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Jeepney fare up P1 in NCR This raises minimum fare to P10, same increase in Regions 3, 4 By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

HE government on Wednesday approved a provisional P1 increase of the minimum fare for public utility jeepneys, raising it to P10, even as the Department of Energy (DOE) said there was no relief in sight from the constant increases in already high fuel prices.

CONRADO ESTRELLA III

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said the fare hike will cover jeepneys in Metro Manila, Region 3 and Region 4. LTFRB executive director Tina Cassion said the LTFRB is balancing all factors, including the welfare of commuters, and noted that the National Economic and Development Authority previously said that even a P1 fare hike could trigger higher inflation. Next page

CLARITA CARLOS

Carlos new Nat'l Security Adviser, Estrella to DAR PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has announced two more incoming members of his Cabinet—retired University of the Philippines professor Clarita Carlos as National Security Adviser and former ABONO party-list Rep. Conrado Estrella III Agrarian Reform

secretary. Carlos previously served as president of the National Defense College of the Philippines while Estrella is one of the Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives in the 18th Congress. Carlos is a noted political science

VOL. XXXVI • NO. 113 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PAF sets flyby of new jet aircraft on June 12 THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) will conduct a flyby of its most modern aircraft on June 12 in celebration of the country's 124th Independence Day. PAF spokesperson Col. Maynard Mariano said Wednesday the flyby will consist of the Mach 1.5-capable FA-50 light jet fighter, the A-29B "Super Tucano" close-air support aircraft, the S-70i "Black Hawk" combat utility helicopter, and the AgustaWestland AW-109 attack chopper. Next page

FLYBY. Aircraft from the Philippine Air Force conduct a flyby practice above Luneta Park in Manila on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, in preparation for the 124th Independence Day on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Danny Pata

Marcos to attend face-to-face meet of APEC leaders in Nov. By Rey E. Requejo PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has accepted an invitation to attend the forthcoming face-to-face Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Thailand from Nov. 18-19. The annual summit will return into a face-to-face meeting since 2018, after

the 2019 summit in Chile was canceled due to protests in the said country, while the last two editions were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The APEC Summit, established in 1989, has become the pre-eminent economic forum in the Asia-Pacific region.

Inting named as acting Comelec chair anew By Vito Barcelo SOCORRO INTING

PH frigate to join Pacific naval exercise THE BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), one of two guided-missile frigates of the Philippine Navy (PN), left its base in Subic Bay, Zambales on Wednesday to join this year's edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. RIMPAC, which will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii from June 29 to August 4, is an international maritime exercise led by the United States Navy and is done to promote stability in the Pacific Region. Meanwhile, Marine units of the Philippines and the United Next page

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has designated Commissioner Socorro Inting as its acting chairperson, after Commissioner Saidamen Pangarungan failed to win confirmation from the Commission on Appointments (CA). Comelec Director Frances Arabe said Inting would serve in that capacity until a new chairperson is appointed by incoming

OFF TO HAWAII. The Philippine Navy holds a send-off ceremony at Naval Operating Base in Subic on June 8, 2022 for its contingent, aboard BRP Antonio Luna, who will participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Danny Pata

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The position of Comelec chairperson and two commissioners have been left vacant after the CA by-passed the ad interim appointments of Pangarungan and Commissioners George Garcia and Aimee Neri. The three Comelec commissioners were appointed to the post by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 8, while Congress was in recess. The CA earlier this month bypassed their Next page

‘COVID seems contained but may still jolt us’ By Willie Casas THE COVID-19 situation in the country already “seems contained" but it is "capable of springing surprises," outgoing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday. "So far, given our measures, our interventions, mukhang contained na siya (it seems contained),” Duque said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay when asked about President Rodrigo Duterte's claim that his administration was able to contain the virus in a short period of time. “And the data will support that claim," the Health chief added. However, Duque said it is still not the time to be complacent. "At the same time, we are realistic to accept the fact that this virus is notorious for mutations," he said. “It is capable of springing surprises at every turn.” "And so, we have to be realistic, we have to temper our expectations. Next page

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THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

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Rody issues EO on coco industry dev’t plan

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order approving the development plan for the coconut industry that would pave the way for the release of a P75-billion trust fund for coconut farmers from coco levy assets.

Under EO 172, Duterte approved the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) aimed at boosting the competitiveness of coconut farmers in the country. “There is a need to approve the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan to increase overall productivity and

income of coconut farmers, alleviate poverty, and achieve the twin objectives of rehabilitating and modernizing the coconut industry to attain social equity,” Duterte said in the EO. EO 172 mandates the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), along with other concerned government agencies, to im-

plement the CFIDP. “The CFIDP shall be reviewed annually to ensure its effective implementation, taking into consideration the absorptive capacity and performance of implementing agencies, as well as the outputs and outcomes of programs based on key performance indicators,” the order read. The funds needed for the programs under the CFIDP will be taken from the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund as well as from the regular appropriations of implementing agencies. The Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund shall be “separate and distinct from the regular funds appropriated to the

Jeepney...

a P6,500 fuel subsidy for PUJs would be good for only a month, yet in mid-March, it agreed with the recommendation of the economic managers to freeze transport fares at their 2018 levels, when diesel prices were only half of what they are today. Hontiveros reiterated her call to immediately suspend the excise tax on fuels to improve the public transport system and fund the service contracting program. "As much as I don’t want to point fingers, I would like to call out the economic managers for undermining the fare adjustment process at the LTFRB. This has caused unnecessary distress to drivers and is now endangering the viability of the transport system,” she said. Senator Grace Poe said months of sluggish response from the concerned government agencies have pushed the transportation sector to the edge. A number of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators are set to stage a wide-scale transportation strike unless the problem of constantly rising pump prices is sufficiently addressed. "We fought for a critical P2.5-billion fuel subsidy provision for PUVs in this year's budget," she added. "That such amount has not been fully disbursed while our country deals with a crisis of epic proportions is beyond comprehension.” Poe also said they renewed their call to the executive department, particularly to the Department of Finance, to suspend the excise tax on fuel and petroleum products for such time until the global market normalizes again. "This representation has pushed for the same cause in the last Congress and will

do so again in the future if necessary," she said. "While it is true that failure to meet our revenue targets may have adverse effects on our country, so could a transportation strike which can paralyze operations in key areas and cost us much more," she said. Senator Imee Marcos urged the DOE to mandate an increase in the bio-ethanol content of gasoline and diesel to bring down fuel prices. “While lawmakers are stuck in debate over a fuel excise tax suspension, increasing bio-ethanol content is the clear way forward to give some relief to consumers,” Marcos said. The chairman of the Senate committee on economic affairs warned that Tuesday’s price hikes of P2.70 and P6.55 per liter of gasoline and diesel will not be the last, as Western sanctions on Russian oil exports and limited increases in Middle East supply will make world prices volatile until next year. The Biofuels Act of 2006 requires oil companies to produce a gasoline blend with at least 10 percent bioethanol, but Marcos said the National Biofuels Board can recommend an increase in the minimum requirement, subject to the DOE secretary’s approval. Based on fuel costs before the latest price hike, Marcos estimated that the price of gasoline can be brought down by about P3.60 per liter if bioethanol content is increased to 15 percent up to 20 percent - the level deemed safe for vehicles of model years 2001 or later. Marcos also called on the Department of Agriculture to promote farming for bioethanol production that will address

not just limited local supply and high fuel prices but also expand rural employment and the use of green energy. Local production of bioethanol satisfied only about half of demand in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down investment in facilities for bioethanol production. While sugarcane, sorghum, corn, and cassava can be grown in the country to produce bioethanol, the local supply deficit is covered by imports from the US, Australia, and South Korea. “So much government land remains idle but can be used to increase bioethanol production. The goal is to become more competitive with cheaper imports and ensure our self-sufficiency,” Marcos said. Also on Wednesday, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, urged the Duterte administration to expedite the release of still undistributed subsidies, particularly the P500 monthly subsidy promised earlier by President Duterte to poor families for three months, amid surging commodity prices. Salceda issued the call as the country's headline inflation rose to 5.4 percent in May from 4.9 percent in April, based on reports from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Inflation levels are expected to persist as the Russia-Ukraine conflict rages on. “The Energy Department has warned that more fuel hikes are coming next week. You will also see price increases in other commodities, such as bread and fish, in the coming months. So, we really need the aid to be released as soon as possible,” Salceda said in a statement.

drew his candidacy less than two weeks before May 9 polls, a move that exempts him from a one-year ban on the appointment of losing candidates. Marcos recently announced the nomination of Arsenio Balisacan as National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), while outgoing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno was nominated as Finance Secretary. Diokno will be replaced by Felipe Medalla as BSP Governor, while Alfredo Pascual has also accepted his nomination as Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) secretary. Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco will assume the post of Tourism Secretary, Filipino worker advocate Susan "Toots" Ople will head the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), while Benny Laguesma will be the incoming Labor chief. Among the earliest nominees of Marcos Jr. were Vic Rodriguez as Executive Secretary, Vice Presidentelect Sara Duterte-Carpio as Education chief, and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos as head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Marcos... The summit’s primary purpose is to promote sustainable economic growth, trade and investment, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The Thai government sent its invitation during the courtesy call of ASEAN ambassadors to Marcos on June 6. Marcos said that while he has already met some of the ambassadors in the past, he was glad to meet them as a group, noting how ASEAN has become a very important regional organization. He said he was confident that ASEAN will play a vital role in the region’s quick economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Thailand will host the APEC 2022 summit, which will focus on the importance of facilitating the resumption of safe and convenient cross-border travel to hasten the region’s speedy and robust economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Marcos said he is optimistic the fruitful diplomatic relationship and friendship between the Philippines and China will continue

under his administration. “The centuries-old relationship and friendship of the Philippines and China has been and will continue to be of great mutual benefit to our people, from trade, arts, culture, athletics to regional peace and stability to the employment of opportunities for our people, and all the significantly generous efforts extended to us during the pandemic, the cooperative partnership of our donations continue to reach new heights,” Marcos said in his speech during the 21st Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian, for his part, said China and the Philippines have “better reasons to work closely” amid global uncertainties. “The international and regional situations are undergoing fast, profound and complex changes, and the world is entering yet another period of turbulence and transformation,” Huang said. “China and the Philippines are close neighbors with a shared future and common stakes in Asia. Facing the global uncertainties, the two countries have better reasons to work closely to jointly tackle challenges, focus on peace and development, and strive to boost win-win cooperation,” the Chinese ambassador said.

Also bypassed were Commission on Audit Chairperson Rizalina Noval Justol and Civil Service Commission Chairman Karlo Alexei Nograles. Villar said only nine members attended the CA hearing, one member short of a quorum. The CA hearing on the ad interim appointments of the five was postponed earlier after Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said they should

give President Marcos a chance to pick his own appointees. Pangarungan said he accepted being bypassed "with a heavy heart." The Palace said those bypassed by the CA could be re-appointed by the next administration. Under the law, the bicameral CA must approve all the ad interim appointees, whom Duterte appointed in March when

Congress was in recess. Garcia said he was saddened that his appointment was bypassed, but happy for the chance to serve in the last elections, where he stood out, often holding briefings. The veteran election lawyer said he may return to teaching, or practice election law. He said he would accept staying on as Comelec commissioner should the next administration ask.

Group (NTG) 80.5 graced the send-off ceremonies for the ship. The ship will make a stopover in Guam for refueling, he added. "The exercise will start on June 29, and we expect the ship will be there three days before that. BRP Antonio Luna will also make a stopover in Guam before proceeding to Hawaii," Negranza said. He said the Philippines is participating in the RIMPAC to show its commitment to "regional stability and cooperation and commitment" to allied navies. Negranza earlier said NTG 80.5 will help develop, maintain, and enhance the Navy’s pursuit of maritime collaboration with its counterparts through the exercise. "(RIMPAC is) one of the PN’s major International Defense and Security Engagement activities," he added. The PN's participation in RIMPAC 2022, themed “Capable, Adaptive, Partners,” will

be its third in the largest and premier maritime exercise, after its maiden participation in 2018 and its sophomore run in 2020. This year’s iteration is scheduled to include 26 naval forces all across the world. In the 2018 RIMPAC, the Navy deployed the offshore patrol vessel, BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17) and the landing dock BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) while on the 2020 iteration of the maritime exercise, the PN sent the country's first missile frigate, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150). Both the BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna are capable of anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and electronic warfare operations. The contract for the two ships was worth P16 billion and an additional P2 billion was spent for weapon systems and munitions. As for the Marine exercises, "Activities commenced on June 6 in the province of Palawan and will end on June 17 that in-

cludes combined joint forward arming and refueling demonstration, and a lecture on unmanned air systems operations," Baclor said. He said four C-17 transport aircraft of the US Air Force arrived in Laoag City on Monday, along with a US C-130 plane that landed Tuesday carrying personnel and equipment for the second leg of the exercise from July 18 to 22. This series will feature lectures on sensor operations, air surveillance, air defense, and high-mobility artillery rocket system infiltration. The MASA 22 also includes integrated and joint interoperability activities, such as coastal defense forward arming and refueling, and subject matter exchanges for unmanned aviation systems and engineering with participants from the Naval Air Wing of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

From A1

Cassion said the first tranche of the government’s fuel subsidy to PUV drivers and operators was almost complete, with 238,212 out of 264,578 beneficiaries already receiving P6,500 in cash aid. Public utility drivers and operators can expect to receive another round of the P6,500 subsidy by the first week of July, Cassion said. On Wednesday, the DOE said fuel prices would continue to rise unabated for the next few weeks. Interviewed by GMA News, the director of the DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau, Rino Abad, said they saw nothing that could offset the price increases. Abad cited the European Union’s ban against oil imports from Russia, the potential surge of demand for fuel during summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. He said recent price rollbacks were due to the lockdowns in China, which are now almost over. Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday urged the LTFRB to immediately review the petition to increase the minimum fare of public utility jeepneys. She said this will help boost the earnings of the drivers amid the rising fuel prices. She made the statement after jeepney drivers said they were about losing income due to the prolonged period of fuel price hikes. Hontiveros said the Department of Transportation (DoTr) already knew that

Carlos... From A1

professor who has authored many books and papers on politics, governance, defense and security, and foreign policy. Estrella is the grandson of the late Conrado Sr., who served as Agrarian Reform Minister of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. “They accepted the offer to become new members of the Cabinet,” the camp of Marcos Jr. said in a statement after the President-elect met with Carlos and Estrella for nearly two hours at the BBM headquarters in Mandaluyong City. Earlier, incoming Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles said Marcos Jr. is also considering the appointment of House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, Karen Jimeno and newspaper columnist Rigoberto Tiglao for Cabinet posts. "We can confirm that these names are being talked about, but there are no decisions as of now," Angeles said. Marcoleta ran for senator in the 2022 polls under Marcos's ticket, but with-

Inting... From A1

confirmation and two officials of other constitutional bodies. Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the committee on constitutional commissions and offices, said the CA hearing on the nomination of the five officials was cancelled due to the lack of a quorum.

PH... From A1

States are conducting exercises that would enhance their interoperability in combined tactical and heliborne operations. Formally called the "Marine Aviation Support Activity 2022" (MASA 22), the exercises began on Monday and end on June 17, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said in a statement Tuesday night. It is a bilateral exercise between the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC). Navy spokesperson Commander Benjo Negranza, in a media interview, said the Antonio Luna left Naval Operating Base Subic around 10:30 a.m. PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado and the Naval Task

From A1

PCA,” the EO said. “In this regard, the PCA, together with other implementing agencies, shall continue to pursue their mandates of implementing programs and projects for the development of the coconut industry, from their respective regular appropriations and from funds under the Trust Fund,” the order said. The PCA, in consultation with concerned agencies and stakeholders, is also tasked to revisit and update the CFIDP every five years, subject to the President’s approval, to ensure that strategies and programs are “responsive to evolving industry needs,” according to the EO.

Owner, crew of Gem-Ver 1 finally get full compensation THE owner and fishermen of the F/B Gem-Ver 1 fishing vessel that was rammed by a Chinese ship three years ago have finally been fully compensated, receiving P12 million in total, the Department of Justice revealed Wednesday. “Full compensation has already been made in favor of the vessel owner and the fishermen,” Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said in a text message to reporters. In April, the DOJ said the current settlement amounted to P6 million, or half of the P12 million compensation sought by the crewmen and the boat owner. Sugay said the victims received the payment on May 16. This developed as The South China Morning Post reported that China put an unmanned deep-water station through its paces in a major test at the bottom of the South China Sea last month, citing a report from state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday. The test included connecting a laboratory to the base station—a first for the country—and assessing the operations of a deep-sea glider and virtual mooring buoy for communication, the Post article said. Rey E. Requejo (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

‘COVID... From A1

What is more important is the realization that the virus is here to stay," Duque added. Meanwhile, the OCTA Research group advised the incoming administration to keep its pandemic response centralized, like the current system implemented by the Duterte administration. "The One Health Command system is a good measure to be kept, one where there is a centralized response. Although the pandemic is slowing down, the virus is still there," OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said in a Laging Handa briefing. He also said President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. must focus on improving the country's contact tracing. Meanwhile, Duque expressed hope the incoming administration will carefully study COVID-19 trends if they have any plans of lifting the state of calamity in the country. The current state of calamity is set to expire in September. "I hope that the new president will assess the situation if there is any plan to lift it," he said. "I hope they will really take time to study and to look at the metrics and look at what new information and science offer in terms of the evolving variants of concern,” Duque said. The DOH said on Tuesday the Philippines remains at low risk for COVID-19 despite the slight increase in the number of cases in the past two weeks. As of June 7, the DOH has logged 3,691,892 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, of which 2,437 remain active. The death toll is at 60,456. Months after the first local Covid-19 case was reported, the Duterte administration established the One Hospital Command Center, the main task of which is to ensure efficient health facility referral. For David, the current administration managed its pandemic response "well", including the vaccination of the population. He said the vaccine and booster rollout proved to be effective in minimizing the need to impose lockdowns in times of a surge. "This proved to be a great help in the pandemic response, which is why last January we did not resort to lockdowns. We want that kind of management where we would no longer require the strictest restriction since we're already vaccinated," he said. Metro Manila is at "low risk" classification, but David reported a slight uptick in its COVID-19 cases from an average of 79 per day in the past week to 90 at present.

PAF... From A1

The majority of these aircraft were delivered to the PAF within the last six years, Mariano said. Two aircraft per type will be participating in the Independence Day flyby, he added. "The flyby is meant to honor and observe the country's 124th Independence Day," Mariano said. The flyby is also the reason why Metro Manila residents have been seeing these aircraft over the airspace of the metropolis for the past few days, the Air Force official added. "[The pilots are practicing] for the flyby for June 12," he said.

News

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

DOE eyes small nuclear reactors for the regions By Alena Mae S. Flores

LIVELIHOOD IN EMPTY PLASTIC BOTTLES.

A man, naked from the waist up, collects empty plastic bottles among a thick vegetation of water hyacinth in a river’s mouth at the Manila Bay, to be sold later to a junk dealer. AFP

Honor perks of seniors, PWDs—DTI By Othel V. Campos

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has called on e-commerce business platforms to honor the privileges granted to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) such as the mandatory discounts for purchases goods or services, whether through online, telephone, or mobile transactions.

The DTI issued the call following the release of a joint memorandum circular entitled “Guidelines on the Provision of the Mandatory Statutory Benefits and Privileges of the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities on their Purchases through Online (e-commerce)

and Phone Call/SMS”. “Online shopping platforms need to reprogram their offering to incorporate a feature that allows discounts for persons with disabilities and senior citizens,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said. Senior citizens and PWDs are entitled

to a 20-percent discount, with 12 percent VAT exemption, on their purchases of specific goods and services under Republic Act (RA) 9257 and RA 9442, as amended. They are also entitled to a five-percent special discount for basic necessities and prime commodities on maximum purchases of P1,300 weekly. Based on the circular, establishments are encouraged to redesign their business and website to accommodate the provision of discounts for senior citizens and PWDs. The redesign may include the establishment’s acceptance of the senior citizen or PWD card and the use of discount vouchers or codes, whether physical or electronic, reflecting the ap-

plicable discount that may be granted. To receive the discount, the senior citizen or PWD must declare his/her status to the merchant prior to placing orders with relevant or supporting documents, such as a scanned copy or screenshot of ID, as well as the front and last pages of the purchase booklet. The same proof of discount entitlement should be presented upon the delivery of goods and orders. DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo reminded senior citizens and PWDs to buy only from verified online platforms to avoid having their personal details used for other purposes.

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has urged the incoming administration to look into the viability of small nuclear reactors (SMRs) to meet the country’s growing energy demands. Energy Undersecretary Benito Ranque said the modular nuclear reactors or SMRs could be used to power far-flung areas often affected by extreme weather disturbances. SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW per unit, about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. He said SMRs are compact and easy to transport, which could help immediately restore power in calamity-stricken areas. Ranque said each modular nuclear reactor could produce more than enough electricity to light up an entire island like Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Samar, Leyte, and other island provinces, which suffered weeks without electricity because of typhoon Odette. He said modular nuclear power plants are now being used in the United States and China, allaying safety concerns over nuclear power use. Ranque said the disposal of nuclear power waste should also be addressed. “They have the technology in disposing or handling the nuclear waste, so it is best for us to include that provision in the contract,” he said. Ranque said there is a need to build more power plants to give the country more “buffer” supply. He reiterated the need to empower small electricity cooperatives in the countryside by helping them acquire their own renewable power plants, prioritizing typhoon-prone areas to allow uninterrupted power supply.

Salceda pushes creation of DDR to address calamity situations By Maricel V. Cruz ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has underscored the need for enactment of the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) to enable the government to respond to “sudden-onset” emergencies such as the eruption of Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon. Salceda issued his observation as he renewed his call for the bill’s enactment, stressing that the country still needs a “disaster-focused department” that specializes in “surge capacity” to respond to what he called “sudden-onset” emergencies. Salceda expressed confidence that President-elect Ferdinand Marcos would renew the push for the DDR during the 19th Congress. “President BBM said it was his priority in a statement last April, and that he hopes to learn from how the Federal

Emergency Management Agency coordinates with other agencies. He’s right about that. In fact, it does not need to be a full-fledged department. It can be something like the FEMA, as long as it can provide the necessary surge capacity to deal with sudden-onset emergencies like a volcanic eruption or like Odette, which only became a supertyphoon hours before landfall.” “What matters is, nothing surprises the national government’s capacity to respond to big, sudden emergencies that local government simply cannot handle on its own.” He said the proposed DDR is necessary as the Philippines has some of the largest number of disaster events in the whole world.” “You also have the second largest number of disaster casualties in the world over the past 20 years. What do you do? Nothing?” Salceda said in a statement.

INDEPENDENCE DAY REMINDERS. Lest we forget, Philippine flags attached to lamp posts greet motorists and passers-by as tacit reminders of the country’s 124th Independence Day anniversary on June 12. Joey O. Razon

Gatchalian urges BIR to run after corrupt gov’t officials, employees DENR eyes approval of Basel Ban accord By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) bats for the ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment prohibiting the export of hazardous waste and other trash from developed to developing countries. DENR Secretary Sampulna said the Basel Ban Amendment would address the illegal traffic of imported hazardous waste into the Philippines. “In previous years, we have strongly fought against the import of hazardous wastes from countries who regarded our country as their dumpsites. Ratifying the Basel Ban Amendment will protect the Philippines from being a destination of hazardous wastes again,” he added. In 2019, the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau successfully worked for the return of 69 international container units of mixed wastes to Canada, which were illegally imported to the Philippines after being declared as waste plastics for recycling. The DENR-EMB, in cooperation with the Bureau of Customs, also repatriated 6,400 metric tons of mixed wastes in Misamis Oriental to South Korea in 2020. Rio N. Araja

SENATOR Win Gatchalian has urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to launch a crackdown on mulcting government officials and personnel victimizing large corporations and small businesses. The senator also called for a clampdown against erring officials and employees of revenue collection agencies,

stating his stand that instead of introducing new taxes to fund services and address the country’s P12.763 trillion debt as of April, it is more efficient to improve tax collection and fight corruption in the government. He cited a recent series of reports on alleged extortion cases involving BIR personnel in Ilocos Sur, Dipolog City and Zamboanga City, as well as the pur-

ported “pabaon” scheme of some outgoing officials of the agency. A drastic approach is needed to carry out an internal cleansing of the bureaucracy to rid government agencies of rotten eggs, Gatchalian stressed. A similar campaign was launched by the BIR at the onset of the Duterte administration, resulting in the resignation and early retirement of hundreds of BIR employees.

KAYAKING IN ANILAO.

Local tourists try their skill in kayaking at the Balayan Bay in Anilao, Batangas while other people elsewhere in the world mark the observance of the United Nations Ocean Day on Wednesday (June 8.) Danny Pata

Group launches ‘Adopt a Cat’ campaign

THE People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has launched a campaign urging Metro Manilans to adopt homeless cats. The group will put up billboards across the metropolis in a bid to vigorously push their drive. “The adorable billboards, which are going up during “Adopt a Cat” Month (June), urge anyone with enough space in their heart and home to adopt a cat

from a local animal shelter or rescue group,” PETA said in a statement. PETA rolled out project in collaboration with Strongmedia Advertising Solutions which donated the billboards set up in strategic locations in Metro Manila notably Cubao, España Blvd, Epifanio de los Santos Ave. near GMA, Libis, and Ortigas Center in Pasig City. Joel E. Zurbano

The deluge of resignations was in response to the call against those involved in corruption activities. “If there’s political will, we can improve tax collection, build taxpayers’ trust in government and ensure increased revenue. People are willing to pay when they know that their taxes are well spent on services due them,” Gatchalian said.

Taguig builds more medical facilities TAGUIG City has expanded the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital (TPDH) with the addition of a new building to meet the growing medical needs of local residents, notably the women and the children. Taguig Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said the five-story extension building of the hospital will focus on women and children’s health, including chemotherapy and breast clinics, as well as a drop-in center for social hygiene. The new building was constructed despite the COVID-19 pandemic with a view to increasing the hospital’s bed capacity and other facilities such as the laboratories, isolation wards, and other medical services and assistance. Cayetano said the city government “will continue to pioneer initiatives that will prioritize the health of every Taguigeño.” Meanwhile, the city’s second LGU-owned hospital, the Taguig General Hospital, is also expected to be completed soon. Last month, the local government also opened its new health center in Barangay Lower Bicutan. Joel E. Zurbano

News

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

CONTRAST. This general view shows

high-rise buildings next to low income houses on stilts (foreground) erected near a river at the mouth of Manila Bay on June 8, 2022. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

VP Sara spent P216m in May campaign DOH: Premature to close PH due V By Vito Barcelo

to monkeypox By Willie Casas

HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday it is “premature” for the Philippines to close its borders to travelers from areas with monkeypox cases. Duque said he instead gave orders to the Bureau of Quarantine for the strict monitoring and surveillance of these passengers. The official said that unlike COVID-19, monkeypox transmission is not airborne. “Monkeypox does not have the same transmission potential as COVID. It’s transmitted through direct physical contact. To a certain degree, the transmission has respiratory droplets, but it’s not airborne. It’s more common through direct skin-to-skin contact,” Duque said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay. “It is premature to be closing borders to travelers from these endemic areas. Ang utos ko sa last May 7 sa BOQ is to be very strict, to enforce strict screening standards, symptom screening (My order last May 7 was to be very strict, to enforce strict screening standards, symptom screening.),” he said. Monkeypox is a rare disease that is related to but less severe than smallpox, causing a rash that spreads, fever, chills, and aches, among other symptoms. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday it was aware of more than 700 global cases of monkeypox, including 21 in the United States. Sixteen of the first 17 cases were among people who identify as men who have sex with men, according to a new CDC report, and 14 were thought to be travel associated. All patients are in recovery or have recovered, and no cases have been fatal. Practicing safe sex could help prevent monkeypox transmission, said Duque. The World Health Organization earlier said the disease was not sexually-transmitted.

ICE President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio declared more than P216 million of expenditures for her 2022 campaign, based on the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The copy of the document has a “received” stamp from the Comelec’s Campaign Finance Office dated June 7. Based on the SOCE filed before the Comelec, the total expenditures incurred was P216,190,935.06. It said that most of Duterte’s expenses came from her personal funds and resources, and her campaign contributions were all in-kind and not in cash. The P216,190,935.06 contributions she received consisted of the in-kind

donations from other sources totalling to P79,581,690.15 and the in-kind contributions from her political party, Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats, amounting to P136,609,244.91. All candidates and electoral parties, both winning and losing, are required to submit SOCE within 30 days after the elections . Senator Manny Pacquiao meanwhile declared more than P119 million worth of expenditures in his campaign

in the May polls. Pacquiao’s SOCE reported that P62 million came from his personal funds. Outgoing Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso spent P242 million for his campaign, his lawyer said, citing the Moreno’s SOCE Pacquiao’s SOCE also indicated that he received P7,750,000 worth of cash contributions, and P48,700,988.02 worth of in-kind contributions, GMA News reported. Domagoso filed his SOCE through his lawyer Atty. Rizalina Lumbera. “Mayor Isko received contributions or political campaign donations worth around P241.5 million. His total expenses were about P242.6 million and he had P1.1 million in personal expenses,” Lumbera, in an ABS-CBN report said.

PROTEST AGAINST DAR. Members of the Kabisig-Sumalo group hold a protest action in front of the DAR office in Quezon City. The

group is calling for a halt of the DAR-sponsored survey at the disputed Litton property in Bgy Sumalo, Hermosa, Bataan and demanding an investigation of the DAR provincial office in Bataan. Manny Palmero

Jimenez: Poll body deleted May 9 ballots

By Vito Barcelo

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) deleted the ballot faces that were used for the 2022 national and local elections from the servers of the National Printing Office (NPO). Comelec Education and Information Department Director James Jimenez said the removal was held at the NPO in the presence of political parties, citizens’ arm groups, members of the media, and other stakeholders. “Now, we’re at the penultimate stage of our operations here at the NPO. From here, we need to pull out of the NPO because we have done our duty here at the Comelec,” he said. The May 9, 2022 national and local elections have officially ended, Jimenez said, adding “and in order to do that, one of the last things we need is to remove Comelec data from the NPO servers.” Jimenez said that this was done so the NPO can redirect their machines to service other projects. “Again, this is the ultimate step, after this step, we remove the information from the NPO, and we will pull out,” he added. Aside from the “precinct-specific” ballots used for the 2022 elections in the country, Jimenez said the Comelec will also wipe out the ones that were used for their roadshow, the test ballots, as well as the ballots which were used for the overseas voting. However, the Comelec official said it will keep backup copies of the ballot face database.

Doctors urge Rody to veto vape bill anew By Macon Ramos-Araneta DOCTORS belonging to various medical organizations yesterday appealed to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the proposed measure which relaxes regulations on vape products, including the lowering the age limit of access from 21 to 18 years old to vape and e-cigarette products. The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday also renewed its call to Duterte to veto the bill. The DOH said it “supports the call” of several sectoral groups for Duterte to veto the Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Bill to protect children and the youth from accessing heated tobacco products easily. Under the vape bill, individuals aged 18 and above would be allowed to purchase vaping products, as opposed to the current age requirement of 21. The doctors’ group claims the bill, which is up for Duterte’s signature, is being “railroaded” and will lapse into law, adding that “vetoing the bill in the final stretch of his term will preserve Duterte’s legacy of fighting addiction.” Last December 2021, presidents of 59 duly recognized health professional organizations led by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) signed a petition strongly urging the President Duterte to veto the Vape Bill or SB 2239. With Willie Casas

Vaccine against swine flu could be out by 2023, DOST official says A VACCINE against African swine fever (ASF) that is being developed by the local research company may be released by the end of 2023, an official of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said. The DOST has tapped veterinary research and diagnostic laboratory BioAssets Corporation to develop ASF test

kits that may already be out by the end of this year or in early 2023, DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said. Guevara, in a GMA News report, said that vaccine for the viral disease infecting pigs and wild boars usually take two years to make. “The Department of Agriculture has a rule that all the pigs within the one-

kilometer radius have to be killed when one pig is infected with ASF. There is also a different rule for pigs within seven kilometers. If we have a detection kit, there is no need to kill all the pigs. Through this, you can now detect which pigs are sick and have to be killed,” Guevara, in the report, added. BioAssets will also establish a mo-

bile laboratory that will be deployed in Mindanao that will directly go to places with suspected ASF cases to easily test if the hogs are really infected, GMA News reported. “This mobile laboratory unit will help veterinarians and farmers have diagnostics and respond immediately to the disease outbreak,” the DOST official said.

More jobs for OFWs after PH, Germany sign pact

By Vito Barcelo

MORE jobs abroad will be available to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) after the Philippines and German governments signed two labor agreements that will provide better employment opportunities for Filipino workers, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

“These two freshly signed bilateral labor instruments with Germany are the gifts of the Philippine government to our Filipino migrant workers in recognition of their sacrifices, perseverance, and diligence that have kept our nation afloat amidst the global crisis in the last two years,” Bello said in a statement. Overseas Workers Welfare Admin-

istration chief Leo Hans Cacdac and the German Federal Employment Agency represented by its Director for International Relations Alexander Wilhelm signed two bilateral labor agreements that will facilitate the recruitment, deployment, and employment of Filipino professionals and skilled workers in Germany.

Ordanes seeks adjustments in indigency for elderly By Maricel V. Cruz REP. Rodolfo Ordanes of the Senior Citizen partylist on Wednesday said several agencies in the executive departments can raise indigency limits for availing of government charity social services, saying that the existing rates are too low.

Ordanes asked the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Health to raise the new minimum for indigency qualification to either the minimum wage rates

or the nontaxable income rate. “With prices of most goods and services being so high now, the purchasing power of minimum wage earners is severely eroded, minimum wage earners no longer have disposable income left after spending for their daily commute to work and food,” Ordanes said in a statement.

OATH-TAKING. Arjo Atayde took his official oath as Congressman-elect of Quezon

City’s District 1 (QCD1) at the May Grotto in Barangay PhilAm Homes. Congressman-elect Howard Guintu, first nominee of the Pinatatag na Ugnayan para sa mga Oportunidad sa Pabahay ng Masa (PINUNO) Partylist took his oath before Judge Karla Regina Valera-Chua on Monday in Makati City.

Opinion Herbosa will make an excellent DOH Secretary

LAST week, I described the recent designation of veteran Cavite congressman Boying Remulla as Justice Secretary of the administration of incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (BBM) as an excellent choice. Remulla brings with him his long experience both as a litigation lawyer and as a legislator. His appointment will work well for the effective administration of justice in the country. I am confident that the Commission on Appointments will readily give its nod to his designation. Many citizens hope that Remulla will, among others, clean up the seemingly never-ending mess in the national penitentiary where drug lords are given special treatment, and prison guards seem to be part of a racket relating to such special treatment.

Herbosa says public health care is indispensable to achieving national unity and progress — a cornerstone of President BBM’s administrative agenda for the Filipino people There is also the hope that under Remulla, the proliferation of fake land titles will cease, or at least, be kept to a minimum. Syndicates are reportedly behind fake titles and the Land Registration Authority, an agency under the Department of Justice, should be tasked to put an end to this bane. The designation of Remulla prompts me to make a suggestion regarding the leadership in the Department of Health. This line agency is crucial to the success of the incoming administration and it should be managed only by the truly competent and knowledgeable in the field of universal health care, particularly health care in a developing country like the Philippines. I understand from the grapevine that one of those being eyed by President-elect BBM for the post of Health Secretary is the highly esteemed Dr. Teodoro Herbosa. a veteran public health care specialist with

impecable academic and government service credentials. Dr. Herbosa is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines (Bachelor of Science in Biology cum laude in 1979, and Doctor of Medicine in 1983). He obtained his postgraduate studies and allied medical training in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, among others. Herbosa is remembered as a former Undersecretary of the Department of Health, a former Executive Vice President of the University of the Philippines, a trauma and related disorders specialist based at the Philippine General Hospital, a member of the faculty of the UP College of Medicine, and a consultant of the national government in its relentless war against the COVID-19 menace. His expertise in medicine and public health care management has been repeatedly sought by the World Health Organization, the Philippine Red Cross, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Herbosa was the face that assured an anxious and fearful Philippines that there is hope against the deadly and, at that time, seemingly incurable COVID-19 threat. His daily, sober analysis of the health situation, and his continuing recommendations regarding the containment of the corona virus, given at a time when there was extensive pessimism prevailing in Philippine society, provided the badly needed solace, consolation, encouragement and hope Filipinos badly needed to survive the pandemic. Herbosa’s assurances not only saved lives; they also kept many Filipinos sane when the prospects of depression and, possibly, insanity, were stalking the nation in its face. Dr. Herbosa was also instrumental in getting public and private hospitals to expand their bed-capacities to the maximum extent to accommodate as many patients as possible during the height of the pandemic. Thanks to Herbosa’s efforts, the seemingly unreachable light at the end of the tunnel became more apparent as the months passed, and, today, that light has become visible. Earlier this week, the Philippine Medical Association, the nation’s private professional regulatory organization which monitors medical professionals in the country, formally urged President-elect BBM to choose Herbosa for the Department of Health portfolio. Full version on www.manilastandard.net

According to Napoleon, “What is history, but a fable agreed upon? By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.” Allow me to follow it up with another quote, this time from Leigh Teabing, a character in Dan Brown’s novel, “The Davinci Code.

Cadres claim Ninoy collaborated with the Left in bombing the Liberal Party miting de avance at Plaza Miranda in August 1971 which forced Marcos to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus In the book, Teabing was quoted as saying, “History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books – books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe.” Now, let me ask these self-proclaimed defenders of the so-called historical truth: Who wrote the version of history are they trying to defend? They decry the declaration of Martial Law as being the primary culprit in human rights violations that escalated sky-high during the time of then President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. Yes, the declaration of Martial Law is part of the historical truth. But what about the numerous sides of the story, which play

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EDITORIAL

Historical truth or myth

LAST September, I wrote an article titled “A Flawed Notion of Historical Revisionism” which was published here in the Manila Standard. I wrote the article in reaction to the accusations hurled against singer-actress Toni Gonzaga of resorting to historical revisionism when she had presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. as guest in her online program. Today, I am revisiting the said article with additional inputs after a group of educators led by Oscar Campomanes, a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, launched an online campaign calling for the defense of their so-called historical truth which is premised primarily on their claimed “traumatic personal and collective memories of plunder and human rights violation” under the Marcos dictatorship. “We want to bring out a strong statement in defense of historical truth against unrelenting efforts to revise the historical record of plunder and human rights violations during martial law and the entire Marcos era,” read their manifesto, written in English, Filipino and other regional languages. Actually, I was supposed to write on this if not for some health concerns which bothered me the past few days. Anyway, I just can’t understand what historical truth they are referring to in defense of their position. Again, I begin my article with a quote on Napoleon Bonaparte as I did in my previous article.

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

Why give bloggers a seat in Palace pressers?

HE proposal of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to accredit bloggers so they can participate in Malacañang press conferences may be well-intentioned, but hardly conducive to balanced news reporting. At first glance, the goal is to democratize news gathering and allow bloggers in social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to inform the public about current government policies and programs. After all, it is true that social media probably reaches more people now more than the tri-media consisting of print and radio-TV broadcasts. So why not give bloggers as much right as those in broadcast and print media to keep the public up-to-date on government pronouncements? But the PCOO proposal has also given rise to fears that the bloggers who would be accredited by the agency may only be those who would rather toe the government position on current issues and concerns rather

than write objective reports. Worse, the presence of social media influencers in Palace pressers could be a not-so-subtle move to counter those in mainstream media considered “biased” against the government?

The presence of social media influencers in Palace pressers could be a not-so-subtle move to counter those in mainstream media considered ‘biased’” against the government? But let us listen to veteran journalists who recently weighed in on this issue. For outgoing Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., himself a former newspaper publisher and columnist, “there is no journalism on social media. News must be in print and on the air to make it so expensive you make sure it is the truth before running or airing it…” Press freedom on social media does not involve the steep price of printing

or broadcast, editors and reporters on regular pay and is cost-free self-indulgence with one hand. Vergel Santos, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, was even more scathing: “A blogger decides for himself or for herself. A journalist does not...A journalist, apart from being put through a rigorous training in the discipline and skills ... [their] works are put through a system of checks to ensure that the information disseminated is truthful, well contextualized and not malicious.” And the ultimate put-down: “Bloggers don’t understand those things.” Be that as it may, what do we make of the answer of incoming PCOO Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, who used to be the agency’s social media head, when asked if the incoming administration would allow all journalists to cover future Marcos events in person. Cruz-Angeles said they would “look at existing policies first…We have to wait and see,pending the review of all existing policies.” Does that mean the Palace would really be selective in choosing who would be asked to attend media briefings and perhaps shut the door to known critics?

Incredible political journey In 1992, had the former first lady Imelda Marcos and Danding Cojuangco not both run in the presidential elections, one of them might have won. Both halved the so-called Marcos votes and both lost as a result. That was the time when Fidel Ramos won with about 23 per cent of the votes, one of the slimmest in our post Martial Law presidential elections.

WITH the way the Marcos family left the country that fateful February night in 1986, who would have imagined that, 36 years later, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would break all presidential electoral records since 1992 to emerge triumphant in this year’s presidential elections. By all accounts it was a stunning victory. To paraphrase Senator Imee Marcos, what a remarkable opportunity for a second chance. That is so true. It’s like being in the deepest part of a valley and climbing up to the highest point of the mountain. What caused this shift in the family fortune? To be sure, this did not just happen overnight and the reasons could be a lot more complex than what people might be thinking. It also involved a lot of hard work from the family. For one, the Marcoses believed the Filipino people never abandoned them all those years even when the family was in political limbo. That belief sustained them throughout their political battles. It was not as if the electorate suddenly had a change of heart and from out of nowhere voted in droves for BBM to become the next president. As one political analyst said, the Marcoses never left the political consciousness of the Filipinos.

BBM and sister Imee also both ran for national office and both were elected senators. There has always been a big block of the voting public that never deserted the Marcoses all these years no matter what the current political narrative is or was. One such group is the so-called solid north that has never failed to deliver for the Marcoses. There were also the seeds that their late patriarch planted in his long years as a politician that are paying dividends for his children 33 years after his death. Another reason could be that, after 30 years of different governments somewhat veering to the progressive left, the electorate

a vital role in the historical truth which these people have deliberately omitted? A crucial part of the historical truth, according to former cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines who are now coming out, claims that party chairman Jose Maria “Joma” Sison had sold the soul of the revolution to the group of the late Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in exchange for funding and arms supply. The collaboration between the Left and that section of the Oligarchs – precursor to the Yellows – was even openly manifested in 1978 when the Left fielded Alex Boncayao along with other traditional politicians, including Ninoy, in the election for the Interim Batasang Pambansa under the banner of the Laban ng Bayan or Laban. According to these former cadres, Ninoy collaborated with the Left in bombing the Liberal Party miting de avance at Plaza Mi-

randa in August 1971 which forced Marcos to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. Even the late Senator Jovy Salonga, in his book, expressed suspicion on Ninoy Aquino as he was conspicuously absent from such an important rally even as he, Ninoy, was supposed to be the star of the opposition Liberal Party. And even before the Plaza Miranda bombing, Ninoy was already demonizing Marcos with his Jabidah Massacre exposé, which the Left capitalized on, but which later turned out to be a hoax. There was a war going on between the State forces and the Underground Left which was openly being supported by the Legal Left. Expectedly, there would be casualties on both sides. But as it was, all those killed and incarcerated were labeled as victims of hu-

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

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

BBM will in all probability be his own man and will craft his own presidential style

started to shift to the right, beginning with the 2016 elections. Perhaps BBM somehow benefited from the voting public shifting to the right of the political divide. As we saw in the last May elections, those candidates who ran for national office who pledged support to the current president won and many of those who ran against did not make it. The astute handling of social media may have contributed to the victory but cannot fully explain the entire reason for the landslide victory. There are many other reasons why BBM won. Not the demise of the progressives as some pundits are theorizing. But more of the shifting preferences of the voting public that normally happens in many countries around the world that have democratic elections. Sometimes, the people can get tired of hearing the same story line or ideology and want to shift to another ideology. This happens all the time in many regions around the world. In South America, a region we somehow can identify with, countries there were ruled in the 1950s and 60s by the so-called military caudillos or warlords. Later, many of these caudillos were swept aside with the tide of democracy that spread around the globe in the late 1960s thru the 80s that caused the emergence of many democratic forms of government. Full version on www.manilastandard.net man rights violation by the Legal Left. But this has to be qualified. Those waging an armed struggle against the government were not listed in any roster, wore no uniform and didn’t flash any ID identifying them as armed combatants. Thus, members of the Legal Left can easily vouch for a slain combatant as their member – a civilian mass activist – for them to claim he or she is a victim of human rights violation. But non-combatants can’t seek refuge on the excuse they are not directly involved in the armed struggle, for it is the policy of the Party for its members to be prepared to be deployed in the New People’s Army anytime. They are reservists. In fact, when you take an oath in any underground organization, the last line of the oath reads: “Buhay man ay ialay…” Full version on www.manilastandard.net

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Conspiracy theories cloud virus treaty push

HE World Health Organization is battling a barrage of disinformation alleging it is scheming to take over health policy in sovereign nations, as it tries to chart a way forward towards averting future pandemics. Although used to being in the crosshairs of conspiracy theorists especially over COVID-19, high-proﬁle attempts in countries around the world to discredit the WHO’s efforts are casting a shadow over talks in Geneva this week. Country representatives are discussing how to pave the way for a global agreement that could eventually regulate how nations prepare for and respond to future pandemic threats. “We may face more severe pandemics in the future and we need to be a hell of a lot better prepared than we are now,” the

WHO’s emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters recently. “That’s going to require countries to work together.” It is still far from clear what any future agreement would contain and whether countries will decide they want it to be a treaty or some other “legal instrument.” The negotiations – involving member states, not the WHO – are set to last at least two years. However, that has not stopped conspiracy theories suggesting that the UN health body is out for a power-grab.

Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, in a segment last month on the pandemic treaty, warned his millions of viewers that US President JoeBiden’s administration was close to “handing the World Health Organization power over every aspect, the intimate aspects of your life.” Christine Anderson, a German member of the European Parliament, has warned that the agreement would grant “the WHO de facto governing power over member states.” British comedian-turned-YouTuber Russell Brand, meanwhile, told his more than 5.5 million subscribers that the future treaty meant “your democracy is... ﬁnished.” The WHO and experts say such theories, which have also popped up in Germany, Australia, Russia and other countries, have nothing to do with what is being discussed. AFP

PERFORMANCE PROTEST. South Korean environmental activists perform during a protest in Seoul against Japan’s plan to discharge Fukushima radioactive water into the sea as they mark World Oceans Day on June 8,CYAN 2022. AFP MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard

1.7

TODAY REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON AUDIT Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City

CIRCULAR

No. Date

SUBJECT

1.0

1.8

: 2022-003___ : January 24, 2022

All Heads of Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations, Government Financial Institutions, Government Instrumentalities with Corporate Powers/ Government Corporate Entities and their Subsidiaries, and Water Districts; Heads of Finance/Comptrollership/ Financial Management Services; Chief Accountants/Heads of Accounting Units; Budget Officers/Heads of Budget Units; Assistant Commissioners, Directors, and Auditors of the Commission on Audit (COA); and All Others Concerned

Further, there were some updates on the status (non-operational/ inactive, dissolved/abolished, under abolition, under privatization, privatized, and under liquidation) of GCs in Annexes A and B of COA Circular No. 2015-003, based on the Classification of GovernmentOwned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) by Sectors dated July 22, 2021 issued by the Governance Commission for GOCCs.

2.0

In view of the foregoing, and in consonance with the rule-making function of this Commission as provided under Section 2(2), Article IX-D of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and Section 25(4) of Presidential Decree No. 1445 or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines, this Circular is issued to amend COA Circular No. 2015-003 and provide additional guidelines thereto. COVERAGE

This Circular covers all GCs whether classified as CPSEs or Non CPSEs. 3.0

Amendments to COA Circular No. 2015-003 dated April 16, 2015 prescribing the classification of all Government Corporations (GCs) and other entities/instrumentalities with corporate powers as Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) or Non-GBEs for the purpose of determining the applicable Financial Reporting Framework in the preparation of their Financial Statements and prescribing guidelines therefor, and provision of additional guidelines thereto

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES 3.1

The provisions in this Section are intended to amend the following provisions of COA Circular No. 2015-003: a.

The above-mentioned sections of COA Circular No. 2015-003 provide the definitions and characteristics of GBEs and Non-GBEs. Sections 2.5 and 2.6 are deleted and replaced by Section 3.5 of this Circular. Section 2.7 is deleted and replaced by Sections 3.3 and 3.4 of this Circular.

RATIONALE 1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

On April 16, 2015, this Commission issued COA Circular No. 2015003 to prescribe the classification of all GCs and other entities/ instrumentalities with corporate powers as GBEs or Non-GBEs for the purpose of determining the applicable financial reporting framework in the preparation of their financial statements and prescribing guidelines therefor.

1.5

1.6

3.2

On January 31, 2020, COA Resolution No. 2020-013 was issued renaming GBEs and Non-GBEs into Commercial Public Sector Entities (CPSEs) and Non-CPSEs, respectively, pursuant to the 2018 Edition of the HIPSAP published by the IFAC and the IPSAS Board (IPSASB), which contains an updated version of issued IPSASs, as well as new IPSAS, providing the amendments for reference in all the IPSASs, highlights of which are as follows:

Replacing the term “GBE” with the term “CPSE”, as appropriate.3 The term “CPSE” is not defined or described in the IPSASB’s literature. The interpretation is left to regulators taking account of jurisdictional factors;4 and

Modifying paragraph 10 of the Preface to IPSAS by providing a positive description of public sector entities.5

From

To Commercial Public Sector Entities (CPSEs)

Non-Government Business Enterprises (Non-GBEs)

Non-Commercial Public Sector Entities (Non-CPSEs)

3.3

3.4

On July 21, 2021, COA Resolution No. 2021-018 was issued prescribing the adoption of the updates/changes to the IPSASs prescribed under COA Resolution Nos. 2014-003, 2017-006, and 2020-002 dated January 24, 2014, April 26, 2017, and January 9, 2020, respectively, in accordance with the 2019 Edition of the HIPSAP published by the IFAC, and adoption of The Applicability of IPSASs (Final Pronouncement, April 2016). On the same date, COA Resolution No. 2021-019 was issued prescribing the adoption of four additional IPSASs contained in the 2019 Edition of the HIPSAP published by the IFAC.

Date

Subject

Republic Act No. 10801

May 10, 2016

An Act Governing the Operations and Administration of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

COA Resolution No. 2018-001

January 30, 2018

Reclassification of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation from a Non-Government Business Enterprise (Non-GBE) to a Government Business Enterprise (GBE), and its adoption of the Philippine Financial Reporting Standards (PFRS) as its financial reporting framework

COA Resolution No. 2019-001

January 30, 2019

Delisting the Occupational Safety and Health Center as a Government-Owned or Controlled Corporation under the audit jurisdiction of the Corporate Government Sector, Cluster 2-Social Security Services and Housing, and treating it merely as part of the Employees’ Compensation Commission

COA Resolution No. 2019-008

March 28, 2019

Inclusion of the Coconut Industry Investment Fund Oil Mills Group (CIIF OMG) under the audit jurisdiction of Cluster 5 – Agricultural and Natural Resources, Corporate Government Sector, this Commission

COA Resolution No. 2020-006

January 31, 2020

Inclusion of the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) Holding Companies under the audit jurisdiction of Cluster 5 – Agricultural and Natural Resources, Corporate Government Sector, Commission on Audit

COA Resolution No. 2020-008

January 31, 2020

COA Resolution No. 2020-013

January 31, 2020

COA Resolution No. 2021-012

June 23, 2021

COA Resolution No. 2021-015

July 16, 2021

Listing the Philippine Guarantee Corporation (PHILGUARANTEE) and its subsidiary, PHILGUARANTEE Board of Liquidators, and delisting the Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC) and Trade and Investment Development Corporation of the Philippines/Philippine ExportImport Credit Agency (PhilEXIM) under the audit jurisdiction of the Corporate Government Sector (CGS), Cluster 2 – Social Security Services and Housing

In accordance with paragraph 10 of the Preface to IPSAS in the 2018 Edition of the HIPSAP, the IPSASs are designed to apply to public sector entities that meet all the following criteria: a.

Are responsible for the delivery of services to benefit the public and/or to redistribute income and wealth;

Mainly finance their activities, directly or indirectly, by means of taxes and/or transfers from other levels of government, social contributions, debt or fees; and

Do not have a primary objective to make profits.

GCs which meet all of the above criteria are classified as Non-CPSEs and shall apply the IPSAS with corresponding PAG provided under COA Resolution Nos. 2014-003,6 2017-006, 2020-002, and 2021-019 dated January 24, 2014, April 26, 2017, January 9, 2020, and July 21, 2021, respectively. The adoption by GCs classified as Non-CPSEs of new/subsequent IPSASs with corresponding PAGs shall need the authority of this Commission through the issuance of a resolution and corresponding implementing guidelines thereto. All other GCs which do not meet any or all of the criteria in Section 3.3 are classified as CPSEs and shall apply the PFRS as adopted by the Philippine Financial Reporting Standards Council from the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board. a.

3.6 4.0

PFRS is currently fully converged with the IFRS and is comprised of: 1.

Preface to Philippine Financial Reporting Standards;

The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting;

Philippine Financial Reporting Standards;

Philippine Accounting Standards; and

Philippine Interpretations.

The adoption of new/subsequent PFRSs by GCs classified as CPSEs shall need no further authorization from this Commission, without prejudice to the issuance of implementing guidelines by this Commission.

If the GCs classified as CPSEs have taken advantage of the early adoption of the PFRS, they shall cause the conversion of their accounts to the nearest accounts provided under the existing Revised Chart of Accounts for GCs, pending the issuance of implementing guidelines by this Commission.

The updated lists of GCs classified as CPSEs and Non-CPSEs are provided under Annex A and Annex B of this Circular, respectively.

SAVING CLAUSE

Any clarification or request for assistance on the implementation of this Circular or cases not covered in this Circular shall be referred to this Commission through the Government Accountancy Sector, for appropriate action. 5.0

REPEALING CLAUSE All issuances inconsistent herewith are deemed repealed or amended accordingly.

He accused the Australian plane of threatening China’s sovereignty and security, and the government of spreading “false information.” Australia says the Chinese plane cut in front of its patrol aircraft and released chaff, some of which was ingested into its engines. Chaff is designed to confuse radar-guided missiles. Speculation of a thaw in frosty relations between Australia and China after Albanese’s center-left Labor Party won May 21 elections has been short-lived. China’s premier, Li Keqiang, sent his congratulations a few days after Albanese’s win. But the two countries have since sparred over the jet incident and their rival diplomatic and security ambitions in the South Paciﬁc region. AFP

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that TELEPHILIPPINES INCORPORATED, with office address at EDSA Central IT Center 2, United Street corner EDSA, Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOl) as a New Services Export Provider under Export Activities (BPO-Voice and Non-Voice Customer Services for Laoag Microsite Project) with a capacity of 380 Full-time Employees (Direct Labor of 360) under R.A. 11534 (CREATE Act) and the Export Activities-Services Exports of the 2020 IPP with project site located at Viven Hotel, Brgy. 1, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication. (SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Acting Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-JUNE 9, 2022)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 94, QUEZON CITY BRYAN G. SOBERON,

Civil Case No. R-QZN-19-03261-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage -versusMA. ZYREL C. MENDOZA, Respondent. x------------------------------------x

DECISION WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered: 1. Declaring the marriage of petitioner Bryan G. Soberon and respondent Ma. Zyrel C. Mendoza solemnized in San Juan, Metro Manila on January 13, 2004 null and void ab initio on account of the psychological incapacity of the petitioner and respondent with all the effects thereof as provided by law; 2. Allowing the respondent to use her maiden name “Mendoza”; 3. Dissolving the absolute community of property and that no liquidation is ordered it appearing that the petitioner and respondent have not acquired any property during the marriage; 4. Awarding the custody of the minor Bryan Zyre Mendoza Soberon to the petitioner with visitation rights granted to the respondent; 5. Directing the petitioner and respondent to jointly support Bryan Zyre Mendoza Soberon in accordance with their means and the needs of the latter; 6. Ordering the City Civil Registrar of San Juan, Metro Manila, City Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to record this Decision after it has become final and executor in accordance with law and upon payment by the petitioner of the lawful fees. Pursuant to Section 19(2) A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC (Rule on Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriages and Annulment of Voidable Marriages), let the Dispositive portion of the decision be published at the expense of the petitioner, once in a newspaper of general circulation to be chosen by raffle. Let a copy of the Decision be sent by registered mail to the last known address of the respondent. SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 2, 2022.

6.0

EFFECTIVITY DATE This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Renaming Government Business Entities (GBEs) and Non-Government Business Entities (NonGBEs) into Commercial Public Sector Entities (CPSEs) and Non-Commercial Public Sector Entities (Non-CPSEs) pursuant to the 2018 Edition of the Handbook of International Public Sector Accounting Pronouncements (HIPSAP) published by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB)

MICHAEL G. AGUINALDO Chairperson

Inclusion of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) subsidiaries under the audit jurisdiction of Cluster 1-Banking and Credit, Corporate Government Sector, this Commission

ROLAND CAFÉ PONDOC Commissioner

Inclusion of the Philippine Tax Academy under the audit jurisdiction of Cluster 6 – Social, Cultural, Trading, Promotional and Other Services, Corporate Government Sector, Commission on Audit

AUSTRALIA insisted Wednesday that its patrol plane was in international airspace when a Chinese warplane intercepted it and released a cloud of small aluminum strips, known as chaff. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded curtly when asked about a spat between Canberra and Beijing over the May 26 incident, which Australia’s government has described as “very dangerous.” “This incident occurred in international airspace. Full stop,” Albanese told a news conference. China’s defense ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said Tuesday that the Australian P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft came near the airspace of the disputed Paracel Islands—known as Xisha in China. Tan said the Chinese side “issued a warning to drive it away.”

Petitioner,

3.5

There had been reclassification of some GCs and inclusion/delisting of some GCs in Annexes A and B of COA Circular No. 2015-003 in accordance with the following law and COA issuances:

Law/ Issuance

The classification of GCs as previously provided under COA Circular No. 2015-003 is hereby amended, as follows:

Government Business Enterprises (GBEs)

Deleting the definition of GBE from IPSAS 1 – Presentation of Financial Statements and other IPSASs;1 Removing the standard paragraphs about the applicability of the IPSASs to public sector entities other than GBEs from the scope section of each Standard;2

Annexes A and B Annexes A and B of COA Circular No. 2015-003 provide the list of GCs classified as GBEs and Non-GBEs, respectively. For reasons stated under Section 1 herein, these annexes are replaced by Annex A – Updated List of GCs classified as Commercial Public Sector Entities (formerly Government Business Enterprises) and Annex B – Updated List of GCs classified as Non-Commercial Public Sector Entities (formerly Non-Government Business Enterprises) of this Circular, respectively.

On January 9, 2020, COA Resolution No. 2020-001 was issued renaming the PPSAS to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) with corresponding Philippine Application Guidance (PAG), in order to strengthen this Commission’s commitment to implement the IPSAS. On the same date, COA Resolution No. 2020-002 was issued prescribing the adoption of IPSAS 41 – Financial Instruments to replace IPSAS 29 – Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement.

Section 3 Section 3 of COA Circular No. 2015-003 provides the guidelines and procedures on how GCs will comply with their prescribed financial reporting framework per their respective classification (GBEs/Non-GBEs). The provisions of such section, insofar as inconsistent with this Circular, are amended and supplemented by the pertinent provisions specifically provided under Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of this Circular.

On April 26, 2017, COA Resolution No. 2017-006 was issued to prescribe the adoption of additional six Philippine Public Sector Accounting Standards (PPSASs) and updates on the PPSAS prescribed through COA Resolution No. 2014-003 dated January 24, 2014 in accordance with the 2016 Edition of the Handbook of International Public Sector Accounting Pronouncements (HIPSAP) published by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

Sections 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7

China intercepted jet in int’l airspace in May

(Sgd.) ROSLYN M. RABARA-TRIA Presiding Judge Copy furnished: ACP Arceli C. Ragsac-OCP, Quezon City OSG-134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City City Civil Registrar, San Juan, Metro Manila City Civil Registrar, Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority

Note: Annexes A and B of the Circular may be accessed in the COA website @www.coa.gov. ph 1

2 3 4 5 6

COA Resolution No. 2020-013 dated January 31, 2020 – Renaming Government Business Entities (GBEs) and Non-Government Business Entities (Non-GBEs) into Commercial Public Sector Entities (CPSEs) and Non-Commercial Public Sector Entities (Non-CPSEs) pursuant to the 2018 Edition of the Handbook of International Public Sector Accounting Pronouncements (HIPSAP) published by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), par. 4, last sentence. Ibid, par. 5, item (a). Ibid, par. 5, item (b). IPSAS 1-Presentation of Financial Statements, page 208, par. BC36, last sentence. Supra, note 1, par. 5, item (c). COA Resolution No. 2014-003 dated January 24, 2014 – Adoption of the Philippine Public Sector Accounting Standards. (MS-JUNE 9, 2022)

Atty. Generoso L. Turqueza Turqueza Law Office No. 19-E Maunland St., Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City Bryan G. Soberon No. 53-F D. Tuazon Street, Barangay Lourdes Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City Ma. Zyrel C. Mendoza Barangay Kumintang Ibaba, Batangas City (MStandard-June 9, 2022)

‘Joe Ferrari’ cop jailed over death of suspect A FLASHY Thai cop nicknamed “Joe Ferrari” for his taste in fast cars was on Wednesday jailed for life for torturing a drug suspect to death during a brutal interrogation. A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom. Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat’s head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death. The judge at Bangkok’s Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced the 41-yearold to death, but immediately commuted it to life imprisonment. “I felt helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying,” Jakkrit Klandi, the victim’s father, said outside the court. “All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime,” he said. The court reduced Thitisan’s sentence to life imprisonment because he had attempted to revive the suspect, and had paid for the funeral expenses for the family. Five of the other six officers involved in the case were found guilty of murder and also received life sentences. A seventh got five years and four months, following his testimony. AFP

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THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market climbs; Ayala issues advance

TOP LOSERS

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TOCKS rose slightly Wednesday taking their cue on the rest of Asian markets as investors picked up shares that suffered sharp losses in recent sessions.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added just 15.61 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,769.62 on a value turnover of P5.4 billion. Gainers beat losers, 109 to 78, with 46 issues unchanged. Ayala Corp. of the Ayala Group climbed 2.3 percent to P694, while property unit Ayala Land Inc. advanced 3.4 percent to P32. Unit Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest telecommunications firm, gained 2.1 percent at P2,444. SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group, however, fell 1.9 percent to P38.35. The rest of Asian markets rallied Wednesday, building on a hearty per-

formance on Wall Street and helped by the reopening in China, though analysts continue to warn of near-term volatility caused by surging inflation, rising interest rates and the Ukraine war. Equities have enjoyed some respite in recent weeks from a painful selloff caused by central bank monetary tightening—particularly by the Federal Reserve—and a spike in prices that is beginning to hit consumers, raising concerns of an economic slowdown or recession. A retreat in US Treasury yields provided a lift to New York traders, as did a jump in Chinese firms listed there fueled by growing optimism that Beijing is to ease back on its long-running crackdown against the tech sector. The improved mood around tech has come after a report this week said China was close to ending a probe into ridehailing app Didi Global and restoring its main apps this week. The Wall Street Journal also said investigations into two other firms—Full

Truck Alliance and recruitment platform Kanzhun--were coming to a conclusion. And on Tuesday authorities approved a second batch of 60 games in a further step to lightening their approach in the world’s largest mobile entertainment market. Citi analysts said the “announcement will also send a positive signal of policy support to the overall China internet sector.” Market heavyweights rallied in Hong Kong with Alibaba up more than 10 percent, NetEase 5.7 percent higher and Tencent up more than six percent, helping the Hang Seng Index climb more than two percent. Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Bangkok, Jakarta and Taipei were also in positive territory. But Seoul and Wellington were barely moved while Mumbai dipped. The moves in Asia came as Beijing relaxes its strict COVID lockdown measures, allowing the world’s number two economy to edge back into life after months.

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RATE HIKE. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das (right) addresses a press conference in Mumbai on June 8, 2022. India’s central bank on June 8 hiked rates for a second time in as many months, as Asia’s third-largest economy reels from galloping inflation in the wake of the Ukraine war. AFP

Out of the frying pan: Indonesians pay price of cooking oil crisis Sutaryo, when he had workers frying tempe chips outside for lack of space. ‘Significant’ impact on poor Cooking oil prices were already on the rise in 2021, but the impact of Moscow’s assault has driven them to record highs, said Mohammad Faisal, executive director of the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE Indonesia) think tank. AFP

By Marchio Gorbiano JAKARTA, Indonesia—About three weeks after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, Indonesian housewife Liesye Setiana was forced to close her banana chip business as cooking oil supplies dried up across the country. Millions of consumers and small business owners in the world’s fourth most populous nation have been rattled for months by skyrocketing cooking oil prices. As the war between the two major grain and sunflower seed producers sent jitters through global markets, many producers rushed to shift their goods abroad to cash in on soaring rates. Setiana would travel to a supermarket over an hour from her remote East Java village of Baruharjo to buy a daily eight-liter batch of palm oil that could keep her business alive. But the 49-year-old mother of two would be turned away, with sellers heavily rationing the commodity used in products ranging from cosmetics to chocolate spreads. “I was fuming and told the employees that I really need the cooking oil for personal use, not for hoarding,” said Setiana, who used to make up to 750,000 rupiah ($52) a day selling her savory yellow snack. “How come we have cooking oil shortages when Indonesia is the world’s top palm oil producer?” Her battle for supplies is just a snapshot of the cooking oil crisis that has spurred hourslong queues of residents with jerry cans in hand across Indonesia’s most populous island, Java, and others such as Borneo. Two people died in March from exhaustion—including one who had queued at three different supermarkets, according to local media—as they waited in searing heat to get their hands on a product that rose to 20,100 rupiah a liter at its height. Counting costs Indonesia produces about 60 percent of global palm oil supplies, with one-third consumed domestically. India, China, the European Union and Pakistan are among its major export customers. The squeeze on cooking oil at home forced the Indonesian government to impose a now-lifted ban on exports last month, easing prices and shoring up domestic supplies. But at the end of May, the price of bulk cooking oil, the most affordable in the country, still hovered at about 18,300 ru-

World Bank slashes China growth target over COVID BEIJING, China—The World Bank has sharply slashed its annual growth forecast for China, warning in a report Wednesday that COVID disruptions could further slow recovery in the world’s second-largest economy. China is the last major economy wedded to a zero- COVID policy, using rapid lockdowns, mass testing and strict movement restrictions to eliminate outbreaks—but it has tangled supply chains and dragged economic indicators to their lowest levels in around two years. Growth in China is projected to slow to 4.3 percent in 2022, the World Bank said in a report on Wednesday, marking a steep 0.8 percentage-point drop from the December forecast. This “largely reflects the economic damage caused by Omicron outbreaks and the prolonged lockdowns in parts of China from March to May,” the report said, referring to the highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus. In those months, restrictions on dozens of cities including the manufacturing hubs of Shenzhen and Shanghai as well as the breadbasket province of Jilin battered business operations and kept consumers at home. “In the short term, China faces the dual challenge of balancing COVID-19 mitigation with supporting economic growth,” said Martin Raiser, the World Bank country director for China, Mongolia and Korea. “The dilemma... is how to make the policy stimulus effective, as long as mobility restrictions persist.” Activity is expected to rebound in the latter half of 2022, helped by fiscal stimulus and more easing of housing rules, the World Bank said. But domestic demand will likely recover gradually and only partly offset the earlier pandemic-related damage, it added. The World Bank’s forecast adjustment came as concerns grow that China may not meet its official growth target of around 5.5 percent this year. Premier Li Keqiang has warned that the challenges today are in some ways “greater than when the pandemic hit” in 2020, and the government has rolled out a series of measures to try and jump-start the economy. The Chinese government has also launched a major infrastructure push this year, but the World Bank warned this was a precarious path. “There is a danger that China remains tied to the old playbook of boosting growth through debt-financed infrastructure and real estate investment,” it said Wednesday. AFP

Employees fry sliced tempe, a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans, at a home industry that produces chips in Jakarta May 18, 2022. AFP

piah per liter on average, above the government’s target of 14,000 rupiah, according to official data. The price spike has left many with difficult decisions to make. Sutaryo, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, runs a tempe chip business out of his home in South Jakarta. He was forced to jack up his prices and lay off four employees to stay afloat. “After the surge of cooking oil prices, we have to be smart in calculating our production cost. Our consumers are left with no other choice Manila NOTICE OF but to accept a higher price for our kripik Standard Manila EXTRAJUDICIAL NOTICE OF tempe,” he said, referring to the traditional soy- Standard TODAY SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE EXTRAJUDICIAL AMONGTODAY HEIRS WITH SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE based crackers. WAIVERHEIRS OF RIGHTS AMONG WITH With demand yet to recover, production WAIVER OF RIGHTS is hereby given that the estate at Sutaryo’s home factory has slid from 300 Notice of theislate JULIETA P. LOBITAÑA, Notice given that the estate who passed away P.lastLOBITAÑA, March 3, to 100 kilograms a day, and daily revenue is of the latehereby JULIETA 2012passed at Otis, Paco, and left3,a who away Manila last March down to six million rupiah from 15 million 2012 real property pursuant with a transfer at Otis, Paco, Manila and left a certificate ofpursuant title, withwith sizea transfer lot of 88 real property before the pandemic. sqm, TCT No. with 060-2022005769, certificate of title, size lot of 88 located at Sta. Laguna has TCT No. Rosa, 060-2022005769, About half-a-dozen workers cut thin slic- sqm, been extrajudicially at Sta. Rosa,settled Lagunaamong has heirs extrajudicially with waiver of settled rights executed es of tempe before throwing them into fry- located been among on May 2022ofby her legal heirs heirs with20, waiver rights executed ing pans of hot oil, letting them sizzle until onbefore Notary Public Atty.legal Al Whilan May 20, 2022 by her heirs A. Baljon as per Doc.Atty. No. Al 261; Page before Notary Public Whilan crispy. 54; Book 3; Series of 2022. A.No. Baljon as perNo. Doc. No. 261; Page It is a far cry from the hustle and bustle No. 54; Book No. 3; Series of 2022. of the business’s pre-pandemic peak, said (MS-MAY 26 / JUNE 2 & 9, 2022)

(MS-MAY 26 / JUNE 2 & 9, 2022)

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION LENEWTION INC. LENEWTION INC.

Notice is hereby given that the Amended Articles of Incorporation of LENEWTION INC., shortening theisterm of its existence into two (2) Years and Nine (9) Months from and afterINC., the Notice hereby given that the Amended Articles of Incorporation of LENEWTION date of issuance of of itsits Certificate Incorporation andand thereby said corporation shortening the term existenceofinto two (2) Years Ninedissolving (9) Monthsthe from and after the as of March 01, 2021 and a Balance showingand thatthereby no creditors thereof becorporation affected by as date of issuance of its Certificate ofSheet Incorporation dissolving thewill said dissolution, filed with the Securities Exchangethereof Commission. All person ofsuch March 01, 2021have and abeen Balance Sheet showing thatand no creditors will be affected by having claims against the corporation areSecurities requestedand to present theCommission. same at its principal office at such dissolution, have been filed with the Exchange All person 4th Floor PCCI Corporate Center 118 Leviste to St.present Brgy. Bel-Air Makati for immediate having claims against the corporation areL.P requested the same at its City principal office at th 4settlement. Floor PCCI Corporate Center 118 L.P Leviste St. Brgy. Bel-Air Makati City for immediate settlement. This announcement will serve as a notice to all parties concerned of the legal dissolution of the said This corporation. announcement will serve as a notice to all parties concerned of the legal dissolution of the said corporation.

(MS-JUNE 2/9/16, 2022) (MS-JUNE 2/9/16, 2022)

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Business

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

IN BRIEF

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

Foreign reserves fell to $103b in May THE country’s gross international reserves fell to $103.53 billion at the end of May from $105.4 billion in April on government’s payment of foreign debt and lower value of the gold holdings, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday. It was the lowest GIR level since September 2020. “The month-on-month decrease in the GIR level reflected mainly the national government’s foreign currency withdrawals from its deposits with the BSP to settle its foreign currency debt obligations and pay for its various expenditures,” the BSP said in a statement. “Further, the downward adjustment in the value of the BSP’s gold holdings due to the decrease in the price of gold in the international market contributed to the decline in the GIR,” it said. Data showed the value of BSP’s gold holdings declined to $9.02 billion in May from $9.27 billion in April. The BSP said the latest GIR level still represented more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 9.1 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. Julito G. Rada

Shell to build LNG terminal in Batangas By Alena Mae S. Flores SHELL Energy Philippines Inc. plans to develop a P3.5-billion liquefied natural gas import terminal within the parent company’s import facility in Tabangao, Batangas. “The project will supply natural gas for power use with the impending depletion of the Malampaya gas field by 2024. With its development and operation, the Shell LNG Project will be able to address the anticipated deficit in electrical generation capacity and avoid adverse impacts to economic growth within the region,” the company said in documents submitted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. SEPH filed a notice with the Department of Energy on Nov. 11, 2020 to develop the import terminal project. SEPH conceptualized the LNG terminal in 2013 for a different project, but with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.’s refinery closure and conversion to an import facility, it saw the opportunity to revive the LNG project. The DOE issued the NTP to SEPH on March 16, 2021. SEPH’s updated LNG project components consist of a floating storage re-gasification unit with a capacity of 3.8 metric tons per annum, conversion of the jetty, subsea and onshore gas pipeline and pressure reduction metering station. An FSRU is an LNG storage ship capable of onboard regasification and can supply LNG directly into the gas network. The pipeline will tie-in to the Manila Malampaya Onshore Gas Plant. It Standard will share facilities such as the onTODAY shore control room, substation, access roads and drainage system with the PSPC facility. The company will also source onshore water supply from the PSPC facility.

SEC approves merger of Roxas Holdings units MEDICAL MISSION. Metro Pacific Tollways South, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., launches a medical mission at

the Barangay Aplaya Covered Court in Kawit, Cavite. About 392 children and adult residents of Barangay Aplaya, Kawit received free healthcare services such as circumcision, general check-up, pediatric consultation and wellness services from the corporate social responsibility effort of the toll road company called ‘Alagang MPT South Medical Mission.’ The initiative is in partnership with the local government of Barangay Aplaya, Joint Task Force-NCR (First Task Brigade, First AFP Reserve Center and 11th CMO Battalion), One Pharma Company Inc., Island Luz Minerva Lodge No. 5, F. & A.M. and Kinamak Flame Grilled Burgers and Sausages. Roy Tomandao

World Bank retains 2022 PH growth target at 5.7% By Julito G. Rada

HE World Bank on Wednesday kept its 2022 growth outlook for the Philippines at 5.7 percent anchored on more robust domestic activities despite intensifying global uncertainties. It also predicted annual growth of 5.6 percent in 2023 and 2024 for the country, but said domestic and external headwinds may negatively impact these projections. The Philippines grew 8.3 percent in the first quarter, fueled by strong domestic demand and the recovery of industry and services sectors. “Continuing growth this year will draw strength from an improving domestic environment, charac-

terized by low COVID-19 cases, greater mobility of people and wider resumption of economic and social activities,” the World Bank said in its Philippines Economic Update. World Bank senior economist Kevin Chua said in an online briefing the “growth outlook for the Philippines remains positive but subject to downside risks.” Chua noted the upward trajecto-

MEDILINES DISTRIBUTORS, INC 7 Pioneer St. cor. Sheridan St., Brgy. Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City

Please be advised that the Annual Meeting of the stockholders of MEDILINES DISTRIBUTORS, INC. (the “Company”) for the year 2022 will be conducted online on 04 July 2022, Monday at 10:00 a.m. Stockholders who wish to participate in the proceedings may do so by signing on at the following URL address: https://voting-medilines.com/vsrv/Registration The following shall be the agenda of the meeting: Call to Order;

Certification of Notice and Quorum;

3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

ry of inflation, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the monetary policy normalization in the US, slowdown in China and the lingering risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflation in May accelerated to a 42-month AC Logistics obtains high of 5.4 percent from 4.9 percent in April, approval to buy Air 21 driven by higher prices of food, non-alcoholic THE Philippine Competition Commisbeverages and transport, the Philippine Statistics sion said Wednesday it approved the proAuthority said. posed acquisition of a controlling interest The World Bank said the reopening of the in Air 21 Holdings Inc. by AC Logistics economy shored up services, especially transHoldings Corp. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK The takeover is the first transaction portation, restaurant and food services and submitted for voluntary merger review wholesale and retail trade. by the parties under the Bayanihan To It said prospects improved for tourism following Recover As One Act period, with the inthe opening of border to vaccinated individuals, creased threshold of P50 billion. reopening of tourist attractions and relaxed travel The PCC said the proposed acquisition requirements for travelers. Sustained public investwould not result in substantial lessening ments, along with recovering business activities, of competition in relevant markets within will boost construction and industry sectors, it said. the logistics sector. It said this is due to “Continuity of reforms in the last six years substantial competitive constraints exerted by other market players in the sector promoting greater competition and attracting nationwide. foreign investments will further boost the counIt also found that customers of the partry’s growth outlook in the coming years,” said ties’ relevant services are engaged with Ndiamé Diop, World Bank country director for multiple service providers, attesting to Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. healthy competition in the industry in “In the context of narrowing fiscal space, the terms of price and service quality. authorities can encourage public-private partnerThe PCC mergers and acquisitions ofships to sustain improvements in the country’s fice said the merging parties would not result in dominant market position, given infrastructure assuming financial risks to the the resulting market shares in the relevant government are managed and the quality of sermarkets. Othel V. Campos vices for the citizens are secured,” Diop said.

BPO revenues rose by 10% to $29.5b in 2021

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

SUGAR and ethanol producer Roxas Holdings Roxas Holdings Inc. said Wednesday the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the merger of its five units that will lead to better operational and fiscal management. The merger involves Central Azucarera De La Carlota Inc., Roxol Bioenergy Corp., RHI Agri-Business Development Corp., Roxas Pacific Bioenergy Corp. and Central Azucarera Don Pedro Inc., with CADPI as the surviving entity. “The merger is expected to provide better operational and fiscal management across the other remaining entities in operation under the issuer,” RHI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange. “Since all entitles involved in the merger are existing subsidiaries of RHI, there will be no material impact to the parent company/issuer’s financial position or business post-merger,” it said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Presentation and Adoption of the President’s Report and Annual Report and Approval of the Audited Financial Statements for the year 2021; Ratification of all act of the Board of Directors and Management since 7 December 2021, dating the first day the Company became Publicly Listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange; Election of the Directors (including the Independent Directors) of the Company for the ensuing fiscal year; Appointment of the external auditor of the Company for the year 2022; Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation to change the office address of the Company from 7 Pioneer St. cor. Sheridan St., Brgy. Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City to 3rd Flr. Vistamall Hub, C.V. Starr Ave, Pamplona Dos, Las Piñas City. Other business as may properly come before the meeting and at any adjournment thereof; and

9. Adjournment The Board of Directors has set 13th day of June 2022, as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting. Given the continuing concern for our stockholders safety and welfare, the Company will dispense with the physical attendance of stockholders at the meeting. Consequently, attendance will only be by remote communication, with voting being accomplished in absentia through the Company’s online voting system at https://voting-medilines.com/vsrv/Registration or through the Chairman of the meeting, as proxy. In compliance with Section 15 of MC 6, series 2020; the Chairman who is the presiding officer of the meeting shall call the meeting in Mandaluyong City, the city where the principal office of the Company is located. Stockholders intending to participate by remote communication should pre-register with the Company via Medilines’ Virtual Stockholder Registration and Voting no later than 24 June 2022 or submit duly accomplished proxies on or before 27 June 2022 to the Office of the Investor Relations Officer at Unit 1705, 17th Flr., One Global Place, 5th Ave. cor. 25th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, and/or by email to investorrelations@medilines.com.ph. Validation of proxies is set on 27 June 2022 at 2:00 p.m. The detailed rules and procedures for participating in the meeting through remote communication and for casting their votes in absentia are set forth in the Information Statement. Very truly yours, JO MARIE LAZARO – LIM Corporate Secretary (MS-JUNE 9 & 10, 2022)

PSE INDEX CLOSING

By Othel V. Campos EXPORT revenues of the information technology and business process management grew 10.6 percent in 2021 to $29.49 billion from $26.6 billion in 2020 as many companies adapted to remote working set-up, an industry group said Wednesday. “This double-digit growth validates what we had projected—that 2021 performance was beyond recovery. It marks resurgence for the Philippine IT-BPM sector,” said IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines president and chief executive Jack Madrid. The group said the number of full-time employees in the sector also increased 9.1 percent last year to 1.44 million from 1.32 million in 2020. “Preserving jobs, driving investments, stimulating countryside development and creating demand for real estate—these are the unequivocal contributions of the industry to nation-building,” Madrid said. The group said the 2021 figures did not only exceed the forecasted growth for the year, but also eclipsed the recalibrated 2022 targets of 1.43 million employees and $29.1-billion revenues ahead of schedule.

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

15.61 PTS. 6,769.62

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP)

744,911,252 79,070 5,373,453,300.07

ADVANCES DECLINES

109 78

UNCHANGED

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.9220

Japan

Yen

0.007540

0.3990

Pound

1.259400

66.6500

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127449

6.7449

Switzerland

Franc

1.028595

54.4353

Canada

Dollar

0.798085

42.2363

Singapore

Dollar

0.728120

38.5336

Australia

Dollar

0.723200

38.2732

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653153

140.4102

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266588

14.1084

Brunei

Dollar

0.725479

38.3938

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.029053

1.5375

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.4100

Euro

1.070900

56.6742

Korea

Won

0.000797

0.0422

China

Yuan

0.149898

7.9329

India

Rupee

0.012879

0.6816

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.227609

12.0455

New Zealand

Dollar

0.648900

34.3411

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033919

1.7951 Source: BSP

Prime Infra plans world’s largest solar farm PRIME Infrastructure Holdings Inc., the infrastructure unit of billionaire Enrique Razon Jr., plans to put up the world’s largest solar power project with a capacity of 2,500 megawatts to 3,500 MW. The company will combine the solar plant with 4,000 megawatt-hours to 4,500 MWh of battery energy storage system to boost the supply of renewable energy in the country. “Prime Infra finds a sweet spot to pursue solar as we take advantage of the steep decline in installation costs over the past decade and the improved battery energy storage system technology that allows us to build an economically critical and socially relevant infrastructure at a scale the world has never seen before,” said Prime Infra president and chief executive Guil-

laume Lucci. Terra Solar Philippines, a unit of Terra Renewables Holdings Inc., a renewable power subsidiary under Prime Infra’s control, will develop the project in partnership with Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. Terra Solar will supply 850 MW to Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). Terra Solar submitted a bid to Meralco as an original proponent last year. Following the Department of Energy’s approval, Meralco went through the competitive selection process. Two entities challenged the bid but failed to submit an offer, paving the way for Terra Solar to negotiate a 20-year power supply agreement with Meralco. Alena Mae S. Flores

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

NLEX Road Warriors edge Terrafirma Dyip, 105-102 By Peter Atencio

Japan’s Naoya Inoue celebrates after winning against the Philippines’ Nonito Donaire during their bantamweight unification boxing match at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on Tuesday. AFP

Casimero not on Inoue’s radar By Randy Caluag

AOYA Inoue uniﬁed three bantamweight world titles on Tuesday night in Saitama, Japan with a devastating second-round stoppage of Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire Jr.

John Riel Casimero

Call him the unified champion, but if Inoue wants to cement his stamp as the best in the division, he must face someone like John Riel Casimero, who lost the World Boxing Organization title due to an off-ring technicality. In a social media post, Casimero expressed empathy to Hall-of-Fame bound Donaire and followed a short teasing statement. “Wala, talo mga idol, ako na next hehe.” In another short post, Casimero said: “Bawi tayo. hehe.” Casimero is considered a world champion in absentia, having been stripped of his WBO bantamweight title last month after he failed to defend it on two occasions against challenger Paul Butler, who was eventually declared the champion after beating the Filipino’s replacement,

Jonas Sultan. Will Casimero be given the opportunity to face the Japanese Monster even without a belt to show off? Inoue’s promoter, Top Rank, may not entertain the idea of putting its Japanese jewel at great risk, well aware that Casimero possesses a dangerous, awkward style and deceiving power. This early, there were reports that current World Boxing Organization champion Paul Butler’s team is already in talks with Inoue’s camp about a possible title bout to unify all the four major titles in the bantamweight class. Butler, as per reports by Sidestep boxing, has reportedly told DAZN boxing that “Inoue’s team want the fight next before he looks on moving up, so that means this year.”

This could be the most prudent path for the undefeated Inoue, who is expected to easily dispatch Butler, to unify all the four world titles and become the undisputed champion. When Casimero was still the WBO champion, he almost had Inoue agree to a fight, but later on chose to have a rematch with Donaire. Inoue, who improved his immaculate record to 23 wins—20 by knockout—maybe younger at 29 years old. But Casimero being at 32 is still at his peak. Choosing to f ight the 39-yearold Donaire was the right decision by Inoue’s camp and the dangerous Casimero is not on their radar right now. What are the options for Casimero to get regain his championship status? First, he must put his team in proper order and sign up with a blue-chip promoter with tremendous clout, who could affirm his no. 1 contender slot to go for a title fight against Butler. Or wait until after the projected ButlerInoue showdown and challenge the winner for all the marbles.

ASICS Rock ‘n’ Roll series to enforce safety measures ORGANIZERS of the ASICS Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series will impose strict health and safety protocols before, during and after the race to ensure the trouble-free staging of the event when it is held on June 19 in Manila. The IRONMAN Group and Rock “n” Roll Running Series, organizers and producers of the event, have been coordinating to better protect not just the thousands of participants but also those involved in the staging of the world biggest running series, including the spectators. “All the precautionary measures are in place. With coordination in the implementation of all health and social measures, we guarantee the smooth and safe conduct of the ASICS RnR running series,” said Dr. Carmelo Braganza and Dr. Jonathan Laya of the joint Medical Director team. From the bib number pick-up to the collection of race kits at Mehan Garden to pre-event listup, all participants, organizers, sponsors, and staff will be required

to register at https://sunriseevents.com.ph/pre-eventattendance-registration/ All entries will receive e-mail confirmation with their respective QR codes, which they, including organizers, sponsors and staff, will present (printout or on mobile phone) on race day at the check-in gates/areas. They will also be required to wear face masks on race day and present their QR code at entrance gates. However, runners will have the option to run with face masks. After race completion, face mask will be available to all participants before entering the festival area, a mask zone area while physical distancing will be observed at all event areas. As mandated by the host city, only participants with Covid-19 vaccination cards will be allowed to join while those unvaccinated will be required to present their 48hour antigen results. Listup is ongoing at www.runrocknroll.com.ma-

nila with onsite registration at Garmin stores (through cash and Gcash mode of payment) at Glorietta I, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, The Podium, Ayala Vertis North, SM North, SM Aura, Uptown and Alabang Town Center. The 10K and 5K races get going at 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., respectively, while the 21K and 42K events will start at 5 p.m., both at Rizal Park. Fees are P950 for 5K, P1,850 for 10K, P2,450 for halfmarathon and P2,650 for the 42K run. For the Remix Challenge, rates are P3,600 for marathon +5K, P4,100 for marathon +10K, P3,800 for half-marathon +5K and P3,400 for half-marathon +10K. The world’s largest running series, backed by ASICS as title sponsor, Gatorade as official hydration partner and Alaska, Lightwater, Regent and Sante, will pass through the National Museum complex, Intramuros, the Manila Cathedral, Manila City Hall, the Kartilya ng Katipunan, the Jones Bridge and Chinatown in Binondo and back to Luneta.

Celtics ready for Warriors’ physical challenge BOSTON—Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has urged his team to fight fire with fire as they prepare for the physical challenge of the Golden State Warriors in game three of the NBA Finals. The Warriors outmuscled the Celtics in their series-levelling game two win on Sunday, with Golden State enforcer Draymond Green leading a superb defensive performance that shut down Boston’s scoring threat. Green was a thorn in the side of the Celtics line-up throughout the win, sparring both physically and verbally with Boston’s players incessantly. Udoka says he has given his players no special instructions in how to deal with Green other than to “be who you are”. “If you want to ignore it, ignore it,” Udoka said on Tuesday. “If you engage, engage. Do what you do. Be who you are. “The main thing is to continue to stay composed. With us, I don’t think it’s the talking as much as the physicality that they brought ... We know obviously that’s what Green does. Kind of bleeds over into the team.” Udoka said he if he had been suit-

ing up in this year’s finals as a player “I would probably get a double technical immediately”. “But that’s not everybody,” Udoka said. “Do what you do. Block it out or meet physicality with physicality.” Udoka is also only too aware of Green’s importance to the Warriors as a rallying point when the team needs lifting. “When their team is struggling, he sets the tone for them. That’s one of the ways he does it. But we embrace that,” Udoka said. “One of the best defensive teams, we like to impose our will, as well. I have to meet that with the same thing.” Celtics ace Jaylen Brown was involved in a flashpoint with Green in game two after being fouled by the Warriors star on a three-point attempt. The two ended up in a shoving match after tangling on the floor, and Brown later accused Green of trying to yank his shorts down. Brown said Tuesday he planned to ignore any needling by Green in game three. “We ain’t got time for that. Just come out and play basketball, let everything else take care of itself,” Brown said. “I’m going to come out, do my job.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors drives against Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has urged his team to fight fire with fire as they prepare for the physical challenge of the Golden State Warriors in Game 3. AFP

We’re here to play basketball, so don’t Warriors coach Steve Kerr meanwhile get caught up in all the antics and stuff said he had no plans to ask Green to temper like that.” his physical approach. AFP

CALVIN Oftana struck with two free throws with a second left as the NLEX Road Warriors turned back Terrafirma Dyip, 105-102, on Wednesday in the 2022 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum. Oftana got the chance to ice the win for the Road Warriors when he drew a foul from Joshua Munzon. The Dyip had chance of sending the game into overtime off Munzon, a confident outside shooter in the 3x3 scene. But he turned the ball over off Oftana’s tight guarding. The 6’5” Oftana went on to finish with 15 points, behind Kevin Alas, who led with 24. Juami Tiongson and Aldrech Ramos sank 18 points each for the Dyip. The Dyip moved close in the last four seconds off a triple from Ed Daquioag and a split freebie from Tiongson, 102-103, but Oftana sealed the win with his freebies. The Scores: NLEX 105 – Alas 24, Oftana 20, Quinahan 18, Trollano 15, Chua 13, Rosales 7, Paniamogan 5, Nieto 3, Semerad 0, Miranda 0, Varilla 0, Soyud 0, Ighalo 0 TERRAFIRMA 102 – Tiongson 18, Ramos 18, Munzon 15, Daquioag 14, Gabayni 12, Cahilig 7, Go 7, Camson 5, Gomez de Liano 4, Balagasay 2, Calvo 0, Enriquez 0, Mina 0 QUARTERS: 17-18, 31-47, 71-76, 105-102

PH Azkals hold Yemen to 0-0 draw at AFC tilt THE Philippine Azkals played Yemen to a scoreless draw on Wednesday in their Group B showdown in the third qualification round of the 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup at the MFF Stadium in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Both teams are tied for the lead of Group B, going into their next games on Saturday. The Azkals battle host nation Mongolia at 12:30 p.m., while Yemen clashes with Palestine at 5 p.m. Important saves from Azkals’ goalkeeper Neil Etheridge kept Yemen from scoring, and this included a final attempt in the 93rd minute. The Philippines tried to score early in the second half, with Kenshiro Daniels almost sinking a header at the 58th minute off a corner kick. But Yemeni goalie Salem Gamal Al-Harsh caught the ball. Bienvenido Marañon escaped from his defender in the 74th mark, but his attempt was quickly denied by the Yemeni goalkeeper. Peter Atencio

Entertainment

Nickie Wang,, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

Wilbert Ross finds niche as raunchy comedy star

Wilbert Ross in his new series ‘High (School) on Sex’

The cast of ‘High (School) on Sex’

By Nickie Wang THERE’S a specific reason why Boy Bastos actor Wilbert Ross wouldn’t kiss another guy onscreen. At the media conference for the series High (School) on Sex, which started

Team Saints with their coaching staff led by coach Bonnie Tan (center)

streaming on Vivamax on June 5, the 24-year-old actor was asked if he would be willing to lock lips with a co-actor. The question was in reference to the growing number of male actors who star in Boys Love series and movies and go all out in steamy love scenes. “It’s not just a preference. I think a lot of male stars have been doing it already, so let’s give it to them. I have nothing against kissing another guy onscreen, it’s just that there are only a few actors who do sexy comedy. So, ibigay nyo na sa akin ito,” Wilbert explained. In High (School) on Sex, Wilbert plays Gibo, a student scholar who is also controlled by his raging hormones. He’s been holding on to his girlfriend’s promise that they would “go all the way” after Junior High, only to be left high and dry when she flies abroad. Gibo

then turns his attention to his hot teacher and every boy’s fantasy, Mrs. Salva, played by Rob Guinto (X-Deal 2). Directed by GB Sampedro (Kaka, Crush Kong Curly, Kinsenas, Katapusan, Doblado), it follows the sexual awakening of four other senior high students – Wes, Mavic, Issa, and Karla. Wes, played by Migs Almendras (The Broken Marriage Vow, Glorious), wants to explore his sexuality. Gay or straight – anyone is welcome to get into bed with him. Nothing is going to stop him from being sexually authentic to himself. He gets the moniker “The Fluid”. Issa, played by Denise Esteban (Doblado, Kaliwaan), has the reputation of being a slut. She embraces this image, even if she is actually a virgin. She and Gibo have been friends since childhood.

Fr. Victor Calvo, Jr., OP (third from left) of Colegio de San Juan de Letran presenting the Celebrity MVP award to celebrity chef Jose Sarasola (fourth from left) of Team Saints

Mavic, played by Angela Morena (X-Deal 2, Iskandalo), is seen as a virgin, but the truth is, she is not as innocent as she looks. She may not have gone all the way just yet, but you’ll be surprised at what she has already experienced in sex. Karla, played by Katrina Dovey (Doblado) is Gibo’s ex-girlfriend who suddenly returns from the U.S. She comes back carrying a huge secret. As the five students gain knowledge from their classes, they also gain experiences that help them navigate their questions not just about sex, but also about identity, family, and love. Joining them in the series are the colorful characters played by Marco Gomez, Micaella Raz, Andrea Garcia, Juami Gutierrez, Katya Santos, Sheree Bautista, and Mark Carpio.

Team Heroes with the coaching staff led by coach Randy Alcantara of Mapua University

Kapuso stars, NCAA cagers triumph in first-ever ‘GMA-NCAA All-Star Basketball Game’ HE first-ever GMANCAA All-Star Basketball Game held last Sunday, June 5, saw Kapuso stars and NCAA basketball players battling it out on the court in a friendly but hotly contested exhibition game, which resulted in a 109all final score.

cager Brent Paraiso; San Beda University Red Lions Ralph Penuela and Yukien Andrada; University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas Kim Aurin and Jielo Razon; De La Salle-College of St. Benilde Blazers Will Gozum and Prince Carlos; and San Sebastian CollegeRecoletos Golden Stags Ichie Altamirano and Ammar Cosari. Aside from Sarasola, also showcasing their basketball skills for Team Saints were celebrities Rocco Nacino, Paul Salas, Gil Cuerva, Pancho Magno, and Kirst Viray. Enoch, on the other hand, was supported by his peers in Team Heroes Aired live on GTV from the FilOil which included Arellano University Flying V Center, the star-studded game Chiefs Kai Oliva and Gelo Sablan; between Team Heroes and Team Saints Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals featured top student-athletes from the Allen Liwag and Ralph Robin; Lyceum ten-member schools of the National of the Philippines University Pirates Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Mac Guadaña; José Rizal University and some of GMA’s Sparkle artists. Team Heavy Bombers JL delos Santos Heroes’ Enoch Valdez of Lyceum of the and Marwin Dionisio; and Mapua Philippines University and Team Saints’ University Cardinals Warren Bonifacio celebrity chef Jose Sarasola were named and Paolo Hernandez. as All-Star Game MVP and Celebrity Actors Jason Abalos, Mavy Legaspi, MVP, respectively. David Licauco, Nikki Co, Ervic Team Saints was bannered by NCAA Vijandre, and Luis Hontiveros also Season 97’s MVP-Rookie of the Year provided solid contributions throughout Rhenz Abando of the Colegio de San the game. Juan de Letran and fellow Letran Knight Randy Alcantara of Mapua University

QC council approves resolution declaring AiAi, Darryl Yap ‘personae non gratae’

fun games for the audience. This June 11, GTV airs the NCAA Season 97 Women’s Volleyball games live from Paco Arena. Opening day matchups feature Arellano Lady Chiefs and Mapua Lady Cardinals trying to set the pace in the first game at 12:00 PM, while CSB Lady Blazers and Zephanie Dimaranan performs at the first-ever SBU Lady Red Spikers GMA-NCAA All-Star Basketball Game clash at 2:30 p.m.. Viewers can catch the NCAA Season 97 Men’s Basketball, I’m NCAA Season 97 live games sure volleyball fans can’t wait to catch the airing every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Women’s Volleyball tournament which to Sunday at 12:00 nn on GTV. begins on June 11 and airing live on GTV. The games will also be streamed for We’re also excited for the coming season free on the NCAA Philippines website as GMA Synergy level’s up the multi- (www.gmanetwork.com/ncaa), NCAA media production of the upcoming NCAA Philippines Facebook page and YouTube games.” channel, and GMA Sports’ Facebook and The ‘GMA NCAA All-Star Basketball Twitter pages. Kapuso abroad can catch all Game’ was anchored by Synergy Sports the action via GMA Pinoy TV. host Martin Javier. He was joined by More updates on and off-court are sports analyst Martin Antonio and available via the NCAA Season 97 primer, guest analyst Jerry Codiñera. Hosting ‘Game On! airing at 10:30 AM on GTV. the program were Synergy Sports host For more updates on NCAA, visit its Anton Roxas and Game On! host Sophia official website www.ncaa.com.ph. Follow Senoron with the Season 97 courtside @ncaaphilippines, @gmasynergy, and @ reporters delivering courtside updates and gmasportsph on social media.

‘Tawag ng Tanghalan’is back for more at RWM this June

The seal behind Ai Ai shows an altered Quezon City seal

The video, which was released during the campaign period, shows AiAi playing COMEDIENNE AiAi a character named Ligaya Delas Alas, known for her Delmonte, an apparent jab role in the Tanging Ina at the re-elected Quezon movie franchise, and director City mayor, Joy Belmonte. Darryl Yap, who directed In the two-minute video, movies such as #Jowable, the background showed the Tililing, and more, have been triangular seal of Quezon City declared “personae non gratae” in but altered with the names Quezon City. of the president and vice Darryl Yap refuses to In the now approved resolution apologizes for the video president-elect BBM and Sara. submitted by District IV Councilor he directed during the The caption for the video was Ivy Lagman, the comedienne “Mayora for Mike Defensor.” campaign period and the director were accused of “The malicious and disrespecting the Quezon City official seal in a unscrupulous defacing of the official seal of video posted on the latter’s social media page. Quezon City ridiculed and casted dishonor to By Patricia Taculao

was the coach for Team Heroes while Letran’s Bonnie Tan called the shots for Team Saints. Sparkle artists Arra San Agustin and Kyline Alcantara served as the muse for Team Saints and Team Heroes, respectively. In between the tight battle between team Heroes and Saints were fun games the audience enjoyed. Singers Hannah Precillas, Jessica Villarubin, Mariane Osabel, and Zephanie Dimaranan kept viewers entertained with their powerful song performances. Comedians Pekto and John Feir served as courtside reporters for Team Heroes and Team Saints, respectively. Stars Cassy Legaspi and Lexi Gonzales were also present during the event. The GMA-NCAA All-Star Basketball Game is just one of the many things collegiate sports fans can look forward to from the partnership between GMA Network and NCAA. “We’ve been preparing for the All-Star Basketball Game since Season 96 but the pandemic prevented us from carrying out our plans,” shared GMA Regional TV and Synergy First Vice President and Head Oliver Victor Amoroso. “Finally, we were able to do it this season. We are happy of the partnership between GMA and NCAA. Following the success of the

it, causing insult to the noble representation of the seal. The people of Quezon City will not let anyone disgrace the official seal of Quezon City for personal and selfish interests,” Lagman said in a statement. Lagman also emphasized that the “seal has been the official coat of arms of the city since it was approved by the Office of the President and adopted by the City Council on Feb. 3, 1997, through Resolution No. 10320, S-1975.” She also called upon the two personalities to apologize to the citizens of Quezon City for their misuse of their official seal in the video. While the comedienne hasn’t issued a response to the declaration, Darryl Yap wrote a short response on his Facebook page, saying, “yoko nga.”

FRIDAY nights just got more season grand champion, thrilling with the return of JM Yosures and reality some of the most memorable singing competition “Tawag ng Tanghalan” veteran, Matty Juniosa. (TNT) artists returning to the Experience the next country’s premier lifestyle level of entertainment of and entertainment destination, TNT Fridays at The Grand Resorts World Manila (RWM) Bar and Lounge at the GF this month. Newport Garden Wing. The allure of the state-ofThe show starts at 9:15 the-art stage of The Grand p.m. every Friday of June Bar and Lounge at the and is open to patrons 21 Newport Grand Wing keeps The artists of ‘Tawag ng years old and above for a world-class artists coming Tanghalan’ minimum cover charge of back for more. This June, P800 consumable on food TNT’s all-star artists return to light up the and drinks. stage every Friday night. Schedules are subject to change without This Friday, June 10, Wincel Portugal prior notice. For more returns to the stage followed by Marielle information on RWM’s thrilling Motellano. Montellano is a seasoned entertainment offers, visit www. TNT artist, being a standout performer rwmanila.com or follow @ from the competition’s first season. The rwmanila on Facebook following week, JM Dela Cerna and and Twitter, and @ Shanne Gulle come back for another resortsworldmanila night of powerhouse performances. The on Instagram. last Friday of the month, June 24, is a night reserved for TNT superstar and fourth

Calum Scott announces Asia tour, concert in Manila FOLLOWING the release of “Heaven,” multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter Calum Scott yesterday announced his biggest headline Asia tour to date, the Bridges Asia Tour. The concert tour includes his debut shows in Tokyo on October 18 before performing in Manila on October 20, then in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. “It feels so incredible to announce my Asia tour. It’s been a long time coming and a lot of planning but after the last few years we’ve had, you can just tell how excited

people are for live music again and I’m so happy to be a part of it. I am coming back with my band to play the songs that people discovered me on, as well as new songs from my second album which I would say is my best and most personal work yet,” the English singer and songwriter says in a statement sent to the media. Calum has announced that his highly awaited sophomore album Bridges will arrive on June 17. The fourth single released from it, “Heaven” once again reveals Calum’s gift for finding unexpected

ways to express universal emotions. “As songwriters, we’re always searching for new ways of saying ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you’ or ‘I want you back,’” says Calum, who co-wrote “Heaven” with Hayley Warner. “The concept of ‘Heaven’ is the love between two people being so powerful that it is far superior to anything else, any other form of paradise that could be offered. I loved the idea of putting the power into the relationship.” The follow-up to Calum’s 2018 fulllength debut Only Human—a widely

acclaimed effort that hit No. 1 on the iTunes album chart in 21 countries across the globe, in addition to selling more than 3.6 million in adjusted album sales and garnering over 7.5 billion combined streams —Bridges will also feature the previously released singles “If You Ever Change Your Mind,” “Rise,” and “Biblical.” Promoted by AEG Presents Asia and Ovation Productions, tickets to Calum’s Manila concert will go on sale on June 15 at 10:00 a.m. local via ticketnet.com.ph.

English singer-songwriter Calum Scott

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

Staying committed to the ‘love strong’mantra By Nickie Wang

CREEN royalties Bea Alonzo and Alden Richards have recently shared their inspiring stories related to this year’s Century Tuna Superbods “Stay strong to Love strong” campaign that aims to uplift and encourage the public to stay strong despite the challenges and to become better versions of themselves. The stars, who will top bill the local adaptation of Korean Drama Start-Up, are this year’s faces of Century Tuna Superbods 2022, the country’s most awaited and most prestigious health and fitness competition “I’ve heard the stories of this year’s Superbods finalists and they are truly amazing!” enthuses Bea. “They’re proof that we can achieve a lot of things and overcome so many obstacles for the people we love. I salute this year’s finalists and wish them the best of luck in their Superbods journey.” Just like Bea, Alden also shares his excitement for this year’s competition. “Beyond the buff body and firm and flat abs, it’s truly awesome what we can achieve when we are physically and mentally strong. As we kick off this year’s Superbods competition, let the journey of our finalists be an inspiration to be strong for the people we love and value, especially at this time when we are all trying to move forward from the pandemic.” Alden Richards (left) and Bea Alonzo are this year’s faces of Century Tuna Superbods 2022

The participants of Century Tuna Superbods 2022

During the Superbods VIP Night held at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, Alden and Bea were the special guests. The event was highlighted by the presentation of this year’s 32 finalists. In the female category, the 16 finalists are Andrea Abalos, Christelle Abello, Michelle Arceo, Xandria Bautista, Sherlyn Doloriel, Lovely Elazegui, Querubin Gonzales, Pearl Gonzalez, Julia Mendoza, Nadia Mostoles, Chrystalle Omaga, Kerri Reilly, Selena Reyes, Mia Salisbury, Vienne Shirin, and Kim Velasco. The 16 male finalists are George Baker, Herson Barias, Kirk Bondad, James Borja, Wani Manotoc, Rj Lund, Paul Pedley, JC Perez, Gee Plamenco

Natural supplements for health, beauty, and wellness

Jr., Patrick Ramirez, Lourd Ramos, Anjo Resurreccion, Julian Roxas, Jaime Santamaria, Daryl Soriano, and Erik Visser. “As we are all recovering from the pandemic, we need inspiring stories that give us strength to move forward,” said Century Pacific Food Inc. (CPFI) VP and GM for Tuna Division Carlo Endaya. “We want this year’s Superbods competition to inspire and encourage everyone to pursue their health and fitness goals not just for themselves but for the people they love.” From the press presentation, the finalists will undergo a series of digital challenges that will be posted on the Century Tuna Superbods official Facebook page and can be searched using the official #CenturyTunaSuperbods2022. These challenges will lead up to the finals night happening on July 13 where two grand winners will receive P500,000 each while the two runners-up will receive P200,000 each, tax-free. Images by Teddy Pelaez

Bea Alonzo flaunting her fit figure during the Superbods VIP Night

Alden is a firm believer that health comes from both physical and mental well-being

Dance, mindful movements, fitness therapy for all ages at Sunshine Place Online

Glowing skin is always in

moisture and firmness, preventing signs YOU have probably heard this many of skin aging like dullness and wrinkles, times: self-care is (a form of) self-love. It and reducing damage. These natural inis important to take care of yourself first so gredients’ strong antioxidant properties that you can better love and take care of protect the skin from damage caused by others. If not, you will find yourself physifree radicals that are triggered by daily excally and emotionally drained one day. Or posure to sunlight, air pollution, and other it could even be worse. environmental stressors. There are many ways to take care of Apart from keeping skin healthy, Lifeyourself — your health, beauty, and wellFood Collagen Jelly supplement also ness— such as choosing healthier food helps nourish the hair and nails as collaoptions, exercising regularly, and making gen can also prevent brittleness and help life decisions that are good for you not just BY JOBA BOTANA ensure they grow healthier. today but in the long run. It is not always easy, but you can start with simple life changes such as taking supplements to give your body the You can order your LifeFood Collagen Jelly from the Synnourishment it needs. novate Store at Lazada and Shopee. LifeFood, a Filipino brand that offers an extensive line of ••• scientifically proven safe, effective, and functional suppleBringing out the natural beauty ments in various food formats, recently introduced its newest and health of your hair product— the snack-able LifeFood Collagen Jelly made for SPEAKING of self-care, one of the country’s most soughtbody nourishment. Not only does it give nourishment to the after hair artists, Fendi Dudi, believes that when it comes to body, but it is also a good addition to one’s beauty regimen. matters of hair, bringing its natural beauty is best. Plus, it tastes good! Think of it as a dessert packed with nutriWalking into his studio for a hair consultation, Dudi took a quick look at my head and exclaimed, ”Oh, you’re not taking ents yet sans the guilt. “This newest product in LifeFood’s roster of supplements care of your scalp! You have a problem with falling hair.” aids in achieving healthy, glowing skin. Every stick of this I was surprised (and low-key amazed) at how quickly he jelly supplement, which you can conveniently take any time pointed out a not-so-obvious hair situation. Then again, he’s of the day, contains 2500mg or 2.5g of hydrolyzed marine an expert. collagen that plays a vital part in making your skin plump and I haven’t been nice to my crown of hair, especially these supple,” says Abi Nepomuceno, Synnovate Director and past few months. I’ve been spending quite a lot of time outdoors, under the summer swelter, and sometimes without Business Unit Head of LifeFood, during the media launch. According to Nepucemo, collagen is naturally abundant a hat on. Not to mention the hair treatment I’ve had which in our body, however, aging as well as environmental factors made my hair look nice but, it resulted in my having weak affect the production of this substance, making the skin more hair roots and an unhappy scalp. Indeed, it was time to see prone to certain issues. This is perhaps the reason why a lot of a hair doctor. people, women especially, turned to taking collagen supple“You’ll be doing your scalp a favor if you allow your hair ments as it is proven to not just nourish the body but also help to grow naturally with the aid of non-harmful hair products. achieve healthy skin. It’s about repairing and strengthening from the inside out,” An article on Healthy Option’s website stated that when he said. it comes to collagen supplementation, research is still inconHis hip and celebrity-approved Nue Studio uses plantclusive, but seems to show that oral consumption may have based treatments for the hair from Aveda brand complementpositive effects. A paper published in Skin Pharmacology ed with top-of-the-line equipment you won’t usually see in and Physiology indicated that the intake of collagen peptides some hair salons. For one, instead of hot iron, they adapted for eight weeks reduced wrinkles and improved skin health. a Japanese technology of using a hair-friendly steamer plus (Other studies suggest that collagen supplements also have a cold iron as part of the treatment. positive effect on joint health and digestive health.)” Dudi is generous in sharing his knowledge about hair Health experts say that the best thing to do is to start with a health, giving tips on how to take better care of your hair and balanced diet to safeguard and stimuscalp. “Revive first the healthy and late collagen production. Foods that are natural growth of your hair, and let rich in Vitamin C (like citrus fruits and your scalp take a break. Then you can red bell peppers), Vitamin A (like sweet have it treated to hair colors when it potatoes and other yellow or orange is ready.” vegetables), omega-3 fatty acids (like Nue Studio is located on the ground salmon), and lean protein (like turkey) floor of Promenade Mall in Greenhills, San Juan City. However, I was told are great aids. they will soon transfer to Makati City. Complement your diet with LifeCheck out their official Instagram acFood Collagen Jelly, which has litchi seed extract, pomegranate essence, count for updates on this. and grape skin extract that contains Needless to say, I stepped out of resveratrol for maintaining skin Nue Studio with healthier hair and a The Fendi Dudi LifeFood team

JOB WELL DONE

Instructor Jose Antonio Anonas teaches Tai Chi Yang (24 movements) for beginners

Sunshine Place Dance instructor and choreographer Danny Vinculado teaches ChairDancing online via Zoom, appropriate for ‘super seniors’ or elderly in wheels and walkers

THE Sunshine Place continues to bring sunshine, hope, and inspiration to its members – especially those homebound – with its dance, mindful movement, and fitness classes online via Zoom as well as therapy management and workshops which all help to achieve an active and healthy lifestyle. While most of the students are seniors, students of all ages are also welcome. There are special dance classes like Chair Dancing by Danny Vinculado, which gives opportunities for ‘super seniors’ – the elderly in wheels, walkers, hip and with lower leg injury or those who underwent medical procedures – to energize and be delighted. Dekada, under former member Maneuvres and Hotlegs, Mark Soler ‘Heat’ Cruz features, on the other hand, popular dance crazes and steps of yesterday and today. Instructor Jose Antonio Anonas leads the Mindful Movement way in the Sunshine Place’s Tai Chi Yang Style (24 movements) for beginners to find serenity and inner peace. He also offers Healing Qi Gong classes both Seated for those with limited mobility and Active Standing Flow. Both Qi Gong classes will apply Wuji Yuan Gong Style, an adaptation from International Sheng Zhen Boost your mood, S o c i e t y. relax your mind, and Active reduce your stress Standing with Sunshine Place F l o w onlineYoga classes also inwith Yoga and Mindful Movement Instructor Rina Nakayama

cludes as 16-Ways of Chi. Other Mindful Movement classes at Sunshine Place include Senior Yoga with instructor Rina Nakayama. A gentle practice of modern yoga poses and sequences using the chair as foundation and support, it is well adapted for seniors looking to increase mobility and flexibility without much load or strain on the body. Rina started out teaching Kids Yoga in 2013 and has since been diligently practicing and training to teach Vinyasa Flow, Senior Yoga, Restorative, Gentle Flow, Yin Yoga, Prenatal, and Post Natal Yoga, and Meditation. Physical fitness is important for all age groups, but it becomes even more important as we age. The most common goal for seniors is to maintain their mobility and independence. A good fitness program will help them achieve this goal and maintain a healthy lifestyle. With health and physical fitness a major concern for seniors, Sunshine Place offers a Senior Fitness Training program exclusively for members and students. The program comprises 30-minute workout sessions ranging from cardio, balance, strengthening, and stretching exercises. Sunshine Place also has online classes with Life Care Fitness Management Inc. personal trainers Richard Olivas, Danica Duka, and Philip Gutang; as well as online Physical Therapy consultations and workshops with Josh Manoharan to help manage back pains and other body issues and Music Therapy sessions with Cleo Toribio. As a Music Therapist, Cleo has experience working with Special children, Cochlear implant case, people with chronic illnesses, and Geriatrics. The Sunshine Place, a senior recreation center under the Felicidad Tan Sy Foundation, is a venue for adults to live actively by engaging in recreational classes and age-appropriate physical training programs. For classes and other details, contact Sunshine Place at (632)8856-4162, 801-6440 or email online.sunshineplace@gmail.com, visit http://www.sunshineplaceph.com/, and follow its social media pages.

Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022 advertise@manilastandard.net

STEADFAST TIES

Celebrating 47 years

of Filipino-Chinese friendship By Patricia Taculao

The relationship between the two countries officially started in 1975. In 2002, former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Proclamation 148, declaring June 9 as Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day, marking this year’s celebration as the 47th. Despite some tensions between the two countries in recent years, their relationship started centuries ago and developed connections that allowed both countries to prosper. The Chinese enjoyed trade and commerce with the Philippines, while the latter applied several Chinese influences to their culture, which is still evident today. Parts of the Filipino language also borrowed some terms from early Chinese ancestors from other provinces in China. A quick overview of their trading relationship Early Chinese settlers flocked to the Philippines even before the Spaniards

LVCC Library

VERY June 9, the Philippines celebrates a relevant day dedicated to its diplomatic relations with China, its neighboring Asian country.

arrived in 1521 to colonize the islands. According to historical records, most of the early Chinese community came from the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong in Southern China. They sought refuge in the Philippines due to economic and political hardships in their country. The migrating Chinese brought different items and practices that supported the Philippines’ already colorful culture. Some of the items early Chinese settlers brought to the country include porcelain, silk, deer horns, and sea slugs (or trepang). By the mid-16th century, Manila was a thriving Spanish Colonial metropolis, trad-

ing in Chinese-produced silk and other goods. They traded raw and finished silk, luxury goods, fundamental provisions, and cooking utensils for Mexican silver and gold dust. At the time, the Philippines lacked supplies, including agricultural resources, to support a growing population and fortify their colony. In 1594, the Spaniards established the oldest Chinatown in the world, now popularly known as Binondo, near Intramuros but across the Pasig River for the Catholic Chinese. Although it housed the Chinese community in the Philippines for centuries, allowing them to trade within the capital, the Spanish colonizers

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strategically chose the location to monitor their migrant subjects. For several years, the Chinese enjoyed a healthy monopoly in the Philippine market until the English East India Company and other competitors arrived from other countries, disrupting their business models and prompting them to adapt to aggressive market prices. Presently, the Chinese adapted to the global market. They also preserved their trading relationship with the Philippines. Many Filipino consumers continue to purchase Chinese goods because of their innovativeness and quality. Under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Chinese businesses in the Philippines flourished. His declaration of alliance with China early in his term brought mixed reactions from his constituents, but the Chinese were ecstatic with the new business opportunities within the Philippine jurisdiction.

Davao Chinatown in Davao City is the biggest Chinatown in the Philippines and the only one in Mindanao.

Allies in war Early Chinese settlers in the Philippines played a significant role aside from merchants and immigrants. They were also crucial in nation-building and preserving nationalism. The Chinese fought side-by-side with the Filipinos to protect the country against Japanese invaders. Some of them suffered hostility from the Japanese due to the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. As the Filipino-Japanese War drew to a close and the Philippines received freedom from the Americans in 1946, the Chinese remained a constant presence as the Filipinos sought to build a nation for themselves. While colonizers initially viewed the Chinese community as aliens, the Philippines’ independence also signified a better sense of belonging for them in the country. Together with the Filipinos, both native and intermingled with foreign ancestry, the Chinese rebuilt the Philippines after the negative impacts of the war. Many structures in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila, feature Chinese architecture. For instance, the Binondo Church has stone brick floorings with Chinese characters. Chinese influence on Philippine cuisine Besides bringing textiles and other fundamental goods into the Philippines, the Chinese community also contributed new and exciting flavors to Philippine cuisine. Early Chinese settlers initially used these dishes to avoid going hungry during their voyage and remind them of home whenever they felt homesick. Eventually, Filipinos adopted Chinese cuisine to theirs, resulting in flavorful dishes that are known today. One prime example is pancit canton or stir-fried noodles. In the Philippines, there are many variations of this hearty dish. Some add toppings like meat, vegetables, and more, while others add a bright-colored sauce to theirs. Another ideal example of how Chinese cuisine made it into the Philippines is the Pinoy favorite lumpia. In China, the dish is known as spring rolls and usually uses savory flavors like meat and vegetables. However, Filipinos developed a sweet version called turon, which uses caramelized banana and jackfruit in a thin crepelike wrapper. Lastly, there are some Chinese cuisine staples like siomai and siopao. These filling snacks have since become a favorite of Filipinos around the country.

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Other Chinese influence Since the Chinese presence in the Philippines spanned centuries, Filipinos integrated many of their practices into their culture. For instance, both cultures have unique wedding traditions, ceremonies, and superstitions. Elements like ancestor worship, respect for elders, viewing omens, and ornate gift-giving rituals are common ground between Filipino and Chinese weddings. Both cultures even follow the tradition of throwing rice over a newlywed couple. Moreover, the Chinese also influenced the familial structures among Filipinos, along with some nomenclature used until today. Much like Chinese families, Filipino families also follow a rigid structure, where the elders hold the most power over the family and demand respect from the younger generations. Even the words “Ate” and “Kuya,” which are commonly used in Pinoy households, are also inspired by the Chinese. They come from Hokkien Chinese. “Ate” is derived from “a ci,” meaning older sister, while “Kuya” comes from “ko a,” meaning older brother. Other Chinese terms used to describe family members include “ditse,” “diko,” “sanse,” and “sangko.” The Chinese left a great influence on Philippine culture centuries ago. Those influences remain significant today as Filipinos continue to enjoy Chinese cuisine, products, and entertainment. Despite the differences and conflicts between the two countries, their history and connection withstood centuries and wars, proving that their friendship is something worth celebrating annually.

The dragon dance is still a popular tradition among Chinese Filipinos.