Manila Standard - 2022 January 14 - Friday

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(Story on A4) PH INFECTIONS AT NEW HIGH: 34,021; 20 HOSPITALS’ OCCUPANCY RATE ‘CRITICAL’ bringing the total number of cases to demic began in March 2020, surpassing 78,866 people on Jan. 11. 3,092,409. the case count of 33,169 on Jan. 10. The National Capital Region (NCR) Thursday’s tally was the highest numThe positivity rate was at 47.9 peror Metro Manila accounted for half of THE Philippines logged a record-high ber of daily cases reported since the pancent, based on test results of samples from the new cases, at 16,793. Region 4-A 34,021 COVID-19 cases on Thursday,

By Willie Casas

3-YR-OLD KID AMONG 11 KILLED IN TRUCK CRASH NEWS / A2

(Calabarzon) had 7,131 new cases or 21 percent of the daily tally, while Region 3 (Central Luzon) counted 3,745 cases or Next page 11 percent.

DUTERTE SIGNS LAW MAKING ADOPTION SIMPLER IN PH NEWS / A3

VOL. XXXV • NO. 333 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IATF for Alert Level 3 in NCR But curb upgrade an option if healthcare capacity breaks 70% mark By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

ETRO Manila will likely remain under Alert Level 3 as long as the health care utilization rate stays below 70 percent, health officials said Thursday, even as it experiences what independent researchers call a “severe outbreak.”

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RUSHING FOR THE JAB. Vehicles line up at a COVID-19 vaccination site for booster shots in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Thursday, January 13, 2022, as the government imposes mobility curbs on unvaccinated persons in a bid to stem the surge in daily infections. Danny Pata

Doctors oppose shorter isolation for public By Willie Casas THE Philippine College of Physicians appealed to the Department of Health yesterday to reconsider its new policy shortening the quarantine period for

fully vaccinated mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. PCP president Dr. Maricar Limpin said they support the reduced isolation period for fully-vaccinated healthcare workers, the same could not be implemented for

the general public, including those who have mild symptoms or none at all. Limpin said an infected person might still transmit the virus six to ten days from the onset of symptoms. “For the shortening of the protocol,

I think it should cover only healthcare workers and not the general public,” she said. The DOH on Thursday defended its move to shorten the isolation and quarantine Next page

The independent OCTA Research Group said Metro Manila continued to experience a severe outbreak as its COVID-19 average daily attack rate (ADAR) climbed to 111.8 percent, up from 89.42 percent on Jan. 11. ADAR pertains to the average number of new cases in a period per 100,000 people. But in an interview on CNN, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said keeping the National Capital Region under Alert Level 3 was the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), which he chairs. Thursday’s data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that 58 percent of the ICU beds in Metro Manila were occupied while 54 percent of the isolation beds were in use. “They’re well within the moderate risk classification. So unless these breach the 70 percent utilization rate both for total beds and ICU beds, we will recommend Next page

‘No vax, no ride’ to keep transport running—DOTr

3,092,409

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

34,021

237,387

52,736

82

2,802,286

4,694

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Thursday the “no vaccination, no ride” policy in public transportation in the National Capital Region was aimed at avoiding total lockdown experienced in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The DOTr statement came amid rising opposition to restrictions on people's

(As of 4 PM, JANUARY 13)

Next page

US sends two strike carrier groups to SCS WASHINGTON has sent an aircraft carrier strike group and a landing helicopter dock group to the South China Sea where the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong exercised two weeks ago, putting the area in yet another level of tension. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and the Wasp-class Next page

FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION. Photo

handout from the USS Carl Vinson as the strike group is conducting operations in the Sulu Sea. US Navy

126 colleges on ‘academic break’ ACADEMIC break has been imposed Commission on Higher Education said by 126 universities, mostly in Metro Thursday. Manila and nearby Calabarzon region Commission on Higher Education since the first week of January amid chairperson Prospero De Vera III Next page the surge of COVID-19 cases, the

SC suspends physical court trials

By Rey E. Requejo

physically closed starting yesterday until Jan. 31. The order covers the trial courts THE Supreme Court has ordered trial courts in many other provinces and in Benguet, Kalinga and Abra in the cities, including the Court of Appeals’ Cordillera Administrative Region; stations in the Visayas and Mindanao, Next page

Short in staff, PAL cuts more flights international flights beginning yesterday until Jan. 24 due to the FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines increasing number of workers who had Next page is canceling more domestic and to undergo self-isolation.

By Joel E. Zurbano

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

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BOI-PEZA investments drop 63.55% By Othel V. Campos

Based on a Trade Department an- nouncement on its website, the total

BOI-approved investments since the effectivity of the CREATE Law in April 2021 reached a total of P468 billion. Trade undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo earlier said investments pledges may fall short by 35 to 36 percent to around P600 billion from the target P905 billion in 2021. He said the government has positive leads but the agency may not have enough lead time to assess and

evaluate the projects to catch up for 2021 approval. Meanwhile, PEZA director general Charito Plaza said the agency is looking forward to a hefty increase in investments this year, as it anticipates renewed interest from investors on the back of strong recovery of the Philippine economy. PEZA-approved investments from January to October 2021 amounted to P62.72 million.

Duque said he was most concerned about the spread of the Omicron variant in the NCR, Region 4-A, Region 3, Region 1, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. “Of course, NCR is the major region, the epicenter of this wave or surge. And then you have Region 4-A or Calabarzon, Region 3, Central Luzon, and then Region 1, Ilocos Region, and then Cordillera Administrative Region,” he said. “And also, I think, even Region 6 is showing a continuing increase in the cases,” he added. In the same briefing, Vega said 3,114 health care workers in Metro Manila were undergoing isolation amid the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases. These make up 11 percent of the 26,000 health care workers in government institutions, he said. “Our health care workers really had reinfection or breakthrough [infections] because they were the first line in hospitals who helped COVID-19 patients,” he said. Vega said despite this, the cases are still manageable. Hospitals, he said, were adjusting by closing down some services and elective surgery. Also on Thursday, a lawmaker from

Rizal asked the IATF to consider the economic effects of an Alert Level 4 before imposing it in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. “We cannot afford to lose muchneeded money as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic that requires a lot of funds. As such, I appeal to the IATF not to impose Alert Level 4 and instead, do everything not to reach the point that it will be necessary," Assistant Majority Leader and Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said. Nograles said the P3 billion in weekly losses due to Alert Level 3 was already too costly. “I think this is the reason why all of the mayors of Metro Manila also prefer not to further restrict economic activity,” he added. Nograles said workers would bear the brunt of a stricter quarantine status. AP Party-list nominee Ronnie Ong also appealed to the government to refrain from "declaring another economically debilitating lockdown." Instead, Ong said the government should invest in providing free antigen and RT-PCR tests to allow health authorities to properly segregate and isolate those who are sick without disrupting the lives and livelihood of those who are COVIDfree.

"Declaring another quarantine lockdown in Metro Manila and its nearby areas because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, would only destroy the momentum of the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which represent 99.5 percent of all businesses in the country and employ more than 62 percent of the total labor force," Ong said in a statement. Ong said that after the country shifted to Alert Level 3, MSMEs flourished again and the country’s economy was getting back on track. Another lockdown, he said, would be disastrous. “Many businesses are still barely recovering and have invested everything they have just to recover from almost two years of financial hemorrhage,” Ong said. Instead of resorting to sweeping community quarantines, the IATF should manage the COVID-19 problem through massive vaccination, mass testing, and effective contact tracing. He noted that although the government has already achieved great success in its mass vaccination program, it has yet to be equipped with an effective surveillance mechanism which can be only done through mass testing and proper contact tracing.

occupancy rate. “It was really sudden,” he said. “Before we only had 200 cases.” For De Grano, raising the alert level to 4 will be favorable for hospitals because it would further restrict movement of people. The government’s treatment czar, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, said the government’s COVID-19 referral system was receiving "more than 1,120" calls per day, up from an average of 98 to 112 calls a day in the first week of December. In September, the One Hospital Command received 780 to 800 calls during the surge caused by the Delta variant of the coronavirus. He said the rise in the number of calls reflected the rise in COVID-19 cases. “It's really high. It led to an increase in the number of calls. Around 60 percent of callers seek quarantine or isolation facilities or are seeking assistance for home isolation.,” he said during an online public briefing. Only 15 percent of the calls were referred to hospitals and intensive care unit

services, he added. The center is also gradually increasing its number of isolation facilities for health care workers and the public after some ended their contracts on Dec. 31, Vega said. “We increased the number of contracted hotels for isolation, and our local government units reactivated their TTMFs (temporary treatment and monitoring facilities),” he said. Duque said the government was scheduled to discuss Thursday afternoon whether the implementation of the travel ban is still practical, given the increasing number of Omicron cases here. In the latest genome sequencing run, the Philippines detected 29 new Omicron cases and 18 new Delta cases from 48 samples. More than 150 countries have detected the variant, Duque also said. “So we will see even if it’s still practical to implement our travel ban. As a matter of policy, this will have to be resolved later on by the IATF en banc,” Duque said in an interview on CNN.

The Philippines imposed travel restrictions over several countries, days after South Africa detected the highly contagious Omicron variant on Nov. 24. Duque said contact tracing is now impractical due to the widespread community transmission. Earlier, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said contact tracing was no longer a priority. “You will be wasting a lot of resources doing contact tracing when you know that cases are already on an upswing, they’re accelerating, more and more communities are being infected,” Duque said. He said there are more impactful activities such as the monitoring of individuals undergoing home isolation, teleconsultations, and vaccination. He also reiterated that the government will give priority to testing of health care workers, senior citizens, and individuals with comorbidities. Duque said it should be assumed that the COVID-19 numbers presented by the DOH are lower than what they are as not all individuals are being tested. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

meanwhile, the Department of Education has allowed regional and schools division From A1 offices to suspend classes this January amid the COVID surge. told the Laging Handa public briefing In Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno the break was declared even before the declared Thursday a “health break” for raising of Alert Level 3 in some areas. students and teachers in both public and In the basic education level, private schools in Manila from January

14 to 21, 2022. In a press conference, Moreno announced that there would be no classes in all levels in both public and private schools in Manila to reduce the anxiety level of the teachers and students following the rise of COVID-19 infections.

“To reduce the anxiety level of our teachers and for them to relax. I know most of them are teaching online despite being infected. Teachers and parents can rest and reduce their anxiety level because their child is absent from online class due to COVID-19 infection,” Moreno said.

include flights to and from Tokyo, Jakarta, Singapore, Nagoya, Riyadh, Melbourne, Osaka, Hong Kong, Guam, Dubai, Fukuoka, Dammam, Taipei, Doha, and Port Moresby. The suspended domestic flights in NAIA include those going to and from Cenu, Caticlan, Busuanga, Iloilo, Legazpi, Cotabato, Dipolog, Butuan, Davao, Puerto Princesa, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Tagbilaran, Kalibo, Pagadian, Roxas, Ozamiz, Basco, Dumaguete, and Bacolod. "This is a very fluid situation. We may need to cancel more flights or make other operational adjustments in the coming days," stated the PAL management. The airline urged affected passengers to avail options of converting their tickets to Travel Credits equivalent to the unused base fare of your ticket; Rebook or Reroute the ticket to another flight with available space within 60 days from the original flight in the same booking class or higher within the same cabin class, or Refund ticket without penalties, excluding Ticketing Service Charge.

SC... La Union, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan in Region I; Nueva Ecija, Isabela and Quirino in Region II; Tarlac in Region III; Quezon in Region IV-A; Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro in Region IV-B; and Camarines Sur and Albay in Region V. In the Visayas, physically-closed courts are those in Bacolod City, Aklan, Capiz, and Antique in Region VI; Cebu City and Mandaue City in Region VII; and Tacloban City in Region VIII. In Mindanao, affected courts are those in Cagayan de Oro City in Region IX; Davao City in Region X; Butuan City, Agusan del Sur in Region XIII; and Cotabato City in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The directive is contained in a supplemental memorandum issued by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. CA Presiding Justice Remedios Salazar Fernando was authorized to issue office orders on the operation of the appellate court’s stations in Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro City. Deputy Court Administrator Raul

Bautista Villanueva – officer-incharge of the SC’s Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) – was also ordered to issue appropriate circulars to address the concerns of executive and presiding judges of trial courts in implementing the physical closure of courts. Last Jan. 12, Chief Justice Gesmundo declared physically closed all courts in the National Capital Region, including the SC, the CA in Manila, Court of Tax Appeals, and the Sandiganbayan until Jan. 31. Also declared physically closed are trial courts in the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Rizal, and in 14 other areas in the country under COVID-19 Alert Level 3. The 14 other areas under Alert Level 3 are Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); Dagupan City in Region 1; City of Santiago and Cagayan in Region 2; Angeles City, Bataan, Olongapo City, Pampanga and Zambales in Region 3; Batangas and Lucena City in Region 4-A; Naga City in Region 5; Iloilo City in Region 6; and Lapu-lapu City in Region 7. Gesmundo said physically-closed courts may be contacted through their hotlines and email addresses posted in the SC website – sc.judiciary.gov.ph.

plans but the two major attack groups are expected to join forces and probably operate together. The US government also the laid out its most detailed case yet against China's "unlawful" claims in the South China Sea, rejecting both the geographic and historic bases for its vast, divisive map. In a 47-page research paper, the State Department's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs said the People's Republic of China

had no basis under international law for claims that have put Beijing on a collision course with the Philippines, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations. The latest deployments come just a few weeks after the PLA Navy held simultaneous drills for its two aircraft carriers, one in the South China Sea. It is also only three weeks ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Lunar New Year, when China will be hoping to avoid a build-up of military tensions in its backyard.

According to the US Navy, the Carl Vinson strike group last week was in the Celebes Sea -- between the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia -- with nine plane squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 2 onboard, including one stealth fighter F-35C and its team. The group includes the Ticonderogaclass guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain and the Destroyer Squadron 1, consisting of five Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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OMBINED investments approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in 2021 dropped by 63.55 percent to P718.13 billion from P1.97 trillion in 2020, as the pandemic continued to dampen investors’ interest to expand in the country.

IATF... From A1

keeping the status quo,” Duque said. In a separate online briefing, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said cases remain manageable at this time. “If you escalate to Alert Level 4, this means that the health care utilization rate is at 71 perent. What is higher at this time is the epidemic growth at more than 200 percent in NCR as well as the ADAR,” Vega said. “But what’s more important is HCUR, which is still low in NCR, it’s at the border between low and moderate at 60 percent,” Vega said. Vega acknowledged, however, that the health care utilization rate of some areas in the region has breached 70 percent. “There are areas like San Juan, Taguig, Quezon City, and Marikina, that have a high HCUR of above 71 percent,” he said. “We need to coordinate or transfer patients that are really in need of admission to hospitals that have the capacity to accept them,” he added. Duque said other regions may eventually follow the same COVID-19 pattern of NCR.

PH... From A1

There were 82 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 52,736. The Department of Health (DOH) also reported 4,694 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 2,802,286. There were 237,387 active cases, of which; 7,332 were asymptomatic; 225,408 were mild; 2,881 were moderate; 1,468 were severe; and 298 were critical. Nationwide, 45 percent of ICU beds, 46 percent of isolation beds, 45 percent of ward beds, and 19 percent of ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 58 percent of ICU beds, 54 percent of isolation beds, 66 percent of ward beds, and 26 percent of ventilators, were in use. The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPI) said the utilization rate at some 20 private hospitals was at a “critical level.” PHAPI President Jose de Grano said these private hospitals reported 85 percent

126...

Short... From A1

PAL suspended more than 240 domestic flights and at least 60 international flights. "We continue to experience challenges in sustaining full operations because an increasing number of our frontline and support personnel are unable to report for work due to precautionary quarantine or self-isolation requirements," said PAL in a statement. The PAL management assured that the airline is taking all precautionary measures and is doing everything to maintain as many other flights as possible, process all passenger requests and relieve the longer call waiting times and ticket office queues. "We are also compelled to cancel some international flights to comply with newly reduced limits to the daily number of passenger arrivals allowed at Manila airport by the Philippine government authorities," it stated. Canceled international flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

US... From A1

USS Essex, as well as their respective escorting vessels, entered the southern waters of the South China Sea on Tuesday evening this week, according to Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, which monitors open-source ship tracking information. The US Navy has yet to announce its

From A1

3-year-old child among 11 killed in truck crash AT LEAST 11 people were killed after a small truck packed with partygoers, including children, overturned in the southern Philippines, police said Thursday. The vehicle was traveling to a beachside resort on Mindanao island for a postponed Christmas party on Wednesday when the driver lost control after the brakes apparently failed on a downhill section of road. Around 50 people were crammed into the truck, most of them in the open tray, when it veered off the road and into a tree. The vehicle then flipped over onto a pile of rocks, Balingasag municipal police chief Major Teodoro De Oro said. Eleven people were killed, including a three-year-old child, De Oro said, adding police were seeking to confirm another three deaths. Scores of other passengers were injured, including a dozen children. The driver, who was also hurt and tried to hide after receiving medical treatment, was arrested and will face charges. AFP

‘No... From A1

mobility in Metro Manila, where nearly 13 million of the 110 population live and work, following the increasing infections daily in the national capital, breaching the 30,000 mark each day since January 1. The DOTr said such a shutdown might occur if more public transport personnel tested positive for COVID-19. “We are doing everything we can to maintain and keep our public transport operations safe and running. It will be a much heavier burden for commuters if we experience a repeat of public transport closures,” the DOTr said. “If we do not act now, all industries and business sectors will be severely affected. Either the businesses will minimize workers, cut down on some parts of their business, retrench employees, or shut down to cut down on losses or pay off debts,” it added. The department made the statement following criticisms for the policy's legality and discrimination against unvaccinated individuals. The policy requiring full vaccination against COVID-19 in public transport is not discrimination but a means to protect public health, the agency said. “We would also wish to assure the public that the implementation of the said policy will be both tolerant and firm,” the DOTr said. The policy's legal basis includes the DOTr’s department order, the recent resolution by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the ordinances issued by all local government units (LGU) in the NCR that limit the mobility of the unvaccinated. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Doctors... From A1

periods for people infected with COVID-19 but said this policy as well as new guidelines for testing were as yet not for implementation. “The prolonged quarantine and isolation duration has been causing strain to our health care system and our economy,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said. “Our health experts believed, specifically in the Omicron variant, that the benefits of shortening the quarantine outweighs the risk.” On Wednesday, Vergeire said the isolation period of fully vaccinated mild COVID-19 cases would be reduced from 10 days to seven days from the onset of symptoms. The isolation period for fully vaccinated asymptomatic cases will be reduced from 10 to seven days from their positive swab test result. “Ten days isolation is retained for those that are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated, and those with moderate symptoms regardless of vaccination status,” Vergeire said. Severe and critical cases would still need to isolate for 21 days, as did those who are immunocompromised, she added. Vergeire said the quarantine period for fully vaccinated close contact of a COVID-19 patient would be shortened to five days from the previous seven days. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated close contacts must isolate for 14 days. In her presentation, Vergeire said that testing of asymptomatic close contacts would also not be required unless symptoms developed. “For health care workers that are considered asymptomatic close contacts, for the sake of uniformity they will follow the five days quarantine similar to the general public---provided they are fully vaccinated,” she said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

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IN BRIEF Caloocan imposes ‘no vax, no entry’ CALOOCAN City is strictly enforcing a “No Proof of Vaccination, No Entry” policy is in public places and establishments in the city. This is in accordance with the city’s Ordinance No. 0959 Series of 2022. According to Mayor Oscar Malapitan, the Caloocan City Public Safety and Traffic Management Department (DPSTM) personnel are now conducting a random inspection to ensure that the ordinance is being implemented. At the entrance of the every establishments, the vaccination cards of each person entering will be checked as well as their body temperatures. They will also be asked to fill out the health declaration form, and show their StaySafe.ph QR code for scanning. According to the mayor, the purpose of the ordinance is to limit the itineration of unvaccinated citizens under Alert Level 3 or higher quarantine status unless essential. Jun David

Lazatin asks council: Extend tax deadline ANGELES CITY—Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. is strongly urging the city council to extend the business tax payment for the permits renewal of existing business establishments without penalties from January 21 until March 31, 2022. In his letter to the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod led by Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, he is asking to pass a Resolution for the two-month extension, also mentioning the temporary lockdown of some city government offices involved in the payment due to the pandemic. Lazatin said this initiative is to also help local businesses recover in the new normal setting, as they are one of the hardest-hit sectors because of the pandemic. Butch Gunio

BI cuts down onsite staff as COVID rages

TASK FORCE KALINGA. The Philippine Coast

Guard (PCG) District Northeastern Mindanao transported 350 sacks of rice to Barangay Pili, Malimono, Surigao del Norte as part of the ongoing relief transport mission. Utilizing BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408), PCG personnel also brought 50 packs of bread and several cases of bottled water for the recovering families. The PCG, through the Task Force Kalinga, continues its disaster response operations to support the rehabilitation of typhoon-stricken regions.

Rody signs new law on child adoption

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law simplifying the process for Filipinos seeking to adopt a child. Republic Act No. 11642, also known as the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act, was signed by Duterte on Jan. 6 and released to reporters on Thursday. In signing RA 11642, Duterte recognizes “the policy of the State to ensure that every child remains under the care and custody of parents and be provided with love, care, understanding, and security towards the full and harmonious development of the child’s personality.”

“The best interest of the child shall be the paramount consideration in the enactment of alternative care, custody, and adoption policies,” the new law read. Under the law, the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) will be reorganized to a one-stop quasi-judicial agency on alternative child care known as the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), attached to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). “All duties, functions, and responsibilities of the ICAB, the DSWD, and those of other government agencies relating to alternative child care and adoption are hereby transferred to the NACC,” the law read.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in coordination with the ICAB and the DSWD, shall formulate a cohesive organizational structure with corresponding plantilla positions responsive to fulfill the functions and divisions of the NACC. The NACC, the law said, shall ensure that the petitions and all other matters involving alternative child care, including the issuance of Certificate Declaring a Child Legally Available for Adoption (CDCLAA), and the process of domestic and inter-country adoption, foster care, kinship care, family-like care, or residential care are “simple, expeditious, and inexpensive, and will redound to the best

Law gives benefits to NPS families

END OF QUARANTINE. Filipinos working abroad

walk in front of the Manila Mega Covid-19 Hospital in Burnham grass, Luneta. The workers are scheduled for release after completing quarantine. The Department of Health has cut the isolation and quarantine periods for confirmed cases and close contacts amid the steeply increasing number of COVID-19 cases attributed to the Omicron variant. The isolation period of a fully vaccinated asymptomatic person has been reduced from 10 to 7 days. Danny Pata

By Vito Barcelo

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be downgrading its onsite workforce to at least 30 percent starting Thursday (Jan. 13) due to rising cases of COVID 19. In an advisory signed by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI said that the reduced workforce will be implemented until January 22. The move, according to Morente, is in response to the spike in COVID-19 infections plaguing BI offices. The BI earlier reported a whopping 251 active cases among its personnel. Of said number, 135 are assigned at the airport, 91 at the BI’s office in Intramuros, and 25 came from other BI offices. The BI also reported that a total of 269 of their airport personnel are quarantined and awaiting the results of their COVID-19 testing. “We thank Secretary Menardo Guevarra for considering our plight and approving our request to temporarily downgrade our workforce amidst this surge. The high number of BI personnel getting sick with COVID-19 is really affecting our operations,” Morente added.

DOH to look into further lowering RT-PCR test cost By Willie Casas

THE Department of Health (DOH) will look into lowering the prices of RTPCR tests in the country, amid complaints on social media and the surge of COVID-19 infections, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Thursday. “We will look into this,” Duque told CNN Philippines. The DOH has previously implemented a

lower testing fee for both cartridge-based and plate-based RT-PCR testing, Duque said. In September 2021, the DOH said RTPCR testing in public facilities should be priced P2,450 to P2,800 at maximum and P2,940 to P3,360 in private facilities. The previous price caps for RTPCR tests were P3,800 for public facilities and P4,500 to P5,000 for private hospitals and laboratories. “It’s now, I think for public, it’s about 2,800 thereabouts for plate-based RT-

interest of the child involved.” The law also mandates the creation of a Regional Alternative Child Care Office (RACCO) for each region of the country which will be tasked to ensure a well-functioning system of receipt of local petitions for CDCLAA and adoption, and other requests regarding alternative placement and well-being of children. It also sets specific periods which the NACC, the RACCOs, and other government offices should decide on petitions for adoption and facilitate documents. The decision of the NACC shall be appealable to the Court of Appeals within 10 days from the receipt of the Order by the interested party.

PCR, and cartridge-based, it’s about 2,400 thereabouts,” Duque said. “And for the private, it’s a bit higher because they have to shoulder all the testing inputs. The test kits, the human resource, the overhead cost, etc,” he added. Duque said the government will study if prices can be brought down further. “But we will still see if it can all be brought down further so that this will unburden our people of what they say is costly testing,” he said.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill granting survivorship benefits to the legitimate spouse and dependent children of deceased retired members of the National Prosecution Service (NPS). Republic Act (RA) 11643 or an “An Act Granting Survivorship Benefits to the Surviving Legitimate Spouse and Dependent Children of a Deceased Retired Member of the National Prosecution Service” was signed by the President on Tuesday, January 11. Under the new law, the surviving legitimate spouse and dependent children of the deceased government prosecutor will be entitled to all the retirement benefits that the deceased was receiving or entitled to receive, provided that the deceased state prosecutor is eligible to retire optionally at the time of death. Members of the NPS will include all prosecutors in the Office of the Secretary of Justice, the Regional Prosecution Offices, and the offices of the Provincial and City Prosecutors. The law describes a “dependent” as a legitimate, illegitimate, or legally adopted child “who is chiefly dependent” on the deceased NPS member and not more than 21 years old, unmarried, and not employed. A dependent could also avail of the benefits regardless of age as long as he or she is incapable of self-support because of any mental or physical defect or condition.

Deployment of OFWs to Taiwan expected ‘very soon’ By Othel V. Campos DEPLOYMENT of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to Taiwan is likely to resume very soon following a toplevel meeting Tuesday between the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and the Taiwan Ministry of Labor, MECO announced Thursday.

In a meeting, MECO chair Wilfredo Fernandez reiterated his request for “stranded” Filipino workers in the Philippines to be allowed to return to Taiwan. Many OFWs were affected by the May 2021 suspension of deployment due to COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, Philippine labor attaché in Taiwan Cesar Chavez, Jr. said that barring any new COVID-19 surge, Taiwan

is likely to reopen its doors to OFW after the celebration of the 2022 Lunar New Year when more quarantine facilities are expected to be available. According to Fernandez, the Taiwan Ministry of Labor cited the Philippines as an important international partner and the immense contribution of Filipinos to Taiwan’s economic development.

Informal settlers in freeport face raps for firearms

ROAD CLOSURE AT ROXAS BLVD. Traffic builds up at the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City on January 13. The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that starting 6 a.m. of January 15, the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard in front of HK Sun Plaza in Pasay City to the EDSA-Roxas Boulevard flyover will be closed for 60 days to give way for the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct drainage works. While rerouting of traffic will be done, the closure will affect the hundreds of trucks that use Roxas Boulevard to travel to South Manila. Norman Cruz

CLARK FREEPORT—The Mabalacat City Office of the Prosecutor (MCOP) will file charges against two informal settlers in this Freeport for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. This was revealed in a resolution issued by MCOP indicating that they

have “found probable cause to indict Ruben Rosero and Marlyn Mallari for violation of Republic Act 10591” or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. Rosero and Mallari were found in possession of one M1 carbine (rifle) loaded with 13 live ammunition when

they were asked to vacate a 6.5 hectares’ government property at Sitio Bana in Mabalacat City. The said area, which they illegally occupied, is owned by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and managed by Clark Development Corporation (CDC).

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Survey shows BBM landslide win in Cavite

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

By Rey E. Requejo

News

VAX CARD CHECK. A member of the Manila Police District

(MPD) Station 3 checks the vaccination cards of vendors in Blumentritt market in Manila, on Thursday. Ordinances were made by local government units to control the movement of the unvaccinated in Metro Manila. Norman Cruz

23 ex-Cabinet men back Leni By Rio N. Araja

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ICE President Leni Robredo on Thursday said she was “humbled” by the endorsement of 23 ex-Cabinet officials under the administration of former President Fidel V. Ramos for her presidential bid this May.

“(I am) humbled by the support of Cabinet members and senior officials of the Ramos administration. I look up to the leadership that FVR (Fidel Valdez Ramos) espoused, which I believe was affirmed by the brilliant people who served alongside him — matitino at mahuhusay (honorable and competent),” she said in a statement. “Many have said that FVR had one of

the best pools of Cabinet secretaries in recent years. Honored by the faith you have placed upon me, sirs and ma’ams. Rest assured that I will always try to be worthy of the trust that you and our fellow Filipinos have given me,” she said. Erstwhile National Economic and Development Authority chief Cielito Habito, ex-Foreign Affairs secretary Roberto Romulo, ex-Justice Secretary and current

Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon, ex-Finance Undersecretary Milwida Guevarra, and ex-Health Secretary Carmencita Reodica backed Robredo. “The country needs to elect a leader who will lead to a unified, humane, just, progressive, economically vibrant, sustainable and equitable society that is the dream of every Filipino. We believe that Vice President Leni Robredo is the only presidential candidate who possesses the above-described qualities, and who can credibly lead us Filipinos closer towards that dream,” the former officials said in a statement. “We therefore enjoin our fellow Filipinos to support her candidacy, as we ourselves pledge our wholehearted

commitment to do our share to help her become the next President of the Republic of the Philippines,” it added. The Ramos-era officials also raised alarm for the proliferation of misinformation, dubious promises and outright falsehoods, deliberate thought manipulation especially via social media through the use of large numbers of fictitious accounts and mercenary troll armies; Misuse of certain polls and surveys that may not necessarily reflect and represent true voter preferences, and continued patronage and money politics that have traditionally perpetuated undesirable dynasties and diverted people’s choices away from electing principled leaders.

Binay: Family members taking care of elderly deserve benefits By Joel E. Zurbano FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday said benefits should be given to family members taking care of their elderly parents. “Since the pandemic began, more and more Filipinos have been caring for their elderly parents. Not only have they lost income, but the oppressive situation under this pandemic places them under enormous emotional strain,” Binay said. He said family caregivers should be given additional paid leaves, free medicine and hospital care for their loved ones, or reimbursement for out-ofpocket medical expenses. Those who are unemployed should be given financial and other assistance, he added. “Those who provide care should also

IF ELECTIONS were held today in Cavite, presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is the landslide winner after scoring 62 percent in a recent internal survey across the province. On his official Facebook page, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla disclosed that the internal survey was conducted on 1,600 respondents throughout the province on December 1 to 5. “Surveys are a snapshot in time. If the election was held today? BBM will win in Cavite by a landslide,” Remulla said. Sen. Ping Lacson, a Cavite native, was a far second in the survey with 16 percent, while Vice President Leni Robredo fell to third with nine percent. Isko Moreno was at six percent and Sen. Manny Pacquaio, four percent. “I believe (Marcos) will win the presidency in 2022. It’s his time. It’s his destiny,” Remulla stressed. According to the latest records of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in 2019, Cavite is the second most vote-rich province in the country. Cavite has more than two million voters, second only to Cebu with the largest number of voters with more than three million voters. Meanwhile, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) is known as the most vote-rich region in the country with more than eight million voters or 14 percent of the total voter population. Bongbong and his running mate, Davao Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, continue to lead all reputable surveys in the country. Meanwhile, convinced that it is one of the best solutions to address perennial traffic jams in Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares especially along EDSA, the BBM-Sara UniTeam has included in its mass transportation blueprint the plan to modernize the Pasig River Ferry System once elected into office in the coming May 9 elections.

DRIVE THRU JABS.

Manila Mayor and presidential aspirant Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso visits the drive-thru booster vaccination site at Quirino Grandstand in Manila, on Thursday. Norman Cruz

be cared for,” Binay said. The former vice president said family caregivers have been forced to take more time off from work or have resigned to care full time for their elderly parents. They often pay for medicines and other costs for treatment, line up at drug stores, and bring their parents to doctors or to hospitals. “The pandemic has made their situation more difficult, but they do this out of love for their parents,” said Binay, who is running for senator in the coming May 9 elections. If elected, he said he will also help the four million Filipinos who lost their jobs, the over three million families who are experiencing hunger, and the thousands of small businesses who had no choice but to close down during the health crisis brought by coronavirus disease 2019.

Manny: Testing, Lacson vows ‘stern internal cleansing’ of bureaucracy as President tracing still key, not restrictions By Macon Ramos-Araneta

INSTEAD of imposing coercive restrictions against those who are unvaccinated, presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao said Thursday the government should provide free and easily accessible rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests for all. He also questioned the absence of a uniform, reliable and integrated contact tracing mobile application as he pointed out that the country can manage the COVID-19 pandemic better through mass testing and effective contact tracing. According to Pacquiao, mass testing and systematic contact tracing would allow health authorities to properly segregate and isolate those who are sick without the need to curtail the basic rights of those who are unvaccinated. This would also provide the government with the best tool to handle the pandemic without resorting to heightened alert levels and community lockdowns. Antigen testing facilities, he said, should be established in every barangay, in health centers, in malls, and even in workplaces. RT-PCR test sites can be established in quarantine sites so that only those who are tested positive in the rapid antigen test can be quarantined while awaiting the result of their confirmatory test, the boxing legend said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

A STERN internal cleansing of the bureaucracy will be a priority of Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson should he win the presidential election this May. Lacson said it is time to purge the bureaucracy of public servants who betray their oath by failing to provide public service - or worse, by engaging in vari-

ous forms of corruption, including bribery and even extortion. “We should get rid of them,” said the senator when asked what he would do with misfits in the government, especially those who steal. “So, what we need is one intense internal cleansing of the government. Unless we do that, how can we start to address our people’s needs,” Lacson added. He said this is in line with his cam-

paign promise of “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawa’t Pilipino (Fix the Government, Fix the Lives of Each Filipino).” Meanwhile, Lacson welcomed the National Privacy Commission’s investigation into the alleged “hacking” and data breach at the Commission on Elections (Comelec). He also instructed his in-house cyber-security team to cooperate with the NPC investigation and share what leads

Isko signs ordinance restraining unvaxxed

SPORTS AWARD. Tabaco

City Mayor Krisel Lagman thanks the Philippine Sports Commission and Women in Sports for presenting the City Government of Tabaco with a trophy and plaque of recognition as Gintong Gawad Awardee for Ground-breaking, Inspiring, Notable, Timeless and Outstanding contributions to the development of women and sports in the grassroots on Wednesday. Norman Cruz

Comelec: Free live streaming of e-rallies THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be providing free live streaming of e-rallies of national candidates for the May polls at the start of the campaign period next month. In a statement Thursday, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the Campaign S.A.F.E. COMELEC e-Rally Channel on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/COMELECeRallyChannel) will give e-rally airtime to all bona

it may have gathered. “It is good that the NPC is investigating this. It is critical that we get to the bottom of this issue so all of us will be enlightened,” Lacson said. Lacson said he has done this before when as Chief of the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001, he rid the police force of “kotong” cops and pot-bellied policemen through a combination of stern discipline and leadership by example.

fide candidates for the positions of president, vice president, senator, and party-list. “The Commission will issue the pertinent guidelines on how the candidates and partylist organizations can participate in the e-Rally channel. This platform can help ensure that even those candidates who have less in followers can still have more in views and exposure, so to speak,” he said.

MANILA Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso has signed an ordinance that will regulate the mobility of unvaccinated individuals around the city following the decision of Metro Manila mayors to further limit the movement of those who refused to get inoculated. “While it is true I agree (with the decision of Metro Manila mayors), we were the first city to ban the mall of the unvaccinated. I think that is a message already. In fairness to the mall owners and operators, they complied. We’re going to push them, but in the end, we have to make a decision,” Moreno stressed. The 47-year-old Action Democratic standard-bearer said they need to impose restrictions on the mobility of those who remain unvaccinated as to prevent the further spread of Covid-19, particularly its highly-contagious Omicron variant. “What the Metro Manila mayors have agreed upon, it is getting tighter and tighter. But I am patient because I believe that people are reasonable,” Moreno said. Moreno asked Manila city residents to wait for the ordinance’s publication in newspapers to get more information about it. Rey E. Requejo

Opinion Mediation and JDR in civil cases metropolitan/municipal trial courts in the absence of any Regional Trial Court Judge (Section 2(1) to (4), Chapter 1). In all other actions or proceedings where compromise is not prohibited by law and there is a likelihood of settlement, either or both of the parties may, by oral manifestation or written motion after the pre-trial/preliminary conference, or at any stage of the proceedings, request the court to refer their dispute to CAM and JDR, provided that there are still factual issues to be resolved (Section 3, Chapter 1). There are cases that cannot be resolved by a compromise and therefore may not be referred to CAM and JDR. These are: (a) cases involving the civil status of persons; validity of a marriage or legal separation, any grounds for legal separation, future support, the jurisdiction of courts, and future legitime; (b) habeas corpus petitions; (c) probate of a will; and (d) cases with pending applications for restraining orders or preliminary injunctions (Section 4, Chapter 1). However, for marriage cases where the parties inform the court that they have agreed to undergo mediation on some aspects of the case, the court may allow mediation on the custody of minor children, separation of property, or support pendente lite. By mutual consent of the parties, restraining orders and preliminary injunctions can also be subject to mediation (Section 4, Chapter 1). It shall be the duty of the Judge during Pre-Trial/Preliminary Conference to orient the parties and counsels on: (a) the CAM process; (b) their mandatory appearance during the mediation proceedings; (c) their duty to negotiate in good faith and to exert earnest efforts to settle the case; and (d) the consequences of and sanctions for failure to appear before the PMCU or any misconduct or misbehavior committed during the mediation proceedings (Section 2(a)(b), Chapter 2A). The Judge shall inform the parties that in case there is no settlement during CAM, the case may be referred to another court for JDR if the former is convinced that settlement is still possible. The parties will be informed that the JDR Judge may conduct a non-binding early neutral evaluation on the merits of their respective cases (Section 2(c)(d), Chapter 2A). In the initial appearance of the parties and counsels for CAM, the PMCU shall require them to present proof of payment of mediation fees and assist them in selecting a mutually acceptable mediator from among the roster of mediators in the PMCU (Sections 2 and 3, Chapter 2B). If the parties cannot jointly select a common mediator, the PMCU shall, in the presence of the parties, choose the mediator by lot from among the mediators present at the unit (Section 4, Chapter 2B). The PMCU shall submit a Mediator’s Report to the court specifying the result of the mediation (Section 12, Chapter 2B). If a compromise agreement is reached by the parties, the judgment of the court approving the compromise agreement shall contain a statement that it was rendered through CAM. This is to distinguish the CAM judgment from the JDR judgment and vice versa. (Section 13, Chapter 2B, Section 9, Chapter 2C). Upon receipt of the Mediator’s Report stating that no settlement was reached in CAM, the referring judge shall determine, in the hearing set for this purpose, if settlement is still possible, and if he is convinced that it is, refer the case to the JDR Judge (Section 1, Chapter 2C). Only those judges who have undergone skills-based training in JDR procedures and stationed in areas declared as JDR sites, are authorized to conduct JDR (Section 4, Chapter 2C).

MEDIATION is a method of settling disputes outside a court setting where a neutral third party, known as a mediator, acts as a link between the parties (Barron’s Law Dictionary). In the Philippines, courtannexed mediation (CAM) is conducted by referring the parties to the mediator of the Philippine Mediation Center Unit (PMCU) accredited by the Supreme Court. On the other hand, Judicial Dispute Resolution (JDR) is the process wherein a judge known as the JDR Judge employs conciliation, mediation, or early neutral evaluation in order to settle a case at the pretrial stage (Definition, Philippine Judicial Academy). Under the 2019 Amendment to the Rules of Civil Procedure (ARCP), the JDR judge is a judge other than the judge originally assigned to hear and try the case. The CAM must be terminated no later than 30 days from the receipt of the referral order from the court and the JDR no later than 15 days from the receipt of such a referral order (Section 8, Chapter 2B and Section 3, 2C, A.M. No. 19-10-20-SC). If both the CAM and JDR are unsuccessful, the trial will proceed on the dates agreed upon during the pre-trial before the judge originally assigned to handle the case (Sections 8 and 9, Rule 18, ARCP).

Parties to a dispute must take advantage of these to save their and the court’s time and resources. The CAM shall be mandatory for all ordinary civil cases, including mediatable permissive or compulsory counterclaim or cross-claim. It shall also be mandatory for all special civil actions, except Declaratory Relief (Rule 63), Review of Decisions of COA or COMELEC (Rule 64), Certiorari, Prohibition and Mandamus (Rule 65), Quo Warranto (Rule 66), and Contempt (Rule 71) (Section 1(a)(b), Chapter 1). CAM is mandatory in special proceedings cases involving the settlement of estate where the dispute involves claims against the estate, or the distribution or partition of the estate in intestate proceedings; and cases involving issues under the Family Code and other laws, in relation to support, custody, visitation, property relations, guardianship of minor children, and other issues which can be the subject of a compromise agreement (Section 1(c)(d), Chapter 1). Intellectual property cases, commercial or intra-corporate controversy cases, and environmental cases are all mandated to go through CAM (Section 1(e)(f)(g), Chapter 1). However, environmental cases are not required to undergo JDR unless the judge of the court to which the case was originally filed is convinced that settlement is still possible (Section 2(a), Chapter 1). All cases subject of CAM and appealed cases from the first level courts or metropolitan/municipal trial courts may be referred to JDR in areas declared as JDR sites. (Section 2(a)(b), Chapter 1). The other cases that may be referred to JDR are: (a) settlements of estate, testate and intestate; (b) cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer; (c) civil cases involving title to, or possession of, or interest over real property; and (d) habeas corpus cases decided by the

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An idea whose time has come

EARLY this month, we drew attention to a significant development that stands to benefit no less than 10 million Filipinos and their families: the creation after so many years of a separate department for overseas Filipinos workers or OFWs. The signing into law of the measure establishing the Department of Migrant Workers on December 30, 2021 is actually the culmination of a process that began when the tandem of Rodrigo Duterte and Alan Peter Cayetano were running for the two top executive posts in the 2016 general elections. Back then, the duo promised that if elected, they would push for the creation of a department dedicated to promoting the rights and welfare of Filipinos working overseas. Cayetano, a former Foreign Affairs Secretary and House Speaker under the Duterte administration, believes that the law setting up the Department of Migrant

workers is only the first step in a journey that could take many years to finish. First of all, he says, a Cabinet-level Secretary should be immediately appointed to get the new agency up and running. “I hope with the political will of President Rodrigo Duterte, it would be set up quickly,” Cayetano told the media last December 31. He said that setting up a new executive department could take an entire year, and this being an election year, the best-laid plans could well go awry as government officials from the national to the local levels turn their attention to the crucial political exercise. That’s why Cayetano says political will is needed at this juncture. The question is: Who can best lead the Department of Migrant Workers at this time and even beyond? The former House Speaker wants the new Migrant Workers department to be part of President Duterte’s legacy when he leaves Malacañang on June 30. The new department would be part of a host of other agencies established by the current administration to boost nation-building efforts, an effort to give much-needed focus on specific executive concerns, including the Department of Information and Communication Technology, Department of Transportation,

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EDITORIAL

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Low vaccination rate

URBING the spread of the Omicron virus strain is not easy if the Philippines lags in the vaccination rollout. Restricting the mobility of the unvaccinated population in Metro Manila and later in the rest of the country is reasonable to a certain extent, but unless a greater number of people are inoculated, the infection will not easily go away.

percent of its population of about 109 million. That compares with 79 percent in Japan, 57.9 percent in Vietnam, 83.5 percent in South Korea and 79.3 percent in Malaysia.

The government as it stands now does not have the moral ascendancy to limit the mobility rights of the unvaccinated people.

The Philippines still has a low vaccination rate compared with other nations in Asia. It may have secured enough supply to vaccinate the entire population, yet the inoculation rate is wanting. It is either local government units are not up to the task or the vaccine supplies have not reached them yet. The Philippines, per latest statistics available, has fully vaccinated 48.7

Thailand has given two doses to 65.1 percent of its population, while Cambodia, one of the poorer countries in Southeast Asia, has vaccinated 81.9 percent of its people. The Philippines clearly has a lot of catching up to do in the vaccination race. It even falls behind the global vaccination rate of 50.3 percent. The Philippines, however, is still lucky despite the sharp rise in daily

COVID-19 cases. The Omicron variant seems to be mild as it not overwhelming the capacity of our hospitals. Just 43 percent of intensive care units in hospitals nationwide are being used to treat COVID-19 and other patients, while only 24 percent of ventilators are being activated, suggesting that many of those infected are merely isolating themselves at home. Vaccinating the other half of the Philippine population remains a logistical problem for local government units. Governors, mayors and other elected officials must reach out to their constituents to deliver the vaccines. A proactive strategy or door-to-door visits may be effective in remote areas of the country, along with the establishment of vaccination sites in urban centers. The government as it stands now does not have the moral ascendancy to limit the mobility rights of the unvaccinated people. Many still do not have access to the vaccines.

Justice Carpio is afraid to fight his own battles RETIRED Supreme Court (SC) Justice Antonio Carpio, the founder of 1Sambayan and the instigator of the disqualification petitions filed against Bongbong Marcos (BBM) in the Commission on Elections (Comelec), is afraid to go out in the open. Like a typical corporate lawyer withmany vested interests to protect, Carpio prefers to have others do the dirty work for him. In June 2021, Carpio created a so-called “convenor group” called 1Sambayan, which unilaterally appropriated for itself the role of unifying the political opposition in the country, with the objective of fielding only one candidate for president in the 2022 elections. To make his one-man show look like a group act, two more senior citizens entered the picture, namely, retired Ombudsman and former SC Justice Conchita CarpioMorales, and ex-Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. In 2010, SC Justice Carpio-Morales broke tradition by accepting President Noynoy Aquino’s request that she administer his oath of office as president. To insulate the SC from politics, that role is traditionally given to the Chief Justice of the SC. A month after Carpio-Morales retired from the SC, a grateful Noynoy Aquino appointed her Ombudsman. Del Rosario served as Noynoy’s foreign affairs secretary from 2011 up to March 2016, when he resigned supposedly because of failing health. I suspect del Rosario has a difficult time speaking in Tagalog. The launching of 1Sambayan on June 12,

2021 was a dud. One by one, candidates for president “shortlisted” by 1Sambayan turned down their “endorsements” and, to all intents and purposes, did not want to have anything to do with 1Sambayan. Only the discredited and desperate ex-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was willing to get himself anointed by Carpio’s pretentious group.

and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. If President Duterte can put up the Department of Migrant Workers before his term ends by the middle of this year, future administrations can improve on its initial policies and programs, and make it truly responsive to new challenges here at home and in the global arena.

difficult at all, as the building blocks are already there. As we’ve pointed out before, it will gather under one roof various agencies tasked with specific functions. There’s the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and other agencies now under the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. According to Cayetano, one of the main proponents of the law creating the DMW, the centralization of all government offices and programs having to do with OFWs has long been overdue. The former Foreign Affairs Secretary said he realized the crying need for a separate department catering exclusively with OFW concerns when as head of the Foreign Affairs department, he used to hold meetings often with the heads of various offices, and was dumbfounded to realize that they never talked to each other even while their functions overlapped. The DMW does not need to be built from the ground up, since the manpower and policies are already in place and only need to work in sync with one another. Whoever gets to lead the new department will have to hit the ground running. That’s easier said than done, however, given the complex nature of overseas employment and shifting realities both at home and abroad. But with the right mix of competent leadership, reliable staffing, and the right policies and programs, the DMW can be what the doctor ordered to keep the millions of OFWs happy and healthy even while we collectively grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

We need the Department of Migrant Workers to be up and running as soon as possible. Setting up the new department with a clear mandate and viable programs will also serve to assure OFWs spread out in the four corners of the globe that their government is serious in looking after their welfare and protecting their rights. Getting the Department of Migrant Workers up and running at this time will no doubt create goodwill for the outgoing administration among OFWs and their families. After all, with 10 million OFWs and their families voting as one for the administration candidate, that’s a groundswell of support that other candidates can be hard-pressed to match. Cayetano believes that whoever among the presidential bets can seriously pledge to give priority to establishing the Department of Migrant Workers in their first 100 days will already have a definite advantage. The creation of the DMW shouldn’t be

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

Why is he raising the issue only now? As quickly as it entered the political scene, 1Sambayan faded to obscurity. It resurrected anew in late 2021 to announce its endorsement of the presidential run of Vice President Leni Robredo. For her part, however, Robredo was lukewarm to the 1Sambayan endorsement and decided to let the driftwoods of her old Liberal Party manage her campaign. When 1Sambayan was still new, Carpio was at its centerstage. Now that 1Sambayan is insignificant, Carpio has lawyer Howard Calleja manage 1Sambayan for him. It seems to me that Carpio does not want to be associated with a group endorsing a loser. Analysts believe that if Robredo has a chance to win the presidency in 2022, Carpio will re-enter the scene and make his presence known again. Carpio’s sidekick Calleja will be marginalized, where he actually belongs.

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It was Carpio who instigated the issue regarding the supposed disqualification of BBM as a candidate for President. According to Carpio, a decision of the Court of Appeals rendered in 2001 in a tax case involving BBM when the latter was still a provincial governor (1982-1985) provides a valid ground to disqualify BBM from running for any elective public office, including the presidency, in May 2022. After Carpio published his opinion in his regular column in another newspaper, radicals and red sympathizers took their cue from Carpio and filed the corresponding petitions in the Comelec against BBM. Those petitions quoted Carpio’s arguments. Even Calleja, was part of the anti-BBM ruckus. Weeks after Carpio first raised the issue in his column, additional petitions were filed. None of them were filed by Carpio himself. If Carpio is so sure about his arguments against BBM, how come Carpio isn’t brave enough to file a petition on his own behalf? Why does he let Calleja do the fighting for him? At any rate, Carpio is stealthy and scheming. Being a justice of the SC, Carpio must have known all along about the 2001 Court of Appeals decision he cited against BBM, and long before he even wrote about the disqualification issue against BBM in his newspaper column last year. Why didn’t Carpio raise that issue against BBM when the SC, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, was hearing the vice presidential election protest filed by BBM against Robredo back in 2016? More specifically, if Carpio already knew that BBM had been disqualified from elective public office since 2001, why didn’t Carpio say so in the final decision of the PET which came out last year? Why is Carpio raising the issue only now? The answer: Carpio knew that his argument against BBM would not hold water if he raised it in the proceedings in the PET. If Carpio’s argument against BBM was rejected by the PET, the stealthy Carpio would have deprived himself of a legal weapon which he can use to harass BBM in the event that BBM does run for president in 2022. Let’s face it. Carpio has no credibility in his actuations against BBM for the simple reason that he is rooting for Robredo as president.

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US to propose adding several N. Koreans to UN sanctions list

THE United States will propose UN sanctions on multiple North Koreans, a day after Pyongyang carried out what it said was the launch of a hypersonic missile, the US United Nations ambassador announced Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the US Treasury and State Departments imposed sanctions on five North Koreans linked to the country’s ballistic missile program. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Wednesday evening that on top of these actions, “the US is proposing UN sanctions following North Korea’s six ballistic missile launches since September 2021, each of which were in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.” Her statement, posted on Twitter, did not specify the type of sanctions. But according to an American diplomatic source, the United States will

propose adding the Treasury and State Department designees to the UN’s own list of sanctioned North Korean individuals and entities. The proposal must formally go through the UN Security Council’s committee on North Korean sanctions, which is comprised of the 15 members of the Security Council and whose decisions must be made unanimously. The Treasury Department said the five North Koreans sanctioned Wednesday were “responsible for procuring goods for the DPRK’s (North Korea’s) weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile-related programs.” The Treasury said that one of the North Koreans being sanctioned, Choe Myong Hyon, was based in Russia and had provided support to North Korea’s Second Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), which is already subject to sanctions. AFP

READY FOR THE GAMES. A couple stands in front of Bing Dwen Dwen (right) and Shuey Rhon Rhon (left), respective mascots of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, at the Beijing World Horticultural Exposition in Yanqing on the outskirts of Beijing on January 13, 2022. AFP

HRW: JUNK ‘SPORTS WASH’ OF HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD

Beijing Games’ diplomatic boycott pushed B EIJING is using its upcoming Winter Olympics to “sports wash” and gloss over its “horrible” human rights record, the head of Human Rights Watch warned, urging countries to join a diplomatic boycott.

The United States, Britain, Australia and Canada have announced diplomatic boycotts of the Games, set to begin on February 4, over what they consider to be widespread rights abuses by China, including against the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang province.

HRW executive director Kenneth Roth insisted that other countries should also refrain from sending senior officials to the Olympics to help “spotlight the mass atrocities” in the province, as well as China’s “crushing of basic freedoms in Hong Kong.”

“The Chinese government is clearly trying to use the Beijing Olympics to whitewash or to sports wash its horrible repression,” he told AFP in an interview ahead of Thursday’s publication of HRW’s annual report. He said HRW was not calling for athletes to boycott the Games, but insisted that countries could not just “pretend that everything is normal.” “At a minimum, the international community should join the diplomatic boycott of the Olympics.”

nies also had a moral obligation to resist the abuses taking place in Xinjiang. “Every company should be doing what it can to avoid endorsing or legitimizing the Chinese government’s repression,” he said, slamming carmaker Tesla’s recent decision to open a dealership in the province as “utterly tone deaf.” He emphasized in particular that “every company should ensure that their supply chains are not complicit in the forced labor that has become so prevalent in Xinjiang.” AFP

Capitol assault probe wants top Republican lawmaker’s testimony

EU cheesemakers’ complaint ‘full of holes’­—US judge A CONSORTIUM of European cheesemakers has lost their case in US federal court, in which they sought to limit the usage of the term “gruyere” to only those cheeses produced near the town of Gruyeres, Switzerland. When shoppers in Europe buy gruyere cheese, they can be sure that the soft, nutty wheel has been crafted by French or Swiss cheesemakers using a specific process, in a specific geographical region. That is because cheesemakers near Gruyeres, like bubbly-producers in the Champagne region of France, have successfully lobbied European regulators to protect their exclusive right to the term. Those same cheesemakers had hoped to extend their legal authority to cover all of the United States, stating in their complaint that local ingredients and traditional methods “assure the connection between the geographic region and the quality and characteristics of the final product.” “Cheese made in Wisconsin cannot duplicate the unique flavor of genuine gruyere cheese made in Switzerland or France,” they argued. But an American judge did not find their arguments sufficiently convincing, declaring in a decision made public last week that the term gruyere had become too “generic” in the United States to warrant such exclusivity. “Decades of importation, production, and sale of cheese labeled gruyere produced outside the Gruyere region of Switzerland and France have eroded the meaning of that term and rendered it generic,” said Judge T.S. Ellis in his 32-page decision, issued mid-December. AFP

Roth also insisted that Olympic sponsors should take a stand. “Rather than in a sense announcing this whitewashing, (they) should be spotlighting what’s going on in Xinjiang,” he said. Campaigners say at least one million Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in “re-education camps” in the far western region. Beijing has defended the camps as vocational training centers aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism. Beyond diplomacy, Roth said compa-

THE Congressional committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol requested Wednesday testimony from top Republican lawmaker Kevin McCarthy, seeking information on his calls with Donald Trump. The request from the Democrat-led January 6 Select Committee set up a clash with McCarthy, the House minority leader, who communicated with then-president Trump at the moment hundreds of his supporters violently stormed the Capitol a year ago. The committee said McCarthy had been in contact with Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows in the days before the attack, when Trump and aides were planning an effort to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the next president on January 6, 2021. “We also must learn about how the president’s plans for January 6th came

CRACK OF DAWN. A general view shows boats as the sun rises in Mumbai’s harbor on January 13, 2022. AFP

French teachers to walk out over COVID confusion HALF of French schools could close Thursday as up to three-quarters of teachers walk out, pushing back against the government after three changes of Covid rules for classrooms in the space of a week. The strike “demonstrates the growing despair in schools,” the largest teachers’ union Snuipp-FSU said in a statement announcing the strike. They complain that their members are unable to teach properly, are not adequately protected against coronavirus infection and frequently hear about changes to health precautions via the media rather than from higher-ups. Coming as France’s presidential election campaign gets under way ahead of an April vote, the walkout is uncomfortable for a government that has prided

itself on keeping schools open to ease pressure on parents through the pandemic. With many pupils off sick and difficulty combining distance learning with in-person classes, “it’s not school that’s open, but a kind of ‘daycare,’” SnuippFSU said. President Emmanuel Macron’s presidential election challengers have seized on the strike. “I feel the enormous pain both of the school community and especially of parents,” conservative candidate Valerie Pecresse told France 2 television. Motivated by long queues for tests outside pharmacies, the government this week eased rules on Covid checks for students who have been exposed to an infected person, with Prime Minister

Jean Castex announcing the changes on Monday’s evening news. “We’ve listened and made changes,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters after a cabinet meeting Wednesday, acknowledging “weariness” among both parents and teachers. The shift up the chain of command appeared to be a reaction to the anger teachers direct at Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer. He has not backed down from tough talk, saying on television Tuesday that “you don’t go on strike against a virus.” But his management of the pandemic response in school has prompted a total of 11 unions to participate in Thursday’s walkout, in a rare show of unity that could make for the biggest strike in decades. AFP

Unvaccinated father in Quebec temporarily loses visitation rights

MASS TESTING. People queue for COVID-19 tests in the Tuen Mun district of Hong Kong after the Omicron coronavirus variant was detected recently in the community. AFP

A CANADIAN father, unvaccinated against COVID and “opposed to health measures,” lost the right to visit his 12-year-old after a Quebec judge ruled his visits would not be in the child’s “best interest.” The decision, initially reported by Quebec newspaper Le Devoir and consulted by AFP, was rendered December 23 and suspends the father’s visitation rights until February, unless he decides to get vaccinated. “It would not be in the child’s best interest to have contact with their father if he is not vaccinated and is opposed to health measures in the current epidemiological context,” the judge said in his ruling, referring to a spike in COVID cases due to the Omicron variant. The issue arose when the father requested an extension of his allotted visitation time around the holidays. The mother opposed his request. She told the court she had recently discovered he was unvaccinated and showed his previous social media posts showing an opposi-

tion to health measures. The judge noted that while the child is vaccinated, their protection “seems reduced against the Omicron variant which is spreading at the moment in Quebec.” The mother also lives with her partner and two other children, aged seven months and four years – too young for vaccines, which Canada has authorized from the age of five. “In these circumstances, it is not in the interest of any of the three children” for the 12-year-old to visit their father, the judge ruled. Although more than 90 percent of adults in Quebec are vaccinated against COVID-19, the province has registered a steep increase in cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. In an attempt to stem the new wave, Quebec announced on December 30 the return of certain restrictions, including a 10 p.m. curfew and a ban on private gatherings. AFP

together, and all the other ways he attempted to alter the results of the election,” committee chairman Bennie Thompson said in a letter to McCarthy. In addition, Thompson said, “You have acknowledged speaking directly with the former President while the violence was underway.” McCarthy declined the request for testimony Wednesday evening, slamming the committee’s investigation as illegitimate. The committee “wants to interview me about public statements that have been shared with the world, and private conversations not remotely related to the violence that unfolded at the Capitol. I have nothing else to add,” McCarthy said in a statement. “It is with neither regret nor satisfaction that I have concluded to not participate with this select committee’s abuse of power.” AFP

Super spreader fears at mass holy dip in India HUNDREDS of thousands of Indian pilgrims began packing an island in the Ganges on Thursday for a vast religious festival as COVID-19 cases surged nationwide, prompting fears of a super spreader event. Officials said they expected as many as three million people, including ash-smeared, dreadlocked ascetics, to take a ritual dip in the holy river on Friday, the climax of the annual Gangasagar Mela. Last April’s Kumbh Mela, a similarly colossal religious festival that the Hindu nationalist government refused to ban, was partly blamed for a devastating spike in cases that killed 200,000, according to official tallies, though some experts fear the actual toll was several times that. With coronavirus case numbers once again ballooning, a Kolkata court last week ruled that the Gangasagar Mela, which takes place on Sagar Island at the mouth of the Ganges in West Bengal, could go ahead. The state government on Thursday appealed to people to get tested for Covid-19, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging devotees to wear two masks and not “spit on the island, as it spreads the virus.” As with 2021’s Kumbh Mela, this week’s festival is attracting people from across northern India who, after cramming onto trains, buses and boats to reach the island, will then go home – potentially taking the virus’s highly transmissible Omicron variant with them. AFP

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Business

Manila Manila

Standard Standard

TODAY TODAY

PSEi January 13, 2022

TOP GAINERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 DITO 5.98 0.61 11.36% 2 LBC 24.7 2.5 11.26% 3 DIZ 5.19 0.49 10.43% 4 PHR 0.81 0.07 9.46% 5 ATN 0.445 0.035 8.54% 6 DMPA1 10.2 0.8 8.51% 7 ION 0.73 0.05 7.35% 8 ALLDY 0.61 0.04 7.02% 9 BKR 1.7 0.11 6.92% 10 NOW 1.36 0.08 6.25%

TOP LOSERS

1 FAF 2 PTC

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE 0.61 -0.09 -12.86% 104 -9 -7.96%

3 LR 1.34 -0.11 -7.59% 4 ARA 0.96 -0.06 -5.88%

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market extends gains; AC Energy rises

S

TOCKS extended their gains Thursday after data suggesting that US inflation may be stabilizing provided some fresh cheer.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index increased 92.62 points, or 1.3 percent, at 7,307.75 on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Gainers beat losers, 131 to 60, with 50 issues unchanged. AC Energy Corp. of the Ayala Group surged 5.8 percent to P9.52, while noodles maker Monde Nissin Corp. advanced 4.3 percent to P16.58. Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fastfood chain, rose 3.3 percent to P230.60, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender in terms of assets, climbed 2.6 percent to P59.20. The rest of Asian stock markets were

mixed Thursday as traders fought to maintain the previous day’s upward momentum. The US Labor Department said consumer prices rose seven percent on-year in December, the fastest rate since 1982, as supply snarls and energy costs were compounded by surging demand from Americans returning to normal life. However, the reading was in line with expectations and analysts pointed out that the increase from the previous month had slowed and was below forecasts, indicating that the rally may have peaked or was close to topping out. Producer price figures later in the day will be closely followed for further clues. US investors welcomed the news, with all three main indexes extending Tuesday’s gains that were fanned by Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell pledging to rein in prices but do his utmost to nurture the economic recovery.

After Wednesday’s rally, Asian equity markets fluctuated. Hong Kong, Sydney, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta rose, while Singapore, Bangkok and Mumbai were flat. Tokyo ended down one percent as a stronger yen weighed on exporters, with Shanghai and Seoul also off. Markets had endured a torrid start to the year, particularly after Fed minutes last week showed a much more hawkish tilt by policymakers that many feared could see the bank remove financial support too quickly. But Powell’s remarks and the latest data have soothed nerves considerably this week. Still, there remains much debate on how many times the bank will hike interest rates and when it will begin to cut back on the vast bond holdings it has which have helped keep borrowing costs in check. With AFP

5 AB 6.27 -0.32 -4.86% 6 LODE 0.62 -0.03 -4.62% 7 BCOR 5.5 -0.25 -4.35% 8 BMM 69 -2.85 -3.97% 9 LAND 0.89 -0.03 -3.26% 10 GSMI 115.3 -3.6 -3.03%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME VALUE (PHP) 1 MONDE 27,016,000 444,535,698 2 MBT 6,477,920 380,353,009 3 TEL 4 BPI 5 BDO

198,710 376,216,130 3,731,700 356,129,967 2,573,810 332,141,230

6 ACEN 7 SPNEC 8 SM 9 ALI 10 JFC

34,393,300 322,128,002 199,095,000 284,620,670 276,460 264,069,810 7,265,700 258,688,835 1,099,660 251,573,714

US holding biggest-ever offshore wind farm auction WASHINGTON, United States—The US government announced Wednesday it will auction more than 480,000 acres off the coasts of New York and New Jersey to build wind farms as part of its campaign to supply renewable energy to more than 10 million homes by 2030. Offshore wind developers will bid February 23 on six areas in the New York Bight—the most lots ever offered in a single auction—which could generate between 5.6 to seven gigawatts of energy, enough to power two million homes, the Interior Department said. “We are at an inflection point for domestic offshore wind energy development. We must seize this moment— and we must do it together,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. The auction will be the first under President Joe Biden, whose administration aims to build as many as to seven major offshore wind farms and review plans for at least 16 others along the US coasts. The effort is part of Washington’s fight against climate change, and the Biden administration says the wind investment would cut 78 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and create tens of thousands of jobs. The auction comes after the state governments of New York and New Jersey announced plans to install 16 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2035, the largest such commitment in the country, the Interior Department said. Only one offshore wind farm is currently fully operational in the United States: the Block Island Wind Farm, completed at the end of 2016 off the state of Rhode Island and capable of producing 30 megawatts. AFP

RISING US PRICES. People shop for groceries at a supermarket in Glendale, California January 12, 2022. The seven percent increase in the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI) over the 12 months to December was the highest since June 1982, as prices rose for an array of goods especially housing, cars and food. AFP

Judge delays sentencing of fallen biotech star Holmes SAN FRANCISCO, United States—A federal judge on Wednesday set a September date for the sentencing of fallen biotech star Elizabeth Holmes, who was found guilty of defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup Theranos. Holmes is a rare example of a tech exec being brought to book over a company flaming out, in a sector littered with the carcasses of money-losing businesses that once promised untold riches. Her case shone a spotlight on the blurred line between the hustle that characterizes the industry and outright criminal dishonesty. Jurors found her guilty of four counts of tricking investors into pouring money into what she claimed was a revolutionary testing system. US District Court Judge Edward Davila granted a request by prosecutors and defense lawyers to delay the sentencing hearing, letting her remain free on a $500,000 bond secured by property in the meantime. Davila set the hearing for September 26, according to court documents. The rival sides agreed that a sentencing hearing after the first week of September “would be appropriate in light of ongoing proceedings in a related matter,” the filing read. Theranos chief operating officer Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani was charged with fraud along with Holmes, but the one-time business and romantic partners face separate proceedings in federal court in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose. Balwani’s trial has been delayed until March because of concerns about the risk of COVID-19, according to court documents. Holmes’s trial ended last week. The 37-year-old now faces the possibility of 20 years behind bars for each of her four convictions. But the jury also acquitted her on four charges and could not reach a verdict on three others. Prosecutors will dismiss the undecided charges, according to the motion to delay sentencing. Holmes had vowed to revolutionize health diagnostics with self-service machines that could run an array of tests on just a few drops of blood, a vision that drew high-profile backers and made her a billionaire on paper by the age of 30.AFP

Revved up American demand for used cars sends prices soaring By Delphine Touitou ARLINGTON, Virginia—The used car market in the United States is seeing an unprecedented phenomenon: owners selling vehicles for as much or more than they paid for them. The strange twist comes as a global shortage of computer chips amid the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled auto manufacturing, fueling a price increase for used vehicles, which in turn helped drive record US inflation last year. It “100 percent is a new trend,” which is unlikely to end soon, said Aurelien Guillaud, owner of Arlington Auto Group (AAG), a car dealership based in Arlington, Virginia, just outside the nation’s capital. Due to the shortage of new vehicles, there has been an influx of demand for used cars, he said. New government data Wednesday showed US consumer prices surged seven percent last year, the biggest increase in nearly four decades, fueled in large part by the dizzying 37.3-percent jump in prices of used cars and trucks. Given the struggles to get semiconductors from factories in Asia amid the pandemic that has limited new car inventories, rental companies have been hanging on to their fleets, cutting off the usual steady supply of vehicles for the used car market and pushing up prices. And the strict lockdowns in China to contain the Omicron variant could exacerbate the supply issues. “Compared to a year ago, now you buy that same car for $20,000 instead of $16,000,” and sell it for $24,000, said AAG manager Eddy Malikov. The dealership lot has 40 vehicles ready to sell, fewer than its usual pre-pandemic inventory. Last year was strong for AAG, which sold 300 to 400 cars despite the price increases that turned a number of customers away.

Manila Manila

Coming collapse? Standard Standard TODAY TODAY Masaki Kondo, a journalist in Washington, bought his Chevrolet for $60,000 in 2017. Four years later, he sold it back to his dealership in Gaithersburg, Maryland, just a half-hour drive outside the US capital, for $62,000. “I kept my car in the garage... so the condition of the car was good. But still, I was shocked when industrial mass production goods were priced at more than that of four years ago,” the Japanese expat told AFP. Kondo’s car dealer said they would easily sell the Chevrolet again for $74,000. Americans’ reluctance to use public transportation amid the pandemic also is a factor driving high demand for cars. “There’s not much supply, but there’s a huge demand,” Guillaud said. He notes that in Europe commuters might opt to use a scooter or a motorcycle, but “over here, it’s a car because of the distance that you have to drive.” Rising prices have been dramatic. Malikov recalled a customer who bought a car for $21,000 in 2019, “and they ended up trading the car for $21,000 two years later, with 10,000 more miles (16,100 more kilometers) basically, which was kind of ridiculous.” In other cases, owners sell their car for even more than they bought it for. In a recent study, analysts at KPMG warned that the used car boom will not last. “History tells us the current frenzy in the used car market will come to an end,” the authors said, noting that chip shortages and supply chain problems eventu-

ally will be resolved. Shift to high gear Then the “massive auto manufacturing machine will shift back into high gear and the dealer lots will again be full,” after which the used car market will “collapse,” they said, predicting a 30-percent drop in prices. AFP

PRAYER PRAYERTO TOTHE THE HOLY HOLYSPIRIT SPIRIT hh Holy Holy Spirit Spirit Thou Thou who who make make me me see see everything everythingand andshow show me me the the way way toto reach reach my my ideal. ideal. You You who who give give me me the the divine divine gift gift toto forgive forgive and and forget forget the the wrong wrong that that isisdone donetotome meand andwho whoare are instances instances ofof my my life life with with me. me.I,I,ininthis thisshort shortdialogue, dialogue, want want toto thank thank You You tor tor everything everything and and confirm confirm once once more more that that I I never never want wanttotobe beseparated separatedfrom from You, You, no no matter matter how how great great the the material material desires desires may may be. be. I I want want toto be be with withYou You and andmy myloved lovedones onesininYour Your Perpetual PerpetualGlory, Glory,Amen. Amen.

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Cars are seen parked at pre-owned car sales lot in Miami, Florida on January 12, 2022. AFP

(A (A person person must must pray pray this this for for 33 consecutive consecutive days days without withoutstating statingone‘s one‘swish. wish. After After the the 3rd 3rd day day your your wish wish will will be be granted, granted, no no matter matterhow howdlfflcult dlfflcultItItmay may be. be.Promise Promisetotopublish publishthis this as assoon soonas asyour yourfavor favorhas has been beengranted.) granted.)

(MS-JAN. (MS-JAN.1414&&15, 15,2022) 2022)

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

Lloyd Laboratories set to release new COVID-19 vaccine By Othel V. Campos LOCAL pharmaceutical company Lloyd Laboratories Inc. said Thursday it plans to release a new COVID-19 vaccine that can complement current vaccines in the market once it obtains an emergency use authorization approval from the Food and Drugs Administration by February. LLI executives said in a virtual interview technology partner Livzon Mabpharm Inc. of China was wrapping up the third and final clinical study for the vaccine and that they would submit their application for EUA and certificate of product registration next month. “We are not going into the basic vaccine development. We are interested in the fill and finish locally,” said LLI vice president for technical and research Chandra Shekhara Reddy Nagareddy. LLI has a facility capable of filling prefilled syringes. Civil works for an extension facility for the fill and finish operations started in 2021 and were still in the works, according to LLI director for business Christopher Bamba. The first and second clinical studies were carried in China while the third phase ws ongoing in the Philippines, Indonesia and Russia. More than half of 21,500 subjects came from the Philippines. The pharmaceutical company said it would lock its database next week to proceed with the interim analysis needed for EUA application. Bamba said its Chinese partner was willing to do a full technology transfer where it would provide the product for final repacking in the Philippines. “For now, we refer to the vaccine as VO-1 since it does not have an official name yet. Our technology partner has the capability to manufacture the vaccine in billions of doses in a short period of time,” he said. Lloyd Laboratories also has a pending application for certificate of product registration with the FDA for the manufacture of COVID oral therapy Molnupiravir.

Silangan mine seen yielding $7-b worth of gold and copper By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILEX Mining Corp. said Thursday the Silangan mine may yield nearly $7 billion in gold and copper sales over 28 years. Philex said in a statement the positive financial assumption pushed the mining firm to pursue the development of the first phase of the project in Surigao del Norte province without a joint venture partner. “The numbers for the Silangan Project are very compelling, pushing us to pursue the mine development even without a strategic partner or major investors as we originally envisioned,” said Romeo Bachoco, chief finance officer of Philex. Philex earlier said the first phase development of Silangan project would start this year with initial capital requirements of $224 million. The starter mine is expected to initially produce 2,000 tons of ore a day and begin commercial operations by early 2025, reaching 12,000 tons a day by the 12th year of operation. The Boyongan deposit of the Silangan mine has an estimated 81 million tons of mineable reserves that could yield 992.8 million pounds of copper and 2.81 million ounces of gold. The estimated mineable reserve is based on Philex’s inphase mine plan for Silangan. Philex is still exploring the nearby Bayugo deposit. The feasibility study assumed a price of $3.20 per pound of copper and $1,342 an ounce for gold—both below current prices of copper of over $4 per pound and of gold that is over $1,800 an ounce. Using those assumed prices, the combined revenues from copper and gold would reach $6.91 billion over the 28 years life of the soon-to-be-developed mine.

Business Foreign reserves slipped to $108.9b at end of 2021 T By Julito G. Rada

HE gross international reserves settled at $108.89 billion at the end of December 2021, up $1.17 billion from the previous month but lower than the end-2020 figure of $110.11 billion, preliminary data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

The figure missed the GIR target of $111 billion set by the BSP for end2021. The BSP’s reserve assets consist of foreign investments, gold, foreign exchange, reserve position in the IMF and special drawing rights. The GIR historically rises in December on the back of higher remittances from overseas Filipino workers during the holidays. “The latest GIR level represents a

more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 10.3 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income,” the BSP said in a statement. The GIR is viewed as adequate if it can finance at least three months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It is also about 8.8 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 5.9 times based on residual maturity. In a given period, the GIR is considered adequate if it provides at least 100 percent cover for the payment of the country’s foreign liabilities, public and private, falling due within the immediate twelve-month period. Short-term debt based on residual maturity refers to outstanding external debt with original maturity of one year or less, plus principal payments on medium- and long-term loans of the public and private sectors falling due within the next 12 months. The BSP’s foreign investments reached $91.75 billion in December, up from $91.50 billion in November.

Gold holdings also went up to $9.33 billion from $9.0 billion, while the special drawing rights were maintained at $3.94 billion. The BSP said the month-on-month increase in the GIR level reflected mainly the national government’s net foreign currency deposits with the BSP and upward adjustment in the value of the BSP’s gold holdings due to the increase in the price of gold in the international market. The net international reserves, which refer to the difference between the BSP’s reserve assets and reserve liabilities, increased $1.19 billion to $108.89 billion as of end-December from the end-November 2021 level of $107.7 billion. The BSP earlier reduced its GIR forecast for 2021 to $111 billion from the previous projection of $114 billion, taking into account the uncertain global environment amid the lingering pandemic. It hit a record $110.1 billion in December 2020. The full-year tally exceeded the BSP’s forecast of $105 billion for the year.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, January 13, 2022 92.62 PTS. 7,307.75

TOTAL VOLUME

1,503,004,817

TOTAL TRADES

92,315

TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) 7,197,070,250.13 ADVANCES 131 DECLINES 60 UNCHANGED 50

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

51.1000

Japan

Yen

0.008724

0.4458

UK

Pound

1.370500

70.0326

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128355

6.5589

Switzerland

Franc

1.093972

55.9020

Canada

Dollar

0.799552

40.8571

Singapore

Dollar

0.743163

37.9756

Australia

Dollar

0.728400

37.2212

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652450

135.5402

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266446

13.6154

Brunei

Dollar

0.740412

37.8351

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.029985

1.5322

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.9139

Euro

Euro

1.144600

58.4891

Korea

Won

0.000843

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.157262

8.0361

India

Rupee

0.013555

0.6927

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239006

12.2132

New Zealand

Dollar

0.684400

34.9728

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036170

1.8483 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF

ERC approves NGCP-SMGCP deal THE Energy Regulatory Commission granted a provisional authority to National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and SMCGP Philippines Energy Storage Co. Ltd. on their ancillary services procurement agreement. “Considering that RR [regulating reserve] is one of the ancillary services that is essential in ensuring the power quality and reliability of the grid, the necessity of allowing NGCP to contract AS in the form of RR is important as it will help maintain the required power quality and voltage level in the Visayas grid,” the agency said. It said it granted the provisional authority considering the situation of the Visayas grid and the pivotal role of SPESCL’s operation. The parties said the absence of system reliability and stability would discourage investments and growth, as the demand for power in the Visayas increases and more variable renewable energy plants are commissioned, thereby increasing the requirements of the system to maintain the reliability and security of the grid. Alena Mae S. Flores

Cebu Landmasters reports higher sales

NEW CLASSROOMS. Security Bank Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm ofr Security Bank Corp., takes advantage of the absence of face-to-face classes during the pandemic by addressing the elementary classroom shortage in Camilmil Central School, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro province. Attending the turnover of a two-story, four-classroom building are (from left) Security Bank Calapan Branch business manager Renevic Cabagyo, Security Bank Branch Banking Group area head for South Luzon Jose Tolentino, Calapan City Mayor Arnan Panaligan, Department of Education Calapan City Schools Division officer-in-charge Dr. Laida Mascareñas and Camilmil Central School officer-in-charge Maret Saballo.

DOE assures adequate coal supply for at least 30 days By Alena Mae S. Flores COAL stock of power generators meet the 30-day minimum inventory level, the Department of Energy said Thursday amid concerns over Indonesia’s coal export ban. “Initial picture we have, all of them have met the 30-day requirement. Some of them may extend up to 45 or 50 days,” DOE director for power bureau Mario Marasigan said. Indonesia’s coal export ban from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31 causeD concerns on supply of coal for power plants which, if insufficient, could lead to widespread blackout. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi appealed to Indonesia to lift the coal export

ban, specifically for the Philippines. Cusi said Indonesia’s recent policy would be “detrimental to economies that rely on coal-fired power generation systems like the Philippines.” The Philippines bought 2.3 million metric tons of coal a month from Indonesia last year to fuel the country’s power plants. “Power generated from coal comprises about 60 percent of the country’s power demand,” Cusi said. Marasigan said the DOE met with the power industry stakeholders and required them to submit reports and requirements on inventory. “The problem is what will happen to the expected schedue of deliveries. So that is one of the challenges. We have

yet to receive all reports... Our actions will depend on their submissions,” Marasigan said. He said DOE also considered other concerns that should be addressed by other agencies. “For example, once the export ban of Indonesia eases, the deliveries will pile up. Are our ports ready?” Marasigan said, adding they would need more information such as where the deliveries would be made. “We need a complete picture, so that coordination with other agencies will be complete,” he said. He said some power firms were awaiting shipments of coal that were fully paid for and ready for hauling,, but the transport was stopped.

PROPERTY developer Cebu Landmasters Inc. said Thursday reservation sales in 2021 reached P16.5 billion, up 16 percent from P14.25 billion in 2020 on sustained demand for housing projects. CLI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it launched 3,865 units in 2021 with total sales value of P18 billion. By end-2021, the company’s completed projects were 96-percent sold-out while developments under construction were 86-percent taken up. Newly launched projects moved briskly and were 70-percent sold out. CLI’s portfolio is 85-percent sold-out across different project stages. In terms of market category, CLI’s economic housing brand Casa Mira accounted for 41 percent of launches while the remainder were accounted for by high-end, mid-level and economic housing brands. “CLI launched more economic housing projects as affordable quality housing was in demand throughout the pandemic. We started to unveil higher-end projects when the economy began to open and recover,” CLI chairman and chief executive Jose Soberano III said. Jenniffer B. Austria

7 of 10 Filipinos bare travel plans this year SEVEN of 10 Filipinos are still keen on pushing through with planned air travel in the next nine months amid the new surge in COVID-19 cases, according to a survey commissioned by AirAsia Philippines. The survey, conducted in December 2021, validated AirAsia Philippines’ forecast on the growing optimism and enthusiasm of Filipinos towards travel and increasing confidence in engaging with air transport. “We are seeing that Filipinos are now much more confident to travel as we as a nation gain a better understanding of the pandemic and develop a more fitting culture of safety and vigilance. At AirAsia, we are observing an uptrend in long-term bookings which signifies a more positive outlook on travel plans this year,” RIcky Isla, chief executive of AirAsia Philippines, said. “But we are not letting our guards down. We will be consistent in prioritizing the safety and well-being of our guests as they fly to their intended destinations,” he said. Darwin G. Amojelar

LRT Cavite Extension hits progress rate of 61% By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said Thursday the Light Rail Transit Line-1 Cavite Extension Project is near completion after almost 20 years. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the overall progress rate of the project reached 61.60 percent as of November 2021. It said the LRT-1 Cavite Extension was first approved by the National Economic and Development Authority on Aug. 25, 2000, and recieved a budget from Congress in 2007 for right-of-way acquisition. It said after catching up on right-ofway acquisition and its free and clear certification, and addressing a number of unresolved issues and constraints, the department, along with the Light Rail Transit Authority and Light Rail Manila Corp. started actual construction works. LRMC earlier said it was expecting the

LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension project to start operations by the middle of 2024. LRMC said Phase 1 of the 11.7-kilometer project was 60-percent complete, with girder now covering the entire stretch of Dr. Santos Station to Pacific Ave. near Asiaworld Station. Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station. The remaining stations between Las Piñas and Niog are scheduled to become fully-operational by 2022. Once completed, the extension is expected to reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite to just 25 minutes, from 1 hour and 10 minutes and increase LRT-1’s capacity from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily. LRMC won the bidding for the project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015. LRT Line 1 runs from Baclaran in Pasay City to Munoz in Quezon City.

SMC’S RELIEF EFFORTS. As part of continuing relief efforts in typhoon Odette-affected provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, San Miguel Corp. teams up with various groups including the Armed Forces of the Philippines to deliver and distribute food donations to stricken areas in Southern Leyte. SMC in Cebu also donated food to the AFP Mobile Kitchen initiative, which conducts feeding programs.

Nets send message with rout of Bulls LOS ANGELES—Brooklyn showed just how dangerous they can be with their “Big Three” on Wednesday, manhandling the Bulls 138-112 in Chicago in a clash of the top teams in the NBA Eastern Conference. The Nets had Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving on the floor for just the second game this season and the superstar trio didn’t disappoint. Durant scored 27 points, Harden added 25 points and a season-high 16 assists and Irving chipped in with nine points in his third game of the season. Irving made his debut in January after the Nets decided they would let the unvaccinated player join the team for road trips even though New York’s vaccine mandate means he can’t play home games in Brooklyn. While Irving may still be finding his feet, Durant delivered another dominant performance, scoring 17 points in the third quarter. The Bulls, trailing by two at halftime, pulled level at 71-71 early in the third, but the Nets outscored them 3919 in the frame to take a 101-79 lead into the fourth. Harden, back after missing one game with a hyper-extended knee, drained five three-pointers. Patty Mills made six from beyond the arc on the way to 21 points as the Nets -- beaten twice already this season by Chicago -- edged closer to the Bulls atop the East. “These last 10 games we’ve been up and down, so we wanted to come out against a really good team who’ve been playing very, very good basketball and execute and play really good on both ends of the ball,” Harden said. “I think we did that.” Miami, who went into the day third in the East, just a half-game behind the Nets, kept the pressure on with a 11591 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta. With stars Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler still sidelined, Tyler Herro led the Heat with 21 points—one of seven Miami players to score in double figures. Herro added 11 assists and nine rebounds, and the Heat held Hawks star Trae Young to 15 points on four-of-15 shooting. In the West, the Sacramento Kings put up 40 points in the third quarter on the way to a 125-116 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. All five Kings starters scored in double figures, led by De’Aaron Fox’s 29 points. Sacramento connected on 55.1% of their shots from the field and out-scored the Lakers 70-42 in the paint. AFP

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

Miller’s Winter Olympic bid generates excitement By Peter Atencio

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SA Miller, the country’s lone bet in the 2022 Winter Olympics is creating a lot of excitement. The 21-year-old Miller, who was born in Oregon and traces his roots in Sta. Cruz, Manila, will see action in the slalom and giant slalom of the men’s alpine skiing event in the Beijing games slated to begin on Feb. 4. “This is Asa Miller’s second opportunity as an Olympian. We’re just as excited that he’s been given another chance,” said Philippine Skiing and Snowboard Federation president Jim Apelar during the online session of the Pandesal Forum. Miller was entered in the 2018 edition in Pyeongchang, South Korea and placed 70th of 110 giant slalom participants. Back then, the 17-year-old, Miller clocked 2:49.95, nearly 32 seconds behind eventual gold medalist Marcel

2018 Pyeongchang, South Korea. He emerged as the only Filipino winter games qualifier after figure skaters Edrian Celestino and Sofia Frank missed the cut after competing against a tough field at the Nebelhorn Trophy 2021 in Oberstdorf, Germany.

Hirscher of Austria. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino looks forward to the success of Miller. “The whole country is excited. Ilang Asian countries kaya ang nakapagcompete sa Winter Olympics. Bihira,” said Tolentino. Miller, currently in Salt Lake City to prepare for event, used the mountainous regions of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Colorado as training grounds to improve on his 70th ranking out of 140 skiers in the previous Winter Games in

Robin Catalana

Jeremy Miado

Miado, who holds a 10-4 record, was coming off a superb second round technical knockout victory over Miao Li Tao at ONE: NEXTGEN last October, proving that his first win over his Chinese rival was no fluke. He also showed great strides in that

fight, largely due to his newfound training grounds with Marrok Force MMA in Bangkok, and one enough to merit consideration to be included in the strawweight list in the official ONE athlete rankings. Still, Miado chooses to look at this de-

ish by sharing second at the Masters behind Dustin Johnson. Cameron has risen to a career-best 10th in the world rankings and with three top-10 efforts at Augusta National in the past four years, it might seem like the perfect moment to lift his sights. But he’s not. “I’ve never really wanted to expect anything of myself,” Smith said Wednesday. “I’ve always been a process kind of guy. I feel like if I tick all the boxes I’m going to play some good golf. I definitely want to play well but I never really expect too much of myself.” He won’t set goals like reaching the top five in the rankings or boosting his win total from six, four on the US tour and two at the Australian PGA Championship. “I think just play for the time being,” Smith said. “I haven’t had a lot

of time to obviously process it at the moment. Maybe in a week or two, I’ll be able to sit down and really go through some stuff and definitely set some more goals. “I’ve learned a lot from that, just being content and not really ticking all the boxes.” Smith has improved his diet and fitness for the campaign. “It was just something that I needed to do. I’m not getting any younger,” Smith said. “I know I’m still only 28, but I need to start looking after my body and I need to start putting the right stuff in it as well.” The victory boosted his confidence off the tee for tougher conditions and tighter fairways this week at Waialae Country Club. AFP

The Canada-born Celestino garnered a total of 176.10 points to finish 18th overall out of 30 male figure skaters in the last Beijing Winter Olympics qualifying event. Frank finished 24th overall out of 37 female figure skaters with 128.78 points.

Asa Miller (IG)

velopment positively, saying, “I believe this happened for a reason. Yes, it’s unfortunate that as an athlete, all of our efforts in training camp went to waste. But I believe God has His own plans.” For Catalan, it was a matter of redeeming himself after losing to Ryuto “Dragon Boy” Sawada after tapping to a rear naked choke in the first round of their match at ONE: UNBREAKABLE III in January 2021. At 10-7, Catalan looked at this match as an opportunity to bounce back, not just for himself but also his peers in Catalan Fighting System led by his older brother Rene. “This is a sad news because I was really ready for this match and I was excited to head back to the ONE Circle and get the win. Unfortunately, we have to take this news and go back home, but we promise that once everything is ok, I’ll go back to train to be able to fight again,” he said.

No raised expectations for Smith after PGA win LOS ANGELES—Cameron Smith isn’t boosting his expectations for 2022 after winning the PGA Tournament of Champions, even though his last triumph in Hawaii came ahead of a major runner-up showing. The 28-year-old Australian outfought Spain’s top-ranked Jon Rahm down the stretch on Sunday to capture the event in Maui ahead of his start Thursday in the Sony Open in Hawaii at Honolulu. “Game felt really good coming down the stretch there with one of the best golfers in the world,” Smith said. “To match up with him was something I’ll never forget. “It’s flying but I’m ready for tomorrow. I’m ready to get back into it.” Cameron, who fired a PGA Tour record 34-under par to win at Kapalua, won the 2020 Sony crown and in November delivered his best major fin-

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JANUARY 14, 2022

Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets is defended by Alfonzo McKinnie of the Chicago Bulls during the second half of a game at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

Filipino fighters out of ONE: HEAVY HITTERS card FILIPINO fighters Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado and Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan will have to wait a little bit longer before they can make their return to the ONE Circle. Both fighters have been removed from their upcoming bouts due to ONE Championship COVID-19 health and safety protocols, effectively taking them out of ONE: HEAVY HITTERS this Friday, January 14 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Miado was set to take on Senzo Ikeda of Japan in the main card as he aimed to stretch his win streak to three. Catalan, on the other hand, was set to face Elipitua “The Magician” Siregar in the lead card in his first fight in a year. Ikeda and Siregar will now face each other in a strawweight showdown on the main card. It’s tough news to absorb for the Filipino fighters, both of whom were looking to start 2022 with a bang.

FRIDAY,

Cameron Smith of Australia plays his shot from the 11th tee during the Pro-Am Tournament prior to the start of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii. AFP

Obiena announces successful knee surgery SURGICAL procedure has been done successfully on the injured knee of Ernest John Obiena. Obiena, who rose a notch to no. 5 in the World Athletics’ ranking and has remained as Asia’s no. 1 pole vaulter at the end of 2021, said this in a statement on Facebook. Obiena added that he remains on track for his first competition this year at the end of the month. According to the weekly World Athletics’ updates, Obiena dislodged Renaud Lavellenie of France from fifth. Still at no. 1 is Swedish world record holder Armand Duplantis, followed by Americans Sam Kendricks and Christopher Nilsen, with KC Lightfoot in fourth. The 26-year old Obiena gave a shoutout to his fans, supporters, followers and to the Philippine Sports Commission. “Down but not OUT!!! Surgery was successful They have cleaned the meniscus and have removed the screw on my knee from the ACL reconstruction back in 2017 as the bone graft has fully solidified. It shouldn’t affect my recovery and we’re still on and aiming for 28th of January competition,” said Obiena on Facebook after emerging from surgery in Germany. Obiena’s rankings started rising after he cleared 5.93 meters last September at the 2021 Golden Roof Challenge in Innsbruck Austria. He is in front of reigning Asian Games champion Seito Yamamoto of Japan, who set a meet record of 5.70 meters. Another Japanese, Kosei Takekawa is no. 3 in Asia. Peter Atencio

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Sports

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

Sanchez stars as Milan wins Super Cup MILAN—Alexis Sanchez said he felt like a “caged lion” after his lastgasp striker won the Italian Super Cup for Inter Milan in Wednesday’s dramatic 2-1 extra-time triumph over old rivals Juventus. With penalties looming at the San Siro Sanchez poked home from close range in the 121st minute of a gruelling contest to hand Simone Inzaghi his first trophy since arriving at Inter to replace Antonio Conte in the summer. Chile forward Sanchez, who has started just four matches this season, was submerged by celebrating teammates as he charged to the sidelines to celebrate his winner, which came after Lautaro Martinez’s first-half penalty had levelled Weston McKennie’s opener for Juve. “That’s what great players are like, the more we play, the better we feel,” Sanchez told Mediaset. “I feel like a caged lion, if they let me play I’m a beast.” The win continues Inter’s sparkling form, with eight wins from their last eight matches in Serie A, which they lead by a point from city rivals AC Milan. For Juve meanwhile it was another disappointment in a season which had looked like it was getting on track in recent months after an inconsistent opening. Martinez could have put Inter ahead within eight minutes when, completely unmarked, he somehow didn’t meet Stefan De Vrij’s header from a corner, and seconds later flashed a first-time effort wide when laid on by Nicolo Barella. McKennie silenced the Inter fans in the 25th minute when after Alvaro Morata collected on the edge of the area the Spain forward clipped over a cross which was deflected straight into his American teammate’s path. However Inter were level 10 minutes later thanks to Martinez, who rif led home a precision spotkick after Edin Dzeko was taken out by Mattia De Sciglio. Juve started the second half with their tails up but apart from two efforts from Federico Bernardeschi it was Inter who were the dominant team after the break. AFP

Kipchoge eyes Olympic hat-trick in Paris games

Novak Djokovic of Serbia takes part in a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 13, 2022. AFP

Novak listed in Aussie Open but deportation threat looms

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ELBOURNE—Novak Djokovic drew a first-round clash against a fellow Serb in the Australian Open on Thursday, taking a step closer to his dream of a record 21st Grand Slam despite a looming decision on his deportation. The unvaccinated world number one, top seed and defending champion is looking to clinch a 10th title at Melbourne Park. The 34-year-old tennis superstar was drawn to play Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round. But the openly vaccine-sceptic Djokovic’s championship hopes were in peril as Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke pondered whether to revoke his visa for a second time and throw him out of the country. Hawke is considering using his powers to annul the visa, his spokesman has said, although “lengthy further submissions” from Djokovic’s legal team have delayed a decision. In a lengthy press conference, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said no decision had yet been taken. Djokovic flew into Melbourne airport on January 5 carrying a vaccine exemption because of a claimed positive PCR test result on December 16.

Border agents rejected his exemption, saying a recent infection was an insufficient justification, tore up his visa and placed him in a detention centre. But Djokovic’s high-powered legal team overturned the visa decision in court on Monday on a procedural matter related to his airport interview. Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper quoted an unnamed government source as saying that allowing Djokovic to stay in Australia without a Covid-19 vaccine would set a dangerous precedent. The source was quoted as saying Morrison’s government was expected to act despite any international “backlash” because cancelling the visa would be line with Australia’s efforts to control the fast-spreading virus. ‘Drift on and on’ The government’s legal battle with Djokovic is politically charged in a country that has endured nearly two years of some of the toughest Covid-19 restrictions in the world, and in the run-

up to May general elections. “Australia has a policy of not allowing unvaccinated people into Australia. It is beyond my comprehension how we have got to this point,” Labor Party opposition leader Anthony Albanese said in an interview Thursday. “How is it that Novak Djokovic was able to come here?” As Covid-related hospitalizations rise in Melbourne, the Victorian state government said Thursday it would cap capacity at the Australian Open at 50 percent. Spectators must be vaccinated or have a medical exemption. Face masks will also be mandatory at the opening Grand Slam of the year except when eating or drinking, and those watching must socially distance while indoors. The tournament starts Monday. As the Omicron variant races through Australia’s population, Djokovic’s antivaccine stance has come under scrutiny. The tennis ace described reports about his post-infection outings in Serbia as “misinformation” in an Instagram post Wednesday. On the day of his claimed positive test in Serbia, he appeared at a ceremony to honour him with stamps bearing his image. The following day he attended a youth tennis event. He appeared at both apparently without a mask. AFP

Police escorts, hazmat suits: Welcome to Beijing’s bubble BEIJING—China is sealing the Beijing Olympics inside an impenetrable giant bubble cocooning thousands of people and stretching nearly 200 kilometers (120 miles) in an effort to thwart the coronavirus. AFP takes you inside the bubble for the February 4-20 Winter Games: What is the ‘closed loop’? China, where the virus emerged towards the end of 2019, hopes to deliver a “simple, safe and splendid” Games in keeping with the country’s strict zero-Covid strategy. To limit the spread of infection, athletes, support staff, volunteers and media will be in a so-called “closed loop”—aka the bubble —for the whole Games. Rather than sealing off one huge area of the capital, the bubble will in reality be numerous mini bubbles, such as a cordoned-off hotel on a street used by everyday Beijingers. For those flying into China they will be

in the closed loop from the moment that they land in the Chinese capital to the time they fly out. The bubble came into operation last week. Unlike last summer’s pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, where for example media were able to leave the bubble after two weeks and head out into public, nobody will be able to leave the “closed loop” during the Games. That includes for sleeping, eating and travel between the three Games areas, which are as far as 180 kilometres apart. AFP staff were transported between the airport and their hotel -- having had their first Covid test -- in special buses escorted by police cars. Staff at the airport wore hazmat suits with masks and visors. How many people are inside? There are no firm numbers. However, there will be about 3,000 athletes and Chi-

A worker wearing personal protective equipment walks at the National Alpine Ski Centre, a venue for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, in Yanqing. AFP

Making the most out of a phone call

LAST December 28, Marco Casambre, a left back for local football club and Copa Paulino Alcantara champ Kaya FC Iloilo, received a call from an agent who told him that a team in Thailand was interested in signing him up for the rest of the second half of the season. The agent also revealed that someone who knows Casambre was the one who asked the agent to bring the player back to Thailand. Two days later, a deal was made for him to suit up for Sukhotai FC, a team currently sitting in second place in the Thai League 2. And guess what? It is being helmed by Dennis Amato, Casambre’s German coach when he played for Chainat FC in 2019. Yesterday at around 3 p.m., Casambre has arrived in Sukhotai province, the first Kingdom of Thailand and which is currently sitting in second place in the Thai League 2 or second division. Sukhotai, Casambre noted, is at least a five-hour drive away from Bangkok. Casambre is not only reunited with Ama-

to, he will also get to play once more with Pin or Parinya Utapao, Pornthep Chankai and Kittipun Saensuk, his former teammates in Chainat and are now with Sukhotai FC. Incidentally Pin is the team captain of Sukhotai and was also the skipper in Chainat during Casambre’s initial time in Thailand. “May mini-Chainat reunion po kami dito,” Casambre shared. Casambre will play for the duration of the second leg of the Thai football season and hopefully help Sukhotai get promoted to the Thai League 1 or the top football division in the country. While there are several Filipino footballers seeing action the top division such as Manny Ott, Dylan de Bruycker, Daisuke Sato, Patrick Deyto, Amani Aguinaldo and many more, Casambre is the lone Filipino playing in League 2 right now. “Actually, masaya ako makabalik. Medyo kinakabahan ulit kasi bagong lugar, bagang team. Excited din ako,” Casambre said. Compared to his stay in Chainat, Casambre said he will be taking home a smaller pay in Sukhotai but definitely bigger than what he is getting at Kaya FC. He, however, is not affected by this. “First of all ‘yung experience. ‘Yun talaga ang habol ko rito. Sa Pilipinas kasi, hindi ko pa alam kung kelan ulit ang liga (dahil sa pandemic) pero dito organized na sila. May certainty na maglalaro, actually,

naglalaro na nga sila. Overall, ‘yung experience talaga ang for me,” Casambe explained. Casambre also relishes the opportunity to get better and improve further his skills. “Sa PFL (Philippines Football League) ‘yung nakakalaban mo paulit-ulit lang. Paulit ulit lang ang tactics. ‘Yung style of play. Dito mas maraming teams, mas maraming variation of tactics. Maganda na maexperience ang iba’tibang styles of play,” Casambre said. Even his parents agreed and supported his decision to return to Thailand. “Sabi nila baka hindi na bumalik ang opportunity na ‘yan,” he added. Casambre started playing competitive football when he was barely 16 for the UP Diliman Football Team and for Global FC in the United Football league in 2015. “Sana nga matuloy na (domestic league). Sabi nila maaga magsisimula ang magumpisa soon ang liga,” he quipped. He is also hoping that he will have another opportunity to play for the national team, the Philippine Azkals. “Gustung-gusto ko naman po ‘yun… Makabalik sa Azkals. Kung ma-call up, ‘di ma-call up, ready naman po ako. Masarap kasi maglaro para sa bansa,” he said. Aside from football, Casambre is also trying to finish his BS Sports Science degree at UP. “Online classes po ngayon sa UP kaya nag-enroll ako,” he added.

He is also looking forward to facing his old Chainat team before the month ends. “If ever makakalaban ko sila sa January 29, if makakalaro ako,” Casambre said. For the meantime, however, there is one immediate concern Casambre needs to address now that he is in Sukhotai. “Adulting. Hindi kasi ako marunong magluto eh. Tapos takot pa ako lumabas. So ewan ko kung ano gagawin ko. YouTube YouTube na lang siguro,” he said in jest. *** Speaking of another Filipino athlete based overseas, Pinay tennis sensation Alex Eala is looking forward to three professional events in Manacor, Mallorca in Spain this month until February. There are three W25 events in Manacor. The first one will start on January 17 to January 23 and the second one will be from January 24 up to January 30, 2022. The third event will run from January 31 to February 6, 2022. It was in Manacor where Eala won her maiden women’s professional title late January last year. The Filipina ace is currently ranked 527th in singles and 785th in doubles of the Women’s Tennis Asso (WTA). She is 8th in the ITF Junior Ranking released last week. “My goal for this year is to improve the level of my tennis as much as possible in order to achieve a high professional ranking,” Alex said through a text message. Just like many players, Eala also had to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quarantine restrictions have limited

NAIROBI—Kenya’s two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge said Wednesday he is seeking to make it a record-breaking three in a row at the 2024 Games in Paris. “I still have something boiling in my stomach that’s why I am looking forward to it (racing in Paris),” Kipchoge said at a virtual media conference from his training ground in Kenya. Besides Kipchoge, only Abebe Bikila (1960, 1964) and Waldemar Cierpinski (1976, 1980) have won consecutive Olympic marathon titles. The 37-year-old Kenyan, who won back-to-back titles at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics in Rio and Tokyo, also Wednesday signed a new sponsorship deal with British chemicals giant Ineos to prepare for the Games. He made history in October 2019 when he smashed the two-hour marathon barrier, running 1hr 59min 40.2sec in a Vienna experiment that does not, however, count as an official record. “I am excited to keep breaking barriers,” Kipchoge said in a statement. The Kenyan world record holder, whose official marathon record stands at 2:01:39, will be just a few months shy of his 40th birthday when he competes in Paris in July 2024. If he succeeds, Kipchoge would also become the oldest Olympic marathon champion, beating Romanian Constantina Dita who won the Beijing women’s marathon in 2008 at the age of 38. Kipchoge is an ambassador for Paris 2024 and in October led more than 3,600 amateur runners in a special race in the French capital to celebrate 1,000 days before the start of the Games. After his Tokyo victory, which cemented his status as the greatest marathon runner of all time, Kipchoge said he wanted to inspire the next generation of marathon runners. “My main motivation is to inspire the whole world and the next one is the love of sport,” Kipchoge told Olympics.com at the time. “When I say the inspiration to the whole world is that I still need the next generation. I trust by 2024 I will have made the world a running world.” AFP nese state media estimates 10,000 people from the media will be at the Games. There will also an army of staff powering the Olympic sites, from translators to cleaners, hotel staff and drivers. There will be 19,000 volunteers, although not all will be in the bubble. There are 72 hotels inside and over 4,000 designated vehicles to transport participants, organizers say. What is life like? Everyone inside the bubble must be fully vaccinated or do 21 days’ quarantine before going inside. Organisers have stopped short of insisting on boosters. There will be daily virus tests and everybody must wear a high-spec mask at all times. There will be hotels, restaurants, convenience stores and petrol stations in the bubble. A petrol station worker said in a promotional article by state oil firm PetroChina that after work they “play ball or mahjong together, photograph ski pistes and sometimes have snowball fights”. AFP her play last year. She is hoping that things will get better this year. “The pandemic in general brought many obstacles not just to me but to all athletes. I feel that all these restrictions have helped me mature on and off the court and not to take the opportunities I have for granted,” she added. Eala, a long-time Globe ambassador, is aiming to get more points in the Manacor events to jumpstart here 2022 campaign. More points mean more opportunities for Eala to play in bigger tournaments in the women’s tour. Another winning run will also boost her confidence and bring joy to her tennis fans, especially in the country. “I would just like to express my gratitude for their support. Their cheers have been a huge inspiration and contribution to my success. I just hope that my tennis had also brought a smile to your faces amid these hard times,” Eala in her message to her fans. Marco and Alex have a lot in common. They live in different countries with different cultures and people. They make so many sacrifices to get better and bring honor to the country now going through another surge of COVID-19 cases. Things may be difficult for them being away from their families and friends, but they also know that this is the best way for them to excel, while the chances are there and the desire to compete is burning. Making the most of the opportunities in these difficult times is just the start of the battle. Getting more is the real reward and victory. Stay safe. Stay happy, peeps!

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

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‘Scream’ returns to satirize new ‘golden era’ of horror

Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette (seen here in 2011) return for the latest 'Scream' film.

TWENTY-FIVE years ago, Scream — starring Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox — revitalized horror with its highly self-aware take on the increasingly stale and formulaic slasher genre. This Friday, a film again entitled Scream — again starring Campbell and Cox — returns to breathe new life into the... you get the idea. “Thank God we are working in a franchise, and in a universe, where it’s okay for a movie to be wildly self-reflexive,” co-director Tyler Gillett told AFP. “There were more instances of that meta experience than we can count when we were making the movie.”

Rising band 46 Hope St. welcomes 2022 with a statement song 46 HOPE St., one of record producer. today’s most promising 46 Hope St. and the local bands, welcomes former main man of a hitthe new year with a bang making trio we all know through a statement rock teamed up as producers of song interestingly called the track, with Widescope’s “Di Na Magpapauto.” top executives Vic de Vera The declarative certainty and Neil Gregorio making of the title alone is in itself themselves felt behind the brought forth in-your-face. scene as usual. The song is the band’s Meds added, stressing fifth single releasing today 46 Hope St. offers a timely the point of the song’s (Jan. 14) on various digital track titled 'Di Na Magpapauto,' lyrics, “It encourages the released on popular digital platforms. listener to stay vigilant platforms and distributed by In this new single, it Widescope Entertainment. and to push back against looks like the group is machinations that take making their clear stand, that in their book advantage of the weak.” they’re not allowing power abusers nor “Di Na Magpapauto” was recorded in a virus that’s been pestering the world to the band’s hot zone Big Baby Studio, with rule over. At least in a song powered by Peavy Nicolas taking care of the mixing and aggressive guitar work and solid rhythm mastering. section, they’re able to voice out and bravely The defiant chorus, delivered with just enough restraint and grit, informs, “Di na ko face the people’s glaringly real enemy. Widescope Entertainment, the label to magpapauto sa iyo sapagkat ang lahat ng which 46 Hope St. is signed with, likewise kabutihan mo’y pagpapanggap.” set it in stone to allow its stable of talents to Demonstrated from their previous outputs, shine in the way they wish to, given that it is the band does not hesitate in making bold bent on uplifting the spirit of Filipino artistry strokes right from the get-go. The opening line quickly strikes a chord and sets up the and sentiment. “’Di Na Magpapauto’ beckons an uprising mood. “Kami ang dahilan kaya ka nariyan against the manipulations of abusive power,” tiwalang nilaan ba’t di mo gampanan.” stated band frontman Meds Rana who Around the same time last year, 46 Hope St. debuted with “Parisukat Sa Bilog,” which wrote and lead-sung the piece. It’s kind of an understatement to say that immediately drew attention. Three more Meds had a competent supporting cast. singles put out in later months provided proof Maybe spectacular is the better word, for of the band’s versatility. In December the trio contributed to apart from the duo of bassist Ryan Gonzales and drummer Aaron Dolleton ably backing Widescope’s various artist compilation him up, the iconic Ebe Dancel himself also “Pagmamahal NgayongPasko,” recording complemented some backing vocals to the “Reason For The Season” and joining the track. It’s not every day that a young band ensemble singing of the title track. can have someone of his stature on board The new year may not have started quite assisting in their craft. well with the ongoing health crisis sparing no Knowing Ebe’s character he wouldn’t have one from its rage. But for 46 Hope St., now participated if he doesn’t believe in the talent is a right time to speak up and make their and message of an act. So, his involvement intention clear for the nation’s healing. tells much of how he regards the band in his Stream and download the song on https:// capacity as A&R (Artist & Repertoire) and orcd.co/46hopest_dinamagpapauto

One-stop-shop for would-be beauty queens TOLEDOMED, a one-stop aesthetic center located in the heart of Makati recently staged “The Grand Event” at Shangri-la The Fort, Taguig City to celebrate its 13th anniversary. A major supporter of national and international beauty queens, ToledoMed, headed by Dr. Librado N. Toledo, Jr., is fast becoming one of the country’s leading aesthetic and cosmetic centers providing accessible beauty transformation and enhancement across the country. Dr. Toledo, a pioneer of ‘Scarless facelift, has extensive training in aesthetic, anti-aging, and skin health at the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine and Dr. Hertoghe Medical School in Belgium. He completed formal residency training in Seoul and Busan for cosmetic surgery and was awarded a distinction as Board Diplomate and Fellow in Korean College of Cosmetic Surgery. ToledoMed provides a wide array of dermatological, aesthetic, and cosmetic services, including surgical or non-surgical treatments. Its services are always customercentered and are mixture of providing fitting transformation and enhancement. It has produced beauty queens dubbed the ToledoMed Angels, including Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco, Miss Intercontinental 2018 Karen Galman, Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2015 Leren Mae Bautista, Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados, Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo, and Miss Globe 2021 Maureen Montage. Health and fitness advocate Cory Quirino is also a ToledoMed Angel. The

(From left) Emma Tiglao, Cory Quirino, Dr. Librado N. Toledo Jr., and Karen Ibasco

Lester Paul Recirdo (left) and Faye Tangonan

male ToledoMed Angels include Mr. Gay World 2017 John Raspado, Mr. Gay World 2019 John Jeffrey Carlos, and Mr. Gay World 2020 Kodie Macayan. ••• Singer-actor to compete at Mr. World Noble King International Lester Paul Recirdo has been picked to represent the country in the Mr. World Noble King International 2022 pageant. An Ivory Music recording artist, Recirdo is known for his debut hit single “Pako (Pangarap Ko),” which currently streams on iTunes, Spotify, and Youtube. A nursing graduate, Recirdo started singing in church. He loves to travel and is into the sports of archery, basketball, volleyball, and swimming. He has a passion for community services and wants to become a public servant someday. After winning GMA’s reality competition “Ultimate Maynila Idol” as Grand Champion, Recirdo has received the Gawad Sulo ng Bayan as Most Promising Artist, Dangal ng Bayan as Most Outstanding New Male Recording Arist, Gawad Filipino as Promising and Singer Composer of the Year, Dangal ng Lahi Awards’ Outstanding Performance Artist, Best Magazine’s Social Media Best Performer of the Year and Southeast Asia International Achievement Awards’ Best Event Performer. “It takes a little bit of luck, lots of determination, discipline, focus, and faith in God the almighty, in order to succeed. Know your mission, define your goals and keep on dreaming,’ said the Claveria, Cagayan native who is set to launch another single entitled “Hanggang sa Huli.” Havin been a part of the drama anthologies Asawa ko, Karibal Ko, La Luna Sangre, Ang Probinsiyano, and Prima Donnas, Recirdo will be doing PEPPs TV’s new Digital Series Forever Yours with Iñaki Torres, Solo Adriano, Ely Cellan, and Faye Tangonan under the direction of Carlo Morris Galang.

Just like in the 1996 original, characters in the new Scream spend much of the plot debating the tropes of horror movies in order to guess which one of them — female? Black? virgin? — will be killed off next. They realize that the latest swathe of attacks in their bafflingly violent California hometown is targeting people related to the killers from 25 years before. Handily, one character explains horror audiences’ new fondness for “requels” — films that follow chronologically from previous movies, but reboot the franchise with younger characters related to the original cast. “There are certain rules to surviving — believe

me, I know,” a returning David Arquette tells his younger, new co-stars. The film also revisits several locations and scenarios. It starts with a scene that evokes Drew Barrymore’s infamous and shocking death in the original, when she ill-advisedly answered her landline, with the killer on the other end, before the opening credits have even rolled. In the new film’s opener, a Gen-Z teen is so baffled to find that her parents’ old landline still functions that she initially does not even answer. “The disregard we all have for landlines... for us, it’s fun,” said co-director Matt BettinelliOlpin. AFP

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HE Broken Marriage Vow, directed by Concepcion Macatuno and Andoy Ranay is finally premiering on iWantTFC on Jan. 22 and on Kapamilya Channel, TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live, and TFC on Jan. 24.

Sue Ramirez (left) and Zanjoe Marudo in ‘The Broken Marriage Vow’

In the series, which is the local adaptation of the popular BBC series Doctor Foster, Sue Ramirez is unstoppable and will do everything to destroy a married man’s family as she plays a seductive mistress named Lexy Lucero. Lexy is a wealthy yoga instructor who is accustomed to getting her way. When she falls head over heels in love with David Ilustre (Zanjoe Marudo), she demands his time, attention, and constant reassurance at the expense of his wife and only son, Dra. Jill Ilustre and Gio (Jodi Sta. Maria and Zaijian Jaranilla). “She’s idealistic, always looking forward to what she is capable of doing, which has its bad side because she feels she can do and get everything. She will fight for what she believes

Sue Ramirez plays Lexi, a wealthy yoga instructor who will do anything to claim the love of David Ilustre for herself.

Sue Ramirez is a remorseless mistress in ‘The Broken

Marriage Vow’ is hers,” says Sue about her character. In one of the scenes in the series, Lexy talks to David about their future together and sweet-talks him into breaking up with Jill so they can get married as soon as possible. Even though she’s just the other woman, Lexy is comfortable with interacting with David in public, as if tempting the possibility of their affair getting found out. Sue also said that Lexy is almost always “zen” because she is a yoga instructor. “She’s always calm, she walks and talks

calmly. You wouldn’t be able to push her buttons easily,” said Sue. However, a pivotal scene in the series triggers her to have an emotional outburst. Jill takes charge of a disastrous dinner during which she exposes Lexy and David’s affair to Lexy’s parents and reveals that Lexy had aborted their baby. While embarrassed, Lexy tearfully defends her relationship with David to her parents and tells Jill, “You deserve everything that has happened to you!”

Shot entirely in Baguio, The Broken Marriage Vow also stars Jane Oineza, Angeli Bayani, Bianca Manalo, Ketchup Eusebio, Rachel Alejandro, Art Acuña, Empress Schuck, Joem Bascon, Brent Manalo, Malou Crisologo, Franco Laurel, Sandino Martin, Lao Rodriguez, Jet Gaitan, Jie Anne Armero, Migs Almendras, Avery Clyde, and JB Agustin, with the special participation of Susan Africa and Ronnie Lazaro. Nickie Wang

Sponge Cola takes global stage in Dubai OPM alternative rock band Sponge Cola from their Diamond album “Araw Oras delivered two decades of hits before Tagpuan.” Fans were also treated with a huge crowd at Dubai Expo 2020 as it more recent hits like “Pag-Ibig” and played live for the first time since the start “Kunwari,” as well as classic favorites of the pandemic. like “Bitiw” and “Jeepney.” According to reports, attendance at the ongoing sixmonth expo was significantly bigger than the usual weekday crowd when Sponge Cola performed at the Jubilee Stage on Dec. 15. Dubai Expo 2020 is billed as the “greatest showcase of human brilliance and achievement,” featuring 192 country pavilions. The Jubilee Stage has hosted top global acts, including American R&B and soul star Alicia Keys. Sponge Cola opened a super-charged, hour-long set Sponge Cola at the Dubai Expo Opening with “Tambay,” the 2011 hit

The band was up to its usual interactive and playful self throughout the night, feeding off from the energy of a crowd comprised mostly of Filipinos living and working in Dubai. Last month, the Emirates of Dubai reopened its labor market to thousands of Filipino workers in key segments such as retail, health care, and the service sector. Sponge Cola ended its memorable performance with another classic hit, “Pasubali.” Sponge Cola was formed in 2003 and helped usher in a new wave of OPM alternative rock music with scores of successful albums and chart-toppers. The band is currently composed of Yael Yuzon on vocals and guitars, Gosh Dilay on bass, Armo Armovit on guitars, and Tedmark Cruz on drums.

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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Loren Legarda is also a threeterm senator and currently serves as a deputy speakerat the House of Representatives.

PEOPLE AND EVENTS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

Simply Loren Legarda Ex-journo on her hideaway and how Spotify became her best friend

Antique representative and former journalist Loren Legarda

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T’S hard to predict the direction of a casual talk with Loren Legarda. Not considering her being an eloquent speaker, the Antique Representative and former journalist has more ways to keep the conversation going for hours even if your topic is just about the things she does to relax.

Loren Legarda finds relaxation by communing with nature.

“Nature knows when the Diwata is out. Every time I’m here, the sun follows me. Wait, let me fix the blinds,” that’s what she said in the middle of our conversation one fine afternoon before Christmas. Speaking from her residence in Makati, the lovely public servant, who is running again for senator in the 2022 elections, shared how busy her life has become serving her constituents in Antique while at the same time hopping from her home in Antique and their ancestral house is in Malabon. But how does a busy Loren Legarda take a break? Or does she really take a time off? She said she commune with nature. And it’s quite expected for someone who has been championing environmental causes and green development. She enjoys the feeling of the wind blowing against her face while marveling at the beauty of mother nature. She wanders at her farm a lot while enjoying simple joys like listening to the birds chirping. “My relaxation is in silence…listening to the wind, to the birds and the bees. It’s a cliché but that’s how I relax. Hindi man lang manuod ng Netflix, I

don’t even know how to subscribe. But I have music on demand on Spotify,” the 61-year-old public servant told Manila Standard Life. “Or sometimes I putter in the garden or sometimes I look at my fabrics then naaalala o yung mga alaga kong microenterprises. Mapapatrabaho nanaman ako,” she added in jest alluding to her friends in the weaving community who create native bags out of indigenous materials. Music is also a big part of her idle time, that is if we can call it an idle time at all. She lists Barry Manilow, Bee Gees, Captain and Tennille, Kalapana, and Celine Dion as her usual companions. “I love listening to ’70s and 90s music. That’s why when people ask me, who my best friends are, I tell them si Google, si Spotify, and si Wikipedia,” she said adding another set of topics to discuss. “I love to Google, I love to research about gardens and greenhouses, and farms. Kapag wala akong alam about agriculture, I Google. But of course as a journalist. I vet. I don’t just believe or listen or ingest everything. I even check my Wikipedia,” Loren said.

Before dipping her toes into politics – a threeterm senator and now a deputy speaker at the House of Representatives – Loren Legarda had a successful career as a broadcast journalist. She began a career in journalism as a reporter for RPN. Later, she would move to ABS-CBN and became the co-anchor of the television newscast, The World Tonight with Angelo Castro, Jr.. She also became the host of the current affairs series, The Inside Story. As a journalist, Loren earned the Gawad Cultural Center of the Philippines, Catholic Mass Media Hall of Fame, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas Golden Dove Award, Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) from the Philippine Jaycees (1992), The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) Award (1995), and the Benigno Aquino Award for Journalism (1995), among more than 30 awards. ‘That’s why I’m a stickler for accuracy. That’s my journalism school. You have to be accurate all the time,” she reiterated.

Loren regards her late grandfather Jose Bautista, who himself was a pillar of Philippine journalism, as her biggest influence as a newsperson. “He valued news and whenever he would talk about news when I was a child, it would be gathering the truth and facts from events,” Loren recalled. As an advocate of “spreading correct information,” Loren encourages people, especially netizens to check information sources. “Anyone online is able to publish and share information, which can be manipulated to spread misinformation,” Loren said disagreeing to call misinformation fake news. “Can we not call it fake news? Can we call it either disinformation or misinformation? Because news is news,” she asserted. And while discussing how people spread misinformation online, Loren went back to the question about her relaxation and asked “why did we come to this? We are just talking about my relaxation?” Goes to show that she can do so much more even on her idle time.

Carousellers #ChooseToGive to Typhoon Odette victims

BIGO Awards Gala 2022 celebrate exceptional broadcasters who captivated their livestreaming audience with creativity.

BIGO Awards Gala 2022 gives glimpse of a virtual future BIGO Technology, one of the world’s fastest-growing technology companies, hosts its third annual global BIGO Awards Gala tonight at 8:00 on BIGO Live’s Music Livehouse Channel. This year’s theme, “Better Live, Better Future,” reflects the company’s commitment to empower millions of people to explore an infinite number of possibilities through the BIGO livestreaming platform. Every year through the Bigo Awards Gala, BIGO honors broadcasters who have captivated their livestreaming audience with creativity as well as those who have transformed the community by making the best use of livestreaming in the past year. As a leader in the industry, BIGO continuously invests in innovative technologies such as computer vision, VR, and AR. Dino, BIGO Live’s mascot, will make a 3D virtual appearance and host this exclusive one-night extravaganza while giving audiences a rare glimpse into the Metaverse. First BIGO Live PH Annual Awards Gala a success BIGO Live recently held their first BIGO Live Philippines Annual Awards Gala, much to the delight of the local BIGO community in the Philippines. The event celebrated the crème de la

DESPITE limited mobility due to the panAnother online seller Mikol (user @ demic, many Filipinos found ingenious kaelatyourservice69) is also selling ways to extend help to the victims of super branded rubber shoes at discounted Typhoon Odette. prices and donating the proceeds to help Local musicians are holding online fun- residents in areas that were massively draiser gigs, some K-pop fans are raffling devastated by Typhoon Odette. Kitchen off fan merch while others volunteer their tools and essentials, along with home time to pack relief goods. decors and accessories are being sold On Carousell, the leading online clas- by @shopgood_mnl and will be donatsifieds marketplace in the Philippines, a ing the proceeds to ABS-CBN Sagip number of sellers have initiated a dona- Kapamilya’s Tulong-Tulong sa Pag-ahon tion drive by selling secondhand items Operation Odette. and donating the proceeds to families and Meanwhile, apart from donating the communities that were heavily affected by proceeds from selling branded pre-owned Typhoon Odette. fashion items, online seller April (user @ For Carousell users who want to help the pringpotato) is also organizing relief eftyphoon victims, all they just have to do is log on to Carousell and search “For Typhoon Odette victims” to find items and sellers who are donating to the affected areas ravaged by Typhoon Odette. Available products range from apparel, footwear, eyewear, skincare products, toys, to gadgets, and more. Online seller Lara (user @ laraadvincula) for instance, found a way to raise money to support Typhoon Odette victims by selling branded pre-loved apparel like cardigans, blouses, sport shorts, Some Carousell sellers are donating goods to affected areas by Typhoon Odette. and makeup products.

crème of BIGO Live’s hosts, agencies, and partners, who strove to keep the local BIGO Live community strong. The virtual awards gala allowed BIGO Live hosts and users alike to simultaneously stream and interact with each other through a series of activities and performances. The BIGO Awards Gala 2022 will feature BIGO icons from across the globe with Pinoy BIGO personalities. During the awards ceremony, top broadcasters and families of 2021 by popularity, both in each region and across the world, will be recognized. Amy and Iwapoyo from Japan and Vanruby from Vietnam, who held the top spots in the 2021 ranking of Top Global Broadcasters. Japanese family, BigWin, will be honored as the Top Global Family on BIGO Live. All winners will receive a trophy and in-app rewards. They will also be featured in prominent places all over the world such as the coveted billboards at Times Square in New York and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Approximately 100 broadcasters from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds will participate in the gala through online performances, including aerial yoga, ethnic music, opera, Tron Online seller Lara raises money to support Typhoon Odette victims dance, K-pop dance, and cosplay shows. by selling branded pre-loved apparel among other items.

forts to distribute supplies and in-kind donations for the typhoon victims. Knowing how hard it is to face the damage caused by natural disasters during Typhoon Yolanda, online seller Julya (user @momjuls) is also selling her pre-loved accessories and jewelry and will be donating the funds to affected areas in the VisMin region. Online seller Gab (user @cartseven) also appeals to bookworms and K-Pop fans and is selling some pre-loved books, photo cards, and album sets by the K-Pop group BTS, for the benefit of Typhoon Odette victims. “Carousell encourages every Filipino to support and take part in this humble initiative fueled by our bayanihan spirit,” said Ralph Garcia, Country Marketing Head, Carousell Philippines. “This initiative gives Filipinos the opportunity to share their blessings and help typhoon victims, without having to risk their own health and safety, while limiting the need for physical contact and transactions.” For more information, visit www.carousell.ph to buy or sell pre-loved items and donate to our kababayans in the VisMin region whose lives and homes ravaged have been heavily affected by the typhoon.

Products for donation range from apparel, footwear, toys, gadgets, and more.