Manila Standard - 2022 July 16 - Saturday by Manila Standard

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Filipinas stun champs, face Thais in finals By Peter Atencio

MOMENTOUS WIN.

Sarina Bolden (right), who scored two of the four goals that secured the Filipinas' win over defending champion Vietnam, celebrates with her teammates Sofia Harrison (left) and Quinley Quezada (center).

THE Philippines got a standing ovation from a big and loud crowd as it ended 18 years of frustration, taking down multititled Vietnam, 4-0, on Friday night in a semifinal battle of World Cup-bound teams of the 2022 ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. It was another historic and memorable moment for the Filipinas after they Next page

China backs out of rail deals DoTr says Beijing ignored request for committed funds on 3 projects

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

HINA has pulled out of its commitment to pump P276 billion into three flagship railway projects initiated by the Duterte administration, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday.

“Frankly speaking, China has backed out,” Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez said in Filipino, noting that the Chinese government did not act on the Philippine request to fund the P142billion Philippine National Railways South Long Haul Project, the P83-billion Tagum-Davao-Digos segment of the Mindanao Railway Project and the P51billion Subic-Clark Railway Project. “No action [was taken], therefore [it was] withdrawn. Therefore, there were no funds,” Chavez said. He said the government is looking fora private sector partner to pursue these rail projects, as the new administration is reviving the public-private partnership arrangements.

“What we want people to know is there is no funding,” Chavez said. “We are saying this to manage the expectations of the public, Congress, the Cabinet, and those hoping,” he said. Chavez recalled that then Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III tried following up on the Philippines’ loan application with China in February this year. “Secretary Dominguez wrote to the Chinese government: ‘We have a loan application with you for the construction of the Calamba to Bicol railway. We wrote a loan application with you for the Clark to Subic railway worth about P51 billion. We wrote a loan application with you

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COA flags DPWH for delayed infra works THE Commission on Audit has flagged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for reportedly failing to establish the viability of 3,440 infrastructure projects worth P245.021 billion.

In its 2021 report, state auditors said this resulted in either delayed completion or non-implementation of the projects that include school buildings and farm-tomarket road projects. Of the total number of flagged projects,

437 worth P10.939 billion have not been started at all. COA, which said the projects were contrary to the provisions of the Government Procurement Reform Act, Next page

Chinese envoy accuses West of ‘sowing discord‘ over WPS By Rey E. Requejo THE Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on Friday said “some outsiders” who are not from Asia are trying to sow discord between the two countries to serve their own geopolitical interests in the region. In a statement, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said that “in Asian culture, outsiders should promote peace and facilitate dialogue,” but such outsiders apparently “do not behave this way.” Huang questioned the true intention

of these outsiders, even as he alleged that these countries “try every means to fan the flames and drive a wedge” between Beijing and Manila. Huang did not name who these outsiders were, but his statement posted on his Facebook page came after the United States, Canada, Australia and France expressed support for the Philippines in its territorial dispute with China on the South China Sea. These countries, in backing the Philippines, cited the July 12, 2016 Arbitral Next page

NTF-ELCAC pushes amnesty offer to communist rebels By Willie Casas THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has recommended that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offer an amnesty to communist rebels to address the decadesold insurgency. NTF-ELCAC arrived at the decision on Friday after its first executive committee meeting under the Marcos administration, a report from GMA News said.

"The task force strongly recommends the need for offering an amnesty to prevent the resurgence of the communist terrorist groups, especially in geographically, challenged, isolated, and disadvantaged areas,” the group said in a statement. Next page

FINALLY! After two years, some 11,285 graduates of the Bulacan State University attend their commencement rites on July 15, 2022 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. Danny Pata

PUV capacity to jibe with pax hike Another fuel By Darwin G. Amojelar, Vince Lopez and Willie Casas THE Department of Transportation on Friday said it will ramp up public trans transport capacity as it expects commuters t o increase by 15 percent with the opening of face-to-face classes by August 22. This as a group of private schools said it would appeal to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio to "give leeway" to

them following her order of 100 percent in-person classes in November. "Our schools were affected by Odette so we have to renovate, we don't have enough classroom to prepare for face-toface classes, especially in the Visayas... This is not to disagree, because that's already an order, but on behalf of member-schools of FAPSA we're appealing to have a leeway on behalf of the private schools,” said Leo Aberion, spokesperson of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools & Administrators (FAPSA). Duterte-Carpio earlier issued DepEd Order No. 34, which mandates public and private basic education schools to shift to five days of in-person classes per Next page week starting November 2.

price rollback up next week By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy announced a possible price rollback next week, confirming reports of a price cut for diesel at P1.70 to P1.90 per liter and gasoline from P4.70 to P4.90 per liter, effective Tuesday. DOE director Rino Abad of the Oil Industry Management Bureau confirmed the rollback estimates but could not say the exact amount until the oil companies Next page notified the agency.

37m Pinoys obese due to unhealthy food intake PH'S LARGEST TIGER. Zoo founder Manny Tangco introduces 'Tiger Bongbong' – the largest tiger in the country at the Malabon Zoo, Aquarium and Botanical Garden in Malabon City. Andrew Rabulan

AROUND 37 million Filipinos are either grossly overweight or obese, an official of the Philippines Nutri Nutrition Council said Friday, warning the public against the consumption of un unhealthy food. While there are also millions of Filipinos who experience hunger due

to the rising cost of commodities, there are those who suffer the ill effects of being overweight, said Jovita Raval, chief of the Nutrition Information and Education Division. Obesity is often the result of too much consumption of salty and fatty foods, as well as lack of sleep and

proper exercise, she said. Health experts say obesity is caused by eating too much and moving too little, adding if a person consumes high amounts of energy, particularly fat and sugars but does not burn off the energy through exercise activity, much of the Next page

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

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BSP urged to recall polymer bills By Othel V. Campos

The group echoed the concerns of abaca farmers who will be affected by the production of the new polymer notes. According to FFF president Dioscoro Granada, the BSP’s decision during the last administration to discontinue the use of abaca for bank notes production reduced the market and income of some 200,000 abaca

farming families in 56 provinces. He noted the BSP has disregarded the concerns of the Department of Agriculture and abaca industry stakeholders on the matter. Abaca farmers’ livelihood is anchored on the traditional markets for abaca fiber, and one of them is the BSP Security Plant Complex, where all Philippine notes and

coins are minted. The group also noted complaints and apprehensions about the new bills’ non-suitability to handling practices by Filipinos and local climatic conditions. The new note is said to be sensitive to creasing, folding, and may react to chemicals and high temperatures. FFF supports a resolution filed recently by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III that seeks to investigate the alleged lack of transparency on the shift to polymers and its consequent impact on the average citizen, the abaca industry, and the business sector. While abaca production grew by 9.8 percent in 2021, output in the first 2 months of 2022 showed a double-digit

China...

Ltd., China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group Co. Ltd. and China Railway Engineering Consulting Group Co. Ltd. The agreement covers the design, construction and electromechanical works of the project. The first 380 kilometers of PNR Bicol will span 39 cities and municipalities, four provinces and two regions. It will involve the construction of 23 stations, 230 bridges, 10 passenger tunnels and a 70-hectare depot in San Pablo, Laguna. Meanwhile, the P83-billion Mindanao Railway Project: TagumDavao-Digos segment is expected to reduce travel time from Tagum City, Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours once it starts operations. The P51-billion Subic-Clark Railway Project is expected to provide high-capacity freight service to support the existing industrial areas along the Subic-Clark corridor by serving as the link to the airport at Clark Freeport Zone and the seaport at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. At the start of his term in 2016, President Rodigo Duterte visited China and said he had brought home about $24 billion or P1.36 trillion in investment and loan pledges. However, in 2020, Duterte’s own Socioeconomic Planning Secretary

Ernesto Pernia said China was slow in providing funding for the country’s infrastructure projects. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that as of August 2020, or four years after Duterte’s China visit, the country had received only P5.9 billion for the Binondo-Intramuros and EstrellaPantaleon bridges, P1 billion for rehabilitation of conflict-stricken Marawi City, P4.4 billion for the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, and P12 billion for the New Centennial Water Source Kaliwa Dam. Unlike Japan and the Asian Development Bank, China has not granted the needed loans to bankroll the construction of the three major infrastructure projects. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said if China would not fund the projects, other countries might. “Japan has just provided the trains for the new North-South Commuter Railway Project a few months ago. And our countries are closer than ever. I think Japan will be very happy to take over financing a project that China has vacated,” Salceda said. "The next step is not to try to persuade China to back us up again, but to simply look for other funders. Our development should not be used as diplomatic leverage

among supposed friends. If they want to finance our development projects, they are welcome to, at the right terms. But if they don’t want to, we can always find others," Salceda said. "I will try my line with both Secretary Jaime Bautista and my network as former Green Climate Fund chair and current adviser to the Incheon Metropolitan City in Korea to see which countries would be happy to take China’s place. China was not the only proponent of funding railway projects in the country, after all," Salceda said. Salceda said opening the country's project portfolio to more public private partnerships will also open up the country to new funders, such as Singapore, which has been investing heavily in the Philippine private sector. “I think it’s also time for the United States to put its money where its mouth is about the strategic importance of the Philippines. South Korea even gave us more foreign aid and grants than China did last year. " "If China wants to build stronger ties, they are welcome to try, as all other nations are. This withdrawal does not achieve that objective. If anything, it compels the Philippines to seek closer ties with other friends—countries that may not necessarily be China’s friends, too,” Salceda said.

relations,” he added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said that the dispute on the South China Sea should not just be the only thing to talk about, although he will make an effort to resolve the issue. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo made a strong statement on the sixth anniversary of the arbitral award in favor of the Philippines, saying it was “final” and “indisputable.” “The best way to settle disputes between neighbors is through patient and cordial dialog to find a win-win solution,” Huang said. But China had been advancing its activities in parts of the West Philippines Sea that have impinged on territory claimed by the Philippines. On Friday, the Office of the Solicitor General expressed strong support for the position of the Department of Foreign Affairs to assert the country’s maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea. “The Office of the Solicitor General strongly supports the position of the DFA that the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 arbitral award of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in favor of the Philippines shall be the anchor of all Philippine policies and actions in relation to all maritime right issues in the WPS,” Solicitor-General Menardo Guevarra said in a text mes-

sage to reporters. Guevarra made the statement after Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo earlier declared that “the Award and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are the twin anchors of the Philippines’ policy and actions on the West Philippine Sea.” Manalo’s statement was issued on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the July 12, 2016 PCA award in favor of the claims asserted by the Philippine government. The DFA chief stressed that the “UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.” “There is no recourse to general international law on matters comprehensively covered by the UNCLOS,” he said. “Compliance with UNCLOS, which represents a delicate balance of the rights and obligations of all states parties in its entirety, is key to ensuring global and regional peace and the fair and sustainable use of the oceans,” he added. Manalo said the award handed down by the PCA “not only sets reason and right in the South China Sea, but is an inspiration for how matters should be considered – through reason and right – by states facing similarly challenging circumstances.” (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Filipinas...

terview Friday. "What we need to do is to incentivize and encourage mothers, parents, guardians and for the government to ensure there's this safe environment for children when they get the vaccine,” she added. She earlier said vaccination sites would also be placed in workplaces, places of worship, and public markets. Vergeire said the DOH also wants to vaccinate 90 percent of the country's senior citizens within the first 100 days of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration. “We were given these marching orders to vaccinate at least 90 percent of all senior citizens across the country,” she said. As of July 12, some 71 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. However, only 15.3 million have availed of booster doses. The government's renewed push to ramp up vaccination came as the World Health Organization warned it expects to see “repeated waves of infection” as more COVID-19 subvariants become more virulent and resilient to vaccines. “We do see BA.5 has a growth advantage which has to do with transmissibility and immune escape. So it’s transmitting more efficiently, it’s the

most transmissible variant we’ve seen of SARS-COV-2. But I do want to warn people out there that the next variant I talk about will be more transmissible than the last because it has to outcompete whatever is circulating,” WHO COVID-19 Technical Lead Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said. In the National Capital Region here in the Philippines, the weekly COVID-19 positivity rate increased to 13 percent while the national rate stood at 10 percent, the DOH said. Positivity rate refers to the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested. “Most areas show a sharp increase in cases with NCR showing the steepest increase, now almost at 750 cases per day,” the DOH said in its latest report. For his part, President Marcos ended his isolation Friday after recovering from his second bout against COVID-19, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said. “He is okay as of his doctor's findings. He has ended his isolation,” she said. Marcos, who first contracted the disease in March 2020 after a trip from Spain, tested positive again in an antigen test on July 8.

notes.

HE Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) called on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday to halt minting and stop the circulation of the new P1,000 polymer

From A1

for the P83 billion Tagum-Davao-Digos railway,’” Chavez said. “Because there was no reply, they (the loan applications) were withdrawn.” Because of this, Chavez said President Marcos instructed them to reopen the loan application and renegotiate with the Chinese government. In a Cabinet meeting July 12, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked the DOTr to "go back to the negotiating table" with the Chinese government, Chavez said. The three PNR rail projects are the among biggest components of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program, along with the Metro Manila Subway Project funded by Japan and the Malolos-Clark Railway and South Commuter Railway financed by the Asian Development Bank. The DoTr in January 2022 signed a P142-billion contract with Chinese companies to build the first 380 kilometers of the Philippine National Railway Bicol Project from Banlic, Calamba to Daraga, Albay. The agency through former Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the design-build contract with the joint venture of China Railway Group

Chinese... From A1

Award rendered by the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines, which invalidated China’s massive claims over the South China Sea and upheld Manila’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea, as well as the international law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China has refused to recognize the validity of the UN tribunal’s decision. “Do they really care about the welfare of the Filipino people and regional peace and stability? I am afraid not. Rather, they have their own geopolitical interests to serve,” Huang said. The Chinese diplomat also said that Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his recent visit to the Philippines, “stressed that China and the Philippines should make joint efforts to be good neighbors, good relatives and good partners.” “[A]nd the only right path for the bilateral relations is to adhere to good-neighborliness and friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Both sides have agreed to properly handle differences from a strategic and overall perspective, putting them in a proper place in bilateral

PUV... From A1

Transportation Undersecretary for Road and Transport Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor, for his part, said the agency expects a 15 percent increase in the number of passengers due to the start of face-to-face classes next month. “Our available transportation is sufficient provided that operators deploy 90 percent of their PUV units,” he said. At present, public utility buses operate at 80 to 90 percent capacity, while the public utility jeepneys operate at a lower capacity due to high oil prices. Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said inter-agency cooperation will be vital to provide students ample transportation means while also ensuring their safety amid the threat of COVID-19. As classes reopen next month, Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said she wants vaccination sites in schools to ramp up the government's COVID-19 prevention program. "Definitely the vaccine should not be a prerequisite to going to school. This would disenfranchise other children whose parents will not allow them to get the vaccine," she said in a television in-

decline in the first 2 months of this year to 8,693.38 metric tons of abaca, 13.7 percent lower than 10,076.41 MT in the same period last year. However, the Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida) is confident of higher output by end-2022. The Philippines earns about $100 million yearly from the manufacture and export of abaca- based products. Philippine abaca products are sold to Germany, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, China, Taiwan, South Korea, and the US, among others. Abaca remains one of the top agricultural commodities as the Philippines supplies more than threefourths of the world's total abaca fiber demand.

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claimed their first-ever triumph over the Vietnamese side since their first showdown in the 2004 edition of the tournament. Goals struck by Halli Long, Tahnai Annis and Sarina Bolden, who knocked in two, woke up the more 2,000 Filipino fans that showed up to watch, sending the local side in a cheering and singing frenzy. The win put the Philippines in the finals on Sunday against four-time titlist Thailand, which got past Myanmar, 2-0, in an earlier semis encounter. Vietnam, the reigning Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, gave in to relentless pressure put up by the Philippines’ offense, starting with Annis passing on to Long in the 32nd minute. “This is probably the best game that this team has ever played. And (this is) probably the best Southeast Asian team that they have beaten. And so, we got a long way to go. You don’t beat a team like that and say you’re the best,” said coach Allen Stajcic after the Filipinas bounced back from their 1-2 loss to Vietnam in the 2022 SEA Games, where they ended with the bronze last May. Long connected with a header high and above a crowded goal mouth to draw first blood for the Filipinas. A heavily defended and physically roughed-up Bolden almost scored in the next chance the Filipinas got, and Annis picked up from her missed attempt with a penalty shot that sailed past goalie Tran Thi Kim Thanh for the hosts' second goal. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

37m...

C. Visayas logs over 8k dengue cases, 52 deaths THE Central Visayas region has logged more than 8,000 cases of dengue since January this year, or about 12 percent of the total cases nationwide. Of the 8,293 cases in the region, 52 died because of the mosquito-borne disease. Cebu province recorded the most cases with 2,938. Bohol had 1,194 cases while Negros Oriental had 760 and Siquijor had 59. Cebu City logged 1,710 cases, followed by Lapu-Lapu City with 1,140 and Mandaue City with 492. Nationwide, the Department of Health recorded 64,797 dengue cases from January 1 to June 25, 2022, a 90 percent hike from last year's total of 34,074 for the same period. The DOH said 274 people have died due to dengue, accounting for a 0.4 percent case fatality rate.

COA... From A1

cited several reasons in the report, such as typhoons, prolonged acquisition of road right-of-way, permits and clearances from other government agencies, and unsatisfactory performance of contractors, among others. “Except for the COVID-19 pandemic and adverse weather conditions, the other identified causes of the delay in the implementation of infrastructure projects reflect the inadequacy of planning, supervision and monitoring of management relative to the project implementation,” the audit team said. The audit team also underscored technical defects in 369 infrastructure projects with a total contract cost of P11.860 billion. “Management of the DPWH offices concerned informed that the defects, deficiencies or undelivered items of works were already coordinated with the contractors concerned and assigned project engineers for the proposed corrections and rectification,” the audit team said.

NTF-ELCAC... From A1

According to National Security Adviser (NSA) Clarita Carlos, the declaration of amnesty and the possible revival of peace talks would be the President’s decision. "That is the decision that the president of the republic will make," she said at a press conference when asked if they would also be seeking a revival of peace talks with communist rebels. "And if you will notice in the statement, our statement really is recommending to the President because it is the President who will make the ultimate decision in regard to the amnesty declaration," Carlos added. The task force, which was created during the Duterte administration, vowed to continue its efforts to ensure peace and development for Filipinos. It also suggested reaffirming the importance of the whole-of nation approach in tackling the root causes of the armed conflict. In a briefing Friday, Assistant Solicitor General Angelita Miranda said the indiscriminate prosecution of political dissenters will never be among the activities supported by the NTF-ELCAC, which has been widely condemned by human rights groups for red-tagging critics of the government. But Miranda said the law would not be used to go after critics, so long as there are no violations. "In criminal law, there should be an overt act. As long as you don't have an overt act, even how evil your mind is, if there is no overt act, you cannot be prosecuted," Miranda said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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surplus energy will be stored by the body as fat. The Nutrition Council is pushing for the approval of a “nutrient profile model” which will give consumers a list of unhealthy foods that should not be advertised to children, she said. The government also needs to address the opposite side of the spectrum, which is malnutrition, Raval said. According to nutrition authorities, lack of proper nutrition, caused by not having enough to eat, not eating enough of the right things, or being unable to use the food that one does eat. They said nearly 67 percent of the country’s population suffers from malnutrition. lRaval advised families to prioritize buying food -- especially fruits and vegetables -- over other expenses such as vices. Planting simple crops can help families get nutritious food at very minimal costs, she said.

Another... From A1

The price rollback forecast was computed based on the four-day global oil trading movement. Abad cited two significant reasons for the continuing rollback in pump prices. "The continuing China lockdown and possible interest hike in the US," he said. On July 12, the oil companies implemented a price decrease in gasoline by P5.70 per liter, diesel by P6.10 per liter, and kerosene by P6.30 per liter. These resulted in year-to-date adjustments at a net increase of P24.30 per liter for gasoline, P36.80 per liter for diesel, and P30.05 per liter for kerosene. World oil prices have continuously declined in the past weeks due to recession fears and crude stock building in the US.

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Think tank says PH needs allies to secure WPS

ARTWORKS FOR A CAUSE.

Murals are unveiled in Iloilo City in Iloilo and in Isabela City, Basilan to dramatize popular demand for decisive and transformative actions by world leaders attending the 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November this year. The mural in Basilan, created through the auspices of art collector PintaGuhit Isabela City, is located at the Tourism Assistance Center, James Walter Strong Boulevard, Port Area, Basilan.

Group opposes lifting of ban on nursing By Willie Casas

N ORGANIZATION of nurses questioned Friday the government’s decision to lift the moratorium that prohibited colleges and universities from offering nursing studies.

Filipino Nurses United (FNU) president Maristela Abenojar, in an interview on ANC’s “Rundown,” said they believe there was no basis for lifting the moratorium. Commission on Higher Education chair Prospero de Vera III earlier said they decided to end the 2011 moratorium after conducting a comprehensive assessment during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I don’t know exactly why they have lifted the moratorium because there is, I believe there’s no basis, like for example what they are saying that we lack supply of nurses. That’s not true,” she said. Abenojar said the Philippines has produced more than 935,000 nurses as of June 2022. “We have plenty of graduates. Actually as of June this year, we already have around 935,000 produced registered

nurses. And of that number 316,405 nurses are working outside of the Philippines as migrant workers,” she said. She said that the problem of lack of nursing schools in some regions of the country—such as in Eastern Visayas, some parts of Western Visayas, Caraga, Soccsksargen, and Zamboanga Peninsula—must be solved on a caseto-case basis. Abenojar said CHED must also improve the quality of nursing education in the country. “I think that CHED should address the problem on attrition rate in terms of the number of (BS Nursing) graduates out of so many enrollees. In the last 5 years, according to CHED they have

recorded, from 2016-2021, a total of 347,798 enrollees. And only 16 percent graduated, or about 56,000.” “So that alone is something to be addressed urgently, because it reflects the kind of education, the quality of education that is being offered by the 491 educational institutions offering nursing courses in the country,” she said. “Secondly also, they have to look into the very low passing rate in terms of nurse licensure examination. Because in the past more than 2 decades, from year 2000 to this year, out of 1.3 million examinees who are, who took the nurse licensure examination, only 43 percent or 598,000+ have passed the board examination,” she said.

New rules set for pleas over fiscals’ rulings By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has adopted the revised rules governing appeals from resolutions issued by city or provincial prosecutors and by the prosecutor general “in the interest of speedy, efficient, and effective administration of justice.” A Department Circular issued last July 13 by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the Office of the Secretary of Justice “shall review appeals from resolutions of the Prosecutor General in cases subject to its preliminary investigation as referred to it by various government agencies, and from resolutions of the Provincial/City Prosecutors in cases cognizable by the Regional Trial Court.” “Resolutions of the Provincial/City Prosecutors in cases cognizable by the Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, and Municipal Trial Court in Cities shall be reviewed on appeal by the Prosecutor General in his/her capacity as the Regional State Prosecutor in the National Capital Region and by the Regional State Prosecutors with respect to their respective regions,” the circular stated. “Cases decided on appeal by the Prosecutor General and by the Regional State Prosecutors under this provision shall be considered final and no longer be appealable to the Office of the Secretary of Justice,” it added.

CLEAN UP DRIVE. Pagsanjan, Laguna Mayor Cesar Areza (in green shirt) supervises a clean up drive along the river bank of Pagsanjan with the participation of Bangkeros (boat operators) and other stakeholders in the community to make the town spic and span in order to attract more tourists to partake of the natural beauty of Pagsanjan Falls and its rapids. Roy Tomandao

“MARITIME security is a collective responsibility, and we can only effectively address present and emerging security threats if we act from this premise and enlist the cooperation of our international allies.” The think tank group Stratbase Institute made this observation during a recent international forum it organized to mark the sixth anniversary of the landmark decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which ruled in favor of the Philippines on the matter of the West Philippine Sea. The forum was dubbed “Redefining Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in an Age of Uncertainty.” “With our collective will and effort, we must not allow any blatant disregard of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) or the rule of law by any state,” said Stratbase president, Prof. Victor Andres Manhit. “The Philippines has every right to exercise sovereignty over its maritime territory. Our maritime vessels have the right to patrol our waters without being threatened. Our scientists have the right to conduct research in the West Philippine Sea without being closely observed. Our fishermen have the right to fish in the waters safely and without fear,” Manhit said. The arbitral court said six years ago that China’s claims on the disputed territory, based on its so-called nine-dash line, had no basis in international law. The Duterte administration, however, largely ignored the ruling as it pivoted toward China and pursued what Duterte called an “independent foreign policy.”

Parts of EDSA, C5 to be closed for 2-day repair PORTIONS of the EDSA and C5 road will be closed to traffic for a two-day repair, starting midnight of July 15, up to July 18, 2022, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced. DPWH National Capital Regional director Nomer Abel Canlas advised motorists to take alternate routes as road rehabilitation activities will cover the continuation of repair works on the following road segments of EDSA northbound: along Santolan MRT Station, bus lane; after P. Tuazon flyover to Aurora Tunnel, 3rd lane from center island (fast lane); after Aurora Blvd. to New York Street, 3rd lane from center island (intermittent section); and after Kamuning Road and Kamias Road to JAC Liner Bus Station, beside center island in Quezon City. Repair works will likewise resume along EDSA southbound, from Balingasa Creek to Oliveros Footbridge in Quezon City. Second lane of C-5 southbound in Makati City will be also closed to repair. Vito Barcelo

SSS pays P1.1t in members’, pensioners’ benefits from 2016-2021 By Rio N. Araja THE Social Security System (SSS) has disbursed record-breaking benefit payments of nearly P1.1 trillion to its members, pensioners and their beneficiaries from 2016 to 2021. SSS president and chief executive officer Michael Regino said this was

almost twice as much as the P549.59 billion benefit payments the SSS made from 2010 to 2015. He attributed the increase in the amount of benefit disbursements mainly to the reforms implemented over the last few years such as those provided under Republic Act Nos. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 and 11210

or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, and the granting of the additional P1,000 benefit for pensioners starting 2017. The reforms under the Social Security Act of 2018 included the expansion of the SSS’ mandatory coverage to Overseas Filipino Workers, increasing the maximum monthly salary credit for the computation of

benefits, and granting of the unemployment benefit. The Expanded Maternity Leave Law extended the compensable days from 60 days for normal delivery or 78 days for Caesarian delivery for each of the first four deliveries to 105 days, regardless of frequency, with an additional 15 days for solo mothers for every delivery.

P1.5-b fake products seized in Valenzuela raid By Joel E. Zurbano GOVERNMENT agents have seized P1.5-billion worth of smuggled counterfeit signature products and raw materials used in manufacturing cigarettes during a raid at a storage facility in Valenzuela City. Customs Deputy Commissioner

for Intelligence Group Raniel Ramiro said the raid was staged on the warehouse of C Teknik Development Corp. located at 143 C.P. Gregorio Street in Barangay Lingunan, Ramiro said a composite team from the Manila International Container Port - Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (MICP-CIIS) and the Armed

Forces of the Philippines found counterfeit products of Christian Dior, Gucci, Michael Kors, Coach, Guess, Nike, Adidas, Hello Kitty, and Jordan at the warehouse. He said the operation was made based on the Letter of Authority (LOA) and Mission Order (MO) issued by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero on July 13.

Police nab 3 members of crime gang in Taguig By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE have arrested three alleged members of a notorious criminal gang engaged in drug trafficking and other criminal activities in Taguig City. The suspects — Paul Adrienne Patri-

cio, alias Paul, 20; Ron Bryan Esteban, alias Arbhee, 21, and Mark John Esteban, alias Macky, 27 — were caught in possession of illegal drugs, bladed weapons, firearms, and ammunitions. Citing reports from Taguig City Police Station commander Col. Robert Baesa,

Southern Police District director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said members of the elite squad Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Intelligence Unit operatives arrested the suspects at a basketball court along J.P. Rizal Street in Barangay Tuktukan around 8:30 p.m Thursday.

50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP. The Philippines and Romania organize a forum to

celebrate their golden anniversary of bilateral relations. In photo are (from left) Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., Honorary Consul of Romania; Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo, Chancellor University of the Philippines Diliman; Delia Domingo Albert, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines; Raduta Matache, Romanian Ambassador to Manila; William Korbl, Deputy Head of Mission-Embassy of Romania to the Philippines; Jaime Victor Ledda, Assistant Secretary-Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines; Gina Alagon Jomoralin, Assistant Secretary Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

‘Build, Build, Build’ plan gets lawmakers’ support By Maricel V. Cruz

FREE CHARGING. Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and MegaWorld Lifestyle Mall head Graham Coates pose for photos beside an e-vehicle on display at Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig during the launch of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls’ first ever free charging station. Danny Pata

LAWMAKERS from both the Lower House and Senate are supporting the continuity of the previous administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program. Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means has filed House Joint Resolution 6, “adopting ‘Build, Build More as a National Infrastructure Development Framework for the country, setting a minimum annual infrastructure spending target and for other purposes.” Senator Mark A. Villar wants to institutionalize the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program to “register a strong growth from our economic slump due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” In filing his “Build, Build, Build Act,” Villar seeks to institutionalize and create a 30-year National Infrastructure Program. Salceda also said, “Speaker Romualdez discussed with me a proposed medium-term fiscal plan from the National Government yesterday, and we will meet with the economic managers on our view of the proposal.” Salceda said if enacted as a Joint Resolution by both houses, would adopt a national infrastructure framework geared toward “both social and economic infrastructure” that would “end extreme poverty, create a stronger

Zubiri seeks caucus on ‘rightsizing’ S enator Juan Miguel Zubiri said he will seek a meeting of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). Zubiri, who is expected to become the next Senate President, said he plans to discuss the “direction” of the Chief Executive’s priority measures in the 19th Congress. “What is important is that we convene the LEDAC right after the SONA so we can discuss the direction and request of the executive department in terms of legislation,” Zubiri, quoted by a GMA News report, said. Zubiri was asked about his position on Marcos’ plans to rightsize the government, as proposed by the Department of

Budget and Management (DBM) Zubiri said the plan to rightsize government agencies needed to be expounded on by the economic managers, particularly the DBM and the Department of Finance (DOF), GMA News reported. “I shall seek clarification first with the DBM and the DOF before I make any further comment on rightsizing,” he said. Earlier, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said DBM plans to ask lawmakers in Congress to allow Marcos Jr. to “rightsize” or streamline the government bureaucracy to save funds

Pangandaman said the DBM will be “checking the bureaucracy’s 187 agencies, departments, offices, and bureaus, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) — which employ an estimated two million personnel — for redundant or overlapping functions.” “As of now, we have yet to identify agencies that we can remove or merge but this will include a total of 187 agencies in the government. It also includes GOCCs not covered by the GOCC Governance Act,” she said, in the radio interview. “We want to prepare a proposal for Congress to give the President power to rightsize or reorganize the government agencies.” The DBM chief said should five percent of public servants will, for example, be affected by the rightsizing plan, the government could save an estimated

P14.8 billion annually. This amount, she said, can then be reallocated to other priority projects. Pangandaman, who earlier vowed to craft a 2023 budget that will promote a broadbased and inclusive economic recovery and growth, said those who will lose their jobs may apply in the new positions that may be opened by the government under the rightsizing program. “Those affected will be provided with retooling programs. The Civil Service Commission will be with us here. Those who will retire will be provided with retirement benefits,” she said. The first two executive orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. abolished the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, and the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson.

DOH looking at dengue vaccines as cases increase

ANTI-RABIES. A local government worker vaccinates a dog in Barangay 351 in Sta Cruz Manila. Residents lined up to have their pets vaccinated in the Anti-Rabies Vaccination conducted in the area. Norman Cruz

DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH is looking into dengue vaccines as cases rise across the country. Vergeire said at least 23 dengue vaccines are on the emergency medicine list of the World Health Organization, ABSCBN News reported. “What we’re doing here in the department would be gathering evidence, studying it, and once we have completed that we’ll be convening our experts,” Vergeire said in ANC’s Headstart. “So we will study this thoroughly so we can make a recommendation to the President,” she said. The DOH said 64,797 dengue cases were reported from January 1 to June 25 and the figure is 90 percent higher compared to the reported 34,074 dengue cases during the same period in 2021.

All regions except Ilocos region and Caraga have exceeded the alert/epidemic threshold for the past four weeks, the DOH added. Reports said the Food and Drug Administration in 2019 revoked the certificate of product registration of Dengvaxia after Sanofi Pasteur failed to submit postapproval requirements Earlier, Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, a member of the DOH Technical Advisory Group, said that the Dengvaxia vaccine is used in several countries, including the US and Singapore, and that the Philippines is the only country that has revoked the vaccine’s certificate. Persida Rueda-Acosta, head of the Public Attorney’s Office, has opposed health experts’ call for a second look at the Dengvaxia vaccine amid an outbreak of the disease in several regions, ABS-CBN reported.

Revilla files bill providing tablets to public school students By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Ramon Bong Revilla has filed Senate Bill No. 258 which seeks to provide one tablet per student for those enrolled in public schools and state universities and colleges. Revilla said the measure is expected to assist students in their studies and will “future-proof learning modalities. The Department of Education, in a statement, said distance learning will address the persistent problem of classroom

shortage in public schools, which is seen to recur once classes shift to face-to-face arrangement post-pandemic. Former DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones further said, “the greatest takeaway from this past year is that we have to be willing, flexible, and embrace technology.” When enacted, the “One Tablet, One Student Program” will be implemented by the DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to provide a tablet computer to each student of public elementary, secondary, and tertiary

schools to enable them to effectively participate in online learning. “The provision of learning gadgets to the students of the public school system will assure that quality education will be accessible to more Filipinos, especially to those who cannot buy on their own,” Revilla said. Under the bill, students who already have their own personal learning gadgets shall be given educational assistance in the form of an internet allowance instead, to cover the cost of connectivity. In a survey conducted by the Social

Weather Stations (SWS) last year, 4 out of 10 Filipino students aged 5 to 20 years old do not have a device for distance learning. However, even before the crafting of the proposed law, Revilla said he has already launched his own initiative, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last 2020, to distribute tablet computers. He said through his effort, the Kaalaman, Ating Palawakin (KAP) Amazing Gadget Giveaway provided thousands of beneficiaries with fully-functional tablet devices.

DOLE issues public warning vs. ‘fixers’ By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) warned the public against fixers using the name of Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma following reports of foiled attempts to solicit money from business establishments. In a statement, the DOLE said to protect public interest, the department has sounded the alarm against unscrupulous individuals or parties using the name of SecretaryLaguesma. Based on information reaching DOLE, there are attempts to solicit and demand money from unsuspecting businessmen and companies who may have issues and concerns with the labor department. It was learned that the modus was to

drop the name of the DOLE chief so the perpetrators could demand money from those seeking favorable action from the department. One of the scammers uses mobile number +639282935724 to reach the potential victims. “The targets are usually members of the business community who want to get favorable results on their pending or potential concerns with DOLE,” Information and Publication Service Director Rolly Francia said. Francia said the labor department strongly condemns such nefarious acts that tend to put them in bad light and destroy the good name of the Labor Secretary. The department also urged the public to report such illegal and illicit activities to the nearest DOLE Regional Offices or call DOLE Hotline 1349.

DEMOLITION TEAM. Informal settlers at Purok 5, Old Balara, Quezon City are being evicted by the local government, led by the Department of Public Order and Safety and the Philippine National Police on Friday. Evicted residents will be given P5,000 financial assistance. Manny Palmero

middle class, and accelerate sustainable and equitable economic growth.” The infrastructure program will prioritize 16 key areas, including agriculture, logistics, digital economy, disaster resiliency, healthcare, tourism, education and skills development, energy, housing, economic superregions, growth-supporting infrastructure, maritime connectivity, peacesupporting infrastructure in the Bangsamoro and other former conflict areas, ease of doing business, national spatial integration through a high standard highway network, and scientific development. Salceda explained the principles of the program are “to generate infrastructure assets that are superior in quality and durability; to promote a balance in the allocation of infrastructure projects between high-growth-potential regions and regions lagging behind in economic growth; to be fiscally sustainable, funded in a manner that will yield the highest socioeconomic benefits at the lowest fiscal cost to government, consistent with a medium-term fiscal framework to be formulated by the National Government; and to integrate and enhance disaster resilience and climate change adaptation including climate proofing of existing infrastructure inventory, relocation of high risk communities, and evacuation facilities for low and medium risk communities. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Gabriela files resolution to probe PHSA A RESOLUTION has been filed at the House of Representatives resolution seeking a congressional inquiry over the reported sexual, verbal and emotional abuse in the state-owned Philippine High School for the Arts located in Los Banos, Laguna. “The recent revelations about the PHSA prompt serious reflections on how the Safe Spaces Act and other relevant laws on the protection of women and children from gender-based harassment and abuse are being enforced, especially in government-run schools,” the resolution filed by Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas stated Brosas noted that while the public high school has released a statement, none was mentioned about the complaints filed by the students before the school’s Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI). “We laud the courage of the victims in coming forward and speaking out against the culture of abuse in the secluded public school,” Brosas said. “We hope can put an end to such string of offenses and strengthen policies in educational institutions to protect women and children from sexual harassment and abuse,” she added Based on a VICE World News report, the resolution noted the various forms of abuse were committed by senior students, teachers and school staff against students as young as twelve. In the resolution, Brosas asked the incoming 19th Congress’ Committee on the Welfare of Children and Committee on Women and Gender Equality to look into the matter at a proper time. Maricel V. Cruz

Solon proposes fixed salaries for barangay officials A LAWMAKER from Mindanao has proposed that barangay officials be given fixed salaries as well as be declared regular government employees. Rep. Paolo Duterte of Davao City, filing House Bill 502, said “It is high time that our barangay officials be given what is due for them and recognize their vital role in carrying out government activities to the communities.” The bill proposes to provide fixed salaries for barangay officials and declare them as regular government employees in order for them to receive just compensation and other benefits government employees are receiving. Duterte said that as the basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government projects, programs, and policies. “In fact, most of the national government’s efforts require intervention and support of the barangay as they are the closest form of government to the people,” he said. Under the bill, barangay officials must be covered by the Government Service Insurance System, PhilHealth, and the Pag-Ibig Fund benefits. The barangay chairman and members of the barangay council are receiving compensation in the form of an honorarium and not a fixed salary within the compensation system that will provide just remuneration for the wide range of roles and responsibilities. Maricel V. Cruz

Opinion Esperon, Pinoy Weekly, and freedom of speech

A FEW days before the transition to the new administration, we witnessed the Outgoing National Security Adviser, Hermogenes Esperon Jr, order the blocking of access to 28 websites. Part of this is Pinoy Weekly’s website together with sites of other alternative news outlets and progressive groups. According to Esperon’s order, the organizations needed to be blocked for supporting and working with terrorists. For the column this week, I wanted to discuss why this accusation is alarming and why it is essential to question it. First, why is it alarming? Essentially, the blocking of the websites is a violation of our freedom of speech; this freedom allows us to share our opinions without censorship like I do as a columnist. This act of blocking also breaches the freedom of the press which lays out the right of news and media outlets like Pinoy Weekly to deliver news without being controlled by the government. It is even more alarming that in the order, they have chosen to suppress the voices of progressive groups and marginalized sectors who only hope to be heard. The red-tagging that is blatant in Esperon’s order makes it even more dangerous. Not only is freedom of speech being violated, members of the accused and red-tagged organizations are also imperiled. How many Filipinos have been endangered because of red-tagging? How many ordinary citizens have been harmed after being called terrorists because they are fighting for a cause? Second, why is it essential to question Esperon’s order? Aside from the dangers of red-tagging, evidence supporting the accusation that the blocked organizations are involved with terrorists is unclear. Let’s look at the definition of terrorism: terrorism is the use of violence and fear on civil members of society to push for a particular political agenda. Now, as I also have a column in Pinoy Weekly called “Dekanong Makabayan.” Let us try to evaluate it to see if it supports or spreads terrorism. The past few months, I have discussed different social issues that affect ordinary Filipinos in that column.

By Richard Orsino WHEN generation companies (GenCos) made their bids and won their Power Supply Agreement or PSA contracts in 2019 with Meralco, it was understood they made a calculated risk on their profit margins even during all-time high oil price hikes. Understandably, Meralco’s clientele must accept that in exchange for protection from unstable power generation cost. That PSA contracted GenCos should earn their legitimate profits when global fuel price lingers at the lower range. Fair enough, right? That is the essence of the PSA. It fairly guarantees benefits to all parties involved: Meralco as the distributor, its subscribers as the end users of the PSA’s fix-rate scheme, and power generators like the Ayala’s AC Energy, Inc (ACEN), First Gen, and two other GenCos. The overall objective of the deal is to keep prices of electricity affordable and stable to industrial, commercial, and domestic endusers. This way, it eliminates the need for businesses to pass on the burden of rising electricity costs to the general public. Through the fixed-price clause, the PSA empowers the consumers by lessening their worries on electricity bills even if the prices of fuel suddenly go up in the global market. COVID-19 pandemic hit the country in 2020. The global pandemic caused fuel prices to crash. With fixed PSA prices and fuel costs lower, the margins became wider. This caused windfall for profits for GenCos, even if overall demand was lower due to the lockdowns. With only Authorized Persons Outside

Some of these being social and education inequality, human rights and marginalized sectors like farmers and workers, the courage of teachers, the dangers of red-tagging, the concept of climate justice, and what we need to look out for when it came to the 2022 national elections. In my Pinoy Weekly column, as a lawyer and teacher, I have always only wanted to share my knowledge about social issues. This way, readers and I alike can understand the situation of our country better, then discern how we can respond to it collectively. After this evaluation, it appears to be more pertinent to ask where the support for terrorism they accuse us of is.

This act of blocking also breaches the freedom of the press which lays out the right of news and media outlets like Pinoy Weekly to deliver news without being controlled by the government How does writing for Pinoy Weekly make me a terrorist? With this, how are members of the other organizations who have been red-tagged terrorists? The other organizations who have been blocked like Bayan Muna and Bulatlat just aspire to amplify the voices and stories of fellow Filipinos after all. As ordinary Filipinos who only want our welfare to be considered and made better, this kind of order is alarming, but it is also a reminder that we must stay vigilant. We must question and respond to these kinds of accusations. We should not let government officials call those who fight and stand with the masses terrorists. This may be disturbing but we must keep fighting. As Neil Ambion from Pinoy Weekly puts it, business as usual. We must continue to write about stories and issues experienced by Filipinos. If those in power refuse to listen, we will listen to one another. We will be the ones who fight. We will be the ones who help each other.

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 8-5646225 and 8-5646229 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandard.net

ORRUPTION in government has become a pandemic like a leech that would never go away, or so it seems.

Even the one that has the strongest resolve among immediate past presidents failed to eliminate, or at least curb, this scourge. The fresh administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr has vowed to go after big personalities who will be involved in corruption activities under his term. “That’s not under my watch, it’s not under my administration.’ Now that it’s my administration, corruption will have no place,” he said in a statement. This he promised even as he abolished the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and transferred its functions under the office of the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs where he said cases of corruption can immediately be dealt with. Corruption in government leads to loss of billions of pesos in the country’s coffers. They could have been put into better use to help the country’s sagging economy. When we speak of corruption, what immediately comes to mind are agencies like the Bureau of Customs, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Immigration and others. Even the press is not free from corruption.

It is actually a blessing that we have the PSA that protects consumers from the necessities of adjusting power production costs due to high cost of fuel. Fortunately, we have kind-hearted GenCos like the Ayalas’ ACEN, Lopezes’ First Gen, and two others that are still upholding their commitment to the PSA, which people direly need as a relief to the current price increase of

petroleum products. I can only speculate, instead of increasing the burden of consumers with another round of power rate increases, GenCos are utilizing their 2020 profit bulge to absorb the current global fuel price increase, rendering the PSA fixed-rate scheme relevant and manageable. Indeed, profit windfall serving as cushion for rainy days. Windfall profits in 2020-2021

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PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Bribery is most common form. It happens when a journalist is paid to attack someone. Or when a journalist receives money to write negatively against someone and often the materials used are supplied by the “client.”

Corruption in government leads to loss of billions of pesos in the country’s coffers. They could have been put into better use to help the country’s sagging economy Do the common people still care? Down the line, it seems to be a free-forall. Corruption, scam, fraud and all related crimes of stealing are becoming common. Some taxi drivers, those accredited by our airports, still find a way to peg excess charges on passengers. Some fruit and meat vendors do not

use standard weighing scales so their customers do not get the correct amount of products for their purchases. Some stalls in Divisoria do not issue official receipts to their customers, resulting in government’s loss of income from taxes. Some parking attendants charge excessive rates while others do not issue tickets so they get sort of “tip” from their regular customers. Even some security guards can be bribed to get someone priority number in bank transactions. What does this tell us? Are we slowly losing our sense of morality? It’s not yet late. It may take a long route, but we have to restart with our children. During the terms of BBM’s father, President Ferdinand Marcos, there was this subject called GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct). It’s about time to make it a full subject again in our elementary education. Respect, discipline and honesty were ingrained in many of the Filipino adults today who were taught in their early childhood about the importance of saying ‘po’ and ‘opo’ — for the Tagalog-speaking population, the other regions have their respective greetings or acknowledgment of respect — to our elders. “Opo” or “wen apo” or “oo ya” or “oho” or “un ama” or “uwan” or “huun” — we can start reshaping our children’s character and make them hate corruption.

What is the Philippines up to?

Instead of increasing the burden of consumers with another round of power rate increases, GenCos are utilizing their 2020 profit bulge to absorb the current global fuel price increase, rendering the PSA fixed-rate scheme relevant and manageable

Residence (APOR) allowed to travel, WorkFrom-Home, Online Schooling became a new trend, thereby increasing households’ consumption of electricity, which created an opportunity for GenCos to earn their due profits. Fair enough! 2020 onwards were already times of great trials to all Filipinos. When the conflict in Ukraine broke out, we were suddenly confronted by successive increases in oil prices. Without the PSA, this trend may already have triggered rounds of more power rate increases.

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Pandemic like no other

THE closing of the Duterte administration has been characterized by many political analysts as one that could be judged rather indecisively. Like a child, the Philippines is one who could not decide on what it wants. In that, many suspect the Duterte administration does not seem to know that Philippine government is playing with the sovereignty of the Republic. This is bad and does not reflect well about our image. An instance is the decision by President Duterte to abrogate the country’s pact with the US regarding the US visiting forces agreement (VFA). It is not that we decided to terminate the agreement. But from the standpoint of the country’s sovereignty, nobody can question our right to terminate the agreement. Protocol demands we have to cite our reason. Valid or not, nobody can question our right to abrogate our agreement with the US. As they say, our right to abrogate is an attribute of our sovereignty. It may not give other countries the right to wage war, but certainly they will reflect much our character in the field of diplomacy and foreign relations. Maybe the Visiting Forces Agreement cannot be said obligatory to us that the other party can invoke the principle of “pacta sunt servanda.” But certainly, it will affect our future relations with other countries. This explains why our relations with other countries, especially with those where we attach special and strategic relations, is something we should never trivially take for granted. Should we fail to handle the issue carefully, this could eventually affect our relations with China over the South China Sea. All these will be reflected in the eagerness of private service contractors to participate in what originally is an agreement between China and the Philippines. Besides, there was something sinister about the invitation made by US President Joe Biden. First, he knows there are pending issues between the Philippines and the US. The abrupt decision by former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin to abrogate the long-delayed Philippine-China joint oil exploration agreement in the West Philippine

ManilaStandard

Honor Blanco Cabie, Editor

EDITORIAL

PSA profit windfall cushion for rainy days EvEryman

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

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

Sea should have given the Philippine side a hint about the delay. Many interpreted the hasty decision made by Locsin as impulsive and childish. It was his coup d’ grace to wreak havoc to the incoming BBM administration. Fortunately, BBM did not pay attention to the troublesome move of Locsin to spoil what BBM expected as the pinnacle of his administration. As one would put it, the election of Marcos administration, Philippine-China relations can only grow strong and firm. Maybe the joint oil exploration agreement has long been pending. That was the fault of nobody.

When the Philippines unilaterally voided the joint exploration agreement with China, in effect the country was blaming China for failing to implement the agreement The Philippines and China both failed to issue an implementing rules and regulations on how to go about the details of the agreement. Surely, if both parties tried to explore on that possibility, the disagreement that could have been avoided. Zeroing on who should be the proper parties to the agreement, the areas to be explored, entry of foreign oil corporations acting as service contractors offered by PNOC in the same area to be covered by the agreement and how much will each of the foreign service contractors get as their share in line to the main agreement concluded by the two original parties are issues that now reap fruit to the disagreement. When the Philippines unilaterally voided the joint exploration agreement with China, in effect the country was blaming China for failing to implement the agreement. Yet, the Philippines could not cite any valid reason to discontinue the agreement. Maybe China knows what we have in mind, that the Philippines was about to insist

are helping them weather 2022. It’s a ten year contract, which means there are seven more years to even out their profit. No need to be in a hurry to make money. With such display of outstanding corporate compassion, it will seem wise for the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to recognize the GenCos’ commitment to the PSA to maintain the beneficial role in stabiliz-

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

on those private service contractors to join as parties to the agreement but would rather complicate the agreement, fearing it would traverse the issue of interfering into our internal affairs. Nonetheless, the Philippines should have threshed out the differences instead of abrogating the agreement. On another issue, the invitation made by US President Biden was symbolical because a visit by our newly elected president to the US could be interpreted that the Philippines remains beholden to US influence. It will appear that the Philippines is the one seeking the renewal of the VFA, much that it was Duterte himself who ordered not to implement his termination order. There is nothing BBM can argue in the proposed invitation made by the US President except to raise the issue about the VFA. BBM would not raise that issue much that it the Philippines that first broached the idea of terminating the VFA. Most important, a visit by BBM to the US means that the US remains our most important ally with China possibly ranking second. Note that the US made sure it will be BBM to visit the US ahead of any foreign visitor. To this day, the President has not affirmed what the former Secretary of Foreign Affairs has decided which was to terminate the joint oil exploration agreement between China and the Philippine. It seems, he could not affirm because he knew there was no reason given by Locsin. BBM should put this into his mind that his father started it all when he opened the country’s diplomatic relations with China. It was a historic landmark in the relations between the two countries. China, to this day, still cherishes the visit of the first couple because it surpassed all the historic visit made by leaders of other countries. The kissing by the First Lady of the hands of the venerable leader, Chairman Mao Zedong remains memorable to China. BBM would simply not allow that historic visit to be thrown into the bin of history all because of the tantrum exhibited by one known to be a pro-American lackey. BBM cherishes that historic visit in the same way, and hope it will serve as a permanent landmark in the relations of the two countries. (rpkapunan@gmail.com)

ing power rates in the country. This ultimately benefits consumers besieged with economic challenges. Kudos to ACEN, First Gen, and the two other PSA contract holders. (Richard Orsino is a retired executive who worked 30 years in the telecommunications industry)

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Jimbo Owen Gulle

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

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Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

World

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sri Lanka accepts prexy’s resignation THE resignation of Sri Lanka’s president has been accepted, the crisis-hit country’s parliamentary speaker announced Friday, after he fled the country earlier this week and notified him from Singapore that he was stepping down. The formal declaration makes Gotabaya Rajapaksa – once known as “The Terminator” for his ruthless crushing of Tamil rebels – the first Sri Lankan head of state to resign since it adopted an executive presidency in 1978. He emailed in his resignation from Singapore after flying to the city-state from the Maldives, where he initially escaped after demonstrators overran his palace at the weekend. “Gotabaya has legally resigned” with effect from Thursday, speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana told reporters. “I have accepted the resignation.”

Under Sri Lanka’s constitution, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe— whose departure is also being demanded by protesters—will automatically become acting president until parliament can elect an MP to succeed Rajapaksa for the rest of his term. The legislature will be summoned on Saturday, Abeywardana told reporters at his residence, adding he hoped to complete the election process “within seven days.” Rajapaksa’s departure came after months of protests over what critics said was his mismanagement of the island nation’s economy, leading to severe hardships for its 22 million people. At a seafront boulevard that has served as the headquarters of the protest movement that ousted him, a small crowd gathered its remaining

strength late Thursday to celebrate his resignation. Only a few hundred people were there to mark the milestone, with many veterans of the protest movement exhausted after enduring tear gas barrages and tense confrontations with security forces in the preceding days. “I certainly feel, I think the crowd here definitely does feel, quite happy about it,” activist Vraie Balthaazar told AFP. Rajapaksa, his wife Ioma and their two bodyguards arrived in Singapore from the Maldives on board a Saudia airline flight. As president, Rajapaksa enjoyed immunity from arrest, and he is understood to have wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained. AFP

TERROR ACT. A video grab taken from AFPTV footage, released on July 15, 2022 shows a stroller lying on the ground after Russian missiles have struck Vinnytsia, in central Ukraine, killing at least 20 people, including three children, in what President Volodymyr Zelensky called ‘an open act of terrorism.’ AFP

Indonesia warns of energy, food catastrophe in G20 meet G ROUP of 20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs met in Indonesia Friday for talks on the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the host warning them failure to tackle energy and food crises would be catastrophic.

The two-day meeting on the resort island of Bali started under the shadow of a war that has roiled markets, spiked food prices and stoked breakneck inflation, a week after Moscow’s top diplo-

mat walked out of talks with the forum’s foreign ministers. In her opening remarks, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati called on ministers to work together with a spirit of “cooperation” because “the world is watching” for solutions. “The cost of our failure is more than we can afford,” she told delegates. “The humanitarian consequences for the world and for many low-income countries would be catastrophic.” Top global finance figures, including US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, were to discuss the rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, but the Ukraine war and its impact on an already brittle global recovery have dominated the agenda. Canada’s Finance Minister Chrystia

Freeland, who has Ukrainian heritage, told Russia’s delegation they were responsible for “war crimes” in Ukraine because of their support for the invasion, a Canadian official said. “It is not only generals who commit war crimes, it is the economic technocrats who allow the war to happen and to continue,” Freeland said in the opening session, according to the official. Both Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko are participating virtually in the meeting. Moscow instead sent Russian Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov and Bank of Russia official Elizaveta Danilova to attend the talks in person. Freeland went on to say the war was

currently “the single biggest threat” to the global economy, according to the official, echoing comments from Yellen a day earlier. Yellen called Russia’s war in Ukraine the “greatest challenge” to the global economy and said members of Putin’s government “have no place” at the talks. After Russia’s delegation addressed the meeting, a Western official told AFP Moscow did not send their finance minister or central bank governor in person “after the very direct criticism” that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov faced last week at talks in Bali. The meeting has largely focused on the food and energy crises that are hitting economies across the world as a result of the war. AFP

Russia labels Bellingcat site ‘undesirable’ RUSSIAN prosecutors on Friday branded the investigations website Bellingcat as “undesirable,” saying it posed a security “threat” to the country, Russian agencies reported. The comments come as Russia orchestrates an unprecedented media and opposition crackdown since sending troops to Ukraine in February. Bellingcat, which has produced reports on Moscow’s Ukraine offensive, had already been branded a “foreign agent” in Russia last year. The General Prosecutor’s Office labelled it “undesirable” with another Latvia-based investigations website, The Insider, and a Czech institute, the Central and Eastern Europe Law Initiative (CEELI). It told Russian agencies that they pose a “threat to the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation”. Under the “undesirables” law, Russians who maintain ties with such organizations could face heavy fines or even jail terms of up to six years. Bellingcat and The Insider – which often produce joint investigations – were included in a list of “foreign agents” last year. Entities identified as foreign agents must disclose sources of funding and label publications with a tag or face fines. The foreign agents label, which is reminiscent of the “enemy of the people” of the Soviet era, has in recent years been used extensively against opponents, journalists and human rights activists accused of conducting foreign-funded political activities in Russia. AFP

HOME TO 450 ROSE VARIETIES. An employee of Dummen Orange works with roses at Hacienda La Serena in Guachala, Ecuador. Ecuador’s flower growers managed to leap the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the more recent indigenous protests, to bring their precious roses to the world. AFP

No bed of roses for Ecuador’s flower industry THE pandemic, the war on Ukraine, and more than two weeks of ruinous protests over soaring living costs -- Ecuador’s flower industry has recently had to surmount one obstacle after another. The country’s fourth-largest incomegenerator in terms of sales, roses alone earned nearly a billion US dollars in 2021 – a record haul of $927 million to be exact With hundreds of companies growing 450 rose varieties, Ecuador is the world’s third-biggest flower exporter after the Netherlands and Colombia. But this year’s prognosis is unclear after 18 days of sometimes-violent mass protests against rising fuel prices that

included burning roadblocks and arson, and resulted in six deaths. “The protests meant much larger losses than all that was lost during two years of pandemic,” said Marcelo Echeverria, Ecuador commercial representative for the Dummen Orange international flower firm. “That has slowed down a lot of things that were planned, a lot of projects that were planned for the second half of the year.” The protests, led by a powerful Indigenous people’s group, saw cut flowers among the export products targeted by arsonists. “They are BURNING our flowers,” the Expoflores association of producers

and exporters exclaimed on Twitter as the contents of delivery trucks were being set on fire last month. “They are burning our income and that of our families.” Expoflores said other flowers rotted as they could not be harvested and moved for export, and ended up in “the garbage.” The government estimated the cost of the uprising at about $1 billion – some two-thirds of it borne by the private sector, including the flower industry. “There were innumerable losses in terms of flowers that could not be exported (and) damage to private property,” said Socorro Martinez, Ecuador’s Dummen Orange boss. AFP

Mexican sex workers fight injustice with the pen

THE PEN IS MIGHTIER. Paloma Paz, a transsexual sex worker, walks on a street in Mexico City. She and 10 other women write for a free monthly magazine called Noticalle published by the non-governmental organization Brigada Callejera (Street Brigade). AFP

PALOMA Paz puts on a wig and pink heels before heading onto Mexico City’s streets for sex work – a precarious profession that she combines with journalism to decry injustices. She began writing articles after seeing fellow sex workers thrown onto the street when the hotels where they lived and worked closed due to the pandemic. Journalism “is a way of shouting at society, at the authorities, about what’s happening to us,” the 28-year-old transgender woman said. “It’s not a hobby,” she added, combing her long black wig at her home in the Mexican capital. Paz and 10 other women write for a free monthly magazine called Noticalle published by the non-governmental organization Brigada Callejera (Street Brigade). “It’s a means of communication mainly produced by sex workers for sex workers,”

who felt misrepresented by the mass media, said the NGO’s founder, Elvira Madrid. Around 1,000 copies of the magazine are printed each month, made of three letter-size sheets of paper folded in half and stapled together. On the cover there is a cartoon of two sex workers with the word Noticalle in the background. The letter O is represented by a condom. Members of the magazine’s team distribute copies each month by hand to sex workers in Mexico City. “This is community journalism,” Paz told one woman. “We report everything that we see on a daily basis. Read it at your leisure,” she added. Leaning against a wall perusing the latest issue, the woman welcomed the publication as a useful window into the lives of sex workers elsewhere in the city. AFP

Secret Service deleted Jan 6. insurrection text messages THE US Secret Service, the law enforcement agency that protects the president, deleted agents’ text messages sent during the January 6 Capitol riot, a government watchdog said in a letter published Thursday. Joseph Cuffari, the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, told Congress in the letter dated Wednesday that his office has had difficulties obtaining records from the Secret Service from January 5 and 6, 2021. The messages could be crucial to the House of Representatives and Justice Department investigations into whether Donald Trump and his close advisors encouraged the deadly insurrection by the former president’s supporters at the US Capitol, which aimed to prevent the certification of Democratic rival Joe Biden as the winner of the November 2020 election. Secret Service agents were with Trump during the day of the uprising, and were also with vice president Mike Pence, who went into hiding at the Capitol after pro-Trump rioters called for him to be hanged. On June 29 a former White House staffer told the House January 6 investigation that Trump had attempted to force the Secret Service to take him to the Capitol to join his supporters on that day. “The Department notified us that many US Secret Service (USSS) text messages, from January 5 and 6, 2021, were erased as part of a device replacement program,” Cuffari wrote in the letter first reported by The Intercept and later published by Politico. “The USSS erased those text messages after OIG requested records of electronic communications” for a review of January 6, he said, referring to the Office of the Inspector General. AFP

Alibaba execs hauled in over vast data heist ALIBABA shares sank on Friday after a report said the tech giant’s executives had been called in for meetings with Chinese officials over the theft of a vast police database. A hacker last month put on sale what they claimed was the personal information of hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens – which, if true, would make it one of the biggest data heists in history. Cybersecurity analysts subsequently confirmed that the data—partly verified by AFP—was stored on Alibaba’s cloud servers, apparently by the Shanghai police. The company’s shares slumped 5.7 percent at the open in Hong Kong on Friday, hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Shanghai authorities had called in its executives for talks in connection with the heist. The Journal cited unnamed people familiar with the matter as saying the executives included Alibaba Cloud vice president Chen Xuesong, who heads the unit’s digital public security work. The report added that senior managers from Alibaba and its cloud unit held a virtual meeting on July 1 after a seller advertised the stolen database in a cybercrime forum. As part of an internal investigation, company engineers have cut access to the breached database and have started reviewing related code, the Journal said, citing employees familiar with Alibaba’s response to the hack.AFP

Business PSEi July 15, 2022

TOP GAINERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2 3 4 5

MED 2GO FAF I ELI

0.28 6.95 0.68 0.8 0.219

0.03 0.64 0.06 0.07 0.012

12.00% 10.14% 9.68% 9.59% 5.80%

6 7 8 9 10

UPM MB WIN SSP PHES

0.0062 0.34 0.25 1.26 0.385

0.0003 0.015 0.01 0.05 0.015

5.08% 4.62% 4.17% 4.13% 4.05%

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2 3 4 5

FFI KPPI COAL PBC PRIM

4.51 2.26 0.207 16 2.07

-1.91 -0.64 -0.029 -1.9 -0.24

-29.75% -22.07% -12.29% -10.61% -10.39%

6 7 8 9 10

WEB ARA ION NIKL BRN

3.44 1.32 0.64 5.09 0.73

-0.36 -0.11 -0.05 -0.36 -0.05

-9.47% -7.69% -7.25% -6.61% -6.41%

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks fall; Nickel Asia, Ayala issues top losers S TOCKS dropped Friday as soaring inflation and a series of interest rate hikes around the world continued to fan recession fears.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 52.87 points, or 0.8 percent, to 6,195.26 on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Losers beat gainers, 124 to 70, with 44 issues unchanged. Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group declined 5.2 percent to P22.55, while parent Ayala Corp. was down 4.9 percent to P575.50. Nickel Asia Corp., the biggest nickel miner, sank 6.6 percent to P5.09, while fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. lost 4.7 percent at P20.25 The rest of the market in Asia were mixed on Friday while a big miss on

Chinese growth added to anxiety about the world’s biggest economies. Hong Kong and mainland Chinese markets led Asian losses after data showed China’s economy grew just 0.4 percent in the second quarter as it was battered by COVID lockdowns in major cities including Shanghai and Beijing. The reading was well off the 1.6 percent predicted by analysts in an AFP survey, though there was speculation that it will pressure authorities to unveil new stimulus measures. “We remain cautious on growth outlook in the second half, as spread of the much more infectious Omicron variant across the country could trigger another round of widespread lockdowns,” Nomura chief China economist Ting Lu told AFP. Hong Kong-listed tech firms also tumbled on news that executives at Alibaba had been called in for meetings with Chinese officials following the

theft of a vast police database. Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul and Taipei rose but Sydney, Wellington, Bangkok and Jakarta fell. Below-par earnings from JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley compounded worries that companies’ profits would be hit by the fallout from a number of issues including rising prices, monetary policy tightening and the war in Ukraine. After rate hikes by several countries this week, investors expect the Federal Reserve to lift rates this month by 75 basis points as officials battle decadeshigh inflation, though some observers suggest a one-percentage-point move could even be on the cards. The latest outsized US inflation print this week—caused by a spike in energy prices—followed last Friday’s strong US jobs data, giving the Fed room to continue its campaign to suck cash out of the financial system. With AFP

MOST ACTIVE 1

ALI

VOLUME 34,992,300

VALUE (PHP) 795,180,695

2 3 4

ICT BDO AC

3,383,900 3,787,850 576,810

602,257,886 459,330,326 338,408,395

5 6 7 8

SM NIKL SMPH CNVRG

355,480 52,406,700 6,292,900 11,187,900

273,462,065 267,703,700 230,612,830 226,799,091

9 10

MONDE SCC

11,771,400 3,915,900

165,356,718 149,939,170

Fed official hints at rate hike of full percentage point WASHINGTON, United States— US Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller signaled Thursday a possible full percentage point interest rate hike-–a move not seen for more than 30 years and a further indication of the Fed’s determination to rein in sky-high inflation. Waller also said that while fears of recession have increased, he believes the economy can avoid a downturn thanks to the strong US job market. The Fed in March began aggressively raising borrowing costs to try to cool demand that has outpaced supply amid the impact of the Ukraine war and COVID-19 lockdowns in China. But data so far have not shown significant signs of easing, and inflation reports this week showed prices rebounded in June, with consumer prices surging 9.1 percent. Waller previously expressed support for another 75 basis point hike at the policy meeting later this month, but he said Thursday he will be watching key reports on retail sales and housing coming in before then. The increased cost of everything from food to fuel has squeezed the household budgets of American families and heaped pressure on President Joe Biden, whose approval ratings have taken a battering from the relentless rise in prices. “If that data come in materially stronger than expected it would make me lean towards a larger hike at the July meeting to the extent it shows demand is not slowing down fast enough to get inflation down,” Waller said in a speech to an economic conference. The Fed’s moves so far have marked “the fastest pace of tightening in close to 30 years,” Waller said. But the large move last month “was not an over-reaction” given the repeated high inflation readings since the beginning of the year, he added. “With inflation so high, there is a virtue in front-loading tightening,” he said. “Getting there sooner will bolster the public’s confidence that we can get inflation down” so that high prices do not become entrenched in the economy. AFP

Manila

Standard

TODAY

INFLATION BITE. Members of social organizations protests on July 14, 2022 in Plaza de Mayo square in front of Casa Rosada

presidential palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to demand the government expand social plans and take urgent action against high inflation. Argentina’s inflation reached 36.2 percent in the first half of 2022, amid growing complaints against the economic policies of President Alberto Fernandez’s government. AFP

China growth dips to 2-year low on COVID, property woes BEIJING, China—China logged its slowest economic growth since the initial COVID outbreak Friday, expanding just 0.4 percent in the second quarter with lockdowns and property market weakness pushing the government’s target further out of reach. Beijing has dug its heels in on a zero- COVID policy of stamping out virus clusters with snap lockdowns and long quarantines, but this has battered businesses and kept consumers jittery. The slowdown comes after China’s biggest city Shanghai was sealed off for two months as it battled a virus resurgence, tangling supply chains and forcing factories to halt operations. “Domestically, the impact of the epidemic is lingering,” National Bureau of Statistics spokesman Fu Linghui said Friday, noting shrinking demand and disrupted supplies. “The risk of stagflation in the world economy is rising” also, he told reporters, adding that external uncertainties were growing. Economic expansion for the AprilJune period in the world’s secondlargest economy was also down 2.6 percent from the previous quarter, the NBS said. China has only logged a GDP contraction once in recent decades, and analysts expect the latest reading will drag further on full-year growth. Still, industrial production rose 3.9 percent on-year in June, up from 0.7 percent in May as COVID controls eased, while retail sales picked up 3.1 percent after plummeting 6.7 percent the month before, in what analysts called an encouraging sign. The economy is “on track for a slow recovery,” said Zhiwei Zhang of Pinpoint Asset Management. “Nonetheless, economic growth is still much lower than its potential, as the fear of COVID outbreaks continues to hurt consumer and corporate sentiment,” he added in a note. The urban unemployment rate ticked down to 5.5 percent in June, NBS data showed. AFP

Sri Lankans queue at pumps for days with no promise of petrol By Sean Gleeson and Mahesh Perera COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—Out of gas and stuck in line for days, a group of motorists kick off their shoes and settle on a sidewalk in Sri Lanka’s capital for a round of cards. Emergency curfews, tear gas plumes and the sudden departure and resignation of the president have all failed to budge the long vehicle queues snaking out of Colombo’s empty petrol stations. Chronic fuel shortages have been a source of frustration for months but are now worse than ever, with some people waiting in line for days without any guarantee of a refill. “I have been here for four days,” said Vipul Dissanayaka, the driver of one of the city’s ubiquitous three-wheel motor taxis. The 56-year-old would normally be ferrying people around the city, but in recent months, the increasing time spent waiting for fuel has made his work all but impossible. “Innocent people are suffering,” he told AFP. “Petrol is how we live. This is how we feed our children.” Car drivers nearby wait listlessly behind the steering wheel in the city’s tropical heat, while motorcyclists without the luxury of a reclining seat unfurl rattan mats to nap on the ground. No one wants to yield their spot after waiting for so long, even as unrest sparked by Sri Lanka’s painful financial crisis has convulsed nearby streets.

They stayed in place even as protesters—furious over the government’s economic mismanagement—braved tear gas barrages to storm the home of the president, who later fled the country in an early-hours military flight before emailing his resignation Thursday from Singapore. And they shrugged off a curfew directing people to return home so that troops could restore order. ‘Going backwards’ So far they have waited in vain, as Sri Lanka’s depleted reserves of foreign currency have left the country struggling to pay for fresh imports. The resulting shortages have been a huge source of public anger, with local media reporting sporadic clashes outside fuel stations and the deaths of more than a dozen people while waiting in line. Weeks ago, troops opened fire to disperse a mob that was protesting members of the military jumping the queue for refills. The government last month shut down non-essential public services to save fuel, ordered another hike in petrol costs, and then suspended petrol sales for two weeks. Only a small fraction of vehicles remain on the road, including overcrowded commuter buses and motorists able to afford black market prices of up to 3000 rupees ($8.30) per liter.

Auto rickshaws wait in a long queue for filling fuel at a petrol station in Colombo on July 14, 2022. Emergency curfews, tear gas plumes and the sudden departure of the president have all failed to budge the long vehicle queues snaking out of Colombo’s empty petrol stations. AFP

(MS-JULY 16, 2022)

Sri Lanka’s energy minister said this week another maritime petrol delivery from India would arrive in the country by next Tuesday at the latest, provided weather allowed it to dock at port. But the resupply is unlikely to temper frustrations that have grown in tandem with the wait time between new shipments. “There is no fuel, children are not going to school, prices are very high,” Gihan Martyn, a resident of Colombo, told AFP. “Day by day, the country is going backwards.” AFP DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE LATE MARLENE I. GARCIA Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MARLENE I. GARCIA who died on March 16, 2021 at Las Piñas City, Metro Manila, Philippines have been extra-judicially settled among heirs before Notary Public Atty. Jan Rurik D. Padiernos of Makati City as per Doc. No. 435; Page No.: 80; Book No.: 11; Series of 2021. (MStandard - July 16, 23 & 30, 2022)

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

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, July 15, 2022

VOLUME -52.87 PTS. TOTAL TOTAL TRADES

6,195.26

TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP)

784,991,848 62,119 5,641,383,244.59

ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

70 124 44

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

56.2420

Japan

Yen

0.007195

0.4047

Pound

1.182900

66.5287

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127392

7.1648

Switzerland

Franc

1.016880

57.1914

Canada

Dollar

0.762195

42.8674

Singapore

Dollar

0.712657

40.0813

Australia

Dollar

0.674400

37.9296

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653153

149.2186

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266397

14.9827

Brunei

Dollar

0.710126

39.9389

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.027360

1.5388

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

15.3135

Euro

1.002000

56.3545

Korea

Won

0.000760

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.147971

8.3222

India

Rupee

0.012517

0.7040

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225124

12.6614

New Zealand

Dollar

0.612300

34.4370

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033395

1.8782 Source: BSP

MERALCO-BFP TIEUP. Officials of Manila Electric Co. and Bureau of Fire Protection sign a memorandum of agreement to further strengthen initiatives to promote fire safety and prevention. Under the agreement, Meralco and BFP will collaborate to organize, train and operationalize a fire brigade team that will be based inside the Meralco Operating Center in Pasig City. Leading the signing of the agreement are (front row, from left) Meralco first vice president and head of human resources and corporate services Edgardo Carasig, Meralco president and chief executive Ray Espinosa, BFP-NCR regional director Chief Supt. Gilbert Dolot and regional chief directorial staff Senior Supt. Achilles Santiago.

By Julito G. Rada

ASH remittances grew 1.8 percent in May to $2.43 billion from $2.38 billion a year ago, as countries that host overseas Filipino workers continue to recover from the global health crisis, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Globe says 5G network to help businesses grow By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Friday its broad 5G network will help businesses grow faster amid a more digitalreliant environment. “In this age, improved connectivity is critical to economic development. It has been proven that when people are interconnected and can transact through the web, significant growth in GDP can be seen,” said Globe’s consumer mobile business head Darius Delgado. He said with Globe’s wider 5G network, more people were enjoying higher speeds on mobile devices and in their homes. “An increase in speeds will also allow for more use cases that will empower people and ramp up productivity, thereby boosting the Philippine economy,” Delgado said. Globe said its 5G service is up to 20 times faster than LTE, with average fiber-fast download speeds of up to 156.84 megabits per second on average nationwide and at a higher 167.63 Mbps in Metro Manila in May this year. Globe’s 5G download speed can go up to 342.7 Mbps at its peak nationwide, and 347.2 Mbps in Metro Manila. It has an almost real-time latency that enables faster response time needed for new technologies. Globe said it is best for latency-dependent applications such as gaming and video-conferencing, the company said. 5G’s data signals travel through data frequencies across low-band, mid-band and high-band spectrums. Unlike 4G and LTE that make use of only two spectrum bands, 5G utilizes all three. Globe said that aside from lightning-fast Internet, 5G users could also experience higher-quality streaming, clearer video calls, more intelligent homes and offices, next-level gaming and other digital solutions. Globe said it is ahead of target as it logged over two million devices on its 5G network as of the first quarter, showing an increasing adoption of 5G as it continues to expand its network.

Metrobank named ‘best bank in PH’

METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co. bagged the ‘Best Bank in the Philippines’ award at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2022, solidifying its strong position and reliability as the country’s second largest bank. “A changing of the guard this year as Metrobank pushes aside other local banks to post the best numbers in a mercurial year. Metrobank’s story was about more than prudence. The bank is out there supporting a reviving economy, recording a growth in its commercial lending business. It also took advantage of COVID to push digital channels and launch a host of new services to address its customers’ needs. Pretty much the entire street rates Metrobank a buy right now in recognition of a growing bank with strong capital and asset quality,” Euromoney said. Euromoney Excellence Awards recognizes the best of the best financial institutions globally. For the Best Bank category, Euromoney scrutinizes the following key metrics: market capitalization, total revenues, pre-tax profit, net income, return on tangible common equity, return on assets, net interest margin, cost-toincome ratio, Basel III Tier-1 capital, market share of deposits, market share of loans, loanto-deposit ratio, non-performing loan ratio and non-performing loan coverage ratio. “It is a great honor to be named as the Best Bank in the Philippines by Euromoney, which is a highly regarded institution in the financial industry. This is very timely as we mark our 60th anniversary of serving Filipinos this September,” said Metrobank president Fabian Dee.

AboitizPower eyes Albay binary plant

May remittances rose 1.8% to $2.43b C The latest figure brought cash remittances in the first five months to $12.59 billion, up 2.5 percent from $12.28 billion recorded in the same period last year. “The expansion in cash remittances in May 2022 was due to the growth in receipts from land-based and sea-based workers. In terms of country source, the growth in cash remittances from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Qatar and Singapore contributed largely to

IN BRIEF

the increase in remittances in the first five months of 2022,” the BSP said in a statement Friday. Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, reached $2.70 billion in May, or 2 percent higher than the $2.65 billion posted in the same month last year. This resulted in the 2.5-percent increase in personal remittances to $14.02 billion in the first five months from $13.68 billion a year ago.

“The increase in personal remittances in May 2022 was due to remittances sent by land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more, and sea- and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year,” the BSP said. Cash remittances hit a record $31.418 billion in 2021, up 5.1 percent from $29.903 billion in 2020. The actual expansion missed the 6-percent growth target for the year, but it was an improvement from the 0.8-percent contraction in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. The BSP expects full-year remittance growth at 4 percent, consistent with its long-term growth trend. It said among the factors underpinning the strength of remittances are increased global demand for OFWs, particularly medical practitioners, health care workers and skilled labor in construction and

housekeeping and the Department of Labor and Employment’s bilateral labor agreements with host countries to continue allowing the entry of OFWs. Other reasons are the increased use of digital financial services in remittance transfers to reinforce the upward trend of digital adoption in both domestic and cross-border transactions; higher subscription to digital remittance services; and the tendency of OFWs to maintain a proportion of their remittances in Philippine pesos for their families’ upkeep, particularly for basic spending needs. Remittances were equivalent to roughly 8 percent to 9 percent of nominal gross domestic product in recent years. They were also about 32 percent to 37 percent of income from exports of goods and services and 26 percent to 37 percent of gross international reserves.

Study shows youth’s social media influence

FILIPINO youth aged 18 to 24 years were the main conversation drivers in the 2022 Philippine elections, according to a study organized by FleishmanHillard in Manila, along with research and analytics unit True Global Intelligence. The findings showed the growing influence of Filipino millennials and Gen Z in shaping social media discussions. The published report revealed that much of the demographic users driving social media conversations across different platforms are women at 60 percent and netizens aged 18 to 24 years old, at 59 percent. “Women and the youth are the main actors in influencing discourses online. The data showed us that these demographics were the most vocal in expressing concerns about fake news and deliberate disinformation on social media,” said FleishmanHillard in Manila senior vice president Anna Patricia Malay. Othel V. Campos

Holcim, Seasia end dispute over Bataan port deal

JG SUMMIT PROGRAM.JG Summit

Holdings Inc. strengthens its efforts toward a more sustainable future by adopting a holistic approach to achieving long-term business success in addressing environmental concerns and societal needs. The conglomerate’s stronger strategies and focus on sustainability is highlighted in its 2021 Sustainability Report. As part of efforts to ensure employee growth and well-being, JG Summit invests in employees’ professional growth and well-being through numerous programs in the workplace. More than 1,000 JG Summit employees have access to about 16,000 courses, content and live sessions as part of the group’s executive development program.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Gov’t readies measures to address rising inflation, other risks FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government is fully prepared to address the risks and challenges that threaten sustained recovery from the global health crisis, such as the rising inflation rate. “We have a comprehensive set of interventions to effectively balance the need to sustain growth momentum while containing inflationary pressures and their cascading effects on the economy,” Diokno said at the Global Economy session of the 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting. The Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum that works to address global economic issues, including international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development. The Philippines is not part of the G20, but was invited to participate as a guest nation by the government of Indonesia, the current

ABOITIZ Power Corp. plans to build a binary plant in Tiwi, Albay to expand its renewable energy portfolio in the next decade. AboitizPower said subsidiary AP Renewables Inc. will construct the binary geothermal power plant utilizing excess heat from spent brine at the Tiwi geothermal facility—the country’s first geothermal power plant. The facility will generate an additional 17-megawatt gross capacity of clean and renewable energy for the grid. “The expansion of our Cleanergy portfolio isn’t solely hinged on acquisitions or the construction of big-ticket projects. At Aboitiz Power and within the Aboitiz Group, we always seek ways to optimize available resources. This project is a testament to that,” said Aboitiz Power president and chief executive Emmanuel Rubio. Alena Mae S. Flores

chair and president of the group. G20 is composed of 19 countries plus the European Union, which together comprise the world’s largest economies and account for around 60 percent of the world’s population, 80 percent of global gross domestic product and 75 percent to 80 percent of international trade. The Global Economy session was the first in a series of discussions covering various topics, including global health, international financial architecture, financial sector issues, sustainable finance, infrastructure and international taxation. Diokno, responding to issues raised on risks to financial stability and rising inflationary pressures, cited the government’s effort to increase agricultural output and importation of certain commodities to stabilize supply and prices of food. He said that targeted subsidies were al-

located to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices on the public transport sector. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has been decisive in undertaking the necessary monetary policy actions to arrest the rise of inflation, he said. “With these policy instruments and a medium-term fiscal framework in hand, we are confident that the pains brought by ongoing shocks will be short, and our recovery will remain robust,” he said. The government’s medium-term fiscal framework is aimed at reducing the budget deficit, promoting fiscal sustainability and enabling robust economic growth. It contains near-term and medium-term strategic plans for socioeconomic development, which will be presented in detail to the public by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his first State-of-theNation Address. Julito G. Rada

CEMENT producer Holcim Philippines Inc. and port operator Seasia Nectar Port Services Inc. agreed to settle their conflict over the termination of an agreement in Bataan province. Holcim said in a disclosure on the stock exchange Friday both parties signed an agreement to “amicably settle all disputes and terminate all pending litigation” related to the row. Holcim said the Bataan Regional Trial Court approved the settlement agreement on July 14, which requires the parties to file a joint motion to withdraw with prejudice to all pending cases. SNPSI filed a petition against Holcim in October 2018 to end its port services agreement. Holcim said the termination was “pursuant to its nofault termination rights” under the agreement. The Arbitral Tribunal in September 2020 ruled that Holcim validly terminated the port services agreement but said SNPSI was entitled to compensation as a result of the suspension of the memorandum of agreement. It gave SNPSI the option to either receive P588.38-million worth of compensation from Holcim, which represents the minimum revenue it could have generated if the agreement were not suspended, or get a two-year extension of the MoA, which will result in a total remaining term of seven years and 10.5 months.

DOT pushes for better infrastructure, proactive policies to support tourism growth By Othel V. Campos TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Friday cited the need for more and improved tourism infrastructure and proactive policies to boost the industry as advised by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “Certainly, to benchmark policies in this regard would be the direction that we would take per your instructions. Many measures could be improved as far as policy regulations, both on the national

and local level, and proper coordination to be able to focus on the overall tourist experience from the time that he arrives to the point of entry to the time that he gets to his point of destination,” Frasco told the president during the second Cabinet meeting Thursday. Marcos said local tourism-related infrastructure should be at par with top tourist destinations such as Singapore. “We just have to support the plan to develop all of these enabling environments—

the policy, conditions and infrastructure,” the president said during the meeting. Frasco underscored the DOT’s commitment to the full development of enabling environment—the policies, conditions and infrastructure—to further boost the revitalization of the tourism industry. She laid down the targets and objectives of the department in keeping with the President’s directive to revitalize the tourism industry and transform it into a major pillar for economic growth in the Philippines.

The specific objectives include the improvement of tourism infrastructure and accessibility; a cohesive and comprehensive digitalization and connectivity; enhancement of the overall tourist experience; equalization of tourism product development and promotion; diversification of portfolio through multi-dimensional tourism; maximization of domestic tourism; and strengthening tourism governance through close coordination with LGUs and stakeholders.

Sports

Suns match Pacers’ $133M offer sheet to Ayton LOS ANGELES—The Suns matched the Indiana Pacers’ fouryear, $133 million offer sheet for Deandre Ayton, clearing the way for the restricted free agent to stay in Phoenix, ESPN reported Thursday. Citing Ayton’s agents, ESPN reported that the Suns, who had until Saturday to match the offer Indiana made on Thursday, responded immediately to retain the services of the number one pick in the 2018 NBA draft. The offer sheet from the Pacers was the largest in NBA history, surpassing the fou r-ye a r, $107 million offer signed by Otto Porter Jr with the Brooklyn DeAndre Ayton Nets in 2016 —one offer the Washington Wizards opted to match. The deal appears to complicate any possibility that Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant might end up in Phoenix via a trade. Durant, a two-time NBA champion and 2014 Most Valuable Player, sent shockwaves through the league on June 30 with reports he had requested a trade, with Phoenix and Miami reportedly his preferred destinations. Now, however, no pre-season deal for Durant could include Ayton, who teamed last year with Chris Paul and Devin Booker to lead Phoenix to the best regular-season record in the league of 64-18. They Suns fell in seven games to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semi-finals. Having matched the Pacers’ offer sheet, the Suns can’t trade Ayton until January 15, and they can’t trade him for a full year without his consent. Ayton, 23, averaged 16.3 points and 10.5 rebounds while helping anchor Phoenix’s defense during its run to the 2021 NBA Finals and he averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds this past season. AFP

Responsible gun ownership emphasized at AFAD show A HUGE turnout surprised a lot of exhibitors, who displayed high quality firearms, ammunition and equipment in the latest Association of Firearms and Ammunitions Dealers (AFAD) Inc. Defense and Sporting Arms Show that emphasized responsible gun ownership. Red dot optical sights and pistolcaliber carbines (PCCs) drew a lot of interest from consumers when the fourday expo got going starting Thursday at the Megatrade Hall of the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. “Yes (we were surprised). A lot of our clients really wanted to go. A lot (of the exhibitors) wanted to do it in their stores. But after two and a half years, members were able to highlight their products (here),” said AFAD president and Southeast Asian Games silver medallist Hagen Topacio. Sen. Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa and Philippine National Police Officer in Charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao graced the occasion on opening day. De la Rosa emphasized the need to show responsibility through proper gun registration. “The very act of registering a firearm is already a show of responsibility. Because I care about the use of my firearm, I will make sure it is duly registered,” said De la Rosa in his short message to exhibitors. Another point of interest from the customers, who came were the PCCs, which are long guns chambered to fire ammunition, designed for handguns. There were also pistols that shoot rifle ammunition, presented next to like traditional handguns. Topacio said sports competitions in the PCCs are now coming up and some are organized by the Philippine Practical Shooting Association. “The pistol caliber carbines are rifle platforms in the pistol calibre. There’s a couple of competitors, where a lot of shooters are going into,” said Topacio. The event comes after more than two years after the exhibits were called off because of the pandemic. Now on its 28th year, the exhibit drew 48 members and exhibitors, who gladly showed their offerings to the public. Peter Atencio

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

WARRIORS CRUSH WOEFUL BOSSING.

NLEX’s Don Trollano is challenged to the basket by Blackwater’s Baser Amer in a PBA Philippine Cup game won by the Road Warriors, 98-68, Friday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The Warriors pounced on the Bossing’s woeful two-point shooting in the first quarter en route to the massacre to arrest a three-game slide and grab a 5-5 slate.

Gilas PH bounces back, mauls India by 42 points By Peter Atencio

ILAS Pilipinas started strong and finished even stronger as it subdued India, 101-59, on Friday in Group D hostilities of the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Indonesia. Bouncing back from their 8095 loss to the Lebanon Cedars last Wednesday, the nationals banked on William Navarro, who banged in 18 points to lead the attack. Thirdy Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks added 17 and 12 points, respectively, for Gilas which earned its first

win in two matches. A 7-0 run in the closing minute of the first period allowed the Philippines to move away from a 13-all deadlock. Rhenz Abando’s triple, followed by Kevin Quiambao’s two charities and a floater from Ravena found their

marks within a 38-second span before time expired as Gilas went on to grab at 20-13 spread before the second canto got under way. Gilas is hoping that the 42-point win gives the Filipinos enough of a momentum going into their next showdown with the New Zealand Tall Blacks on Sunday. The 6’3” Ravena, who plays for SanEn NeoPhoenix in the Japan B.League, scored twice in the last eight minutes as the Philippines went to gain a 12-point edge, 27-15, in the second quarter. Gilas coach Chot Reyes said they were able to come up with a better performance than their

Lady Bombers climb semifinal ladder JOSE Rizal University fashioned out a 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9 victory over San Sebastian College in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre Friday. Kia Melgar took the scoring mantle for the Lady Bombers with 18 points, including four blocks, while Sydney Niegos had three blocks for a 15-point outing. But it was Dolly Verzosa, who shone brightest for JRU, scoring 16 points, including the match-clinching kill, while collecting 15 digs. Verzosa, who is making her second Final Four appearance, was determined to give her school more glory in the stepladder phase in her swan song for the Lady Bombers. “Hindi ako umiyak para mag-fourth place kami. ‘Yung Final Four nakatatak na kay Shola (Alvarez, former MVP). We want to make history rin,” said Verzosa, who also had two blocks. “Kami ni Kia (Melgar) we will make history na aalis kami na may magandang alaala para sa JRU,” she added. The Lady Bombers will have a oneday break to prepare for their biggest battle. JRU, which has already assured of its bestever finish in program history,

will face titleholder Arellano University in another do-or-die match at 2 p.m. Sunday at the San Juan arena. The winner will play undefeated College of Saint Benilde in the best-of-three Finals starting Wednesday. Riza Rose added nine points, while Lyka Egera also played big with eight points, including two service aces. for the Lady Bombers. JRU setter Jerry Lyn Laurente tossed in 25 excellent sets to go with three aces. After trailing 0-6 in the deciding set, the Lady Stags put up one final stand, inching in at 7-9 on a Shane Requierme spike. The Lady Bombers went on another tear, as they scored five of the next six points, including an ace by service specialist Danica Villanueva for her team to reach match point. San Sebastian saved a match point before Verzosa drilled in a kill that closed out the two-hour, 19-minute contest. JRU also staved off elimination by beating Lyceum of the Philippines University on Tuesday. The step-ladder semis featured the league’s firstever video challenge, where coach Roger Gorayeb was successful in winning the challenge by the Lady Stags on a

game with Lebanon. “That’s no. 1 and to play to our level and to a certain level. I must admit that we started the game quite rough. But these players were able to recover,” said Reyes. Pressing on in the latter part of the second period, Team Philippines relied on the attacks of Parks, Carl Tamayo, Poy Erram and Navarro to widen their edge to 21, 51-30, with 18 ticks to go before halftime. Muin Bek Hafeez hit 14 points for India, which absorbed its second straight setback. Gilas needs another victory against the Tall Blacks in order to be in contention for a spot in the playoff stage. Game tomorrow

(Filoil Flying V Centre) 2 p.m. – Arellano vs JRU

block touch in the second set. Kat Santos hammered 23 kills, Amaka Tan had three blocks for a 14-point effort, while Requierme added seven points, 13

digs and 13 receptions for San Sebastian, which missed Reyann Cañete due to a sprained right ankle she sustained in training on Thursday afternoon.

CEREMONIAL TOSS. Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda makes the ceremonial toss of the game between the Pasig Cocolife Pirates and Pampanga Deltas to jumpstart the Pilipinas Super League 21-Under tournament on Wednesday at the Gov. Bren Guiao Sports and Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga. Gov. Pineda is joined by PSL president Rocky Chan (fourth from left), basketball operations’ head Leo Isaac (third from left), league official Chielito Caro (left), corporate sponsor Cocolife SVP Joseph Ronquillo (second from right) and PSL VP Ray Alao (right).

Smart, MVP Sports Foundation’s poomsae tourney lures big cast SOME 1,500 taekwondo jins from over 50 teams return to action as the 2022 Smart/ MVP Sports Foundation National Taekwondo Poomsae Championships kick off its first face-to-face competition after two years this weekend (July 16 and 17) at the Ayala Malls, Manila Bay Taekwondo Philippines announced that only fully-vaccinated players are allowed to participate in the competition set to start at 9 a.m. Martial arts enthusiasts and sports aficionados, especially children who

are interested in the sport, are invited to watch. Poomsae (forms) is attack and defense techniques against imaginary opponents. It is a way of understanding and practicing every aspect of the martial art, basic technique, breathing control, balance, coordination and concentration. The mind and body can work together in striving for perfection of technique that can never be achieved. Taekwondo is meaningless without poomsae. Participants are expected to come from

Regions, 1,2, 3, 4, 4A, 4b, 6A, 6B, 7, 8A, 10A, BARMM, CAR, as well as NCR. Competition is open in four events namely individual, pair, team and free style for colored and blackbelts. Early registrants are top poomsae squads from Far Eastern University, Ateneo, Xavier School, Meta Gym, Superbodies, UP Diliman, St. Paul of Paranaque, DPS and PNP. The event is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and MILO.

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com

UXURY, for-sale listings recorded the highest lead growth in the fourth quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022, a recent report by Lamudi showed. These listings continued to perform strongly in the first quarter of the year, according to Lamudi’s latest quarterly report. The P12M to P20M price range registered the highest lead growth from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022. Real estate brokers had first-hand access to a discussion of 1Q2022 trends observed by Lamudi on the platform during Lamudi’s recent business networking night, Lamudi Link. In line with the huge demand for luxury properties, Anurag Verma, director, Broker Classifieds & Partnerships at Lamudi, recommended emphasizing premium and value-adding amenities, such as WiFi and gyms, on marketing materials, especially online listings. LEISURE SPOTS ARE IN Next to luxury listings, properties priced below P450K on Lamudi registered the strongest performance in terms of lead growth from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022. In terms of real estate location trends, Verma highlighted the data that most of the top-searched places in Luzon (outside Metro Manila) were vacation destinations. Antipolo, Tagaytay, and Baguio were the three most popular locations in the year’s first quarter. At the height of the pandemic, leisure hotspots have become more popular on the real estate platform. This may be attributed to the rise of workcation and the growing desire for a second home. KEYS TO THE KINGDOM Cebu and Davao City ranked first in the list of most searched locations on Lamudi in the Vis-Min regions in the first quarter. Verma said that the Queen City of the South may have attracted interest from property seekers because of the recently completed infrastructure developments in the area, including the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, the country’s longest bridge. Lamudi CEO Kenneth Stern (Inset photo) said that the investor market would find confidence in real estate as a protection from the uncertainty of the times. He added that real estate professionals are in a favorable position to capture this emerging trend.

Home/Design

Luxury properties draw more interest in 1Q-2022 —Lamudi To seize this opportunity, Stern emphasized the importance of digital marketing. He said that the pandemic had been a catalyst for understanding the online space better. He believes that the more you learn, the more you earn, which is why he encourages real estate practitioners to keep abreast with the latest developments in the industry, and use online tools to generate more leads and manage relationships with clients better. BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PROFESSIONALS Lamudi and its event partner work.able by RLC are jointly creating networking opportunities for real estate brokers, Stern said. Both companies are determined to build a close-knit community of professionals, where the success of each one is supported. Stern thanked work.able for hosting the recent Lamudi Link. RLC and Lamudi have been long-time partners in promoting real estate developments online, particularly when RLC ushered in a strong campaign for its residential division, RLC Residences, he pointed out. According to Elton John Peralta, associate business development director at Robinsons Land Corp Office Buildings Division, the advantage of having a move-in-ready work environment is that enterprises can reduce relocation stress. Instead of having to go through the intricacies of designing and fitting out their workspaces, businesses can readily hit the ground running, while they focus on building their teams and forming solid relationships with others, he explained. Other amenities in work.able that promote collaboration and community include conference rooms, a game room, events spaces, and common pantry areas. work.able is present in six centers—three in Ortigas CBD, one in Bonifacio South in Taguig, two in Quezon City.

CAVITE GEM TO RISE SOON.

Federal Land, Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Inc., and SMDC recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to inaugurate the first phase of Riverpark North, a 100-hectare mixed-use township in General Trias, Cavite. At the event were (left to right): Federal Land President and COO Thomas F. Mirasol; Federal Land Chairman Alfred V. Ty; Mayor of the City of General Trias, Hon. Luis A. Ferrer IV; Representative of the 6th District of Cavite, Hon. Congressman Antonio A. Ferrer; SMDC President Jose Mari H. Banzon; and SMDC Executive Vice President and Head of Project Development, Grace Evangeline M. Sta Ana.

Megawide’s infrastructure pivot

FILIPINO engineering and infrastructure company Megawide Construction recently received ISO 9001:2015 Certifications for its Precast and Construction Solutions business. Apart from the Precast unit, the certification also covers Ready-Mix Concrete, Construction Equipment and Logistics Services, and Formworks businesses. “We understand that critical and large infrastructure developments require longterm expertise and entail compliance with strict engineering and safety standards,” said Markus Hennig, Megawide executive vice president for business units. Megawide, together with its Japanese partners Tokyu Construction and Tobishima Corp., recently signed Contract Package 104 of the Metro Manila Subway Project. It is also fast expanding its transportcentric development (TCD) portfolio, anchored on a hub-and-spoke model, with the country’s first landport, PITX, currently at the core. Megawide is also modernizing Cebu’s 100-year old Carbon District, including its public market (Shown in photo), through a joint venture with the Cebu City government. ABOITIZ InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, recently announced the BERDE-district 5-star certification of its LIMA Estate in Batangas— the 1st industrial estate in the country to receive the accreditation. AIC participated in a pilot program in partnership with the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC) to secure the Building for Ecologically Responsive

Space, glorious space from Keepr

BRIA CONDO GENERAL TRIAS OPENS SALES OFFICE. BRIA Condo General Trias’ recently opened its first onsite sales office to welcomer inquiries, organize site visits, showroom viewings, sales transactions, and signing of documents. Eduardo T. Aguilar, BRIA Homes Division Head, explained that “facilitating such services is imperative in the wake of the vertical village’s recent groundbreaking, and after pre-selling activities generated more awareness of BRIA Condo GenTri’s potential among homebuyers and property investors.” Prospective property buyers and investors can initially check out BRIA house models via virtual tours in the BRIA website (www.bria.com.ph). They can also inquire through the official BRIA Facebook page.

How green is their valley Design Excellence (BERDE) - district 5-star certification of LIMA, as part of AIC’s push to attract more investments from both local and foreign investors. “This accomplishment validates that the sustainability programs at our Economic Estates are at par with a global standard,” said

LIMA Land, Inc. President and AIC Economic Estates Head Rafael Fernandez de Mesa. AIC is also applying for the BERDE Building Certification of the LIMA Tower One, the first of seven multi-storey office buildings to be built at LIMA’s Central Business District, slated for completion in 2024.

KEEPR has been providing storage solutions for Filipinos all over the metro to help expand their living spaces , and accommodate their belongings. Recently launched at Bonifacio Ridge in Bonifacio Global City, Keepr’s selfstorage lockers are perfect for people who are constantly on the go and need temporary storage space. With subscription plans that offer daily, weekly, and monthly storage rates starting at ₱699, Customers can choose from a wide range of locker options. Such as the medium locker with 60 x 45 x 63 cm, the large locker with 90 x 60 x 92 cm space, and the room locker with 110 x 130 x 270 cm. The medium storage unit is a 20 cubic meter space capable

WALKING THE SUSTAINABILITY TALK.

of storing 152 large balikbayan boxes, perfect for storing excess household items to free up space within the home. The large storage unit plan is a 30 cubic meter unit suitable for established businesses with excess products that occupy a large portion of their existing space. The 2XL is the biggest storage unit available. This 50 cubic meter area can accommodate up to 380 large balikbayan boxes. It’s perfect for people looking for a buffer while awaiting a transfer to a new house. Keepr’s services are available throughout Metro Manila, and the official app is available for download on Google Play and the App Store.

Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO), the property development arm of the ICCP Group, was recently named among the Top 10 Developers in the Philippines in 2022 during the recent BCI Asia Awards Philippines. The awards recognized the top 10 property developers and the top 10 architects in the Philippines, ranked by the total value of projects under construction in 2021. These rankings were also weighted by the extent of the firms’ sustainability efforts, encouraging the creation of socially responsible architecture. At the awarding ceremonies were Pueblo de Oro president and chief operating officer Prim Nolido (second from right) and senior vice president Leonardo Dayao, Jr. (second from left) receiving the award from BCI Central Philippines general manager Stanny Pamintuan (left) and International Finance Corporation senior country officer Thuy Bui. Pueblo de Oro Townscapes Malvar is an eco-friendly, mixed-use community designed by internationally acclaimed planners, Pomeroy Studio. It is part of a 212-ha development designed with 37 hectares of residential offerings complemented by five hectares of commercial and educational hubs.

Motoring

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

MILO RIVERA, Sub-editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Lite Ace launched: Reinventing a classic Toyota vehicle

O SUPPORT the goal of continuous inclusive economic growth and to address the evolving needs of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has introduced the All-new Toyota Lite Ace - a reinvention of a classic Toyota vehicle. To be positioned as a reliable and capable Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) for Filipino business owners in various industries, the All-New Lite Ace comes in more than one body type, prioritizing loading capacity and

efficiency as a people and goods mover. The All-New Toyota Lite Ace was officially unveiled to the public yesterday at the Farmers Plaza activity area in Araneta City, Quezon City, with displays of the new model

and demonstrations of the use and capability of the different vehicle types ongoing until July 17. “The launch of the All-New Lite Ace will bring us even closer to fully realizing our goal of Mobility for All,” said Sherwin Chualim, TMP First Vice President for Vehicle Sales Operations. “With TMP’s entry into this new vehicle category, we aim to empower and enable more Filipino business owners, whether they’re just starting or looking to expand. Our goal is to help them progress and maximize income through a Toyota vehicle that’s simple to acquire, reliable to use, and easy to maintain.”

Retail price of the All-New Toyota Lite Ace will start at Php570,000. Full features and specifications will also be announced during the launch and more announcements will be released in the

TMP website (www.toyota.com.ph) and social media accounts - Toyota Motor Philippines on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, @ToyotaMotorPH on Twitter, Toyota PH on Viber.

New CALAX interchange to open 2nd half of ‘22

ONE OF THE FEW MOMENTS GREEN AND RED CROSS OVER.

“The GAC GS3 may not be a “top of mind” subcompact crossover option, but it actually has every reason to be one. Possessing - in my opinion - one of the most solid and smooth rides in its segment, complemented by guaranteed power and reliability through GAC’s trusty second-gen 200T engine, the GS3 is definitely considered an underrated game changer just by how it more than lives up to its billing as a car smart to handle and fun to drive. It may lack in “extravagance” when it comes to interior features and trinkets, but it will never give you a sense of being short-changed just by how the vehicle will take you from point A to point B every single time. Its youthfully modern exterior looks and trims - on the other hand - are a certified eye-catcher. All in all, just a dynamically sound vehicle that handles intelligently. Milo Rivera

Shifting to EV’s — seriously IT’S been quite a while (I think more than 10 years) since I last wrote a motoring column - it was for another broadsheet in town. That’s why when given the opportunity to write again by the top honcho of this newspaper, who am I to pass it up? Yes, it’s been an honor to be given the opportunity, and now, we’re BACK ON TRACK! ••• JUST a few months before we temporarily stopped writing our said column, we attended the 5-day Michelin Challenge Bibendum, a global summit for sustainable mobility, in Berlin, Germany. It was held May of 2011 at the former airport named Berlin Tempelhof in which more than 6,000 representatives from different countries and more than 120 “electric vehicles” – ebikes, cars, and trucks – were featured. There were even Segways and an F3 racing car among the participants, all running on electric. Yes, the EVs are just being presented as a cleaner alternative to the internal combustion engine. I couldn’t forget that parade of EVs that started at the iconic Brandenburg Gate up to the Berlin Tempelhof Airport. It was a sight to behold!

At the gigantic venue, anyone can ride all those EVs and get all the information available regarding them as start-up manufacturers and makers are on hand in their respective stalls nearby. During the opening day ceremonies, the then managing partner of the Michelin Group Michel Rollier, delivered a quite “prophetic” speech that we recalled as we see the fast developing transformation of our vehicles today from internal combustion engine to hybrid to electric. This is how he summed up the future of mobility then: “The spirit that guides the Michelin Challenge Bibendum is to show that the automobile’s capacity for improvement is alive and well and that road transport has a bright future serving society’s needs. We can and must reduce the gap between the scope of the challenges we face – which include energy, environmental and safety issues, as

THE Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) is set to make a major milestone this 2022, as it eyes the operationalization of its upcoming interchange - the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange in the latter part of the year. This will extend CALAX’ operational sections from Mamplasan, Laguna, to Aguinaldo Highway in Silang, Cavite. As of today, the 3.9-kilometer 2x2 lane CALAX subsection has reached 56% of completion. Part of the ongoing works includes drainage and bridge

well as universal access to efficient mobility solutions – and the slow pace of decision-making processes around the world. Innovation and its organized deployment require close coordination between the public and private sectors. Let’s look to the future without fear, keeping a totally open mind with regard to all both local and global solutions. What’s truly important is not to put off making the tough choices required for everyone’s well-being. We’re counting on the experts’ discussions and the events in Berlin to help us take an additional step toward ensuring sustainable road mobility that is cleaner, safer and connected.” During that time, most of the countries in Europe were already in the midst of fast transforming the landscape of their transportation into electricity. We were well informed that the manufacture of EVs there was already underway and that the foundation of the EV infrastructure (putting up power charging stations) was being laid at a frenzied pace. Yes, Nissan came out with its famous EV that year – the Leaf – and we were able to experience being onboard one during the event. That Nissan Leaf was eventually adjudged Car of the World that particular year. But most big-time Japanese carmakers (not only Nissan) surprisingly slowed down in competing with their European rivals as far as EVs are concerned after they

constructions, excavation and roadway earthworks, and installation of fence and coco net. Once operational, the Silang Aguinaldo Interchange, aside from the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road Interchange, will be a convenient alternative exit of CALAX for motorists coming from Metro Manila going to the country’s second summer capital, Tagaytay City. The interchange is 16 kilometers away from the city proper of Tagaytay via Aguinaldo Highway, and the travel

seemed to “hit the wall” in coming up with the perfect batteries for hybrid cars that they are promoting. Most of them went into hybrid engines. Imagine, the Nissan Leaf (which is purely electric) was introduced to the local market only in the middle of 2020, more than nine years after it was rolled out in the European market, which continued its march toward perfecting the electric vehicles. It’s only when the Chinese started to overhaul their transportation initiatives in order to fight the continuing pollution of their air space that the Asian vehicle landscape was awakened. The Chinese started to overhaul their bus system by eradicating those antiquated buses with the electric ones. But many Chinese car manufacturers have already learned from their European counterparts (most of them were their partners before when they opened up their economy to foreign businesses) as they quietly followed going electric on their vehicles. This is the main reason why you have been seeing several Chinese manufacturers who are now peddling EVs left and right here in the country more than their Japanese rivals. The Covid-19 pandemic and the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine have created havoc around the world especially in the car industry. But the EV sales, surprisingly, grew by an amazing 42% even as the global automotive market shrank in 2021.

time is around 20 minutes only. Other interchanges of CALAX namely Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, and Kawit, are targeted to be completed by 2023. CALAX’s operational segment spans 14.24-kilometer with interchanges at Greenfield-Mamplasan, Laguna Technopark, Laguna Boulevard, Santa Rosa-Tagaytay, and Silang East. Upon completion of the entire CALAX project, it will connect to the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) in Kawit, Cavite.

That figure is expected to grow as high as 51% worldwide this year. And yes, the EV market is predicted to still continue to be dominated by China and Europe as they account for an eye-popping 80% of the sales between them! It is also predicted that several foreign carmakers are likely to increase their stakes in the carproduction joint ventures in China, as it lifts the 49% cap on ownership from January this year. The United States is fast catching up but it needs to double-up its effort before they can go side-by-side with the two leaders in EV sales. Next time around, let us see how the Japanese carmakers are doing as far as EVs are concerned. ••• IT’S nice getting in touch once again (even only through the phone) with our good friend and still the president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. or CAMPI, Atty. Rommel Gutierrez, who is from Toyota Motor Philippines. For your information, CAMPI will be holding its 8th edition of the Philippine International Motor Show on Sept. 15-18 at the World Trade Center. Its theme will be Mobility + Humanity: Innovating for the Common Good. This is one motor show you need not miss if you are one true-blue car enthusiast. Congratulations and good luck, Atty. Rommel!

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Tech & Gadgets

Samsung Galaxy A23 gets job done

Sharp image

Low light

Samsung Galaxy A23

By Maria Michaela Nabaza

HROUGHOUT its years in the tech industry, Samsung has always valued innovation and continues to improve its line-up of smartphones that caters to customers’ needs. Whether for school, work or leisure, Samsung has always pushed the envelop when it comes to improvement and innovation. One of Samsung’s recent releases is the Samsung Galaxy A23.

Essential need

A phone is essential to get through the day, particularly students taking virtual or face-to-face classes. Following years of completely virtual classes, some schools and colleges are reintroducing in-person classes. It may be inconvenient to bring a laptop around campus, so having a phone with great functionality is useful.

Most students’ source of income is their allowance or by selling snacks in school. Samsung Galaxy A23 is one of the more accessible smartphones with an official price of P13,990.00. Not only is the Samsung Galaxy A23 affordable, it allows students to work efficiently in the classroom with its features. At first glance, what stands out from this new model is its looks, especially the peach-colored one, which uses a glossy plastic frame and hides fingerprints and smudges. The elegant look alone will draw young users, but the Samsung Galaxy A23’s beauty isn’t just “skin deep”.

Display

The smartphone boasts of a large diagonal display of 6.6 inches and an image refresh rate of 90 Hz, making it a fine platform for playing games, watching movies, following social networks or surfing the net altogether. With a resolution up to FHD +, a user won’t feel any discomfort—which is an advantage as many models in the same price range have a resolution of only HD +. Unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy A23 has a TFT screen, not AMOLED, but the result is acceptable.

Upgraded photography

Its slim design integrates the camera and the body with elegant curves. First on the list of its top features is its camera/s. Students don’t need to worry about blurred photos with this smartphone. Samsung’s mid-range phone cameras are generally good when it comes to image quality, and the Galaxy A23 is proof with a quad camera setup that comprise of a 50MP primary lens, supported by a 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro and 2MP

depth lens. This is better than many other phones of the same class that usually come with a primary and macro lens. With the Quad Camera, capturing clear and detailed photos of PowerPoint presentations, blackboard lectures, and fun-filled class memories is effortless. Despite being a budget handset, the 50MP main camera is a plus, and the good thing is, it is optically stabilized for users with shaky hands. The Main Camera takes detailed shots, while the Ultra Wide Camera widens the viewing angle. The Depth Camera adjusts the focus, while the Macro Camera zooms in on the details. Students will enjoy documenting amusing moments in class, and these videos are often unsteady. As indicated earlier, the Samsung Galaxy A23 boasts of Optical Image Stabilization, which allows it to film videos more smoothly and capture greater details. Now, students can record serious and even hilarious films in high quality. Image quality of the primary camera is also decent for mid-range phone standards as it delivers good detail, naturally saturated and vibrant color, especially in good lighting conditions. The Galaxy A23 does its best to produce bright visible photos, but loses detail, though, due to its smaller sensor size.

Designed for busy days

The Galaxy A23 is a decent budget to mid-range choice with a big 5,000 mAh battery, 25W fast charging and Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front. With its huge battery, students don’t have to worry about their phones dying on them in the middle of a class. The Samsung

Vibrant colors

Galaxy A23’s battery can last two days and won’t disrupt your studies. This alone is worth the price. Powering the Galaxy A23 is the Snapdragon 680 SoC, a competent CPU offering a substantial upgrade over older Snapdragon 6xx chipsets and boasting of enough cores that are clocked sufficiently high, so performance shouldn’t be an issue compared to devices running the latest Snapdragon 690 series. And so expect just about the right level of performance as other competing solutions as it combines Octa-core processing power with up to 6GB of RAM for fast and efficient performance. Students can enjoy 128GB of internal storage and may add up to 1TB more with the MicroSD card. Another plus for the Galaxy A23 is it comes with the latest Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI 4.1, which isn’t a given with budget to some mid-range devices. Nothing is more upsetting for students than losing assignments and projects they have worked hard for. Thankfully, it has Samsung Knox that protects the phone the minute it’s turned on, shielding the device from malware and malicious threats. And, after a tiring day at school, students can unwind by listening to music through Dolby Atmos. Samsung has been going strong with its low to mid-range lineup in the last couple of years, and the Galaxy A23 is proof of this. It won’t blow you away like what flagship phones do. But it gets the job done. And most of all, it’s from a brand that has been trusted by many for decades.

DOH-MMCHD signs pact with MYEG PH enabling online payments for registration, accreditation fees THE Department of Health-Metro Manila MyEG PH CEO Ann Saldaña on the other hand Center for Health Development, the princommended the fast business processes of the cipal health agency in the National Capital regional office and committed that MyEG shall Region and MYEG Philippines, recently provide the same speed with their services. She inked a memorandum of agreement to proadded that technical, promotional, and customer vide citizens with a more efficient, secure, support in using the new online payment system hassle-free, and reliable online payment shall also be provided. system for DOH transactions. Also present during the ceremony were MYEG Philippines is a market leader in DOH-MMCHD Legal Affairs Unit’s Atty. electronic solutions championing governDeane Denesy Jao and other office representament services online automation both in the tives, as well as managers from MyEG PH. Philippines and in Malaysia and a leading The online payment system through the MyEG e-payment processing provider with 90,000 platform www.myeg.ph supports the Republic Act payment channels nationwide from cash No. 11032, also known as the Ease of Doing BusiThe memorandum of agreement was signed by DOH-MMCHD’s Regional payment options, credit cards, e-wallets, Director (Director IV) Dr. Gloria J. Balboa, Assistant Regional Director Dr. Aleli ness and Efficient Government Service Delivery bank transfers etc. Act, and Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s Annie Grace P. Sudiacal, and MyEG Philippines Chief Executive Officer Ann The partnership will allow payments for Margaret Saldaña on July 12 at the DOHMMCHD Office in Mandaluyong. Executive Order No. 170. These issuances manpermits, licenses, accreditation, authorizadate all government departments and agencies to tion, registration, certification, clearancadopt a digital payment system for government Regional Director Balboa emphasized that the MMCHD es, violations, and other DOH transactions that will is the first DOH Office to make online payments available, disbursements and collections to promote efficient debenefit hospitals, health facilities, health workers, and saying that “leading in the digitalization effort shall make livery of services, expedite transactions, boost revenue other clients of DOH in Metro Manila. and reduce the risk of graft and corruption. our processes more efficient and effective.”

Digital finance makes sending money back home easier MOBILE payment wallets have become a vital part of the Southeast Asian consumer landscape, providing financial access for millions of previously excluded people. In the Philippines, as online spending soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital wallets saw a surge in newly registered users causing Filipinos to shift away from cash transactions and towards digital payment platforms for their financial needs. With the growth of digital payments expected to remain strong, bolstered by the number of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) deployments for international job opportunities, and the proliferation of central bank digital currencies, early adopters are already taking advantage of the benefits that financial connectivity provides. Other factors that contributed to the advancement of digital transactions include convenience, along with innovative services provided by global players, such as WorldRemit, which ranks the Philippines as one of the top five countries that receives the highest amount of personal remittances on an annual basis.

“Transparency is extremely important to us and our customers. The WorldRemit app allows customers to track their transfer and reassures them that they are getting great value with no hidden costs or additional fees,” said Earl Melivo, Country Director for the Philippines at WorldRemit. Overseas remittance made easy WorldRemit makes it easier for OFWs, one of the highest contributors to the Philippine economy, to send funds to their families back home from nearly anywhere in the world. This is crucial as their remittances continue to buoy the Philippine economy on the road to post-pandemic recovery. Overseas workers are no longer limited to the physical constraints and accessibility of conventional remittance processes through brick-andmortar retailers. With WorldRemit, senders simply need to download the app to begin the transfer process, while recipients only require a phone number and email address for notification purposes. Before completing transactions, senders are shown the full amount the recipient will receive and any fees, so they can be assured that their loved ones get the correct amount of money with no hidden costs. Additionally, WorldRemit makes conversion hassle-free with its in-app exchange rates updated in real-time. Send and receive ‘round the clock Customers can transfer how, where and when they want on the app, as the payment company’s services are not limited to the usual working hours of traditional remittance centers, nor hindered by time zones. Sending money can happen at any hour of the day, and 95 percent of transactions are received within minutes. Moreover, WorldRemit works with several major digital and traditional banks for money transfer transactions to facilitate receiving cash remittances.

Everything you need to be the best mobile gamer THINKING of taking your mobile gaming to the next level? Well, you’re going to need some tools to elevate your game. Investing in the right gadgets and accessories can completely transform the way you play. That’s why we’re rounding up some cool add-ons for avid mobile gamers out there. Infinix NOTE 12 First off, you’ll need a heavy duty gaming phone and the Infinix NOTE 12 is just the gadget for the job. The Infinix NOTE 12 is a best-in-class phone with advanced features designed specifically to improve your gaming experience. Gamers are bound to enjoy their smoothest gameplay yet thanks to its powerful Helio G96 Ultra Gaming Processor. No lagging, no screen tears, just quick refresh rates and high resolution graphics. Another feature that drives its superfast speeds? The Infinix NOTE 12 has an

extendable RAM of up to 13GB which also makes multitasking between games hassle-free. Get your hands on this mobile gaming wonder through its official stores in Lazada and Shopee. Bluetooth headphones or earphones Get your head in the game by getting yourself some high-quality bluetooth earphones or headphones. These devices, especially ones with noise-cancelling features, allow you to focus and fully immerse yourself in your game - hearing every strike of a sword or the exciting music in the background. It’s also very important to have good audio and microphones when you’re playing multiplayer games that involve live comms. Choosing a bluetooth alternative is also highly recommended since wires can often be troublesome, especially when you’re playing on-the-go.

Fast-charging battery Is there anything more frustrating than losing your game progress because of a drained battery? Imagine being on the verge of winning then suddenly you run out of juice? Luckily, the Infinix NOTE 12 is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that’s perfect for long-haul gaming. If you ever do need to charge, no worries! The Infinix NOTE 12’s 33w fast-charging feature A non-slip phone case Gain better control of your game with a non-slip phone case. In the thick of the game, gamers need a sturdy and balanced grip on their phones so they can input their actions without fearing that the phone will slip and fall–ruining a good game. This is why a non-slip phone case is important: it allows gamers that extra sense of security and comfort as they hold their phones. Don’t worry about cases making

your device bulky because Infinix NOTE 12’s 7.8 mm ultra slim design makes it lightweight even when you use the Infinix clear jelly case or the limited edition PUBG phone case. Mobile game controllers Willing to splurge a little more? You can actually purchase external controllers that can connect to your phone. You can choose from the mobile game pads that can connect through your phone’s charging port or you can choose bluetooth controllers. With external controllers, you’ll be able to enjoy the Infinix NOTE 12’s bright and crisp True Color AMOLED display a little more without your fingers getting in the way.

INFINIX Note 12