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WHO: Travel ban won’t help

Says it's a futile move against Omicron entry but Japan, others won't hear it

HE World Health Organization has warned blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread of Omicron, as more countries rushed to impose curbs and the first cases of the new COVID strain were detected in Latin America and Japan. Japan suspended all new flight bookings into the country from Wednesday in response to Omicron while Brazil reported the first cases in Latin America of the new strain, which has pushed dozens of countries to impose travel restrictions – mostly targeting southern African nations. And while the likely futility of such

‘OMICRON IN EU BEFORE AFRICA’ WORLD/ B2

broad curbs was underscored by Dutch authorities reporting that Omicron was present in the country before South Africa reported its first cases on November 25, governments pressed ahead with emergency travel measures. "We have asked airlines to halt accepting all new incoming flight reservations for one month starting December 1," a Japanese transport ministry official told AFP, adding that existing bookings would not be affected. Japan confirmed its first Omicron case on Tuesday, and it had already tightened its tough COVID border measures. Japanese authorities on Wednesday

VOL. XXXV • NO. 290 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Killjoy’ advice: Avoid Xmas parties as new strain lurks By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

the infection… we have to be careful. We have to follow health protocols,” Solante said in an interview on ANC’s AN infectious disease expert on Headstart. “You may say I’m a killjoy, but please Wednesday cautioned the public against attending parties and gatherings over don’t engage in unwanted gatherings,” he the holidays as information about the said in a mix of Filipino and English. First detected in Omicron variant South Africa, the of COVID-19 reOmicron variant mains scarce. was found to have The warning 32 mutations from from Dr. Rontgene the original virus, Solante, head of and has since been the Adult Infecdetected in several tious Diseases and countries across AfTropical Medicine rica, Europe in AusHEALTH authorities said Wednesunit of the San Laztralia and in Hong day they have not detected the globaro Hospital, came Kong. ally feared Omicron variant as yet as private hospitals Preliminary in a quarantined returning Filipino braced for a posstudies said the migrant worker who arrived home sible spike in cases mutations were from South Africa last week – when due to the new variconcerning because the country was still on the green ant. they might mean list. "We need more the variant could The unidentified male Filipino information about evade the body's migrant worker is in quarantine in the Omicron variimmune response Bacolod City and thus far not exhibant of concern… and make it more iting any symptoms of COVID-19, When we do activtransmissible. according to Bureau of Quarantine ities that increase Next page Next page our risk of getting

OFW HOME FROM S. AFRICA QUARANTINED

SCENES AT THREE AIRPORTS. Returning overseas Filipinos arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 in time for the holidays as the Philippines opted to bar travelers only from seven African and seven European countries amid the Omicron variant. (Inset, left) In Fiji, traditional dancers in grass skirts welcome holidaymakers in Nadi on December 1, 2021, as it opens its borders to international travelers for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe and devastated its tourism-reliant economy. (Inset, right) In Japan, staff members stand by in an empty arrival hall at Tokyo's Haneda international airport on Nov. 30, 2021, a day after Japan announced it would reinstate tough border measures, barring all new foreign arrivals over the Omicron COVID variant. Danny Pata, AFP

Gov’t extends nat’l vax drive until Friday By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE government will extend its national vaccination drive to December 3 (Friday) as more than 5 million people have already been inoculated against COVID-19 during the first two days of the three-day campaign that ended yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH) said. "When we give the battle rhythm to

our LGUs, they can continue even without asking us for an extension. But we will announce that we will extend the vaccination program until Friday," vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said. “Our running total is 5,000,353 as of Tuesday. We are still hopeful that we will meet the 9 million target. But just in case we will be unable to reach it, this record is already high,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje added.

TRAFFIC SNARL. The modified coding scheme in Metro Manila took effect yesterday, December 1, 2021, to address the heavy traffic during the rush hour from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays. Manny Palmero

BLOOMBERG has said the Philippines remains the worst place to be during the COVID-19 pandemic despite the dramatic decrease in cases and an intensified vaccination drive. Based on Bloomberg's COVID Re-

silience Ranking for November released Tuesday, the Philippines was again at the bottom of a list of 53 countries, having a resilience score of 43.1. This means the Philippines did not move from its 53rd spot in Bloomberg's October ranking when it had a resilience score of 40.5. Next page

Palace may adopt new prexy bet, Go yet to officially quit By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

May 2022 elections in place of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who dropped out of the race Tuesday. Acting presidential spokesperson THE Palace said Wednesday it could adopt another presidential bet for the Karlo Nograles said that the party can

BIG-TIME ROLLBACK: P52.25/11-K LPG TANK

15,327

48,712

167

2,768,999

951

no longer field its own candidate once election rules that allow the substitution of Go formalizes his withdrawal from the candidates only up to Nov. 15. contest. Go announced his withdrawal from the “The substitution period is already over,” presidential race just two weeks after he Nograles told ANC’s Headstart, referring to Next page

(As of 4 PM, DEC. 1)

Senate okays P5-t budget unanimously

By Macon Ramos-Araneta WITH 22 "yes" and zero negative votes, senators approved Wednesday on third and final reading the Senate version of the proposed P5-trillion national budget for 2022, which focuses on the government's COVID-19 pandemic response. Next page

Convicted cop Nuezca dies in Bilibid By Rey E. Requejo

NEWS / A2

THE Department of Justice said Wednesday that convicted Police Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca, found guilty by the court three months ago for murdering mother and son in Tarlac last Christmas, had collapsed and died while inside the New Bilibid Prison Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco said he was informed about the death of Nuezca, who was sentenced to 40 years in

GOOGLE REJECTS POLITICAL ADS NEWS / A4

500

PH lowest anew in Bloomberg Nov. pandemic response index By Vito Barcelo

2,833,038

JONEL NUEZCA

PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP. In its bid to further ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the country, SM Supermalls joined the government’s bid to inoculate 9 million Filipinos nationwide, during the three-day Bayanihan Bakunahan that ran from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. 'This multi-sectoral event is a resounding expression of our Bayanihan spirit,' President Rodrigo Duterte said.

News

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Big-time rollback: P52/11-k LPG tank "Petron will implement a P4.75 /kg tive 0001H December 1. AutoLPG prices rollback (VAT-incl) in LPG prices effec- will likewise rollback by P2.66 per liter

at the same time. These reflect the international contract price of LPG for the month of December," Petron Corp. said in its advisory. Isla LPG, which markets the Solane brand, also announced a price cut of P4.37 per kilo (VAT-inclusive) effective Wednesday. LPG prices ranged from P884 to P1,017 per 11-kilo tank based on the latest monitoring of the Department of Energy. The lower LPG prices followed the rollback in pump prices on November 30

of P1.10 per liter for gasoline, P0.60 per liter and P0.50 per liter for kerosene to reflect the movement of prices in the world oil market. These resulted in year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P18.10 per liter for gasoline, P15.70 per liter for diesel and P13.19 per liter for kerosene. LPG and oil prices have been declining due to concerns of over renewed COVID spikes and COVID variants that could dampen demand.

vulnerable to COVID-19, including over60s, to avoid travel to areas with community transmission of the virus. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was understandable for countries to seek to protect their citizens "against a variant we don't yet fully understand." But he called for "rational, proportional risk-reduction measures." So far, well over a dozen countries and territories have detected Omicron cases, including Australia, Britain, Canada, Israel, Italy and Portugal. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, also reported its first Omicron cases on Wednesday. The same day, Canada banned travellers from Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt. President Joe Biden said the US travel bans on just the southern African nations would stay in place, without referencing the other places where Omicron has been detected.

Asked how long travel restrictions that took effect Monday on South Africa and seven other southern African countries would remain, Biden said it "kind of depends." "We're going to learn a lot more in the next couple weeks about the lethality of this virus, about how much it spreads, what we have to control it, etcetera," he told reporters. The WHO believes the high number of mutations on this variant may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines, but it could take weeks to determine whether and to what extent Omicron is vaccine-resistant. Its detection and spread, however, have highlighted that the global fight against COVID-19 is far from over. The WHO earlier 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.

"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 Tuesday. "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. AFP

Although there are no reports of this new variant in the Philippines as yet, Solante said it was better to be cautious than face another surge of infections after the holidays, which would be a burden on already strained health workers. “We might be surprised in January by a surge. That’s something that we don’t like to happen, especially us health care workers. We’re really tired and if we have a surge again, I don’t know what will happen to us,” he said. Private hospitals, meanwhile, were bracing for a possible spike in infections. Dr. Jose Rene De Grano, president of Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc, said there are now ample supplies of oxygen and vacant beds amid a drop in COVID-19 cases in the country. “Private hospitals are prepared in case there will be a surge or new cases of COVID,” De Grano told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo. South Africa reported the Omicron variant to the World Health Organization on Nov. 24. While much is still unknown about the new variant, the agency believes its high number of mutations may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines.

A number of countries, including the Philippines, have closed their borders to prevent the spread of the variant. As of Nov. 29, some 8,153 out of 28,482 hospital beds are occupied, data from the Department of Health showed. Some 1,116 out of 1,291 health facilities are considered at the "safe" level, which means less than 60 percent of their capacity is occupied. Only 30 facilities were tagged as "critical,” or more than 85 percent occupied. De Grano said there were still more than 7,000 COVID-19 patients being treated in private hospitals despite the decline in cases. As the Omicron variant has spread to some parts of the world, he said, most of the country, including Metro Manila, should remain under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 until the year’s end. Metro Manila and many other provinces are under looser quarantine restrictions until Dec. 15. “I think we should not downgrade to Alert Level 1 right now,” he said. The country on Tuesday reported 425 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily tally so far this year. The threat of the new variant is reason enough for more people to get vaccinated, the presidential adviser for entrepreneurship, Joey Concepcion, said. “With variants continuing to emerge, I

believe it is time we aim for close to 100 percent vaccination in the country,” Concepcion said. “Omicron has only made vaccine mandates urgent and justifiable. The country’s economy is at stake.” Concepcion said he supported the government’s decision to make COVID tests mandatory for on-site workers, and said he also supports mandatory vaccinations. He said in the long run, vaccines would make better sense for on-site workers. “If a worker refuses to take the vaccine, he would spend upwards of P60,000 a year getting tested every other week,” he said. Meanwhile, an opposition leader at the House of Representatives called for free mass testing of the population for COVID-19. Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said that with new variants like Omicron "wreaking havoc worldwide, free mass testing would still be the key in fighting and containing this modern health scourge." "Of course, free mass testing should also go hand in hand with fast and serious contact tracing to effectively contain this new variant. These should all be funded by the government, not just the vaccinations," Zarate said. The Philippines logged 500 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the

total number of cases to 2,833,038. There were 167 new fatalities reported, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 48,712. The Department of Health also reported 951 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 2,768,999. There were 15,327 active cases, of which 756 were asymptomatic; 7,183 were mild; 3,832 were moderate; 2,489 were severe; and 1,067 were critical. The COVID-19 positivity rate was at 2.1 percent based on 30,841 tests conducted on Nov. 29. This is well within the World Health Organization’s target of below 5 percent. Nationwide, 27 percent of ICU beds, 26 percent of isolation beds, 15 percent of ward beds, and 15 percent of ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 28 percent of ICU beds, 22 percent of isolation beds, 20 percent of ward beds, and 16 percent of ventilators, were in use. Despite the dire warnings about the Omicron variant, the independent OCTA Research Group said the country could see daily cases fall to under 500 by Christmas. Guido David of the OCTA Research Group, said most parts of the country could shift to Alert Level 1, the loosest of the current quarantine restrictions, if there was no threat of the new variant.

OFW...

Senate...

From A1

Deputy Director Roberto Salvador Jr. "Just to be clear, no detection yet of Omicron, we are still processing (the) next batch of whole genome sequences," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Manila. "There are no signs or symptoms on the OFW we are monitoring. We are doing contract tracing now," added Salvador. First identified in Botswana and South Africa, the new iteration of COVID-19 has prompted concern among scientists and public health officials because of an unusually high number of mutations that have the potential to make the virus more transmissible and less susceptible to existing vaccines. The World Health Organization has called Omicron a “variant of concern” and warned on Monday that the global risks posed by it were “very high.” Cases have been identified in 20 countries so far, including Britain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. The government imposed a temporary ban on travelers from South Africa and six other countries surrounding it on Nov. 26 amid the threat of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, which is supposedly more transmissible and contains several mutations of the virus. Public health experts, however, have urged caution, noting that there is as yet no firm evidence that Omicron is more dangerous than previous variants like Delta, which quickly overtook its predecessors in the United States and other countries.

The members of the Senate and the House of Representatives will then meet in a bicameral conference to reconcile the conflicting budget provisions passed separately by both chambers. Senate Finance committee chairperson Juan Edgardo Angara said their version of the national budget built on the gains in the past year in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He said it would be responsive to new developments that emerged over the past few months. The approved 2022 General Appropriations Bill puts a lot of weight on health and education, two sectors that continue to face heavy challenges brought about by

the pandemic, Angara said. While the country has progressed towards a gradual reopening of the economy as COVID cases continue to decline, he said the government could not afford to be complacent. He cited the need for the government to continue its efforts towards strengthening its health system and responding to the continuously evolving virus. “While there were changes in the details and allocation, the main goal of the proposed budget has not changed -- to serve as the foremost means to continue the country's recovery from pandemic," said Angara, in reference to the amendments to the version of the measure approved by the House of Representatives. “The situation is still developing. There is still much we don’t know yet about the new variant. We have to be prepared for

the worst case scenario. But now that cases are quickly being identified across the world, thankfully we are still in a position to make sure that we will be ready, should the Omnicron variant reach our shores,” Angara added. He emphasized that the Senate provided significant increases in the budget for the health sector, the bulk of which will go towards the government’s pandemic response led by the Department of Health. He said the Senate made sure the benefits due to valiant health workers, both public and private, will continue to be provided under next year’s budget. Funding was also provided for the DOH to continue its emergency hiring of health professionals and for the procurement of laboratory network commodities. (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

substituted Gregor Belgica, the erstwhile standard bearer for the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan’s (PDDS), which is allied with the ruling PDP-Laban. Nograles said the party officials have yet to decide if this is the route PDPLaban would take. Asked if PDP-Laban could adopt the tandem of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Nograles said: “Let’s wait for the statement of PDP-Laban and the decision of the party. We have not yet made that decision.”

“We’re also awaiting the formal withdrawal. But just the same, because an announcement has been made, the PDPLaban has to meet and look at its options. We will make a statement immediately after we’ve come to an agreement,” he added. Duterte-Carpio is the eldest daughter of President Duterte. The elder Duterte had wanted her to run for president. Go said he was agonizing all throughout the days after he filed his candidacy for president on Nov. 16. "I was indeed agonizing. I was suffering. I couldn’t concentrate on the campaign due to some heavy feelings," Go said. The campaign itself, Go noted, has been a burden. He was unprepared to

run for president because his focus was originally on the vice presidency. “This campaign has been very stressful. President Duterte is already old. I don't want to burden him, I don't want to be a burden to him," Go added. He said his family was also against his move to run for president. The 76-year old President, who is seeking a Senate seat next year, is the No. 1 campaigner of Go. The senator said he spoke with the President about his decision and that he accepted it. Go went on to say that he and Duterte would rather concentrate on preserving his legacy. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Convicted...

Marco said the Bureau of Corrections is investigating the circumstances surrounding Nuezca’s death Tuesday, and that he had asked for a copy of their investigation report. “Per (BuCor spokesperson) Assistant Secretary Gabriel Chaclag, they are already looking into it. I asked to be given a copy of the report of their inves-

tigation,” Marco said in a text message to reporters. Chaclag said they were conducting an investigation to determine the cause of Nuezca’s death and if there was foul play. The National Bureau of Investigation will conduct the autopsy. Based on the initial information given by Chaclag, at around

6:44 p.m. of Nov. 20, Nuezca was reportedly walking outside the dormitory building when he suddenly collapsed. He was reportedly in the company of other people when the incident happened. His cellmates reportedly brought the unconscious Nuezca to the NBP hospital.

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ONSUMERS will experience lower liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices of as much as P4.75 per kilo starting December 1 due to the lower contract price of LPG in the world market – equivalent to a price rollback of P52.25 per 11-kilo tank.

WHO:... From A1

announced they had detected a second infection of the new strain in an arriving traveler – this time in a person arriving from Peru. Governments elsewhere in Asia also continued to expand curbs Wednesday, with Indonesia adding Hong Kong and Malaysia listing Malawi on their travel ban lists. Hong Kong placed Japan, Portugal and Sweden on its highest travel restriction category after the discovery of Omicron there. These came despite the WHO saying Tuesday that such "blanket" moves risked doing more harm than good. In a travel advisory, it warned the bans could ultimately dissuade countries from sharing data about the evolving virus. But it did advise unvaccinated people

‘Killjoy’... From A1

From A1

prison last Aug. 26 for killing 52-yearold Sonia Gregorio and her 25-year-old son Frank Anthony in Paniqui town in Tarlac five days before Christmas last year.

Palace... From A1

Gov’t... From A1

Cabotaje said the country typically administered about 1 million to 1.5 million COVID-19 shots daily. She said 2,708,018 vaccine doses were given on Monday, the first day of Bayanihan, Bakunahan. At least 2,290,335 jabs meanwhile were administered the next day, which was a regular holiday for Bonifacio Day, based on reports as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, Cabotaje said. She said this figure is expected to increase as more data comes in. “Some say the holiday helped because they were able to go to the vaccination sites. But there was also feedback that people worked because it was doublepay. And there were some problems because they were not accommodated during the vaccination time. There were vaccination centers that closed early,” she said in Filipino. Galvez said on Monday the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 had made the campaign even more important. Omicron, which the World Health Organization has described as a "variant of concern," has yet to be detected in the Philippines. Its spread has sparked global travel restrictions and rattled financial markets. The Philippines has been dealing with one of Asia's worst COVID-19 outbreaks and its vaccine rollout has been slower than many neighbors, with just over a third of its 110 million population inoculated. Vaccination rates are uneven with over 90 percent of the National Capital Region's eligible residents inoculated, compared with 11 percent in the poorest parts of Mindanao. Cabotaje said some regions increased their vaccination coverage by three to four times during the three-day Bayanihan, Bakunahan. For example, the Bangsamoro region gave some 42,000 to 59,000 jabs, compared to the 10,000 to 12,000 shots it usually administers. Soccsksargen administered 164,000, up from its previous 50,000 output, Cabotaje said. Aside from the extension, the government plans another three-day vaccination drive from Dec. 15 to 17, the Palace said. Cabotaje also said the adult population will be given COVID vaccine boosters "in the next couple of days.” (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

PH... From A1

Reacting to the report, Malacañang said the government would evaluate and craft new policies to address COVID19-related challenges that were “more responsive” to the needs of Filipinos. “Our economic team will continue to put a greater emphasis on our country-specific conditions or context in order to craft policies that are more responsive to our people’s needs and the requisites of economic recovery,” Cabinet Secretary and acting palace spokesman Karlo Nograles said in a press statement. “We acknowledge that the data provided by Bloomberg in its COVID-19 Resilience Ranking may be useful in evaluating our pandemic response. The indicators used by Bloomberg include reopening progress, COVID-19 status, and quality of life,” Nograles said. “However, we have to consider that the 53 countries in the report have different COVID-19 experiences and strategies. There is little consideration for country-specific COVID-19 context, which in our view is imperative to objectively assess how countries manage pandemic response,” he said. “A case in point is the importance given by Bloomberg in reopening progress, which involves lockdown severity, flight capacity, and vaccinated travel routes,” he added. Bloomberg, in its report, said: "Southeast Asia continues to populate the bottom of the Ranking, with the Philippines remaining in last place, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia." "The lowest two places on the Ranking have given out less than 100 COVID shots per 100 people, a key barrier to improving their scores," it added. According to a report, the Philippines has only given out 73.2 doses per 100 people. Nograles reiterated the government’s goal of striking a balance between the management of COVID-19 and the safe reopening of the economy to protect lives and secure livelihoods. He noted that the Philippine economy grew 7.1 percent in the third quarter, “exceeding all estimates in a Bloomberg survey and cementing its position as one of the fastest-expanding [economy] in the world.” He said active cases continued to fall with 425 active cases as of Nov. 30, 2021––the lowest reported in 2021 while the country’s latest positivity rate of 2.1 percent is one of the lowest since testing data became available in April 2020. He said the country’s 1.71 percent case fatality rate remained one of the lowest, with the Philippines ranked 84th in the world by Johns Hopkins University.

News Justice seeks murder charges vs enforcers in Asuncion case By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice’s Administrative Order (AO) 25 Special Investigating Team has recommended the filing of charges for murder against law enforcers involved in the death of labor leader Emmanuel “Manny” Asuncion Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra made the disclosure as the National Bureau of Investigation is wrapping up its interviews of witnesses for the death of fisherfolk couple Chai and Ariel Evangelista of the Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan (UMALPAS KA) the couple was also among the nine killed during the “bloody Sunday” operation in Region IV. Asuncion was among the nine activists killed during last March 7’s simultaneous police-military operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal provinces, now known as “Bloody Sunday.” “In the case of the death of Emmanuel Asuncion, the AO 35 SIT has recommended the filing of murder charges against certain law enforcement agents involved in the incident,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters. The SIT created under Administrative Order No.35 issued in 2013 to investigate extrajudicial and politically motivated killings as well as human rights violations in the country. The members of the task force are the DOJ - as the lead agency- the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.

Control gate to replace BuCor wall JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said the walls built by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) that restricted the access of vehicles and residents from the city proper of Muntinlupa would soon be re-opened. Guevarra said that the BuCor agreed to replace the walls with a control gate that could be accessed by pedestrians. “The BuCor, after consultations with the DOJ, will remove the roadblock off the Katarungan Villages as soon as a control gate, which was the original plan, has been put up,” Guevarra said, in a text message. According to him, the control gate would be placed near the concrete bridge where BuCor had already dug a hole last Friday, using a backhoe. “The BuCor will install the control gate as soon as possible. Once the control gate is in place, they will remove the concrete barriers. But pedestrians can pass, I was so informed,” he added. BuCor built walls to close off Insular Prison Road, which leads to the Southville 3 government housing project, and a road to the residential community of Type B in March and June, respectively. Last week, BuCor again attempted to build another wall that would have reportedly cut off the access of residents of Katarungan Villages Phase 1 and 2, a DOJ housing project, to the city proper. But irate residents reportedly tore the wall down. Guevarra also said that aside from putting up a control gate, the BuCor might also close some of the interior access roads located within the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) compound to strengthen the security of the compound. Rey E. Requejo

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Rody to check Zamboanga projects By Maricel V. Cruz

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to visit today the Zamboanga Peninsula to personally check the ongoing projects intended for poor barangays and people previously affected by an ongoing insurgency.

During his visit, dubbed as “President’s Hour,” the Regional Development and Security for Region 9 as well as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are expected to present to Duterte the accomplishment report of the Regional Task Force-ELCAC. Duterte is the chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conﬂict (NTF-ELCAC).

In a statement, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., NTF-ELCAC vice chairman stressed that several guerilla fronts in Zamboanga Peninsula have been dismantled and the last two rebel groups are significantly weakened. “They will be soon dismantled. The peace and order in the region is achieved through the joint efforts of the security officials and regional offices of national

government agencies,” Esperon said. To be presented to the President, according to Esperon, are the projects initiated through the Barangay Development Program (BDP), the ﬂagship project of the current administration. “These undertakings on enhanced social welfare, job creation, livelihood assistance, and infrastructure development are the foundations by which we create inclusive and sustainable growth for those who need it most,” Esperon added. Particularly in Zamboanga Peninsula, a total of 86 projects under BDP are being implemented for 34 barangays cleared of the inﬂuence and threat of the CPP-NPANDF from 2016 to 2019. For next year, a total of 39 barangays

from Region 9, with no insurgency, will be receiving the BDP package or P20million worth of different projects such as farm-to-market roads, school buildings, health centers, water sanitation, livelihood and ﬁnancial assistance to the indigents. This year, the NTF-ELCAC was granted with at least P16.4 billion BDP funds for the 822 chosen barangays nationwide. The target for next year is to increase the number to 1,406 barangays with a proposed funds of P28.1 billion. According to Esperon, with the strong determination of the local chief executives, who are pushing for these development projects in barangays, a difference in the living conditions of the people is seen and felt.

IN BRIEF

BI cited for freedom of information efforts THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) vowed to continue its transparency as it was cited for the third year in a row for championing freedom of information (FOI). The BI was one of several government agencies that received an FOI award conferred by the Presidential Communications Operations Ofﬁce (PCOO) during an awarding ceremony that was held in Cebu City. The BI was recognized for being one of the top-performing agencies that acted on 250 to 499 requests and resolved at least 90 percent of requests for information from the general public inquiring via the government’s eFOI portal. “Transparency and good governance remain our key focus areas, hence we ensure that we provide accurate and accessible information to the public. I commend BI personnel for the achievement, encouraging them to continue doing good in providing quality service to the public,” Morente said. He again vowed that the BI will uphold the public’s right to information by always giving prompt access to needed data on the various types of services offered by the agency.

RESCUED. An unidentified woman jumped over the footbridge along the southbound side of Edsa Paramount. The unidentified woman

suffered minor injuries and was brought to the nearest hospital. Manny Palmero

‘Govt wants higher revenue share in Malampaya deal’ By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday said the government is seeking a higher revenue share under the ongoing negotiations for the extension of service contract 38 or the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan. Energy Assistant Secretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. said the DOE has eight items that constitute a framework that has to be reviewed in deciding the contract extension, which is set to expire in 2024. “DOE will not approve it without discussing these concerns,” Erguiza said. He said the concerns being discussed include the Malampaya remaining reserves, the work program, commis-

sioning, exploration, asset disposal, gas pricing, social development fund, government contractor, and banked gas sale. The DOE ofﬁcial said the talks are ongoing on the government share of the Malampaya revenues as it wants a higher stake of 70 percent from 60 percent at present. The current Malampaya revenue sharing is 60 percent to the government and 40 percent to the contractor. Erguiza also said DOE will ﬁrst decide on the Spex transaction before the contract extension. He said DOE is also set to come out with a circular that will address the “gap in the law” regarding the sale of shares of oil and gas companies such as the contro-

versial Malampaya gas project. “We have to include in the evaluation of DOE, because of these problems, how do we proceed now with the sale of stocks between corporations?” Erguiza said. DOE is now at the center of controversy for approving the sale of the 45 percent stake of Chevron Malampaya LLC to the Udenna Group amid issues regarding lack of technical, ﬁnancial, and legal basis. DOE is also presently reviewing the sale of the 45 percent stake of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. to Udenna in the Malampaya gas project. Erguiza said DOE is set to conduct public consultation of the draft circular in the next two to three weeks.

Agents seize P1b fake goods in Pasay City raid GOVERNMENT agents raided a wholesale shopping center in Pasay City and seized more than P1 billion worth of counterfeit items. Joint elements from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service - Intellectual Property Right Division and the Port of Manila conducted the raid at Baclaran Wholesale Complex at the corner of F.B. Harrison and J. Fernando Streets based on the Letter of Authority issued by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero on Monday. The raid was made with the help from members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The authorities discovered at the establishments counterfeit items bearing the brands Victoria’s Secret, Birkenstock, Lacoste, Converse, Nike, Adidas, Jordan, Havaianas, Barbie, HP, and other fake products. Commissioner Guerrero ordered the bureau’s Intelligence Group to conduct further investigation and invite the owner and operators at the establishment for questioning. Joel E. Zurbano

PAO set to transfer to new office in QC LAST DAY RUSH. A mall

in Ermita Manila was mobbed wanting to be vaccinated against COVID-19 on the last day of National Vaccination Day which began on Nov. 29, 2021, which aims to vaccinate everyone who still wants to be vaccinated. Norman Cruz

THE Public Attorney’s Ofﬁce (PAO) is transferring to a new and bigger space in a 5,175-square meter government lot at the National Government Center on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City near the Commission on Audit. PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta visited the ongoing construction being conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways. The construction of the new PAO central ofﬁce building formally commenced on April 26, 2019. “We will move to a more convenient place so we could better serve our millions of indigent clients,” Rueda-Acosta told the Manila Standard. “It (building) is 60 percent rough,” she said when asked about the construction completion. In May 2017, PAO entered into a memorandum of agreement with the DPWH and National Housing Authority for the preparation of the required architectural designs and building engineering plans. Rio N. Araja

Environmentalist group backs govt ban on firecrackers By Rio N. Araja A GROUP of environmentalists on Wednesday urged local ofﬁcials to impose a nationwide ban on ﬁrecrackers to keep people safe from pollutants and injuries amid the threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. “Banning the production, importation, distribution, sale, and use of firecrackers will certainly reduce the number of firecrackerrelated injuries as well as reduce the environmental pollution associated with the New Year revelry,” said Thony Dizon, Ecowaste Coalition chemical safety campaigner.

The coalition also supports the government-led Ligtas Christmas sa Healthy Pilipinas campaign and is calling on local government units to pass and enforce ordinances prohibiting firecrackers as the Christmas and New Year festivities near. Dizon added the enforcement of such measures would also be crucial in light of the growing fears and uncertainties over the new COVID-19 variant.” “Regardless of the COVID-19 alert level assignments, we appeal to our communities to aim for drastically reduced injuries, wastes, and emissions due to the blasting of firecrackers and fireworks during the holidays,” he said.

While community ﬁreworks display is allowed under Executive Order 28 of 2017, the public and the private sector must use their money for alternative activities, he said. “Instead of burning money for a few minutes of fireworks display, we urge both the public and private sectors to use available funds for activities that will truly add holiday cheer such as food packs to families most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he stressed. He said Ecowaste has already appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases since last year.

SELFIE WITH SANTA. A woman takes a selfie beside a Santa Clause figure inside a mall in Malate Manila. Near the Santa Clause figure is a countdown showing there are now just 24 days to go before Christmas. Danny Pata

‘Uniteam’ starts Calabarzon sortie via Quezon stops

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021 E-mail: mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo UNITEAM presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday started their two-province sortie in the Calabarzon region and commended youth leaders on their active involvement on various major issues besetting the country. The BBM-Sara tandem barnstormed through three areas in Quezon and is scheduled to visit Batangas today (Thursday). Addressing the Green Army Youth Orientation Forum at Queen Margarette Hotel in Lucena City, Marcos and Duterte lauded the partnership inked by the youth sector and local government unit through Quezon Rep. Jayjay Suarez. They explained that the Filipino youth’s commitment to nation-building is a key driver to effectively deal with the serious challenges facing them. Duterte said the active participation of the young generation will help positively shape their lives in achieving true and lasting progress. She cited the rising cases of illegal drugs abuse, teenage pregnancies, AIDS, effects of climate change, bullying, and mental health as among the major issues affecting the youth sector. “Kinabukasan ang pinag-uusapan. Kayo ang kinabukasan, if we do not talk to you about what is happening now, you will not learn from us. You will not get a better future for our country,” Duterte, Vice Presidential Candidate of Lakas-CMD, said. In her speech, Duterte also expressed gratitude to the people of Quezon for their support they have been extending to his father, President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte. Marcos, standard-bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), and Duterte also delivered their respective unity messages before the Samahan ng Bisaya sa Dalahican (Sabida) led by its president, Antonio Monterola, in the same venue.

Lacson, Sotto: Senate duties first, polls later By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Panfilo Lacson and running mate Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday vowed to devote more time to expand their platform of good governance ahead of the 2022 national elections only after their duties at the Senate are done for the 18th Congress. Congress will adjourn on December 17 for the Christmas break and will return on January 17. It will then adjourn anew on February 4 to give way for the start on Feb. 7 of the national campaign for the May 2022 elections “Senators first, candidates next: Faithful to our oath and true to our word, Tito Sotto and I have always prioritized our Senate duties over campaign sorties and events,” Lacson said on his Twitter account. Among the cancellations the tandem has made was their weekly “Meet The Press” forum on November 11 owing to the ongoing deliberations on the national budget. Partido Reporma also holds its “Online Kumustahan” led by Lacson and Sotto on weekends, to coincide with their off-days from the Senate. Lacson has also said he is wary of holding parades or caravans because Partido Reporma is focused on delivering its platforms, discussing the hot issues of the day, and increasing voters’ knowledge of the country’s problems to come up with a greater solution for them.

News

SEA OF SUPPORTERS. (From right) Lakas-CMD President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Alona Party List Rep. Anna Villaraza-Zuarez, Quezon Rep. David

“Jayjay” Suarez, vice presidential candidate and Lakas-CMD Chair Sara Duterte, Lakas-CMD Chairman Emeritus and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., senatorial bet Jinggoy Estrada, Quezon Governor Danny Suarez, and Lakas-CMD Executive Vice President and Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo stand with mayors, vice mayors, councilors and barangay officials of Quezon all clad in green at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on Wednesday. Ver Noveno

Comelec: Google to keep poll ads off starting Feb. G OOGLE will not accept political advertisements during the three-month campaign period for the country’s national elections, which begins in February next year, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Wednesday.

“All electoral and political advertisements in relation to the upcoming 2022 National and Local Elections will be paused across all Google platforms at the start of the campaign period,” the poll body said in a statement, quoting the Internet giant. “Google will not accept election advertisements in the Philippines that are

purchased through Google Ads, Display and Video 360, and Shopping platforms that advertisers intend to place: on Google, YouTube, and partner properties,” it added. The Comelec said the search engine giant will be “focusing its efforts and resources on upcoming election-related initiatives which aim to help people access useful and accurate. information via product features and media literacy program, encourage participation in the voting process, and help protect the integrity of the elections.” Based on the Calendar of Activities released by the poll body, the start of the campaign period is on Feb. 8, 2022 for national candidates, and on March 25, 2022 for local candidates. Under the rules and regulations of the Fair Elections Act for the 2022 elections, “political advertisements”

or “election propaganda” refer to “any matter broadcasted, published, printed, displayed or exhibited, in any medium, which contains the name, logo, brand, insignia, and other symbol or graphic representation that is capable of being associated with candidate, and is exclusively intended to draw the attention of the public or a segment thereof to promote or oppose, directly or indirectly, the election of said candidate or candidates to a public office...” “Political advertising includes endorsements, statements, declaration, or information graphics, appearing on any internet website, social network, blogging site, and micro-blogging site, which when taken as a whole has for its principal object the endorsement of a candidate only, or which were posted in return for consideration or are otherwise capable of pecuniary estimation.”

LENI HQ IN ROXAS. Capizeño Visual Artist Volunteers paint a 2x5meter mural for Vice President Leni Robredo at her headquarters in the province known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. The volunteers include Sophia Cianna Faderugao of Dumalag, Capiz, John Angelo Aposaga (Pan-ay, Capiz), Rica Abigail Anonoy (Roxas City), Kim Dela Cruz (Roxas City), Darwin Dela Cruz (Libas, Capiz), John Anthony Catalan (Roxas City) and Kim Raffy Astrolabio (Roxas City). Arnold Almacen

Isko makes promises to Angkas, Talavera farmers’ groups MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has vowed to push for motorcycle taxis to be recognized as a legitimate industry in the country. He also called on the government to review Republic Act No. 11235, dubbed by riders as the “Doble Plaka Law,” which they bewailed is disadvantageous to them. Domagoso issued the statements as thousands of drivers of passenger and delivery service “Angkas” trooped to the Manila City Hall to express support for his presidential run.

Meanwhile, the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate committed to farmers in Talavera, Nueva Ecija that once he is elected in next year’s elections, he will limit the importation of agricultural products that compete with their homegrown crops. Moreno made the pronouncement during a town hall meeting in Barangay Sibul in Talavera, where the Aksyon Demokratiko team had a dialogue with about 2,000 vegetable farmers and members of the transport sector as part of their “Listening

Tour.” The Manila mayor also told the riders about the help they provided them at the height of the pandemic. They hired them, based on an agreement, to ferry health frontliners. Moreno told the riders that once he becomes the leader of the country, he will ask the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to include the recognition of motorcycle-taxis in its legislative agenda. Macon RamosAraneta and Rey E. Requejo

LGUs to budget 15% of taxes to healthcare

TOUCH CAMPAIGNING. Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso strokes a child carried by a mother Wednesday ahead of a town hall meeting in Barangay Sibul Talavera, Nueva Ecija, where his team had a dialogue with about 2,000 vegetable farmers and members of the transport sector as part of their “Listening Tour.” Norman Cruz

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on final reading a proposal mandating all local government units (LGUs) to earmark at least 15 percent of their annual national tax allotment share for health services. With 224 affirmative votes, 0 negative votes, and no abstention, the chamber passed House Bill 10392, which seeks to amend Section 287 of the Local Government Code of 1991 to ensure the appropriation of at least 15 percent of the share of LGUs from all national taxes or revenues for health services. The bill provides that copies of the health programs, including the provision of free medicines for indigent patients of local government units, shall be furnished to the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Health (DOH). Health programs of LGUs shall be approved by the local health boards in accordance with the standards and criteria set by the DOH pursuant to pertinent provisions of Republic Act 11223, otherwise known as the Universal Health Care Act.

Upon the approval of the bill, House health committee chair Angelina Tan said along with local development initiatives, the provision of quality, accessible, and relevant health services is enormously important, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She explained that with the proposed law, LGUs must undertake necessary action to prepare for the greater role and responsibilities of providing health services that they are expected to assume in the context of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling. The proposed appropriation shall be on top of whatever is allotted for health services under the existing development projects as provided under the LGC and the Special Health Fund (SHF), a component of the Universal Health Care Act (UHC). “The pandemic has underscored the important lesson that LGUs must be at the front lines of UHC implementation and every local chief executive must recognize that health is a strategic concern that must be immediately and adequately addressed because it is a prerequisite to social development,” Tan said.

IN BRIEF

Bill lets Pinays keep maiden surname

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading a bill extending the right of married women to retain their maiden surname. The lower chamber approved House Bill 10459 by a 227-0 vote. The bill amends the New Civil Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 386 as amended. Proponents said the bill’s enactment would provide equality between men and women before the law by allowing married women to retain their maiden surname. The bill provides that married women may use any of the following: • Maiden first name and surname; • Maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname; • Maiden first name and her husband’s surname; or • Husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.” At present, married women could not solely use their maiden first name and surname after marriage without their husband’s surname. Maricel V. Cruz

Health workers nix DOH unit memo

HEALTH workers have opposed an order of a Department of Health (DOH) unit requiring hospitals and other health facilities to resubmit their computation of the Special Risk Allowances (SRA) their staff are supposed to receive using new templates. Among the new information required by the Bicol Center for Health Development, in a memo dated Sept. 24, is the list of names of the COVID-19 patients the health workers have attended to. “Lalo ngayong pinalala. Pinalala yung ngayon nung bagong pinalabas po nilang bagong memo, bagong patakaran na kailangan po namin mag-submit ng mga pasyente na nahawakan namin,” Cristy Donguines, who heads the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union chapter of the Alliance of Health Workers, said Wednesday. [They’ve made it worse. It’s worse now with the new memo, new rule that we need to submit the (names of) the patients we’ve handled.] “Napakamali naman noon Sir. Kasi kahit na ba naman sa opisina ka, ang mga hinahawakan mong papel, galing sa labas, hindi mo naman siya kailangang i-disinfect. Hindi mo naman siya pwedeng ibabad sa alcohol. Hindi mo rin siya pwedeng ibabad sa Zonrox, para lang ma-disinfect mo ang mga papel,” she said. Willie Casas

Phivolcs allays fears of Pinatubo eruption

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Wednesday allayed fears that a major eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in Pampanga would take place. Phivolcs director Dr. Renato Solidum assured the public that there is no imminent eruption to happen at Mt. Pinatubo despite a phreatic or weak eruption last Tuesday. “In 1991 and 1992, magma reached the crater that led to the volcano’s eruption. This time, there was none of that. The recorded earthquakes were (just) 10 kilometers deep or below,” he said. The recent phreatic explosion was “likely driven by shallow hydrothermal processes beneath the edifice,” Solidum said. Historically, Mt. Pinatubo’s major eruptions occurred every thousand years, he added. “Based on visual reports of an eruption plume and seismic, infrasound and satellite detection, the Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs confirms that a phreatic eruption occurred at Pinatubo crater between 12:09 and 12:13 p.m.,” the state bureau’s report said Tuesday. After over 500 years of slumber, Mt. Pinatubo showed signs of imminent eruption in April 1991. On June 12, 1991, its intermittent eruptions began. On June 15 of the same year, its most powerful eruption happened. Rio N. Araja

Opinion Bulacan should replace Quezon in Calabarzon

DURING the nearly eight decades since the end of World War II, the area made up of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal - Calabar for short - has steadily become this county’s most productive region, contributing between 20 and 25 percent of GDP (gross domestic product). The Metro Manila of today is composed mostly of municipalities - they were not cities then - that by a presidential decree were taken away from Rizal. In due course, the argument was put forward that because of its proximity to Laguna and Batangas, the province of Quezon should be added to Calabar. The idea made sense to many people, so Calabar became Calabarzon.

There are at least two reasons. Today, almost three decades after the inclusion of Quezon in Calabarzon, it appears that there is a need to reconsider the geographical composition of Calabarzon. More to the point, the time appears to have come to consider replacing Quezon with Bulacan. There are two reasons for such a change. The first reason has to do with Quezon. Those who pushed for the inclusion of Quezon in Calabarzon expected and hoped that the economic dynamism of its neighbors Laguna and Batangas would rub off on Quezon. Unfortunately, those expectations and hopes have not

materialized. The only part of Quezon that has exhibited dynamism is Lucena City, the province’s capital. In the other border or near-border municipalities, such as Candelaria, Sariaya and Gumaca, one cannot sense any dynamism or vibrancy. Quezon’s economy has always been mainly agricultural - it is probably the No.1 producer of coconuts - and no manufacturing activities other than power generation have moved into the province since its inclusion in Calabarzon. Indeed, Quezon stands in stark contrast to the rest of Calabarzon. With Bulacan it is a different story. Bulacan’s economy is a study in economic dynamism. One of Metro Manila’s most progressive components, Valenzuela City, used to be a Bulacan municipality. NLEX (Northern Luzon Expressway), the gateway to Northern Luzon, traverses Bulacan municipalities that are very progressive, viz., Marulas, Meycauayan, Guiguinto, Balagtas and, further up NLEX, the city of Malolos, the provincial capital. The rest of Bulacan’s economy - its agriculture and fishing industry - is closely linked to the economy of Metro Manila. But by far the biggest reason for including Bulacan in Calabarzon is the P75 billion Aerotropolis that San Miguel Corporation is installing in the town of Bulakan. It is not a case of the giant airport project’s going to be a game changer; it is already changing the game already. The impact of the Aerotropolis will be felt not only in Bulacan but also in all places connected to the air transportation industry. Metro Manila heads the list of those places. Bulacan is a virtual part of NCR (National Capital Region). There is every reason to include it in Calabarzon. How to rename Calabarzon if Quezon is replaced by Bulacan. Calabarcan, perhaps?

TWO years ago, many probably spent the first week of December writing shopping lists and preparing menus for the holidays. Last year, we were fortunate to have spent Christmas with eased restrictions as many areas were placed under general and modified general community quarantine. This year, while we bear the same hope of having a COVID-free Christmas, uncertainty looms with the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant. The Omicron variant now poses a serious threat to our efforts in bringing down the number of COVID-19 infections in the country. We have successively recorded less than a thousand new cases in the country. With the national vaccination drive this week, the number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered nationwide reached 86 million by the end of November, with more than 300,000 doses of booster shots already given to priority groups. All of these feats led to the imposition of low COVID-19 alert levels. However, these happy days may soon be numbered. Thankfully, the national government was quick to impose travel bans on countries with recorded cases of Omicron variants. While we have no reported cases at present, the DOH, nonetheless, warned of the possibility that this new variant will soon arrive in the country. The World Health Organization and medical experts around the world are currently studying the transmissibility and severity of infection of this variant, as well as the performance of vaccines against the virus. Pharmaceutical companies reportedly started their research to create specific vaccines against the Omicron variant.

We cannot afford another lockdown. With the reported 46 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines expected to arrive this month, there should be no let up in the vaccination drive. Vaccines remain to be our primary defense against this virus, and herd immunity is still our main target. However, there is an uneven vaccination rate among provinces in the country. The first national vaccination drive showed us how accessibility and logistics factor in the vaccination hesitancy and low inoculation rates in other areas. Hence, I urge the Department of Health to increase allocation to provinces with low vaccination rates. I also urge local government units to reach out to barangays in setting up local vaccination sites, if necessary, especially in rural areas and areas with high percentages of inbound travelers. Local health units should conduct information drives in order to clarify doubts and address vaccine hesitancy. We must learn from the lessons of the past. The previous spikes caused by the dominant Delta variant crippled not only the health care

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EDITORIAL

The yoke’s on us

ACE shields have been a yoke on the shoulders of Filipinos, who are the only people on the planet who have been compelled to wear them in their day-to-day activities in the belief that they provide “added” protection against COVID-19.

In fact, many of us literally breathed a sigh of relief when the government lifted the mandatory use of face shields in areas where coronavirus infections were on the wane. But now, as a new variant of the coronavirus looms, officials say they are considering bringing the face shields back. Such a move, however, appears to be another knee-jerk reaction that will do more harm than good. Face shields have been widely unpopular because they are unwieldy and, when used in conjunction with a face mask, make it difficult to breathe. Critics have also pointed out that no other country in the world mandates their use. Moreover, a wind engineer, Joshua Agar from the University of the Philippines, ran an airflow simulation and 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. The danger is increased when people pull their masks down, even temporarily, so they can breathe. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) says there is no need to

reimpose the mandatory use of face shields, despite the threat posed by the Omicron variant of the virus.

This is what science says. “The virus is airborne, transferred via close contact transmission. What is important is observing social distancing, 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. Abeyasinghe on Tuesday 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,” Abyssinghe said in a televised public briefing, noting that

compliance with safety protocols would be higher if the approach is “risk-based” rather than imposed. “There is significant discontentment on the mandatory use of face shields,” he added. The administration has made it a point to say they listen to the science when it comes to its COVID-19 response. Health officials should then consider a 2020 study published in the journal Physics of Fluids that found that, even though face shields stopped the initial entry of droplets, much smaller droplets lingered at the bottom of the shield and floated around at the sides. The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety found that face shields do not protect you from inhaling other people’s respiratory droplets or aerosols, and they do not prevent your respiratory droplets from entering the air. The face mask does that—not the face shield. Moreover, face shields can be a potential source of infection if not properly handled and disinfected after each use. In the early days of the pandemic, before we knew any better, local governments sprayed disinfectant on the tires of cars to prevent the spread of the disease, in what we now know was a useless exercise. Now we know more—and we ought to know better. Science and logic dictate that the use of face shields on top of face masks should remain voluntary.

Revisiting the WPS issue

An abundance of caution While we wait for developments, the government should conduct early assessment and analysis of the impact of this variant. The Philippine Genome Center earlier expressed the need to retest the samples received from last month. If there is anything we should have learned from the Delta variant, it is the need to expand and improve the currently limited capacity of our gene sequencing. The government should prioritize strengthening our biosurveillance capacity, as it is much needed in this pandemic. The DOH should also boost testing, especially in regions and provinces where vaccination is still low and contract tracing and active case finding are lacking.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021

toward the Chinese leadership. Add all these together and we have an idea why the case was filed with the Supreme Court in the first place.

The President’s behavior is perplexing.

THE Supreme Court was right in dismissing a suit brought before it to direct President Duterte to more vigorously defend vital Philippine interests in the West Philippine Sea from what China is doing. The court believes that the President has enough tools at his disposal to deal with the problem. The question that should be asked, however, is why the suit was brought to the court in the first place. Did the people who went to court believe that the government was not protecting the nation’s vital interests in the West Philippine Sea? Ever since the start of President Duterte’s independent foreign policy, a perception has grown in some quarters that he has not been aggressive enough in protecting Philippine sovereignty from the encroachments being made by China to our exclusive economic zone in the WPS. In fact, if he can only have his way, he would have abrogated the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States which is the lynchpin of our military alliance and perhaps the only thing preventing China from grabbing more. The only reason that I could think of why he has not done so is that he is not sure whether the Military and Police will back him up. He also probably realizes that the Philippine military is heavily influenced by the US military. Our military doctrines, table of organization and equipment, armaments, training, customs and traditions are all patterned from the US military. Our two service academies alone are clones of the US Military Academy. While he can lambast western leaders and countries left and right, he is so respectful and reverential

The next question to ask is why President Duterte is so enamored of China in spite of what that country is doing? Does he really honestly believe that it will be easier for him to convince China to modify its nine-dash line and exclude our internationally recognized exclusive economic zone from what China is claiming in the WPS? I doubt this very much. On the contrary, this approach might be interpreted as a sign of weakness. We all know about his famous jet skiing promise during the 2016 presidential elections. But since he took office, all his rhetoric has made a 180-degree turn. He has avoided any direct accusation against China with regard to its militarization of the South China Sea, its nine-dash line and he even joked about the country becoming a province of China if indeed that was only a joke. All these have disconcerted many people. His main reason why he is not more bellicose towards China as he has repeated so often is that he does not like his soldiers to be massacred in a war that we cannot win. He cannot seem to understand or see that no one in this country is advocating a war with China. What people wish him to do is to lead a more forceful rhetorical defense of the country by being prepared to call a spade a spade. For instance, he must be prepared to continuously challenge the permanent presence of Chinese militia ships in our exclusive economic zone. We can also keep on asking China to explain satisfactorily why it

system but also the economy. Clearly, we cannot afford another lockdown. While, understandably, December is all about merrymaking, we have to

stay vigilant and compliant to health protocols, regardless of vaccination status. At this point, an abundance of caution is useful.

is not abiding by the provisions of the Law of the Sea, a treaty that it signed and ratified. Even with the most recent incident wherein the Chinese Coast Guard water bombed our Navy supply boats, the best that the President could do was ask bigger and more powerful countries to settle international differences peacefully. With this, we can all heartily agree but why can’t he bring himself to name the country directly? This is what mystifies a lot of people. It is his subalterns who are doing the stronger talking but as everyone knows, this does not amount to anything much if the boss man is not on board. I can agree with the President that a peaceful resolution to our differences is the best option. We must, however, be resolute in making all countries understand that we are prepared to defend what is ours at all costs. In the coming months, we will be electing a new president. Let us hope that the next leader will involve a wider segment of our political leadership to have a broader consensus on what our best options should be with regards to the SCS. Calling for a National Security Council meeting which has never been done would be a good move. Right now, it is only President Duterte who is calling the shots when it comes to the SCS issue. This must change.

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WHO member-states launch global pandemic accord talks

EARLY TO RISE. A man with a bike is silhouetted at sunrise in Banda Aceh on December 1, 2021. AFP

WORLD Health Organization member states agreed Wednesday to start work on building a new international accord setting out how to handle the next global pandemic. Countries adopted a resolution at a special meeting in Geneva, launching the process that it is hoped should result in a new agreement on pandemics. The three-day meeting of the World Health Assembly—the WHO’s decision-making body comprising all 194 member states—was an unprecedented special session on how to handle the next pandemic. Countries agreed to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body “to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.” The body’s first meeting must be no

later than March 1 next year to elect two co-chairs and four vice-chairs. A progress report will be presented at the regular World Health Assembly annual gathering in 2023, with the final outcome presented for consideration at the 2024 WHA. “We need a game change in our global health architecture, so that the international community can respond to future pandemics collectively, effectively and immediately,” Lotte Knudsen, the EU’s ambassador in Geneva, said in a statement. “Today’s decision of the World Health Assembly will therefore make history. The situation and our citizens demand it: we need to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response if we do not want to find ourselves in a similar situation in the future.” AFP

STRAIN PRESENT IN THE NETHERLANDS FIRST

Omicron in Europe before South Africa

HE Omicron coronavirus variant was present in Europe before the first cases were reported in South Africa, new data from the Netherlands showed Tuesday, as Latin America reported its first two cases in Brazil. In the week since the new virus strain was reported to the World Health Organization by South Africa, dozens of countries around the world have responded with travel restrictions – most targeting

southern African nations. But the World Health Organization warned Tuesday – as Canada expanded its restrictions to also include Egypt and Nigeria – that “blanket” travel bans

risked doing more harm than good. And the likely futility of broad travel restrictions was underscored as Dutch authorities reported that Omicron was present in the country before South Africa officially reported its first cases, on November 25. The new variant – whose high number of mutations the WHO believes may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines – was found in two Dutch test samples from November 19 and 23, with

one having no travel history. With countries now on alert for the Omicron variant, a clearer picture is emerging by the day of where it has been circulating, and for how long. So far, well over a dozen countries and territories have detected cases, including Australia, Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy and Portugal. Among European countries, Belgium and Germany have both reported cases of the new strain prior to November 25, but

US High Court to hear challenge to Mississippi abortion prohibition ABORTION in America faces its fiercest challenge in a generation when a US Supreme Court dramatically reshaped by Donald Trump hears opening arguments Wednesday in a case that could roll back 50 years of reproductive rights. The nine justices – among them six conservatives – will examine a 2018 law in the southern state of Mississippi that prohibits most terminations after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The court is expected to render a decision by next June, and supporters and opponents alike agree the case ruling could be a historic moment regarding a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy. In the landmark 1973 decision Roe vs. Wade, the court held that access to abortion is a woman’s constitutional right, striking down state laws that re-

Macau junket firm closes VIP salons after boss arrest SUNCITY Group is closing all VIP gaming rooms in Macau casinos on Wednesday, days after its boss Alvin Chau was detained for allegedly running an illegal cross-border gambling syndicate, local media have reported. Chau was arrested over the weekend and remanded into custody accused of leading a criminal group, money laundering and illegal gambling, charges that can carry between three and 12 years in jail. Suncity’s VIP salons at Galaxy Macau and StarWorld Hotel, two properties of Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group, will close as of December 1, the group told Macau’s public broadcaster TDM on Tuesday. The group – Macau’s largest junket operator – said it will undergo “structural adjustments” following the VIP room closure, but denied reports that it had suspended staff salaries, TDM said. Bloomberg News, citing an anonymous source, reported that at least one-third of Suncity’s Macau workers faced salary suspensions while staff are blocked from company systems such as email and chatrooms. Both Suncity’s Hong Kong and Macau websites were inaccessible on Wednesday. Trading in the group’s shares in Hong Kong were also suspended on Wednesday, the second time this week. The group has not responded to requests for comment from AFP. Macau’s Labor Affairs Bureau said it had been in contact with Suncity regarding staff arrangements and had not received any complaints from employees, TDM reported Wednesday. AFP

FOR A GOOD CAUSE.

South Korean children wearing Santa Claus outfits perform during a ceremony to launch a year-end fundraising campaign at Seoul Plaza in Seoul on December 1, 2021. AFP

stricted the procedure. In a 1992 ruling, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the court guaranteed a woman’s right to a termination until the fetus is viable outside the womb, which is typically 22 to 24 weeks. The Supreme Court’s rulings did not put an end, however, to conservative and religious opposition to the procedure, and anti-abortion activists believe their moment may have finally arrived after years of political and legal battles. “We recognize the magnitude of what we are asking,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch wrote in The Washington Post. She argued that in Roe the court took the difficult task of abortion policymaking “out of the hands of the people” and into those of unelected judges who decide the fate of Americans’ lives. AFP

NZ to send peacekeepers to Solomon Islands NEW Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday ordered police and troops to join an international peacekeeping mission in the crisis-hit Solomon Islands following deadly antigovernment riots. Ardern said the deployment of 65 peacekeepers followed a request from the Solomons government, which was almost toppled during the unrest that claimed at least three lives and reduced much of downtown Honiara – the country’s capital – to smouldering rubble. She said an initial force of 15 New Zealand personnel would set off Thursday and another 50 would join them over the weekend. The New Zealand leader said they

would work with Solomons police and about 200 peacekeepers already on the ground in Honiara from Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. “We are deeply concerned by the recent civil unrest and rioting in Honiara, and... we have moved quickly to provide urgent assistance to help restore sustained peace and security,” Ardern said in a statement. The crisis erupted last week when protests over government policies turned violent, fuelled by poverty, unemployment and inter-island rivalries in the nation of 800,000. Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is set to face a no-confidence motion filed by the opposition on Monday, providing another potential flash-

point for unrest. After trying to storm parliament, mobs ran amok for three days, torching much of Honiara’s Chinatown area and attempting to burn down Sogavare’s home. Calm was restored after Australian troops and police rushed to Honiara in response to Sogavare’s desperate plea to Canberra for help. Ardern said the New Zealanders were well equipped to deal with dangerous situations. “Every deployment brings its risks and challenges but our people have vast experience in the Pacific region and are amongst some of the most highly skilled when it comes to de-escalating conflict,” she said. AFP

‘China hunting Taiwanese abroad through deportation’ BEIJING has pressured foreign governments to deport hundreds of Taiwan nationals to China, a new report found, in what human rights activists describe as a “hunt for Taiwanese”. More than 600 Taiwanese were extradited from various countries to China between 2016 and 2019 in an effort to “undermine Taiwanese sovereignty,” rights group Safeguard Defenders said in a report Tuesday. China claims self-ruled democratic Taiwan as its territory, to be retaken one day by force if necessary, and has stepped up efforts in recent years to diplomatically isolate it. China and Taiwan agreed in 2009 that police from both sides would return overseas suspects to their respective territories. But Beijing began to increasingly ig-

both linked to foreign travel. Latin America reported its first two cases Tuesday – in people who traveled from South Africa to Brazil – and a first case was confirmed in Japan, one day after it barred all foreign arrivals. While much is still unknown about the Omicron variant – it could take weeks to determine whether and to what extent it is vaccine-resistant – it has highlighted that the global fight against COVID-19 is far from over. AFP

nore this agreement after the election of Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, according to the NGO’s report. As Tsai has tried to assert the island’s distinct identity, China has more aggressively professed its claim over Taiwan. Safeguard Defenders said Beijing had pressured governments—including the Philippines and Cambodia—to extradite hundreds of Taiwanese mostly accused of telecoms fraud to China, despite efforts by the Taiwan government and the UN Human Rights Council to prevent the forced transfers. Those extradited to China faced “arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, and forced televised confessions,” Safeguard Defenders said. Spain accounted for the greatest number of known forced transfer cases

– more than 200 – despite being bound by the European Convention on Human Rights, according to the report. A Spanish court ruled in 2017 that a group of 121 Chinese and Taiwanese fraud suspects could be extradited to China, pointing to Beijing’s widely followed “One-China policy” – in which Taiwan is diplomatically considered a part of China. The Spanish government has shown a “clear disregard” for its human rights commitments and a “lack of understanding of the severity of human rights abuses in China,” Safeguard Defenders said. In a contrasting European ruling, last year the Czech Supreme Court rejected China’s extradition request for eight Taiwan nationals, citing the risk of torture and Beijing’s poor rights record. AFP

Archeologists find mummy 1,200 years old ARCHEOLOGISTS in Peru working on a site in the outskirts of the capital Lima have unearthed a mummy believed to be between 800 and 1,200 years old – and, surprisingly, bound with rope. The remains are thought to be of a man aged 18-22 at the time of his death, with his hands covering his face. The mummy was found in a burial chamber that is about three meters long and at a depth of about 1.4 meters at the dig site in Cajamarquilla, about 24 kilometers east of Lima. Archeologist Pieter Van Dalen, who is in charge of the Cajamarquilla project, called the find “peculiar and unique.” “The mummy would have been buried sometime between 800 and 1200 AD,” he said – meaning it would be at least 800 years old. On one side of the mummy, experts found the skeleton of an Andean guinea pig and what appears to be a dog, according to the researchers at the University of San Marcos. Traces of corn and other vegetables were found in the burial chamber. Cajamarquilla was an urban center that could have been home to 10,000-20,000 people, Van Dalen explained. The city was built in around 200 BC and was occupied until about 1500. AFP

Business

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market tumbles; SM Prime, Jollibee slump S TOCKS plummeted Wednesday as the market resumed session after a holiday and played catch-up with the steep losses of the global markets the other day.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 253.82 points, or 3.5 percent, on a value turnover of P14.4 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 165 to 40, with 42 issues unchanged. SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group slumped 6.4 percent to P35, while Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, dropped 5.9 percent to P221.20. BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, fell 4.8 percent to

P118, while Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest mobile phone firm, declined 4.4 percent to P3,136. The rest of the Asian markets mostly rose Wednesday while oil prices bounced as traders assessed the global economic outlook after top drug makers offered differing opinions on their vaccines’ efficacy against Omicron and the Fed took a hawkish pivot on monetary policy. A mild recovery from the previous two days’ steep losses was turned on its head in the region on Tuesday after Moderna head Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times that existing vaccines might not be as effective against the new coronavirus strain, owing to its multitude of mutations. But other drugmakers later said it was far too early to make a judgement. The

boss of BioNTech, which made a shot Delta variant, the market should bounce look for 2022,” he added. “Such uncertainty will likely push with Pfizer, said it was likely people strongly,” said strategist Louis Navelsome people to the sidelines who want would be protected against severe symp- lier. “Conclusions the other way could to lock in the strong gains they’ve altoms. The less alarming outlook from oth- weigh heavily on the current bullish out- ready booked for 2021.” With AFP er firms helped settle nerves Manila slightly while news that Mod- Standard TODAY erna, Pfizer and the backers of Russian vaccine Sputnik V are already working on an Omicron-specific vaccine also proDepartment Administrative Order No. 21-07 vided some solace. Series of 2021 With medical experts saying Omicron was still being asIN THE MATTER OF THE PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION ON THE ANTI-DUMPING sessed, analysts said markets APPLICATION ON THE IMPORTATION OF ORDINARY would remain volatile. PORTLAND CEMENT TYPE 1 (AHTN Code 2523.29.90) “If by this time next week the AND BLENDED TYPE 1P (AHTN Code 2523.90.00) medical gurus have concluded FROM VIET NAM that existing vaccines are ‘suffi(Anti-Dumping Case No. AD01-2021) cient’ and/or the Omicron virulence is milder than the current Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc. (RCBM), CEMEX - Solid Cement Corporation/ Apo Cement Corporation, and Holcim Philippines Inc. Petitioners x----------------------------------------------------------------------------x

ORDER Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc. (RCBM), CEMEX - Solid Cement Corporation/ Apo Cement Corporation , and Holcim Philippines Inc. (HPI), filed applications for antidumping on Ordinary Portland Cement Type 1 (AHTN Code 2523.29.90) and Blended Cement Type 1 P (AHTN Code 2523.90.00) imported from Viet Nam. The applications alleged that the said products are being dumped in the country, and by reason thereof is causing material injury to the local cement industry producing like product. The period of investigation for dumping covered import transactions from July 2019 to December 2020 while the period of investigation for injury considered relevant information from 2017 to June 2020. The Department of Trade and Industry acting pursuant to RA 8752 (Anti-Dumping Act of 1999), and after preliminary determination, has found that Type 1 and Type 1P cement originating from Viet Nam are being dumped, causing material injury to the domestic cement industry. IN VIEW THEREOF, provisional anti-dumping duties in the form of a cash bond shall be imposed for four (4) months, from the date of effectivity of this Order, on importations of Type 1 and Type 1 P cement originating from Viet Nam. (Annex A). The records of the case shall be transmitted to the Tariff Commission for a formal investigation to determine if all of the legal requirements for the application of definitive anti-dumping duties have been met.

FIJI WELCOME. Traditional dancers in grass skirts welcome holiday-makers in Nadi on December 1, 2021, as Fiji opens its borders to international travelers for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe and devastated its tourismreliant economy. AFP

Lockdowns sank Australian economy in third quarter SYDNEY, Australia—Pandemic-induced lockdowns caused Australia’s economy to shrink 1.9 percent in the third quarter, a downturn that bucked the trend of a steady recovery in other wealthy nations. The Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday reported the country’s second quarterly contraction since the pandemic began—and one of the largest contractions on record—sparked by long-running containment measures in populous states. Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra were all closed for chunks of the quarter, causing households to spend dramatically less on services. There was a 21-percent drop in spending on hotels, cafes and restaurants and a 40 percent drop in spending on transport. The downturn was out of step with other major economies such as Canada, India, Japan, the United States and the eurozone, which all saw growth during the period as they reopened for business. Economists had forecast a 2.8-percent contraction, but increased exports appear to have come to the rescue— buoyed by high coal and gas prices. The economy is widely expected to bounce back in the final quarter of the year. “These data show the significant disruption caused by

lockdowns in the two largest states, they are now firmly in the rear-vision mirror,” said NAB chief economist Alan Oster. He added that indicators of more recent activity suggest “a very solid rebound is already underway.” The latest figures will further raise concern about the potential impact of the Omicron variant, with Moody’s Investor Service on Wednesday warning the new strain “poses new risks to the global economic growth and inflation outlook.” With 87 percent of over-16s now fully vaccinated, there are hopes that further lockdowns can be avoided. But Australia is among the countries that have already tightened travel restrictions as a result of the strain’s discovery. “The emergence of Omicron highlights that the biggest uncertainty around the outlook comes on the health front. ‘Living with COVID’ is proving to be unpredictable,” said ANZ senior economist Felicity Emmett. “While it’s too early to predict its impact, its emergence reminds us that this is a health crisis first and that economic outcomes are tied to the health outlook.” The Reserve Bank of Australia has predicted that while the economic recovery has been “uneven,” economic “confidence has held up reasonably well.” AFP

The non-confidential report of the preliminary anti-dumping measures investigation can be accessed at the DTI website: https://bit.ly/Adv AntiDumping-VN This Order shall take effect upon issuance of the relevant order by the Bureau of Customs. A notice of this Order shall be furnished to the Department of Finance and individual notices shall be sent to interested parties on record. Member economies of the World Trade Organization and Member States of the Association of South East Asian Nations shall be notified through appropriate channels. SO ORDERED. 29 November 2021

RAMON M. LOPEZ Secretary

Peas on Earth: Iceland’s veggie beer a Christmas hit REYKJAVIC, Iceland—A Christmas beer made from green peas and marinated red cabbage has become a festive hit in Iceland, flying off the shelves within hours. Made by a small Reykjavik brewery, the recipe for “Ora Jolabjor”— Ora Christmas Beer—is inspired by Iceland’s Christmas dinner. The nation’s Yuletide feast typically features peas and red cabbage alongside smoked leg of lamb and caramelized potatoes. The new ale, which has 5.2-percent alcohol content, is the brainchild of Valgeir Valgeirsson, a master brewer at RVK Brewing. He has made a name for himself in past years by developing popular Christmas beers made from algae, Christmas tree trunks and even dried fish. The fish beer “was strange,” the 41-year-old brewer with a salt-andpepper beard admitted. This time around, the peas and cabbage were mixed with malt, hops and cloves. Valgeirsson’s brewery has an annual capacity of just 50,000 liters (13,200 US gallons)—a drop in the ocean compared to the output of international beer conglomerates. He whipped up 6,000 liters of his latest concoction, which were then sold online at Iceland’s state-run alcohol monopoly Vinbudin. The first batch of 6,000 cans sold out within hours, and have been replaced by another 18,000. Iceland is a country of 370,000 people.

Brewmaster Valgeir Valgeirsson (right) and an employee pose with cans of ‘Ora jolabjor’, or Ora Christmas Beer, and cans of green peas and marinated red cabbage at the brewery of RVK Brewing Company in Reykjavik on November 16, 2021. AFP

Valgeirsson said the idea began fermenting in his mind six months ago after he got a call suggesting a tie-up with Ora, Iceland’s biggest food manufacturer, for a Christmas beer. “The challenge was something that I was seeking,” he told AFP. The beer can actually resembles Ora’s packaging for its tins of peas and red cabbage. While it may not sound appetizing as a beverage, the combination of peas and cabbage is highly symbolic for Icelanders. The tradition of eating the two side dishes at Christmas dates back to the days when fresh produce was hard to come by in winter.

Valgeirsson’s unusual combination of ingredients has spurred a wave of curiosity. “I was surprised by how good it tasted and how pleasant it was,” said Hedinn Unnsteinsson, a 51-year-old government advisor, who admitted that the beer did have a pronounced smell. Niels Bjarki Finsen compared it to an English bitter ale and said he had expected the veggie ingredients to have a more distinctive taste. Thorsteinn Tomas Broddason, who works in finance, joked that he expected more strange flavors in years to come. “Hoping for the cod liver oil beer next year!” AFP

(MS-DEC. 2, 2021)

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021

COVID-19 may lead to P2.3t in output losses THE Philippines may incur P2.3 trillion in productivity losses from the direct and indirect health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies shows. PIDS senior research fellow Valerie Gilbert Ulep said in a webinar indirect health impacts, such as reduced access to different health services, would account for much of the total cost. He said it is important to measure these impacts to better manage the pandemic. “The coverage rates of key basic health indicators before the pandemic are pretty low. Further decline of these key health indicators will be very catastrophic to population health and wellbeing,” he said. Citing a 2017 Universal Health Coverage data, Ulep said only 50 percent of Filipinos received prenatal care, 55 percent of children with pneumonia visited a health provider and 77 percent of children received vaccination. He said these indicators were relatively low compared to other countries. Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority data, 6 percent of deaths in 2020 could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and a higher death toll might be expected in 2021. The author said the decline in inpatient care among children was “alarming” and that the indigents suffered the largest drop in medical claims. “The poor are not accessing health services anymore. This finding has [a] huge equity implication. It means that the poor might have a huge unmet need for health care during the pandemic,” Ulep said. The number of consultations in rural health units significantly declined, particularly among vulnerable populations. Ulep said the role of RHUs is critical because “they are the gateway of individuals and communities to the public system” by providing basic healthcare services and other interventions. Julito G. Rada

Business

EEI to hire more than 10,000 construction workers in 2022 By Othel V. Campos

ONSTRUCTION company EEI Corp. announced Wednesday it will hire more than 10,000 skilled workers in 2022 to speed up the completion of ongoing and future projects as the government continues to push for the full reopening of the economy. EEI vice president for human resources management Reynaldo Dizon said the company would run on sustained high gear in the immediate term as it participates in auctions and secures projects from the private and public sectors here and abroad. “The economy is picking up and the construction industry is flexing its muscles as COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed. EEI Corp. will take advantage of this development and will go full blast next year,” he said. The company said it would recruit more carpenters, masons, rebarmen, scaffolders, welders, pipe fitters, steel workers, engineers, architects, safety, quality control personnel, electricians and civil works supervisors to man the development projects.

EEI employs 13,382 employees across different construction projects in the Philippines; 6,909 overseas and 3,201 in its subsidiaries. EEI is one of the few local construction companies that provide a diverse array of career opportunities—both domestic and overseas—to its employees. It is a leading producer of highly-skilled workers much sought after in the construction and engineering labor market. “We really take good care of our employees and their families. This has been highlighted during this pandemic when employees were housed, fed and paid their full salaries/wages despite no production during the ECQ lockdowns,” Dizon said. The firm provides subsistence allowances to cover incidental expenses

while on field deployment. These are on top of standard housing/accommodations while in the project sites. EEI reported last week that its joint venture company with Rushaid Petroleum Investment Company bagged an P11-billion construction project in Saudi Arabia. The project involves the construction of a propane dehydrogenation plant with a production capacity of 843,000 tons per year of propylene. EEI Corp. recently filed for a preferred shares offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange. Based on a prospectus dated Oct. 21, EEI plans to offer up to P4 billion as base offer, with an oversubscription option for another P2 billion to be issued in one or more subseries: Series A preferred shares and Series B preferred shares. It tapped RCBC Capital and SB Capital as joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners and RCBC Capital as sole issue manager. Net proceeds will be used to partially finance projects, pay short-term loans, acquire new equipment and support general corporate purposes and working capital requirements. With Jenniffer B. Austria

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 -253.82 PTS. 6,947.06

TOTAL VOLUME

1,370,569,987

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE

184,666 14,430,967,651.11

ADVANCES

DECLINES UNCHANGED

165 42

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.3840

Japan

Yen

0.008839

0.4453

Pound

1.330200

67.0208

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128254

6.4619

Switzerland

Franc

1.088613

54.8487

Canada

Dollar

0.782718

39.4365

Singapore

Dollar

0.733084

36.9357

Australia

Dollar

0.712300

35.8885

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652309

133.6339

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266560

13.4304

Brunei

Dollar

0.730407

36.8008

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.029718

1.4973

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.7185

Euro

1.133900

57.1304

Korea

Won

0.000846

0.0426

China

Yuan

0.157114

7.9160

India

Rupee

0.013317

0.6710

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.238095

11.9962

New Zealand

Dollar

0.682100

34.3669

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036195

1.8236 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Gov’t debt reached P11.97t in October

OUTSTANDING debt of the national government hit a record high of P11.97 trillion in October from P11.92 trillion in September, driven mainly by the issuance of domestic securities, the Bureau of the Treasury said Wednesday. “For the month, the national government’s total debt slightly increased by P54.48 billion or 0.46 percent primarily due to the net issuance of domestic securities,” the Treasury said. It said that of the total debt stock, 29.3 percent was sourced externally while 70.7 percent represented domestic borrowings. Domestic debt amounted to P8.47 trillion, up by P80.65 billion or 0.96 percent from the end-September 2021 level as a result of the net issuance of government securities. Since the start of 2021, domestic debt increased by P1.77 trillion or 26.49 percent. External debt hit P3.50 trillion, P26.17 billion or 0.74 percent lower from the previous month. Julito G. Rada

PNR Clark Phase 1 seen finished by 2024

THE Department of Transportation said Wednesday it is on track to complete the construction of the P106-billion PNR Clark Phase 1 by 2024. The agency said the overall progress rate of the Balagtas station of the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos) was at 23.97 percent, while the Bocaue station was at 23.18 percent. The PNR Clark 1 rail line will have 10 stations and will traverse the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and Meycauayan and the municipalities of Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto and Malolos City. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said during the inspection of the PNR Clark 1 segment of the North-South Commuter Railway System the project would reduce the travel time between Malolos and Tutuban from one hour and 30 minutes to only 35 minutes. He said the project would create 7,500 jobs during construction period. Darwin G. Amojelar

Pag-IBIG Fund members save more than P52b PAG-IBIG Fund members saved more than P52 billion in the first 10 months, breaking another record for the period and exceeding full-year figures before the pandemic, top agency officials said Wednesday. Data showed the amount collectively saved by members with the agency reached P52.47 billion from January to October– the highest for any 10-month period. The savings collected so far this year grew 35 percent from the same period in 2020 and were 26 percent higher compared to figures from 2019, which was the agency’s best performing year. “Even during these challenging times, we are happy to see that members are still keen on growing their savings with PagIBIG Fund. With the amount of savings increasing by P13.66 billion compared to last year and P10.81 billion compared to our best year in 2019, these numbers clearly show that Pag-IBIG Fund has already recovered from the effects of the pandemic,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, who heads the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees. “In fact, the P52-billion savings collected as of October this year already exceeds the amount of savings collected for the whole 12 months in all previous years. With more savings, Pag-IBIG now has more funds for its programs to help more members in the coming months and even years. This is our contribution to the recovery of the nation, which is being led by President Duterte,” said del Rosario. Driving the growth is the agency’s voluntary savings program, the Modified Pag-IBIG 2 or MP2, according to Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti. He said that in the last 10 months, MP2 savings amounted to a record-breaking P 21.43 billion or 41 percent of the total savings collected for the period. “We have seen the dramatic increase in MP2 in the last five years. In fact, the MP2 is the only figure that did not show signs of slowing down, and even grew during the pandemic. But the growth in 2021 is truly remarkable. The P21.43-billion MP2 savings as of October is more than double the P10.21 billion collected in the same period last year and is already P8.16 billion more than the P13.27 billion collected for the whole 2020. To put it into another perspective, MP2 has grown so much this year that savings as of October is higher than the total amount collected from 2012 to 2019 combined!,” said Moti.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

MPIC garners ‘A’ rating in infrastructure index

CINEMA REOPENING. Moviegoers enjoy watching at SM Cinema Dasmariñas, as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases extends the Alert Level 2 until Dec. 15 in Cavite province. Under the protocols, cinemas are allowed to operate at up to 50-percent of capacity, plus 10 percent if they have secured safety seal certification. Moviegoers are required to wear face masks and move one seat apart. Dennis Abrina

DMCI unit allocates P110m to decommission Palawan nickel mine By Jenniffer B. Austria BERONG Nickel Corp., a unit of DMCI Mining Inc., said Wednesday it allocated P110 million to decommission and rehabilitate its nickel mine in Quezon, Palawan. DMCI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would spend most of the budget to stabilize the mined-out area in Berong mine through benching, drainage construction and planting of endemic and indigenous trees. The rehabilitation of the mine will be conducted over a six-year period and will cover 109 hectares of surface mine, 209 hectares of silt control structures and 25 hectares of stockpile area. The program is expected to generate

135 jobs. “Our end goal is to restore and enhance the mined land so its economic and ecological value is similar to, if not better than, when we started operations in the area,” said DMCI Mining president Tulsi Das Reyes. After rehabilitation, the disturbed areas could be used for eco-tourism, agroforestry and inland fish farming by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local government units and host communities. About 14 hectares of mine access road will also be rehabilitated and turned over to the community for their use. The Berong mine opened in October 2006 and is expected to be fully depleted by year-end.

Aside from generating 1,634 direct and indirect jobs, the mining operations yielded 10.3 million wet metric tons of nickel ore and P2.6 billion-worth of mining duties, royalties and taxes. Community investments through the BNC Social Development and Management Program reached around P185 million. These investments included infrastructure, livelihood assistance, scholarships, among others. DMCI Mining posted a net income of P983 million in the first nine months, up 290 percent from P252 million recorded in the same period last year on higher selling prices, shipment and production. Aside from Berong mine, DMCI Mining also operates a nickel mine in Zambales province.

METRO Pacific Investments Corp., the country’s leading infrastructure investment company, achieved the highest level ‘A’ rating in the Global Listed Infrastructure Organization/ Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (ESG Index for Infrastructure, being one of the 19 out of 160 to accomplish this feat. Companies should derive 75 percent of EBITDA from infrastructure groups such as energy, transportation and storage, communications infrastructure, transportation, renewable energy and regulated network utilities to be eligible for the GLIO/GRESB ESG Index in the same way as the parent GLIO Index. “Metro-Pacific is the highest ‘A’ rated emerging markets company in the 2021 GLIO/GRESB public disclosure assessment. Only 19 companies achieved the highest level ‘A’ rating from the 160 in the GLIO/GRESB ESG Index for infrastructure,” said GLIO chief executive Fraser Hughes. “Metro Pacific can be proud it finds itself in this top group for ESG transparency – it’s a fantastic achievement”. MPIC chief finance, sustainability and risk officer Chaye Cabal-Revilla said: “The work that we have done and continue to do has been a progressive contributor to national development—the figures we disclose, the stories we tell and the impacts we make, are testaments to that. It is essential for us to provide transparent, accurate, and sufficient information for all our stakeholders, so they are aware of the impact of the decisions we make in operating our businesses.”

Group sets up forum on tobacco, health laws

SHFC PROJECT. Officials of Social Housing Finance Corp. and Antipolo City lead the groundbreaking ceremony at People’s Plan Community Teamwork Homeowners’ Association Inc. in Antipolo City to start the construction of a socialized housing initiative that will benefit more than 1,100 families. The project is classified under the agency’s high density housing program, a slum redevelopment strategy where informal settler families living along waterways and danger zones of the National Capital Region are accommodated in multistory buildings to ensure safe and permanent housing solutions.

AN INDEPENDENT academic-based consultancy firm scheduled a half-day webinar on two vital laws affecting taxation and regulation of sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol products, tobacco products, heated tobacco and vapor products. The event, set at 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Dec. 3, seeks to provide the public, particularly publicists and media practitioners, a deeper understanding of Republic Act 11346 and RA 11467. The organizer, Center for Local Governance & Professional Development Inc., said the Dec. 3 affair forms part of its webinar series with the view of “raising awareness and further creating public value for several societal issues and concerns.” The forum would be conducted in a Kapihan format. “More than two years have passed since the enactment of RA 11346 and nearly two years since the approval of RA 11467, but we have yet to truly un-

derstand its impact of the lives of common people and the Philippine economy in general,” the CLGDP said in a statement. “Furthermore, an assessment of the implementation of its revenue goals and its contribution towards funding the Universal Health Care Law is called to contribute to the continuing quest for improving its tax system,” it said. RA 11346 increased taxes on cigars and cigarettes and imposed excise taxes and regulations on e-cigarettes. RA 11467 amended the National Revenue Code to provide VAT exemptions for the sale and importation of prescription drugs and medicines for diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and kidney diseases. It also increased and simplified the tax base of the excise tax on wines and distilled spirits, among other provisions.

Sports

Suns stun Warriors; Nets sink NY Knicks LOS ANGELES—he Phoenix Suns shrugged off an early injury to Devin Booker to extend their winning streak to 17 games with a 104-96 victory over the pace-setting Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. The much-anticipated showdown between the NBA’s two best teams did not disappoint as Phoenix shut down Stephen Curry with a superb defensive effort. The victory vaulted Phoenix to the top of the Western Conference alongside Golden State, who entered Tuesday’s contest in Phoenix on the back of a seven-game winning run. Phoenix and Golden State now lead the Western Conference with 18 wins and three defeats each. The Suns’ victory was all the more impressive given that star shooting guard Booker departed with a hamstring injury in the second quarter. With Booker absent, it was left to veteran Chris Paul to shepherd the Suns over the line in the second half. Paul finished with 15 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. DeAndre Ayton led the Suns scorers with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but it was Phoenix’s defense which proved the difference, restricting the Warriors scorers to just 18 points in the fourth quarter. “We’re an improving defensive team for sure,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “To me this was just will and toughness... our guys just willed themselves to victory.” Williams had special praise for Paul, the 36-year-old point guard who contributed 39 minutes on court after the injury to Booker. “Chris playing 39 minutes speaks to his will and his dedication to the game,” Williams said. “We just had a number of guys step up.” Jordan Poole led the scoring for the Warriors with 28 points but Curry was restricted to just 12 points on a night when his usual accuracy from beyond the arc deserted him. The Warriors star made only three of 14 attempts from three-point distance. Harden cuts loose In New York, James Harden produced a gem to finish with 34 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists as the Brooklyn Nets held off a fierce challenge from the New York Knicks to secure a 112-110 victory. Harden gave Brooklyn the early initiative with 15 points in the first quarter while Kevin Durant showed his class with 27 points overall. Durant missed all of his five threepoint attempts but was crucial in engineering looks for the red-hot Harden. Cam Thomas added 12 points and Patty Mills 10 for Brooklyn. The Knicks stayed in touch with five payers in double figurers led by Alec Burks with 25 points and Julius Randle with 24 points. Evan Fournier set up a thrilling finale with a three-pointer to tie the game for the Knicks at 110-110 with 17.7 seconds remaining. AFP

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors drives the ball against JaVale McGee of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of the NBA game at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP

PBA joins Asia’s best teams in East Asia Super League T

HE Philippine Basketball Association has hooked up with the East Asia Super League, the new pan-regional tournament that features eight of Asia’s best teams from the region’s top leagues to compete for the $1 million prize money.

Bolstered by its 10-year agreement with FIBA, basketball’s global governing body, the EASL has also formalized a multi-year partnerships with the Japan B.LEAGUE, Korean Basketball League and Chinese Taipei P. LEAGUE+ along with a seeded and top Greater China team in Hong Kong SAR. The set-up will have the eight teams split into two groups of four play a roundrobin format. Each team plays a home-and-away game in their group, six games each, for a total of 24 games during the group stage set from October 2022 to February 2023, with two EASL Group Stage games taking place every Wednesday night. The top two teams in the standings from each group advance to the Final Four and play in sudden death Semifinals and Championship matches in March 2023. EASL has received buy ins from some of basketball’s most established states-

men, securing investment, as well as brand ambassador and strategic advisory support from NBA stars Baron Davis, Metta World Peace and Shane Battier, as well as top sports industry businesspeople, including NBA agent Bill Duffy, and blue-chip institutional sports-focused funds, including The Raine Group, along with Asia’s top family offices and high net worth individuals. Following four successful large-

scale invitational tournaments from 2017-2019, including the The Terrific 12 two years ago with 117 million viewers on 36 platforms, EASL is proud to take the next step to elevate the sport of basketball in Asia and be Asia’s premier pan-regional league, as well as the most prolific and dynamic Asian basketball storytellers in the digital world for our majority Gen Z and young Millennial fanbase.

By Peter Atencio

Shown here are SBP President Al S. Panlilio, EASL co-founders and top officials Henry Kerins and Matt Beyer, PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas and PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial.

Constantino grabs 3-shot lead with 70

Harmie Constantino beams after draining a late birdie and gaining a three-shot lead over Chihiro Ikeda.

2 PH marks shattered in shootfest

SILANG, Cavite – Harmie Constantino proved a lot better than the rest in exacting day at Langer, taming the challenging par-71 layout with a 70 to wrest a threestroke lead over Chihiro Ikeda after 18 holes of the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Championship here yesterday. Constantino showed grit and poise in tackling the hazard-laden layout and upstaging the other bidders, seizing control with a birdie on the first hole and staying in command despite a two-bogey, one-birdie game in the next 13 holes. She birdied the par-5 16th to spike a pair of 35s and gain a big opening round cushion in the 54-hole championship held under bubble setup and strict health and safety measures. “I played pretty steady although I missed a couple of short putts,” said Constantino, seeking a third victory in her rookie pro season after sweeping the Eagle RidgeAoki legs last March and five weeks ago. She actually missed making it last week after squandering a second round lead and ending up tied at second with Ikeda at the adjacent Couples course. But with a fine showing coupled with her rivals’ shaky starts, the former national champion could be on her way to sustaining her dominant run in the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.-

organized circuit put up by ICTSI. “Try to make less mistakes as much as possible,” she added when asked of her game-plan in the next two days. But Ikeda is right behind at 73, a 38-35 round marred by a double bogey on No. 9 and two three-putt miscues against a tap-in birdie on par-5 No. 5. But the Fil-Japanese, who tied for second in the last two Ladies Philippine Golf Tour stops at Highlands and Couples, birdied the first two holes at the back to close in on Constantino, only to reel back with another missed green mishap on the 14th. “I thought I scored higher, so a two-over card is quite okay on this course,” said ikeda. Daniella Uy stayed within reach despite a double-bogey on the fifth hole as she birdied Nos. 8 and 14 against two more bogeys. But the former Junior World champion still in search for an LPGT breakthrough bogeyed the last hole to fall to third with a 74. “I struggled with my tee shots, but hopefully, I’ll settle down tomorrow (today) and hit more fairways,” said Uy, who double bogeyed No. 5, gained a stroke on the eighth but bogeyed Nos. 11 and 12. She, however, hit a chip-in birdie on No. 14 but yielded the stroke on the last for a 36-38.

TWO more Philippine records were set last Sunday in the National 10m Air Pistol and 10m 3 Pistol Competitions at the Philippine Marine range inside the Ft. Bonifacio barracks in Makati City. Amparo Teresa Acuna did it again when she broke the national mark in the 50-meter 3-position air rifle event and after smashing it last week. Philippine National Shooting Association secretary general Iryne Garcia confirmed this in an online post, as the four legs of the national championships drew to an end. The 24-year-old Acuna scored 1152 points, which bettered her 1149 points last week. Prior to this, she held the previous national mark of 1146 in the 2019 Doha Asian Championships. Acuna’s new record was so impressive, it also tied the national men’s record set by Rodolfo Aquino Jr. in the 90s. Garcia also confirmed that Franchette Quiroz claimed a new Philippine record in the women’s 10m air pistol with a score of 567 to earn the gold. Angela Dimaculangan settled for the silver and Elvie Baldivino bagged the bronze. The performances of Acuna and Quiroz came as Olympian Jayson Valdez once again surpassed the Olympic minimum qualifying standard when he shot 1146. Garcia said they will have one more set of competitions this weekend in their bid. The final shootoff, according to Garcia, will allow them to finalize their list of qualifiers for the national team in the coming Southeast Asian Games.

‘Skipman’ makes it to Guinness World Records RYAN Ong Alonzo got an early Christmas present when his extraordinary feat was finally recognized by the Guinness World Records on Nov. 26 as he joined an elite club of world achievers. This came almost two months since the 34-year-old businessman beat the Guinness world record for the double under skips during the Jump to Greater Heights event at Ayala Malls Circuit Makati. “This is one of the best early Christmas gifts I

received. This is sweet,” said Alonzo, who dedicated his latest achievement to wife, Therese, and one-year-old son, Rio. Fondly called “Skipman,” the Kumori Japanese Café co-owner bettered the previous high of 20,000 double skips when he made 21,327 double after six hours. Despite being hampered by cramps, OngAlonzo went on to establish a new world mark of 40,980 skips after six more hours paving the way to his entry to the club of incredible achievers.

In jump rope, a double under means a participant needs to jump up higher than usual while swinging the rope twice under his feet. In establishing the Guinness record, Alonzo cited the valuable help provided by Team OngAlonzo, especially coach Gadric Chusenfu and Benzi Yang. Chusenfu said Alonzo trained like a marathoner as he went through strength, speed and endurance workouts just to make sure that he is physically ready for the challenge.

Ryan Ong Alonzo holds the Guinness World Records certificate that recognizes his record in double under skips

Sports

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021

PH national jr. chessfest starts Friday at PACE in QC

Novak’s blackmail vax claim rejected MELBOURNE—Novak Djokovic is not being “blackmailed” by Australian Open organisers, a senior official said Wednesday, insisting a requirement for players to be vaccinated was about safety. The 34-year-old world number one would be bidding for a recordbreaking 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne in January, but he has refused to say if he has been jabbed against coronavirus. His father Srdjan told Serbian television on Sunday his son “probably won’t” play the opening Grand Slam of the year over the mandatory inoculation rules. “Of course he would want to go with all his heart,” he said. “But I really don’t know if that will happen. Probably not under these conditions, with this blackmail and when it’s done that way.” Martin Pakula, sports minister in Victoria—the state where the Australian Open is held—said he was keen for the nine-time champion to defend his title. But he told reporters: “If you’re a visiting international tennis player or a visiting sportsman of any kind, it’s about your responsibility to the community that you are being welcomed into. “And that’s why we are asking those international tennis stars to follow the same requirements as Victorians are. “It’s not about blackmail, it’s about making sure the Victorian community is protected.” Tournament chief Craig Tiley made clear last month that all players must be inoculated and there would be no concessions. The Australian Open went ahead this year but players were forced to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine, crowds were restricted and a five-day snap lockdown was called mid-event. Organizers expect it will run as scheduled in 2022 from January 17. They have said fully vaccinated players can enter Australia without being quarantined or confined to bio-secure bubbles, although that scenario could be complicated by the emergence of the new Omicron coronavirus variant. AFP

In this file photo taken on April 14, 2019, American golfer Tiger Woods celebrates after sinking his putt on the 18th green to win during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Woods has ruled out making a full-time return to professional golf as he works his way back from career-threatening leg injuries. AFP

Tiger says no timetable for return but eyes Open M

IAMI—Tiger Woods refused to put a timetable on his return to tournament golf on Tuesday in his ﬁrst public appearance since a serious car crash earlier this year that left him “lucky to be alive”. Speaking to reporters in the Bahamas ahead of the Hero World Challenge, Woods said he would never regain full strength in his right leg, which was left shattered after the crash in Los Angeles in February. Woods, 45, told Golf Digest in an interview on Monday his days as a full-time professional golfer were over, saying that he would pick and choose tournaments from now on. On Tuesday, the 15-time major winner gave no indication of when he expected to be fit enough to play a full 72-hole professional event, repeatedly emphasizing that his recovery was ongoing and that he still felt pain in his back and leg. “As far as playing at the tour level, I don’t know when that’s going to happen,” Woods said. “Now, I’ll play a round here or there, a little hit and giggle, I can do something like that,” Woods said. Woods reiterated that he expects his

post-accident career to mirror that of golfing great Ben Hogan, who was badly injured in a 1949 accident. Hogan, who won 64 PGA Tour events and nine majors, never played more than nine tournaments in a season following the accident. “I don’t foresee this leg ever being what it used to be, hence I’ll never have the back what it used to be, and clock’s ticking. I’m getting older, I’m not getting any younger,” Woods said. “All that combined means a full schedule and a full practice schedule and the recovery that would take to do that. I don’t have any desire to do that. Amputation risk “But to ramp it up for a few events a year as Mr Hogan did, and he did a pretty good job of it—there’s no reason that I can’t do that and feel ready. “I may not be tournament-sharp in a sense that I haven’t played tournaments, but I think if you practice correctly and

you do it correctly, that I’ve come off surgeries before. “So I know the recipe for it, I’ve just got to get to a point where I feel comfortable enough where I can do that again.” Although Woods would not speculate about a possible target for return, he admitted he would be keen to play at next year’s British Open, which will mark its 150th anniversary at St. Andrews, the home of golf where Woods has won twice before. “Yeah, I would love to play at St. Andrews, there’s no doubt about it,” Woods said. “Physically, hopefully I can. I’ve got to get there first. Tournament’s not going to go anywhere, but I need to get there. “It’s my favorite golf course in the world. To be a two-time Open champion there, just being a part of the champions dinner is really neat. “From my first one in ‘05 I got to attend a champions dinner, it was pretty neat to be a part of.” Woods meanwhile declined to comment directly on his memories of the crash, which left him unable to walk unassisted for several months. AFP

Team Dasmariñas sweeps Pool A, makes semifinals LIPA City—Team Dasmariñas completed a three-match sweep of Pool A with a 25-20, 25-21, 25-23 victory over Sabong International Spikers in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League on Wednesday at the Aquamarine Recreational Center. Madzlan Gampong went 8-of-14 on attacks and had three blocks and a service ace for 12 points to lead the Monarchs to the semifinals. Team Dasmariñas will battle the Pool A second placer for a spot in the championship match set for Friday afternoon. Hurdling their first step toward becoming the first-ever men’s Champion League winners, coach Norman Miguel knew that the Monarchs needed to hike their level of play in the knockout stage in the tournament that has Rebisco, Pitmaster Foundation Inc., Top Speed,

1Pacman Partylist, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee as platinum sponsors and F2 Logistics, Asics, PLDT, MVP Sports Foundation and Mikasa as gold sponsors and BCDA, Philippine Red Cross, Lipa City, Davis Paint and Emerald PVC Pipes, Fittings and Doors as silver sponsors with PNVF godfather, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Champions League, giving his full support. “We are happy of course that we ranked No. 1 in our bracket, that’s our short-term goal for this tournament,” said Miguel, whose main concern right now is the fitness of the players. “I think, we have to work on our conditioning. Good thing, we have to rest tomorrow (Thursday).” The veteran presence of Gampong, a former National University standout,

NBA leaders, faces, owners THE BOTTOM LINE LITO CINCO NOW quick. In the NBA, what do Golden State, Phoenix and Miami have in common? And in the past, what do Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant have in common? For NBA oldtimers, you can include Bill Russel, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens and Wes Unseld. Before giving the answers, if you remember, last week, I wrote about passion and leadership, but limited it to PBA teams, but I promised to dwell on a similar angle, but for the NBA this time.

But with a little twist, this time. I would like to share my personal observations, to which you may or may not disagree, on some of the NBA’s owners, faces, and again team leaders, current and past. Fact is, my son already disagreed with me on my factors that will define a player as the face of a team. He thinks each team has a face, normally their leading scorer, but I told him I was looking for something higher than just being the leading scorers of their teams. By owners, I do not mean people like Mark Cuban, the brash owner of the Dallas Mavericks. I mean players who “own” their teams by virtue of their personality, power and influence on the team, for some their leadership roles and public perception as the factors. LeBron James

Members of Team Dasmariñas celebrate a point.

easily comes to mind. Then, the “faces” of teams, meaning those whose teams are automatically identified with the players, in this case, Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls would be a prime candidate. The last would be those considered as the true leaders of their teams, factoring in common characteristics of leadership, coupled with passion not just for the game but for willing their teams to win with their on-court, even off-court performances. For me, Boston Celtic Larry Bird is a very good example during his era, just as Jordan was in his generation. And revisiting videos on YouTube on these two great players will bear me out on this, in fact some would argue for the inclusion of Magic and Kobe Bryant in this elite list. There are players, who actually may fit in all three factors, the elite of the elite I would say, and again Jordan, Bird, Magic, Kobe and in his prime, Russel, are easy choices.

I would even say John Havlicek and Dave Cowens, even Isiah Thomas, deserve to be here. Okay, throw in Kareem Abdul Jabbar, too. For current generation of players, people would normally include Warriors Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo from defending champion Milwaukee, Joel Embiid from the 76ers, Kevin Durant from the Nets and my favorite blue-collar superstar Jimmy Butler from the Heat. A sidenote on Jimmy, I remember the time last year at the NBA All-Star weekend when Butler refused to suit up unless teammate Bam Adebayo, whom he felt was deserving of a slot, too, was also named to the All-Star Game. I do not think Jimmy was acting for himself here, rather he was showing his team where he stood with them, earning him even more respect from them. As I was tossing things around with JM, while we were driving back home from Liliw and Pagsanjan with the

THE country’s best and brightest young woodpushers will get to test their mettle and clash over the board for the first after a two-year pandemic hiatus in the Philippine National Juniors Championships slated Friday at the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence building in Mindanao Ave., Quezon City. FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri and Vic Glysen Derotas will be the player to watch out for in the field of 20 players—10 boys and 10 girls—that made the nine-round tournament via the online qualifiers. Jeremiah Luis Cruz, Karlycris Clarito, Jr., Khent Darylle Delig, Adrian Othniel Yulo, Jarvey Labanda, Christian Marcelo Olaybal, Israelito Rilloraza, Johnmari Joseph Lu and Ronald Canino complete the boys’ cast. The girls’ section will also be composed of Ma. Eliza Villa, Rinoa Mariel Sadey, Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian, Bea Mendoza, Jarel Renz Lacambra, Lexi Grace Hernandez, Precious Eve Ferrer, Ruelle Canino and Darlyn Villanueva. Winners of this event will receive cash prizes plus berths to next year’s Philippine National Championships and become one of the country’s bets in international events like the Asian and World Juniors Championships also next year. Nouri, 15, has been touted as one of the favorites being the country’s youngest to ever claim the FM title at seven years old in this four-day meet supported by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez, NCFP president Butch Pichay, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino and Chess Movement, Inc. chairman Dr. Ariel Potot. “This our first over-the-board tournament after holding online tournaments in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic so everybody is just excited to play,” said NCFP chief operating officer Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, who said they will implement strict health guidelines. The 20-year-old Derotas, for her part, is fancied to claim the crown in the girls’ side having ruled this same competition when this same event was done face-toface two years ago at the Alphaland in Makati City. Jeth Romy Morado won the last juniors crown two years ago. was a big boost for the Monarchs in the pool round. “Madz, ever since from Day 1 here, is consistent for us. He is our go-to guy. We know it and he knows that every well,” Miguel said. “Madz is a big factor for us. I hope he remains fit going to the semis.” Mark Calado hammered 11 kills while captain Jayvee Sumagaysay had two blocks for a nine-point effort for the Monarchs. Jelord Talisayan paced SIS with 15 kills while Charles David Absin chipped in 10 points. SIS fell to 1-2 won-lost and its fate in clinching the remaining semifinals berth will depend on the result of the final preliminary round match between MRT-Negros and Global Remit on Wednesday afternoon. The games are live streamed over the PNVF official website volleyballphilippines.com, iWantTFC for local and international audiences, Puso Pilipinas and Smart Sports Facebook pages and YouTube channels and Gigaplay. family last Tuesday, there was another point of disagreement with him was about the current Phoenix Suns. For me, Devin Booker is the face of the team, the future of the team even, but the leader is indisputably Chris Paul, and even Devin himself would not contradict this, I think. Chris has certainly led the young Suns, including to the finals last year. For my son, Chris is both the face and the leader, while Devin is the future, but we readily agreed that for LeBron is not a true leader, though he acts the part with the Lakers, he is the face of the team, on that we also both agreed. Now does this piece make sense? To me, of course it does, I write it after all, I guess with a lot of people, too, but the disagreement with me will be in the choice of players I made, at least for some of the players I may have omitted or named to the wrong group. Ask any LeBron James or Julius Erving fan.

Entertainment English singer and songwriter Adele is one of the world's bestselling music artists.

THE television special Adele: One Night Only, a musical extravaganza celebrating one of the world’s best-selling artists, airs on MYX this Saturday (Dec. 4) at 10:00 p.m. The concert is the longawaited return of the English singer-songwriter featuring extraordinary performances of her beloved hits as well as the songs from her newly released 30 album. Oprah Winfrey also joins the two-hour special as

host of the Q&A portion. The fun continues on MYX’s kumu show, Let’s Stan, as it returns for a brand new season starting Tuesday (Dece. 7) at 7:00 p.m. with VJ Ai Dela Cruz inviting fans of Adele, collectively known as Daydreamers, to talk about the music of the superstar. Bringing more fun on MYX music channel this December is “11:59” singer KZ Tandingan as the MYX Headliner. Rising

Airing this Sunday (Dec. 5) at 10:00 p.m. on GTV, Ageless Passion 3 features the life and works of Chief Justice Panganiban in a musical that captures his life’s meaningful moments and important milestones—from his childhood to his professional journey—via a spirited ensemble portraying his visionary chief justiceship and enduring passion to serve the country. From the poor newsboy in the backstreets of Sampaloc to the presidency of the most widely circulated newspaper in our country; from a modest Catholic to an adviser to the Holy Father in the Vatican; from a frustrated applicant for graduate studies to father of five wonderful children who each achieved his impossible dream of graduating in a pedigreed US university; from a shoeshine boy to the board rooms of the largest blue chips in our part of Planet Earth; and from a frustrated chemical engineer to a reluctant lawyer and to the highest magistrate of the land. Chief Justice Panganiban’s core judicial philosophy can be summed up to “Liberty and Prosperity under the rule of law” – justice and jobs; freedoms and food; ethics and economics; democracy and development; one is useless without the other. Chief Justice Panganiban is now a sought-after speaker, columnist, director, and advisor in many publicly-listed companies, top corporations, and philanthropic foundations in the country. The musical offers an emphatic message encapsulated in the songs “The Newsboy” and “Ageless Passion” where themes of optimism and faith amidst difficulties and turning points in life are emphasized to inspire the youth and the younger generation of lawyers and professionals. Ageless Passion 3 features 18 original music by Maestro Ryan with libretto by Kristian Jeff Agustin – a rising lyricist who completed his Master of Arts in Visual Culture (with Merit) from the University of Westminster and is currently pursuing his PhD in Art and Design in Manchester School of Art, United Kingdom. He worked as a clerk in the office of the Chief Justice Panganiban in the Supreme Court.

THURSDAY, DECEMBR 2, 2021

One night with Adele

Musicale honoring retired CJ Panganiban’s 85th birthday airs on GTV

MA Network Inc., in cooperation with Ube Media and Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity, is happy to present Ageless Passion 3, a musicale on retired Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban’s vibrant life featuring original compositions from National Artist Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

Retired Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban

Topper Fabregas as the young Artemio Panganiban

The musical is headlined by artists Topper Fabregas, Cris Villonco, Michael Williams, Lynn Sherman, and Bart Guingona—plus a special opening song by Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle accompanied by the Manila Symphony Orchestra. Produced by Donna May Lina, Ageless Passion 3 is under the stage direction of Bart Guingona and directed for TV by Louie Ignacio. Rember Gelera renders additional direction for this year’s edition.

artists Jensen Gomez and Jon Guelas, meanwhile, share the limelight on MYX Spotlight. Arriving on Philippines shores is the new MYX Global show Island Block Party, featuring interviews, performances, and music videos with your favorite island, pop, reggae, and R&B artists alongside features on community leaders, events, and businesses. The Japanese survival show Who Is Princess? is also on

MYX this month. The reality competition features 15 young, aspiring Japanese teenage girls who undergo rigorous training until five of them emerge as members of the next big K-Pop group. MYX will air the replay of Adele: One Night Only on Dec. 26 (Sunday) at 8:00 pm. MYX is available on SKYcable ch. 23, Cignal ch. 150, GSAT ch. 35, and on other provincial cable operators.

Season’s star EVERY Christmas time, classic and new songs embracing the spirit of the season take turns through the local airwaves, or in this day and age, in the digital realm. Yet, a big chunk of them, in part because of Pinoy’s romanticism, connect the Yuletide breeze to purely matters of the heart or the essence of gift-giving. Singer-songwriter Adjeng made sure that the message of her own contribution to Filipino-written Christmas repertoire tackled, in her words, “the real star of the season.” The track, titled "In Awe" and dropped on digital stores by Friday (Dec. 3), is a collaborative composition she wrote with her vocal coach Kitchy Molina. “I wanted to come up with a Christmas song that focuses on Jesus, on being awestruck at God’s great love that He sent His only Son to be our Savior,” expressed Adjeng who is putting out singles on a monthly basis since debuting as a solo act last summer. The local band scene has long witnessed Adjeng’s vocal prowess as vocalist for her bands Sipol and Wink. She explained, “While Christmas has always been a season of joy, we’ve had an influx of Christmas songs and carols that feature Christmas characters and gifts. A lot of these sometimes steal the spotlight from Jesus Christ.” "In Awe" is Adjeng’s eighth digital single. It features again ssthe arranging expertise of her frequent collaborator Niño Regalado. It definitely helped that Molina knows her vocal range all too well. She has beenAdjeng’s voice teacher for 13 years and counting, and she describes her as “my biggest critic and one of my great encouragers.” Sharing her thoughts in connection with the current world situation, Adjeng pointed out, “The past two years has seen all of us go through so many upheavals because of this pandemic. But nothing can stop us from embracing and celebrating Jesus Christ. And that’s what ‘In Awe’ is all about. When we take the time to bask in the magnitude of God’s love, we are able to reflect on His character.” The Christmas tale, even if twisted

over and over, remains to be among the most extraordinary events in the Bible. For Adjeng, it is fascinating how God’s Son was “born in the simplest of places, with shepherds and wise men as his first visitors.” Adjeng’s Christmas song is a welcome addition to the ever-growing list of tunes that in essence returns to public consciousness every year. It’s timely that new Christmas hymns be given more attention as we all crave for new hope. Regular favorites sound like a broken record by now. Can’t we get tired of posting the same memes to welcome the -Ber months? She poured out further, “I wanted to create something lasting as my gift to God for all the blessings and favors He continues to bestow upon each of us. When we take the time to reflect on Jesus as the Savior sent from heaven to live among us, we are able to remember God’s presence and the fulfillment of His Word." Adjeng’s 'In Awe,' her eighth and last single this year, is a Christmas song she wrote with her vocal coach Kitchy Molina, released Friday (Dec. 3) on digital stores.

Sing your heart out this Christmas with TM’s 'Kantahang FunPasko'

Topper Fabregas and Cris Villonco

TM ambassadors The Juans, SB19, Matthaios, Silent Sanctuary, Donnalyn Bartolome, Seth Fedelin, Andrea Brillantes, and Alden Richards headline TM’s Kantahang FunPasko.

Michael Williams and Lynn Sherman

WHETHER it’s Yuletide carols playing on loop, a live band playing the year’s chart-toppers, or everyone’s favorite uncle singing the night away on the karaoke mic he’s been hogging for the past five songs, there’s nothing like having music at a Pinoy Christmas get together to double everyone’s good vibes or GV. And while pandemic restrictions may have dampened our musical merry-making during the holidays, there are new ways to keep old traditions alive—one of which is through TM’s Kantahang FunPasko. “Because we are now in our second year in a pandemic, we at TM wanted to give Filipinos the doble-dobleng GV that they deserve,” says Darius Delgado, TM Vice President for Consumer Mobile Business. TM’s Kantahang FunPasko started off with a musical bonanza with the recent release of TM’s Playlist on Spotify with songs that ka-TMs love. Playlist tracks include the TM FunPasko song “Dobleng GV sa FunPasko (Noon, Ngayon, Palagi),” an anthem about

raising Filipinos’ Christmas spirit amid the pandemic; “Push ang Pusuan”; “Fun Pasko 2020”; and “TM Doble Dekada,” a song that celebrates 20 years of TM and all of its subscribers, who are carrying on with the Samahang Pina-Easy spirit. Last Nov. 26, TM launched the official music video of “Dobleng GV sa FunPasko (Noon, Ngayon, Palagi)”. It features ka-TMs The Juans, SB19, Matthaios, Silent Sanctuary, Donnalyn Bartolome, Seth Fedelin, Andrea Brillantes, Alden Richards, and our stans from TM Mad Rush To Your Crush—showing us that everyone is welcome sa TM samahan. “With TM, there’s no stopping the dobledobleng GV that Kantahang FunPasko will bring to this year’s Christmas celebrations,” says Delgado. “This musical experience allows our customers to find solace in these special songs and become part of something bigger than themselves.” Visit this link to listen to TM’s newest song: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=tndMSpVVIVo

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

BEAUTY AND WELLNESS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021

Andrea Brillantes

Maja Salvador

How Maja Salvador and Andrea Brillantes take charge of their health By Nickie Wang

NDREA Brillantes had tested positive for COVID-19 a few months back, it was an experience that aggravated her battle with insomnia and anxiety while under quarantine. Maja Salvador, on the other hand, lost a relative to the dreaded virus. As actors, Andrea and Maja are always in close contact with co-workers and they feel it’s their responsibility to take care of their health, practice health protocols, and ensure that they are not putting anyone, especially in their family, at risk. To help Andrea and Maja take charge of their health, beauty and lifestyle brand Beautéderm has partnered with them in launching Reiko and Kenzen, a line of FDA-approved health boosters formulated to health every person maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Reiko and Kenzen is composed of seven FDA-notified and all-natural Imhealth supplements. It includes a Memory Booster, Energy Booster, Im Enhancmunity Booster, Sleep Enhancer, Sun Protection Enhancer, Diet Enhanc er, and Digestion Enhancer. Reiko and Kenzen Beautéderm Health Boosters aims to provide daily optimum wellness that helps strengthen the overall wellbeing of every individual especially during these trying times where the currency of good living is defined by a holistically sound physical, emotional, and mental conditions. PresIn a grand in-person event held recently, Beautéderm, led by its Pres ident and CEO Rhea Anicoche-Tan, Anicoche-Tan introduced Andrea and Maja as the faces of Reiko and Kenzen. celebraThe launch was in line with the ongoing 12th anniversary celebra tion of Beautéderm that kicked off last August and coincided with the birthday celebration of Anicoche-Tan. “My team and I have been working on Reiko and Kenzen for over reminded us so a year now. The pandemic has taught and re many things – that we should be grateful for all the many blessings God continues to shower to all of us, that fam family is very precious, and that w e should always take care of our health. W e n e e d to boost our immune system and

Beautederm President and CEO Rei Anicoche-Tan with the faces of Reiko & Kenzen Beautederm Health Boosters.

Basketball coach Chot Reyes

take care of not just of our bodies but also our minds as well,” the Beautederm head said. “Reiko and Kenzen is my small contribution to make sure that everyone is in tiptop shape and healthy. I welcome Andrea to the family as she is an amazing addition to the gang. I agree with her a hundred percent that we all need to maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle,” she added. Health and beauty ambassadors Andrea Brillantes is one of today’s most accomplished homegrown young actresses of ABS-CBN. At a young age, she already has an impressive body of work that includes top-rating series like Annaliza, Pangako Sa ‘Yo, Kadenang Ginto, and the recently concluded inspirational, primetime drama Huwag Kang Mangamba as well as notable appearances in films like Crazy Beautiful You, Everyday I Love You, Banal, The Ghosting, The Mall, The Merrier, and the action thriller On The Job: The Missing 8. “I’m a huge fan of Beautéderm, which is such an amazing company that is helping a lot of people live better lives,” says Andrea. “A lot of closest friends are brand ambassadors of Beautéderm and it is such a dream come true for me now that I am officially part of the family. A well-balanced and healthy lifestyle is very important to maintain nowadays and I am honored to be chosen by Ms. Rei to represent Reiko and Kenzen to the market. With these health boosters, I am able to take charge of my health confidently as these essential supplements are providing me with energy and extra protection every day. I cannot be more excited to share Beautéderm Health Boosters with everyone.” Maja Salvador, on the other hand, is considered one of the most acclaimed and prolific artists in the industry today. She has conquered television, film, and even music as both a dancer and a singer. Aside from her legendary live performances and the iconic characters that Maja breathed life into in the silver screen and on TV, she added another feather to her cap as she returned to hosting as one of the mainstays of Eat Bulaga. “Beautéderm is such a blessing and I am honored to be a brand ambassador of Reiko and Kenzen Beautéderm Health Boosters,” says Maja who is also well known as a serious health buff as evident from her active lifestyle. “Reiko and Kenzen is the perfect set of supplements that are ideal for my lifestyle. I am a firm believer in balance – there’s a time to work and a time to unwind and have fun. But what is constant in my life is my conscious effort to stay healthy. Health is one of the most important aspects of my life that I really take the time to focus on every day. This is the reason why I am taking charge of my health Reiko and Kenzen Beautéderm Health Boosters which is the perfect set of supplements for me. I am encouraging everyone to make this line of health boosters a part of their daily lifestyle for that added boost of strength and vigor.” For more information about Reiko and Kenzen Beautéderm Health Boosters and exciting updates on Maja Salvador and Beautéderm, follow @beautédermcorporation on Instagram and TikTok; and @ beautedermcorp on Twitter; like Beautéderm on Facebook; and subscribe to Beautéderm TV on YouTube.

Hitting big five-oh and living your life to the fullest BY THE time we hit our 50s, we will start to notice more and more changes in our body and overall health. Our body’s needs have already evolved and with the health threats around us, we have to take more proactive measures to strengthen our immunity against infections and diseases so we can continue to live our life to the fullest. Developing healthy habits is key: getting quality sleep, leading an active lifestyle, and more importantly, giving our body proper nutrition are just some of the many ways we can protect our health and

Television host Lyn Ching-Pascual

increase our immunity. Celebrity influencers Zsa Zsa Padilla, Chot Reyes, and Lyn ChingPascual prove how age shouldn’t stop us from pursuing our passions, pushing boundaries, and overcoming our limitations. There’s no stopping OPM icon Zsa Zsa Padilla from leading an active life. At 50, she continues to inspire women her age to keep on pushing with her thrilling performances, travel escapades and her newfound love – vlogging. Basketball coach Chot Reyes is always ahead of the game– both on the court and in life. “There is so much more I can do in life when I am Life 5.0 Activated. I will not let my age stop me from achiev-ing my peak,” says the former collegiate star athlete and head coach of Tropang Giga TNT team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Lyn Ching-Pascual, TV host from the daily morning program, Unang Hirit, values health as we age so we can spend more time with our loved ones. “I’m not getting any younger, so keeping fit, being active, and having

the right diet is very important. More so for those aged 50 and up like my mom who is 75 years old! We want to enjoy more moments with her so we are encouraging her to lead a healthier lifestyle,” said Lyn in her Instagram post. As they continue to pursue their next life goals, Zsa Zsa, Coach Chot, and Lyn all share how while a lot has changed in their lives over the years, some things remain true – they continue to live their lives to the fullest. These celebrity influencers are the faces of Mead Johnson’s New PROVITAL Immuna Plus adult milk, which contains nutrients that help activate and strengthen the body’s natural defenses, helping people 50 years old and above continue to live their life to the fullest.

OPM icon Zsa Zsa Padilla