retests Mafy Singson’s mettle in what looms to be a fierce duel of top contenders even as Chanelle Avaricio sets out for a stab at second straight diadem in the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Championship, which gets under way today (Wednesday, Dec. 1) here. Constantino, who has marked her maiden pro campaign with two victories, both at Eagle Ridge-Aoki, including one over Singson last month, faces the top amateur in the 11:40 a.m. flight, bracing for a challenging day not just against the rising star but also the Langer course. Singson has figured in the title race in the last three tournaments but came up short on each occasion, setbacks many believe have only toughened up the 18-year-old Davaoeña, who guns for another crack at the overall championship on top of her three straight low amateur honors. Joining them is the come-backing Gretchen Villacencio.

Harmie Constantino has marked her maiden pro campaign with two victories.

Avaricio, on the other hand, exudes confidence as she launches her drive for another Ladies Philippine Golf Tour plum against Apple Fudolin and amateur Anna Fernandez at 12 noon with forecast of cloudy skies with chances of rain in the afternoon. Coming off a rousing seven-stroke romp over Chihiro Ikeda and Constantino at the nearby Couples course last week that snapped a two-year search for a title in the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.organized circuit, the former Alabama State U top player has the momentum and motivation going for her in the 54-hole championship. But it will not only be about the swing shift as the par-71 layout remains a risk-reward course set up to punish even the slightest of mistakes. That gives the rest of the 19-player cast equal chances with Sunshine Baraquiel, who recently scored a breakthrough at Tagaytay Highlands in windy play, hoping to emerge on top under the same conditions.

She starts at 11:30 a.m. in the company of Majorie Pulumbarit and Daniella Uy, both chasing their first LPGT crown. Ikeda, whose joint runner-up finishes in the last two tournaments have sparked hopes for the Fil-Japanese, who will tee off with Marvi Monsalve and Sheryl Villasencio at 11:20 a.m. Arnie Taguines, meanwhile, seeks to snap a string of mediocre finishes as she shoots for a follow-up to her low amateur feat at Eagle Ridge-Norman last July. She kicks off her bid at 11:10 a.m. with Pamela Mariano with Korean rookie pro Jane Jeong and former leg winner Sarah Ababa clashing at 11 a.m. and Florence Bisera, Lovelyn Guioguio and amateur Eagle Ace Superal tangling at 11:50 a.m. Meanwhile, the touring ladies take a break next week and will head back to Tagaytay for the season-ending event, the ICTSI Midlands Classic, slated Dec. 14-16, which Ikeda ruled via playoff over Pauline del Rosario in 2019.

PSC taking cautious stand in allowing athletes’ training By Peter Atencio

RAINING for combat sports athletes will be possible in two of three sports facilities that are under the control of the Philippine Sports Commission by January.

The government sports body, however, is still taking a cautious stand in many places inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the Philsports Complex when they open it by Jan. 10 even though health protocols have eased with the continued decline in COVID-19 infections. That’s because the government is still utilizing certain areas in the two venues as iso-

lation facilities. So far, only athletes from eight sports disciplines can train for the coming Southeast Asian Games and they are still evaluating requests to accommodate more. Training will be allowed once the PSC f inishes clear i ng numerous areas inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in and the Philsports Complex.

Among the combat sports events that can have physical training sessions are karatedo, judo, sambo, taekwondo, boxing, kickboxing and muay. “Pinapayagan nang gamitin ang oval, pool at ang iba’t iba pang buildings for training,” said PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez after the government sports agency got the green light from the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases. As for the national training camp in Baguio, only two groups of national athletes can be accommodated. Fernandez said that the go signal given by the IATF will allow national athletes to get back into physical training following a 20-month break.

Portland, star Lillard join Bonifacio Day celebration By Randy Caluag THERE’S nothing wrong with the photo of National Basketball Association star Damian Lilliard of the Portland Trailblazers. In joining the Filipinos’ celebration of Bonifacio Day (November 30), Portland posted on its official social media page a photo of its top playmaker, photoshopped with a red handkerchief wrapped around his neck. This was the team’s tribute to Andres Bonifacio, one of the national heroes of the Philippines. He led the country’s revolution against the Spanish occupation in the 1890s. The man from Tondo, Manila has several monuments that depict him wearing a Camisa de Chino (white shirt with Chinese collar), with a red handkerchief wrapped around his neck, while he tightly clutches a Filipino bolo. The Facebook post has a caption in pure Filipino that reads: “Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila. Gaya ng pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa. Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga wala.” -

Andrés Bonifacio. One Julius Reyes gladly translated the post into English: “Is there a love greater than your love for your country? There is none... No, there’s none.” “Happy birthday Gat. Andres Bonifacio.” The post has so far generated 17,000 reactions, with more than 600 comments and 4,200 shares. Netizens made positive comments about the post. Christian A. Rafael said “This is a great appreciation. For Filipino fans.” Others reminded netizens about Lillard’s good heart for the Filipinos. “Though Damian Lillard isn’t a Filipino, his heart is more than a Filipino,” commented Israel Panganiban. Dan Ogie Soniega Sotelo wrote: “May puso si Dame sa mga nasunugan sa Philippine General Hospital nagbigay ng donasyon saludo, Dame Time.” Lillard showed his love for Filipinos when he quietly donated for the repair of the Philippine General Hospital, which caught fire in May this year. His donation was coursed through Fili-

Damian Lillard

pina actress Yassi Pressman, who spearheaded the donation drive that was set up on social media. The exact amount of his donation was not divulged, but it reportedly made up

the bulk of the total P1 million cash donatee for the damaged hospital facility. The NBA star last visited the Philippines and played an exhibition game in 2016.

Obiena: No plans of changing nationality THE country’s top pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena has no plans of changing his nationality and federation. Obiena said this after receiving offers from other nations to compete under a different flag and country. “This is a fact. It is also true I have been approached several years ago already by other nations, f loating lucrative pay packages to compete for their f lag,” said the 24-year-old Obiena. But Obiena added that he has declined to accept the invitations after consulting one of his main advisers in James Lafferty. “Mr. Lafferty and I always agreed loyalty matters. I therefore said ‘no’ several years ago. I love my country. I am proud to compete for the flag of the Philippines. I get chills every time I hear our anthem played and to watch that flag rise high,” he added. Obiena talked about his plans a day after the Philippine Sports Commission Board on Monday set mediation talks between him and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association for Dec. 15. The agency is hopeful that efforts to resolve the conflict between the two will be fruitful. Last week, Obiena got involved in controversy after the PATAFA alleged that he may have falsified his liquidation reports and failed to turn over payment of 85,000 euros for his coach Vitaly Petrov. Two probe bodies in the PATAFA are studying the affidavits of top World Athletics official Sergey Bubka and the written statement of Petrov, who initially alleged that he “did not receive any monthly coach’s fees” from 2018 to 2021. Peter Atencio

Belgira, Barba rule MTB downhill national trials in Danao City LEA Denise Belgira and Eleazar Barba Jr. lived up to expectations on Sunday by ruling the Women and Men Elite categories of the PhilCycling Mountain Bike National Trials for Downhill in Barangay Sandayong Sur in Danao City, Cebu. Belgira remained queen of Philippine MTB downhill by bagging the Women Elite gold medal after she negotiated the 850-meter International Cycling Uniongrade course in one minute and 29.164 seconds. The 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist riding out of Guimaras was a good 2.023-second winner over Naomi Gardoce, who settled for silver. Jade Nicole Baleta bagged bronze after finishing 29.289 seconds back.

Barba, meanwhile, clocked 1:13.593 to rule the Men Elite class of the trials organized by the PhilCycling under its chairman Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez and through the auspices of the Danao City Sports Commission. Barba clinched silver also in the 2019 SEA Games at the Tatlong Bungo course in Laurel, Batangas, but the gold medalist, Jerich Farr, was slightly off his elements and settled for the bronze medal with a time of 1:15.671. Emmanuel Torregoza Cabalquinto snatched silver with 1:15.175. “Our national athletes proved they are in top shape despite the difficulties in training because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Rodriguez said. “And we are all happy that MTB is alive despite all the safety protocols.”

The PhilCycling, headed by Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, also the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, also conducted national trials in MTB crosscountry-Olympic also in Danao City in June and Road in Clark in July. All three trials were staged under the authority of regional health and safety task force against the pandemic. The 1-2-3 finishers in the other categories were Gwen Hanah Barba, Samantha Rem Yuson and Alexa Ysabel Barba in Women 16-below; Khim Catalbas, Renselle Abada and Ray Gabriel Arat in Men 16-below; Mark Hector Medenilla, Adrian Nino Villanueva and Wendell Barna in Men Master A; and Frederick Farr, Jonathan Verga and Leopoldo Ocampo in Men Master B.

LEA Denise Belgira and Eleazar Barba Jr.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

True love transcends all things in John Lloyd-Bea reunion film MANY people are looking for the one and a love that lasts and while many have been fortunate to find it and keep it, many are still searching for that person, or what the one means to them. In Jollibee Studios’ newest 30-minute film, it discusses what makes a love that lasts in a poignant and hearttugging story that brings together the country’s

most iconic love team, John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. The pair’s much-awaited on-screen reunion brought a lot of excitement fans. The anamong long-time ticipation and joy from the public were felt back in October when leaked photos from their shoot came

out.

When it was revealed that it was for a Jollibee project, this excited people further, as Jollibee has been known to produce memorable short films that never fail to bring joy and touch one’s heart. “At Jollibee, we have told so many stories about love and its different kinds. Now, we are looking at a love that goes unflinchbeyond romance--a love that’s unflinch ing and a love that lasts,” said Francis E. Flores, Jollibee Foods Corporation MarketPhilippines Country/Regional Market Maring Head, and Jollibee Philippines Mar keting Head. “With One True Pair The Movie, we wanted to deliver that powerful message of how some pairs are perfect because rotheir love is one that goes beyond ro mance. And what better way to do that The Jollibee Studios’ newest 30-minute film reunites the country’s most iconic love team, John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo.

Gusto mo bang sumama?

‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ announces second run BE READY to get in your feels because Ang Muling El Bimbo, an AHEB homecoming concert, just announced a second-night run. Resorts World Manila’s (RWM) Full House Theater Company responded to the swift selling out of concert tickets for the first live show with an audience in the award-winning stage of the Newport Performing Arts Theater by opening a second day show on Dec. 11. The Ang Muling El Bimbo AHEB Homecoming Concert is an added shine to RWM’s hundred stars in live events and performances for this year’s Grand Fiesta Manila celebrations. Tickets can be booked now for Ang Huling El Bimbo live concert on Dec. 10 and 11, 8:00 p.m. at the Garden Wing’s Newport Performing Arts Theater 3F Newport Mall. For inquiries contact Girah Manaligod (0917 872 8309), Neil Crisostomo (0917 658 9378), or King Feria (0917 823 9602). Video on Demand will be available via KTX.ph on Dec. 12 at 8:00 p.m. For more information on Ang Muling El Bimbo visit www.rwmanila.com and follow @rwmanila and @newportmall on Facebook and Twitter, and @resortsworldmanila Instagram.

so easy and comforting. Ganun siguro talaga kapag matagal mo nang nakasama, kahit lumipas pa ang panahon, may mga bagay talagang masarap balikan,” Bea Alonzo also said in her Instagram page. Also true to Jollibee-produced films, One True Pair The Movie is directed by multi-awarded director, JP Habac. “I was very happy to take on this Jollibee project about a different kind of love. When we talk about love, it’s always about either finding the right person and spending the rest of their lives with them. But in reality, love is such a complicated emotion with so many facets. People can also love a person

with all their heart without being romantically in love with them,” said the director. Catch One True Pair The Movie on the Jollibee Studios YouTube channel streaming today.

Shido Roxas is on a roll R

ISING screen star Shido Roxas could only be thankful that he’s going to have a “very busy” Christmas month. In fact, he has already started doing rounds promoting two films that will unspool this December.

Shido Roxas continues to be a daring actor in the suspense thriller ‘Nelia.’

Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment, the 30-year-old film actor shared his being stoked for the inclusion of the suspense thriller Nelia in this year’s edition of Metro Manila Film Festival, while the other film he’s part of, Perry Escano’s Caught in the Act, screens on Dec. 15. “It’s going to be a different Christmas for me, it’s busy but I am not complaining. I’m just thankful that the film I’m part of is another MMFF entry,” he said. Nelia stars Winwyn Marquez and directed by Lester Dimaranan. The screenplay is written by one of its producers, Melanie Honey Quiño. “We are proud of this film. It’s the only suspense thriller in this year’s lineup so I believe that gives Nelia a bit of an edge,” said Roxas who plays a doctor in the story. In the movie, Marquez plays the title role, a nurse whose womanly instincts and gut feel are aroused by the mysterious cases happening in the hospital where she works. To what revelations her curiosity will lead her to uncover, all of it will be unraveled in this contemporary motion picture.

The cast of ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’

Jason Abalos’ showbiz goal IN A recent virtual junket, Jason Abalos expressed his gratefulness to GMA for its continuous trust in him. The junket happened right after he renewed his contract with the network that has been his home for four years now. The 36-year-old actor inked another threeyear contract and talked about the projects he has in the pipeline. “I’m simply thankful to GMA for their faith in me over the years,” he said. “When I transferred here, they really explored my acting skills to the fore. They made me appear in rom-coms, made me play antagonistic parts, and even made me portray a woman. That’s why until now, I’m still excited with every project they give me,” Jason, whose latest project is the afternoon soap Las Hermanas with Yasmien Kurdi, Thea Tolentino, Faith Da Silva and Mr. Albert Mar Martinez, said. The actor admitted that in terms of his showbiz career, he’s at this point that he wanted to be involved in projects that would help in the longevity of his career. “I’m at this stage when I’m beginning to feel afraid. Let’s face it, when you’re already aging in the entertainment field, you gradually fade out from the limelight. That’s one thing that I don’t want to happen to me. I have to learn how to prolong my stay in the ‘biz. If I have to reinvent myself then I’ll do it. Acting is really my passion,” he related. “I love entertaining the public. It brings joy to my heart if I make them smile and happy with my performances. It’s a big thing for me if I’m able to touch their hearts and lives,” he added. Jason, who entered showbiz in 2004, doesn’t want his career to end up like most of his screen idols in the past, particularly the ‘90s who are no longer active in the ‘biz at present.

than having John Lloyd and Bea star in the film. In fact, we wanted this film to be very meaningful, not just to the fans but to John Lloyd and Bea as well. So, during the development process, we made sure that they could share their personal insights and creative input about the story.” The celebrity pair themselves have also expressed how pleased they are to be working together again after such a long time, especially when they found out that the project with Jollibee won’t just be a regular fast-food commercial, the usual romcoms, or follow the typical Pinoy drama plot. In one of John Lloyd’s social media posts he said that, “Excited ako ibahagi sainyo ang #JollibeeOneTruePairMovie dahil isa to sa mga projects kung san nabigyan rin ako ng pagkakataon to share my thoughts and ideas”. “It didn’t even feel like a shoot; it felt like I was hanging out with an old friend,

“I witnessed the rise of many stars before whom I idolized. Sadly, in the passing of years, they seem to just disappear from the mainstream. I told myself that this won’t happen to me eventually. I would like to have a durable career like that of the late Mr. Eddie Garcia and Mr. Albert Martinez. They withstood the tests of time. I worked with the latter in ‘Las Her Hermanas’ and I can say I’ve learned so much from him. Imagine, his career spans four decades already and until now, he’s still relevant in the scene,” he ended.

Jason Abalos aims for longevity in showbiz by portraying roles that highlight his versatility as an actor.

Apart from Roxas and Marquez, Nelia features an A-list cast that includes Mon Confiado, Dexter Doria, Lloyd Samartino, Dan Alvaro, Ali Forbes, and Raymond Bagatsing. Also in the movie are Sarah Javier, April Anne Dolot, Massey Sanshoddin, Red Atienza, and introducing Juan Carlos Galano, and Aldwin Alegre. The movie was shot in the postcard-perfect and IGfriendly location of Gapan, Nueva Ecija. The power tandem behind A and Q Productions Film, Inc. are Atty. Aldwin F. Alegre and Atty. Mary Melanie H. Quiño. Roxas with ‘Nelia’ lead star Winwyn Marquez

ABS-CBN personalities honored at Glory Awards

From left: Cathy Garcia-Molina, Rowena Paraan, and Abner Mercado.

KAPAMILYA box-office director Cathy Garcia-Molina and veteran journalists Rowena Paraan and Abner Mercado were among the outstanding alumni of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) honored in the 2021 Glory Awards. Garcia-Molina, the director behind the two highest-grossing Filipino films Hello, Love, Goodbye, and The Hows of Us, is this year’s awardee in the field of film. ABS-CBN News Public Service and “Bayan Mo, iPatrol Mo” head Paraan was recognized for her social advocacy, while former ABS-CBN reporter Mercado, who also anchored current affairs shows such as The Correspondents and Krusada, was honored for his works in broadcast journalism.

In their acceptance speeches, Molina, Paraan, and Mercado thanked their families, teachers, and their alma mater for shaping and nurturing their character, abilities, and principles that helped them get to where they are now. “Sa akin ang natutunan ko sa UP kung papaano magmahal ng kapwa, kung papaano maging mapanuri, kung papaano magtanong…Hanggang ngayon, even in ABS-CBN, ang trabaho ko is also to help people,” shared Paraan. “Through it all ang puhunan ko po talaga tiyaga and sipag. And I thank UP CMC again dahil kayo ang nagbukas ng daan papunta sa kung nasaan ako ngayon,” said Garcia-Molina. “Sisikapin naming patuloy kaming maging karapatdapat sa parangal na ito at sa kakabit nitong responsibilidad,” pledged

mercado, who hopes to inspire fellow and incoming journalists through the award he received. The three are among the seven distinguished alumni selected by the Glory Awards’ panel of jurors this year for their “excellent work and impact on the communities they serve.” Launched in 2017, the Glory Awards is held by the UP CMC Alumni Association and is inspired by the legacy of honor and distinction of the college’s founding dean Dr. Gloria Feliciano. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN News also received a nomination in The AIBs, the awards given by the Association for International Broadcasting to recognize the world’s best factual content. ABS-CBN News was nominated in the Media Freedom category alongside other reputable news organizations in the world.

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

ARTS AND CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

Curtains go up on yearend shows and performances of country’s cultural mecca

Artists of CCPDW Katrene San Miguel and Victor Maguad in rehearsal (Photo by Victor Ursabia)

From left: Monica Gana, EJ Arisola, John Ababon, Erl Sorilla, Jessa Tangalin in ‘Tuloy Ang Pasko.’ (Photo by Lester Reguindin)

SOCIALLY-DISTANCED. The Main Theater at the Cultural Center of the Philippines reopens its doors with its first live performances.

T HAS been two years since the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) closed its doors because of the COVID-9 pandemic.

That time, I remember we were busy preparing for Pasinaya: The CCP Openhouse Festival. But instead of writing press releases to announce the event, I was busy writing notice of closure. The Pasinaya was the first casualty. The resident companies ended their seasons. Tanghalang Pilipino cancelled the remaining shows of Batang Mujahideen; while Ballet Philippines couldn’t present its 50th season finale, the Rama Hari. This was supposed to be the last show under the artistic direction of National Artist Alice Reyes before her term ended. The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra regretfully announced that violinist Ryu Goto would not be performing for its March concert. At first, the PPO hoped to push though with the concert, replacing Goto with renowned pianist Dr. Raul Sunico as guest soloist. But the orchestra decided to eventually cancel the concert altogether. In April 2020, the CCP finally announced it would close its theaters for the rest of the year. And it went on until 2021.

The first time I entered the CCP to work during the pandemic, I felt certain sadness as I looked at the empty lobbies, hallways, and theaters. The stages remained blackout; curtains BY GLAIZA LEE drawn and lights were dimmed. CCP presents A Christmas CelebraIf there’s one thing I’ve learned tion, a twin-bill production featuring from this experience - artists will always find a way divertissement from Sleeping Beauty and Tuloy Ang to create and express themselves. Nothing can stop Pasko. artists from engaging in artmaking - not even wars The holiday dance presentation brings to life seor, in our case, the pandemic. lected dances from the classical ballet Sleeping So, after 20 months, the CCP re-opened with a Beauty. Highlighting the performers’ artistry and series of film screenings and talkbacks to celebrate mastery over classical ballet technique, it features a Filipino excellence. Welcoming the audiences to colorful divertissement of dances including the Garthe Main Theater in this new normal was quite dif- land Waltz, Little Red Riding Hood with The Wolf, ferent pre-Covid, but it was a welcome sight. It was Black Cat with Puss in Boots, Princess Florine and historic, to say the least. the Bluebird, The Jewel Fairies, and the ethereal LiFilm screenings are one thing, but a live perfor- lac Fairy. mance is on a totally different level. I’m quite excited Meanwhile, Tuloy Ang Pasko is an all-original with the FIRST live dance performance at the CCP Filipino dance production created, filmed, and preafter the pandemic hit the country. On Dec. 12, the miered online in 2020. Set against the backdrop

GLAZING LIFE

Give the gift that gives this Christmas DID you know that the practice of packaging biscuits and cookies in tin cans has been around since the 16th century? European voyagers packed biscuits as snacks for long trips and placed them in cans. Several hundred years later airtight cans, meant to store biscuits so they would not crumble and stay oven-fresh, were invented. Since then, tin cans have been the best containers for biscuits and cookies, evolving into pretty things that people kept, collected, and reused. This year, Rebisco is keeping the biscuits-in-tin cans tradition alive with its Special Edition Designer Cans. First

Angono Young Artists Julia Baluyut, Dave Dauz, Lyra Lacanaria

introduced in 2018, each designer can is a mini version of the big, iconic Rebisco tin cans that have been favorite Pinoy pasalubongs for generations. The works of artists, both contemporary and budding talents — Dominic Rubio, Aljo Pingol, plus three young artists from Regional Lead School of the Arts in Angono (RLSAA), Julia Baluyut, Dave Dauz, and Lyra Lacanaria — have been immortalized on the sides of the special edition tin cans. Familiar Filipino scenes, traditions, local heritage and everyday life are celebrated in bold, playful, dramatic and whimsical styles using striking, soothing and exciting colors. The artworks are original and unique to the designer cans. This Christmas, if you’re looking for a gift that’s beautiful, meaningful, filled with goodies to the brim and literally a work of art, Rebisco’s Special Edition Designer Cans would make perfect presents. These junior-sized cans are not just lovingly packed with premium Rebisco

Dominic Rubio

Aljo Pingol

Works of young and contemporary artists have been immortalized on the sides of the special edition tin cans of Rebisco.

biscuits, cookies, crackers and wafers, they are meant to be decorative pieces to be collected and displayed. They can be multifunctional containers too. But the tin cans are not just all about aesthetic values. Each can is called “the gift that gives” because every can sold helps support the young student artists of the School of the Arts in Angono and the Calbayog Arts and Design School of Eastern Visayas (CADSEV) in Calbayog, Samar. Rebisco is providing the schools with art essentials, equipment and other resources that will help the young art scholars pursue their creative dreams in various art forms. The contents of the designer tin cans are delightful as well. Only premium Rebisco products – Rebisco Sandwich Choco, Rebisco Sandwich Cream, Rebisco Cracker Plain, Rebisco Cracker Honey Butter, Wafertime Choco, Choco Mucho Cookies Choco, Choco Mucho Cookies White Choco, Hansel Crackers and Hansel Mocha – are in each can. Hygienically packaged and sealed, each designer tin can is a safe and thoughtful Holiday gift. Very affordable at P195 each, they are available at the Rebisco Flagship Stores on Shopee and Lazada.

of ‘70s Manila and featuring well-loved Christmas carols, it tells the story of five old friends who reminisce, over Zoom, the Christmases of their youth. This production is a celebration of Filipino song and dance presented - for the first time live on stage. Writing the press release on this dance event filled me with excitement and anticipation. There is really nothing compared to watching performance live. I can’t wait to watch the Artists of the CCP perform at the Main Theater stage with a live audience. I can already feel the palpable synergy between the dancers and the audience. For more information about A Christmas Celebration, check out the CCP website and official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See you at the theater!

Celebrating the ‘Evolution of Philippine Cuisine’ “THE world’s first global city” was neither in Europe nor the Americas—according to British musical historian David Irving, Manila during the 17th-18th centuries could have worn that title very well. The city attracted people from four continents: Europe, Asia, North and South America. Trade, culture, and food reflected the height of the Galleon Trade, which connected Manila to Acapulco. At the heart of Manila, Quiapo is a bustling community brought together by trade and religion, work, and leisure. Quiapo A La Carte: Food Culture in Transit celebrates the district’s culture and evolution. The online event was held on Nov. 13, and was presented by Dr. Fernando Zialcita of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, his students from the Ateneo De Manila’s Cultural Heritage Studies Program, and the Mama Sita Foundation, a staunch supporter of Philippine food. The sumptuous dinner delivered to the doorsteps of the guests and participants was curated by Ige Ramos, author, and cultural heritage advocate, as well as catered by Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco of Gourmet Gypsy Art Cafe. The menu was composed of two bento

Participants in the virtual celebration of ‘Evolution of Philippine Cuisine with Quiapo A la Carte.’

boxes, owing to the fact that half of the menu was cooked halal-style by Chef Waya. The first box contained merienda cena and dessert, while the second box included the halal main course and rice dishes. Moslem guests shall receive only the second box at their doorstep. During the dinner program, Bakas Pilipinas, a non-government organization based in New York City that aims to help preserve heritage sites, launched the Buhay Quiapo Project, in partnership with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Ateneo. Through this online event, the organizers and sponsors aimed to spread appreciation for Quiapo and its heritage culture as expressed through its cuisine and artistry. It was an event that fits right in among Mama Sita Foundation’s current work of promoting the Evolution of Philippine cuisine through educational webinars for different audiences around the world. If you have a Filipino food story to share, join Mama Sita’s Mga Kuwentong Pagkain Facebook Group. For more information, visit Mama Sita’s Mga Kuwentong Pagkain Facebook Page.