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CHINA, RUSSIA RIP U.S. SNUB OF WINTER GAMES 2022 NEWS / A2

SC: JUSTICES HAVE VOTED ON LAW ON ANTI-TERROR NEWS / A2

VOL. XXXV • NO. 296 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH gains population immunity OCTA cites high mobility, low cases/hospitalization to celebrate X’mas YULETIDE WALTZ. A young

dancer holds a 'parol' (Christmas lantern) as she performs ahead of the blessing and annual lighting ceremony of the Christmas Village in Tabaco City, Albay led by Mayor Krisel Lagman (not in photo) on Monday evening. Norman Cruz

By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas

HE Philippines has already achieved substantial population immunity from COVID-19 as the government continues its effort to vaccinate the majority of the Filipino people, Malacanang said Monday night.

During President Duterte’s “Talk to the People” address, OCTA Research officer and molecular biologist Fr. Nicanor Austriaco Jr. said the country had the highest mobility levels in the past 20 months and experienced the lowest levels Next page

Next vax drive targets 7m for 54m total jabs By Willie Casas

Omicron entry may trigger surge in Jan./Feb. 2022 By Willie Casas

occur in January 2022. A reproduction number higher than 1 OCTA Research fellow Guido David means the virus can be transmitted expoTHE independent OCTA Research Group said the reproduction number in South nentially. on Monday said a surge in COVID-19 Africa doubled when it detected the Omi“In the case numbers in South Africa, cases driven by the Omicron variant may cron coronavirus variant. when it had a Delta surge, the reproduc-

tion number was at 2. With their current surge, which is mostly driven by Omicron, the reproduction number was at, 4 so it doubled,” David said in Filipino. Next page

THE Philippine government wants to fully vaccinate about seven million individuals against COVID-19 for the second round of the mass vaccination drive from December 15 to 17, the Department of Health said Tuesday. This will allow the government to reach the target of 54 million fully vaccinated Filipinos by the end of the year, Next page

Unemployment dips to 7.4% in Oct., third-lowest this year By Julito G. Rada THE country's unemployment rate decreased to 7.4 percent in October 2021 from 8.9 percent a month before, the third lowest rate this year, as more people were employed for the month compared to the same period last year, the Philippine Sta-

JOLLY GOOD FELLOWS. President Rodrigo Duterte jests to elicit a laugh from Fr. Nicanor Austriaco Jr. (right), whom the Chief Executive asked on Monday night to be the next Secretary of Health -- which the Filipino-American molecular biologist and Catholic priest politely declined. Presidential Photo

2,835,345 356

13,026

49,591

2,772,728

871

(As of 4 PM, DECEMBER 7)

OCTA fellow offered Duque’s job PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, visibly in a light mood, has said he would be "happy" to appoint Filipino-American molecular biologist and Catholic priest Fr. Nicanor Austriaco Jr. as the head of the Department of Health. "We would be happy, I would be happy to appoint you as the Secretar of Health, if that is okay with you," Duterte told Austriaco during a taped meeting Monday which the latter attended virtually. Duterte said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III "vents a desire really to rest, you know, after all this ruckus against him." "I’ve been forcing him (Duque) to stay

but he would be happy to give way to you, I’m sure," added the President. Duque, who was present in the meeting, replied, "Yes, Mr. President, to another Thomasian," referring to his fellow alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Reacting to Duterte's offer of heading the DOH, Austriaco said, "No sir. No sir. Secretary Duque is doing a fine job po and he’s a Thomasian sir." The Philippine-born Austriaco, who grew up in Thailand and Malaysia, is a Doctor of Sacred Theology from the University of Fribourg and a Doctor of Philosophy in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Next page

tistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday. In its Labor Force Survey report, the PSA said the lowest reported unemployment rate was in July 2021 estimated at 6.9 percent, followed by 7.1 percent in March 2021. The unemployment rate was highest this year in September 2021 at 8.9 Next page percent.

PCG’S NEWEST.

The Philippine Coast Guard's newest ship, the BRP Malabrigo, sails into Manila Bay on Tuesday following a demonstration for Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, who visited the Parola-class patrol vessel made in Japan. Danny Pata

PCG ships set for ‘water war’ in WPS THE Philippine Coast Guard said Tuesday it was now capable of engaging in a “water war” in the West Philippine Sea, after the Chinese Coast Guard blocked and fired water cannons at Phil-

ippine supply ships last month. The term “water war,” to be analytically useful, refers to conflicts over rights of economic exploitation of water, whether Next page

Makati seniors get P1k worth of GC By Joel E. Zurbano FOTON'S 15TH. Foton Motor Philippines Inc. President Erroll E. Dueñas stands between the mighty force of the all-new Tornado M2E E4 and M6.1C marking FOTON PH's 15th Anniversary.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the P1,000 gift check was part of the THE Makati City government has city's initiatives to encourage sedistributed gift certificates worth nior citizens to get themselves inP37.743 million to some 37,743 fully oculated against COVID-19. Next page vaccinated senior citizens in the city.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

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SC votes on ATA constitutionality T HE justices of the Supreme Court have voted on the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act in the court’s en banc session, SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka confirmed Tuesday.

However, Hosaka said there was a “This is to confirm that the Court En need to confirm and tally the vote of each Banc deliberated and voted on the Anti-Terjustice to ensure the correct resolution of rorism Act case today December 7, 2021,” the court. Hosaka said.

“However, considering that there were numerous issues resolved in the case, as well as the fact that each Justice had to vote on each issue, there is a need to accurately confirm and tally the vote of each Justice in order to ensure the correct resolution of the Court per issue,” he added. Hosaka assured the public the high court would provide an accurate summary of the decision as soon as possible. President Rodrigo Duterte signed the anti-

terror measure in July. A total of 37 petitions were filed assailing the measure, making it one of the most challenged laws in the country. Petitioners have also warned against the provision on up to 24 days of warrantless detention for suspected terrorists and the alleged authority of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) to authorize in writing the arrest of terrorism suspects. Other officials have said there were safeguards in the law to prevent abuse.

tion, prepare, and celebrate Christmas. “This is the best time in 20 months for the entire country,” Austriaco said. “And so this is not the time to panic. It is time to be careful. We have to prepare. But we also have to celebrate especially since this is Christmas.” Austriaco suggested that the country prepare its hospital infrastructure and increase health care workers staffing capacity, considering during the Alpha and Delta surges, the country had nursing shortages, especially in Metro Manila. The government also has to continue vaccinating and boosting the immunity of its population, especially senior citizens. And despite the waning number of infections, he appealed to Filipinos to get immunized. President Rodrigo Duterte expressed optimism that the country can overcome the pandemic with its aggressive immunization campaign against the coronavirus. “[We see] better days ahead because since Dec. 1, we have been on average [getting] 500 to 600 [new cases a day] and the number of active cases continues to go down,” Duterte said. “In Davao last week there was only one. Very impressive. We continue to see a downward trend,” he said, adding that the positivity rate is now under 2 percent. This means that for every 100 persons tested for COVID-19, only two turned out to be positive, the President said. Duterte also said the government was able to administer 10.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the Philippines from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, a huge achievement in the country’s fight against COVID-19.

“We will have a second round of Bayanihan Bakunahan from Dec. 15 to 17,” he said, announcing a second round of vaccination days. Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said 23 highly urbanized cities have reached herd immunity against COVID-19. The cities, mostly in Metro Manila, have fully vaccinated 70 percent or more of their target population, giving them herd immunity. The list includes all 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, Baguio City, Angeles City, Iloilo City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Davao City. The Philippines logged on Tuesday logged 356 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of cases to 2,835,345. This was the lowest daily number of cases recorded since July 2, 2020. There were 92 new fatalities recorded, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 49,591. The DOH also reported 871 new recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,772,728. There were 13,026 active cases, of which 899 were asymptomatic; 5,314 mild; 3,900 moderate; 2,326 severe; and 587 critical. The positivity rate was at 1.4 percent, based on test results of samples from of 24,360 people tested on Dec. 5. Nationwide, 26 percent of ICU beds, 25 percent of isolation beds, 13 percent of ward beds, and 14 percent of ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 29 percent of ICU beds, 21 percent of isolation beds, 19 percent of ward beds, and 16 percent of venti-

lators, were in use. On Tuesday, the Palace said the Philippines’ improved ranking in the 2021 Nikkei Asia COVID-19 Recovery Index from 103rd in October 2021 to 57th place in November 2021 is a clear indication that the country has successfully contained the highly transmissible Delta variant. According to Nikkei Asia, the Philippines fared better than Australia, United States, Thailand, Russia, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, and Vietnam. “As we previously stated, rankings such as these should factor in countryspecific COVID-19 context. Our 121st September and 103rd October rankings were done when the Philippines was experiencing a spike of cases brought about by the Delta variant,” Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said in a press briefing. He also urged the public to continue to remain vigilant especially in the coming holiday season. “It’s true, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel; but the only way we can get to the end is if we continue to carefully watch our step. Let's continue to wear masks, wash hands and [observe] social distancing,” Nograles said. The Palace official also shared the news of the country’s upgraded ranking in the 2021 Global Hunger Index, where the country ranked eighth among 21 economies in South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. The country’s current Global Hunger Index score is at 16.8, which was at 20.5 in 2012, 20.4 in 2006, and 25.0 in 2000. The index uses four indicators, namely: undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting and child mortality.

ant only causes mild COVID-19 in patients. During his report to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night aired Tuesday morning, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he had been in talks with World Health Organization country representative Dr. Rabi Abeyasinghe. “He said three things; number one, it seems like evidence that Omicron is only mild is increasing, which is good for all of us,” Duque said. “Number two, there are still no reported deaths on account of the Omicron variant.,” he said. But Duque also said the variant is probably more transmissible. As of December 5, the DOH said 42 countries or jurisdictions across the globe have reported 532 cases of the Omicron variant. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said the WHO may release its information on the Omicron variant within one to two weeks.

Government authorities have yet to locate eight travelers who arrived in the Philippines from South Africa because of incorrect or incomplete personal information, the DOH said Tuesday. The Philippines is tracking dozens of travelers who arrived in the country between Nov. 15 and Nov. 29 amid the threat of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. “The challenge is that the details they provided in their personal information sheet are inaccurate,” Vergeire told ABSCBN’s TeleRadyo. South Africa is among the countries that were placed on the Philippines' red list amid the outbreak of the more transmissible Omicron variant. Vergeire said some travelers provided incomplete contact numbers or addresses. Two others are not answering phone calls, she added. Vergeire said the DOH is coordinating with different government agencies and localities to find the travelers.

"We already flagged the Bureau of Quarantine and the Department of Transportation regarding this matter so that they can coordinate with the specific agencies of these individuals," she said. The DOH is urging the travelers to immediately coordinate with their regional health offices for COVID-19 testing. At a briefing Tuesday, Duque said he is in favor of keeping Metro Manila under Alert Level 2, given the threat of the Omicron variant. Duque said even if the alert level remains the same, the economy will recover, saying a large portion of the economy has already reopened. At the same briefing, Duque welcomed the news that the Philippine’s ranking in the latest COVID-19 recovery ranking by Tokyo-based news magazine Nikkei Asia jumped 46 spots from 103rd to 57th, showing a “significant increase in its infection management scores.” See full story online at manilastandard.net)

PH... From A1

of cases and hospitalizations during the same period, even with the presence of the COVID-19 Delta variant. “These three… together... suggest that we have attained substantial population immunity from natural infections… because the pandemic has raged and spread primarily in our cities and in our first class municipalities,” he said. “The fact that the virus is struggling to find new Filipinos to infect suggests that we have attained substantial population immunity.” Comparing the Philippines with its three neighbors in Southeast Asia, he said Thailand and Malaysia still haven’t seen a dip in cases despite having much earlier surges and the two nations are still experiencing 5,000 cases per day. Vietnam, he said, also had a Delta peak. Unfortunately, Delta has resurged and Vietnam is still experiencing significant numbers of COVID-19 at 15,000 or so every day. The difference is that the Philippines, unlike these three other countries, had substantial waves of previous variants especially the Alpha and Beta, which struck the country in March and April this year. “And so combining the vaccinations and the natural immunity, what you are seeing here is that many of our cities where the pandemic tends to focus are now stable enough to prevent transmission,” Austriaco said. He also advised Filipinos not to panic amid the threat posed by COVID-19 Omicron variant and instead move with cau-

Omicron... From A1

If the variant is detected in the country, he said, a surge might begin in January. “If there will be a surge, it might happen in January or February based on history but that's not a guarantee,” David said. “We have a sufficient level of vaccination in Metro Manila and many other regions. So this could mitigate the spread of Omicron,” he added. The Philippines is still recording more cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant and has yet to detect a case of the Omicron variant. Omicron, which is a variant of concern, has 50 mutations with at least 30 mutations in the spike protein. It has been detected in the United States, South Africa, Europe, and some parts of Asia. The Department of Health (DOH) said evidence suggests that the Omicron vari-

Unemployment... From A1

National statistician and civil registrar general Dennis Mapa said in an online briefing that the employment situation in the country improved, with a reported 43.83 million employed persons in October 2021 from 39.84 million employed persons in the same period last year. "The employment rate posted a monthon-month increase from 91.1 percent in September 2021 to 92.6 percent this October 2021," Mapa said. In terms of magnitude, the total number of unemployed persons 15 years old and over in October 2021 was registered at 3.5 million. This was 309,000 people less than reported in October 2020. The Duterte administration's economic managers—Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Budget Department officer-incharge Tina Rose Marie Canda—said in a joint statement that the numbers affirmed the soundness of the government’s push to safely reopen the economy, restore employment, and manage the spread of COVID-19. “More people are employed today than in the months before the pandemic struck. Employment creation remained positive as 234,000 more Filipinos were able to find work in the past month. This brings total employment to 1.3 million above pre-pandemic levels," they said. They said better employment out-

OCTA... From A1

Duterte previously refused to sack Duque despite repeated calls to step down from his post since last year over the country's management of the COVID-19 crisis and the P15-billion corruption allegation against medical state insurer PhilHealth that the DOH chief chairs.

comes in October were driven by the government’s policies that further reopened the economy safely, such as shifting to the alert level system and granular lockdowns from large-area and blanket quarantines and allowing more mobility for vaccinated individuals. "Credit should also be given to the close collaboration between the private sector and government not only in accelerating the inoculation drive for our people but also in enforcing the minimum health protocols to contain infections," they said. To further accelerate economic recovery, the economic development cluster has approved a 10-point agenda to shift the country from a pandemic to endemic paradigm. The 10-point policy agenda covers such areas as metrics; vaccination; health care capacity; economy and mobility; schooling; domestic travel; international travel; digital transformation; pandemic flexibility bill; and medium-term preparation for pandemic resilience. They said the government and the private sector have shown their ability to administer vaccines on a wide scale. As of Dec. 5, a total of 91.8 million doses have been rolled out. From Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, the government rolled out around 9.9 million doses on the extended national vaccination days. "The accelerated vaccination drive will go hand in hand with the government’s efforts in strengthening the country’s health care capacity to avert critical cases and deaths and sustain the safe reopening of the economy amid possible spikes from new variants," they said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said at the Laging Handa briefing. Around 38.7 million individuals have been fully vaccinated against the illness as of December 6, according to the government. Close to 10 million people were vaccinated after the first round of the national vaccination days, from November 29 to December 3. Meanwhile, Duque said the Philippines was not changing its definition of “fully vaccinated." “Our primary series is the same, twodose primary series vaccination, and then the third is the booster dose,” he said. The country began administering booster doses last month. 'Get inoculated' Unvaccinated Filipinos should immediately get inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine to prepare for the entry of the Omicron variant in the country, a priest-scientist said Monday. Microbiologist Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, a Dominican and fellow of the OCTA Research Group, said during a televised briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte that “caution and preparation” should accompany the observance of the holidays. Austriaco, currently in the United States, said vaccination, especially of people around the country’s travel gateways, would help stem the spread of the variant, which has not yet been detected in the country.

“I must urge you to get vaccinated. Because Omicron, when it arrives in the Philippines, will find every unvaccinated Filipino and you will get sick,” he said. “Omicron will enter through an airport most likely. So what we have to do is we have to build a wall of vaccinated Filipinos around these airports. Because once Omicron arrives, it will try to spread into the Filipino population. And if the Filipinos around the airports are heavily vaccinated, then it doesn’t matter if there is an OFW who returns home. Because even if the person is able to enter the community, the virus will struggle,” he said. Other measures Austriaco proposed for meeting the threat are preparing hospital infrastructure and increased staffing of health care workers. Citing studies in South Africa, where scientists first discovered the variant, Austriaco said Omicron cases are not rising as fast as those caused by the Delta variant. Another study said Omicron was more transmissible among the vaccinated, many of those hospitalized from the variant were unvaccinated. Longer shelf The shelf life for some of the expired COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines was extended, which would allow authorities to use up existing inventory, the Department of Health said Tuesday. "We wrote to and coordinated with Pfizer. They extended their vaccines which expired. After doing stability studies on their vaccine, they extended by 3 months.),” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Austriaco is at present a professor of biology and professor of theology at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, and a research fellow at the Center for Theology, Religious Studies, and Ethics, at UST. Austriaco attended the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, summa cum laude, in 1989. In August, Duque said he was prepared

to resign "if the time comes" but added he must first clear his agency of P67-billion fund use deficiencies flagged by the Commission on Audit. Austriaco is also a fellow of the Manila-based OCTA Research Group andsplits his time between the Philippines and the US. He is working on a cheaper oral COVID-19 vaccine for the Philippines with his students at UST. Austriaco gave his inputs about the

Omicron variant of COVID-19 during the meeting presided over by Duterte. In a televised public briefing Tuesday, Duque said: "We serve at the pleasure of the President, so (that's) the President’s call." Nearly 38.7 million people have been fully vaccinated againstCOVID-19, as of Monday, according to official data monitored by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.

Next... From A1

China, Russia: US to ‘pay price’ for Games snub BEIJING, China—China warned on Tuesday the United States would "pay the price" for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns. The US move—which stopped short of preventing athletes from attending— comes after Washington spent months wrangling over what position to take on the Games, beginning in February next year, over what it has termed China's "genocide" of the Uyghur minority (see related story on A7 – Editors). The move drew fiery opposition from Beijing, which threatened unspecified countermeasures, warning the US would "pay the price for its wrongdoing." "Stay tuned," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily press briefing. "The US attempt to interfere with the Beijing Winter Olympics out of ideological prejudice, based on lies and rumors, will only expose [its] sinister intentions," Zhao said. "The Winter Olympics are not a stage for political shows and political manipulation," he added, accusing the US of "actions that interfere in and undermine the Beijing Winter Olympics." AFP See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Duterte accepts US invite to join democracy gab PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has accepted the invitation of US President Joseph “Joe” Biden Jr. to participate in the Summit for Democracy via video conference on Dec. 9 and 10. “Biden invited Heads of State and Government, other government leaders and voices from the business and non-government sectors to join the US in taking action to strengthen democracy,” a statement from the Office of the President read. In his invitation letter to Duterte, Biden said the US will “host the Summit for Democracy with humility and in the spirit of mutual learning.” Biden said together, “we will embark on the work necessary to shape a prosperous and peaceful future built on respect for the rights and aspirations of all people.” “We recognize and appreciate your partnership in working to build democratic and human rights-respecting societies that allow all citizens to thrive. In a moment of significant challenge and enormous opportunity, it is more important than ever for democracies to prove that we can deliver for the needs of our people,” he said in his invitation. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

PCG... From A1

through the support of fishing fleets or the pursuit of undersea resources or access to freshwater for drinking, industrial, and agricultural purposes. During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services, PCG Deputy Commandant for Administration Vice Admiral Oscar Endona Jr. said they would use “white to white diplomacy.” “Actually, our white ships also have a water cannon so we can retaliate with water cannon,” he said. He made the statement after Senator Richard Gordon said China’s water cannon attack “looks like a rehearsal.” Earlier, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said two Philippine supply boats on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal were water cannoned by Chinese Coast Guard vessels on November 16. The Coast Guard statement coincided with a courtesy call by Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa on Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Leopoldo Laroya at the National Headquarters, Port Area, Manila. This is the Ambassador’s first visit to the Philippine Coast Guard since his arrival in 2020. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Makati... From A1

“The P1K-gift check incentive was one of the strategic measures taken by my administration to encourage the elderly to have themselves vaccinated as early as possible. Our efforts have been rewarded because we have surpassed the target vaccination rate for their age group,” said Binay. The Department of Health stated that Makati had achieved 105 percent of the target in priority group A2, which is for senior citizens. Binay emphasized the importance of being fully vaccinated, especially during the Christmas season. "Senior citizens are among the most at-risk groups for severe cases of COVID-19. It is comforting to know that they now have the full protection of the vaccine, and can enjoy the holidays with less worries,” she said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

Lakas condemns Zamboanga attack By Maricel V. Cruz

EADERS of the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats on Tuesday denounced the killing of Al Barka, Basilan Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid in Zamboanga City on Monday morning.

Lakas-CMD president and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez urged authorities to identify and arrest those behind the ambush. “We call on our law enforcement agencies to exhaust all means possible to identify those responsible for the gun attack and to put them all behind bars,” Romualdez said.

“We also mourn the death of Mayor Sali’s security aide, Farrad Nurrudin, who was with the Basilan mayors when unidentified gunmen attacked them after disembarking from a sea vessel in Zamboanga City early Monday morning,” he added. According to Romualdez, the two mayors took their oath as Lakas-CMD

members last September 11. In a separate statement, Lakas-CMD chairperson and Davao City Rep. Sara Duterte also condemned the Zamboanga City shooting. Duterte also expressed her sympathies to the mayor’s bereaved family. “His untimely demise is truly tragic and heartbreaking. This cowardly act deserves our collective outrage and condemnation,” Duterte said in a statement. Lajid is a member of the LakasCMD and a personal friend of Duterte. The BBM-Sara UniTeam of Presidential aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. condemned the ambush.

Asked for comment during his visit to Lanang in Davao City, Marcos Jr. commented that it is time to end politically-motivated violence in the country. He encouraged everyone to join the UniTeam’s call for unity amid personal and political differences. Marcos hopes that this incident will not happen again and that all parties should instead always focus on finding a better solution to avoid violence. “I hope that this is the last time that we hear this kind of news and I enjoin everyone to not bring these political differences that we might have into violence. We should always be able to find a better way,” Marcos said.

DOH: ‘Red list’ nations stay the same for now

IN BRIEF Palace: It’s ‘Lapulapu’ and not ‘Lapu-Lapu’ It’s Lapulapu, not Lapu-Lapu when referring to a hero, according to an Executive Order (EO) 152 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. In his EO 152, Duterte said adopting a common rendering of the name of Lapulapu, so as to conform to earlier references, “will aid in the education of our youth about Philippines history, which is foundational to the formation of national identity.” EO 152 amended all references to the name Lapu-Lapu in EO 17 (series of 2017) and 55 (series of 2018). The name will now be written as “Lapulapu.” It states that the name Lapulapu “is understood to refer to the Filipino hero who bravely and victoriously fought in the Battle of Mactan in the 16th century”. Vito Barcelo

Las Pinas, DA sign pact on food supply

By Willie Casas THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has decided not to add any more countries into the Philippines’ red list amid the threat of the Omicron variant, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday reported that a total of 42 countries or jurisdictions had detected the variant. “Napagkasunduan po sa IATF na hindi po muna natin dadagdagan dahil padagdag na ng padagdag ang mga bansa. Ang gagawin natin, i-intensify natin ang ginagawang control sa ating borders (It was agreed in the IATF that we will not add more countries because the number of countries reporting the variant keeps increasing. What we will do is to intensify our border controls.),” Vergeire said in a radio interview. Meanwhile, the latest additions to the list of countries suspected of having a local transmission of the variant include Australia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. With Vito Barcelo

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‘MC TAXI’ STORY. Angkas Motorcycle Taxi Driver Christopher Navarro Caba (pictured left, on motorbike) says his job is a big help for his family, helping him save a little and providing food on their table every day. His clients save 30 minutes of travel time, especially with the return of traffic nowadays, and some of them do not have to bring their cars to add to the road congestion. Caba says an ‘MC taxi’ helps solve multiple issues. It creates jobs, provides public convenience, eases traffic, and keeps both driver and rider safe from COVID-19. MC taxis so far are limited to Angkas, Joyride, and Move It. Grab was not included in the pilot project to gather data prior to the passage of the bill legalizing MC taxi services. Grab and Move It had a partnership in September allowing Move It drivers to serve Grab riders, but this was stopped by a government technical working group just days after it started serving the public.

The Las Pinas City government has signed an agreement with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the launching of the Enhanced Kadiwa Inclusive Food Supply Chain Program to ensure food availability and accessibility amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Imelda Aguilar said under the agreement, the DA will provide financial grant assistance to participating eligible organizations and local government units to enhance their capacities in value-adding activities in the food supply chains from aggregation, processing, packing, store, warehousing and transport to distribution. Joel E. Zurbano

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IN BRIEF SC denies Pichay plea to lift HDO

SIMULATION. Members of the Aviation Security Group

respond against a shootout during a simulation exercise at the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy International Airport in Pasay City on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Danny Pata

BBM-Sara to hold grand caravan today By Maricel V. Cruz THE tandem of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will woo Metro Manila voters today (Wednesday) with a grand caravan that will start with a meet-and-greet at the eastbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City in front of the Commission on Audit at 7:30 a.m. It will then proceed along Commonwealth Avenue and Quezon Avenue and will end at Welcome Rotunda at the city’s boundary with Manila. The Quezon City component of the event has been organized by the Malayang Quezon City tandem of mayoral candidate Mike Defensor and his running mate District 2 Councilor Winnie Castelo. “BBM and Mayor Sara are hugely popular and enjoy wide support in Quezon City and Metro Manila,” said Defensor, incumbent representative of the Anakalusugan party-list. Defensor said he, Castelo and their supporters had planned to have a gathering for Marcos and Duterte-Carpio at the Quezon City Memorial Circle. “We abandoned that in favor of joining the caravan after the city government gave us the runaround in our application for a permit for the gathering. They effectively rejected our application,” Defensor said. He said the city government “acted as if they own QCMC, which is a public park that is owned by the people.” Expected to join Defensor and Castelo in tomorrow’s event are their congressional candidates: reelectionists Anthony Peter “Onyx” Crisologo (first district), Precious HipolitoCastelo (second district), and Allan Reyes (third district); Councilor Marvin Rillo (fourth district); businesswoman Rose Lin (fifth district); and former Rep. Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo (sixth district).

Palace mum on Rody’s 2nd choice for prexy bet

resident Rodrigo Duterte has yet to decide on his second best choice for next year’s presidential elections after his long-time aide, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go announced he is withdrawing from the race last week.

“We do not want to preempt what could happen in the next few days and months,” acting presidential spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said. “I also do not want to preempt the decision of other candidates and parties who may want to endorse President Duterte, too,” he added. Among the presidential contenders, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has openly sought the endorsement of Duterte, who is running for senator in the May 9, 2022 synchro-

nized polls. Domagoso also publicly declared he is open to adopting Duterte, who filed his certificate of candidacy under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan as did Go, in his own senatorial lineup. The chief executive earlier ruled out the possibility of supporting former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is running in tandem with presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Duterte said neither can he form an alliance with Lakas-CMD which his daughter now heads because of its alliance with Marcos. “I cannot because Marcos is there. I am not impressed with him. He’s really a weak leader,” the President said in a mix of English and Filipino at a recorded event in which he was asked if there would be an alliance between his group and his daughter’s new party. “I do not malign anyone, he is really weak because he was a spoiled child, [an] only son. Of course, he can talk, he delivers English articulately because he studied in several places abroad. But if you say there is a crisis, he’s a weak leader and he has baggage,” Duterte added.

BACK TO SCHOOL.

Almost two years after schools have remained closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pedro Cruz Elementary School in San Juan reopened for limited in-person classes on Dec. 6, 2021. Shown in photo is San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora observing the opening. Manny Palmero

Cybercrime expert to push for Lacson-Sotto team in Batanes By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE former head of the Cybercrime Division of the National Bureau of Investigation has joined Partido Reporma as its newest leader for the province of Batanes. Cybercrime expert Ronald Aguto Jr. was sworn in by Partido Reporma President and Davao Del Norte Rep.

Pantaleon Alvarez as the party’s newest member and leader for the province of Batanes. Aguto is running for congressman of the lone district of Batanes. He vowed to push for Partido Reporma’s advocacies for good governance and reform in the country’s northernmost province, while rallying support

Pacquiao: Support MSMEs By Macon Ramos-Araneta WITH micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) comprising 99 percent of all businesses in the country, presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday said they should be fully supported. The senator made the commitment to help MSMEs as he renewed his vow to eradicate hunger in the country. “One of the best ways to save the people from the clutches of poverty is to fully support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” he said. He described MSMEs as the “real

givers” of jobs to Filipinos. Pacquiao said if he is elected president, he will allocate funds to finance interest-free loans for MSMEs. He would also create more one-stop shops and online portals that would ensure corrupt-free and hassle-free processing of all business permits and loan applications. The latest results of SWS surveys showed 2.5 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months. The same figure also indicated that around 10 percent of families went hungry due to lack of food to eat in the past quarter.

for party chairman and standard bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his running mate Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. Meanwhile, Lacson appealed to the electorate to respect the sanctity of their votes as the 2022 election season heats up with the political landscape getting more intense yet uncertain at the same time. He called on Filipinos to think about

the future generation when they troop to the polls on May 9 next year to cast their “sacred” votes. He also addressed a similar appeal to other personalities involved in the 2022 polls to give the same level of respect to the elective positions they are seeking and not make a mockery out of this democratic political exercise.

THE Supreme Court has denied the plea of Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. to lift the hold departure order issued by the Sandiganbayan in connection with the criminal charges filed against him on the alleged anomalous purchase of the shares of stock of Express Savings Bank, Inc, amounting to P780 million during his term as chair of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). The SC ruled that Pichay failed to prove that there was grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Sandiganbayan in issuing the HDO in 2016, and in denying the lawmaker’s motion to lift the HDO in resolutions issued March 16, 2018 and June 19, 2018. Rey E. Requejo

Sotto: P1b smuggled agri goods since May ABOUT P1 billion smuggled agricultural products have been documented by the Office Of Senate President Vicente Sotto III based on the 25 anti-smuggling operations by the Bureau of Customs. Sotto said the operations were conducted for only six months or from May 2021 to November 18, 2021. “We documented 25 operations amounting to approximately P1 billion,” he said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Palace: Drug users down by almost half THE government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign has significantly cut the number of drug users in the country in the last five years, a Palace official said. Citing data from the Dangerous Drugs Board, acting Palace spokesman Karlo Nograles said the country has 1.67 million current drug users aged 10 to 69. “The President is correct that the 4 million Filipino drug users in 2016 went down. Now it’s down 1.67 million estimated,” he said. Vito Barcelo

Leni campaign office launched in ‘Solid North’ By Rio N. Araja VICE President and presidential bet Leni Robredo has recently stepped into the so-called Solid North territory with the opening of the Leni-Kiko campaign headquarters in Baguio City. Former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. won by a landslide in the city against Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential race. The two are facing each other again for the 2022 presidential polls. Along with her supporters who collectively call themselves “Kakampinks,” Robredo led the ribbon-cutting ceremony of their headquarters and thanked her supporters for their unrelenting effort. The Vice President also met with Baguio City Benjamin Magalong, who said he admires her and is “completely aligned” with her good governance. Robredo visited the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Baguio City to thank them as well as the Mountain Maid Training and Development Foundation staff for all the delicious desserts they offer to the tourists.

HIGHER PAY. Members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers hold placards in front of the Palacio del Gobernador building of the Commission on Election to press for higher election service compensation for teachers. Norman Cruz

Opinion Why can’t ‘only a boxer’ become president?

EVEN before Sen. Manny Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy for the presidency in the May 2022 general elections, skeptics and trolls had a field day denigrating his qualifications to run for the highest elective position. We’ve heard people say that he was “only a boxer” who should stay in his proper place. And what’s his proper place? They are saying that he does not deserve to be president but he most certainly can help aspiring boxers and other athletes to hone their craft by setting up a training camp. Or he could set up a foundation devoted to helping poor Filipinos uplift their quality of life through skills training. Or perhaps he could become a global spokesman for, say, combating climate change, especially since the country is vulnerable to typhoons and flooding that not only kill Filipinos but leave them even poorer than before.

This man knows right from wrong. But Pacquiao is not “only a boxer” as he is now considered one of the best fighters in the history of the sport, having won world titles in eight weight divisions and in the process brought honor and prestige to the country. Boxing analysts have actually identified five major fighting styles. The pressure fighter throws a swarm of punches in multiple combinations to overwhelm foes. The out-boxer stays on the outside, using reach as a weapon and keeping opponents at bay with crafty technique. The slugger pays very little attention to strategy and dominates his opponent with his strength and brute force. The counter puncher is known for surgical precision and delivers damaging and accurate counter shots. The boxer-puncher combines the best of all worlds into a single style and can effortlessly switch between being a pressure fighter to a methodical out-boxer waiting for an opening to close the gap. As a professional prize-fighter, Pacquiao, categorized mainly as a pressure fighter, has fought fighters with different styles and won most of them. His style is said to require tremendous cardiovascular endurance and supreme conditioning. But he could easily adapt to his opponent’s distinct style and thus carved his own identity in the highly competitive sport. But it’s not just what he did in the boxing ring that made him excel in the sport. It’s his iron discipline and hard work during training and conditioning before every match that allowed

him to reach the pinnacle of the sport. It’s the same grit or indomitable courage and toughness amid a life of poverty and deprivation that Pacquiao brings to his presidential bid. As a boxer, Pacquiao had to study each and every opponent and devise the best strategy and tactics to defeat him. And he had to listen intently to what his coaches and trainers had to say in order for him to win over his opponents. If elected president, Pacquiao must seriously study the nation’s problems and to devise the best strategy and tactics to overcome these problems. He has to consult the people on issues that affect them and listen to sound advice from advisers who should be selected from among the best and the brightest in their fields. He was born into poverty and knows how it is to live with next to nothing until he entered professional boxing. In the process, he has earned billions from fight purses and from endorsements. His rags-to- riches story has no doubt inspired others to follow his footsteps with lessons learned from him. Pacquiao has brought honor and prestige to the country with his ring prowess. He is admired even by other sports stars, as well as by world leaders. He is an international sports celebrity who has given away tons of his earnings to charity and humanitarian causes. If we’re to adopt the criteria used by the opposition to choose their standard bearer, Pacquiao has integrity; he is not corrupt. He has a grand vision for the country: to fight poverty and corruption. He knows that corruption not only hurts the poor the most but also gnaws at the moral fiber of the whole of society. He is a patriot. He loves his country and is proud of his roots. He is winnable. He has a wide following because of his rise from poverty to fame and fortune, yet has retained his humility. He is willing to learn. He may not have much formal education in his early years but he has strived to catch up with academic studies. He has vowed to uphold human rights and basic freedoms, including freedom of the press, as well as the rule of law and due process in a democracy, values that we Filipinos hold dear and are willing to fight for. And perhaps what’s most important, he knows what is wrong and what is right. But he also has to overcome challenges. If elected, he should carefully choose those who will be in his Cabinet. He should also resist the urge to appoint political supporters, relatives, friends, and classmates to positions of power and influence without the required competence, integrity and track record in good governance. The boxing world, as we have argued, is no different from the political culture. At the intersection of both is Pacquiao, the only world boxing champion, if I’m not mistaken, to aspire for the presidency of any country. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

Safe tripping: Drug tests to protect Colombia partygoers By Juan Sebastian Serrano YOUNG people clutching samples of cocaine, ecstasy and LSD are lined up outside a nightclub in Bogota. But this is not a police raid. The atmosphere is festive, with disco lights reflecting off faces sporting metallic paint and revelers bobbing to music while queueing at a table where experts conduct tests to determine whether the drugs are safe for consumption. While technically illegal, authorities in the world’s largest cocaine producer and exporter decriminalized the carrying and consumption of small quantities of drugs for personal use in the 1990s. And while they produce industrial volumes of cocaine and marijuana for exportation -- mainly to the United States — drug gangs have targeted the domestic market in recent years with cheaper, lower-quality versions of the same. As drugs became easier to obtain, the risks increased, with drug-makers frequently adulterating their wares with other substances to increase bulk and cut costs. As casualties stacked up, an initiative was born seven years ago from the clamor of university students for drug testing at parties in the capital and other Colombian cities. It is called Echele Cabeza, from a colloquialism for taking drugs, and carries out about 250 tests every month at clubs and festivals or at its headquarters in Bogota. Enjoy responsibly “I came today to test an LSD sample to ... know what is going into my body and to be able to enjoy it responsibly,” Brian Ramirez, a 24-year-old student, told AFP as he made use of the service for the first time at a party in the capital. Event organizers cover the cost of the tests, with additional financial backing from an NGO that helps drug users. At Echele Cabeza’s headquarters, anyone can have a test done for under $4 apiece. The government allows the tests, but does

not contribute to the initiative. “We are regulating drug use from the bottom up — from the point of view of pleasure, not crime and persecution,” said sociologist Julian Quintero, who helped found Echele Cabeza.

Call it enjoying responsibly. Self-declared recreational drug use rose from 3.5 percent of Colombians in 2013 to 9.7 percent in 2019, according to the latest available data from the DANE national statistics department. Marijuana and cocaine are still the most popular, but synthetic drugs such as ecstasy are booming, most of it imported from Europe. In Bogota alone, ecstasy seizures rose from 519 pills in 2015 to 54,431 in 2019, according to the Ministry of Justice. ‘Throw that drug away’ A purple and green flag representing two brain halves on a black background alerts partygoers to the presence of Echele Cabeza drug testers. Filings of ecstasy tablets or small cuttings of LSD papers are dipped into reactive liquids that change color to indicate the presence of MDMA — the active ingredient in ecstasy — or of the hallucinogen known as LSD. The volunteers also test cocaine to determine its purity. With a “positive” result, they advise the consumer on the recommended dose and possible side effects of the drug they brought in. A negative result, on the other hand, is indicative of possible adulteration and the advice is emphatic: “Throw that drug away.” “I’ve always been curious to test and to be able to say that what I am consuming is legitimate,” said Ramirez, who claimed to have had manic episodes from taking adulterated ecstasy pills in the past. This time the result is positive: the substance

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EDITORIAL

Party-list abuse

HE 1987 Constitution says 20 percent of all seats at the House of Representatives should be allotted to party-list organizations. In March 1995, President Fidel Ramos signed into law Republic Act 7941, which implemented the party-list system in Congress. The system was put in place, ideally, to allow marginalized and underrepresented sectors of society to be represented in Congress. This is so that they could help craft laws that would benefit their often-overlooked constituencies, and the country in general. The operative word is “ideally.” We have seen all too well how this party-list system has been abused and exploited over the years. Perhaps we have become desensitized to the injustice of it all. There are far too many lawmakers supposedly serving as nominees for the marginalized groups they are supposed to represent. What they are, however, are the usual prominent personalities that for some reason could not occupy the seat for their own congressional district. Often, they have too little in common with the sectors they

health-care workers and millions of patients, who are looking forward to better national health care,” NU said of the poll body, which has not released the basis for its decision. What those reasons are, we would like to know. We would also be interested if these same standards apply to other party list groups organized by traditional politicians or family members just so they could take up precious space in the halls of Congress at the expense of the really marginalized. This has been a long-standing anomaly in our politics, one which has not been given much thought — not by the powerful people who benefit from them, and not by millions of voters who often unthinkingly favor organizations whose names begin with “A” or “1.” Politics has always been a game of the privileged, while those who really have a stake in their decisions are left out of the conversation. We wonder what kind of political will it would take for this anomaly to be corrected and for the party-list groups to stay true to their essence and their constituencies.

claim to represent.

This has been a familiar anomaly. This comes to mind this week as we learned about the Commission on Elections’ decision to deny the application of 107 organizations gunning for party-list registration. One of the organizations rejected by the poll body was Nurses United, an organization composed of health care workers who wanted to secure better working conditions moving forward. The pandemic has highlighted the unjust situation of nurses and other medical frontliners, who have risked infection and battled fatigue while being denied their most basic pay entitlements. “They let down the hundreds of

Filipinos beat COVID

FINALLY, we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The Philippines appears to have survived and beaten the worst pandemic of the last 100 years. COVID-19 appears to have run out of Filipino victims to infect, to immobilize, and or to kill. “The virus is struggling to find new Filipinos to infect,” observed Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, a Filipino priest-scientist based in and teaching in the United States. Credit the millions of Filipinos who got sick with COVID-19 and yet were unreported by the government. And credit the millions of Filipinos who were given jabs by the government. Combining the two—immunity from COVID for having been sick with it and immunity from COVID for having been inoculated with anti-COVID vaccines, you get what you call herd immunity. The first immunity is natural, the work of nature which creates antibodies in your body to protect you from future infections because your body now recognizes the COVID virus as an enemy and therefore has created robust defenders like the T-cells of your immune system. The second immunity is man-made, through vaccines, which are mostly overpriced and denied to many of the very poor who have no vaccine access. A Dominican and MIT-trained scientist, Father Austriaco, has an MBA, a Ph.D. and a doctorate in theology. He is like an undisputed expert on three things –money, science, and theology. It is in his capacity as a molecular biologist that the cabinet listened to him intently on Monday night (Dec. 6, 2021). The good father claimed Filipinos have reached herd immunity. In effect, the administration of President Duterte appears to have beaten the pandemic—so far. This augurs well for a happier Christmas season this December and January 2022 for most Filipinos. The Philippines has the world’s longest Christmas season, from Simbang Gabi early morning of Dec. 16, until Three Kings Day, on Jan. 6, 2022. The government having licked the pandemic, the tandem of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio can probably reap some benefits from the good news. The pandemic mismanagement has been one of the issues against the Duterte administration, along with rampant corruption, extra-judicial killings, and the worst economic recession in history (triggered by Duterte’s a long and severe pandemic lockdown) which in turn triggered massive he bought on the black market is indeed what he wanted, LSD. “Now one can decide whether to consume it or not,” he said. Mateo Pineda, another client of Echele Cabeza, brought in a sample of an MDMA batch he said had kept him up for 72 hours, at times not “knowing who” he was.

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

joblessness with 30 million Filipinos out of work. So impressed was President Duterte with the balik-scientist Austriaco’s Monday night presentation he offered the priest a job as secretary of health, to succeed the beleaguered Francisco Duque. Austriaco and Duque are both Thomasians, UST graduates. Smiling, Duque graciously agreed, to yield his job, “to another Thomasian.”

This is certainly good news. Happily for Duque, Austriaco declined. Duterte insisted, “we will be blessed, if you accept the portfolio of secretary of Health, short stint.” Before Father Austriaco could be convinced, Senator Bong Go asked the Dominican scientist to pray for the government and the people instead. Here are Father Austriaco’s major conclusions with his perception of the pandemic: • We are experiencing the lowest case numbers in 20 months, with an average of about 500 cases per day. Compare that with peak 26,208 cases on Sept. 11, 2021. The last time the Philippines had below 500 cases was on March 20, 2020, 497, nine days into the pandemic and five days after President Duterte enforced a massive lockdown that still has to be lifted. In contrast with the Philippine daily average of 500 cases, the US, on Sunday (Dec. 5,2021), had 120,000 new cases, saidAustriaco. The US has three times the Philippine population of 110 million, implying that the Philippines should be having 40,000 cases a day by now, not 500. • We are also experiencing the lowest hospitalization numbers in 20 months. Earlier Monday, Makati Med announced for the first time during the pandemic, they have no COVID-19 patients in their hospital. And this is typical of many hospitals throughout our beloved country. • Yet, we are experiencing the highest mobility in 20 months. Most — many — of our people are moving around now, the most in 20 months since the beginning of the pandemic and the lockdown in March of 2020. • As a biologist, this is the question: We are currently with Delta, the most infectious variant in the past 20 months, the highest mobility levels in the past 20 months, more and more of our kababayans are moving around, and yet we are experiencing the lowest levels of cases and hospitalizations in 20 months. • With the lowest case numbers and the highest mobility in 20 months, and the lowest COVID hospitalization, these three suggest that we have attained substantial “They confirmed my suspicions: it was methamphetamine, not MDMA,” he said. Toxicologist Diana Pava of the Colombia National University warned that the tests can be unreliable. Black market drugs “can contain other chemical substances such as medicines, cleaning products or even pesticides... which are

biznewsasia@gmail.com not detected,” she told AFP. Conservative President Ivan Duque has sought to roll back the growing local drug scene by giving powers to the police to seize even small doses on the street. But the courts have ruled against him, maintaining a permissive approach to drugs for personal use. AFP

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population immunity from natural infections and vaccinations in the urban areas of the Philippines. The pandemic has raged and spread primarily in our cities and in our firstclass municipalities. The fact that the virus is struggling to find new Filipinos to infect suggests that we have attained substantial population immunity. • Compared with its ASEAN neighbors, the Philippines has ended its surge with 500 cases per day. Thailand and Malaysia had the Delta surge earlier than we did, but their surge has not been able to crash. At this time, Thailand and Malaysia are still experiencing 5,000 cases per day. Vietnam also had a Delta peak. Unfortunately, its Delta peak has resurged and Vietnam is still experiencing significant numbers of COVID-19 — some 15,000 per day. Unlike Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, the Philippines experienced substantial waves of previous variants, especially the Alpha, Beta variant, which struck the country in March and April of this year. Combining the vaccinations and the natural immunity, many of our cities where the pandemic tends to focus, are now stable enough to prevent transmission, said Austriaco. Indeed, signs of normalcy are there. Crowds are back in malls and restaurants. Ikea Philippines opened on Nov. 25, 2021 and crowds have stormed it daily since then, damn social distancing. So long are the Ikea queues and so huge are the crowds, people lined up as long as two hours just to get a meal and eat it in ten minutes, and 45 minutes just to check out. On Metro Manila’s main roads, traffic is back to pre-pandemic levels. So bad has been the traffic snarls that the Metro Manila Development Authority had to reimpose color coding during peak hours —from 5 am to 8 am and from 7 pm to 9 pm, instead of wholesale, whole day, before the pandemic. The government intends to fully inoculate 54 million Filipinos by end-2021, vows Health Secretary Duque. That would be like inoculating nearly 100 percent of the target population. Overall, the government has administered 91.777 million doses of various vaccines. Of that, 56.7 million or 73.5 percent have been jabbed as first doses; 38.168 million or 49.48 percent as complete doses. During Nov.29, 2021 to Dec. 1, 2021, the government achieved something miraculous. It did 8.09 million vaccines. From Nov. Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, it did 9.937 million vaccinations. Average daily vaccinations during the period: 2.696 million—the fourth largest in the world during the period, after China, India, and the US. If you measure it as a ratio of the population size, the Philippines became No. 1 in COVID vaccinations per day. “Every Filipino should be proud of this,” exulted Testing Czar Vince Dizon.

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Indonesia volcano eruption death toll rises to 34 – gov’t

FLATTENED. This aerial photo shows damaged houses at the Curah Kobokan village in Lumajang on December 7, following the Mount Semeru eruption that killed at least 34 people. AFP

JAKARTA — The death toll from the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano rose to 34 on Tuesday, the national disaster agency said, as aid was rushed to the affected region. The biggest mountain on the island of Java on Saturday ejected a mushroom of volcanic ash high into the sky and rained hot mud as thousands of panicked people fled their homes. The disaster left entire streets filled with mud and ash, swallowing homes and vehicles. “The latest update from the ground... (is) 34 people died, 17 are missing,” the disaster agency spokesman Abdul Muhari told AFP. Almost 3,700 have been evacuated from the affected area, he added. Rescuers have been battling dangerous conditions since the deadly weekend eruption, searching for

survivors and bodies in the volcanic debris, wrecked buildings and destroyed vehicles. Search crews deployed dogs on Tuesday to aid the operation. Mt Semeru has remained active since Saturday, with small eruptions keeping emergency workers and area residents on edge. There were three small eruptions on Tuesday, each spewing ash around a kilometre (3,300 ft) into the sky, authorities said. Officials have advised locals not to travel within five kilometres (3.1 miles) of Semeru’s crater, as the nearby air is highly polluted and could affect vulnerable groups. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity, and the country has nearly 130 active volcanoes. AFP

Biden, Putin set Ukraine face-off

ASHINGTON — Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin will face off in a high-stakes video call Tuesday, with the US president aiming to convince his Russian counterpart to refrain from attacking Ukraine. Washington and its European allies remain uncertain of whether tens of thousands of ground forces that Moscow has moved to Ukraine’s borders are a genuine invasion threat or a bluff by the Russian leader. Putin meanwhile says he wants guarantees that Ukraine will not become a

member of the NATO alliance. If he decides an attack on Ukraine is merited, the Russian leader risks a coordinated Western response that could aim to cripple his country’s economy. The United States and European allies are prepared to take “substantial economic countermeasures... that would

impose significant and severe economic harm on the Russian economy” if Russia attacks, a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Monday. On the eve of his virtual meeting, Biden spoke with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and Britain, with the western powers expressing their “determination” that Ukraine’s sovereignty be respected. Mutual suspicion In their first direct conversation since July, the two presidents will have to negotiate a history of mutual suspicion. Both want to put on a show of

UN court to rule in Armenia vs. Azerbaijan feud THE HAGUE — The UN’s top court will decide on Tuesday on tit-for-tat requests by Armenia and Azerbaijan for emergency measures to ease tensions after last year’s war between the Caucasus arch-foes. The former Soviet republics, which battled for six weeks in autumn 2020 over Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, both allege racial discrimination by the other side. In September, the rivals each asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) located in the Peace Palace of The Hague to take steps against the other, pending the resolution of a full case that will take years. The ICJ’s chief judge Joan Donoghue “will deliver its order on the request for the indication of provisional measures made by the Republic of Armenia” at 1400 GMT, the court said in a statement. Its ruling on Azerbaijan’s case will follow immediately afterwards. The ICJ was set up after World War II to resolve disputes between United Nations member states. Parties that have agreed to let the court adjudicate their disputes are obliged to follow its rulings, but the court has no means to enforce them. Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian region of Azerbaijan that broke away from Baku’s control in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict last year claimed more than 6,500 lives. It ended in November with a Russian-brokered ceasefire under which Armenia ceded territories it had controlled for decades to Turkish-backed Azerbaijan. AFP Manila

Name of Company: ALSTOM TRANSPORT CONSTRUCTION PHILIPPINES, Standard INC.

TODAY

We create smart innovations to meet the mobility challenges of today and tomorrow. We design and manufacture a complete range of transportation systems, from high-speed trains to electric buses and driverless trains, as well as infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solutions. Joining us means joining a truly global community of more than 38 900 people dedicated to solving realworld mobility challenges and achieving international projects with sustainable local impact. Alstom Transport Construction Philippines, Inc. is expanding pool of multitalented individuals. We are looking for experienced and versatile Onshore Project Manager. Job Title: Onshore Project Manager Job Description : 1. Lead the onshore team for the delivery of the project according to the QCD 2. Define and implement the project strategy in line with the signalling overall PM and the system PD 3. Review and reforecast the onshore work package 4. On shore planning and delivery in line with the overall project schedule 5. Ensure that the onshore project workload needs are well forecasted and anticipated 6. To ensure the local resource are secured in line with the project requirements 7. Carry out the risk and opportunity review periodically on the onshore scope of work 8. Participate & prepare Monthly Project Review (MPR) of projects for on shore inputs 9. Ensure Project Management Processes, Methods and Tools are applied on project 10. Ensure Environment, Health, and Safety rules are applied Qualifications and Required Experience: 1. Candidate must possess at least a Bachelor’s/College Degree 2. 6-10 years’ experience in Signalling projects at least 3 years on project management position 3. Strong technical skills 4. Proficient in verbal and written communications 5. Demonstrated ability to deliver under pressure 6. Excellent level of multitasking 7. Proven skill of team supervision is a plus Term: Project with fixed term of 24 months or until the end of the project Compensation: Starting from PHP 60,000.00, to be discussed based on qualification and experience Place of Assignment:Alstom Transport Construction Philippines Inc, Lot 1, President Carlos P. Garcia Ave. (C5 Extension)San Dionisio, Sucat, Parañaque City - Philippines Interested applicants may submit their application with resume and cover letter on or before December 31, 2021 to: Rhodessa M. Mallari, HR Manager rhodessa.mallari@alstomgroup.com (MS-DEC. 8, 2021)

strength, which could leave little room for compromise during the talk, which kicks off at 10:00 am Washington time (1500 GMT). Biden said Friday he would make it “very, very difficult” for Russia to launch any invasion of Ukraine. The senior US official said that any Russian military action against Ukraine would be met with not only harsh economic penalties but also a buildup of US forces in Eastern Europe. But the official stopped short of threatening direct intervention of American military force. AFP

Rohingya group sues Facebook for $150b over hate speech

LOS ANGELES — Rohingya refugees sued Facebook on Monday for $150 billion over claims the social network is failing to stem hate speech on its platform, exacerbating violence against the vulnerable miCOLLAPSE. nority. French firefighters The complaint, lodged in a Calisearch the rubble fornia court, says the algorithms that for missing power the US-based company proinhabitants after a mote disinformation and extremist building collapsed thought that translates to real-world in Sanary-sur-Mer, on December violence. 7. Five people “Facebook is like a robot proare “probably grammed with a singular mission: to trapped in the grow,” the court document states. rubble” of a three“The undeniable reality is that story apartment Facebook’s growth, fueled by building that hate, division, and misinformation, collapsed has left hundreds of thousands of overnight in Sanary-sur-Mer, devastated Rohingya lives in its Var, following an wake.” explosion that may The mainly Muslim group faces have been caused widespread discrimination in Myanby a gas problem, mar, where they are despised as inaccording to the terlopers despite having lived in the firefighters. AFP country for generations. A military-backed campaign that the United Nations said amounted to genocide saw hundreds of thousands of Rohingya driven across the border into Bangladesh in 2017, where they have since lived in sprawling refugee camps. The United States led international Many others remain in Myancondemnation of the sentences, with mar, where they are not permitted Secretary of State Antony Blinken callcitizenship and are subject to coming the convictions “unjust” and “afmunal violence, as well as official fronts to democracy and justice”. discrimination by the ruling mili“We urge the regime to release Aung tary junta. San Suu Kyi and all those unjustly deThe legal complaint argues that tained,” he said in a statement. Facebook’s algorithms drive suscepUN rights chief Michelle Bachelet tible users to join ever-more extreme said the conviction “following a sham groups, a situation that is “open to trial in secretive proceedings before a exploitation by autocratic politicians military-controlled court is nothing but and regimes.” politically-motivated”. Rights groups have long charged The Nobel Committee said it was that Facebook does not do enough to “concerned” for the 1981 Peace Prize prevent the YELLOW spread of disinformation laureate, saying it feared the conseCYAN MAGENTA BLACK and misinformation online. quences “for the future of democracy Critics say even when alerted to in Myanmar” but also the “impact a hate speech on its platform, the comlong prison term may have on Aung pany fails to act. San Suu Kyi personally.” AFP

Int’l outcry as Myanmar junta jails Suu Kyi for two years YANGON — In a ruling that drew swift international condemnation, Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi was jailed for two years on Monday after being found guilty of incitement against the military and breaching COVID rules. A special court initially sentenced the 76-year-old Nobel laureate to four years in prison, but she was partially “pardoned” hours later by the junta chief, who halved the sentence to two years. Suu Kyi has been detained since the generals staged a coup and ousted her government on February 1, ending the Southeast Asian country’s brief period of democracy. She has since been hit with a series of charges, including violating the official secrets act, illegally importing

walkie talkies and electoral fraud, and faces decades in prison if convicted on all counts. Former president Win Myint was also initially jailed for four years on Monday but was also “pardoned” by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and sentenced to “two years imprisonment”, according to a statement read out on state TV. They will serve their sentences by remaining under house arrest in the capital of Naypyidaw, the statement said, without giving further details. On Monday evening residents in parts of commercial capital Yangon banged pots and pans -- a practice traditionally associated with driving out evil spirits, but which has been used since February to show dissent against the military.

US billionaire returns $70m worth of 180 stolen antiquities, artworks NEW YORK — A prominent US art collector and billionaire philanthropist has returned 180 works of art and antiquities stolen from around the world — some from ancient Greece — that are estimated to be worth $70 million, Justice Department officials in New York said Monday. The move, announced by Manhattan attorney general Cyrus Vance’s office, allows 80-year-old Michael Steinhardt to avoid indictment and trial for the time being, but bans him for life from acquiring antiques on the legal art market. The works of art include a Greek drinking vessel fashioned in the shape of a deer’s head dating from

400 BC and worth $3.5 million, and an ancient Greek larnax — a kind of funerary box — dating from between 1200 to 1400 BC and worth a million dollars. The artifacts he has returned are estimated to be worth a total of about $70 million, the district attorney’s office said. “For decades, Michael Steinhardt displayed a rapacious appetite for plundered artifacts without concern for the legality of his actions, the legitimacy of the pieces he bought and sold, or the grievous cultural damage he wrought across the globe,” Vance said in a statement along with the announcement, which came after a years-long investigation. AFP

SPACE TOURISTS. Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin (center), Japanese

billionaire Yusaku Maezawa (right) and his assistant Yozo Hirano pose for pictures behind a glass wall during a press conference in Baikonur on December 7. Space tourists Yusaku and his assistant Yozo Hirano, led by Roscosmos’ Misurkin, will take part in a mission on the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) scheduled for December 8. AFP

Sports Canino, Nouri zero in on junior chess titles FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri and Ruelle Canino dispatched their respective foes to close in on the titles in their divisions in the National Juniors Chess Championships at the PACE center in Quezon City Tuesday. Nouri, 15, smashed Christian Olaybal and Johnmari Joseph Lu to pace the boys’ side with six points after seven rounds, while Canino, 13, downed Bea Mendoza to stay atop the girls’ section with seven points after the eighth and penultimate round. Both Nouri and Canino took the lead after watching their erstwhile co-leaders—Adrian Othniel Yulo and Mhage Sebastian—held to draws by Ronald Canino and Vic Glysen Derotas, respectively. Yulo has 5.5 points while Sebastian 6.5 in this event supported by NCFP president Butch Pichay, PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, POC president Bambol Tolentino and Chess Movement, Inc. chairman Dr. Ariel Potot. Nouri could clinch the title if he could score 1.5 points in his last two games against Canino, elder brother of Ruelle Canino, and Rilloroza in the last two rounds. Canino, for her part, would just have to draw her game against Derotas, the reigning ladies juniors champion, in the last round to emerge the winner.

Wide-open battle at Presidential Gold Cup IT’S going to be a wide-open race for the 49th edition of the Presidential Gold Cup set this Sunday at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Batangas. Defending champion Pangalusian Island, along with this year’s Triple Crown winners Nuclear Bomb and War Cannon, are among the top bets expected to vie for the top prize of P6 million out of the total P10 million purse being put up by the Philippine Racing Commission, in coordination with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. The race will be run on a distance of 2,000 meters. Philracom Chairman Reli De Leon announced in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday that a full gate will be on hand with 14 horses vying in the main race. “This will be the crème of the crop. The best of the very best thoroughbreds in the country today gunning for the first prize of P6 million,” said De Leon. “All of the best horses are in.” With Mark Alvarez on the saddle, Pangalusian Island, owned by Wilbert Tan, overtook Super Swerte in the final 10 meters of the race to win last year’s Gold Cup edition, a feat it will try to repeat before the end of the year as it guns to become only the fifth horse to win the annual event in back-to-back fashion. Aside from Nuclear Bomb (winner of 2021 Triple Crown’s first two legs) and War Cannon (third leg winner of Triple Crown), also crowding out the defending champion are Chairman Cup and Sampaguita Stakes winner Sky Shot, Boss Emong, Silver Cup winner Super Swerte, Greatwall, the returning Union Bell, Summer Romance, Obra Maestra, and Stardust. Completing the field are Gusto Mucho, Isla Puting Bato, and Prosperity. “This is the biggest race of the year. Pero mas malaki next year kasi golden anniversary (50th) ng Presidential Gold Cup ‘yun,” added De Leon in the same forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, Daily Tribune, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. Although Batangas is already in Alert Level 2, De Leon said Philracom may not yet admit the bayang karerista at the race venue, which according to him can accommodate as much as 6,000 to 8,000 people. But De Leon added the Philracom may yet consider admitting people who are fully vaccinated to watch the races live.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

US officials to boycott Beijing Winter Olympics W ASHINGTON—The United States announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics over what it termed China’s “genocide” of the Uyghur minority and other human rights abuses, prompting a ﬁerce rebuke from Beijing Tuesday. The decision—which stopped short of preventing athletes from attending—comes after Washington spent months wrangling over what position to take on the Games beginning in February next year. The move drew fiery opposition from Beijing, which threatened countermeasures and slammed the announcement as violating “political neutrality in sport”. “The US attempt to interfere with the Beijing Winter Olympics out of ideological prejudice, based on lies and rumors, will only expose (its) sinister intentions,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters. “The US should stop politicizing sports and stop its words and actions that interfere in and undermine the Beijing Winter Olympics.” The Chinese embassy in Washington earlier said the boycott would have no impact on the Games and “no one would care about whether these people come or not.” But Washington’s move was broadly welcomed by rights groups and politicians in the US, where President Joe Biden has been under pressure to speak out against Chinese rights abuses. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the administration would send no diplomatic or official representation to the Games given China’s “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses.” Sending official representation would signal that the Games were “business as usual,” Psaki said. “And we simply can’t do that.” “The athletes on Team USA have our full support. We will be behind them 100 percent as we cheer them on from home,” she added. The International Olympic Committee called it a “purely political decision for each government, which the IOC in its political neutrality fully respects.” The announcement “also makes it clear that the Olympic Games and the participation of the athletes are beyond politics and we welcome this,” an IOC spokesperson said.

debate over how the COVID-19 virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Biden has sought to re-engage with Beijing while at the same time focusing on strengthening traditional US alliances to counter China’s growing economic clout and military presence across the Indo-Pacific region. The Olympics boycott is part of a complex diplomatic balancing act. Biden’s administration has left Trumpera trade tariffs on China in place and continues to order naval patrols through sensitive international sea lanes that China is accused of trying to bring under its control. However, with Biden also emphasizing the need for dialogue, critics on the right say he is being too soft. This makes the looming Olympic Games a political flashpoint.

Members of Team USA, their coaches, trainers and other staff will still receive consular and diplomatic security assistance, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Asked about calls for private businesses to end any Winter Games sponsorships, he stressed that the decision was up to them. “It is not in this country—unlike other countries—the role of the government to dictate the practices that the private sector should adopt,” Price said.

‘Powerful rebuke’

Campaigners say that at least one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang, where China is also accused of forcibly sterilizing women and imposing forced labor. Bob Menendez, chair of the powerful US Senate foreign relations committee, welcomed the diplomatic boycott as “a powerful rebuke” of the “genocide in Xinjiang.” He and top House foreign affairs Democrat Gregory Meeks called for other countries to follow the US lead. Meeks warned the international com-

munity should not be helping China “whitewash its atrocities against Uyghurs and other minorities.” But Republican Senator Tom Cotton called it a “half measure, when bold leadership was required.” “The United States should fully boycott the ‘Genocide Games’ in Beijing,” he said in a statement. The last full boycott of the Olympics by the US was in 1980 when President Jimmy Carter withdrew in protest against the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Human Rights Watch called the Biden administration’s decision “crucial” but urged more accountability “for those responsible for these crimes and justice for the survivors.” Coming just six months after the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Summer Games, the Winter Olympics will be held from February 4 to 20 in a “closed loop” bubble because of Covid-19 restrictions. “To be honest, Chinese are relieved to hear the news because the fewer US officials come, the fewer viruses will be brought in,” tweeted the Chinese state-owned tabloid newspaper, Global Times. AFP

Diplomatic high-wire act

US-China relations hit a low point under Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, with a massive trade war and incendiary

A woman takes a photo of the logos of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games in Shougang Park, one of the sites for the Olympics, in Beijing. AFP

HK Cyclothon returns; Filipino cyclists to participate virtually THE Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon hold SHKP’s spirit of Sports-for-Charity. In addition is back with a spectacular new route and an exciting to allocating a part of the public registration virtual reality ride experience. fee for charity, our Group will make additional The Hong Kong Tourism Board recently an- matching donations in the ratio of 1:5, meaning for nounced that the hugely popular event will make its every HK$100 an individual rider contributes, SHKP keenly-anticipated return on January 16, 2022, and will pitch in HK$500, thus benefiting more people in for the first time will include the Hong Kong section need. We hope the public will keep the passion of of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge. A free the Tokyo Olympics and the National Games alive, virtual ride experience will also be offered to Fili- by continuing to support the athletes and sports depino cyclists who are unable to join in person. velopment in Hong Kong, and spend more time doing HKTB Executive Director Dane Cheng said the sports themselves.” event would feature two “first” elements. For Filipino Cyclists participating virtually: “This year’s Hong Kong Cyclothon will not only To share the excitement of racing on the bridge be the first sports event held on the world’s longest as widely as possible, a free virtual race expebridge-tunnel sea crossing as it is taking a whole new rience is being introduced to allow cyclists from route on the HZMB, but also the first time a virtual the Philippines and the rest of the world that are experience has been incorporated into the event, of- unable to join in person to enjoy a mesmerising fering cyclists worldwide who are unable to take part simulation of the experience. physically a thrilling and immersive experience of To enhance the event’s appeal, this year’s free Virracing over the landmark bridge. tual Races will be launched to recreate the 26-km “These special features are a pilot run for future actual route of the HZMB. Particiintercity events and it also consolidates Hong Kong’s pants can feel the authenstatus as the international tourism event capital in the Greater Bay Area To enhance the event’s (GBA). I sincerely hope participants appeal, this year’s free from other cities in the Area will come Virtual Races will be and ride with us in the years to come.” launched to recreate Adam Kwok, Executive Director the 26-km actual of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), route of the HZMB. the Hong Kong Cyclothon’s longtime title and charity sponsor, remarked in his speech, “Every time, the Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon brings new enhancements for everyone. This time, we will have a rare opportunity to change the cycling route from the Tsing Ma Bridge to the Hong Kong Section of the Hong Kong-ZhuhaiMacao Bridge. I’m sure Hong Kong cycling enthusiasts are eagerly looking forward to this magnificent route! “The event will also continue to up-

tic ups and downs and resistance of the scene in an immersive virtual journey. E-sports elements such as timed acceleration zones are also included to add excitement to the ride. Members of the public and cyclists can also use their own training bike stations and join the virtual races directly through the app. Participants can check their time and ranking upon completion of the route. For Filipino Cyclists currently based in Hong Kong: The HKTB has introduced stringent anti-infection measures for the event to ensure the safety of cyclists and spectators. All riders are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days before the event (on or before 2 January) and to provide a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test within 48 hours before the event. The event plans to have a limit of 3,000 participants in view of COVID-19 safeguards and traffic restrictions for the bridge area. As the Cyclothon features a new route requiring a higher degree of technical skill, participants must have previously completed a ride of at least 30 km in the Hong Kong Cyclothon between 2015 and 2018. Participants can prepare for the new route by trying the virtual races beforehand. Registration for the event opened on November 20. Cyclists who previously signed up for the 2019 Hong Kong Cyclothon can register in advance and will receive a 20% discount when they successfully enroll. If registrations received exceed the planned quota, participants will be selected in a draw. A Never-before-taken Route The Hong Kong Cyclothon this year will first move to the Hong Kong Section of the HZMB Hong Kong Section. Cyclists will start from the HZMB Hong Kong Port and pass by the Scenic Hill Tunnel through the highway between Airport Channel and the western waters, returning along the way before reaching the HKSAR boundary.

Sports

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

A8 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

Undermanned Azkals go all out against Singaporeans SHORT on manpower, the Philippine Azkals national men’s football team will do what it takes when it faces host Singapore on Wednesday at the Kallang National Stadium pitch. Acting coach Stewart Hall said this a day before the start of the Azkals’ campaign in the Group A matches of the 2021 ASEAN Football Federation-Suzuki Cup. With three main players still unavailable because of club commitments, the Azkals will tackle a Singaporean side which already gained momentum from its 3-0 win over Myanmar in one of Sunday’s two opening games. The Azkals will play without Jefferson Tabinas, Jesper Niholm, and Iain Ramsay, who won’t be released by their club teams in Japan, Sweden and in Thailand respectively in time for their first game. But Hall is upbeat that the Azkals can pull off their first win since the Singaporeans still have no idea how the PH plays. Since they saw how Singapore beat Myanmar, the Azkals were able to prepare well against the Tatsuda Yoshida-mentored squad. “We watched the game quite a few times. They got the momentum of the whole nation, and the crowd support. I think that was a big thing,” said Hall in pre-match press conference online. Hall added the team will be able to adjust to the highs and lows of Singapore’s tactics after reviewing how they dealt with Myanmar. “Two of Singapore’s goal came from counterattacks. It’s something we looked at,” said Hall. Singapore now leads the Group A standings with Thailand, which opened its campaign with a 2-0 triumph over Timor-Leste. The team will count on the leadership of Amani Aguinaldo, a 26-year-old, whose experience both in domestic and overseas competitions can help the Azkals pull through. Peter Atencio

KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER MEDINA SPIRIT DIES. Drug-tainted Kentucky Derby-winner Medina Spirit died suddenly during a workout in California on Monday, officials said. The California Horse Racing Board said in a statement that the three-year-old colt, who is trained by legendary US trainer Bob Baffert, collapsed near the end of a morning workout at Santa Anita Park. Medina Spirit, which failed a drug test after winning the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, will now undergo a postmortem to determine the cause of death. AFP

Athletics’ championship returns, but no spectators The meet was originally set to go on from December 9 to 10 at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City. ENUE spectators will not be able to watch the But damage to some of the facilities coming action in the Ayala Philippine Athletics because of heavy rains have forced Championships, slated to take place on December organizers to do the competitions in Baguio City. 16 and 17 in Baguio City. National team members, who have been training under a bubble in BaguStrict health and safety protocols the spread of the COVID-19. io City since October, will be around imposed by authorities in Baguio City “It’s our first national champion- to see how far they have gone in their will keep fans from coming to the Ba- ships in two years but it’s not the first preparations. guio Athletic Bowl and watch compe- event we’re staging during the pan“Almost two months, they have been titions live. demic. We at PATAFA held virtual there training and they will be there until “This is closed to the public. We will races and seminars for coaches and January 15, before they move to another just livestream the events,” said Philip- trainers,” Juico said. venue for more training,” said Juico. pine Athletics Track and Field AssociaTrack coach Jeffrey Chua said the athThe tournament will help the national tion president Philip Ella Juico during letes, including the 40 members of the na- squad get ready for the Southeast Asian Tuesday’s weekly Philippine Sportswrit- tional pool, are excited for the event. Games and the Asian Games next year. ers Association on Zoom. “They are all excited to compete. Even National athletes will be returning to Juico said this will be their first nation- in training, they are always on the go. two facilities under the care of the Philal championships in two years as many We’re very happy that participants from ippine Sports Commission starting on areas in the country were closed down in all regions in the country are coming to January 10. March 2020 as part of precautions to halt Baguio,” he said. Around a hundred athletes are expected

By Peter Atencio

Suarez eyes WBA Asia title By Randy Caluag

Charly Suarez (right) and coach-manager Delfin Boholst hold the winner’s trophy after the boxer’s unanimous decision win over Delmar Pellio.

OLYMPIAN Charly Suarez showed his maturity and readiness for the bigger stage when he gave former undefeated Delmar Pellio a neat boxing lesson in their 10-round super-featherweight bout at the “Ultimate Knockout Challenge” boxing card over the weekend at the Elorde Sports Complex in Paranaque City. His coach, manager, and friend Delfin Boholst revealed to Manila Standard that Suarez is looking forward to a regional title as challenger for the World Boxing Association Asia title. “Baka sa March, regional title na kami” said Boholst. Suarez has only 10 wins with no defeat since turning professional in January 2019, but his international exposures as a national athlete have made him ripe for bigger challenges as a professional.

It showed in Suarez’s match against Pellio whom he dominated with speed, skills and overall ring generalship for a unanimous decision win that handed the latter’s first defeat in 10 professional fights. The three-time Southeast Asian Games champion feels that as a 33-year-old fighter, it is not too late to reach the world stage. “Feeling ko nga nasa peak ako sa age ko. Kaya every opportunity to win ginagawa ko to improve my record para sa ultimate goal ko na world title,” said Suarez. A crack at the regional Asia title is like putting his one foot on the world championship. “We always know naman na ang kasunod ng regional title is the world the title, so Charly is on the right track,” said noted promoter and manager Brico Santig. March could be a perfect date for Suarez because even as a professional, he still expressed interest in representing the Philippines in SEA Games and the Asian Games.

‘PAC-MAN Community’ brings iconic franchise to Facebook Gaming FOR more than 40 years, PAC-MAN has been a cultural icon in the world of games and beyond, including television, music, and film. Today, the next step in the franchise’s evolution is here with the launch of PAC-MAN Community, exclusively on Facebook Gaming. This isn’t your parents’ PAC-MAN (though the entire classic PAC-MAN is playable as an Easter egg). Developed by Genvid in partnership with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, PAC-MAN Community connects players, gaming video creators, viewers, and world builders together in fun new ways.

Create Your Own Mazes

Play solo or through real-time co-op multiplayer in groups up to four, working together to complete each maze while still competing against each other for the highest point total. In addition to PAC-MAN Community’s built-in mazes, players can create their own levels and challenges through the Maze Creator tool for endless replayability.

User-generated maze creations will be featured inside the game daily, and community oriented challenges, as well as mazes curated and cultivated by streamer’s communities will be coming in the near future.

Watch Creators Play in 3D

The game also includes a Watch tab, powered by Facebook Interactives, which will feature Facebook Gaming creators streaming the game live. Watch mode turns mazes into 3D streams powered by Unreal Engine, where viewers can interact directly with the video player to pick a side and power up the AI PAC-MAN or Ghosts in competition with each other. Think of it as a perpetual interactive PAC-MAN watch party. Coming later in the beta, by interacting with a streamer’s session, viewers can work collectively toward global unlocks for the Maze Creator tool. When a streamer isn’t live, the watch tab

will feature AI characters, just like an arcade machine that isn’t being played.

Interact with Different Communities

Through the new Play with Streamer feature, Facebook Gaming creators can invite their communities directly from their livestream to join them in-game to play or spectate. Player-created mazes will be featured inside the game daily, and community-oriented challenges plus mazes curated and cultivated by streamers’ communities are coming in the near future.

to show up, including Marestella TorresSunang, who has changed her mind on her plans to retire from active competition in women’s long jump. Christine Hallasgo is also returning, two years after ruling the SEA Games women’s marathon, following a 1-2 finish with Mary Joy-Tabal. Since there won’t be a marathon event in the National Open, Hallasgo will instead see action in the women’s 10,000 meter run. Also expected to make their presence felt are reigning Southeast Asian Games gold medallists Clinton Kingsley Bautista (men’s 100-meter hurdles), javelin thrower Melvin Calano and decathlete Aries Toledo. Juico thanked the sponsors led by Ayala and the City of Baguio headed by Mayor Benjie Magalong, for making things happen and ensuring the safety of all participants, including the observance of health protocols

De La Noche, Iraya scare Thais in U19 world spikefest THE Philippines’ Jayrack De La Noche and Alexander Iraya put up a gallant stand in a 15-21, 19-21 defeat to Thailand’s Narakorn Chumaphai and Veerayut Sopati in the FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships on Tuesday in Phuket, Thailand. The Negrense pair was able to save two match points, the last an Iraya service ace, to cut the Thais’ lead to 19-20. But Iraya’s serve went wide in the next rally, allowing the Thais, fourth placers in the Third Asian U19 Championships in Nakhon Pathom last July, to escape with the straight-set win in Pool H. De La Noche and Iraya seek to bounce back against Australia’s Jack Pearse and Lucas Josefsen at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Filipinos—fielded in the tournament by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Rebisco, Asics and Taguig City Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano—will wrap up their pool play stint against Estonia’s Karmo Saviauk and Kaur Erik Kais on Thursday. De La Noche and Iraya are vying in their third international competition. The University of Santo Tomas standouts made their debut last July in the Asian U19 and U21 Championships in Nakhon Pathom. De La Noche and Iraya, ranked No. 351 in the FIVB men’s world rankings, made a historic run to the quarterfinals of the Fourth Asian U21 Championships. There are 32 teams in the main draw which consists of eight pools. The top three teams in each pool will advance to the Round of 24.A total of 72 teams (36 men and 36 women) from 31 countries are competing in the tournament that ends Saturday.

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, December 7, 2021 16.56 PTS.

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

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

World Bank upgrades 2021 PH growth forecast to 5.3% Cebu Pacific adds six new aircraft to support recovery By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Pacific said Tuesday it will take delivery of two airplanes this month to bring this year’s additional aircraft to six in preparation for the recovery and growth of the travel industry in 2022. The airline unit of the Gokongwei Group said this year’s six new aircraft include two A321neo (new engine option), one A320neo, two A330neo and one ATR 72-600. It received the first A330neo on Nov. 28, which paves the way for it to become the greenest airline in Asia. “We’ve already taken deliveries of the two A321neos, the A330 and the A320. Another A330neo, along with the ATR 72-600, are expected to arrive,” said Alex Reyes, Cebu Pacific’s head of strategy. “We are among the few airlines in the world and the only one in the Philippines to take deliveries during a pandemic, which is a testament to CEB’s resilience, liquidity and expected recovery as we enter 2022,” he said. Cebu Pacific, which is now operating above 60 percent of its pre-COVID domestic network and capacity, was ramping up its domestic and international networks. It added more flights to key domestic destinations such as Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos following the easing of travel restrictions. The airline raised its daily flights from Manila to Boracay to 11 times daily this month from 9 times daily in the previous months. Operations between Cebu and Manila will increase to 11 times daily from 9 times daily. Flights to Cagayan de Oro will ramp up to seven times daily from five times daily. Manila to Davao flights will go up to five times daily from three times daily. Cebu Pacific said that for international destinations, it would resume operations to Fukuoka, Bangkok and Taiwan this month. “We continue to rebuild our domestic and international network to support tourism growth in 2022 while continuing to promote safe and responsible travel,” said Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and customer experience at Cebu Pacific. “This is the only way to regain trust and confidence in travel, paving the way towards economic recovery,” she said.

By Julito G. Rada

HE World Bank said Tuesday it raised its 2021 growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.3 percent from its previous estimate of 4.3 percent, following the 7.1-percent third-quarter expansion that exceeded market expectations despite the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bank senior economist Kevin Chua said in an online brieﬁng on Philippines Economic Update titled ‘Regaining Lost Ground, Revitalizing the Filipino Workforce’ that the economic rebound gained momentum in the third quarter. “The Philippines has, so far, faced its worst infection wave in September when the seven-day daily average reached about 21,000 cases due to the Delta variant. In re-

sponse, the authorities re-imposed stringent mobility restrictions in Metro Manila and other key metropolitan areas,” Chua said. “Nonetheless, compared with previous waves, domestic activity has been less sensitive to infections. Public containment measures constrained overall mobility less, while households and ﬁrms have learned to cope with infections and diminished mobility,” he said.

7,147.30

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

“As a result, the growth momentum was not severely hampered, and the third quarter growth surprised on the upside, exceeding market expectations,” Chua said. The economy expanded by 4.9 percent in the ﬁrst three quarters of 2021, rebounding from a 10.1-percent contraction over the same period in 2020, and near the government’s growth target range of 4 percent to 5 percent this year. Chua said although partially driven by base effects, the growth expansion reﬂected an increase in economic activity despite the implementation of several lockdowns. “Growth was supported by the industry sector, driven by double-digit growth in manufacturing and robust public construction activity. The services sector posted a more moderate expansion as some key services were subdued by mobility restriction measures,” he said.

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,979,042,592 113,225 7,860,242,470.45 63 137 36

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.3700

Japan

Yen

0.008814

0.4440

Pound

1.326700

66.8259

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128205

6.4577

Switzerland

Franc

1.080380

54.4187

Canada

Dollar

0.784068

39.4935

Singapore

Dollar

0.730620

36.8013

Australia

Dollar

0.704900

35.5058

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652731

133.6181

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266574

13.4273

Brunei

Dollar

0.727961

36.6674

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.029516

1.4867

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.7147

Euro

1.128800

56.8577

Korea

Won

0.000847

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.156833

7.8997

India

Rupee

0.013264

0.6681

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236407

11.9078

New Zealand

Dollar

0.675000

33.9998

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036084

1.8176 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Swiss firm eyes expansion in PH AM Swiss Micreotech Inc. of Switzerland, a unit of global micro technology manufacturer R. Audemars SA, is mulling over the expansion of operations in the Philippines. R. Audemars SA chief executive Mirko Audemars said his company was looking forward to finding new sites or expanding in the Philippines, depending on the COVID situation in the country. “The Philippines has been an important experience. If a company wants to experience the ease of doing business, the Philippines is a prime destination to make investment opportunities happen,” he said. Audemars is a multi-national group of companies specialized in micro technology producing a micro version of magnets, coils and other components. AM Swiss Microtec started its operation in Cebu in 2016 with global operations in Lugano, Switzerland; Zhongshan, China; and, Hong Kong. The Philippines presented investment opportunities to Swiss companies in the first virtual business forum for the Ticino region, an Italian-speaking region in southern Switzerland. Othel V. Campos

San Miguel to sell P60-b retail bonds

TOP EXPORTER. Toshiba Information Equipment (Philippines) Inc., Toshiba’s strategic data storage manufacturing facility in the Philippines, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corp., receive the Billionaires Award from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority for the third consecutive year. Receiving the award during the Investors’ Recognition Day 2021 from Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (fourth from the left) and PEZA director-general Charito Plaza (second from the left) is Jun Ito (center), president of Toshiba Information Equipment. The award recognizes companies that export more than $2 billion a year.

November inflation decreased to four-month low of 4.2% INFLATION in November moderated to a four-month low of 4.2 percent from 4.6 percent in October on slower increase in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday. National statistician and civil registrar general Dennis Mapa said in an online briefing the November print was still higher than the 3.3-percent inflation a year ago. The figure brought the average inflation in the first 11 months to 4.5 percent, still above the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent set by the government for 2021. “The downtrend in the overall inflation was primarily brought about by the slowdown in the inflation for the heavilyweighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index which slid at 3.9 percent

during the month, from 5.3 percent in October 2021,” Mapa said. He said the lower inflation was also recorded in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 7.5 percent, and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house at 2.4 percent. Inflation rates moved faster for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 4.6 percent, and transport at 8.8 percent. The indices for the rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. Core inflation, which excludes selected food and energy items, likewise, decelerated to 3.3 percent in November from 3.4 percent in the previous month. In November 2020, core inflation was observed at 3.2 percent.

A downtrend was also registered in the inflation for food index at the national level as it slowed down to 4.1 percent in November from 5.6 percent in October. In November 2020, inflation for food was noted at 4.5 percent. The November inflation of 4.2 percent was slightly higher than the 3.3 percent to 4.1 percent range predicted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the month. “The year-to-date average inflation of 4.5 percent points to a breach of the inflation target for 2021. Nonetheless, average inflation is still projected to fall within the government’s target range in 2022 and 2023 as supply side pressures moderate,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement following the release of the data. Julito G. Rada

PSE approves Figaro Coffee Group’s P1.77-b initial offering set this month By Jenniffer B. Austria

CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY. Philippine Stock Exchange Inc., in partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hosts a virtual event to exhibit the sustainability policies, practices and initiatives in the business strategies of six publicly-listed companies that created meaningful results and positive impact on the UN sustainable development goals. Joining the event are (from left, by row) PSE sustainability consultant Matthias Gelber, SEC chairman Emilio Aquino, PSE Bell Awards committee chairman Edgardo Lacson, PSE president and CEO Ramon Monzon, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. chief financial officer Manuel Lozano, First Philippine Holdings Corp. vice president and chief sustainability officer Agnes de Jesus, SM Investments Corp. consultant Timothy Daniels, Ayala Corp. head of group risk management and sustainability Ma. Victoria Tan, San Miguel Corp. chief financial officer Ferdinand Constantino; PSE COO Roel Refran, and PSE directors Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Ma. Vivian Yuchengco and Wilson Sy.

THE Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday approved the P1.77-billion initial public offering of coffee chain Figaro Coffee Group Inc., the last company to list shares in 2021. Figaro is majority-owned by businessman Jerry Liu, who also controls the listed semiconductor ﬁrm Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. Figaro, according to the terms approved by the PSE, will sell 1.26 billion primary shares and up to 126 million in over-allotment shares at a price of up to P1.28 each. The ﬁnal price will be determined on Dec. 10, or once the company conducted its book building process. The offering period is set from Dec. 16 to 22, while listing is tentatively set on Dec. 31. Figaro will use the proceeds from

the IPO to fund store openings and renovations, commissary expansion, debt repayment, IT infrastructure developments and potential acquisitions. Figaro operates 90 restaurants and branches nationwide, including 52 Figaro coffee shops, 31 Angel’s Pizza outlets, ﬁve Tien Ma’s Taiwanese cuisine restaurants, one TFG Express outlet and one Café Portoﬁno outlet. As part of its growth strategy, Figaro aims to have 150 system-wide stores by end-2022 and more than 300 systemwide stores throughout the country by end of 2029. It plans to focus its store openings in National Capital Region, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga and Batangas. Figaro is also looking to acquire other food service businesses within the next three years.

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate San Miguel Corp. on Tuesday disclosed a plan to raise P60 billion from the sale of retail bonds. San Miguel said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement for the shelfregistration of P60-billion worth of retail bonds. The company will issue the bonds within a three-year period from the SEC approval. For the first tranche, San Miguel will issue P25 billion worth of bonds, with an oversubscription option for another P5 billion. The net proceeds from the bond offering will be used refinance P29.2 billion worth of short-term loan facilities with BDO Unibank Inc., The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd., LandBank of the Philippines and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. The first tranche will be issued in two series and tenors of five and seven years. Jenniffer B. Austria

PH drops out of Fraser list of mining countries THE Philippines is no longer in the list of mining jurisdictions ranked by Fraser Institute despite the country’s big untapped mineral resource deposit estimated at over $1 trillion. Citing the latest survey by the Fraser Institute, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines chairman Gerry Brimo said “the Philippines does not rank, anymore.” “In other words, we’re not even on the radar screen of global mining investors at this time. And I’m referring particularly to metals such as copper, gold and nickel that are critical for the EV [electric vehicle] market, which is indeed very large,” Brimo said Tuesday during the second segment of the 2021 Arangkada Forum. He said excise taxes on metallic minerals doubled under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion package of tax reforms which was ill-timed as active mines were earning barely enough to recover expenses while many miners abandoned their operations since the moratorium on mining was imposed in 2012. “But there is yet another policy problem that remains in place, and therefore continues to put a brake on the growth of the industry. And that is the ban on open pit mining that was instituted by the DENR. It is not hard to imagine that the impact on global mining resource investors has been severe,” he said. Othel V. Campos

Energy Department authorizes SMC’s 6,491-MW LNG project to proceed with grid impact study By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy approved the application of several big-ticket power projects, including the 6,491-megawatt liqueﬁed natural gas plant of San Miguel Corp., to conduct a grid impact study. San Miguel Electric Corp. is develop-

ing an LNG power plant with 12 units and a 541-MW per unit capacity in Barangay Tanza, Navotas. San Miguel president Ramon Ang conﬁrmed the project, saying it is “the plan for next 25 years.” The 1,200-MW offshore wind project of Giga Ace 7 Inc. and the 1,248-MW Manila Bay wind plant of Gigawind5

Inc. also secured approvals to conduct grid impact studies. Others that received approval from the DOE are the wind projects of ACX3 Capital Holdings Inc. in Lucena (475 MW), Tayabas (275 MW) and Camarines Sur (500 MW). San Miguel also received the go-

signal to conduct the grid impact study on its 300-MW Sangali LNG project in Zamboanga City. Prestige Power Resources Inc. obtained the go-signal to conduct the study on its 600-MW Tabangao LNG power plant in Leyte. Also approved were Therma Marine

Inc.’s 48 MW Nasipit energy storage project in Agusan del Norte, Camsur II Wind Energy Corp.’s 200 MW energy storage in Pangasinan, Earth Sol Power Corp.’s San Lorenzo offshore wind (593 MW), Bagac Bay onshore wind project (300 MW) and San Enrique offshore wind project (500 MW).

Business

B2 || WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021 extrastory2000@gmail.com

China’s November export growth slowed as holiday demand waned BEIJING, China—Export growth in China lost some steam in November as holiday demand from abroad faded, official data showed Tuesday, but demand for overseas fuel pushed up imports to spike above expectations. Strong exports have helped to boost growth in the world’s second-largest economy since mid-2020, with China containing domestic outbreaks through tough lockdowns and mass testing—after the coronavirus was first detected in the central city of Wuhan. Despite recent power outages caused by emissions-reduction targets, the surging price of coal, and supply shortages, factories kept the goods flowing and the power crisis has been winding down. But experts have warned that the export boom is likely to fade as the world gradually returns to normalcy. In November, exports rose 22 percent

IN THE AIR. Pedestrians walk by

and take pictures of the illuminated Christmas trees on the 'Place Vendome' in Paris, on December 6, 2021.AFP

on-year, better than analysts expected but below the 27.1-percent growth clocked in October, according to the latest customs data. A recent report by ING said Chinese exports likely slowed “given that most orders for western holiday demand have been fulﬁlled.” Imports, however, rose an unexpected 31.7 percent—well above the 21.5-percent increase tipped by a Bloomberg consensus poll. “The surprisingly high number comes from contributions of coal, natural gas and crude oil imports... it’s basically to meet the domestic demand for energy,” said Zhaopeng Xing, senior China strategist at ANZ Research. Given that China still has limited energy capacity and will need time to build it up, energy-related imports will continue in the coming months, Xing told AFP. AFP

Stocks gain; SM Investments climbs

HE stock market rose slightly Tuesday but some investors went into a consolidation mode in anticipation of a Christmas rally toward the end of the year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 16.56 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,147.30 on a value turnover of P7.9 billion. Losers, however, overwhelmed gainers, 137 to 63, with 36 issues unchanged. Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest mobile phone, player climbed 4.6 percent Manila

Standard Manila TODAY Standard

to P3,390, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group advanced 2.6 percent to P959.50. Medilines Distribution Inc., a medical equipment supplier, however, sank 30 percent to P1.61 in its market debut, while AC Energy Corp., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., fell 4.6 percent to P10.50. The rest of Asian stocks were higher on Tuesday as investors took heart from strong rebounds on Wall Street on hopes that the newest coronavirus variant will prove less dangerous than previously feared. The Omicron variant has been detected across the globe but no deaths have yet been reported, with authorities worldwide racing to determine how contagious it is

and how effective existing vaccines are. Top US pandemic adviser Anthony Fauci said over the weekend that while more information was needed, preliminary data on the variant’s severity was “a bit encouraging.” “That was all markets needed to hear really and equity markets in Europe and the US followed Asia’s lead and piled back in,” said Jeffrey Halley, a senior market analyst at OANDA. “Unsurprisingly, travel and leisure led the way while technology only rose modestly.” Sentiment was also buoyed by moves from China’s central bank to limit the economic fallout from debt crises in the country’s property sector.

Singapore, Jakarta, Wellington and Seoul dex was up by 1.89 percent at the close. were all slightly up, as was Manila. Bangkok “Share buying surged as excessive fears was up by more than one percent. about the Omicron variant have eased,” On Monday, European and US equities Okasan Online Securities said in a note. had rebounded on the Omicron news. “The economic data looks very good,” Wall Street also had a strong day, with Sylvia Jablonski, Deﬁance ETFs chief the Dow up 1.9 percent. investment ofﬁcer and co-founder, told Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was up Bloomberg Television, noting that even 2.72 percent at the close, while Shanghai long-term worries about the US Federal was only slightly up. Reserve ending its ultra-loose monetary Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba was policy were not weighing on sentiment for a strong performer, up by more than 12 the time being. percent when Hong Kong trading ended. “We don’t need the same sort of moneBargain-hunters moved in on the com- tary stimulus that we had before so maybe pany’s shares—recently pummeled by the tapering isn’t so bad–-we don’t expect Beijing’s crackdown on big tech—after the it to be too out of control or too quick so virus news and central bank announcement. there is someYELLOW good newsBLACK for buying on the CYAN MAGENTA In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 in- MAGENTA dip,” she said.YELLOW With AFPBLACK CYAN

TODAY

This picture taken on November 24, 2021 shows two assistants at the government-run Endemic Species Research Institute checking a cane toad in Nantou County. AFP

Taiwan rushes to contain sudden cane toad invasion By Sean Chang

(MS-DEC. 8, 2021)

NANTOU COUNTY, Taiwan—Toads are a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in Taiwan, but the unexpected discovery of an invasive species has officials and environmentalists scrambling to contain their spread. With flashlights in hand and shielded by protective gloves, dozens of volunteers from the Taiwan Amphibian Conservation Society worked through the night searching rice fields and vegetable plots for their quarry—the cane toad. There should be no reason for these large and highly toxic amphibians to exist in Chaotun, a township in the foothills of Taiwan’s central mountain range. Cane toads are indigenous to South and Central America and while they have wrought a famously destructive path through places like Australia and the Philippines, they had not been recorded in Taiwan. That was until a few weeks ago when a local resident discovered some large amphibians hanging out in her community vegetable garden and uploaded a photograph online, a move that sparked an immediate toad hunt. “A speedy and massive search operation is crucial when cane toads are first discovered,” Lin Chun-fu, an amphibian scientist at the governmentrun Endemic Species Research Institute told AFP as he explained why conservationists have since rushed to find and remove any cane toads. “Their size is very big and they have no natural enemies here in Taiwan,” he added. Fingertip search Soon after the photo was uploaded Yang Yi-ju, an expert at National Dong Hwa University, sent a group of volunteers from the Amphibian Conservation Society to investigate. They arrived at the vegetable garden and were shocked to find 27 toads in the immediate vicinity. She quickly identified the interlopers as rhinella marina thanks to the tell-tale large partoid glands behind the ears where cane toads secrete a dangerous poison. “I was shocked and worried when they found more than 20. This is not going to be an easy thing to tackle,” she recalled. “We began to notify and mobilize everyone to act,” she said, adding the presence of juveniles showed the toads were breeding. Cane toads are a dangerous invasive species for three key reasons. They are voracious predators, they are hugely successful at breeding and they are poisonous. That latter quality, a defense mechanism, is especially dangerous to dogs who might lick or bite one. Local farmers told conservationists they had noticed the arrival of these burly toads but never reported it. “Taiwanese farmers generally ignore toads and even look favorably at toads when they find them because they help rid the land of pests and are also a good luck symbol,” explained Yang. “It never occurred to them that this is an invasive species from a foreign land.” Conservation officials and environmental volunteers have been working non-stop to do a painstaking search. “We have divided (the township) into 200 by 200 meters square grids to investigate one by one if there are marine toads present,” field researcher Lin Yong-lun said, pointing to a series of color-coded maps. The search perimeter has since been expanded to a 4-kilometer radius. AFP

Entertainment Rap superstar Drake withdraws 2022 Grammy nominations CANADIAN rap superstar Drake asked for his two Grammy nominations to be withdrawn this year and the Recording Academy has honored his request, multiple sources told AFP Monday. Drake had been up for two rap awards at January’s ceremony, but his mega-hit album “Certified Lover Boy” was conspicuously left out of the general field categories last month, and the artist has clashed with the Academy multiple times. The singer is also currently facing multiple lawsuits over a rap concert in Texas last month during which ten fans were killed by a lethal crowd surge. No explanation was provided by Drake’s representatives for his request.

A source close to the artist said the decision had been made by Drake and his management, and had been honored by the Grammys. A Recording Academy source familiar with the request confirmed those details to AFP, and Drake’s nominations have been removed from the official Grammys website, just as final-round ballot voting began. Drake, one of the world’s top-selling and most influential musicians, has won four Grammys. In a 2017 interview, he accused the Grammys of pigeonholing him as a rapper because he is Black. “The only category that they can manage to fit me in is in a rap category, maybe because I’ve rapped in the past

Short films on Filipino family premieres online ‘Patawad’ by Shalom Salvania will go live on Friday, Dec. 10, 6:00 p.m.

BAHAY KUBO, a collection of short films that touches on some of the most pressing issues that occur within a Filipino family and their values, has recently premiered online, free for the public. Themed “Mag-kwento at makinig sa kwento,” written and produced by the student artists from Dulaang Filipino, the internationally lauded resident theater company of the De la Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the platform lets the youth share the stories they believe should be addressed within the Filipino community. The first film, Eulogy, directed by Alea Dygico and Seth Dela Llana, narrates the experiences of two siblings who found themselves in the whirlpool of questions as they prepare for the online wake of

‘Eulogy’ is available on view at Dulaang Filipino’s Facebook page.

their father who died in a crossfire. The short is available on view at Dulaang Filipino’s Facebook page. Patawad by Shalom Salvania introduces a character haunted by his conscience and past mistakes while in the process of acknowledging his own sexuality. This will go live on Friday, Dec. 10, 6:00 p.m. Noche Buena, under the direction of Alleison Dimatulac and Hiro Shimoji, follows a daughter’s confession to her mother as they prepare for their family’s much-awaited reunion for the Christmas Eve feast. It will be shown on Dec. 17, 6:00 p.m. The short films are free and open to the public. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/dulaangfilipino. benilde.

‘Noche Buena,’ directed by Alleison Dimatulac and Hiro Shimoji, will be shown on Dec. 17, 6:00 p.m.

‘Unang Hirit’ marks 22 years THE country’s longest-running morning show, Unang Hirit (UH), is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this December with week-long surprises and treats for its loyal viewers here and abroad. Unang Hirit has become part of Filipinos’ lives for more than two decades and mornings are incomplete without the UH barkada composed of Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Connie Sison, Ivan Mayrina, Mariz Umali, Suzi Entrata-Abrera, Lyn Ching, and Love Añover-Llanko with the show’s team of experts—Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz, Atty. Gaby Concepcion, and Mareng Winnie Monsod. Together they bring us the hottest news, fun segments, and public service five days a week. While the world is still in the midst of a global pandemic, Unang Hirit is committed to letting the heart of Christmas shine through. From simple everyday games that are sure to entertain viewers to the lifechanging chance of owning a house and lot—the UH barkada have prepared these gifts as a way of giving back to the public. On Dec. 6, the show officially launched “Bagong Buhay, Bagong Bahay sa 2022.” Now in its third year, the contest is open to all UH viewers nationwide. The recipient must be a Filipino citizen, 18 years old and above, and who is currently residing in the Philip-

The hosts of GMA’s morning show ‘Unang Hirit’

pines. Participants need to answer the question: “Bakit ikaw o ang iyong nominado ang karapat-dapat makatanggap ng brand new house and lot?” Entries will be accepted until Dec. 31 (8 a.m. Philippine time). The winning entry will be announced live during Unang Hirit’s broadcast on Jan. 17. More prizes are at stake during Unang Hirit’s week-long anniversary celebration where viewers can take home early Noche Buena package, home appliances showcase, and cash gift. Recognizing the resiliency of Filipinos during these trying times, Unang Hirit is also offering special gifts to deserving Kapuso. These include frontliners and healthcare workers who continue to save lives in this pandemic; delivery riders who help people stay safe at home; teachers and students who face the struggle of online classes; and other individuals who have shown inspiring stories this year. With Christmas just around the corner, Unang Hirit is pulling out all the stops to give viewers fun-filled mornings in the safety of their homes. Experience Christmas around the Philippines and the world as the program takes us to Denmark, Switzerland, and various parts of the country. Catch Unang Hirit weekdays at 5:30 a.m. on GMA. Kapuso abroad can watch it via GMA Pinoy TV.

or because I’m Black,” he said on Apple’s Beats 1 radio. At the 2019 Grammys, Drake again vented his frustration that Black hiphop artists are not always given their due. “We play in an opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport,” Drake said as he accepted his lone award for Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan.” “This is a business where sometimes it is up to a bunch of people that might not understand what a mixed-race kid from Canada has to say.” Other top Black artists including The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, and Jay-Z have all slammed the Grammys as irrelevant in recent years, especially citing its failure to recognize

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

Canadian rapper Drake

Black artists. Last month, Drake was sued for having “incited mayh e m ” after he participated in the closing 15 minutes of Travis Scott’s headline set at the Astroworld festival — well after authorities had declared an emergency. The 64th Grammy Awards ceremony is due to take place in Los Angeles on Jan. 31. AFP

Global music company invests in Viva Music and Artists Group er’s expertise, this partnership will enable Viva and Believe to capture the ever-growing Sarah G is opportunities of the Viva Music’s Philippines market and biggest artist contribute to the rise of Local Artists,” RENCH music company said Sylvain DelDel Believe has acquired a ange, Managing Director of Believe Asia Pacific. stake in Viva Music and VMAGI is controlled by Artists Group, Inc.,(VMAGI), Viva Holdings, the N°1 familywhich considered one of the larg- owned media company in the country, which represents a key relationship to est labels in Southeast Asia. attract and develop top local and regional artists. VMAGI is also the ownBelieve, one of the world’s leading digital mu- er of the oldest and richest back catalog sic companies, is buying 15 percent of the com- in the Philippines. pany’s total share capital for €23 million. This strategic partnership expands Enter- Believe’s and VMAGI’s existing reIn a statement sent to Manila Standard Enter tainment, Vic Del Rosario Jr.,, VMAGI Chairman, lationship to develop local artists and President, and CEO, said that it is with great honor exploit VMAGI’s unique catalog. that he welcomes Believe’s entry into Viva. This will also contribute to accel“Being one of the leading digital music cor cor- erating the digital growth of VMporations in the world, Believe brings with it its AGI while further strengthening unparalleled track record in music technology Believe’s position as a leading advances and industry-leading label and artists player in Southeast Asia. As services. Opportunities are boundless, as the part of the strategic partnerpartnership seeks to take Viva Music and Artists ship, Believe has acquired Group, Inc. (VMAGI) into the next level, with a 15 percent stake in the sole aim of marrying Believe’s vast interna- VMAGI. tional know-how on the digital front and that of Asia is currently the Viva’s 50 years of dominance of the Filipino en- fastest growing digital tertainment scene,” Del Rosario stated. music market and will “This is truly an exciting development not only become the largest refor the two companies but also for all the great and cording music market talented Pinoy artists who dream of making it big in globally by the end of business both here and abroad,” he added. this decade, with the B e The partnership will provide a unique de- Philippines being a top lieve and VMAGI velopment platform for local OPM (Original 20 country globally. have been colPilipino Music)artists. Believe and VMAGI of of- Believe started invest investlaborating on the fer a complete range of services to local artists ing in the region in regional developthrough 360° solutions, ranging from VMAGI’s 2013 and is now ment of artists talent management, sync, publishing, branding, present as a since 2019. As merchandising, and production capabilities to leading player market growth Believe’s digital development expertise. in 14 territohas now started to “I am very confident that, leveraging each oth- ries. gain speed, creating new opportunities, VMAGI and Believe deepen their relationship to accelerate their growth. With this partnership, VMAGI and its artists will now benefit from the full range of digital services provided by Believe and from Believe’s proprietary marketing and technology solutions. VMAGI is home to Viva Records, the fastest growing label in terms of new artists, and Vicor Music, the owner of the oldest and richest back catalog in the Philippines. VMAGI has been a first mover in mainstream From left: Asia Pacific Regional Director of Believe Sylvain Delange, Viva Music & Artist local hip hop and has today a very active Group Inc. CEO Vic Del Rosario Jr., and Viva Records President Verb Del Rosario roster of top and upcoming artists.

Gigi de Lana gets in festive spirit for YouTube Music Night

Pop-rock singer Gigi De Lana

AFTER an eventful year that saw her star shine even brighter, pop-rock singer Gigi De Lana is celebrating the Christmas season with YouTube subscribers in her first-ever digital concert titled Gigi De Lana: Holiday Vibes for YouTube Music Night this Saturday night at 8:00. Gigi, together with her band The Gigi Vibes, will treat viewers to a relaxing night filled with music and uplifting stories to be streamed for free exclusively on the YouTube channels of ABS-CBN Star Mu Music, MOR, MYX, and One Music’s You YouTube channels. The digital concert features the viral sensation’s intimate performances of classic Christmas tunes, ABS-CBN Christmas ID theme songs,

well-loved OPM hits, her break-up anthem and debut single “Sakalam,” and a heartwarming Moira Dela Torre medley. Gigi will also be joined by fellow Kapamilya singer Jason Dy for a touching duet. Directed by Alco Guerrero and Marvin Caldito, Gigi De Lana: Holiday Vibes is produced by YouTube Music and ABSCBN Events and line produced by Playback Productions. It will be hosted by Edward Barber and MYX VJ Samm Alvero. Gigi’s digital concert is the third offering from YouTube Music Night in Southeast Asia, following Jona’s Love, Jona Music Night, and Juris and Jed Madela’s Hearts On Fire: Juris and Jed in February this year. Watch Gigi De Lana: Holiday Vibes on ABS-CBN Star Music, MOR, MYX, and One Music’s YouTube channels.

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

ARTS AND CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021

Lance Morrison Tulagan

GLAZING LIFE BY GLAIZA LEE

Bringing museums back to life

Maria Monica Bacus The Christmas Mall-seum at Newport Mall features over 300 artworks by Filipino artists.

AFTER a number of restricmuseums can supplement tions and lockdowns were put history education in the in place, the museums and Philippines. theaters were the first to close For Sofia, historical and last to open. events are not always black For someone who likes visand white. Ana shared that iting museums like myself, it history is not set in stone. In has been welcome news fact, revising history is not when the government finally always wrong. There are allowed the reopening of times when certain narramuseums, albeit with limited tives in history should be capacity. questioned and re-assessed. Recently, I have conTrue, in a time when fake versed with Museum Colnews and historical revisionPart of the proceeds lective’s Sofia Santiago and ism are rampant, it pays to be Ana Tamula, who are cur- from the artworks will be critical and discerning. rently in Cambodia through donated to the Concordia ••• Children Services and the the Asian Cultural Council San Lorenzo Ruiz Home Speaking of museums, grant. The woman artists there is an ongoing Christfor the Elderly. hope to learn more about hismas Mall-seum at Newport toriography and memorialization through Mall, featuring over 300 artworks by Filitheir interaction with various art organi- pino artists. zations and museums in Cambodia. Running until Jan. 25, the artists will For these ACC grantees, museums are be able to show their full collection during important social investments because they their solo exhibition just outside of Rafael’s strengthen national identity by presenting Tapas Bar and Restaurant, which is on the curatorial works and exhibitions on history second floor of the Newport Mall in Pasay. and cultures. But what people don’t know, Catch the solo exhibition schedule: there is more to running a museum than Philipp Badon, Dec. 8 to 14; Nixxio Cascuration. trillo, Dec. 15 to 21; Maria Pureza EsMuseum programming, for instance, cano, Dec. 22 to 28; Joe Datuin, Dec. 29 takes the bulk of the whole process. Sofia to Jan. 4; Blanco Art Museum, Jan. 5 to11; explained that it is the “bridge that allows Tawid Gallery, Jan. 12 to18; and Shambala the audience to understand what is being Silang, Jan. 19 to 25. presented whether this is an artwork or an Part of the proceeds from the artworks, archival material or an artefact.” which will be up for sale via www.rwSofia and Ana are currently exploring mexclusives.com, will be donated to the history programming. Being highly cred- Concordia Children Services and the San ible sources of information, Ana believes Lorenzo Ruiz Home for the Elderly.

MSJO members take top honors at national music contest F OR the fourth straight year, musicians from the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra took top prizes at the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA).

MSJO members Maria Monica Bacus, (violin) and Lance Morrison Tulagan (viola) were both named firstprize winners in their respective senior strings categories during the competition streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. Bacus was also awarded Best Interpretation of the Contest Piece. Apart from Bacus and Tulagan, other MSJO members who won first prize in the prestigious annual contest are Jeanne Rafaella Marquez, junior strings (2018), Jodeline Michaela Pecson, senior strings (2019), Emmanuel John Villarin, junior strings (2020). The 2016 winner, Mishael Romano, is also from MSJO. Bacus started playing the violin when she was 11 years old. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Bachelor of Music Major in Violin Performance from the University of Santo Tomas. She is also a member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra and is a faculty member of the MSO Music Academy. She is part of the 2021 Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) 30th Anniversary Concert Tour in Europe and Asia. For the 2021 contest, she played the Glazunov Violin Concerto, and prepared for it under her teacher Diomedes

Saraza Jr., through online lessons because of the pandemic. “Years of training and experience taught me that in every opportunity, there is always a learning experience and things to improve on. This has helped me focus on growth rather than the results. As Sir Dio always tells me, winning is just a bonus,” she said. Tulagan, 19, is a BS Mathematics freshman at De La Salle University. He started playing the violin at age 9 and shifted to the viola when he was 14. For NAMCYA, he played the Forsyth Concerto in G minor, Bach Suite no. 5 in C minor, Clarke Sonata, Filipino piece “Hatinggabi” by Molina, Two Pieces for viola and piano by Frank Bridge, and “Solo ma non solo” by Jeffrey Ching. His biggest challenge was managing his time between the demands of online school and practicing. Tulagan was a student of Professor Ivan Saraza, the MSO’s viola principal who passed on in August this year. “Teacher Ivan significantly contributed to my musical growth,” Tulagan said. “He noticed every detail in my playing and cared so much about my improvement. He believed in me so much and he asked me to join several other competitions.” Before Saraza passed away, he asked his brother Dio to continue helping Tulagan prepare for the NAMCYA. “I am extremely proud of Lance and Monica for winning first place in NAMCYA,” said Dio. “Watching them brought a lot of memories when my

brother and I joined decades ago. Both my brother and I won it and we’re happy that our students did as well now. We’re even prouder not just because they won first place but I’ve seen the effort and hard work they put in to play the best version of themselves in each round of the competition.” Professor Jeffrey Solares, conductor and executive director of the MSJO, says the pandemic has brought new challenges to teaching and learning music. “It forced them to take all their lessons online,” he said. The MSJO also produced virtual performances where each member submitted recordings that were in turn edited to approximate the effect of playing together. Solares led the youth orchestra to win second place in 2017 and first place in 2018 at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival held at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. MSJO has also played at various venues in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, South Korea, and Myanmar. “We are proud that our training programs for the members of the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) continues to bear fruits of excellence and we are excited to witness and support their further growth and development as future leaders in our country’s music scene.” MSJO is supported by Standard Insurance and its group chairman, Ernesto “Judes” Echauz.

‘TV Garden’ represents Paik’s vision where electronics and nature coexist. Christmas Mall-seum at Newport Mall will run until Jan. 25, 2022.

Nemesio “Nemiranda” Miranda (right) is a famous painter and sculptor in Angono, Rizal.

A riot of vision, color, and sound Nam June Paik’s ‘Random Access’ (1963)

The ‘Sistine Chapel’ (1993) envelops the audience in mesmerizing visuals and booming audio.

NATIONAL Gallery Singapore stages a major survey of Nam June Paik (1932 – 2006) in a landmark exhibition of the artist who predicted the future of communication and the Internet. The international tour of Nam June Paik: The Future Is Now concludes in Singapore, its only Asian stop, after it kicked off at London’s Tate Modern in 2019, then toured Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, and San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition celebrates Paik’s five decades of visionary and playful practice through more than 180 works across all media. Through the early adoption of audio and visual images in his works, he manipulated technology and experimented with the concept of media. In a groundbreaking move, TV monitors were evolved into radical audio-visual sculptures, which no artist had done before. By spotlighting his multidisciplinary and collaborative career which incorporated art, music, performance, and technology, in conversation with philosophies and traditions from Eastern and Western cultures, this retrospective reveals Paik’s prescience and enduring inspiration. One of the first truly global artists,

Paik was born in Seoul, and practiced in Japan, Germany, and the United States. Always innovative, Paik had played a leading role in bridging the gap between art and technology by transforming video into an artist’s medium and exploring the potential of mediabased art as early as the 1950s, earning him the recognition as “pioneer of video art”. He coined the term “electronic superhighway” in 1974, when he predicted the future of communication and the Internet, where mass media would play a vital part to transform the way people connect and communicate – the very future the world is living in, right now. During the nascent stage of globalization and connectivity, he collaborated with various avant-garde composers like John Cage and featured cultural icons such as David Bowie alongside Ryuichi Sakamoto; he also deliberately strayed out of genres to present art, music, performance, and technology in groundbreaking ways. Paik imagined a future where electronics and nature coexist in TV Garden (1974-1977/2002), an installation comprising numerous CRT TV sets placed amidst lush foliage.

Another iconic work is Sistine Chapel (1993), which envelops the audience in mesmerizing visuals and booming audio to capture the sublime visual experience at the Vatican’s famous chapel. And before the world warmed up to robots, Paik created John Cage Robot II (1995), a memorable robot figure adorned with piano hammers and keys, that recalls Cage’s radical work, 4’33”, comprising three movements of silence. Dr. Eugene Tan, Director of National Gallery Singapore, said, “Beyond illuminating Paik’s artistic legacy that impacted visual culture and generations of artists today, Nam June Paik: The Future Is Now also compels visitors to reflect on their own relationship with technology, as well as its effects and repercussions on society.” Nam June Paik: The Future Is Now is proudly supported by Lead Partner Singtel, Strategic Partners Cultural Matching Fund, and Singapore Tourism Board. Nam June Paik: The Future Is Now will run from 10 Dec. 10 to March 27 at the Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery and the Basement Concourse Level (The Spine Hall and Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery, B1).