Manila Standard - 2021 December 21 - Tuesday

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PH LOGS 3RD OMICRON CASE; VARIANT RAGING THROUGH WORLD

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Death toll now 375, missing 56 AT LEAST 375 people were killed and 56 are missing following Typhoon Odette, the latest disaster to hit the archipelago, with 500 more injured, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday. The PNP Regional Offices reported the following breakdown for typhoonrelated deaths: Region 6 – 24; Region 7 – 170; Region 8 – 6; Region 9 – 1;

Region 10 – 7; and Region 13 – 167. The number of fatalities was higher than National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) data of 58 deaths in the typhoon. A senior official at the national disaster agency said he had not expected so many fatalities. Next page

VOL. XXXV • NO. 309 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 •TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘HELP! Need water, food’

Typhoon survivors send SOS out as situation turns desperate By Jimbo Gulle and Alena Mae Flores

S

URVIVORS of Typhoon “Odette” pleaded for drinking water, food, money, and other necessities Monday as desperation set in following the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year.

“Our situation is so desperate,” said Ferry Asuncion, a street vendor in the hard-hit seaside city of Surigao, which was devastated by the storm. Residents urgently needed drinking water and food, he said.

Four provinces – Cebu, Bohol, Negros Occidental and Southern Leyte – and the whole Caraga region in northeastern Mindanao have declared states of calamity, with more areas expected Next page

LPA to bring rains on storm-hit sites A LOW pressure area or LPA over Mindanao is threatening to develop into a storm by Wednesday or Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Monday. The weather disturbance is expected to bring rainy weather over the eastern part of Mindanao while the area continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Typhoon Odette, Next page

SOS FROM SURIGAO. In these photos provided by Greenpeace on Monday, residents of Surigao City call for help and scramble for their basic human rights – food, water, shelter – which are scarce following Typhoon Odette. They even fetch drinking water and bathe from a busted water pipe along the road (inset upper left). Meanwhile, on a road in General Luna town, Siargao Island, they paint an SOS in blue, hoping rescuers on aircraft can see. AFP

DOH spots PH’s 3rd Omicron case, flags 6 areas for infection growth By Willie Casas THE Philippines has detected the third COVID-19 Omicron variant case from a Filipino returning from Qatar with a history of travel in Egypt, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday. The 36-year-old male arrived Nov. 28 at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport via Qatar Airways flight QR 924, said DOH spokesperson and Health Un-

dersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. The patient has remained asymptomatic since his arrival, said Vergeire. His sample was collected on Dec. 4, with the result released the following day. He again tested negative on Dec. 19 following a repeat RT-PCR test, Vergeire said. “He completed his isolation in Cebu before traveling back to Cavite, his Next page

‘Variant raging through the world’

Duterte sets P4-b aid to Odette-hit areas ON THE GROUND. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the victims of Typhoon Odette as he visits severely affected areas in the towns of Cebu and Bohol on December 19. Presidential Photo By Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano impact and met with local officials to

2,837,730 263

9,592

50,784

45

2,777,354

390

(As of 4 PM, December 6)

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte vowed to look for another P2 billion to augment his initial commitment of P2 billion to aid the recovery of provinces devastated by Typhoon “Odette.” He made this promise as he toured Bohol province to assess the typhoon’s

TOP US pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci has warned of a bleak winter ahead as the Omicron coronavirus variant spurs a new wave of infections globally, sparking restrictions and concerns over hospital capacity. “One thing that’s very clear... is (Omicron’s) extraordinary capability of

spreading,” Fauci told NBC News Sunday (Monday in Manila). “It is just... raging through the world.” Since it was first reported in South Africa in November, Omicron has been identified in dozens of countries, prompting many to reimpose travel Next page

know their immediate needs. He also led the distribution of assistance to typhoon survivors. “So, what’s important is you listen to your officials because we’re going to download the money in the bank so they can get money immediately,” he Next page

Fuel prices up anew: P0.55/l By Alena Mae S. Flores THE country’s oil firms raised pump prices by as much as P0.70 per liter effective 12:01 am Tuesday to reflect the movement of prices in the world

oil market. The oil firms raised the price of gasoline by P0.55 per liter, diesel by P0.55 per liter and kerosene by P0.70 per liter except for some areas affected by typhoon Odette. Next page

PAGCOR PACKS. Workers from state firm Pagcor repack relief goods at their warehouse in Paranaque City on Monday, intended for the victims of Typhoon Odette in Visayas and Mindanao. Danny Pata

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TUSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021

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PH injects 100-millionth COVID jab By Willie Casas

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HE Philippines has administered its 100 millionth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) reported Monday.

beginning of our vaccination program. This sparks hope that we can continue to march forward in this pandemic,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said. “We owe this to the people who have endeavored together to bring these vaccines to even the farthest barangays – from the Vaccine Cluster to the healthcare and local government unit workers, and volunteers – all selflessly working towards protecting more Filipinos from COVID-19,” he added. “With the commencement of the second round of Bayanihan Bakunahan, we hope to encourage more Filipinos to get fully-vaccinated. Sa Bayanihan Bakunahan, bayani ang bawat Pilipino,” said vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. “Let us work together until everyone is safe. Meanwhile, the National Vac-

cine Operations Center will continue to ensure that we have enough vaccine supply and administer it,” he added. The DOH and the NTF reassured the public that all approved COVID-19 vaccines in the country are safe and effective. The agencies also called on those yet to receive their primary dose to get fully vaccinated and encouraged those eligible for additional doses to get their additional or booster dose. In Iloilo, the vaccine wastage was reported in Bingawan town, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. Metro Manila, the Cordilleras, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Bicol region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao region, and Soccsksargen did not report any vaccine wastage, Vergeire said.

Meanwhile, most areas hit by the destructive Typhoon Odette would resume their participation in the second round of the government’s COVID-19 mass vaccination today. However, at least 100 vials of Pfizer vaccines in Iloilo were wasted due to power interruption as Odette pummeled Visayas and Mindanao over the weekend, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday. Part of the ongoing government response to areas hit by tropical cyclone

is the department and the National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF) assessing the condition of vaccines and the storage facilities in areas with reported power outages. As of December 16, the country has administered a total of 100,019,137, with over 43 million individuals or 55.78 percent of the target population fully vaccinated. “This gargantuan milestone is a huge turnaround from the scarcity of vaccine supplies we have once faced at the

Duterte... From A1

UN assessment teams reach hard-hit areas

said during the distribution of assistance in Inabanga, Bohol. “So, we gave P2 billion, and you’ll divide the amount. We’ve already started giving assistance, so I’ll look for another P2 billion,” he said, as the United Nations and other international agencies also assessed the damage and pledged to help. (See related story on A2 – Editors) Duterte promised the people that the assistance from the national government will arrive, but he asked for patience as his administration readies the release of government aid. “Just give us a bit more time because if you’re from the government, there’ll be plenty of paperwork,” he said. “For every move you make, there’s a layer of papers that are… This is the way it is with the government. And if you try to rush things, there’ll be some problems,” he added. The President said the government racked up “huge debts” for its COVID-19 response and would have to wait until the 2022 national budget “so we will have more money to spend.” “What I’m certain will arrive today if not tomorrow, it’s a convoy, are rice and water. After that, please give us more time to give the money, billion that I promised,” he said. Duterte vowed to give priority to those who were left with nothing. “Just don’t be selfish, just wait for your turn. We will have to help first those who have nothing right now. But for those whose houses are still intact and just need some repairs, you’ll be next to receive help,” he added. The National Housing Authority (NHA) will quickly build 5,000 to 30,000 houses for the typhoon survivors, Duterte said. Metro Manila mayors, meanwhile, have agreed to release P100 million to help local government units affected by Typhoon Odette. Members of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) approved a resolution to release funds from the savings of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to extend assistance to the affected areas. The MMC, which composed of 17 mayors in the National Capital Region, is the governing board and the policy-making body of the MMDA “We are going to prioritize local government units stricken by... typhoon Odette,” said MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr.

DOH... From A1 hometown, and immediately underwent home quarantine,” Vergeire said. The returning Filipino is finishing his home quarantine, she added. Meanwhile, the DOH has flagged five areas with a positive two-week growth in COVID-19 cases.

Fuel... From A1 “Caltex, marketed by Chevron Philippines, announces the increase on its fuel prices that will be effective starting December 21, 2021. Some areas, especially those affected by the recent typhoon, have had no price increase for the meantime,” the company said. Seaoil Philippines, Cleanfuel and PetroGazz also announced the price increases. Other oil firms are also expected to raise pump prices. Caltex said there is a price freeze for kero-

THE United Nations resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator in the Philippines, Gustavo Gonzalez, on Monday said assessment teams were able to reach areas and communities hardest hit by Odette. “The reports and images of utter devastation they are sending back are heartbreaking and our deepest sympathies go out to those who lost so much, including loved ones,” Gonzalez said.

“We also commend the professionalism of frontline responders led by government authorities, armed forces, the Red Cross, and others involved in evacuation, search, and rescue efforts in very difficult circumstances and logistics,” he said. Gonzalez added that the UN was coordinating with the government authorities to provide timely support and address critical gaps and the needs of

the most vulnerable. “A coordinated response by the UN agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners in the country is already underway to meet immediate needs in shelter, health, food, protection, and other life-saving responses,” he said. Japan also announced relief assistance through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

‘Help!... From A1

Thousands of military, police, coast guard and fire personnel have been deployed to hard-hit areas along with food, water and medical supplies, while heavy machinery -- like backhoes and front-end loaders -- have been sent to clear roads blocked by fallen power poles and trees. But some victims have expressed frustration at the government’s response. “No one showed up -- I don’t know where the politicians and (election) candidates are,” said a visibly angry Levi Lisondra, an elderly resident in Surigao City, on the northern tip of Mindanao. “We paid big taxes when we were working and now, they can’t help us.” The Philippine Red Cross reported “complete carnage” in coastal areas after Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai) left homes, hospitals, and schools “ripped to shreds.” The storm tore off roofs, uprooted trees, toppled concrete power poles, smashed wooden houses to pieces, wiped out crops and flooded villages -- sparking comparisons to the damage caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. More than 380,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Odette slammed into the country on Thursday as a super typhoon. Victims of the typhoon needed water, ready-to-eat food and hygiene kits, the Philippine Coast Guard said Monday as it dispatched its vessels for relief operations. The BRP Sindangan left Monday to bring assistance to Siargao, said Com-

modore Armand Balilo, PCG spokesman. Twenty-one tourists were stranded in Siargao, but some were able to leave the island Sunday as vessels were allowed to sail, he added. Coast Guard stations in Pagasa Island and Kalayaan Island were washed out, he said. There has also been widespread destruction on Dinagat and Mindanao islands, which along with Siargao bore the brunt of the storm when it slammed into the country packing wind speeds of 195 kilometers per hour. Odette hit the Philippines late in the typhoon season -- most cyclones develop between July and October. The Philippines has an established disaster management system that provides early warnings to residents of an approaching storm and moves vulnerable communities into evacuation centers before it hits. But the storm has dealt a savage blow to the country’s tourism sector, which was already struggling to recover after COVID-19 restrictions decimated visitor numbers. The Department of Agriculture said the storm damage in the regions of Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Central Mindanao, Davao and Caraga had reached P333.4 million, affecting 12,750 farmers and fishermen, and with a volume production loss of 19,640 metric tons and 23,198 hectares of agricultural land. with AFP

which left a swathe of destruction this week in agricultural and infrastructure as well as deaths. In its 4 p.m. weather advisory on Monday, the agency said the LPA might bring rains over the eastern

portion of Mindanao on Christmas day but had a low chance of turning into a tropical cyclone. PAGASA also projected rainy weather over Cagayan Valley and Aurora due to the tail-end of a cold front. But it said: “Flooding and landslides possible due to antecedent rains.” Light rains might be also experienced in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions,

while sea travel is still risky over the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands due to big waves caused by the northeast monsoon or amihan. Areas severely affected by Typhoon Odette — namely Siargao, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros, and most of Palawan — will have fair and warm weather, PAGASA said. Rio N. Araja

Vergeire said these were Iligan City, Olongapo City, Camiguin, Tawi-Tawi, and Aklan. Iligan City is classified as “moderate risk” for virus infections, while the rest are “low risk” for COVID-19, she said. The DOH is still investigating the cause of the increase in cases in these areas, which remain under Alert Level 2, she said. The Philippines logged 263 new

COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total case count to 2,837,730. Forty-five new fatalities brought the COVID-19 death toll to 50,784. There were also 390 recoveries, bringing total recoveries to 2,777,354. There were 9,592 active cases, of which 473 are asymptomatic; 3,569 mild; 3,375 moderate; 1,797 severe; and 378 critical. The number of active cases is the

lowest in almost one year and seven months, or since May 22, 2020 when 9,563 were logged. Nationwide, 21 percent of ICU beds, 22 percent of isolation beds, 11 percent of ward beds, and 10 percent of ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 22 percent of ICU beds, 19 percent of isolation beds, 16 percent of ward beds, and 12 percent of ventilators, were in use.

to follow suit. “SOS” (save our ship) was painted on a road in the popular tourist town of General Luna on Siargao island, where surfers and holidaymakers had flocked ahead of Christmas, as people struggled to find water and food. “There’s no water anymore, there’s a water shortage, on day one there was already looting in our neighborhood,” Siargao resort owner Marja O’Donnell told CNN Philippines. As media descended on the island and other areas laid low by Odette, television and radio crews devoted their broadcasts to residents to call out “live” to their kin in Luzon and Mindanao -- which was largely spared by the storm -- and abroad for any help they could spare. “My father was killed when our house fell on him. I really hope someone can help us. My elder siblings in Manila and Davao don’t know this yet,” Eva Mante said in Cebuano between tears in Pilar, Bohol, still mourning her 70-year-old dad in a GMA News interview. Swathes of the affected areas have no communications, hampering efforts by disaster agencies to assess the full extent of the storm’s damage. Electricity has also been knocked out, affecting water-refilling stations and automated teller machines (ATMs) where Filipinos usually keep their cash.

LPA... From A1

sene in areas declared under state of calamity while there is no price increase for Cebu, Bohol, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bacolod, Negros Oriental, Samar, Leyte, Palawan, Agusan, Surigao, Cabadbaran, Butuan, General Santos and Koronadal that were largely hit by the typhoon World oil prices went up as omicron fears faded amid reports that the new variant is less severe than previously thought and existing set of vaccines provide protection, according to reports gathered by the Department of Energy. On December 14, the oil companies implemented a price increase in domestic oil products.

‘Variant... From A1 restrictions and other measures. Despite indications it is not more severe than the Delta variant – currently still the dominant strain -- the heavily mutated Omicron has been shown in early data to have a worrying resistance to vaccines and higher transmissibility. Fauci also cautioned against too much optimism over Omicron’s severity, noting that in South Africa, while the hospitalization-to-case ratio is lower than with Delta, this could be due to

underlying immunity from widespread previous infections. “No matter how you look at it,” he said, “when you have so many, many infections, even if it is less severe, that overcomes this slight to moderate diminution in severity.” “Our hospitals, if things look like they’re looking now in the next week or two, are going to be very stressed,” particularly in areas of the country with low levels of vaccination, Fauci said. On Sunday, US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker each said separately on Twitter that they had tested

DOJ to assess 1,500 EJK cases for future probe By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice’s interagency committee on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) will evaluate 1,500 cases filed against alleged terrorist groups by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to determine which of them should be investigated immediately. The AFP-endorsed cases involved alleged violations of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which is also referred to as “the law of armed conflict and regulates the conduct of war.” The inter-agency panel had earlier said that cases involved “attacks on civilian properties, willful killing of civilians/non-combatants, children involved in armed conflict, and use of anti-personnel mines.” No additional details were given by the committee. It said the cases occurred between 2010 and 2020. Justice Undersecretary Adrian Ferdinand S. Sugay said the 1,500 cases were tackled during a meeting held last Dec. 15 by the AO 35 InterAgency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture and Other Grave Violations of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of Persons. Sugay stressed that these cases will be subjected to “further study and future discussion.” Meanwhile, the inter-agency committee on extrajudicial killings assured on Monday that there is nonstop investigation into the deaths arising from the joint police-military operations in Southern Tagalog provinces last March 7.

Death... From A1 “I was proven wrong as it appears now coming from the reports,” said Casiano Monilla, deputy administrator for operations. The Philippines -- ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change -- is hit by an average of 20 storms every year, which typically wipe out harvests, homes, and infrastructure in already impoverished areas. Typhoon Yolanda was at the time the strongest storm ever to have made landfall and left over 7,300 people dead or missing. The death toll from Odette is not expected to get anywhere close to that number. Among the people hurt by the storm, 364 were in Region 7, 15 in Region 8, three in Region 10 and 118 in Region 13. A total of 56 persons are still missing after the typhoon ravaged several parts of Visayas and Mindanao, the PNP said, with 47 missing in Region 7, one in Region 8, and eight in Region 13. The police also rescued 4,945 victims of the typhoon. The total count of evacuees was 99,568 people or 30,065 families, the PNP said. The spokesperson of the NDRRMC said Odette could be considered the fiercest tropical cyclone to hit this country which averages 20 typhoons a year. But Mark Timbal claimed that unlike in previous “devastating” typhoons, local government and the public preparedness was more focused this time, citing over 400,000 potential victims of Odette who were preemptively evacuated. Meanwhile, 442,424 people were displaced while 385,086 individuals were preemptively evacuated, according to the NDRRMC. It added that 2,435 evacuation centers were opened for the victims. A total of 997,665 people or 276,522 families in 2,961 barangays were affected by the typhoon. AFP with Joel E. Zurbano positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated and boosted and were experiencing mild symptoms. Neither indicated whether they had been infected with Omicron. Fauci urged unvaccinated Americans to get a shot and the vaccinated to get boosters, which have been shown to reup protection.

‘Tough few weeks to months’

The administration of President Joe Biden, who is due to address the nation on pandemic developments on Tuesday, has been campaigning hard for vaccination. AFP

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ex-PCGG chief Sabio granted humanitarian jail furlough

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Esperon hits RMS leader for ’perjury’ in QC trial

By Rey E. Requejo

By Rio N. Araja

THE Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the provisional release of former Presidential Commission on Good Government chairman Camilo Sabio from detention for humanitarian reasons. In a nine-page notice of the resolution, the SC’s First Division said Sabio’s provisional release would take effect upon posting a cash bond of P200,000, unless he is being detained for other lawful cause. The SC granted the plea for provisional release after finding that Sabio, who is 85 years old, can no longer be considered a flight risk due to his serious medical condition. “Here, petitioner, all eighty-five (85) years of age is in his twilight and illnessladen years. The People itself has not refuted his serious medical condition. There is no indication that he is a flight risk for he is no longer even ambulatory. Nor does he pose a danger of being a repeat offender since he had long ceased to be in government service. His continuous incarceration will not do any good to his already failing health, let alone, to society in general,” the SC ruled. Court records showed that Sabio was ordered arrested by the Sandiganbayan after finding him guilty of violation of Section 3(a) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and sentenced him to imprisonment of between six to 10 years with perpetual disqualification from holding public office. The case stemmed from his attempt to influence his younger brother, Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Jose Sabio, to rule in favor of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in a case against Meralco in 2008, as a favor for a friend.

NATIONAL Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Monday slammed anew Sr. Elenita Belardo, RGS, national coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) for lying under oath as he took the witness stand before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court. In an interview, Esperon said the court must hold Belardo, Elisa Tita Lubi, Cristina Palabay, Roneo Clamor, Krista Dalena, Edita Burgos, Jose Mari Callueng, Wilfredo Ruazol Sr., Sr. Emma Cupin, Joan May Salvador, and Gertrudes Ranjo-Libang of Gabriela women’s group and Karapatan accountable for the crime of perjury for swearing under oath that the RPM was an organization in good standing. In 2019, the groups earlier filed petitions for writ of amparo and habeas data against Esperon and President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged disappearances, arbitrary arrest, malicious prosecution, and defamation of some activists. “The Court of Appeals has dismissed those petitions. We found out that the RPM’s registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission had been revoked since Sept. 29, 2003,” he told the Manila Standard. Esperon filed charges of perjury against the accused before Branch 37 Judge Aimee Marie Alcera. “I firmly believe that all of the accused have committed the crime of perjury as provided under the Revised Penal Code by deliberately lying to the Supreme Court in their statement that RMP is a duly-registered corporation,” he said. Esperon slammed Belardo for misrepresentation, and even accepting local and international financial assistance and donations. He accused the missionary group of operating “NPA schools in Mindanao.”

IN BRIEF LRT shortens operating hours during holidays LIGHT Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) on Monday said it will implement shortened operating hours on December 24 (Christmas Eve) and December 31 (New Year’s Eve) in observance of the upcoming holiday season. On December 24, the last trip from Baclaran Station will leave at 8 p.m. while the last train from Balintawak Station will leave at 8:15 p.m. from the previous 9:15 p.m. departure on regular weekends/holiday schedule. While on December 31, the last trip from Baclaran Station will leave at 7 p.m. and the last train from Balintawak Station will depart 7:15 p.m. The first trains on the said dates will still leave both ends of the train line at 4:30 a.m. LRT-1 will continue to serve passengers on 25 December 2021 (Christmas Day), 30 December 2021 (Rizal Day), and 1 January 2022 (New Year’s Day) following the regular weekends/holiday schedule. Roosevelt Station will remain temporarily closed until further notice to give way to the ongoing construction by the government of the Unified Grand Central Station (UGCS), which will connect the systems of LRT-1, MRT-3, and MRT7. Darwin G. Amojelar

DAR, DA release rules on govt-owned agri lands THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have issued guidelines to determine the suitability for agricultural of government-owned lands (GOLs) to be covered under Executive Order No. 75 of 2019 through Administrative Order No. 8 of 2021. The joint AO applies to all investigation and validation processes of lands identified and listed in the inventory of coverable GOLs to determine if they are suitable for agricultural purposes. Under the arrangement, it is the exclusive mandate of the DAR to determine if a certain GOL is coverable under EO 75. DAR is also directed by the AO to coordinate with the DA to assist them in determining if the GOL is suitable for agricultural production. DAR, however, must ensure the complete submission by the DA of a the written determination within 30 days, from the completion of the GOL validation meeting. Otherwise, the 30-day period would start from receipt of the written request from DAR. Rio N. Araja

SM PITCHES IN. SM Foundation, through its Operation Tulong Express Program (OPTE), distributed thousands of “Kalinga” packs to families affected by the onslaught of typhoon Odette in Cagayan de Oro and Butuan City. OPTE is a social good program of SM Foundation in collaboration with SM Supermalls and SM Markets which aims to address the needs of communities during calamities and crises.

Budget cut may endanger NPA-cleared areas—ELCAC

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he Department of Interior Local Government (DILG) fears that many cleared barangays may become susceptible to the Communist Party of the Philippines due to the 2022 budget cut of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). The DILG said , this coud result to communities that could be again influenced by the New People’s Army, and National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). According to DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya on Monday’s NTFELCAC virtual presser, with the reduced NTF-ELCAC budget which includes the Barangay Development Program (BDP), the task force comprising the various government agencies must convene immediately to discuss the realignment of the budget for each barangay. Malaya, the task force spokesperson on local government affairs and BDP also said

added. “there is an entire possibility that there will be barangays who will not receive some projects or other barangays will have a reduction of projects. NTF-ELCAC should meet or National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. and task force vice chair should call for a meeting. He added that these projects for the intended 1,406 barangays for 2022 have already gone through a long process and were chosen by the barangay residents themselves. What will happen is the assistance and projects will not be complete. We may not be able to give funds to projects such as

roads, school buildings, and water sanitation system, But, in any case, there will be a dramatic reduction in the projects that will be implemented by government,” Malaya said. Malaya said further explaining that in this year alone, BDP has a total of 2,318 “ongoing projects” for conflict-affected barangays to enable them to resist the lies and intimidations of the CPP-NPA-NDF and gain their support, after military and police efforts drove them away from these communities “I personally saw the benefits of these programs. So these projects are very, very important to the barangays that are BDP beneficiaries. But it (P17.1 billion) is a far cry from the P28.1 billion for the 1,406 barangays (programmed to be beneficiaries) for 2022. The implementation is that we reduce the number of barangays or reduce the budget per barangay. This was promised by the government that needs to be fulfilled,” Malaya said.

Cayetano orders investigation on Taguig cops in robbery case By Joel E. Zurbano MAYOR Lino Edgardo Cayetano on Monday ordered an investigation into the case of four Taguig City police officers who robbed a Japanese national in Pasig City over the weekend. Cayetano formed a special team to conduct a full investigation after reports came in that a city government employee was also involved in the incident. “I am creating a special investigation committee that will immediately look into a robbery incident involving a Taguig City employee. All links concerning this incident will be looked into,” he said. Cayetano said the local government commended the members of the Pasig and Makati police for their swift action resulting in the arrest of the four policemen and their cohort. The suspects were SSgt. Jayson Bartolome, Cpl. Merick Desoloc, Cpl. Christian Jerome Reyes, and Pat. Kirk Joshua Almojera, all assigned at the Taguig City Police Station, and one AJ Mary Agnas, a civilian. Cayetano also tapped the Taguig City

Police to cooperate with the investigation. The city chief executive said the incident is deplorable and will not be tolerated. He asked the police commander to look into all personnel, clean the ranks and put order immediately. Cayetano also asked for a reshuffle of Taguig PNP pending the investigation. “The city condemns all acts of violence, illegal drugs, and corruption and it will not tolerate any employee who is involved in any form of crime. Let this serve as a very strong warning to bad elements who prey on innocent civilians,” said Cayetano. “In Taguig, regardless of who you are, you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” he added. Reports from the National Capital Region Police Office showed that the robbery happened around 12:10 a.m. on Dec. 18 along Sta Elvira Street in Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City. NCRPO director P/Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao said the victims – Kani Toshihiro, a Japanese national, 42, and Joana Marie Espiritu, 26 – sought assistance after the incident.

NEW WAITING SHED IN QC.The Quezon City

government has completed a waiting shed project in Brgy. Pinagkaisahan. Located near the Multipurpose Building in the barangay, the waiting shed allows constituents to while the time away in the shade and away from the elements. Robbie Pangilinan

PRICE INSPECTION. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Ruth Castelo leads the inspection of Noche Buena products along with the DTI’s Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau at a supermarket in Quezon City on December 20. The inspection is part of the DTI’s special price and supply monitoring of necessities and prime commodities.Manny Palmero

Winners announced in Las Piñas 16th annual parol-making fest By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Cynthia Villar, Former DPWH Sec. Mark Villar, and Deputy Speaker Camille Vilar yesterday awarded the winners of the Las Piñas City annual parol-making competition. Now in its 16th year, the competition is a commitment to support the local lantern industry. Despite the challenges brought by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Villar acknowledged the continuing passion of Las Piñeros to create unique and environment-friendly parols that make Las Piñas lanterns stand out among the rest. Villar said she is happy and proud that “we have once again risen to the challenge of honoring our annual tradition and spread holiday cheer and hope this season.” Villar led the virtual awarding ceremonies at the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) Hall. She conferred the awards to the following winners of the annual parolmaking contest. The winners and prizes: Grand Win-

ner: Luzviminda Gallardo P20,000; 1st Runner-Up:Idelfonso Esguerra – P15,000; and 2nd Runer-Up : Emeterion Cabasali – 10,000 The competition is part of Villar’s advocacy to promote garbage recycling and efficient solid waste management. Entries from the Samahang Magpaparol ng Las Piñas used recyclable materials such as shampoo sachets, soap cartons, straws, PET bottles, cans, tetra packs, newspapers used CDs and cardboard boxes as well as organic items like clam and mussel shells. They can also use materials such as coconut husks and dried leaves for their entries. Bamboo is the main material for the lantern frames. There were a total of 12 entries. The Parol Festival was a brainchild of Villar when she was still the representative of Las Piñas in a bid to boost the city’s parol-making industry. Las Piñas City is home to three generations of parol makers who use bamboo frames. Bamboos may have grown abundantly in the area long before, as it is likewise the home of the world-famous Bamboo Organ built in 1824.

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News

Moreno urges Insurance body to rush Odette victims’ claims By Rey E. Requejo

AID. Presidential aspirant Former Sen. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Monday turn over P1 million in financial assistance, 2,000 food packs worth P800,000, and 2,400 bags of rice to Balud Mayor Ruben Jude Lim as part of the BBM-Sara UniTeam’s Humanitarian Mission for the victims of super typhoon Odette. Ver Noveno

IN BRIEF

Ang Probinsyano aids 290 students THE Ang Probinsyano party-list is batting for a brighter new year for 290 high school and college students as it handed educational assistance to the poor but deserving learners from Manila and Marikina last week. Fresh from securing the #50 slot on the official ballot for the 2022 polls in the electronic raffle conducted by the Commission on Elections, the party-list, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), extended P2,000 assistance each to 270 students from Manila. Some 20 other student-beneficiaries from Marikina also underwent an educational assistance orientation at the Tanong Barangay Hall. The payout immediately followed at the House of Representatives, with P2,000 to P3,500 given to each high school student and P5,000 for every college student. Ang Probinsyano Party-List third nominee Michael Chua emphasized the role of the youth in building the country’s future. “We are aiming for an inclusive and productive education for all, that is why we are here to extend some help,” Chua said. He called on the students to strengthen their education because it would be their gateway to a better tomorrow. Beneficiaries Janella Ciervo and Cristel Dizon, from Jesus Reigns Christian College and Universidad de Manila, respectively, both expressed gratitude for the educational assistance. Coming from a big family with meager income, Ciervo said she will use the money to pay for her tuition, while Dizon said the amount will go a long way.

Comelec 2 division gets fourth DQ case vs Marcos T nd

he Commission on Elections said a fourth disqualification case against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was raffled to its second division. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the petition filed by Ilocano survivors of Martial Law seeks to disqualify the former senator from next year’s presidential race for having been found guilty of a crime involving moral turpitude. “The Comelec will set a preliminary conference,” Jimenez said. The petition filed by the Pudno Nga Ilocano is the seventh petition lodged against Marcos, making his presidential bid the most legally-contested in the country’s recent election history.

Last week, the poll body dismissed one of the disqualification cases filed against Marcos by Danilo Lihaylihay, who is also running for president in the 2022 polls. The 2nd Division said Lihaylihay’s petition was “grossly insufficient” and failed to prove Marcos was a nuisance candidate. The two other petitions pending before the second division are those filed by civic leaders represented by lawyer Ted Te and by another presidential aspirant, Tiburcio Marcos.

ON THE GROUND.

Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday calls for immediate aid for Dinagat Islands after her visit over the weekend where she saw firsthand the massive destruction in the province in the aftermath of super typhoon Odette. Robredo said the province’s food supplies have run out, and electricity, water, and communication lines remain down.

Disallow quitclaim use of banks—solon ALBAY Rep. Joey Salceda slammed the use of quitclaims by banks to absolve themselves of legal responsibility in systemic failures in online banking services. He made the statement in response to reports that certain banks have been making customers sign waivers when returning funds lost to technical issues with mobile banking applications. “This is not acceptable. I request the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to look into whether we can take legal or administrative action against banks forcing clients to sign quitclaims in exchange for their own money,” said Salceda, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. Salceda said under the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which he principally sponsored and is now pending in the Senate after being approved by the House, there is a prohibition against waivers of claims. “If it’s the bank’s fault, and it appears that there may have indeed been a breach of security systems, then the bank should not be able to squeeze itself out of its responsibility,” he said. Salceda added even if the waivers are signed by individual clients, there should still be an investigation into whether certain banks involved in the bank account hacking issue violated the rules and regulations of the BSP. “I also strongly urge the BSP to check the annual IT profiles and periodic reports to check whether the banks were able to accurately reflect the strength of their cybersecurity profiles. There are penalties for that as well,” he added. Maricel V. Cruz

The 2nd Division is composed of Commissioners Socorro Inting and Antonio Kho Jr. The petitions filed against Marcos stemmed from his alleged failure to pay his income tax returns in the 1980s as well as failure to pay the fines imposed by the court. The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 105 earlier said there is no record on their file on Marcos’ “compliance of payment or satisfaction” on the decision of the said court in 1995, as well as the Court of Appeals verdict in 1997. In his own answer to the Comelec filed last month through his lawyer, Estelito Mendoza, Marcos said the CA’s first order was “unclear.”

Impose price freeze in Odette-hit areas—Pangilinan By Macon Ramos-Araneta VICE presidential candidate Sen. Francis Pangilinan urged the government to impose a price freeze in areas hit by typhoon Odette. He said this will ensure that the people will be able to buy goods at their current prices and won’t have to shell out extra money amid their dire condition.

The price freeze, the senator said, will also prevent unscrupulous traders from raking in profit and exploiting the situation. Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act automatically imposes price control whenever there is a declaration of a state of calamity or emergency. “However, we urge the Department of Trade and Industry not to wait for

the declaration of local government units and immediately impose the price freeze given the wide area affected by the typhoon,” Pangilinan said. “While normally, supermarkets and stores stock up on supplies during the holiday season, we could no longer guarantee the availability of adequate goods as a number of areas were submerged in floodwaters,” he added.

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant and Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has called on the Insurance Commission to speed up the processing of insurance claims of Typhoon Odette victims who have lost everything in the aftermath of the most destructive typhoon to hit the country after Yolanda. “I call on the Insurance Commission to speed up the processing of insurance claims to help our countrymen who were victims of Typhoon Odette. Their houses and businesses were destroyed, so the insurance companies must act quickly,” Domagoso told some 2,000 people, mostly farmers and agricultural workers, in Calasiao, Pangasinan. “We expect our government to act quickly and the insurance companies must immediately give the claim of the victims because life is very difficult in the area that Odette destroyed,” he added. The Insurance Commission is the government arm that regulates and supervises the insurance, pre-need, and HMO industries. The agency is under the administrative control of the Department of Finance. According to the Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer,hastening the processing of the insurance claims of the victims would be a big help in rebuilding their shattered lives, many of whom have lost their homes and livelihoods. “This will provide assistance to families whose homes and businesses have been damaged in their areas,” he said. Aside from the Insurance Commission, Moreno also called on the DOF’s Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to immediately process the claims of the thousands of farmers and fisherfolk whose livelihoods have been affected by Odette.

BBM-Sara team visits 8 provinces struck by typhoon By Maricel V. Cruz THE BBM-Sara UniTeam on Monday afternoon completed another four-province swing to deliver more cash assistance and other relief goods to areas devastated by Typhoon Odette, bringing to P15 million the total financial assistance and to P23.3 million the total cost of relief items delivered to calamity victims within a two-day period. The UniTeam Humanitarian Mission, which managed to reach eight provinces from December 19 to 20, also delivered P1 million worth of construction materials for the repair of shattered houses and several thousands bags of rice intended for distribution to calamity victims. For Monday’s mission, former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez first flew to Surigao del Norte and led the delivery of P2 million financial assistance, 2,000 food packs worth P1 million and 3,000 bags of rice (five kilos each). Marcos and Romualdez proceeded to Capiz where they met with vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and handed over to Gov. Esteban Evan “Nonoy” Contreras P2 million in financial assistance and 2,000 food packs worth P1.2 million at the provincial capitol. Marcos and Romualdez turned over P1 million in financial assistance, 2,000 food packs worth P800,000, and 2,400 bags of rice to Balud, Masbate Mayor Ruben Jude Lim at the Masbate Airport.

Lacson: Time to end ‘sing and dance’ campaign strategy THE strength of the country is the Filipino people, said Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson as he stressed the voters’ power to choose their leaders every three or six years whenever national or local elections are held. “Like we always say, the greatest arsenal of our country is our people. Let’s harness this arsenal, this asset of our country. It is only every three or six years that we declare that you (voters) are the kings, you are the most powerful,” he said. “If we make a mistake, we’ll be wrong for the next six years, I don’t know what will happen then. We have no one to blame but ourselves then,” he added. He said it is easy to learn how to sing and dance and that this strategy may fool

some voters, but choosing the wrong leaders will have long-term consequences for the country. His running mate, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, an accomplished entertainer even before he served in the Senate for 24 years, said the country’s myriad problems will not be solved by amusing the masses and gossiping on social media. “I hope the Marites (Filipino slang for gossipmongers) realize that our problems with food, poverty, the West Philippine Sea, corruption and others will not be solved by dancing,” he said. The 73-year-old Lacson also assured voters he is physically fit for the rigors of a national campaign for the presidency. In a press briefing before the “Online Kumustahan” event in Lingayen City,

Pangasinan on Sunday, Lacson was asked about the state of his health heading into the official campaign period for the May 9, 2022 polls. “All I know is that based on my last wellness check-up, my body age is 53. So, 20 years younger,” said the former national police chief, who also barnstormed through Baguio City and La Trinidad in Benguet province on Saturday before going down to Lingayen. The three-term senator also attended the 50th anniversary reunion of his Philippine Military Academy “Matatag” Class of 1971 at the PMA campus in Baguio, besides meeting with Sangguniang Kabataan members and city Mayor Benjamin Magalong on a hectic day in the country’s summer capital. Macon Ramos-Araneta

FIT FOR THE JOB. Partido Reporma chairman and standard bearer Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson assures his supporters he is physically fit to handle the rigors of the national campaign for the 2022 polls. The former national police chief toured Lingayen, Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet over the weekend with running mate Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Partido Reporma senatorial bets Dr. Minguita Padilla, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar and Monsour del Rosario.

Opinion Majority president, VP in 2022? bong-Sara tandem is the fact that Martial Law and everything that goes with it is already a discounted issue. Among the generation of today, Martial Law and all its implications are already a thing in the past. Only the leftists and the Yellows are bringing up this issue because of the fact that Martial Law in effect broke the backbone of the communist movement. My gulay, there’s also the indication that with the combination of Bongbong and Sara, it is a strong leadership committed by a President and Vice President to confront the challenges that will confront them, especially the big challenge of creating jobs for people because of COVID-19. All these factors contribute to the fact that election poll surveys indicate that the Bongbong-Sara tandem as the runaway team on May 9, 2022. I would like anybody, experially the self-proclaimed political analysts to say otherwise to my analysis. Photos of motorcades of Bongbong-Sara in Metro Manila are indications why Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte-Carpio appear to be the runaway aspirants for President and Vice-President. Photos don’t lie. All those indicate that the Vice President in 2016 was Marcos, not Robredo. Santa Banana, at the rate the BBM-Sara tandem are going, there’s a possibility that for the first time in Philippine elections, we could have a majority-elected President and VIce President on May 9, 2022! ••• In the wake of all the devastation that typhoon Odette has wrought in the Visayas and Mindanao, with so many lives lost, houses and infrastructure damaged, and livelihood lost, it’s time the Senate wakes up to reality and have the DDR or the Department of Disaster and Resilience must finally get enacted. Yes, we have the NDRRMC already devolved into regional and provincial and cities, but it is only an ad hoc body under the Department of National Defense called upon in times of emergency dependent entirely on the DND budget. It’s time to have a separate department to strategize and focus itself to meet all the needs of all areas in the Philippines which, my gulay, are prone to disasters and calamities. The lessons learned from all the cyclones and typhoons that have hit the country are very clear on the need for such a department with a budget of its own, and not dependent on donations and contributions from the private sector and foreign aids. We can no longer over-emphasize the urgency and critical need for a DDR considering the fact that the country is a disaster and calamity prone country. I’m only talking about the devastation wrought by so many cyclones and typhoons, together with floods and landslides. The fact is that we need the DDR like yesterday. ••• The Philippine Statistics Authority explains the incidence of poverty in the country has risen, my gulay, to over 26 million Filipinos poor, Santa Banana, with half of them unemployed. The next President will surely be confronted with the biggest and greatest challenge that a national leader will have to face next year. With no less than 26 million Filipinos who consider themselves poor and with that number out of jobs because of the impact of the pandemic, the country will certainly need a strong leader. I don’t know if all the presidential aspirants realize what the country is facing when we talk of jumpstarting the country’s economy’s recovery. With no less than 26 million Filipinos within the poverty line and half of that jobless, the country may have to face not only the continuing pandemic but poor people who are getting hungry. Never in the history of the country have we faced such a problem, my gulay! With these, I greet all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I HAVE been wondering why the Bongbong-Sara tandem has in all pre-election surveys continue to dominate the presidential and vice presidential surveys. My gulay, I have been analyzing this phenomenon, and I have reached the conclusion that it’s the confluence of various factors. First of all, Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte-Carpio represent the solid north and solid south. By solid north, referring to the fact that Bongbong Marcos has the solid support of Ilocano-speaking Regions and two, the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), and the Ilocano-speaking half of Pangasinan, a voterich province, one fourth of Nueva Ecija, one fourth of Tarlac and a portion of Zambales, representing almost 4 to 5 million voters. Bongbong Marcos’ supporters are not only Ilocanos in Metro Manila but the Tagalogs in the National Capital Region. In between the north and the south are Cebuanos, Sara being a Cebuana herself, together with the Warays in Eastern Visayas. Recall that Romualdezes come from Leyte. Don’t forget that the former First Lady Imelda Marcos is a Romualdez.

Photos do not lie. The solid south, of course, is Mindanao, 80 percent of Mindanao is Cebuano-speaking voters. And Marcos is a well-known name among the Muslims. Santa Banana, don’t you know that there are Ilocano enclaves in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat? The fact that the Bongbong-Sara tandem represents geographically and demographically all over the Philippines is a perfect combination of largest dialect speaking voters, to me, it is something that the other candidates and aspirants for president and vice president don’t have. Another factor, which to my mind, favors the Bongbong-Sara tandem is the fact that no aspirants have caught the imagination of voters like the Bongbong-Sara tandem. Take note of the fact that no less than four large political parties have given their support for the BBMSara tandem. Santa Banana, when no less than the Lakas-CMD, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago and the Lakas ng Masa and the Partido Federal ng Pilipino that made BBM its standard bearer denotes the strength of the BBM-Sara tandem. Note that with the support of these four political parties, there must be a reason for it when no less than two former Philippine presidents combine to support the BBM-Sara tandem, like former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Erap Estrada giving their support. Can the other presidential and vice presidential aspirants have this kind of support? I can almost predict that soon enough even the Cusi-wing of PDP-Laban will support the Bongbong-Sara tandem with the endorsement of Duterte. That would be an indication of what will happen on Election Day. Another factor why the Bongbong-Sara tandem appears at this point in time to be the runaway choice of voters is that no other candidate or aspirant, like Vice President Leni Robredo or Manila Mayor isko Moreno, or Manny Pacquiao and even the Ping Lacson-Tito Sotto tandem have caught the imagination of the voters. Note the difference between the BBM-Sara tandem between the second placer Robredo is close to 30 percentage points. Santa Banana, that represents some 30 million of the voting populace of 64 million. Another factor in favor of the Bong-

Remarks for the Lamp of Peace Ceremony By Antonio Guterres UN Secretary General IT IS A great honor and a privilege to join you for this ceremony and to receive the Lamp of Peace. I only wish I could be with you in the beautiful Basilica of Saint Francis. By honouring me, you are recognizing the work of all our United Nations personnel striving for peace around the world: diplomats, humanitarians, development specialists, and peacekeepers, who put themselves in harm’s way to safeguard and promote peace. The United Nations was created in the name of peace, after the horrors of two global wars that began here in Europe. Peace remains our guiding star and most precious goal. We are united here today in our pursuit of peace. I thank King Abdullah for his efforts to promote peace on the global stage, through his staunch support for international solutions, solidarity, dialogue and human rights. And I express my gratitude to Brother Moroni, Cardinal Basetti and all the Franciscans who are working around the world in the name of peace. I have very close links to the Franciscans through my lifelong friendship with Father Vitor Melicias, a Franciscan priest who presided over both my wedding ceremonies, baptized my

children, and celebrated mass many times in my home. And as an Antonio from Lisbon, I have a strong connection with Santo Antonio – one of the first Franciscans. People from Lisbon and people from Padua may never agree on where St Anthony belongs, but of course, he belongs to the whole world.

In a world where we can choose anything, let us choose peace. As a person of faith with a deep appreciation and respect for the mission of St Francis, this award and ceremony are especially meaningful. From the start of my mandate as Secretary-General, I made promoting peace my first priority, having seen some of the worst impacts of conflict during my tenure as High Commissioner for Refugees. I launched a surge in diplomacy for peace. And I put greater emphasis on prevention, establishing more rigorous systems and frameworks to analyse risks, reinforce decision-mak-

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EDITORIAL

Taken for a ride

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HE people of Hong Kong have spoken—but not through the sham election that Beijing and its marionettes on the island orchestrated this weekend. Despite a government campaign to get more people to vote for members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council—including sending out mass text messages and offering free rides during election day—voter turnout was a dismal 30.2 percent, or 1.35 million out of the 4.47 million registered voters, the lowest in Hong Kong’s election history. In contrast, voter turnout was 58 percent in 2016, before Beijing began jailing pro-democracy advocates and overhauled Hong Kong’s election system to reduce the number of directly elected seats and set up a vetting committee to screen all candidates, saying only “patriots” may administer the city. Under the new setup, only 20 of the 90 legislative seats will be directly elected, with 40 picked by the pro-Beijing Election Committee and 30 chosen by special interest groups like business and trade --which also historically lean towards Beijing. It is the first general election since

China introduced a national security law that made it easier to punish pro-democracy protesters following massive demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2019.

The people know. Many opposition or pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong have been jailed, shut out from the vote, or have gone into exile. In May, high-profile activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to 10 months in jail for taking part in an unauthorized vigil to mark the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. “People do not want to vote for a rubber-stamp chamber and pretend everything is all right,” tweeted Nathan Law, a former legislator who lives in the UK and is wanted by Hong Kong authorities. Voting is not compulsory, but those who publicly encourage others to boycott elections or spoil their ballots as

a form of protest against Beijing’s political revamp will be committing a crime carrying a jail sentence of up to three years under the law. That includes public communication through speeches, broadcasts, screening and playing of recordings, or publishing of materials such as e-mails or leaflets. At least 10 people have been arrested for allegedly inciting others to skip Sunday’s vote or cast blank ballots. China’s state media organization crowed that over 1 million cast their ballots in the “patriots-only” election, “crushing a campaign riddled with lies from external forces while demonstrating the true will of the people in the Chinese city.” But the Hong Kong people, though silenced, are not easily fooled. There were no crowds in polling places Sunday, but throngs of people flooded to amusement parks and a shopping expo, riding on the free public transport offered on election day. It was crowded at Hong Kong Disneyland, and long queues appeared at Ocean Park and the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo at Victoria Park. Notwithstanding the Chinese propaganda machine, the people know when they are being taken for a ride.

Hold the line together utor of news, and other American social media companies controlled our global information ecosystem and are biased against facts and biased against journalists: “They are, by design, dividing us and radicalizing us.” She continues: “Without facts, you can’t have truth. Without truth, you can’t have trust. Without trust, we have no shared reality, no democracy, and it becomes impossible to deal with the existential problems of our times: climate, coronavirus, now, the battle for truth.”

I CONTINUE sharing excerpts from Maria Ressa’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech last December 10. There are gems in her words that should be echoed to a Philippine audience. For example, Maria Ressa’ articulation of the core of journalism is classic: “as a code of honor” which she describes, for herself, as “layered on different worlds from how I grew up, the golden rule, what’s right and wrong; from college, and the honor code I learned there; and my time as a reporter, and the code of standards and ethics I learned and helped write.” To this, Maria added “the Filipino idea of utang na loob – literally the debt from within – at its best, a system of paying it forward.” She also describes how truth and ethical honor intersect “like an arrow into this moment where hate, lies, and divisiveness thrive”. According to Maria: As only the 18th woman to receive this prize, I need to tell you how gendered disinformation is a new threat and is taking a significant toll on the mental health and physical safety of women, girls, trans, and LGBTQ+ people all around the world. Women journalists are at the epicenter of risk. This pandemic of misogyny and hatred needs to be tackled now. Even there, though, we can find strength. After all, you don’t really know who you really are until you’re forced to fight for it.” Maria then turns to the elephant in the room – social media and how it has become a deadly game for power and money”. She pointed to two facts: First, that what happens on social media doesn’t stay on social media. Second, that online violence is real-world violence. She also highlighted how Facebook, the world’s largest distribing and support Member States to take action before violence escalates. When COVID-19 first took hold, I understood it would be a new threat to peace and called immediately for a global ceasefire to fight our common enemy – the virus. Looking forward, I am determined to use my second mandate to build on these initiatives through my good offices, as an honest broker, bridge builder and messenger of peace. But the struggle for peace is often a Sisyphean task, given the complexity of today’s interlinked conflicts. We live in a world where peace is elusive, and under enormous threat. Many countries and entire regions are suffering from prolonged conflicts, with no end in sight. And in places that have not seen conventional war for decades, peace is routinely undervalued and undermined. This lends even greater importance to moments like this, when we honour peace, and reflect on our duty to uphold and promote it. Excellencies, dear brothers and sisters,

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

What are we willing to sacrifice for the truth? “So what are we gonna do?”, Maria asks and then responds brilliantly: “An invisible atom bomb has exploded in our information ecosystem, and the world must act as it did after Hiroshima. Like that time, we need to create new institutions, like the United Nations, and new codes stating our values, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to prevent humanity from doing its worst. It’s an arms race in the information ecosystem. To stop that requires a multilateral approach that all of us must be part of. It begins by restoring facts. We need information ecosystems that live and die by facts. We do this by shifting social priorities to rebuild journalism for the 21st century while regulating and outlawing the surveillance economics that profit from hate and lies. We need to help independent journalism survive, first by giving greater protection to journalists and standing up against states which target journalists. Then we need to address the collapse of the advertising model for journalism. This is part of the reason that I agreed to co-chair the International Fund for Public Interest Media, which is trying to raise Saint Francis of Assisi was a true visionary, whose holistic concept of peace is as relevant today as it was during his lifetime, eight hundred years ago. The patron saint of ecology has much to teach us about making peace with nature. Our unsustainable production and consumption habits are causing a triple planetary crisis: climate disruption; a catastrophic loss of biodiversity; and levels of pollution that are killing millions every year. Pope Francis recognized this in his inspiring encyclical, ‘Laudato Si’. Our war on nature threatens all human life, together with many other animal and plant species. Climate disruption is unleashing wildfires, floods, droughts and other extreme weather events that affect every continent. It contributes to a struggle for scarce resources like clean water and fertile land, which can easily erupt into violence. Last year, more than 30 million people were forced from their homes by climate- related disasters – many finding shelter in countries that

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money from overseas development assistance funds. Right now, while journalists are under attack on every front, only 0.3 percent of ODA funds is spent on journalism. If we nudge that to just 1%, we can raise $1 billion a year for news organizations. That will be crucial for the global south.” In her speech, Maria called on the United States Congress to reform or revoke Section 230, the law that treats social media platforms like utilities and allows them to avoid liability for what is posted in said platforms. She emphasizes that their editorial agenda is profit-driven and through artificial intelligence is carried out by machines at scale. According to her: “The impact is global, with cheap armies on social media rolling back democracy, tearing it down in at least 81 countries around the world. That impunity must stop.” Maria’s closing words are a strong call for action: “Democracy has become a woman-to-woman, man-to-man defense of our values. We’re at a sliding door moment, where we can continue down the path we’re on and descend further into fascism or we can choose to fight for a better world. “To do that, please, ask yourself: What are YOU willing to sacrifice for the truth? “I didn’t know if I was going to be here today. Every day, I live with the real threat of spending the rest of my life in jail because I’m a journalist. When I go home, I have no idea what the future holds, but it’s worth the risk. The destruction has happened. Now it’s time to build – to create the world we want. “So please, with me, just close your eyes for just a moment, and imagine the world as it should be. A world of peace, trust, and empathy, bringing out the best that we can be. Open your eyes. Now go, we have to make it happen. Please, let’s hold the line together.” Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs are also affected by the climate emergency. The triple planetary crisis requires urgent action from everyone – from governments, international organizations, businesses, cities and individuals. We need global solidarity, not only to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2030, but to support communities and countries that are already reeling under the strain. Developing countries need urgent access to climate finance, so that they can adapt their infrastructure and economies, and build resilience. Climate action builds peace. Reforestation, water cooperation and cross-border land management initiatives protect and restore nature while connecting communities with each other and with the natural world. That is the way of the future. Human wellbeing lies in restoring and protecting the health of our planet and everything on it. Full version on www.manilastandard.net

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Junta court postpones Suu Kyi verdict

Y

ANGON ― A Myanmar junta court on Monday postponed giving its verdict in Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial for illegally importing and possessing walkie talkies, a source with knowledge of the case said.

The Nobel laureate has been detained since the generals staged a coup against her government on February 1, ending the Southeast Asian country’s brief period of democracy. Nationwide protests against the putsch have been met with a bloody crackdown, with more than 1,300 people killed and over 11,000 arrested, ac-

cording to a local monitoring group. Suu Kyi, 76, was due to hear the verdict on charges she illegally imported and possessed walkie-talkies -- the latest in a catalogue of judgements in a junta court that could see her jailed for the rest of her life. But the judge adjourned the case until December 27 without explanation, a

source with knowledge of the case told AFP. Earlier this month, she was jailed for four years for incitement against the military and breaching Covid restrictions, in a ruling that was widely condemned by the international community. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing later commuted the term to two years and said she would serve her sentence under house arrest in the capital Naypyidaw. Suu Kyi could had faced three years in prison if found guilty on the walkietalkie charges, which stem from the ear-

ly hours of the coup when soldiers and police raided her house and allegedly found her in possession of the contraband equipment. Under cross-examination, members of the raiding party admitted they had not possessed a search warrant for the raid, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Suu Kyi is also charged with multiple counts of corruption -- each of which is punishable by 15 years in jail -- and violating the official secrets act. Journalists have been barred from attending the special court hearings in

Tennis star Peng denies making sex assault claim BEIJING ― Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied alleging that a senior Communist Party leader sexually assaulted her and insisted she is living freely, in her first media interview since her accusations triggered concerns for her safety. However, the comments did not ease worries at the Women’s Tennis Association, which said Monday that it still had “significant concerns about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion”. In a post last month on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform, Peng had alleged that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli -- who is in his 70s -coerced her into sex during an on-off relationship spanning several years. In comments to Lianhe Zaobao, a Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper, Peng denied making the allegation. “I would like to stress a very important point: I have never said nor written anything accusing anyone of sexually assaulting me,” the 35-yearold said in footage apparently filmed on a phone at a sports event in Shanghai on Sunday. “I would like to emphasise this point very clearly.” The post was quickly scrubbed from the Chinese web, but not before screenshots were posted on Twitter, setting off a global outcry. The former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion then disappeared from public appearances for around three weeks. The incident sparked international concern about her safety, including from the United Nations, the White House and fellow tennis stars. In the Zaobao video, when asked about the Weibo statement, Peng did not deny the post but described it as a “private matter” that people had “many misunderstandings” about. AFP

Naypyidaw and her lawyers were recently banned from speaking to the media. Incommunicado Suu Kyi’s long spells of house arrest under a previous junta were spent at her family’s colonial-era mansion in Yangon, where she would appear before thousands gathered on the other side of her garden fence. Min Aung Hlaing’s regime has confined her to an undisclosed location in the capital, with her link to the outside world limited to brief pre-trial meetings with her lawyers. AFP

1 in 4 Somalis face hunger due to drought—UN

BACK ON EARTH. A screen shows space flight participant Yozo Hirano shortly after the landing of the Soyuz MS-20 capsule in a remote area outside Zhezkazgan in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan, at Mission Control Center in Korolyov, outside Moscow, on December 20. The Japanese billionaire returned to Earth Monday, Russia’s space agency said, after 12 days spent on the International Space Station where he made videos about performing mundane tasks in space including brushing teeth and going to the bathroom. AFP

Chile celebrates as leftist Boric, 35, elected president SANTIAGO ― The streets of Santiago erupted in celebration Sunday after leftist millennial Gabriel Boric became Chile’s youngest-ever president-elect with an unexpectedly large victory over his far-right rival in a polarizing race. Boric, 35, garnered nearly 56 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for ultra-conservative Jose Antonio Kast, who conceded even before the final result was known. Tens of thousands of Chileans took to the streets of the capital and other cities after Kast’s concession, honking car horns in approval, brandishing proBoric placards, waving the rainbow LGBTQ flag and shouting: “Viva Chile!” Fireworks lit the skies for hours on end. “I’m thrilled, I am crying with joy. We dealt a blow to fascism!” pharmacy

worker Jennie Enriquez, 45, told AFP. “I am happy because there are going to be many changes that will help the people and the working class,” added construction worker Luis Astorga, 58. Boric had campaigned on the promise of installing a “social welfare” state, increasing taxes and social spending in a country with one of the world’s largest gaps between rich and poor. Branded a “communist” by his detractors, he vowed in his first official address Sunday to “expand social rights” in Chile, but to do so with “fiscal responsibility.” “We will do it protecting our macroeconomy, we will do it well... to improve pensions and healthcare,” he said. ‘Great triumph’ Kast congratulated Boric, who leads

an alliance that includes Chile’s Communist Party, “on his great triumph.” “From today on, he is the presidentelect of Chile and he deserves all our respect and constructive cooperation. Chile always comes first.” Kast is an apologist for brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet and his neo-liberal economic model, credited with Chile’s relative wealth but blamed for its deeprooted social inequality. He opposes same-sex marriage, contraception and abortion, and had initially pledged to close the ministry of women’s affairs, a promise he later rowed back on. According to a projection by Chile’s Servel election body, turnout was more than 55 percent—a record since voting became voluntary in 2012. AFP

HK leader hails ‘patriots only’ vote despite record low turnout

LEADER LAM. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a press conference at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on December 20. AFP

HONG KONG―Hong Kong’s leader on Monday hailed the outcome of a “patriots only” legislature election that saw a record low voter turnout and government loyalists sweep every seat. The financial hub selected new lawmakers on Sunday under fresh rules imposed by Beijing that dramatically cut directly elected seats and controlled who could stand for office after huge democracy protests convulsed the city two years ago. Figures showed just 30 percent of the electorate cast ballots, the lowest rate both of the period since the city’s 1997 handover to China and the British colonial era. Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam defended the new system and played down the turnout. “Hong Kong is now back on the right

track of One Country, Two Systems,” she told reporters, naming the model China uses to give the city some autonomy from the authoritarian mainland. “We cannot copy and paste the socalled democratic system or rules of the Western countries,” she added, arguing the new rules meant “anti-China” elements were now excluded and political calm would be restored. When asked why only 1.3 million of the 4.5 million registered voters cast ballots, she replied: “What is the reason, I can’t analyse. You may need to turn to other opinion leaders.” Chinese state media portrayed the elections as a glowing success. The official Xinhua news agency said the vote had crushed “lies from external forces while demonstrating the true will of the people in the Chinese city.” AFP

NAIROBI ― Nearly one in four people in Somalia are facing acute hunger as drought ravages the conflictwracked country, following three seasons of poor rains and a fourth on the way, the United Nations warned Monday. The crisis is expected to worsen, leaving 4.6 million people in desperate need of food aid by May 2022, the UN said, adding that the country had not seen a third consecutive failed rainy season in over 30 years. Shortages of food, water and land for grazing have already forced 169,000 people to flee their homes, with that number projected to hit 1.4 million within six months, the UN said in a statement. In recent years, natural disasters -- not conflict -- have been the main driver of displacement in Somalia, a war-torn nation that ranks among the world’s most vulnerable to climate change. “It is a perfect storm that is gathering,” Adam Abdelmoula, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, told AFP in an interview, warning that 300,000 children aged five and under were at risk of severe malnutrition in the coming months. “They will perish if we don’t help them in a timely manner,” he said, as the UN called for nearly $1.5 billion (1.3 billion euros) in funding to help tackle the crisis. Some 7.7 million, nearly half the country’s population of 15.9 million, will require humanitarian aid and protection in 2022, an increase of 30 percent in a year, the UN said. AFP

Dutch prosecutors to demand prison for MH17 suspects THE HAGUE, Netherlands―Dutch prosecutors will this week set out their sentencing demands for four men on trial in absentia over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in war-torn Ukraine in 2014. Prosecutors will also formally present the indictment during three days of hearings from Monday, charging the men with the murders of all 298 people on the Boeing 777. The four suspects -- Russian nationals Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko -- have all refused to attend the trial in the Netherlands. A verdict at the high-security court, near Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport where MH17 took off on its doomed flight to Kuala Lumpur, is not expected until late 2022 at the earliest. “The maximum penalty is life imprisonment,” a court spokesperson told AFP. The hearings come as fresh tensions soar over Ukraine, with the West accusing Moscow of planning an invasion. AFP

Rapper Drakeo the Ruler fatally stabbed at LA festival LOS ANGELES―American rapper Drakeo the Ruler died Sunday after the rising hip hop star was stabbed backstage at a Los Angeles music festival. Drakeo’s publicist Scott Jawson confirmed his client’s death to AFP. The 28-year-old, whose real name is Darrell Caldwell, was scheduled to perform on the weekend at the Once Upon a Time in LA concert, alongside hip hop stars Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and 50 Cent. “Drakeo was the most original and innovative artist of his generation. a king without a crown or throne,” Jawson tweeted. A stabbing incident was reported at

the festival venue at 8:40 pm on Saturday, the Los Angeles Times said, citing a city fire department official. One person, not publicly identified at the time, was reportedly taken to a hospital in critical condition. He was later confirmed to be Caldwell, who died from the stab wounds. Live Nation, which helped organize the festival, ended the event early following the incident. “There was an altercation in the roadway backstage,” the promoter told AFP in a statement. “Out of respect for those involved and in coordination with local authorities, artists and organizers decided not

to move forward with remaining sets.” Snoop Dogg tweeted that he was in his dressing room when he was told about the stabbing and decided to leave immediately. “I’m saddened by the events that took place last night at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival,” he said. “My condolences go out to the family and loved ones of Drakeo the Ruler.” Caldwell burst onto the scene in 2015, with many of his releases winning critical acclaim. He was arrested in 2017 on a weapons charge and again in 2018 for murder related to the shooting death of a 24-yearold man. AFP

THAWING OUT. A man lies on a sofa under the sunlight for warmth outside a wedding hall during a winter morning in New Delhi on December 20. AFP

Business PSEi December 20, 2021

TOP GAINERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

SPNEC ACR

1.11 1.09

0.1 0.06

9.90% 5.83%

3

ANS

7.91

0.41

5.47%

4

WPI

0.5

0.03

5.26%

5 6

SSP MONDE

1.11 15.9

0.05 0.58

4.72% 3.79%

7

PGOLD

37.85

1.3

3.56%

8 9

EVER MEDIC

0.33 1.34

0.01 0.04

3.13% 3.08%

10

CEI

0.103

0.003

3.00%

Market retreats; Jollibee leads losers

T

HE stock market declined Monday on profit taking and in step with the rest of Asia as fears about a fresh global surge in coronavirus infections spooked investors.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index shed 60.05 points, or 0.8 percent, at 7,237.61 on a value turnover of P6.7 billion. Losers overwhelmed losers, 112 to 57, with 51 issues unchanged. Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, slumped 4.5 percent to P214, while JG Summit Holdings Inc.

of the Gokongwei Group fell 3.4 percent to P54. Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp. jumped 9.9 percent to P1.11, while noodles maker Monde Nissin Corp. climbed 3.8 percent to P15.90. The rest of Asian stocks and oil prices sank Monday as the future of US President Joe Biden’s massive social spending bill was thrown into doubt after it lost the crucial vote of a moderate Democrat. With traders beginning to wind down ahead of the festive season, analysts said trade was thinner and markets more susceptible to swings, but the mood has become increasingly glum as central banks start paring their huge financial support to fight inflation. At the same time, economies are tak-

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

MJC NOW

1.83 1.27

-0.51 -0.16

-21.79% -11.19%

3

SGI

1.06

-0.11

-9.40%

4

DWC

1.95

-0.2

-9.30%

5 6 7

MBC OPMB ROX

9.5 0.011 1.01

-0.9 -0.001 -0.09

-8.65% -8.33% -8.18%

8 9 10

MB BKR PRIM

0.41 1.53 1.12

-0.035 -0.12 -0.08

-7.87% -7.27% -6.67%

MOST ACTIVE 1

SPNEC

VOLUME VALUE (PHP) 575,587,000 617,607,520

2 3

JFC FPH

2,105,870 5,205,080

454,305,124 374,245,783

4 5

ALI TEL

7,096,400 129,105

248,768,885 240,300,390

6 7

MONDE ICT

14,802,300 1,157,340

232,930,546 224,877,093

8 9 10

AC MBT SECB

223,950 3,123,150 1,387,940

196,814,240 165,087,662 158,756,981

ing a hit as the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant forces governments to reimpose containment measures and consumers are staying at home. “Omicron remains a concern and cases are on the rise,” said Robert Schein of Blanke Schein Wealth Management. “Investors should be prepared for COVID to continue to be a main factor in market performance heading into 2022.” “After the bull run we’ve seen over the past 21 months, investors aren’t as used to prolonged periods of volatility.” Investors got another negative lead from Wall Street where all three main indexes ended sharply lower on Friday after the Federal Reserve said it would speed up the taper of its bond-buying program and indicated three interest rate

NEW TRAIN LINE. Spain’s

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda Raquel Sanchez (from left), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, King Felipe VI of Spain and Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Social Economy Yolanda Diaz attend the inauguration of the new high speed line that connects Madrid with Ourense, at the Atocha railway station in Madrid on December 20, 2021. AFP

China’s SenseTime relists HK IPO after US blacklisting HONG KONG, China—Chinese artificial intelligence start-up SenseTime said Monday it will press ahead with its Hong Kong listing, a week after it was blacklisted by the United States over accusations of genocide in Xinjiang. An initial listing earlier this month was pulled when the US Treasury announced new sanctions, saying SenseTime’s facial recognition programs were designed in part to be used against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. On Monday, the company filed a revised listing with the Hong Kong stock exchange with trading expected to start December 30. “Due to the dynamic and evolving na-

ture of the relevant US regulations, we have required to exclude US investors,” the company wrote. Bloomberg News reported that SenseTime had secured about $512 million from nine cornerstone investors, including state-backed Mixed-Ownership Reform Fund and Shanghai Xuhui Capital Investment Company. The company is still planning to hit the pre-blacklisting $767 million target with 1.5 billion shares at HK$3.85 to HK$3.99 per share. Washington accuses SenseTime of being part of China’s “military-industrial complex” that provides technology for mass surveillance in Xinjiang. It says SenseTime has developed and deployed facial recognition software

that can determine a person’s ethnicity, including whether someone looks Uyghur. SenseTime refuted the blacklisting, saying that the accusations were unfounded and emphasized that the company was “caught in the middle of geopolitical tension.” The Treasury sanctions prevent individuals from obtaining visas to the United States, block assets under US jurisdiction, and prevent targets from doing business with American individuals or entities—effectively locking companies out of the US banking system. The blacklisting made it all but impossible for US investment banks usually involved in Hong Kong listings to get involved. AFP

Argentina and the IMF are still bound in a love-hate relationship By Eva Rodriguez Lorenzo WASHINGTON—Argentina has long had a stormy relationship with the International Monetary Fund, which many in the country see unfavorably even though it has provided a credit lifeline after decades of what experts call “very poor management of public finances.” Twenty years after an economic, political and social crisis that shook the country—and was felt around the world—Argentina is now traversing a tense financial patch, having never fully regained the confidence of world markets. With four in 10 Argentines still living in poverty, the country is anxious to avoid a replay of the 2001 debacle. Argentina finds itself struggling to refinance its latest loan—contracted with the agency in 2018—amid economic recession, with yearly inflation surpassing 50 percent and with depleted monetary reserves. The country has gone to the IMF 21 times since it became a member in 1956, “so the new program supposedly being negotiated (to restructure a credit of $44 billion) will be the 22nd in 65 years,” said Arturo Porzecanski, a researcher with the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at American University in Washington. “It’s like saying that a bar owner has had to call the fire department 22 times over the last 65 years,” he said. A serial defaulter “Rather than control its own general indebtedness, Argentina has for years borrowed excessively at home and abroad,” said Mark Sobel, US chairman of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF). “The central bank is forced to finance deficits, which generates inflation and public distrust in the government and the currency.” “Unable to pay its foreign debt, Argentina is a serial defaulter,” he added.

Left-wing groups demonstrate against the agreement of Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez’s government with the International Monetary Fund that seeks to refinance a debt of $44 billon, in Buenos Aires, December 11, 2021. AFP

Experts agree that blaming the IMF for Argentina’s financial woes would be a mistake. “The cost, the terms and the amount of any new program the IMF approves for Argentina will be much more favorable than the government could hope to obtain from the financial markets or from other multilateral entities,” Porzecanski said. Afterall, the Fund’s interest rates are low. “Now it is two percent and, in the case of high debt it could hit four percent, but keep in mind that the interest rate at which Argentina could borrow in the market is perhaps 15 percent,” said

Claudio Loser, a former IMF director for the Americas and CEO of the Centennial Group Latin America consultancy. Resentment against the financial agency is widespread among Argentina’s population of 45 million, including President Alberto Fernandez, who has demanded more time to pay back the debt. ‘The villain’ “Although the IMF has rescued Argentina repeatedly, it is a villain to many Argentines,” said Benjamin Gedan, deputy director of the Latin American Program at the Wilson Center in Washington, who said the agency is blamed

“for imposing painful budget cuts and precipitating the economic collapse of 2001.” Last weekend, thousands of protesters chanted “Out with the IMF!” in the streets of Buenos Aires. “Argentines always focus on the Fund and blame it for the problems of Argentina,” said Sobel. “But the decades and decades of bad economic policy for Argentina were made in Buenos Aires, not in Washington DC.” Gedan agreed, saying, “Argentina’s fundamental problem is overspending, and the IMF cannot ignore the country’s failure to responsibly manage its national budget.” AFP

hikes before the end of 2022. While the announcement was initially welcomed because it cleared up some policy uncertainty, it signaled the beginning of the end of the era of cheap cash that has helped propel global markets to record or multi-year highs for much of the past two years. Tokyo and Mumbai shed more than two percent, while Hong Kong fell 1.9 percent and Seoul 1.8 percent. Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok were more than one percent lower. There were also losses in Sydney, Taipei and Jakarta, though Wellington edged up. Dealers were unmoved by news that China had trimmed a key interest rate by five basis points as it looks to reignite the stuttering economy. With AFP

China trims interest rate for the 1st time in 20 months BEIJING, China—China’s central bank cut a key interest rate on Monday for the first time in nearly two years in a bid to kickstart growth in the world’s number two economy as it creaks under the impact of a real estate crisis and coronavirus flareups. The People’s Bank of China said in a statement that it had lowered the loan prime rate (LPR) to 3.8 percent from 3.85 percent in November. The move marks the first reduction of the rate—which guides how much interest commercial banks charge to corporate borrowers—since April 2020. It also follows the bank’s decision earlier this month to lower the amount of cash that lenders must hold in reserve, which it said would release 1.2 trillion yuan ($188 billion) into the economy. “Today’s cut will immediately feed through to outstanding floating rate business loans and should also lead to cheaper loans for new fixed rate borrowers,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist at Capital Economics. “We expect a cut to the five-year LPR before long which will make mortgages slightly cheaper and help official efforts support housing demand,” he added. The reduction comes despite concerns about inflation, with factory gate prices rising at levels last seen in the mid-1990s. Jeffrey Halley, at OANDA, said China “appears to be blinking in the face of slowing growth next year.” AFP

End of an era nears for Berlin’s coal-fired stoves BERLIN, Germany—Alban Nikolai Herbst’s Berlin apartment is covered in dust, his precious record collection included, thanks to a coal-powered stove he still uses to heat his home like thousands across the city. Germany’s new government is set to extinguish the at-home heat source from a bygone era as part of its ambitious climate plans, as it looks to cut harmful emissions linked to climate change. But Herbst says he remains attached to his coal-powered stove, which he clings to for “sentimental” reasons. Arriving in Berlin in the mid1990s, Herbst discovered an odor that had long disappeared from the streets of western cities, where—unlike in the ex-communist east—domestic coal burning had died out. The “heavy heat” emanating from his stove suits his work as a writer too. “I am always at my desk. I work from six o’clock in the morning to 10 at night sometimes,” he says. Hans Engelke Energie supplies much of the coal used in the ovens across Berlin, and estimates between 5,000 to 6,000 homes still rely on the retro heat source. The family-run business is one of the last in Berlin still delivering briquettes of black coal to customers. It has had to diversify over recent years to survive, and now delivers home heating oil and wood pellets. “We sell gas and electricity, too,” says company co-head Peter Engelke, adding that the company “hopes to prosper for a long time.” AFP

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

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021

DITO Telecom’s revenues to hit over P2b in 2021 By Darwin G. Amojelar DITO Telecommunity Corp. said Monday said it expects to earn more than P2 billion in revenues this year on the back of higher subscriber base. “As of Dec. 18, we reached P2 billion in revenue, and so will end this fiscal year 2021 with over P2 billion in revenues,” DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamayo said in a virtual briefing. “For next year, our ambition is much bigger,” he said. DITO said its subscribers reached more than 5 million in December, after launching its service in March. Rodolfo Santiago, DITO chief technology officer, said the company was on track to meeting its third-year commitment of 70-percent population coverage. “We are targeting a total of more than 850 cities and municipalities by end of 2022,” Santiago said. “We have more than 4,000 towers at present, more than what we need to achieve our yearend target,” he said. Santiago said the company had 2,200 kilometers of fiber optic, “at par” with other telco providers in terms of “fiberization” of network. DITO recently passed its second technical audit with a national population coverage of 52.75 percent and a minimum average broadband speeds of 89.13 megabits per second and 853.96 Mbps for all 4G and 5G sites, respectively. DITO said that as part of the issuance of its certificate of public convenience and necessity in July 2019, it committed to deliver a national population coverage of 51.01 percent and minimum average broadband speed of 55 Mbps in the second year of its commitment period. The third technical audit is set in July 2022.

Business PH secures P14-b French loan to fund disaster risk reduction By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Department of Finance and the Agence Française de Développement of France signed a €250 million policy-based loan—or about P14 billion—to support disaster risk reduction enhancement at the local level in the Philippines.

The Disaster Risk Reduction Enhancement at the Local Level Program will also support the Department of the Interior and Local Government in the process of decentralizing the mandate and services for disaster risk reduction and climate change management to the local government units. It will not only help build the capacity of the LGUs but also support reform

programs throughout the country, taking into account the demands of the “new normal” that seeks to address public health emergency concerns, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 experience. The program seeks to support LGUs in a sustainable trajectory and build the resilience of local economies and communities. At the same time, this will limit any damage caused by disasters, reduce post-disaster emergency response time and make the recovery period more effective. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the loan would complement the government’s move to shift its focus from theorizing about global warming to executing practical climate adaptation and mitigation projects on the ground. “We thank the people and the government of France for this financial assistance meant to scale up the disaster risk management capabilities of our LGUs, ramp up efforts to curtail the spread of COVID 19 and boost the resiliency of

our communities in the face of climate change,” he said. “This financing agreement highlights the strong partnership between France and a high-risk country like the Philippines on mitigating the adverse impact of climate change, in support of our commitments on climate action under the Paris Agreement,” Dominguez said. Laurent Klein, AFD country director, said the loan is the result of a long-term partnership with the DILG through the Disaster Risk Management Institutional Strengthening Project financed by the European Union through the AFD. “It aims to further develop our cooperation on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation capacity for a period of three years. It is also in line with France’s commitment to support climate action under the Paris Agreement, in order to help the Philippine Government meet the ambitious targets it set for itself when it submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution to the UNFCCC earlier this year,” Klein said.

PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second largest oil company, said Monday it secured a fiveyear loan amounting to P6 billion from the Bank of the Philippines Islands to refinance P6 billion in shortterm loan. This followed a competitive tender process, and the endorsement from the related party transaction committee and board approval of Pilipinas Shell. “The loan will reduce SHLPH’s exposure to short-term volatilities in the market and maximize the low interest rate for its cash requirements,”

ICTSI VACCINATION. International Container Terminal Services Inc. hits a milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic after reaching the 90-percent vaccination rate for its employees. More than 9,700 employees of the ICTSI Group were either partially or fully vaccinated as of Oct. 31, 2021, reflecting the company’s successful information campaign and the employees’ strong team spirit when fighting for a common cause and looking out for one another.

the company said in a disclosure to the stock exchange. The drawdown date of the loan is set on Dec. 20. Pilipinas Shell recently remitted “under protest” P3.49 billion to the Bureau of Customs, representing the supposed excise and value added taxes on fuel blending components used in refinery operations from 2014 to 2020. The country’s second biggest oil company said the BOC recognized Pilipinas Shell’s intent to pay under protest the excise tax and VAT relative to alkylate imports. Pilipinas Shell made the statement following the demand letter

issued by the Port of Batangas in view of the dissolution by the Supreme Court of the temporary restraining order it earlier issued, after the case was remanded to the Court of Tax Appeals. Pilipinas Shell said it would remit the amount under protest, “taking into consideration the current economic challenges of the country as well as ensuring continued operations, uninterrupted imported fuel supply and welfare of our motoring public and consumers.” “This will allow us to continue to provide to our customers and to the general public who rely on our products and mindful of the thousands of

Filipinos whose livelihood depends on our ability to maintain our operations,” the company said. Pilipinas Shell said the case on whether alkylate was subject to excise tax remained to be decided by the courts. The company is importing alkylate as a blending component for unleaded gasoline. Pilipinas Shell said in an earlier disclosure that it would continue to preserve and protect its rights and remedies under the law. Pilipinas Shell reported a net income of P3.4 billion in the first nine months, a turnaround from a P13.9billion loss in the same period last year.

BDO Unibank preparing to sell P5-b worth of fixed-rate bonds in January BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in the country led by the Sy Group, plans to issue peso-denominated fixed-rate sustainability bonds with a minimum aggregate size of P5 billion as its third issuance off its P365-billion bond program. BDO said in a statement Monday it would use the net proceeds from the issue to diversify the bank’s funding sources and finance and/or refinance eligible assets as defined in its Sustainable Finance Framework. “This is the first time that the bank will be issuing a peso-denominated sustainability bond to both institutional and retail investors. The bank had previously issued a $150-million green bond in 2017, with the International Finance Corp. as the sole investor,” it said. The Securities and Exchange Commission earlier confirmed the qualification of the issue as an ASEAN Sustainability Bond, having complied with requirements under the ASEAN Sustainability Bond Standards and the SEC ASEAN Sustainability Bond Circular. “The proposed issuance has an indicative tenor of two years and a mini-

Monday, December 20, 2021 -60.05 PTS. 7,237.61

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,090,018,177 78,179 6,704,289,028.92 57 112 51

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9640

Japan

Yen

0.008801

0.4397

UK

Pound

1.324700

66.1873

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128171

6.4039

Switzerland

Franc

1.082134

54.0677

Canada

Dollar

0.775795

38.7618

Singapore

Dollar

0.731529

36.5501

Australia

Dollar

0.712800

35.6143

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652731

132.5411

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266418

13.3113

Brunei

Dollar

0.728863

36.4169

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.029967

1.4973

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.6045

Euro

Euro

1.124300

56.1745

Korea

Won

0.000842

0.0421

China

Yuan

0.156836

7.8362

India

Rupee

0.013160

0.6575

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237135

11.8482

New Zealand

Dollar

0.674500

33.7007

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035936

1.7955 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF

‘Open Finance’ seen to assist SMEs—BSP

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the Open Finance Framework will promote the financial inclusion of small businesses in the Philippines by supporting customer-centric development of innovative financial products or services. “With the tailor-fit solutions that open finance brings, we will be able to onboard more small and medium enterprises into the formal financial system and provide them with access to digital financial services,” Diokno said during the recent anniversary of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines Inc. Open Finance Framework governs customer-allowed sharing of financial data that will lead to the creation of innovative financial solutions for both customers and financial institutions. Customers, as owners of the transaction data, will have the power to grant access to financial data which will help shape customer-centric products. Diokno said improved access to finance by SMEs could help sustain their economic activities and aid in the digital transformation of their businesses. Julito G. Rada

Shakey’s introduces plant-based pizza

Pilipinas Shell borrows P6b from BPI to refinance short-term debt By Alena Mae S. Flores

PSE INDEX CLOSING

mum investment amount of P500,000, with additional increments of P100,000 thereafter. The offer period will be from Jan. 10 to 21, 2022, while the issue, settlement and listing date will be on January 28, 2022,” it said. The bank said it reserves the right to update the terms and the timing of the issuance (as appropriate). Standard Chartered Bank is the sole arranger of the proposed issuance, while BDO Unibank Inc., BDO Private Bank Inc. and Standard Chartered Bank are the selling agents of the proposed issuance. BDO Capital & Investment Corp. is the financial advisor of the proposed issuance. BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust and investments, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards, credit card services and stock brokerage services.Julito G. Rada

SHAKEY’S Pizza Asia Ventures Inc., a leading full-service restaurant chain in the Philippines, launched a 100-percent plantbased pizza. Shakey’s said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday the pizza, called the Goood Taco Pizza, is part of the company’s strategy to expand its plant-based product line and widen its healthy selections. “We launched the new Goood Taco Pizza to serve as the centerpiece of our growing plant-based product line. Shakey’s is wellknown for pizza, and since the beginning of our journey in plant-based, we’ve been aiming to develop a great-tasting vegan pizza for our guests,” Shakey’s president and chief executive Vicente Gregorio said. The pizza is made with 100-percent plantbased ground “meat” and dairy-free cheese. The full ‘Goood’ menu also makes use of 100 percent plant-based meat alternatives. For this new product, Shakey’s teamed up with unMEAT, the pioneer large-scale meat alternatives brand by affiliate company Century Pacific Food Inc., one of the leading branded food manufacturers in the country and sister company of Shakey’s. Jenniffer B. Austria

MPCALA switches to electric cars

MPCALA Holdings Inc. said Monday it will transition its entire fleet of traffic and security vehicles along Cavite-Laguna Expressway into environment-friendly electric vehicles. The company is already using an electric bus as a shuttle for employees. MHI said it would put up e-vehicle charging stations along CALAX for its fleet and other e-vehicles plying the expressway. “As each vehicle in our fleet hits its end of life, we replace them with EVs. In a broad sense EVs create a lower carbon footprint over the course of their lifetime than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. Our move to transition to EV is aligned with our strategy to help decarbonize the transport sector,” said Christopher Lizo, Metro Pacific Tollways chief finance officer and senior executive sponsor for sustainability. “This is in support of our country’s goal of reducing its fossil-fuel consumption as part of its thrust for sustainable development,” he said. Darwin G. Amojelar

TYPHOON RELIEF. Responding to the urgent needs of communities affected by Typhoon Odette, Manila Water Foundation and its partners turn over drinking water and hygiene products for deployment to displaced families in Cebu. Manila Water Foundation, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard, sent 500 units of 5-gallon Healthy & Pure drinking water and 75 cases of hygiene products donated by P&G Safeguard Philippines. This is the first of its series of deployments for those affected by the calamity.

eSakay to set up e-vehicle charging stations in McDonald’s stores MANILA Electric Co. unit eSakay Inc. said Monday it teamed up with Golden Arches Development Corp. to set up electric vehicle charging stations at select McDonald’s branches. GADC, operator of McDonald’s Philippines, tapped eSakay to install EV charging stations in McDonald’s Green and Good Stores along UN Ave. in Ermita, Manila and Shaw Boulevard, Wack-Wack in Mandaluyong City. “eSakay’s partnership with Mc-

Donald’s Philippines underscores our commitment to support green mobility efforts in line with Meralco’s sustainability agenda,” said Meralco chief sustainability officer and eSakay president and chief executive Raymond Ravelo. eSakay is the green mobility arm of Meralco that provides end-to-end EV and charging infrastructure solutions for institutional customers and the riding public. The deployment of eSakay charg-

ing stations, which cater to two- and three-wheeled EVs, supports McDonald’s commitment to provide better and more environmentally sustainable stores for customers. With the coin-operated charging stations, EV users visiting the McDonald’s branches can simply plug in their e-Bikes and e-Scooters for a minimal fee of P1 for a five-minute charge; P5 for a 25-minute charge; and P10 for a 50-minute charge.Alena Mae S. Flores

Sports MAD SCRAMBLE.

San Miguel Beer’s Bacon Austria and Purefoods TJ Titans’ Jun Bonsubre (white) fight for the looseball in the PBA 3x3 Lakas Ng Tatlo on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

PSC comes to aid of national athletes affected by typhoon T

PSC chairman William Ramirez

team will be receiving a cash gift of P10,000 pesos each as the PSC prepares to release the said financial bonus this week. Ramirez and PSC Commissioners Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas Mon Fernandez, Celia Kiram, Charles (SWP) has a small gym which was Maxey and Arnold Agustin approved washed-out in the reports we received.” the Christmas monetary gift in their Ramirez added. last board meeting despite challenges Iroy is leading the charge of efforts, in the sports agency’s resources. connecting with the Armed Forces of “Whatever hinders the income of our the Philippines for the transport and benefactors, hinders our cash flow too. delivery of goods like mattresses and However, the holidays will come nevwater bottles. ertheless, and we wish for our athletes Odette, which has an international and coaches to be able to celebrate well name Rai, is the 15th typhoon to hit with family too,” said Ramirez, addthe Philippines this year. According to ing that this Christmas gift is on top of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, their monthly allowances. and Astronomical Services AdminDespite the many challenges this istration, Odette weakened slightly year, especially for those hit by Tyfrom a Category 5 to a Category 3 phoon Odette last week, the sports storm after making a landfall Thurs- chief wishes our athletes to have a day on Siargao Island. meaningful observance of the holidays Meanwhile, members of the national with their families.

HE Philippine Sports Commission is organizing relief efforts for members of the national team severely affected by typhoon Odette.

“This is a force of nature that we cannot control. However, we can do our share to help them get through this. We will do all we can with the resources available, ” said PSC chairman William Ramirez. The PSC management committee, led by PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. met Monday to finalize the logistics for the care package. The PSC has been monitoring the situation of the members of the Philippine National Team affected by typhoon Odette, which ravaged the Visayas and Mindanao region late last week. “We are closely keeping track of the situation of our athletes. There is quite a number affected like in Bohol where

Kyrie Irving

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021

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Mordido, Fronda share PH chess lead KYLEN Joy Mordido and Jan Jodilyn Fronda hurdled their respective opponents to forge a share of the lead after the fourth round of the 2021 Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship at the PACE building in Quezon City yesterday. Mordido, who is being groomed as the country’s next Woman Grandmaster, crushed 13-year-old Ruelle Canino’s King’s Indian Defense in 37 moves to keep her grip on the lead with three points. The Dasmarinas, Cavite bet, who needs just the last of three norms to become the country’s second WGM behind Janelle Mae Frayna, was tied at the helm with Fronda, the 2019 titlist, who downed Francois Marie Magpily in 46 moves of a French Defense. Just half a point behind the pace-setters with 2.5 points each were Frayna, former national champion Shania Mae Mendoza and Olympiad veteran Marie Antoinette San Diego. The top-seeded Frayna bested Lexie Grace Hernandez in 80 moves of a Pirc Defense and has now scored 2.5 points in the last three rounds to jump back to the title race after succumbing to the younger Canino in the opening round Saturday. Mendoza halved the point with National University standout Allaney Jia Doroy while San Diego split the point with national team mainstay Bernadette Galas to likewise stay in the hunt for the champion’s prize worth P50,000 and a seat to the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in May next year. In the only other result, Rinoa Mariel Sadey defeated Marian Calimbo in 40 moves of a Benoni to improve to two points. The event is backed by PSC chair Butch Ramirez, Chess Movement, Inc. chair Dr. Ariel Potot, PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Endgame Sports founder Atty. Cris Aspiras, POC president Bambol Tolentino, NCFP chief Butch Pichay and Atty. Roel Canobas.

Legendary SBC coach Badolato passes away

Nets ready to welcome Irving back for road games NEW YORK—The Brooklyn Nets are ready to welcome Covid vaccine holdout Kyrie Irving for the team’s away NBA games, multiple US media outlets reported Friday. As long as he remai ns u nvacci nated, I r vi ng can’t play games at Brook ly n’s Barclays Center because of New York vacci ne mand ates. In October, the Nets said they would not welcome him back until he was able to be a full-time player, even though he would have been eligible to play games on the road. The Athletic reported that Irving had been “ramping up” preparations to make his season debut, including getting regular Covid-19 tests. ESPN reported that Nets owner Joe Tsai, general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash

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

are “fully supportive” of Irving’s return. They lead the Eastern Conference with a 21-8 record, but with a stream of players—including James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Bruce Brown—sidelined by Covid-19 protocols and others injured the Nets have been sadly depleted. Kevin Durant has been carrying the Nets, scoring 51 points against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday and then followed up with a triple-double of 34 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over Toronto. He scored 31 points in the Nets’ win over Philadelphia on Thursday. But Durant was already nursing a sore right ankle, and the Nets on Friday said he wouldn’t play against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. AFP

COACH Edmundo “Ato” Badolato left a legacy as he passed away Sunday night due to cardiac arrest. Badolato, 74, was considered as one the best high school coaches before he retired and became San Beda’s basketball and athletic director in 2004. The San Beda Red Cubs won 15 of their 23 high school cage championships, with Badolato at the helm. Badolato’s remains can be viewed during internment at San Beda-Mendiola until Wednesday, according to Red Lions’ team manager Jude Roque. During Badolato’s watch, players like LA Tenorio, champion coach Eric Altamirano, Borgie Hermida, Benjie Paras, Dindo Pumaren, Ronnie Magsanoc, JVee Casio and Baser Amer saw action for the Red Cubs. After his retirement, Badolato went on to handle San Beda’s robust high school program and produced numerous talented cagers along the way.

CARIQUITAN BAGS 4 GOLDS. Jan Mckayla Santos Cariquitan won the Individual All-Around Championship Level 1 after hitting the highest score in the recently concluded TMC 3rd Gymnastics Friendship Meet 2021 Competition, hosted by Westfields International School in Angeles City. She won the four golds for each event, the Vault with a score of 9.8; Beam (9.7); Floor (9.7) and Bars (9.5). She was trained by coaches Bayani Gonzales, Revv Lictana and JM Labang.

Ato Badolato

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Sports

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021

PATAFA advises EJ: Submit to PSC mediation

Nueva Ecija, Iloilo enter Chooks MPBL quarterfinals NUEVA Ecija and Iloilo posted contrasting victories on Sunday to barge into the 2021 Chooks-toGo Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League powered by TM quarterfinals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards thwarted the San Juan Knights’ final rally to prevail, 88-85, in Group C while the Iloilo United Royals subdued the Caloocan Excellence, 80-69, in Group A. Mindoro EOG Burlington pulled off a wire-to-wire 87-73 victory over General Santos City, 87-73, but will have to wait for the results of Monday’s final elimination round games to find out whether it qualifies or not in Group D. Although Mindoro wound up with a 4-1 record, the Tamaraws will be bumped off if the Manila Stars and the Imus Buracai de Laiya Bandera win over Bulacan and Rizal, respectively. Other results on Sunday saw Basilan Jumbo Medical edge also-ran Laguna Krah Asia, 98-95, and Bacoor City Strikers nip Negros Muscuvados, 87-86. Basilan improved to 3-0 in the fiveteam Group B while Bacoor closed its campaign with a 2-3 slate. Laguna dropped to 0-4 and so did Negros, the MPBL’s 32nd and newest team. The Rice Vanguards led by as many as 18 points and entered the fourth quarter with a 67-54 spread. The Knights, however, fought back behind Jhonard Clarito and Rhenz Abando and threatened at 84-81 with 30 seconds to go. Roi Sumang sealed the outcome for Nueva Ecija when he stepped back beyond the arc and canned a jumper off Abando, 87-81. Despite its first loss in four games, San Juan is also assured of a stint in Tuesday’s sudden-death quarterfinals. Iloilo, powered by John Mahari’s 16 points, wound up with a 4-1 mark while Caloocan bowed out with a 1-4 record.

SOUTHWOODS CORONATION. MANILA SOUTHWOODS SENIORS' CAPTAIN FREDDIE MENDOZA, THIRDY ESCANO, ATTY. JUDD ROY, RAUL MAGPANTAY AND RAUL MINOZA ARE SHOWN DURING THE AWARDS NIGHT OF THE FIL-AM GOLF TOURNAMENT, WHICH THEY WON. WITH THEM ARE CAMP JOHN HAY GOLF CLUB GM JUDE EUSTAQUIO, CJH CHAIRMAN ROBERT SOBREPENA AND BAGUIO COUNTRY CLUB GM ANSOUTHWOODS CORONATION. Manila Southwoods Seniors’ captain Freddie Mendoza, Thirdy Escano, Atty. Judd Roy, Raul Magpantay and Raul Minoza are shown during the awards night of the Fil-Am golf tournament, which they won. With them are Camp John Hay Golf Club GM Jude Eustaquio, CJH Chairman Robert Sobrepena and Baguio Country Club GM Anthony de Leon.

Tiger duo’s birdie blitz falls short at PNC golf M

par for a two-shot victory. A weary Woods, who almost needed to have his shattered right leg amputated after his car crash in Los Angeles in February, said afterwards he was simply grateful to be playing again. “I’m just happy and thankful that I’m able to do this,” Woods told NBC television. “I still have my own leg, which was questionable for a while, and it’s functioning. I’m just really tired – I’m not used to this. “I think this might be only my fourth or fifth round of golf this year. I’m a little worn out. It was nice to have a cart.” Woods said he and his son had set a pre-tournament target of playing two bogey-free rounds which they had achieved. “Our whole goal for the two days was don’t make any bogeys—last Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods celebrate a birdie on the 13th year we made two—and hole during the final round of the PNC Championship at the we didn’t make any,” Ritz Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes on December 19, 2021 in Woods said. AFP Orlando, Florida. AFP

IAMI—Tiger Woods narrowly missed out on a fairytale victory in his return to competitive golf on Sunday after a final round birdie blitz came up short at the PNC Championship family tournament in Florida.

Woods, playing in his first event since suffering careerthreatening injuries in a car crash 10 months ago, reeled off 11 consecutive birdies alongside his 12-year-old son Charlie to card a 15-under-par 57 to finish on 25-under-par in the tworound tournament at the Ritz Carlton Golf Course in Orlando. However the Woods duo were unable to close with a 12th birdie on the par-five 18th hole, settling for par and missing the chance to put the pressure on two-time major champion John Daly, playing with his son John Daly II. The Daly duo eventually closed with a birdie to match the Woods’s second-round 57 and finish on 27-under-

THE Board of Trustees of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association has advised Olympic pole vaulter, Ernest John Obiena to submit to mediation at the invitation of the government, through the Philippine Sports Commission. In a joint statement on behalf of the PATAFA Board of Trustees, PATAFA chairman, Deputy Speaker Congressman, 2nd district ofCagayan de Oro city, Rufus B. Rodriguez and Federation president, Dr. Philip Ella Juico, echoed the sentiments of the Board that “if Obiena wants to put order in his relationship with his own NSA and continue training and preparation with complete back up team and support uninterrupted by hearings and possible legal proceedings, he should seriously consider going into mediation.” Some Board members, “He and not allow himself to be sucked into proceedings of highly doubtful legality and be manipulated by certain elements who simply want to take over the PATAFA with him as the means for “pole vaulting” into one of the most successful NSAs in the country and the governing body of the Athletics sport, one of two mandatory sports in any Olympic-type competition. Rodriguez and Juico added that they realize “this young man of 26 with a whole career in front of him, is a stranger to and not familiar with serious legal proceedings that will require his time, to dig up critical documents and to appear in inquiries while resources he needs for his training, coach, support staff and accommodation are in serious jeopardy.” Rodriguez and Juico appeared recently in a hearing of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development which was convened to investigate the alleged harassment by Jujico and PATAFA of Obiena. Juico provided a detailed presentation of the chronology of events and liquidation reports Obiena presented to the PSC, claiming that fees to his coach were paid during the period 2018 to 2021. Petrov had, in his original signed complaint, denied on October 7, 2021 that he had been paid and that he had signed acknowledgment receipts.

China’s Peng denies making sex assault claim, but WTA not convinced BEIJING—Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied alleging that a senior Communist Party leader sexually assaulted her and insisted she is living freely, in her first media interview since her accusations triggered concerns for her safety. However, the comments did not ease worries at the Women’s Tennis Association, which said Monday that it still had “significant concerns about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion”. The former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion’s quicklycensored social media post last month sparked international concern, including from the United Nations, the White House and fellow tennis stars. In comments to Lianhe Zaobao, a Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper, Peng denied making the allegation. “I would like to stress a very important point: I have never said nor written anything accusing anyone of sexually assaulting me,” the 35-year-old said in

footage apparently filmed on a phone at a sports event in Shanghai. “I would like to emphasize this point very clearly.” In a post on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform, Peng had alleged that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli—who is in his 70s—coerced her into sex during an onoff relationship spanning several years. The post was quickly scrubbed from the Chinese web, but not before screenshots were posted on Twitter, setting off a global outcry. In the Zaobao video, when asked about the Weibo post, Peng said it was a “private matter” that people had “many misunderstandings” about. She did not elaborate. In the video, a person is heard asking if she is able to move around freely and if she has been under surveillance since making the accusations. Peng responded that she has “always been very free”. The WTA said it was still not convinced of Peng’s wellbeing.

“We remain steadfast in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault,” the organisation said in a statement emailed to AFP. The WTA has suspended all tournaments in China, including Hong Kong, over concerns about Peng. ‘My own free will’ The latest video follows images of Peng published by Chinese state media, including some of her at a tennis tournament. They also published a screenshot of an email Peng purportedly wrote to the Women’s Tennis Association saying “everything is fine”. But that did little to ease worries. WTA chief Steve Simon said at the time he had “a hard time believing” Peng’s email and questioned whether she was really free to speak openly. In the latest video, dressed in a red T-shirt and dark down jacket, both with “China” emblazoned on them, Peng told Zaobao that the email was legitimate and written “entirely of my own free will”. AFP

This file photo taken on May 31, 2018 shows China’s Peng Shuai serving to France’s Caroline Garcia during their women’s singles second round match on day five of The Roland Garros 2018 French Open tennis tournament in Paris. Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied accusing anyone of sexual assault in her first media comments published on December 19, 2021 since publicly alleging that a top Communist Party official forced her to have sex. AFP

Rodgers ties Favre as Packers move into playoffs

Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers looks to make a pass play in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

LOS ANGELES—The Green Bay Packers almost squandered a late two-touchdown lead but held on for a 31-30 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday to secure a place in the NFL playoffs. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, taking his career tally for the Packers to 442 to match the franchise record of icon Brett Favre. But it was the Packers defense who made the difference right at the end, thwarting the Ravens’ two-point conversion attempt with 42 seconds remaining to preserve the victory. “I think at moments like this, it’s important, as much as you win with class, you have to savour these a little bit. These are special,” Rodgers said. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were not so fortunate on Sunday as they missed an opportunity to clinch the NFC South title after being shutout 9-0 by the New Orleans Saints.

Green Bay led 31-17 in the fourth quarter but couldn’t put the game away. Tyler Huntley, starting at quarterback for Baltimore in place of injured Lamar Jackson, scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes on a three-yard run and—with 42 seconds remaining—an eight-yard run. But his two-point conversion pass attempt was incomplete and the Ravens fell into a first-place tie with Cincinnati in the AFC North. Rodgers connected with Davante Adams on a three-yard touchdown to tie the score at 14-14 in the second quarter. He hit Aaron Jones with a nine-yard scoring pass in the third quarter and found Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the fourth for a 28-17 lead. The milestone day saw the Packers capture the NFC North title to become the first division winners of the season. In Florida, Brett Maher kicked three field goals and the Saints defense domi-

nated Brady who was shut out in a game for the first time since 2006. Brady completed 26 of 48 for 214 yards, threw an interception and lost a fumble. Brady’s two top receiving weapons, Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (knee), were sidelined in the second quarter and missed the rest of the game. Running back Leonard Fournette (hamstring) was sidelined for good in the third quarter. ‘I loved it’ New Orleans, who have won the last four NFC South titles, improved to 4-0 in regular-season meetings against Tampa Bay since Brady joined the team. That includes the most lopsided loss of Brady’s career, a 38-3 hammering in Tampa Bay last season. “This is the defending world champions and we knew everything we had to do was on defense,” said Saints defensive end Cam Jordan. “We got after him (Brady), we hit him early and we hit him often. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021

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New ‘Spider-Man’ film shatters box office records COVID-SCHMOVID: Sony and Marvel’s new Spider-Man: No Way Home scored the third-biggest domestic opening of all time, taking in an estimated $253 million in its massive North American weekend opening. Box office watchers are spinning hopeful predictions, with analysts eyeing it as the pandemic era’s first potential billion-dollar-grossing film. Its box office sales trail only 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($357 million) and the previous year’s Avengers: Infinity War ($258 million), according to the BoxOfficeMojo website.

Spider-Man easily surpassed early estimates of $130-150 million. The new superhero blockbuster is well on its way to earning $600 million overseas, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. And this comes as theaters continue to battle their way back from months-long Covid-induced closures. “This is an incredible opening,” David A. Gross, who runs Franchise Entertainment Research, told AFP. While most big series struggle to keep their momentum, he added, “’Spider-Man’ is exploding.” Analysts, however, are warning that

the industry’s recovery still has a long way to go, especially amid fears of a new surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the Omicron variant. The latest Spider-Man installment is British star Tom Holland’s third solo outing in the wildly popular role, played in earlier films by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The webslinger has form when it comes to big openings. The original film starring Maguire in 2002 was the first movie in the history of cinema to gross more than $100 million on its de(From left) Actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, and Tom Holland but weekend. AFP

Angeli Khang puts on a daring display in erotic film ‘Eva’

F

RESH from the massive success of her first lead role in Mahjong Nights, rising star Angeli Khang daringly gives her audience some sensual visuals as she plays a character named Eva in Vivamax’s latest offering.

Angeli Khang

In the movie, Angeli is a young housemaid who is sexually curious and is willing to try anything to explore and satisfy her libido. With her curiosity almost controlling her psyche, she finds herself, one night, in a threesome with her boss, Victoria (Sab Aggabao), and Lauro (Marco Gomez), a neighbor’s houseboy with whom she often has sexual encounters. This one careless night leads Eva to have confusion about her feelings and The rising star makes her choose between Victoria and plays a sexually Lauro. curious maid In one of her interviews, Angeli exnamed Eva. pressed her gratitude for the opportunities coming her way. “I feel so flattered. I’m thankful that I’m able to deliver and I’m also thankful that they see the potential in me. I’m just thankful that they also appreciate my efforts,” Angeli said. Eva is directed by actor, singer Jeffrey Hidalgo who recently had nominations at FAMAS awards and Star Award for movies. Also joining Angeli in this film is actor Ivan Padilla (Maria, Encounter) who plays the role of Andrew, a model who will have a steamy sexual encounter with Eva’s lady boss. Get to know Eva and her sinful world as it premieres on Vivamax on Dec. 24.

GTV now the second most-watched channel in PH GMA Network’s second free-to-air channel, GTV is now the second mostwatched channel in the country. Based on November to Dec. 11, 2021 data from Nielsen Phils., GTV recorded a total day people audience share of 11.3 percent in Total Philippines. GTV’s closest competitors TV5 and A2Z only registered 10.5 percent and 4.1 percent people audience shares, respectively. The Kapuso Network’s main free-toair channel, GMA, meanwhile, remains strong in the top spot with a dominant 41.5 percent people audience share. Aside from continuously improving its content, GTV’s ratings success was also a result of the network’s ongoing efforts to expand GTV’s reach and clarity of reception in areas outside of Mega Manila. Following GTV’s launch in February, the network has already commissioned six analog TV station upgrades in dif-

ferent parts of the country – Tandang Sora in Manila, Mt. Sto. Tomas in Benguet, Mt. Banoy in Batangas, Naga in Camarines Sur, Legazpi in Albay, and just recently, General Santos City in

Mindanao. Viewers can also expect that more areas will be added to this growing list of upgrades by 2022 as GMA further strengthens its digital terrestrial television (DTT) roll-out through transmitter upgrades. GTV’s programming line-up consists of world-class news and public affairs as well as entertainment shows, which cater to both the young and young-at-heart. It also offers a variety of foreign dramas as well as local and Hollywood films on movie blocks Siesta Fiesta Movies, Afternoon Movie Break, and G! Flicks. Sports fans should watch out for the next season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on GTV. GTV ‘Taste Buddies’ hosts Solenn Heussaff and Gil Cuerva

Producer-actor Joed Serrano withdraws Senate candidacy WHEN actor and film and concert producer Joed Serrano filed his certificate of candidacy in September, he made it known that his advocacy was to train the spotlight on the rights of LGBT community members. He also wanted to push for lower electricity rates and water bills as well as the standardization of rural and urban minimum wage. On Thursday, Dec. 16, Serrano announced that he is no longer joining the 2022 elections. In a statement Serrano shared with Manila Standard Entertainment, he explained that he was surprised upon learning that a campaign budget amounting to P800 million is part of the requirement for him to join the senatorial race. Hindi kaya ng aking “Hindi kalooban ang laro ng pu-

litika kung saan ang mga tao ay sanay magbitaw ng mga pangako na sa huli ay napapako lamang,” his statement read. “Ayokong baguhin ang sarili ko at sa huli ay tawagin lang ‘mambobola. P800 million daw ang kakailanganin ko para sa kampanya, na sa bandang huli ang ginastos taumbay ay babawiin lang sa taumbayna his statean pag nakaupo na,” ment also said. Serrano ended his statement by con saying that he might still consider going into politics in the future. “ “Di man ngayon, pero maaring bukas pana makalawa o sa panahong kawayan uli ako ng mas malakas ng tawag na serbisyo totoo at paglilingkod paglilingkod.” Joed Serrano

What Kim Domingo wants for her acting career TV STAR Kim Domingo is glad that after two years of hiatus due to the pandemic, she’s back on the scene once again. She’s one of the stars in the month-long Wish Ko Lang Christmas Specials on GMA-7. She has already appeared in a Wish Ko Lang episode but this time, according to the sexy actress, the experience is different, “it’s like acting in a movie.” “And it has a beautiful storyline. Definitely, it teaches a lot of essential life lessons,” she stated. Kim admits that during the initial stage of the taping, she felt quite nervous. She felt as if she was just starting all over again. “I was under pressure especially since my scenes were with Ms. Lotlot de Leon. But I told myself, I have to give it my best shot. I’m relieved that I was able to pull it off,” she said. Meanwhile, Kim has been vocal about her conscious effort to drop her sexy image. Some three years ago, she started a more reserved public image. “Well, honestly, I noticed a decline in my following. Before, when I was still donning a sexy image, the numbers were huge. But now, my following in my social media accounts decreased. I’m very much aware of that fact.” Nonetheless, the 26-year-old actress stated that she’s not closing her doors to any projects that might require her to show some skin.

“It still depends on the project, story, and character. But the sexy things I did before, I can’t do anymore. I want the public to see that I have talents to show and I need not sport a very sexy image.” It is in this light that Kim hopes GMA will be able to give her more challenging materials in the coming days that will highlight her artistic skills. “Yes, I really wish that they would give me more chances of exhibiting my wares to the viewers.” If given the opportunity, Kim would love to breathe life into challenging characters like that o f someone with a split personality. “For me, that would be very challenging and exciting to do,” ended Kim. Kim Domingo

‘Bad and Crazy’ stars step out of their comfort zone By P. Y. Deligero

Lee Dong Wook (left) and Wi Ha Jun

K-DRAMA fans can expect a whole new level of performance from the cast of Bad and Crazy, an iQiyi original series that premiered on Dec. 17. During a virtual press conference held recently, Lee Dong Wook, Wi Ha Jun, Cha Hak Yeon, and Han Ji Eun shared how they all stepped outside their usual roles and personalities to portray their characters in the new drama thriller. “The script was very fun to read for me and, I think, the character that I played was very different from the ones I have played before. I was very curious about how this character was going to be depicted so you will see,” said Lee Dong Wook. He also shared frankly that the series features a side of him that viewers have never seen before. He spoke at length with Director You Soon Dong on many character de-

tails and the director eventually let the actor act on how he thought he should. Lee Dong Wook plays Ryu Soo Yeol, a police inspector who has a bad “side” and eventually meets Wi Ha Jun’s character, K, who’s “crazy” but righteous. The latter describes his character to be a “tough guy who likes to swing his fists. He calls himself a hero since he’s naive and innocent as a child.” Wi Ha Jun also sees his character as intense because there are so many sides to K. He admitted that he had trouble adapting to this new role but managed to pull it off. And since Bad and Crazy is a drama action series, viewers can expect several action scenes. It’s customary for actors to use stunt doubles during major scenes for safety but Wi Ha Jun opted not to use his and perform the difficult scenes himself. He shared that the most challenging part of produc-

tion is wearing a leather ensemble and filming in the heat of summer. On the other hand, Lee Dong Wook didn’t undergo special training for the action scenes yet had to endure long hours of filming. Aside from the overall chemistry of the cast members, the series also features exhilarating large-scale action scenes such as the motorcycle chase in trailers and crime-busting operations, which undoubtedly tested the stars’ physical endurance. Han Ji Eun’s role in Bad and Crazy had her stepping out of her comfort zone. The actress is famous for portraying sweet and perky characters in series such as Lovestruck in the City and Be Melodramatic. But for her role of hot-blooded narcotics police officer Lee Hui Gyeom in the new series, she admitted that her character’s personality tends to be dull so she tried not to improvise. While Bad and Crazy is new territory for the three actors, the series

is Cha Hak Yeon’s first project since leaving the military. He plays the role of Oh Kyung-Tae who he describes as “pure but will get to the bottom of things in investigations.” Cha Hak Yeon also revealed that the greatest challenge for him in filming the series was to cut his hair again after growing it longer for quite some time. He joined the military on March 3, 2019, and has been growing his hair freely since he got out. Living up to the series title Bad and Crazy, the characters are set to showcase the “bad” and “crazy” sides of their personalities. The series weaves together themes including action, dark comedy, suspense, and crime for a satisfying and exciting series of vengeance in an insane society. Bad and Crazy streams exclusively on iQiyi, across 191 territories, simulcast with South Korea. New episode drops every Friday and Saturday.

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021

Wrapping up 2021 with your dream escapades Klook offers holiday deals and getaway packages to popular hotspots in the Philippines.

Vacationers can enjoy 10 percent off on activities like jet skiing, parasail, banana boats, and more.

By Nickie Wang

A

S SOON as the government announced that the capital region would be placed in more relaxed quarantine restrictions and most businesses were permitted to resume operations in time for the holidays, we immediately felt the bane of urban life.

Enchanted Kingdom’s Ekstreme Tower Ride

And while we’re still trying to enjoy our “new kind of freedom” under better normal, the stress of traffic congestion all around the metro just gets the best of us. So, while most people troop to the malls and other recreational spots, why not set your eyes on a different way to celebrate the holidays? Besides, it’s always around this time of the year that people start whipping out their vision boards to set their intentions for the new year. The entire 2021 has been a roller coaster ride for many of us, but the excitement of the holiday season is the promise that new beginnings await. And what better way to celebrate that than

with an exciting new escapade? Taking a cue from Klook’s mantra, “Kaya Pilipinas, Tara Na,” the last stretch of December is the perfect time to indulge in a holiday treat and prepare for the new year with an adventure made just for you. You deserve it. Close the year with an experience to remember and let Klook help you manifest your travel goals. Indulge in their exclusive activities and one-of-a-kind experiences made just for the most passionate local thrill seekers. The holidays are made for giving and Klook wants to give you this for getting through a very tough year. Reignite your love for the Philippines and prepare yourself for getaway packages that will take you to the most popular homeland hotspots like Boracay, Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Palawan, Tagaytay, or Batangas. Over 3 million pesos worth of

TV when it’s on. Art when it’s off. This Samsung 55” Frame QLED Smart TV can hang like a real frame and display a beautiful artwork with its Art Mode feature to beautify your living space.

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discounts and prizes are just waiting to be claimed. The best adventures involve your favorite people, so gather everyone you love because these holiday deals are made for groups to explore local theme parks and attractions, All-In Travel Bubbles, local hotel & resort perks, and tour activities in sought-after vacation capitals like Boracay and Cebu. Everyone is eligible for these exciting treats with an 8 percent off discount on all local activities with no minimum spend requirement. Get in line for a 4+1 and 20 percent off on family deals in Enchanted Kingdom, Avilon Zoo, Camayan Beach, Dinosaur Island, Cebu All Attractions Passes, Zoobic, Manila Ocean Park, The Dessert Museum, and Skyranch. But that’s not all. Celebrate the holidays with up to 10 percent off on activities like jet skiing, parasail, banana boats, UFO, Boracay Island Tours and Helmet Drives,

and an endless number of fun things to do at Plantation Bay, Bluewater Sumilon, and Bluewater Maribago. You can only trust Klook to make sure your plans take a step up with STAY+ and Travel Bubble Deals of up to 18 percent off on SETIR, Tides Hotel, The Lind, Villas by Eco Hotel, Belmont Boracay, Taal Vista, Pico Sands, Shangri-La Boracay, Crusoe Cabins, Las Casas, Cocoons Casobe, The Manor at CJH, Bluewater Panglao, Bluewater Sumilon, and Bluewater Maribago. The excitement continues with exclusive giveaways made just for Klook-registered users who use any Klook product or service with the promo code for the holiday campaign. This makes users eligible for an overnight stay at Taal Vista, overnight stay at Pico Sands, 3 days / 2 nights at Boracay Shangri-La, 3 days / 2 nights at Belmont Boracay, and a Sunlight EcoTourism Travel Bubble.

Divisoria rehab project aims for inclusive space NAME a person who has not been or even heard of Divisoria. Fondly called Divi by most, the place holds different meanings for each and every one. A vast commercial spread where one does not know where it begins or ends, there are shops, stalls, and vendors galore everywhere – a shopper’s paradise for bargain hunters. A venue to shop, work and reside, this commercial arena between Tondo and Binondo in Manila is a world on its own. Young visionary Nikko Sale Regalado proposed a rehabilitation project that aims to improve the quality of life for those who engage with Divisoria. Dubbed as The Cube, the plan was designed in conThe Cube by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde architecture sideration of the numerous traders who student Nikko Sale Regalado may have lost their livelihood due to the continuous clearing projects and the curexplored its human ratio production and put rent pandemic. The architecture student from the De La Salle- forward the possibility of placing a tube in the College of Saint Benilde, School of Design and most populated public spaces to absorb the carArts has proposed a new Divisioria tower that of- bon monoxide. The proposal was complete with site development plans that featured fly fers spaces for all economic levels. “Design needs to be inclusive and should not ash as an alternative to asphalt and concrete to exclude,” Regalado stressed. “The Cube encour- likewise contribute to the reduction of carbon ages our urban setting to become a more people- dioxide emission. The aspiring architect also recommended the oriented community where we provide merchants proper color coding of each area so that the conwith a dignified space through proper planning.” Regalado strategically designed the tower as a sumers can easily navigate through the hubs as public platform wherein individuals from differ- well as easily locate their needs, from fabrics and garments, shoes and bags, toys and gadgets, fruits ent backgrounds can interact. The edifice and veggies, ready-to-wear long gowns, wet marfeatures gaps in between the hubs ket goods and everything under the sun. to facilitate accessibility, proper Selected colors should deflect the heat and lighting, and terracing, as well as complement the greeneries in the area as well distorted volumes for proper venas boost excitement, sociability, and freshness. tilation. It also allotted spaces that can be developed in The building is structured to fosphases to adapt to the needs of expansion. ter natural rainwater collection and The Cube was recognized with the Best distribution to reuse the water, as Colour Choice Award in Architecture at well as lessen the flooding in the Nippon Paint Asia Young Designer the area. It is equipped with Award, the Philippine edition of the solar panels and strips at prestigious Asia Young Designer the south and west sides to Awards (AYDA) with the common counter and absorb high aim to motivate interior design and thermal inertia. architecture students to be more To reduce carbon moninnovative, creative, and socially oxide emission in the involved in design implementation. dense market, Regalado suggested the utilization of algae technology. He Nikko Sale Regalado