BusinessMirror September 14, 2024

SMALL YET BIG

ABy Malou Talosig-Bartolome

FTER hopping from one side hustle to another, Rolando Pega of Pangil, Laguna, realized in 2009 that there’s money in spring onions. But 10 years after, his income doubled with one freebie from Japan—a refrigerated delivery truck.

Napakalaking tulong po ng refrigerated truck,” Pega told the BusinessMirror. “Dati po may delivery truck kami, pero walang aircon. Marami pong nare -reject na gulay [A refrigerated truck is such a big help. We used to have a delivery truck, but it was not airconditioned. Much of our vegetables were being rejected].”

With just one truck, Pega said, they were able to supply spring onions and other vegetables to fastfood chain Chowking, in Rizal, and soon in Metro Manila. They have become the regular supplier of Baguio pechay, green bell pepper, cabbage, kangkong, spring onion, red onion, and eggs.

“Because the quality of our vegetables has improved, we are no longer facing rejections and we got more customers,” Pega said, partly in Filipino. With higher income comes a better quality of life for Pega. He was able to buy a 45-square-meter lot, repair his dilapidated house and buy a motorcycle. The 59-year-old farmer was

also able to help his adult children financially.

The truck was given to them for free by the Japanese Embassy in Manila, through the nongovernment organization Ahon sa Hirap Inc. (ASHI), of which his group is a member.

Small yet big impact PEGA is just one of many who have benefited from the Japanese government’s smaller-scale grants to the Philippines. Japan is the largest donor in the world and in the Philippines.

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE Department of

and Management (DBM) has released P5.589 trillion or 96.9 percent of the P5.768trillion allocation for 2024 as the government ramped up disbursements to various agencies. The latest status of allotment report showed the DBM released

Since 1966, Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines has reached over US$34 billion.

Most of Japan’s ODA grants that are being reported in the media are about big-ticket items which impact the overall Philippine economy, such as the Metro Manila subway (P163 billion), North-South Commuter Railway (P186 billion), airports, seaports, roads and bridges, and flood control.

One ODA grant that has not received much media attention is the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), as these projects are smaller in scale compared to the billions of US dollars Tokyo has provided to Manila.

trillion, or 97.9 percent of the P3.502-trillion budget, was disbursed to various departments and agencies.

Special Purpose Funds (SPFs), such as budgetary support to staterun corporations, allocation to local government units (LGUs) and calamity funds, among others, were given P393.425 billion or 77.5 percent of the P507.481 billion allocation. Meanwhile, funding for automatic appropriations reached P1.524 trillion, 86.7 percent of the P1.758 trillion earmarked for the said purpose.

The DBM has released 100 percent of the allocation for the national tax allotment amounting to P871.378 billion, block grant (P70.513 billion), pension of former

presidents or their widows (P480 million), special account in the general fund (P36.484 billion) and tax expenditures fund/customs duties and taxes (P14.500 billion).

Moreover, allotment release for interest payments reached P456.660 billion, 68.1 percent of the P670.471-billion programmed amount.

Releases for net lending amounted to P7.175 billion, 25 percent of the P28.700-billion allocation.

The DBM has yet to release 3.1 percent or P178.318 billion of the remaining P5.768-trillion budget allotment for the year.

PRICES UP AFTER TYPHOON ENTENG DISRUPTS SUPPLY CHAIN

YPHOON Enteng, which brought heavy rains and flooding to several agricultural areas in the Philippines, has caused a sharp rise of up to P50 per kilogram in certain vegetables in Metro Manila markets due to disruptions in the supply chain. Based on the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Price Monitoring database, the prices of select vegetables saw significant jumps between August 30 and September 3 following the typhoon’s landfall. Yet, prices remain lower compared to the same month in 2023.

ASHI members pose in front of the refrigerated trucks donated by the Japanese Embassy in Manila. Rolando Pega of Pangil, Laguna, saw his income double after receiving one of these trucks, noting it significantly reduced produce rejections.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE JAPANESE EMBASSY IN MANILA

SMALL YET BIG IMPACT:

How Japan is winning the hearts of ordinary Filipino people

GGP projects are designed to finance projects which will not cost more than ¥20 million (around P8 million), Tokiko Nishimura, second secretary of the Japanese Embassy, told the BusinessMirror

“Large projects need longer time to negotiate between Japanese and Philippine governments. But with GGP, it’s a very small scheme for grassroots and we can approve projects quickly within one year,” Nishimura said. As of April 2024, Japan has financed 562 projects worth US$35 million (P32 billion). The education sector accounts for the most grants with 120 projects, with an additional 50 projects related to capacity building.

Education grants

THE country currently has only one school for the deaf-impaired— the Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD) in Pasay City. However, many of its students are not from Metro Manila. Deaf children from the provinces need to stay in the dormitory to be able to access the special education designed for those with hearing impairments.

PSD had a dormitory building that could accommodate only 4050 learners using double-decker beds. Due to the limited capacity, the school had to reject more than

half of its applicants each year.

In 2019, the Japanese Embassy in Manila gave PSD a grant worth US$156,127 (P8 million) to be able to build another dormitory. Now, PSD can accommodate 90 deaf-impaired learners from the provinces every year.

Lovelyn Jane Bacera, public school district supervisor and OIC/ Principal of PSD, said that with the Japanese grant, 10 senior high school students have graduated recently. “It’s hard for our learners if they are far from home. But now, 10 were able to survive senior high school, and that is the main goal of the DepEd – to keep them in school,” she said. With the newly constructed dormitory at PSD, male and female students have been segregated. The two dormitories were also provided with shower rooms, toilet and bath, and are PWD-friendly with railings and ramp.

As a government education institution, PSD had to undergo the usual bidding process. But the Japanese Embassy was “very helpful,” Bacera said, and it took them only six months to comply with the procurement process.

Health grant

DINGALAN town in Aurora may be one of the most scenic spots in the country, but five years ago, 90 percent of its residents lacked ad-

equate access to healthcare, especially for emergencies. Their only public health facility, the Municipal Health Center, was housed in a dilapidated building with no surgical room and insufficient medical equipment.

“Dingalan is isolated from the rest of Aurora. We are separated by the Sierra Madre mountain range. That’s why we can’t refer patients to Baler. If there are patients who need urgent medical care, they need to go to Cabanatuan City which is 60-70 kilometers away, which is three hours travel time,” said Maycel Viray, a nurse at Dingalan municipal health center.

“This is most difficult for pregnant women who are about to give birth,” she added, as the health center also lacks space for birthing.

In 2018, Japan provided a grant of US$109,567 (P5.6 million) to the Dingalan LGU to repair and upgrade its main health center, including the addition of a birthing facility. The grant also covered the purchase of laboratory equipment such as oxygen tanks, a blood analyzer, a neonatal warming machine, and an ultrasound machine. The ward room was also equipped with air conditioning.

“With the Japanese grant, more people come here—although not a good thing because it means more people are getting sick. But

on the other hand, it is also a good thing because they can come here just to manage their health like BP monitoring and blood tests for senior citizens,” said Engr. Reymond Domingo, head of the working group that drafted the proposal.

With an increase in clients at the health center, its PhilHealth accreditation has been upgraded, and the LGU now receives larger allocations for medicines. About 90 percent of all birthing deliveries in the municipality, averaging 200-300 per year, take place at the clinic. Additionally, other municipalities refer animal-bite patients to the center. The Rural Health Unit (RHU) also provides services from a surgeon for minor surgeries, as well as a dentist and an ophthalmologist.

The upgrade of RHU and other development projects earned Dingalan LGU its fourth seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Domingo said it took two years for them to persuade the Japanese Embassy with all the documentary requirements.

“Sobrang hirap, masyadong madugo [It was tough]” he shared.

Asked what stood out from their proposal, Domingo believes it is the “credibility” of their mayor— then 40-year-old Sherwin Taay.

Taay used to be the former executive director of the National Youth Commission, and had worked with the Japanese Embassy on JENESYS cultural exchange program for the youth.

But his NYC stint and connection didn’t bring much weight to the GGP evaluators. Domingo boasted that Mayor Taay reformed Dingalan since he took office in 2016 with the reconstruction of the municipal building, the funding of which he got from a loan at the Development Bank of the Philippines. He also built a public market.

The Japanese Embassy official refused to categorically say that they screen local executives’ proposals against potential corruption.

Nishimura explained that all proposals—even those coming from the LGUs—are thoroughly reviewed and proponents need to show that they have the financial capacity and capability to complete and maintain the project.

Post-grant audit

THE Japanese Embassy takes all GGP proposals seriously that they send staff and hire consultants to the provinces to see for themselves if these are indeed worthy of the Japanese taxpayers’ money.

To qualify for GGP financing, proponents like NGOs, government agencies or local executives must prove that their projects are “urgent” and more people are in dire need of the solution they will be providing.

“One of Japan’s principles for ODA is ‘human security for all.’ So the project must address the basic needs such as education, water system, sanitation, food, agriculture and social welfare.”

Asked if GGP also finances communities without electricity, Nishimura said, “power is a little bit big and more expensive.”

GGP will also not allow projects that are for profit and that involve the use of force or for military or police operations.

The proponents need to prove that they can finance other aspects of the operations such as shouldering the tax component. Unlike some ODA projects, GGP does not require a counterpart fund. But in the case of the municipal health center in Dingalan, Domingo said the municipal government shelled out an additional P750,000 because the cost of construction materials and other medical equipment had gone up since they submitted their

Veggie prices up...

The price of Baguio beans, for instance, surged to P80-180 per kg in 2024 from P100-200 per kg in 2023. Sayote rose to P35-70 per kg this year, significantly lower than last year’s price of P60-120 per kg. Similarly, Pechay Tagalog saw its price increase to P70-120 per kg, still below last year’s P80-150 per kg. According to the September 12 market advisory of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, vendors in Metro Manila’s public markets attributed these price hikes to damaged

farms and logistical challenges. Data from the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operations Center showed the widespread damage to agricultural lands across several regions, including Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the Bicol Region. The total agricultural losses amounted to P2.26 billion, with rice production being the most affected at 49 percent, followed by irrigation systems at 48 percent, and corn and high-value crops making up the remaining percentage. Bulacan, a major supplier of vegetables to Metro Manila, was

proposal.

Apart from showing financial resilience, the project proponent must also prove they can sustain the operations after the money has been disbursed. The Japanese government conducts an audit every year for five years after the completion of the project.

“I think Japan is the only donor doing that. We are being audited for the next five years,” Deserie Goto, head of ASHI, said. Their three refrigerated trucks that Japan provided, worth US$90,231 (P4.5 million), were distributed to the three areas in Laguna, Rizal and Antique. So, even after the trucks were distributed, they need to monitor if the farmers have been using the trucks for the delivery of their produce, as originally intended.

She said that based on the contract that they signed with the Japanese Embassy, if they could not sustain their project the Japanese Embassy has the prerogative to pull out the trucks from them. “That didn’t happen of course to us, because we made sure our farmers’ groups also monitor the usage.”

With strict Japanese audit requirements, ASHI and the farmers were forced to count every item of sales and expenses. From 2022 to 2023, sales increased by P3.6 million, a discipline that many in the agriculture sector finds hard to accomplish.

“Palibhasa wala akong pinagaralan, mahirap ang aming buhay,” Tatay Lando said.

“ Yung ma-reject mga gulay namin, malaking bagay na kaya malaking bagay po talaga yung may refrigerated truck.” The Japanese government has consistently emphasized that aiding the Filipino people aligns with their national interest. While funding large-scale projects creates positive optics, providing support to those who need it most strikes a deeper chord.

among the hardest hit by Typhoon Enteng, which therefore caused shortages in public markets.

As affected farmers recover from the damage, the DA has rolled out assistance programs, including P202.86 million for seeds, bio-control agents, and farm tools. They are also eligible for loan assistance under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Aid Loan Program, offering loans of up to P25,000 that is repayable over three years at zero interest.

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation is also working to compensate insured farmers for their losses. Bless Aubrey Ogerio

THE newly renovated Rural Health Unit (RHU) in Dingalan, made possible by a US$109,567 (P5.6 million) grant from Japan in 2018. Just five years ago, 90 percent of Dingalan’s residents struggled to access adequate healthcare due to the town’s isolation, especially for emergency cases and expectant mothers.

The renovation provided essential equipment like oxygen tanks, a blood analyzer, a neonatal warming machine, and an ultrasound machine, significantly improving maternal care and healthcare services for the community. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE JAPANESE EMBASSY IN MANILA

200K Muslims have visited PHL this year; Malaysians top arrivals

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror

CLOSE to 200,000 Muslims arrived in the Philippines from January to September 5 this year, accounting for just 5.32 percent of the 3.75-million foreign tourists arrivals for the period.

The estimate is based on data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) ranked by nationality, and not by country of residence, and does not include the 326,154 overseas Filipinos, or Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad.

Malaysians were the top tourists in the Muslim market with 69,624 visitors, accounting for 1.85 percent of the foreign tourists for the period. They were followed by Indonesians, with 41,284 tourists, accounting for one percent of the foreign arrivals for the period; Saudi Arabians, 12,652 (0.33 percent); Turks, 10,423 (0.28 percent); and Pakistanis, 3,943 (0.11 percent).

The other top Muslim arrivals during the period were Kuwaitis 3,533; Moroccans 3,345; Bruneians 3,137; Bangladeshis 3,098; and Emiratis 2,930. Others in the Muslim market with below 2,800 arrivals each included Sri Lankans, Omanis, Egyptians, Tunisians; while those with fewer than 1,300 arrivals included Lebanese, Qataris, Jordanians, Palestinians, and Libyans.

Marhaba Beach in Boracay launched THE DOT has been trying to attract more Muslim tourists to the Philippines since 2016, starting with the Philippine Halal Tourism Project, which initially encouraged restaurants to serve halal food, and have them halal-certified along with other tourism establishments.

Among nations outside of the Organization of Islamic Countries, the Philippines was ranked seventh as a Muslim destination, up from sixth the year before, and ranked 36th across all countries, as of June 2023 in a MasterCardCrescent Rating report. There are about 2 billion Muslims in the world who live in over 200 countries in 2022.

This developed as the first Muslim-friendly beach was recently launched in Boracay Island, and located at the Boracay Newcoast

property owned by Megaworld Hotels and Resorts (MHR). The Marhaba Cove is about 850 square meters, and was initiated by MHR and the local government of Malay town, on a suggestion by Muslim diplomats.

At the launch, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said, “The launch of Marhaba, an inclusive area for Muslim travelers, is a first for Boracay and in the Philippines….This is modeled after other Muslim-friendly countries, our neighbors, and offers a safe, serene, and respectful environment where Muslim families can fully enjoy their time at the beach in accordance with their beliefs. As we inaugurate the Marhaba Cove today, we reaffirm our commitment to transforming the Philippines into a destination for everyone to enjoy,” she added.

Accreditation of Muslimfriendly establishments FOR his part, Boracay Muslim Community president Faisal Arumpac said in Filipino, “We would like thank you that we’re included in the program for Marhaba Boracay project because you recognize Islamic culture. It shows you value Islamic culture. The Boracay Muslim Community supports this project 100 percent, and we hope this becomes successful, and encourages Muslim tourists from other parts of the world, especially from our neighboring countries like Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia to come and strengthen our tourism industry.”

Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino hailed the Muslimfriendly beach, saying, “This is something that can be emulated in other parts of the Philippines, to be able to reap the benefit of this growing Muslim travel market.”

Brunei Ambassador to the Philippines Megawati Dato Paduka Haji Manan expressed amazement at “the fast pace” by which the Muslim-friendly beach, proposed during the recent diplomats’ meetings in Boracay, was acted on. It was Hanan who raised the proposal during the meeting with other ambassadors on the island.

The DOT said in a news statement that it has also accredited 289 Muslim-friendly accommodation establishments and 237 Muslim-friendly restaurants nationwide, as of December 2023.

BIR: Tie-ups with multisectoral groups to boost tax collection

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) expects increased tax collection as it partners with various multisectoral groups to strengthen coordination and improve services and taxpayer compliance.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. said in a televised news program on Friday the partnership with business groups will enable the BIR to gather comments and suggestions from different business organizations, tax practitioners and accountants aimed to enhance the Bureau’s tax administration.

“Gustonatinmakuhaanglahatngsuggestions nilaparamasmapabutipaangpagbibigay naminngserbisyosamgataxpayers [We want to get all their suggestions to improve our service to the taxpayers],” Lumagui said.

Lumagui said these groups, to whom the BIR provides its services ranging from business registration to collection of taxes, will help simplify tax processes through their input.

“Through this coordination, they can suggest what do they need to improve their tax compliance. When we do that, it would be favorable for them to pay their taxes,” Lumagui said.

‘ADB’s $24-B lending program to help lift Pinoys from poverty’

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) new Country Partner Strategy (CPS) for the Philippines will support the government’s goal of lifting 8 million Filipinos out of poverty by 2028, according to Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto.

In a statement, Recto welcomed the launch of the $24-billion sixyear lending program for 2024 to 2029, which was turned over by ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the economic team on September 12, 2024, at the Malacañan Palace.

The program comprises 28 new programs and project loans

amounting to $12.4 billion, averaging $4.13 billion per year.

“I thank the ADB, who has always been a true friend of the Philippines, for developing this very well-tailored country partnership strategy with us. This not only reflects the Bank’s commitment to the Philippines but is also a testament to their deep understanding of our development needs in order

to achieve our ultimate goal of lifting 8 million more Filipinos out of poverty by the end of President Marcos, Jr.’s term,” Recto said.

The CPS, approved by the ADB Board on September 4, 2024, will be operationalized through the annual conduct of the Country Programming Mission.

The partnership will focus on strengthening human development, boosting economic competitiveness and quality infrastructure, and sustaining natural resources and ecosystems while enhancing disaster resilience.

“Thanks to the ADB, we are not just talking about progress—we are now on the path to achieving it. Your contributions have turned hope into reality and made a profound difference in countless lives here in the Philippines. For that, we are very grateful,” President Marcos Jr. said.

Meanwhile, ADB President Asakawa reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to supporting the country’s economic and social transfor -

mation through the CPS. “Building on our shared successes, I am confident that together we will achieve remarkable progress in this new chapter of our partnership.”

ADB is the Philippines’s second largest source and the top multilateral development partner among 19 official development assistance (ODA) providers in the country. The bank’s total net commitment to the Philippines reached $8.84 billion as of June 2024, consisting of 26 ODA loans and 29 grants.

These include the BataanCavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB), which is set to be one of the world’s longest marine bridges, and other large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP) and the South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP). ADB also supported the country through its Climate Change Action Program (CCAP) Subprogram 1, which made the Philippines a pioneer of its first-ever policy-based loan dedicated to climate action.

Miaa to turn over operations, maintenance of Naia to NNIC

THE Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) will turn over Saturday (September 14, 2024) the operations and maintenance of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) to the winning bidder, SMC-led New Naia Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC). The latter will be responsible for the rehabilitation of the said airports.

Miaa general manager Eric Ines said that some departments/ offices will be dissolved/abolished and this will affect some organic employees. However, he said, “we are bound to help them by relocating them to other offices or we will endorse them to other government offices because they are all Civil Service eligible.”

Ines said that 429 out of 1,200 organic employees were accommodated by NNIC after they applied, while the rest wanted to stay with Miaa. Those who were absorbed by NNIC will receive from Miaa a Separation Incentive Pay (SIP) which is required by law through Executive Order.

The Fire and Rescue and the Medical department were also turned over to NNIC, while the administration and finance department, airport police, engineering and the operation department will stay with Miaa, he added.

All contractual employees with contracts with Miaa will be taken by NNIC for negotiation, such as security guards, building attendants and among others.

The multisectoral group represents different industries in the private sector. The new members of the group include the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc.; Makati Business Club; and Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation.

Returning members of the multisectoral group include the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tax Management Association of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines and Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines.

The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice, Association of CPAs in Commerce and Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. and Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines are also among the returning members.

“The BIR welcomes both the old and new members of our multisectoral group. The retention of old members and the addition of new members show that our relationship with the private sector is a productive and fruitful one,” Lumagui said. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

“We strive for businesses to have more trust in our agency so they will pay more taxes because they will comply better with regulations,” Lumagui added. On Tuesday, September 10, the BIR inked a memorandum of agreement with 13 business groups, chambers of commerce and financial associations.

It was agreed that the ongoing projects like improvement of taxiway, runway lights, additional immigration counters at Naia Terminal 3 and waterproofing at Naia Terminal 2 will be completed by Miaa even if it takes until next year, Ines said.

He noted that in May this year, Miaa turned over to the National Treasury/government 75 percent of Miaa earnings collected from operations and leased lots.

After the turnover, MIAA will become a “regulator” that will monitor if NNIC is complying with the terms and conditions set in the contract, Ines added.

According to Ines, incoming NNIC general manager Angelito Alvarez assured the public that a “status quo” and “business as usual” will be maintained so as not to disrupt operations, as changes will be made “gradually and methodically,” Ines added. Nonie G. Reyes

Quiboloy et al plead not guilty; pastor seeks hospital arrest

By Joel R. San Juan

EMBATTLED Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his four coaccused have pleaded not guilty to the qualified human trafficking charges filed against them by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Quiboloy and his coaccused

Cresente Canada, Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemanes were arraigned before the sala of  Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasig City Branch 159 acting presiding judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa Friday morning.

“He pleaded not guilty,” Quiboloy’s lawyer Israelito Torren told reporters after the arraignment.

HOMECOMING OF STRENGTH

The Pasig RTC has scheduled the preconference and premarking of evidence on September 25 while the pretrial was set on October 17 after the defense lawyers asked for more time to review the prosecution’s evidence.

Meanwhile, Judge EstacioMontesa ordered the transfer of  Quiboloy’s four co-accused to Pasig City Jail in Barangay

Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City.     Hospital arrest?

QUIBOLOY will remain in detention at the Philippine National Police-Custodial Center pending resolution of his camp’s motion to be checked by medical doctors to be provided by the government in line with the pastor’s bid to be placed under hospital arrest.

Philippine National Police spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo disclosed that Quiboloy and Canada told the court about their existing medical conditions and asked to be allowed hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Center in Davao.

In response, Fajardo said the judge directed the PNP to conduct a medical assessment of the two.

The four coaccused are also expected to enter a plea of  not guilty to the sexual abuse case filed against them.

Regional Trial Court of Quezon City Branch 106 presided by Judge

Noel Parel set the arraignment for the case Friday afternoon via videoconference hearing.

It can be recalled that the Davao City Prosecutors Office had already dismissed the complaints of rape, child abuse, trafficking in persons through forced labor and trafficking in persons through sexual abuse against Quiboloy and five other individuals.

The complainant was a former member of the Davao-based KOJC who claimed that she was sexually abused in 2014.

In 2020, the victim filed a petition for review before the office of the Justice Secretary, seeking a reversal of the decision of the Davao city prosecutor’s office.

Four years later, the DOJ acted on the petition for review and reversed the resolution.

It recommended athe filing of qualified human trafficking, sexual abuse and child abuse cases against Quiboloy and his coaccused.

Kris Aquino comes home to face autoimmune battles head-on

By Bless Aubrey Ogerio

FILIPINO actress and TV host Kris Aquino returned to the Philippines on Friday after a prolonged stay in the United States to seek medical treatment for her several autoimmune conditions.

She announced her decision to return home on her Instagram account on September 12, sharing that she would be undergoing a second round of immunosuppressant infusions, a drug that treats autoimmune diseases, which she said was a milder term for “chemotherapy.”

“I choose to be 100 percent honest. I arrived in the US with 3 diagnosed autoimmune conditions. A 4th was confirmed in late June of 2022 [1. Autoimmune Thyroiditis 2. Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria 3. Churg Strauss/EGPA—a rare, complicated form of vasculitis 4. Systemic

Sclerosis]. In 2024, I was diagnosed with 5. SLE/ Lupus and 6. Rheumatoid Arthritis. We are still waiting for the results of 2 more autoimmune conditions,” her post read.

The 53-year-old Queen of All Media’s decision to go home was driven by a need for emotional support and the availability of her trusted medical team.

Filled with gratitude for those who had supported her, she expressed thanks to her Fil-Am doctors and nurses, her three best friends—Michael Leyva, Lena Lonte and Anne Binay, with whom her eldest son Josh is currently staying—and her youngest

son, Bimby, who has been her “source of strength.”

Leyva, a renowned Filipino fashion designer, shared on his Instagram account a snapshot of their arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around 5 am.

“Sadly, what was the battle to improve my health is now the struggle to protect my vital organs. This is now the fight of my life,” she said.

She added, “I thank all of you for your prayers. Maraming salamat po sa inyong patuloy na malasakit at suporta.”

Kris ended her post with a firm yet hopeful message: “Bawal Sumuko. Tuloy po ang #Laban .”

Gibo, Brawner inspect key defense sites in Palawan

By Rex Anthony Naval

DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Thursday inspected key naval facilities in Oyster Bay in Palawan to assess ongoing infrastructure developments critical to enhancing the country’s external defense posture.

This facility, along with projects in Balabac, are part of the priority projects that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered fasttracked in order to bolster the Philippines’s external defense capabilities, AFP public

TBy Joel R. San Juan

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday confirmed that it has recommended the filing of non-bailable qualified human trafficking charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Aleice Guo and several others.

At a press conference, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said prosecutors found probable cause to indict Guo and several co-accused for the human trafficking because of her involvement in the establishment of a Philippine Offline Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in her area of jurisdiction which were found to be engaged in various illegal activities.

Ty said the prosecutors junked the defense of the respondents that they had no involvement in any recruitment of persons or any illegal activities. The prosecutors said this has no ground under the amended provisions of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Ty explained that “as long as it is shown that you have a connection to the establishment or organization of a company involved in human trafficking, you can be charged with human trafficking.”

The qualified human trafficking charges are expected to be filed next week before the Regional Trial Court of Capas, Tarlac. The DOJ has yet to release a copy

THE controversial single period of confinement policy will be scrapped by the end of September 2024, as committed by PhilHealth officials during the recent Senate Committee on Health Public Hearing held last September 10.

This followed efforts of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health to abolish this policy, which prevents patients from availing PhilHealth coverage for the same illness within a short time frame, leading to unnecessary burdens on Filipino families.

Go’s appeals to PhilHealth have finally yielded results, with the health insurance agency committing to implement the change. Go underscored the policy’s negative impact on the public, particularly for patients suffering from recurring illnesses.

PhilHealth COO Atty. Eli Santos confirmed that the agency will comply with Go’s appeals.

“We will include the removal of this provision on a single period of confinement when we implement, or we come up with a policy or the increase of the case rates, probably from 30 to 50 percent increase,” Santos said.

Go emphasized that the removal of the policy is a critical step in improving healthcare access for all Filipinos.

affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Friday.

“They hold strategic importance and are crucial in external defense to protect Philippine sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

Trinidad said Balabac is also pegged as a future forward operating base for the Philippine Air Force and is eyed to extend the nation’s air defense capabilities.

“The visit reinforces the DND and AFP’s commitment to enhancing the Philippines’s military infrastructure and ensuring the nation’s sovereignty is protected amidst evolving security challenges,” he added.

of its resolution saying that the parties need to receive it first.

Aside from Guo, Ty said Huang Zhiyang, who is believed to be the big boss of the Pogo hubs in Bamban, will be included as respondent in the case; two other Chinese nationals identified as Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying, will also be charged.

Former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director general Dennis Cunanan is also among the respondents.

Ty said there are other respondents that will be named in the complaint but declined to name them until the case is filed. “There is a prima facie evidence of reasonable conviction against Mayor Alice Guo and the other respondents that warrants the filing of qualified human trafficking before the court,” Ty said.

Guo is currently detained at the Philippine National Police-Custodial Center following her arrest in Indonesia last September 4, almost two months after she managed to leave the country despite an existing immigration lookout bulletin issued against her.

Aside from qualified human trafficking, Guo is also facing a graft case before a Tarlac court and a money laundering complaint before the DOJ.

The graft case was transferred to a Valenzuela court on Friday.

“According to PhilHealth, they will remove the single confinement policy by the end of September,” said Go during the hearing. “Many Filipinos are not given the proper services because of this, so it’s but right that Philhealth listened to our pleas,” he added.

Go had repeatedly criticized the policy as illogical, noting that illnesses such as pneumonia and pregnancy complications are unpredictable and cannot be limited by arbitrary timelines.

Two case studies were highlighted during the hearing to demonstrate the detrimental effects of the policy. One case involved Elena Abilar, whose child, born with special needs, was denied coverage for multiple pneumonia admissions within a short period. She tearfully recalled how PhilHealth advised the hospital to change the diagnosis to secure coverage for her child.

Another case involved Mang Boy, whose mother was suffering from emphysema. After being readmitted due to complications, the hospital informed them that PhilHealth’s policy only allowed coverage once every six months. Mang Boy expressed his disbelief, noting that despite paying contributions for years, his family was left to shoulder the costs when they needed coverage the most.

KRIS AQUINO

Bong Go hails PhilHealth’s nixing single period of confinement policy

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Time BusinessMirror Our

IkNOW people who have not matured or grown wiser with the years. They are in a sense age-proof, but in a negative way. They are in, as we say, “arrested development.”

We expect wine or cheese to be better with age. In the same way, young people think that by virtue of our age, seniors are more mature and wiser. They expect old folks to “speak words of wisdom” steeped in mellow maturity.

As an oldie myself, I wish that were always true. But I’m afraid that many young people will be dismayed and disappointed to encounter people of senior age who still think and act like childish spoiled brats.

I know seniors who only get more sour as years are added to their age. Some of them are acquaintances of mine. Like juice from poor quality grapes that turn into vinegar, they become vinegary, acerbic or snarky in their ways of relating to other people, beginning with their loved ones. To me they are more fit to belong in a “whinery” because they do nothing but complain and rant.

Just look at our elected leaders, some of whom have become older but not wiser or more mature in the way they conduct themselves. Just observe how they conduct their hearings. They grandstand. They have a tendency to express emotions without restraint or disproportionately to the situation, which psychologists say is a sign of emotional immaturity. Instead of behaving and speaking like respected individuals who have been members of the legislature for a long time, politicians aged 60 or 70 still play the child’s game of “follow the leader.” They still toe the line of the current dispensation to protect their selfish interests, rather than rise to the occasion even when a major issue summons them to make a decision above the wishes of their party. They attend hearings to protect friends from being investigated, making quid pro quo deals with fellow legislators even if it is against the interests of their districts.

I can’t help but cite a current presidential contender in the US as an example of a 78-year-old adult who displays mental and emotional immaturity. His knowledge seems as limited as that of a high school kid. He has not learned to curb his impulses. He acts in unpredictable or antisocial ways. For a person who has reached the final stage of growth, he shows emotional behavior that is out of control or not appropriate to his age. His reactions to criticisms are more like the emotional reactions one might expect to see from a child bully than from a grown-up adult.

I have an acquaintance that behaves similarly, whom I will call M. This supposedly highly educated adult in his mid 60s still behaves the same way as when he was in his 20s and 30s. He thinks or truly believes, he always knows better. In fact he does not tolerate any opinion that is contrary to his. He always wants to get his way. In conversations, he likes to inject himself using his modulated voice and interject his knowledge of the topic or crack inappropriate jokes to draw everyone’s attention to himself.

We normally assume that a grown-up will be able to consider his impact on others and pay attention to their feelings. But M has developed not even an ounce of compassion or sympathy over the years. He is a “sociopath” said one of his own sisters.

Elderly Filipino Week celebration to honor senior citizens–NCSC

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor

By Nick Tayag

‘You haven’t changed’ is not always a compliment my sixty-zen’s WORtH

So whenever I meet M, which is once a year or so, I always make sure to tell him: “You haven’t changed.” He is flattered, of course, because he thinks I am saying it as a compliment. Totally clueless.

Have you heard of “Peter Pan” syndrome? It is named after the fictional character that never wanted to grow up. It is traditionally thought of as a situation in which a grown man is childish and immature, despite his age.

But why waste the golden time in the third phase of life by spending it stuck in being a Peter Pan?

Whether you are in your 60s, 70s, 80s, it is never too late to grow in maturity and wisdom. John Lennon said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”

Let us use the bonus years given to us after 60 to focus on the maturation of our inner self and to acquire a little wisdom. Be a “student” again, eager to learn more.

Never say, “I’m fully mature. I am grown up.” Grow up some more.

Anyone who loves to learn never grows old. It’s often said that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. And sometimes the teacher is not who or what you expect. Look for small seeds of spiritual wisdom, which can be found everywhere if we keep our eyes and ears open.

Lewis Carroll said: “Everything’s got a moral, if you can only find it.”

For too long we have neglected the kind of things that enrich the spirit, like the arts, literature or being of service to others. Make time for them. From there, our life gains a new poise and direction.

As you become more mature and grow in wisdom, people will see you as a breath of fresh air to others, a contrast to seniors in perpetual arrested development who suck up the air in every room they enter.

Being wise and mature doesn’t always mean dispensing sage-like words. It can be as simple as showing love and respect for others, doing a small act of service, empathizing with others, or inspiring others to dream more, do more by your words and actions. By doing these things cheerfully, people will remember you for how your presence made a difference in a positive way.

A wise man said that what counts is not the number of years in your life but “the quality of life that is in your years.”

Next time someone says “you haven’t changed,” I hope you can say: “Oh yes, I’ve changed. The change is in me.”

There’s an ethnic proverb that goes like this: “In the beginning God gave to every human being an empty cup of clay with the expectation that, at the end of life, each being will return it filled with collected learnings.”

Let it be said about you when you go into the hereafter: “He did not let the gift of life go wasted. While he lived, the years have made him better and wiser. He learned to love beauty, truth, honesty, and generosity.”

MANILA—The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) is set to celebrate the Elderly Filipino Week from October 1 to 7.

The NCSC signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) for the promotion of the celebration to engage the young generation in paying respect to the elderly.

“We want to encourage the youth today via the programs we’re doing that, ‘I want to reach this age,’ to have them wish not only for 20 percent discount plus 12 percent VAT for the medicines but because of many benefits, and the greatest benefit of being an older person is to be a source of wisdom,” NCSC officer in charge Mary Jean Loreche told reporters

on the sidelines of the MOU signing.

Despite the changing times, Loreche said respect for the elderly remains part of Filipino culture and values.

However, migration has left many Filipino families challenged because of economic problems.

Loreche said the youth leave to work abroad and their elderly, especially those who are sick, are left at home and uncared for.

“In our programs now, we want to start strengthening the families and the homes where family members care for the elderly,” she said. To ensure the health and safety

of senior citizens, the NCSC is pushing for a home care support program with the help of the government and the private sector.

The Commission is also looking into the development of modules for livelihood training with the Department of Tourism for senior citizens who are healthy and are willing to contribute to nation building.

“If we can develop programs where tourism-related livelihood programs can be cascaded to the senior citizens who are able, capable and still willing to be taught skills with our partnership with TESDA [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority], then they can actually be deployed,” she said. With Kevin Ortiz, OJT/PNA

Over a third of Australians say they’ll never be able to retire

SBy Amy Bainbridge

OME 40 percent of Australians say they’ll never have enough money to retire, despite the country boasting one of the world’s most envied pensions systems, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Australia’s A$3.9 trillion ($2.6 trillion) superannuation industry has been widely championed overseas as a model pensions system for other countries, recently by BlackRock chief Larry Fink. However, 40 percent of Australian respondents to the Natixis Investment Managers survey agreed with the statement “I accept the fact that I will never have enough money to retire.”

Australia ranked seventh in Natixis’s latest annual Global Retirement Index, which assesses 44 countries on their post-work fi -

nances, health, quality of life and material wellbeing. Switzerland took the top spot from Norway in this year’s report, which was collated in 2023.  State pension costs in developed

economies, often already the biggest single area of government expenditure, are projected to soar in the coming years. Australia’s proportions of retirees are expected to surge from 8 percent today to 19 percent over

the next 40 years, according to the Natixis report.

“Despite the country’s robust pension system, concerns persist over the adequacy of retirement preparation and Australians’ understanding of how to maximize their nest eggs,” Natixis said in the report.

Under Australia’s superannuation system, which was created in the early 1990s, employers are currently required to make contributions equivalent to 11.5 percent of workers’ salaries. There’s no such requirement in the US, and the Uk only recently made some minimum contributions compulsory.

Globally, 19 percent of respondents to the Natixis survey said they still couldn’t afford to retire even if they saved $1 million, with the report citing factors including interest rates and inflation as key concerns. Bloomberg

Pachinko-style gambling is helping seniors’ brains

By Eru Ishikawa

LONG associated with semilegal gambling in Japan, the shrinking pachinko industry may get a new lease on life thanks to a surprising demographic: Old people.

Bolstered by evidence that playing the vertical pinball machines can help prevent dementia, some businesses are now tailoring products and services for seniors in a bid to revive growth.

With Japan’s population getting smaller each year and the government seeking to curb gambling addiction, total spending at pachinko parlors was ¥14.6 trillion ($101.8 billion) in 2022, less than half the level from around two decades ago.

“The industry is in decline, and we are trying to think of ways to revive the business,” said Hiroto k amei, sales director of pachinkomachine maker Toyomaru Sangyo. “We’re constantly adjusting to the demands of the elderly.”

Playing the vertical pinball machines can be good for preventing dementia, according to professor k ikunori Shinohara, a professor at the Suwa Tokyo University of Science. “I’m getting old myself, but doing activities I like that have benefits are much better than doing tedious therapy,” the brain scientist said.

Pachinko’s history in Japan goes back almost a century when

pinball machines were imported from Chicago. The introduction of the vertical “Masamura Gauge” model in the 1940s became the basis for the style of pinball playing in the country. The mechanism is simple: players shoot small steel balls up into an array of pins while trying to land them in specific pockets to trigger jackpots and win more balls.  Accumulated balls can be exchanged for tokens, which in turn can be turned into money at designated cashier locations just outside the pachinko parlor.

Although the two-step process allows them to operate without violating gambling laws, the industry

has been long been tainted with mob ties.

From machines equipped with big screens to others that integrate bike pedals, Toyomaru consulted with scientists to design products tailored for seniors. Some of the benefits from playing pachinko go beyond cognitive benefits; older users have reported sleeping better, and previously quiet, introverted users began to open up after playing pachinko, k amei said.

Day Service Las Vegas, a casino-themed day care service provider for the elderly, introduced pachinko machines a decade ago, in addition to offering mahjong,

poker and other games. It’s one of about 20,000 facilities in Japan that take in seniors during the day because they live alone or family members aren’t able to take care of them, but among the few that are casino-themed.

“This is a day care, intended to imitate a casino, so the elders can have fun,” said k aoru Mori, chief executive officer of Day Service Las Vegas. He sought to dispel any notion that it was causing gambling addiction among the about 7,000 clients under its care. “After all, we don’t use real money.” Mori founded Day Service Las Vegas to try and add more excitement to the concept of care centers previously perceived as “boring.” About 20 percent of the facility’s guests play pachinko using fake money to buy tokens. They are required to take hourly breaks for exercise.

Pachinko players in their 70s had higher cognitive abilities than their average non-playing age group, providing another reason for them to play with the machines beyond just pure entertainment or recreation, according to Shinohara.

With the government’s closer attention on gambling, pachinko could be the new cognitive leisure for the nation facing a rapid senior growth. “I think what matters the most, is that the pachinko brings them joy,” Mori said. Bloomberg

Senior citizens line up for their social pension at the Department of Social Welfare and Development office. PNA Photo

elDerly users play Pachinko and slot machines at Day Service las Vegas in yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan on August 23, 2024. Photogr APher: Noriko hAyAshi/BloomBerg

Filipinas get STEM scholarships from top U. Kingdom universities

THREE Filipinas have earned educational funding under the “Asean-UK SAGE [Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education] Programme” and the British Council’s “Women in STEM” scholarships.

Both scholarship schemes aim to address gender disparities in access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

The first scholarship opened to women from all Asean memberstates: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, plus Timor-Leste.

Meanwhile, the other was made available to women from South Asia, East Asia, wider Europe and the Americas.

After a highly competitive selection process that saw hundreds of students apply, three students from the Philippines secured scholarships from the 24 awarded across the region and Timor-Leste through both initiatives.

According to the council, the talented individuals share a passion and vision in creating a difference

through STEM—a field where women are traditionally underrepresented.

Women account for only 29.2 percent of the STEM labor force globally, despite representing almost half of the non-STEM employment sector, according to the World Economic Forum.

Recipient of the Asean-UK SAGE Women in STEM scholarship is Maria Andrea Kristina Onglao, who is taking up Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning in London’s Imperial College.

The Women in STEM scholarshipgrantees are University of Bath’s MSc Biotechnology students Mikaela Gail Santos (Healthcare Biotechnologies) and Laravill Lanohan (Sustainable Biotechnologies).

For the two scholarship programs, each recipient will receive a fully funded opportunity to complete a Master’s degree at prestigious uni -

versities in the United Kingdom. They will begin their studies there beginning this month.

Asean-UK SAGE is the UK’s flagship education program in Southeast Asia aiming to improve foundational learning outcomes in basic literacy and numeracy, support girls and marginalized groups to access education, and break down gender barriers in digital skills and employment, thus empowering young women to flourish to their full potential. It was made available for the first time to eligible women in Asean member-states and Timor-Leste. This year, a total of 12 outstanding students were offered the scholarships.

Envoy of the UK to Asean Sarah Tiffin said: “As an Asean dialogue partner, [my country is committed to advancing girls’ education across the] region through the SAGE programme, ensuring equitable access to quality education for all girls. We are excited to offer this great opportunity to our new scholars. Their talents and dedication are inspirational, and we look forward to seeing how they will shape the future of STEM in Asean after studying at the UK’s world-class universities.”

In the same statement, British Council said that the Asean-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships contribute to furthering the goals set out in the “Asean Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025,” the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (4, 10 and 17), and Asean-UK Plan of Action 2022-2026—particu -

larly in strengthening engagement between British and Asean education institutions, staff, and students through scholarship initiatives. They were developed by the council, and are funded by the UK government through the Asean-UK SAGE Programme.

Meanwhile, the Women in STEM program—now in its fourth year— offers more than 100 scholarships worldwide, with 12 recipients from Asean countries this year. The prestigious educational funding enables successful recipients to obtain a Master’s degree or an Early Academic Fellowship from a UK university, providing them with the opportunity to further develop their careers in STEM fields.

Director of British Council-Philippines Lotus Postrado congratulated all the scholars: “I believe that they will go on to have successful careers in STEM, and… become inspirational role models to other women, as advocates and leaders in their [respective] fields.”

Postrado further stated that, “Together with the Women in STEM Scholarships, we are proud to be a lead implementation partner of the Asean-UK SAGE programme. Building on the previous years’ ‘Women in STEM…,’ the latter scholarships aim to challenge these norms, empower women, create role models, and reinforce a positive attitude toward STEM education among women and girls.” Both programs will reopen in January 2025.

Pinoy educator gets global nod on entrepreneurial leadership

ASALLIAN educator and leader

LDr. Norby Roque Salonga was a recipient of the “Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards in Higher Education” under the “Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year” category (third runnerup) by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial & Engaged Universities (ACEEU).

The Triple E Awards are bestowed upon an individual who has shown exemplary leadership in enhancing the entrepreneurial profile of an academic institution or its specific units—academic or support-oriented. The awarding ceremony was held in Shah Alam i-City, Malaysia on September 3. The awards are a global citation of efforts toward the quest for entrepreneurship and engagement in

TBy Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

HE late tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. always acknowledged that the Philippines has been good to him and his family because of his various successes as an entrepreneur, and for having built JG Summit—one of the country’s biggest business conglomerates.

Interestingly, Gokongwei—fondly called “Mr. John” by his staff and friends—developed a reputation of being a frugal man. Nevertheless, he redefined frugality when he announced on August 11, 2006—his 80th birthday—that he would turn over half of his personal shares in JG Summit to the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) to support education in the country.

“I’m thrifty on my own, but I gave P500 million to schools [in] the last seven years…I could have spent that on my own pleasure. Instead, I gave it back to the community. I eat what I want. I travel where I want but if

they say I’m ‘kuripot,’ I have given P500 million,” said the entrepreneur in the documentary: “A Boy, A Bicycle, and A Legacy” shown recently to celebrate GBF’s 30th anniversary at the Bridgetown Destination Estate. “I don’t know if anybody else has given [that much].”

The film was directed by Troy Bernardo. Veteran business journalist Lala Rimando worked as the lead writer of the project.

The donation—largest of its kind in Philippine history—left his family and friends in shock. But to those who knew him well, it was a testament to the values that had guided him from the very start: a man who, despite being forced to leave college due to a family tragedy, understood that education was key to building not only a business empire, but also a nation.

The shares have a current value of P50 billion.

Daughter Robina Gokongwei-Pe, who is the eldest child in the brood of

higher education. Implemented regionally, they aim to foster change in universities and emphasize their role in their communities and ecosystems.

Meanwhile, ACEEU is a Germanybased accreditation council composed of world-leading experts in the fields of entrepreneurship and engagement.

Dr. Salonga teaches social entrepreneurship at De La Salle University, and is the founding director of the award-winning Lasallian Social Enterprise for Economic Development Center, or LSEED, which was also a finalist for the “Sustainable Development Goals Initiative of the Year” category.

He currently serves as chairperson of the National Association of Social

six, explains why her father donated that colossal number of his shares in JG Summit to GBF: “You know, my dad loved this country. He felt [he became successful because of it, and he felt] he had to give back to society after what society had given to him.”

GBF seeks to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education, or STEM, via scholarship grants, a technical training facility, educator-professional development, endowments, and tie-ups with industry and community partners.

Through its various programs, the foundation has reached more than 50,000 teachers who would have provided a huge, positive impact to more than 1.5 million learners all over the country.

GBF started its mission with scholarship programs, institutional endowments, and building a technical center to provide access to quality education for the marginalized youth. Further, it has expanded to educators’ develop -

Enterprise Educators and Administrators, president of YOUTeacH Philippines, Regional Council member, one of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia, Executive Council member of Economy of Communion Asia Pacific, and professional fellow for Economic Empowerment of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative or YSEALI by the American Council of International Education, and the United States’s State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Dr. Salonga was also named “Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year 2023” in Barcelona, Spain, and was among five of the finalists of the “Engagement Leader of the Year” in the 2020 edition in Kochi, India.

ment programs, with the belief that investing in them will have a positive multiplier effect on student learning outcomes.

Part of its digitalization roadmap, the GBF is also using educationaltechnology solutions in empowering educators and learners to teach and study more effectively.

John and his brothers Johnson, Henry and James established the GBF in 1992 with the goal of having a lasting impact on education in the Philippines. Since then, it has dedicated itself to contributing to the country’s progress by providing quality education to its future work force, particularly in the fields of STEM.

“We’ve decided to focus on STEM education because [it serves as] crucial building blocks in teaching children a framework of thinking,” affirmed John’s son Lance, who happens to be GBF’s chair, and heads the Gokongwei group of companies. “[It] allows them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.”

Editor: Mike Policarpio

UST prof, Btech scholar in residence a Gawad Dangal ng Lipi ’24 awardee

ALONG-TIME professor of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) will join equally outstanding professionals from Bulacan for this year’s traditional honoring of the province’s “Gawad Dangal ng Lipi.”

Prof. Felicidad P. Galang-Pereña EdD will be the laureate for Education with her recent conferment of the “Benavides Award” for the “Dangal ng UST,” on the strength of her more than two decades of loyal service as a full-time faculty member and researcher.

The professor has been invited as a scholar in residence by the Dalubhasaang Politekniko ng Baliwag or BTech for 2024. She will also join the University College Dublin’s Humanities Institute in Ireland as visiting scholar next year.

For this year’s “Gawad…” roster, Dr. Galang-Pereña will be joined by Dr. Herman Roy C. Cruz Jr. DVM for Agriculture; Prof. Ernesto O. Cordero PhD, FRSA for Expatriate; Dr. Nathaniel T. Servando PhD for Science and Technology; Edgardo B. Santiago for Arts and Culture; Dr. Juanito S. Javier MD, MChOrth, FPOA for Health; Ar. Contrado T. Onglao for Business and Industry; Amb. Claro S. Cristobal and Hon. Mario G. Lipana for Professionals; Atty. Florentino P. Manalastas Jr. for Public Service; Jocelyn D. Reyes, Entrepreneur; and Hon. Alejandro H. Tengco for Community Service. Started in 1974 as “Natatanging Bulakenyo Award,” the recognition was upheld by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Gov. Daniel R. Fernando. Since then, it has become the centerpiece of the “Linggo ng Bulacan” celebration.

Drumbeating the distinction is the famous Singkaban Festival with this year’s theme: “ Pagyakap sa Kasaysayan, Pagsulong sa Kinabukasa n [Embracing History, Onward to the Future].”

Through the annual search for “Dangal…” awardees, as led by the Provincial Planning and Development Office, Fernando hopes that more Bulakeños will be inspired to excel in their fields of endeavors and contribute to nation-building.

Awarding ceremonies will be held tomorrow, September 15, 5 p.m. at The Pavilion, Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center.

Tesda backs growth of IT sector in PHL

By Roderick L. Abad

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has renewed its commitment to strengthening the country’s information technology (IT) sector, specifically in the aspect of cybersecurity. Spokesperson and deputy director-general for TESD Operations Vidal D. Villanueva III said in a statement that the agency is ready to provide necessary training on IT-related courses—a significant step in the government’s thrust to encourage innovation, improve connectivity, and drive economic growth.

“We…believe that by investing in our digital infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth, enhanced innovation, and improved quality of life for all kababayans,” said the Tesda official.

The agency issued the implementing rules on the “Diploma Program Standard in Cybersecurity,” recognizing the feature’s pivotal role in guaranteeing national resilience.

Tesda has also developed additional Competency Standards (CS) for “Cyber Threat Intelligence Analysis Services Level III,” “Ethical Hacking Level IV,” and “Cyber Risk Assessment Level III.”

It rolled out earlier this year the CS for training programs on cybersecurity: “Cyber Threat Monitoring Level I” and “Cyber Threat Mitigation Level II.”

The CS seeks to respond promptly to industry skills needs for cybersecurity professionals in order to produce competent individuals armed with 21st-Century acumen, and are compliant with the existing industry standards and practices.

“Tesda recognizes the importance of staying abreast with technological advancements and the evolving job opportunities in the cybersecurity landscape,” said Villanueva. “We need to equip our learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to counteract such diverse and evolving cyber threats.”

In his third State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored that “bigger and faster IT infrastructure requires stronger and more impervious cyber-defense [capabilities].”

DR. NORBY ROQUE SALONGA

PROF. FELICIDAD P. GALANG-PEREÑA EdD

SPOTLIGHT ON REGIONS LESS TRAVELED Travel expo 2024 highlights hidden gems, local tourism revival

Acommodations.

fter years of standstill, the Philippines is now back to reignite the flame of local tourism.

From the rugged cliffs of Batanes to the pristine waters of Tawi-Tawi, the recently concluded Philippine travel mart was a journey across the archipelago—connecting potential tourists to the country’s most captivating destinations.

Held last September 6, the Philippine Tour Operators Association’s (PHILTOA) event brought together industry leaders, travel enthusiasts, and government leaders to celebrate and promote the country’s rich and diverse offerings.

The 35th travel mart centered around the theme “Love the Next Gen Tourism,” which emphasized the importance of embracing a new era in the industry. This reflected PHILTOA’s mission to drive innovation while staying true to its core

FOR NATURE LOVERS

goal of introducing the country’s gems to a wider audience.

With the Philippines recovering from the economic setbacks brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said that PHILTOA’s travel expo could serve as a gateway for the 17 regions to be explored.

“[Philippine Travel Mart] has become a vital platform to showcase our diverse tourism offerings to the world, attract both trade and consumer markets, and reinforce our position as a top travel destination,” Frasco said during her keynote speech.

To support this revival, the expo featured hundreds of exhibitors offering tour packages, special discounts, and even exclusive deals on flights, sea fares and ac -

The Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria

These incentives were not just about getting travellers back on their feet; they also served as an attempt to fuel local economies and create more jobs for Filipinos.

“Tourism remains a key pillar of the economy…Among the economic benefits is the creation of 6.21 million jobs within the sector, which supports livelihoods for millions of Filipinos nationwide,” Frasco explained.

Frasco added that by promoting domestic travelling, the Philippines can continue its financial rebound and reinstate its competitiveness on the global level.

But aside from strengthening tourism for the country’s renowned destinations, the 35th travel expo also gave a platform on regions that are often overlooked yet brimming with untapped potential.

Discovering BARMM

Over the three-day expo, the Bangsamoro Autonomous r egion of Muslim Mindanao (BA r MM) captured the attention of the public.

It is once viewed as a place dominated by fear and political

unrest. But now, the region is ready to overcome the outdated stigma and invite people to discover their rich culture.

In an interview with BusinessMirror , Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism Director General r osslaini Alonto shared how events like PHILTOA’s travel mart have become a vital stage for regions like BA r MM to showcase their potential.

“This is one platform we always look forward to every year because here, we can finally showcase that the old notion about BA r MM isn’t true anymore—it’s not true that there are always travel advisories and no one visits,” Alonto said.

Gone are the days where the Muslim Mindanao should be treated  as a region to be completely avoided. Thanks to the continuous peace talks and government initiatives, anyone is now free to explore the region at any time of the day.

“Before, we couldn’t go out past 6 o’clock. It was like there was a curfew across the whole region. But now, you can travel 24 hours in and out of BA r MM,” the director general proudly shared.

“Back then, it was dangerous to

travel on our main highway. But now, our bus company operates 24 hours,” Alonto added.

e ver since BA r MM began actively promoting itself at the travel expo, it has seen a steady increase in its number of visitors.

Just last year, the local government welcomed 604,585 local visitors and 350 foreign tourists—a promising sign of growing public attention.

This year is expected to surpass those numbers. As of June, BA r MM had already attracted half a million visitors.

The tales of Marawi I N addition to promoting Muslim Mindanao’s crystal clear waters, breathtaking mountains, and diverse culture, its local government also aims to share the stories of resilience and recovery from the Marawi siege.

The five-month long armed conflict in 2017 not just deeply affected the region’s infrastructures and people, it also became a poignant chapter in BA r MM’s recent history.

“The resilience of the people and their social cohesion were truly remarkable. Muslims and

Christians really protected each other, many even sacrificed their lives to protect their neighbors,” Alonto said.

Today, visitors to BA r MM have the opportunity to engage with this history through guided tours of Marawi. These tours provide a unique and personal perspective on the siege, as survivors and local guides share their journey from destruction to cohesion.

“Sustaining peace and promoting social cohesion through tourism will, in turn, generate economic opportunities for the local community” the director general said, when asked how the community can reap through this initiative.

Alonto emphasized that supporting BA r MM through tourism goes beyond mere visits. Like what the tourism department suggested, local tourism has the power to empower communities and help people become self-sufficient.

“When more people visit Bangsamoro, it creates numerous job opportunities… That’s why we are really hopeful that events like PHILTOA will attract more tourists and further support our community’s growth,” she said.

saw photos of the latter online and was immediately sold.

Hiking the Seven Rila Lakes Loop

I JOIN e D a group tour that departed early Sunday morning. It took approximately two hours driving through the Bulgarian countryside to reach the chairlift station that would take us to the start of the hike. There was already a crowd of locals and tourists queuing for the ride up the mountain and the start of the Seven r ila Lakes trail. The chairlift ride took around 30 minutes over a lush forest with beautiful overlooking views. Some facts about the hike:

n The lakes got their names because of their shape such as Tear Lake, e ye Lake, Kidney Lake, Twin Lake, Trefoil Lake, Fish Lake, and Lower Lake.

n No camping in the mountains, but you can stay in designated huts.

n It can take up to 5 hours to finish the loop depending on your fitness level and speed.

n Bring your own food and drinks because you can’t buy anything once you start the hike.

My initial reluctance to do the hike alone was unwarranted. The trail had long lines of day hikers of various ages. The first section of the trail was an assault up a rocky path. That’s your initial test to determine if you can reach the viewpoint that allows you to see multiple lakes simultaneously. After the hike up, magnificent overlooking views characterized by jagged cliffs, rock formations, some of the lakes, and mountain peaks greeted us. The trail after the initial ascent was mostly flat with views of the mountains in front of us. We passed by a couple of the lakes before another assault up to the most spectacular viewpoint of the park. I took my time up the rocks and rugged path, with

n The lakes are located somewhere around 2,100 to 2,500 meters above sea level. The highest being Tear Lake and the lowest being Lower Lake.

plenty of photo stops in between. I was fortunate with the weather, a clear sky and a cool breeze. As I reached the viewpoint, I could see the lakes such as Kidney Lake, Tear Lake and others. I soaked in the views and ate the snacks I brought with me. As I was with the first few people from our group that descended quickly,

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

By Justine Xyrah Garcia

Photos by Teodoro Pelaez

Story & photos by Joshua Berida

Why the tree of life needs a boost from govt and private sector

AS a child, I remember being told that if I ever became the owner of a plantation, I should plant coconuts because these are low maintenance.  The coconut is known as the tree of life because every part of it is usable. The fruit is consumed for food, the water is drank, the shells can be used to make bowls, the leaves can be woven into roofs, the pith (or the heart of palm) is edible, the trunk can be used as lumber, and the roots can be made into twine.

A coconut tree has a life span of 60 to 80 years, spanning three generations.

The Philippines is one of the world’s biggest producers of coconuts, ranking second largest exporter in the industry across the globe. But the industry has had its woes. According to the Philippine Coconut Authority, 20 percent of the country’s coconut trees are senile. When a tree becomes senile, it no longer bears fruit.

“The coconut industry in the Philippines is facing huge challenges with 20 percent of coconut trees already senile. This affects the livelihood of our farmers. It is important that this crisis be averted, and it is up to the government and the private sector to come up with solutions. At Coco Mama, we believe that we should also help Philippine Coconut Authority in its mission to plant more trees,” said Coco Mama marketing director Bryan Lingan.

On World Coconut Day, Filipino gata (coconut milk) brand Coco Mama held a tree-planting activity with its brand ambassador Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, together with the help and support of representatives from the Philippine Coconut Authority, City Environment and Natural Resources Office-General Santos City, Local Government Unit of General Santos City, Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures Inc., and coconut farmers, held a tree-planting activity in General Santos, South Cotabato.

More than just a tree-planting activity, the event served as the launch of Coco Mama’s “Save Our Coconuts” project, which commits to distributing 100,000 quality coconut seedlings in five years to replace the country’s aging and senile coconut trees.

“Through Coco Mama’s ‘Save Our Coconuts’ project, we make our commitment to provide quality seedlings to smallholder farmer communities in the region. After all, our mission has always been to delight consumers whenever they prepare classic Filipino gata recipes, and part of this delight is in knowing that the brand they love is also doing its part in helping the coconut farmers,” said Lingan.

“Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that the things we consume daily, like gata, come from the efforts of our hard-working farmers. With the ‘Save Our Coconuts’ project, I am not only able to promote our traditional and nutritious gata dishes to Filipino households but also to make a difference in the lives of the people who help harvest the food we put to the table for our families,” said Santos-Agoncillo.

“This campaign is a way for me to give back, especially to our farmers, who are being demoralized by what’s happening in the market such as the country importing agricultural goods. I want to let them know that they are appreciated,” she added.

Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures Inc. (CPAVI) vice president and general manager Noel Tempongko Jr. said the company’s operations and manufacturing facility are in General Santos.

“The tree-planting initiatives we have done are in the Soccsksargen area [Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat] and sometimes Davao because we, eventually, we want to buy the produce from farmers. There needs to be market access. We want to make sure our factory buys from them and we want to use what we buy from Coco Mama,” said Noel Tempongko.

For more information, visit CocoMamaPhilippines on Facebook or @cocomamaph on Instagram for more updates.

STARBUCKS AND SANRIO COLLABORATE FOR HELLO KITTY COLLECTION

LAST Sunday, I attended the pre-selling event for the Starbucks and Sanrio collaboration at the coffee brand’s store in 9 Macapagal. The collaboration celebrates Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary.

“We’re thrilled to honor Hello Kitty’s 50th

anniversary with a collection that celebrates her playful spirit and nostalgic charm,” said Jamie Silva, senior manager for marketing, digital customer experience and loyalty at Starbucks Philippines. “The Hello Kitty x Starbucks collection is all about bringing people together to create joyful memories, and we hope our customers feel the magic of this special collaboration.”

The collaboration features an exclusive range of Hello Kitty x Starbucks merchandise, including  drinkware and lifestyle accessories that blend Hello Kitty’s iconic charm with Starbucks’ classic green apron. The merchandise includes ceramic mugs and stainless-steel tumblers to water bottles and even a plush Hello Kitty toy dressed in Starbucks gear.

Even during the pre-selling, it was apparent that the collection would sell-out instantly. Starbucks Rewards members already line up at 9 Macapagal even before it opened. I heard that some Hello Kitty fans checked in at nearby hotels so they could lineup early.

Each person in line was given the chance to buy two items from the collection and what sold-out first was the plushie.

On September 10, the official launch in stores, Starbucks partners went to work and saw lines outside even before opening. In many stores, the limited-edition collection sold-out in less than an hour. So what is left are the card (loadable for a P500 minimum) and the two drinks.

The Apple Pie Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage has a rich apple sauce base and layers of milk and cream, while the Red Apple Frozen Tea features the sweet flavor of fresh apples and the chill of Teavana Zen Clouds Oolong Tea. ■

Malay LGU partners with GCash to further promote ‘cash-lite’ tourism in Boracay

THE country’s leading finance super app, GCash has teamed up with the Municipality of Malay to further promote cash-lite tourism in Boracay Island through the town’s unified ticketing payment system, the eBoracay

Through the partnership, tourists can easily pay terminal, environmental and boat fees starting with Tabon Port of Malay, along with more transactions by guest.eboracay.net. The portal is powered by its electronic payment and collection system provider, Surepay Technologies Inc. (SPTI)

“The unified automated process and cashless payments will be available in more access ports going to Boracay, as we help build a secure and seamless cashless ecosystem that supports the sustainable development of one of the best islands in the world,” said Jong Layug, group head of GCash B2B.

For his part, Atty. Arnold Caballero, SPTI president, welcomed the partnership and their contract with the local government unit of Malay, noting that collecting required fees via the Tabon Port entry is an essential first step toward providing ultimate convenience to tourists and residents of Boracay.

“The enactment resolutions by the LGU of Malay paved the way for a unified ticketing payment system which is aimed to consolidate processes and automate payments. It’s really quick and tourists will no longer have to write anything manually or take out from their wallet and look for the cash,” Caballero said.

For more flexible cashless payment options, GCash also offers GCredit and GGives features that let users shop now and pay later. GCredit allows tourists to extend their travel budget by providing a credit limit determined by their GScore.

This gives adventure lovers more freedom to make the most out of their vacation and experience the best things that Boracay has to offer such as Paraw sailing, tour activities to Puka beach, cliff diving, and famous restos that accept GCash as a payment option while staying safe and without needing to withdraw cash.

Another cashless way to pay is via the GGives feature, allowing users to pay for their transactions in up to 24 instalments or “gives”, for those who go on shopping sprees at D-Mall.

“Tourists no longer have to bring cash around and can easily pay in advance before their arrival on the island. Even local residents need not have to fall in line as they can be booked through the system if they so desire in the project’s next phase,” Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista said.

The iPhone 16, new AirPods and other highlights from Apple’s product showcase

CUPERTINO, California—Apple squarely shifted its focus toward artificial intelligence with the unveiling of its hotly anticipated iPhone 16 along with a slew of new features coming with the next update to the device’s operating system. While the new phone lineup headlined Monday’s showcase, the tech giant also shared updates to its smartwatch and AirPod lineups.

Here are all the biggest announcements from Apple’s “Glowtime” event.

APPLE INTELLIGENCE

APPLE’S core artificial intelligence offerings are being packaged and billed as Apple Intelligence—first revealed at the company’s developers conference in June. These features include the ability to search for images in your library by describing them, creating custom emojis, summarizing emails and prioritizing notifications. Apple Intelligence will also upgrade Apple’s virtual assistant Siri to get it to better understand requests and give it some awareness of on-screen actions taking place on the phone,

hopefully making it more useful.

What sets Apple apart from what’s being offered by rivals Samsung and Google? It is trying to preserve its longtime commitment to privacy by tailoring its AI so that most of its functions are processed on the device itself instead of at remote data centers. When a task requires a connection to a data center, Apple promises it will be done in a tightly controlled way that ensures no personal data is stored remotely.

Most of Apple’s AI functions will roll out as part of a free software update to iOS 18, the operating system that will power the iPhone 16 rolling out from October through December. US English will be the featured language at launch but an update enabling other languages will come out next year, according to Apple.

IPHONE 16 AND THE CAMERA BUTTON THE iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will offer slightly bigger displays and feature variants of the powerful A18 chip, which gives Apple the computing power its devices need to run AI functions.

The iPhone 16 “has been designed for Apple Intelligence from the ground up,” CEO Tim Cook said

during Monday’s event. On the other end of the spectrum, the biggest physical change to the iPhone 16 lineup comes in the form of a dedicated camera-control button. The button responds to clicks and gestures, allowing users to quickly snap pictures, preview a shot or start video recording.

The button also allows owners to use something called Visual Intelligence, which will tell the iPhone 16 to automatically search on things you take photos of.

The phones will start shipping Sept. 20. The iPhone 16 will retail for $799, with the Plus model going for $899. The iPhone 16 Pro will cost $999, while the Pro Max will sell for $1,199.

APPLE WATCH UPGRADES

THE Apple Watch Series 10 features a larger, and brighter, wide-angle OLED display that will allow users to better view the watch at an angle. But Apple focused much of its presentation on the device’s ability to detect signs of sleep apnea.

The new device is also being offered in a titanium finish for the first time, joining a longtime trend

in the watch industry of offering a tougher, more lightweight, and perceived higher-quality, alternative to traditional materials.

The Series 10 watch starts at $399 and will be available on September 20.

AIRPODS LEAN TOWARD BEING A LISTENING DEVICE

THE new AirPods 4 series will come with an upgraded chip for better audio quality, and will feature more active noise cancellation.

If you frequently lose your ear buds, the new AirPods will also play a sound when you locate them through the Find My app.

In a medically focused update to the AirPods Pro 2, Apple said it will upgrade the devices so they can act as an over-the-counter hearing aid. A free software update will provide the upgrade and also include options to help protect hearing and the ability to administer a clinical-grade hearing test.

The AirPod 4 model costs $129, while the version with active noise cancelling will cost $179. They both ship on September 20. AP

BusinessMirror

The sweet sounds of Nothing

IN 2021, Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, introduced the world to a new tech brand— Nothing. From the very beginning, Nothing’s mission was clear: to make tech fun again. By combining cutting-edge technology with bold, transparent designs, the brand sought to break free from the monotony of the tech industry, which has long been dominated by uninspired, repetitive devices. Nothing’s philosophy focuses on stripping away the unnecessary, allowing both innovation and design to take center stage. With its minimalist aesthetic and emphasis on user experience, the brand quickly gained recognition, proving that tech can be functional, fun and fashionable all at once.

The first product in Nothing’s lineup, the Nothing Ear (1), was a pair of true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds that garnered significant attention for their strikingly unique transparent design and affordable price point. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to try the first two versions of the Nothing Ear. However, as the saying goes, “third time’s the charm,” so when the latest iteration of the earbuds was released, I knew I had to try them out. Despite the weird naming, these earbuds stay true to the brand’s distinct design language and offer several key upgrades, but at ₱8,990, are these earbuds worth their price tag? That’s what I set out to discover.

DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY

THE Nothing Ear earbuds retain the brand’s signature transparent design, which allows users to see the internal components of the earbuds—a feature that gives them a distinctive, futuristic appearance.

Nothing has kept the form factor lightweight, with each earbud weighing just 4.6 grams, making them extremely comfortable for extended wear. The transparent design, while unique, does come with a small downside: the black model tends to attract fingerprints easily, which might be an issue for those who want their devices looking pristine at all times.

Aside from the aesthetics, the build quality of the Nothing Ear is solid. The earbuds come with three pairs of silicone eartips (small, medium, and large) to ensure a secure and comfortable fit for different

AWS

ear sizes. This ensures that users can find a pair of tips that best suit their ear shape, which is crucial for both comfort and sound isolation. The silicone tips contribute to the snug fit that is necessary for optimal sound quality and ANC performance.

Inside, the earbuds are powered by premium 11 mm ceramic drivers, which are slightly smaller than the 11.6 mm drivers found in the previous versions. Despite the smaller size, Nothing has enhanced airflow through the addition of two vents, which results in improved bass response. This makes for a more dynamic listening experience, especially for those who enjoy deep bass in their music.

In terms of functionality, the earbuds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, offering support for AAC, LDAC, LHDC 5.0, and SBC codecs. These codecs enable high-resolution wireless audio streaming, which is crucial for delivering a premium listening experience. Additionally, the earbuds are compatible with Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and even support multipoint pairing, allowing users to connect two devices at once—whether it’s a laptop and smartphone, or a tablet and gaming console.

AUDIO QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE

ITS predecessors received a lot of praise for fantastic sound quality and I’m happy to say that the Nothing Ear also delivers. The earbuds deliver a wide frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz, making them capable of handling everything from low, deep bass to clear, crisp highs. Thanks to the 11 mm ceramic drivers, the sound output is rich and detailed, with a balanced sound signature that suits a wide variety of music genres.

However, for those who want to tweak the sound to their liking, the Nothing X app offers a high degree of customization. Using the Nothing X app, users can fine-tune the audio with an 8-band equalizer to suit their personal preferences, whether you want more treble, bass, or mid-range clarity.

The Bass Enhance algorithm further boosts lowend frequencies in real-time, making these earbuds perfect for bass lovers. This feature is particularly beneficial for genres like hip-hop, EDM, and pop, where punchy bass is a key element. From my personal experience, the bass response of the Nothing Ear is among the best I’ve encountered in wireless earbuds, providing a deep, immersive listening experience without overwhelming the mids or highs. Additionally, the app’s personal sound profile feature creates a hearing ID based on a hearing test, adjusting audio to match the user’s unique hearing capabilities.

Smart Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), is capable of reducing external noise by up to 45 dB. Whether you’re commuting, working in a busy café, or just looking to escape into your music, the ANC adapts to

ALLOTS $230 MILLION FOR STARTUPS’

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

AWS recently announced that it has committed nearly $230 million to support startups building generative AI applications. Lakshmi Priya, head of startup business at AWS (Amazon Web Services), said Asean startups that are building foundation models and deploying large language models (LLM) qualify for this program. “Now, speaking of programs, it’s not enough to just give the technology and some credits to go with it, but really how are we walking the talk?” Priya told reporters in a recent press briefing. Furthermore, she said there are about 80-plus trainings across various formats, whether it’s online, on-demand classroom, or whatever format the client needs and go however deep or broad they want to go with generative artificial intelligence (AI).

In anticipation of the huge demand, Priya said AWS has introduced more than 80 training programs because AWS believes generative AI is going to be imperative for every business. Further, the entry of generative AI will require skilling and re-skilling. “And if startups want to build, and they’d rather have a partner do it, then we have technology

DEVELOPMENT

partners to support, quickly test and deploy these generative AI applications as well,” she explained.

“So like I said, we’re very excited about the space. I mean, it’s obviously keeping us on our toes because there’s so much that’s happening. We believe that these are just now the ways that we’re supporting startups,” Priya added.

Priya said AWS needs to be dynamic as it learns, evolves and is agile. She added AWS always looks back to review customers’s needs. It looks back on what customers want. “And then we continue to leverage programs and build new ones to support startups on generative AI,” she said.

Furthermore, AWS considers generative AI a great field because it has the transformative power to drive innovation and growth. Priya said the company is excited about generative AI as it’s constantly evolving, which keeps the company also on its toes. She said AWS and the other members of the Amazon group carry the objective of generative AI which is to make things easier, better, faster and cheaper for our customers. “And just like how we speak about democratizing cloud computing for our customers, we’re also working on democratizing generative AI,” said Priya.

your surroundings, offering an immersive listening experience. The adaptive ANC automatically adjusts noise cancellation levels based on environmental sounds, while users can manually switch between high, mid, low, or transparency modes. For those who need to stay aware of their surroundings, the transparency mode lets ambient sound in, so you can stay connected to the world without removing the earbuds.

BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING

BATTERY life is another area where the Nothing Ear performs well. Without ANC enabled, the earbuds can last up to 8.5 hours on a single charge, which is impressive for wireless earbuds. When used with the charging case, the total battery life extends to a substantial 40.5 hours. However, with ANC enabled, the battery life drops to around 5 hours, which could be a limiting factor for those who need longer uninterrupted listening sessions.

While the battery life of the earbuds themselves is solid, the charging case leaves a bit to be desired. Although it supports wireless charging and a quick 10-minute charge provides up to 10 hours of playback, the case feels somewhat flimsy and cheap.

The plastic material used in the construction of the case doesn’t match the premium feel of the earbuds

themselves, and the creaky plastic detracts from the overall user experience.

In terms of connectivity, the Nothing Ear earbuds support the latest Bluetooth 5.3 standard, ensuring a reliable and stable connection with minimal dropouts. The earbuds also feature dual connection capability, allowing users to easily switch between two paired devices. For example, you could be listening to music on your laptop and quickly switch to take a call on your smartphone without any hassle. This makes the earbuds a great choice for multitaskers who frequently switch between devices. Additionally, the earbuds come with a low-latency mode, reducing audio lag to under 120 ms, making them suitable for gaming or watching videos. This feature is particularly useful for mobile gamers who need precise sound timing to match the action onscreen. Although they aren’t specifically marketed as gaming earbuds, the low-lag mode is a welcome addition that enhances their versatility.

For added peace of mind, the Nothing Ear earbuds are IP54-rated for dust and water resistance, while the charging case has a slightly higher IP55 rating. This means the earbuds can handle light splashes of water and sweat, making them suitable for workouts or outdoor activities in less-than-ideal weather conditions. ■

Google blasted by UK watchdog for what it calls anti-competitive behavior through digital ads

LONDON—Google was slammed on Friday by UK regulators who say it’s taking advantage of its dominance in digital advertising to thwart competition in Britain, ratcheting up pressure that the tech giant is facing on both sides of the Atlantic over its “ad tech” business practices. Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority said that the US company gives preference to its own services to the detriment of online publishers and advertisers in Britain’s £1.8 billion ($2.4 billion) digital ad market. The watchdog leveled its accusations after an investigation, and the findings could potentially lead to a fine worth billions of dollars or an order to change its behavior.

Google is a major player throughout the digital ad ecosystem, providing servers for publishers to manage ad space on their websites and apps, tools for advertisers and media agencies to buy display ads, and an exchange where both sides come together to buy and sell ads in real time at auctions.

“We’ve provisionally found that Google is using its market power to hinder competition when it comes to the ads people see on websites,” the watchdog’s interim executive director of enforcement, Juliette Enser, said in a press release.

The watchdog’s charges, known as a statement of objections, arrive two years after it opened its investigation. Google’s digital ad business is also the focus of a European

Union antitrust investigation and a US Justice Department lawsuit that’s set to go to trial this month.

The CMA said that Google’s “anticompetitive” conduct is ongoing, but the company disputed the allegations Friday.

“Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector,” the company said in a prepared statement. “The core of this case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector. We disagree with the CMA’s view and we will respond accordingly.”

The UK watchdog alleged Google has been exploiting its dominance since 2015 to strengthen the market position of its own AdX ad exchange and protect it from rivals. AdX is where Google charges the highest fees in the ad tech system, taking about 20 percent of the amount from bids, the CMA said.

The regulator’s accusations include charges that Google manipulates advertiser bids so they have higher value when they go into AdX

Spotlight on ’25 FIVB men’s worlds draw

ALL of volleyball watches as the Drawing of Lots (DOL) for the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship take centerstage on Saturday night at Solaire Resort’s Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City.

The who’s who from the sport’s world governing body to top Philippine sports officials, Local Organizing Committee (LOC) co-chairs William Vincent “Vinny” Araneta Marcos and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and president Ramon “Tats” Suzara banner the ceremony that starts at 8:30 p.m. and viewed around the globe by the 32-nation world championship cast.

“This very important ceremony, the DOL, officially kicks off all preparations of the Philippines’ solo hosting of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship,” said Suzara, head of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and newly-elected president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation on Friday.

The DOL proper follows after the pre-draw activities of the major event that will be graced by LOC co-chair Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and members Senator Pia Cayetano and Manuel V. Pangilinan as well as Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann. FIVB General Director Fabio Azevedo will represent FIVB president Ary Graca in the draw for the world championship that the Philippines is hosting from September 12 to 28 next year.

Also on hand to witness the draw are ambassadors and top embassy officials from the world championship cast composed of defending champion Italy and continental titlists Japan (Asia), Argentina (South America), USA (North America) and Egypt (Africa).

Joining them are the runnersup in their respective zones Iran, Qatar, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Cuba, Algeria, Libya, Slovenia and France.

Completing the cast with host Philippines are Germany, Serbia, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Belgium, Turkey, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Portugal, Finland, Tunisia, China, Romania, Chile and South Korea. The world championship Trophy turnover ceremony to Marcos serves as another highlight of the DOL with Gary Valenciano providing world-class entertainment for the more than 300 guests expected on Saturday night.

ICTSI makes Yulo P10M richer

CARLOS YULO received another P10 million windfall this time from the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) for the vault and floor exercise gold medals the gymnast won in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

On hand to present Yulo his bonus was Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Christian Martin Gonzalez, who represented ICTSI chairman and CEO Enrique K. Razon in the simple ceremony at the Waterside at Solaire in Pasay City on Friday.

“Thank you to the ICTSI, Sir Ricky [Razon],” said Yulo, who arrived from Paris on Thursday. “Thank you to POC president, Mayor Abraham Tolentino, and we are all hoping they will continue supporting us up to the next Olympics and overseas competitions.”

It wasn’t only Yulo who was rewarded by the ICTSI and its chairman and CEO Enrique Razon, but also bronze medalists boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio with P2 million each and the non-medalists in the 22-athlete Team Philippines who received P200,000 each in bonuses.

“Let us thank the ICTSI, Mr. Enrique Razon and Christian Gonzalez, for helping our athletes with these cash rewards,” said Tolentino, who initiated the ICTSI’s reward for the Paris Olympians. “Our national athletes have performed their very best in the greatest show on earth at the Paris Olympics.”

Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president, emphasized how the

athletes and sports are important to the country.

“It’s very important for us supporting our athletes, it’s very important for our country,” Gonzalez said. “It is something we wanted to do more because of all the hard work that you put in for the last eight or 12 years or your entire life.” Yulo has already received at least

P90 million in cash bonuses for his historic feat in Paris.

“Just like the other incentives that I received from the others, it is really super overwhelming, and it is really unexpected to receive another cash reward after they recognized our accomplishments, hard work in practices, and sacrifices for the longest time,” Yulo added.

Villaroman, Slavin clinch spots to Match Play finals

ZCarlos Yulo, Joanie Delgaco, Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio, Eumir

Felix Marcial, Carlo Paalam, Vanessa Sarno, John Febuar Ceniza and Kiyomi Watanabe.

Yulo arrived at Solaire Resorts fresh from his second trip to Paris after his successful Olympic campaign.

“I didn’t get enough sleep, I think I dozed off at 5 a.m.,” said Yulo, who was accompanied to the event by Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion. Officials from the Philippine Navy met Yulo also on Friday to discuss the Olympic and world champions recruitment to the outfit. He later joined Tolentino and the his fellow Olympians for lunch in the same hotel.

ACHARY VILLAROMAN and Francis Slavin bagged the final two spots in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Match Play Championship by finishing third and fourth, respectively, at the conclusion of the Luzon Series 7 at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires on Friday.

Villaroman closed out with a 78 and Slavin wound up with 83 to finish

behind boys’ 16-18 winner Zeus Sara in the tournament that capped the seven-leg Luzon series.

Sara, whose consistency for four days left little room for doubt, wrapped up the event with a 292 total after shooting a final-round 72.

“Anything can happen in golf and that’s exactly what happened today [Friday]. Patrick [Tambalque] shot a 3-under card and if I didn’t shoot even-par, the scores would have been closer,” said Sara, whose steady finished netted him a seven-stroke victory over Tambalque.

Despite Sara’s runaway performance, all eyes were on the

HE Filipino-Chinese Veterans Basketball Association (FCVBA) drew big games from Rain or Shine co-team owner Terry Que and former national player Benjie Poblete and Andrew Ongteco to clobber Hatyai of Thailand, 62-40, for a four-game title sweep of the 70-and-above division of the 33rd ASEAN Seniors Basketball Tournament on in Miri, Malaysia, early this week. Still bouncy at 74, Que scattered 16 points to share the scoring honors with Poblete in the week-long tournament designed for players with Chinese lineage. Ongteco had a superb all-around performance of eight rebounds and

seven assists to go with his four points as the Fil-Chinese seniors continued to dominate their age category.

Bankrolled by Que and Ironcon Builders big boss Jimi Lim, the other members of the team are Achit Kaw, James Chua, Alberto To, Macario Co and Sesinando Santos. They opened their title bid with a 35-26 win over Sarawak’s Hornbill before beating Kuala Lumpur Club, 62-51 and Meteor Pontianak, 43-25. The FCVBA competed only in one category this time.

intense contest between Villaroman, Slavin and Rafael Mañaol, battling for the remaining berths in the Match Play finals of the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

With absentee Mark Kobayashi and Patrick Tambalque already securing the top two positions due to superior ranking points, the competition for third and fourth was fierce.

Tambalque, who had already qualified for the finals through the multi-series format, opted to compete in the Luzon series and his impressive run, highlighted by two victories, including one at Mount Malarayat last week, solidified his claim on the No. 2 spot behind Kobayashi.

Tambalque closed out with an impressive 69 but finished seven strokes behind the Davaoeño standout with a total of 299.

Villaroman, battling against nerves and erratic weather, produced a gutsy 78 to secure third place with a total of 324.

Slavin, despite struggling with an 83, finished with 330, enough to clinch the final qualifying spot in the finals, which are scheduled to take place from October 1 to 4 at The Country Club in Laguna.

Mañaol, who had kept himself in the finals race with a runner-up finish last week, fell short in his bid after shooting a 93, ending up instead at sixth place with a 345 behind Sebastian Sajuela, who pooled a 343 after and 86.

Quizon shocks Super GM in PHL’s setback to Germany in Olympiad

INTERNATIONAL Master (IM) Daniel Quizon shocked Super Grandmaster (GM) Dimitrij Kollars to provide the lone bright spot in the Philippines’ 1-3 loss to Germany in the second round Thursday of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad at the BOK Sports Hall in Budapest.

Quizon won in 54 moves of a Sicilian duel on the top board to keep his head up as the rest of his teammates fell short, including the women, who took a .5-3.5 beating at the hands of the US. “I soldiered on and didn’t lose hope,” said the soft-spoken 20-yearold Quizon, who again wore what he called as his lucky black reversible nylon jacket that helped him tie for first in a super-strong tournament in Abu Dhabi early this month.

The victory pushed the two-time national champion to only two rating points away from breaching the 2500 plateau and claiming a GM title outright after his Elo rating jumped to 2498.

He is expected to suit up against Montenegro on board two in the third round where GM Julio Catalino Sadorra is expected to man the top board for Team Philippines, whose participation in the Olympiad is bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by Richard Bachmann and commissioner

Ed Hayco and supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero “Butch” Pichay. The Filipinos lost a potential good result as IM Paulo Bersamina and GM John Paul Gomez missed opportunities for a draw against GMs Matthias Bluebaum and Frederik Svane, respectively. The Filipinas also appeared poised to slay the heavily-favored Americans before Woman GM Janelle Mae Frayna and 16-year-old sensation Ruelle Canino painfully blundered away their winning chances and

CARLOS YULO (center) with (from left) Kiyomi Watanabe, Vanessa Sarno, John Febuar Ceniza, Aira Villegas, Christian Martin Gonzalez, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Nesthy Petecio, Joanie Delgaco, Eumir Felix Marcial and Carlo Paalam.

ZACHARY VILLAROMAN and Francis Slavin save their best for last.

The World

Russia launches counteroffensive in Kursk border region to dislodge Ukrainian forces

KBy Illia Novikov The Associated Press

YIV, Ukraine—Russia has launched a counteroffen -

sive in its Kursk region

to dislodge Ukraine’s forces who stormed across the border five weeks ago and put Russian territory under foreign occupation for the first time since World War II, Ukraine’s president said Thursday.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that Moscow’s forces had recaptured 10 settlements in Kursk and listed their names but didn’t describe the fighting as a counteroffensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was taking “counteroffensive actions” but that Ukrainian forces had anticipated the moves and were ready to fight.

Ukraine launched its daring incursion into Kursk on August 6, partly in the hope that Russia would divert its troops there from Donetsk in eastern Ukraine where a push by the Russian army is threatening to overrun a belt of key defensive strongholds.

The cross-border operation also raised Ukrainian morale after months of gloomy news from the front by exposing Russian vulnerabilities and seizing some initiative on the battlefield. It also

sought to establish a buffer zone to prevent Russian attacks.

Moscow’s muddled response suggested Russia hadn’t planned for such a development and was caught by surprise. Assembling forces for a counterattack, given the long distances involved and other demands along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, was expected to take some time.

The Russian army has been hacking its way deeper into eastern Ukraine, especially Donetsk, and has battered Ukrainian territory with relentless missile and drone attacks.

A Russian missile attack Thursday killed three people and injured two others, all of them Ukrainian workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross, Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets said.

The toll was the largest among staffers at the Geneva-based humanitarian organization since a bomb blast killed three at the Aden airport in Yemen in 2020.

The key eastern Ukraine city of Pokrovsk is without a drinking water supply or natural gas for cooking and heating, authorities said, as the Russian army’s attritional slog across the Donetsk region lays waste to public infrastructure and forces civilians to flee their homes.

A water filtration station in Pokrovsk was damaged in recent fighting, and more than 300 hastily drilled water wells are the city’s last source of drinking water, Donetsk regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin said.

The previous day, Russians destroyed a natural gas distribution station near Pokrovsk, Filashkin said. Some 18,000 people remain in the city, including 522 children, he said. More than 20,000 people have left in the past six weeks as Russian forces creep closer to residential areas, Filashkin said.

“Evacuation is the only … choice for civilians,” he added.

Pokrovsk is one of Ukraine’s main defensive strongholds and a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region. Its capture would compromise Ukraine’s defensive abilities and supply routes and would bring Russia closer to its stated goal of capturing the entire Donetsk region, which it partially occupies.

Russian troops backed by artillery and powerful glide bombs have turned Donetsk cities and towns such as Bakhmut and Avdiivka into bombed-out shells, though the push has cost Russia heavily in troops and armor.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday ended a

Ukraine-focused European tour after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia.

President Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire US-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defense, but has largely limited the distance they can be fired. Extending the limit could bring Russian retaliation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in turn warned that allowing long-range strikes “would mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are at war with Russia ... if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us.”

Ukrainian forces have held out as long as possible in Donetsk, even when strongholds such as Chasiv Yar appeared to be in danger of imminent collapse.

Russia has fired missiles especially at the power grid, potentially dooming Ukrainians to a bitterly cold winter this year.

The United States and Britain pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine on Wednesday during a visit to Kyiv by their top diplomats. Much of that will go

UN condemns Israeli airstrike on Gaza guesthouse housing aid workers; intensifies calls for cease-fire

By Trisha Thomas The Associated Press

ROME—An Israeli airstrike last month demolished the top floor of a guesthouse in Gaza where World Food Program international staff were staying, the UN agency’s director said Thursday, calling the situation “impossibly dangerous” for aid workers trying to feed the Palestinian population.

The previously undisclosed incident occurred August 31 in the Nuseirat refugee camp, just days after WFP temporarily stopped aid deliveries to northern Gaza and halted staff movements when its team came under fire near an Israel checkpoint.

“It was always dangerous before. It’s become impossibly dangerous now,’’ McCain said.

The World Food Program is in touch with the Israeli Defense Force over the strike on the house where 11 UN employees, including 10 WFP staff, were staying. None was injured and they have been evacuated to Jordan, where McCain met with them this week.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

McCain said she has a simple message for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Cease-fire, please. Cease fire! Stop! We need to feed these people,’’ she said. “It’s not just food....

UN warns some 25 million Sudanese risk famine without more donations

By Trisha Thomas The Associated Press

ROME—The World Food Program needs better access to people at risk of starvation in Sudan and more money from the crisis-weary West to feed more than 25 million people facing acute hunger, the UN agency’s director said Thursday.

“Sudan’s nearly a forgotten crisis right now,” WFP director Cindy McCain told The Associated Press.

“There are so many crises going on that people kind of just, you know, it’s just too much and their eyes glaze over,’’ she added.

Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to Darfur and other regions. Some 10 million have been internally displaced and the country is engulfed in a humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of people have died in fighting.

While WFP has designated points of entry to bring aid to the hungry,

the onset of the rainy season means trucks have difficulty reaching the Zamzam camp, home to more than 400,000 displaced people, that was declared to have crossed the famine thresholds last February.

“It’s taken our trucks almost two weeks to get in there,” McCain explained, “Bridges are washed out. Roads are washed out. It’s a really it’s a combination of really tragic situations.”

“We need to get in there at scale,” McCain said, “And we need to make sure that the world understands the need and what is at stake if we don’t.”

WFP has been coping with a lack of funding as donor fatigue set in after the pandemic. The organization is trying to compensate by developing new technologies for predicting weather and providing food in emergencies.

“We have to we have to do more with less. We have to be more efficient, more effective. We have our prediction of the things that we have to predict, climate change effects and things are very necessary now,’’ she said.

It’s water and sanitation also.”

While she and staff remain committed to their mission in Gaza, “We’re right on the edge as to whether we even stay in there,’’ McCain said. “I want to stay in there. I’m not suggesting we’re going to pull out. But I have to take a look at what I am asking my people to do.”

She emphasized the difficulty of operating in a so-called deconflicted zone that was supposed to be safe for humanitarian workers to operate.

Israel forces “are hitting places where we’ve been told it was safe, we have been told have been deconflicted and that refugees were safe. And it’s not the case. It’s not,” she said.

to restoring the electricity supply.

“We’re again seeing Putin dust off his winter playbook, targeting Ukrainian energy and electricity systems to weaponize the cold against the Ukrainian people,” Blinken said. An overnight drone attack on Konotop, a town in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, largely knocked out the electricity supply, regional officials said. The blasts also blew out an “incredibly high number” of windows in the city and damaged many of the town’s tram tracks, Mayor Artem Semenikhin said.

Russia launched a total of 64 Shahed drones and five missiles over eastern, central, and northern regions of Ukraine, Ukraine’s air force said in its Thursday morning report.

Ukraine has expressed frustration that its Western partners won’t let it use sophisticated modern weapons they supply to hit places inside Russia where the missiles and drones are launched from. Some Western leaders fear that would trigger an escalation of the war.

But after Iran recently supplied ballistic missiles to Russia, according to the US, those rules of engagement could be set to change in coming days as heavier Russian bombardments could swamp

Ukraine’s meager air defenses. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz said Thursday that US long-range guided missiles, such as ATACMS, wouldn’t be able to reach all the locations from where Russia launches some of its assets. He added that “the supply of ATACMS is finite, and we need to be judicious about where and when they are deployed.” In other developments, Ukrainian Military Intelligence claimed to have shot down a Russian Su30SM jet over the Black Sea. A post on the agency’s social media Thursday said the warplane was hit with a portable surface-toair missile.

Also, Zelenkskyy posted photos of a ship loaded with grain that he said was struck by a Russian missile Thursday shortly after leaving Ukrainian territorial waters.

The merchant ship was taking wheat to Egypt, Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram page, adding that nobody was injured in the strike.

Ukraine last year managed to break through Russia’s Black Sea blockade and ship millions of tons of grain using a route that hugs Ukraine’s southern coast.

Tara Copp in Washington and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed.

Bipartisan effort to counter China’s power gains momentum in US House

By Didi Tang & Elsie Chen The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—The US House this week approved a sweeping package of bills to counter China’s influence, shoring up a largely bipartisan push to ensure America comes out ahead in the competition between the world’s superpowers.

The efforts would ban Chinese-made drones, limit China-linked biotech companies from access to the US market, strengthen sanctions and deepen ties with Asian countries. The campaign to target Beijing this week shows how curbing China’s power has emerged as a rare issue of political consensus.

But some measures did pass along party lines, with Republicans arguing the need to protect national security when it comes to everything from education to farmland, and Democrats raising concerns about discrimination.

The advocacy group Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote also warned about “overly broad antiChina rhetoric.”

One contentious measure

seeks to revive a Trump-era program to root out Beijing’s spying in American universities and institutes. The bills all still need Senate approval.

“The House sent a powerful, bipartisan message to the Chinese Communist Party: the United States will not sit idly by,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington has said the measures would damage bilateral relations and US interests. “China deplores and firmly opposes this and has lodged serious representations to the US side,” spokesman Liu Pengyu said.

Here’s a look at key topics that

the legislation focused on this week:

Technology

TECH dominated the measures, reflecting a “laser-focused” approach to limit the spread of Chinese technology in the US and prevent Beijing from accessing American innovations, said Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank.

The House backed a bill to prevent federal money from flowing to five biotech companies with Chinese ties, described as necessary to protect Americans’ health data and reduce reliance on China for US medical supplies.

Another bill that cleared the House would outlaw, on national security grounds, devices from Chinese drone maker DJI, a dominant player in the global market.

“Allowing artificially cheap DJI drones to monopolize our sky has decimated American drone manufacturing and given our greatest strategic adversary eyes in our sky,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.

To patch a loophole in export controls, the House backed an amendment that supporters say would cut off remote Chinese access—such as through cloud computing services—to advanced US technology to develop artificial intelligence and modernize its military.

Spying at schools

A BILL passed along party lines would direct the Justice Department to curb spying by Beijing on US intellectual property and academic institutions and go after people engaged in theft of trade secrets, hacking and economic espionage.

It’s House Republicans’ attempt to revive the China Initiative, a Trump-era program meant to curb China’s spying in US universities and research institutes. It ended in 2022 after multiple unsuccessful prosecutions of researchers and concerns that it had prompted racial and ethnic profiling.

The measure “brings back the shameful China Initiative, which is the new McCarthyism,” said Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif. She criticized the program for assuming that “researchers and scholars in America should be investigated if they had a nexus with China, such as being born there or having relatives from there.”

Rep. Lance Gooden, a Texas Republican and bill sponsor, called racism claims baseless.

Another controversial bill would restrict federal funding to universities with cultural institutes funded by the Chinese government or programs linked to certain Chinese schools.

Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., called Beijing’s influence inside American schools “one of our nation’s most glaring vulnerabilities.”

Tech billionaire makes history with first private spacewalk high above the Earth

CBy Marcia Dunn

Aerospace Writer

Ap

APE CANAVERAL, Fla.—

A tech billionaire popped out from a SpaceX capsule hundreds of miles above Earth and performed the first private spacewalk Thursday, a high-risk endeavor once reserved for professional astronauts.

Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman teamed up with SpaceX to test the company’s brand new spacesuits on his chartered flight. The daring feat also saw SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis going out once Isaacman was safely back inside.

This spacewalk was simple and quick—the hatch was open barely a half-hour—compared with the drawn-out affairs conducted by NASA. Astronauts at the International Space Station often need to move across the sprawling complex for repairs, always traveling in

pairs and lugging gear. Station spacewalks can last seven to eight hours; this one clocked in at less than two hours.

Isaacman emerged first, joining a small elite group of spacewalkers who until now had included only professional astronauts from a dozen countries.

“Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, it sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman said as the capsule soared above the South Pacific. Cameras on board caught his silhouette, waist high at the hatch, with the blue Earth beneath.

The commercial spacewalk was the main focus of the five-day flight financed by Isaacman and Elon Musk’s company, and the culmination of years of development geared toward settling Mars and other planets.

All four on board donned the new spacewalking suits to protect

themselves from the harsh vacuum. They launched on Tuesday from Florida, rocketing farther from Earth than anyone since NASA’s moonwalkers. The orbit was reduced by half—to 460 miles (740 kilometers)—for the spacewalk.

This first spacewalking test involved more stretching than walking. Isaacman kept a hand or foot attached to the capsule the whole time as he flexed his arms and legs to see how the spacesuit held up. The hatch sported a walker-like structure for extra support.

After roughly 10 minutes outside, Isaacman was replaced by Gillis to go through the same motions. The SpaceX engineer bobbed up and down in weightlessness, no higher than her knees out of the capsule, as she twisted her arms and sent reports back to Mission Control.

Each had 12-foot (3.6-meter) tethers but did not unfurl them or dangle at the end unlike what happens at the space station, where astronauts routinely float out at a much lower orbit.

More and more wealthy passengers are plunking down huge sums for rides aboard private rockets to experience a few minutes of weightlessness. Others have spent tens of millions to stay in space for days or even weeks. Space experts and risk analysts say it’s inevitable that some will seek the thrill of spacewalking, deemed one of the most dangerous parts of spaceflight after launch and reentry but also the most soul-stirring.

This operation was planned down to the minute with little room for error. Trying out new spacesuits from a spacecraft new

to spacewalking added to the risk. So did the fact that the entire capsule was exposed to the vacuum of space.

There were a few glitches. Isaacman had to manually pull the hatch open instead of pushing a button on board. Before heading out, Gillis reported seeing bulges in the hatch seal.

Scott “Kidd” Poteet, a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon stayed strapped to their seats to monitor from inside. All four underwent intensive training before the trip.

It went by “in the blink of an eye,” said SpaceX commentator Kate Tice.

Congratulations streamed in after the spacewalk concluded at one hour and 46 minutes—or a full swing and then some around Earth.

“Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said via X. Isaacman, 41, CEO and founder of the Shift4 credit card-processing company, has declined to disclose how much he invested in the flight. It was the first of three flights in a program he’s dubbed Polaris; this one was called Polaris Dawn. For SpaceX’s inaugural private flight in 2021, he took up contest winners and a cancer survivor.

Until Thursday, only 263 people had conducted a spacewalk, representing 12 countries. The Soviet Union’s Alexei Leonov kicked it off in 1965, followed a few months later by NASA’s Ed White.

Fellow Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, argued the measure could shut down legitimate academic programs, such as exchange students, study-abroad opportunities, guest lectures and sports events.

Farmland and electric cars

SEVERAL Democratic lawmakers also raised bias concerns about a measure that flags as “reportable” land sales involving citizens from China, North Korea, Russia and Iran.

The bill also would add the agriculture secretary to the US Committee on Foreign Investment, which reviews the national security implications of foreign transactions.

China “has been quietly purchasing American agricultural land at an alarming rate, and this bill is a crucial step towards reversing that trend,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington state.

The National Agricultural Law Center estimates 24 states ban or limit foreigners without residency and foreign businesses or governments from owning private farmland. The interest emerged after a Chinese billionaire bought more than 130,000 acres near a US Air Force base in Texas and another Chinese company sought to build a corn plant near an Air Force base in North Dakota.

The House also narrowly ap -

proved an effort to exclude Chinese electric cars from receiving clean-vehicle tax credits. “America’s working families should not be forced to subsidize a nation whose decades of unfair trade practices and government subsidies have led to lost jobs, shuttered factories and hollowed out communities right here at home,” said Rep. Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican. Rep. Dan Kildee, a Michigan Democrat, said the bill’s “unclear restrictions” would make it unworkable and “leave the auto industry and batter manufacturers to pull back their US investments.”

Diplomacy

THE House backed several measures to boost sanctions on China and deepen ties with Asia-Pacific countries to counter China’s influence.

One could lead Hong Kong’s representative offices in the US to close by stripping them of diplomatic privileges if the territory is deemed to have lost autonomy from mainland China.

To deter Chinese aggression toward the self-governed island of Taiwan, a bill goes after the financial assets of Chinese officials and their immediate families.

Addressing concerns over Beijing’s rising military influence, a resolution cleared the House to recognize the importance of cooperation with South Korea and Japan.

US backs 2 permanent seats for African nations on the UN Security Council, rejects veto power

By Edith M. Lederer The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The United States announced Thursday that it will support the addition of two new permanent seats for African countries on the powerful UN Security Council—and a first-ever nonpermanent seat for a small island developing nation.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield made the announcement in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, calling it a follow-up to US President Joe Biden’s announcement two years ago that the US supports expanding the 15-member body.

While Africa has three non-permanent seats on the Security Council, that doesn’t allow African countries “to deliver the full benefit of their knowledge and voices,” she said.

“That is why, in addition to non-permanent membership for African countries, the United States supports creating two permanent seats for Africa on the council,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “It’s what our African partners seek, and it’s what we believe is just.”

However, Thomas-Greenfield later said Washington opposes giving veto power to the African countries that would hold the two permanent seats because the veto makes the Security Council’s work “dysfunctional.”

That view shows the limits in the amount of power that Washington wants to give to any other country. While Security Council resolutions are legally binding, they are often ignored by targeted countries.

Virtually all countries agree that nearly eight decades after the United Nations was established in the wake of World War II, the Security Council should be expanded to reflect the world in the 21st century and include more voices. But the central question—and the biggest disagreement—remains how to do it.

The Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, has not changed from its 1945 configuration: 10 non-permanent members from all regions of the world elected for two-year terms without veto power and five countries

that were dominant powers at the end of World War II are permanent members with veto power: the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

Russia’s veto power, for instance, has stymied any council action on the war in Ukraine and US support for its ally Israel has limited the council’s response to the war in Gaza. Attempts to reform the council to reflect the changing world began in 1979.

In 2005, world leaders called for the council to be “more broadly representative, efficient and transparent.” That year, the General Assembly, which must approve any council reforms, shelved three rival resolutions to expand its membership, a reflection of deep divisions that have continued until today.

In September 2022, Biden called for increasing the number of both permanent and non-permanent members, including “permanent seats for those nations we’ve long supported, and permanent seats for countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.”The United States has long supported permanent seats for Germany, Japan and India.

Thomas-Greenfield made no mention of Biden’s other pledge about permanent seats for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. But a senior US administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to brief reporters ahead of the announcement, said the US still supports permanent seats for Latin America and the Caribbean, plus Africa. Responding to countries arguing that it’s time for the UN to look beyond just regional representation, the US ambassador also announced that the United States is supporting the creation of an additional rotating seat for small island developing countries.

“These 39 states are not a monolith. They are home to 65 million people, across over 1,000 islands,” she said. “But each has critical insights on a range of international peace and security issues including, notably, the impact of climate change.”

Thomas-Greenfield said the United States plans “to actually put our principles on paper” and draft a resolution to reform the council. AP reporter Jennifer Peltz contributed from New York.

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