BusinessMirror September 19, 2024

www.businessmirror.com.ph

TSentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is keen on making a “substantial” reduction in the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR) for banks this year.

In a briefi ng on Wednesday, BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. told reporters that the reduction in the RRR this year will be followed by further reductions in 2025.

Currently, the RRR stands at 9.5 percent, which Remolona said last month, was “a ridiculous level.” e target of the BSP is to reduce this to about 5 percent.

“We will reduce reserve requirements substantially this year and then there may be further reductions by next year,” Remolona said. Remolona said that in exchange for the cut in the RRR, Philippine banks are willing to reduce transaction costs on payments. Regardless of this “funny dynamic,” Remolona said it is important to reduce the RRR “in a substantial

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the National ID’s operations will not be disrupted when it submits the project for third-party evaluation.

e Neda on Monday said at the House of Representatives plenary budget deliberations that it is willing to submit the National ID to a third-party review to ensure transparency and accountability. Currently, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and AllCard Incorporated (ACI) are locked in a court battle concerning the National ID. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/09/10/ subcontracting-noise-hides-allcardsfailure/)

PHL nixes return to euro bond market

THE national government dropped its plan to return to the euro bond market and is now considering yen-denominated securities instead and additional support from multilateral lenders.

National Treasurer Sharon P. Almanza told reporters on Tuesday in Malacañan Palace the government will not be issuing euro-denominated securities, or euro bonds, in 2024.

“When we issued the $2.5-billion US dollar bonds [in August], it’s more cost-efficient rather [than

the euro bonds],” Almanza said.

On a swap basis, Almanza added the euro is more expensive than the dollar. is could impact the government’s debt servicing costs due to higher interest payments and risks of the euro weakening against the peso. With that, Almanza said the government is considering issuing yen-denominated securities, or samurai bonds, instead this year as developments in the market are currently monitored. e issuance of euro bonds is moved for next year’s borrowing plan.

“We’re also watchful of Bank of Japan’s move if they will hike [rates] although the yen has appreciated now, so it’s better,” Almanza e government aims to borrow $5 billion in global bond issuances this year, of which $4.5 billion was raised through the issuance of $2.5-billion triple-tranche US dollar global bonds in August and $2 billion from dual-tranche US

bond offering in May. To scout for the remaining $500 million, Almanza said it would depend on the country’s

DA eyes auction of ports for ships bearing farm goods

“Neda and PSA [Philippine Statistics Authority] have yet to discuss details on this proposal, but we will make sure that our operations continue, especially for the services that are already in place for the benefit of the almost 90 million Filipinos registered to the system,” Neda said in a statement sent to BM late on Tuesday.

Earlier, PSA Assistant National Statistician Emily R. Pagador told reporters that Filipinos can still register for a National ID and easily obtain the digital National ID through the National ID portal and the e-Gov app launched by the Department of Information

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to auction off the construction of ports that will primarily serve vessels carrying agricultural products.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the estimated cost for the development of 17 ports in the country is P40.5 billion.

“For the [10] big ports, our estimate is P3 billion each. For the smaller ones [...] seven ports at P1.5 billion,” Laurel told reporters on the sidelines of an agricultural forum in Makati City on Tuesday.

e agriculture chief added that the government would release a

proposal to the public for the available sites, with prospective areas of the ports set to be built in Mindoro, Negros, Iloilo, Southern Albay, and Batangas, among others.

“Hopefully there will be bidders or unsolicited proposals. Kung saan walang interesado then kailangan natin kunan ng pondo for that [For those ones for which there are no interested proponents, we have to get funding],” he said.

Laurel also noted that the ports could lower input prices.

“For fertilizer cost alone, I think that’s 5 percent less right away, for corn 5 percent less, for feed cost for swine maybe up to 10 percent to 15 percent [less],” he said.

EXPLOSIONS

LEBANON AND SYRIA AS HEZBOLLAH PAGERS DETONATE, ISRAEL BLAMED FOR COVERT ATTACK

However, the treasurer said the government will also receive additional funding through loans from official development assistance (ODAs).

RTB round? Wait and see WHEN asked by reporters if the government will issue another round of retail treasury bonds (RTBs) this year, Almanza said the government is still looking at the data. “So far, our auctions have been successful with what we’ve borrowed domestically so it would depend on the deficit,” Almanza said.

In February this year, the state raised P584.86 billion through RTBs, exceeding its P400-billion target. For better management of costs and debt servicing, Almanza said the government does not need to fi ll in the programmed borrowings for the year pegged at P2.570 trillion.

e government has borrowed P1.759 trillion as of the end of July 2024, consisting of P1.484 trillion from the domestic debt market and P275.475 billion from foreign sources.

e government will follow a 75:25 borrowing mix, in favor of domestic fi nancers. About P1.923 trillion will be raised locally while P646.084 billion will be borrowed externally.

‘10-pt wage hike criteria leads to poverty wages’

INSTEAD of helping the workers, the 10-point criteria of the Wage Rationalization Act only pushes workers down to poverty, a labor professor said.

Assistant Professor Benjamin Velasco, from the School of Labor and Industrial Relations in University of the Philippines Diliman, said on Wednesday that the criteria set by the law only helps regional wage boards in its “policy of poverty wages.”

“Why is it that when employers buy labor, their capacity to pay is a consideration? But when workers buy their necessities, their capacity to pay is never a factor? Isn’t this a double standard?” he asked.

During the budget briefi ng of the Department of Labor and Employment, its budget sponsor Rep.

Raul Bongalon said that the labor department is just following “objective” standards when approving proposed minimum wage increases.

“DOLE, through its Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards [RTWPBs], is just exercising delegated authority...the criteria is in the law. We leave it to the wisdom of the Congress whether or not to change the criteria in setting up the wage for every region,” Bongalon said.

Under Republic Act 6727, the RTWPBs must consider several criteria for wage adjustments.

ese include the demand for living wages, changes in the consumer price index and cost of living, workers’ and families’ needs, and encouraging rural industry investment.

ey must also account for improvements in living standards, prevailing wages, employers’ capacity to pay, fair returns on capital, effects on employment and family income, and fair income distribution. However, Velasco said that wage boards do not really follow all these agendas.

“What wage boards have done is to cherry-pick from 10 criteria what they want...[A study] found that of 10-point criteria, only infl ation is truly considered by wage boards,” the professor said.

Given that the criteria has contradicting points as well, Velasco said that it would be better for the labor department to consider more the wage hike factors related to living wages.

Not enough for workers

FOLLOWING the recent P21 to

P75 daily minimum wage increase in Region IV-A and P33 to P43 in Region VII, Rep. Arlene Brosas said that these wage adjustments are “too modest” to afford the cost of living.

“I hope that our workers will receive a concrete and tangible wage they can rely on, in compliance with ILO standards,” Brosas said.

She also suggested that the labor department’s regional wage boards should be abolished as they only make workers suffer more.

“Since [1989] until now...they are the ones deciding on the wage increases, but they’re only giving crumbs,” Brosas said.

RTWPBs, together with the National Wages and Productivity Commission and the 10-point wage hike criteria, were established under the Wage Rationalization Act which was signed into law by former president Corazon Aquino. e boards were tasked to determine and fi x minimum wage rates in the regional, provincial and/or industry levels.

BSP KEEN ON HEFTY CUT IN RRR OF BANKS IN ’24

way.”

“ ere’s a funny dynamic that’s going on. e banks want a reduction of the reserve requirement and they’re saying if you do reduce it, we’ll do this other thing for you, reduce transactions costs on payments, for example. We’re trying to manage that,” Remolona said. BSP Monetary Policy Sub-Sector

transactions free of cost for small amounts. BSP said paying P5 to P10 per transaction or as much as P15 to P20 per transaction is significant, especially relative to small transactions of around P200 to P500. e BSP hopes that bringing down the RRR would encourage banks to waive the fees for these amounts. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/02/28/bap-open-

and Communications Technology (DICT). Nonetheless, Pagador gave assurances that those who applied for National IDs or those who already have digital National IDs can rest assured that the PSA will provide them with their printed National IDs “eventually” as this is mandated by the law.

Food poverty threshold MEANWHILE, the Neda also recently addressed questions by the House of Representatives on the review of the computation of the food poverty threshold. Neda said this is part of the review of the official poverty estimation methodology which began in 2023. e review involves improvements in the Food Bundles by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and the Food Expenditure and Total Basic Expenditure (FE/TBE) ratio of the PSA. Neda said the review will not require a new survey but will incorporate “some data” from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) and Retail Price Survey.

“Before the PSA’s Board approval, the proposed changes are presented to the Technical Committee on Poverty Statistics, composed of technical experts on poverty in the country, and to other stakeholders,” Neda told BM Last month, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said 2010 was the last time the country’s food bundle was updated by agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH) and the FNRI. He admitted that the bundle may no longer reflect the preferences of Filipinos as well as the latest cost of goods, especially rice which has posted an infl ation of above 20 percent every month since January 2024. Based on the existing national food and non-food bundle, Balisacan said a family of five needs P13,795. is translates to P2,759 monthly per person, which translates to P91 per perFor the food threshold, using just the national food bundle, a family of five needs P9,581 per month in 2023. is translates to P64 per day per person or around P21.33 per meal.

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa told Bthat the computation of the food threshold only considered “least cost” items. is could mean that carinderia prices that are often encountered by working Filipinos, especially in urban areas, may not be considered given that these have a “service component” and not just the cost of the food.

(See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/08/14/with-rising-pricestime-to-update-food-bundle-neda/) Cai U. Ordinario

e country relies heavily on imports to meet its demand for various fertilizer grades. Citing data from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) said imports accounted for almost 87 percent of the fertilizer used by the Philippines in 2021 to 2023.

Last year, the think tank said the country imported a total of 2.54 million metric tons (MMT) of fertilizer products, mostly from China. Of the volume, more than half consisted of nitrogenous types like urea.

Deep-water ports

THE DA has been pushing for the construction of deep piers designed

for large ships to reduce the cost of transporting farm inputs like fertilizers. (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2024/04/08/da-deep-piersfor-large-ships-will-cut-cost-of-logistics-inputs/)

e agency said this could lead to a reduction in rice production cost and help planters boost their output.

“Our primary focus remains on elevating production levels and lowering production costs in rice cultivation, primarily through mechanization and reducing postharvest losses, as emphasized by Secretary [Francisco] Tiu Laurel,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa earlier said.

De Mesa noted that the establishment of deep piers capable of accommodating larger vessels could signifi cantly reduce trans-

portation costs by enabling direct shipment, potentially lowering input prices by P15 to P20 per unit. In April, the DA created a technical working group (TWG) that will develop policies pertaining to the development and operation of deep-water ports. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/04/18/dabegins-effort-to-develop-deep-waterports/) In developing a policy framework for the development and operation of deep-water ports, Laurel said the TWG will be guided by the objective that the ports will lead to effi cient cargo handling and distribution, reduced postharvest losses, enhanced fi sh ports, and provision of effi cient logistic systems for both input and output production.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr.

DOJ files human-trafficking charges against Alice Guo

TSara contra mundum; VP refuses to take oath at House session

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally filed a qualified human trafficking case against dismissed against the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, Alice Guo and several other individuals at the Regional Trial Court in Pasig City in connection with their alleged involvement in the illegal activities of a Philippine Offline Gaming Operators (Pogo) hub in her town.

Guo was specifically charged with violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022, a non-bailable offense.

Other respondents include Huang Zhiyang, Rachelle Joan Malonzo Carreon, Zhang Ruijin, Baoying Lin and Yu Zheng Can.

The dismissed mayor is currently being detained for graft charges initially filed against her before the RTC in Capas, Tarlac, but has been transferred to the RTC in Valenzuela RTC.

Guo is also facing a money laundering complaint before the DOJ.

She is now detained at the National Police Custodial Center in Camp Rafael Crame, Quezon City, following his arrest in Indonesia on September 4, almost two months after she managed to leave the country despite an existing immigration lookout bulletin issued against her.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s Third

Division has granted the request of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to transfer all Pogo-related cases filed before the RTC in Tarlac to Pasig City.

Covered by the Court’s decision are Criminal Cases 9855 (People of the Philippines vs. Ma The Pong, et al), 9856 (People of the Philippines vs. Wang Weili, et al.) and 9857 (People of the Philippines vs. Lang Xu, et al) and any related future cases. The SC directed Branch 66 of the RTC in Tarlac to forward the entire records of the said criminal cases to the Office of the Executive Judge of the Pasig RTC within three days for raffle among the judges in the station.

It also directed the judge whom the cases are assigned to hear and decide the cases with “utmost dispatch.”

“Accordingly, the Court, upon the recommendation of the OCA [Office of the Court Administrator], resolves to: Direct the concerned Judges in Capas, Tarlac. and in other stations in Luzon before whom all future cases involving Pogos and other related to the herein cases of similar concerns or interest to the DOJ may be filed or raffled, to motu propio order the transmittal of the records to the OCC [Office of the Clerk of Court], RTC, Pasig City or the OCC, Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), Pasig City, as the case may be…” The DOJ earlier said there is prima facie evidence of reasonable conviction against Guo and the other respondents that warrants the filing of qualified human trafficking before the court.

Habagat, Ferdie, Gener toll: 20 dead, 14 missing

By Jonathan L. Mauyga @jonlmayuga

THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Wednesday that a total of 20 people were killed while 14 others are missing owing to the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and the past two tropical cyclones—Ferdie and Gener.

Nine of the fatalities are from Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), while Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Western Visayas each have four recorded fatalities; Cagayan Valley and Western Mindanao recorded two deaths each and Central Visayas had one fatality, the NDRRMC reported in the latest situation report on the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and the two tropical cyclones.

Mimaropa had 12 of the 14 missing persons Western Visayas and Western Mindanao has one missing person each.

NDRRMC also reported that a total of 11 persons were injured.

Ferdie, the sixth severe weather disturbance to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) affected the country’s weather system from September 13 to 14, while Gener developed into a tropical cyclone from a low-pressure area on September 16, and left the PAR on Wednesday. The deaths and injuries were attributed

to various effects of the extreme weather events including landslides and flooding. The NDRRMC reported that four of the fatalities were drowning victims.

The NDRRMC is still verifying the reports and nature of the injuries of the casualties from various regions.

The inclement weather, which dumped huge volumes of rainwater and was induced by Tropical Cyclones Ferdie and Gener, affected a total of 156,524 families or 597,870 persons, of which, 16,926 families or 62,995 persons were served inside 618 evacuation centers and 8,592 families or 34,265 persons were served outside those facilities.

Most of the affected people were reported in Western Visayas with 256,593 individuals or 73,512 families.

Habagat, Ferdie and Gener also damaged 930 houses—789 were partially and 141 were destroyed. Damage to infrastructure was so far pegged at P2,401,500. The NDRRMC also said power outages and communication line problems were encountered in some parts of affected areas, during which eight domestic flights as well as 39 sea trips were affected. In affected seaports, a total of 1,609 passengers, 58 rolling cargoes, 25 vessels, and seven motorized boats were stranded.

Meanwhile, owing to the inclement weather, classes in 592 areas and work schedules in 82 areas were suspended.

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

DEFYING rules and traditions, Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday refused to take the oath before the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which is conducting a hearing on the alleged misuse of millions in funds for socio-economic programs by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), but she asserted that there was no misuse of funds by her office.

Lawmakers said even past presidents, including the late Fidel Ramos and Benigno Aquino III, had taken the oath when they were invited as resource persons in similar congressional hearings.

Committee chairman, Manila Rep. Joel Chua, directed the committee secretary to administer the oath to all invited resource persons from the OVP, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the Commission on Audit (COA). The oath traditionally binds witnesses and resource persons to tell the truth during congressional inquiries. It simply states: “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (in this inquiry)? So help you, God.”

However, before the oath could be administered, Duterte questioned whether she, as a resource person, was required to take the oath. She invoked the committee’s rules on legislative inquiries, arguing that only witnesses were required to take such an oath.

Chua explained that it was standard practice in House hearings to swear in both witnesses and resource persons, reinforcing the expectation of truthfulness.

Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, an ally of the Dutertes, supported the Vice President’s stand on the issue.

The former President cited a

Supreme Court ruling and a Senate precedent under which she said a witness is given more protection than a resource person since the former may find himself or herself as an accused.

Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, however, countered that no individual in the hearing was classified as an accused. Chua ultimately noted Arroyo’s remarks but maintained the committee’s position.

Following this exchange, Vice President Duterte delivered her opening statement.

Attack

DUTERTE claimed that the hearing was part of a larger, orchestrated effort to attack her and that its real goal was to impeach her.

“There is no misuse of funds. If there are audit findings, we shall gladly respond to them before the Commission on Audit. And if there are legitimate cases to be filed, then we shall gladly respond to them before the appropriate courts,” she said.

“Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ang  budget  ang puntirya ninyo dahil napakadali naman magtanggal ng budget. What you are trying to do is make a case for impeachment,” she added.

Duterte also described the proceedings as a “well-funded and coordinated political attack,” accusing critics of trying to discredit her for political gain in the upcoming 2028 elections.

“What we are witnessing now is no ordinary legislative inquiry. This exercise is a well-funded and coordinated political attack,” Duterte said, noting that the inquiry was not truly about governance or accountability but about influencing future elections.

Duterte maintained that her office had done nothing wrong.

“So you may try to destroy me. You can skin me alive, burn me, and throw my ashes to the wind. But let it be known: You will find me unbowed. I will continue to serve the Filipino

Lawmakers urge Comelec to

By Justine Xyrah Garcia

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) should review its resolution allowing government officials to remain in office after accepting party-list nominations, several members of the House of Representatives said on Wednesday.

Unlike the previous elections, public officials—whether appointed or elected—who will represent party-lists in the elections next year can still work in the government before the campaign period starts, under the new Comelec rule.

During the floor deliberations on the Comelec’s 2025 budget, Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said that the elections should be “fair and just” to everyone gunning for public office.

S EN. Christopher Go, along with his Malasakit Team personally provided needed support to impoverished residents from various sectors consisting of Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (Toda), Pedicab Operators and Drivers’ Associations (Poda), and different associations and vulnerable sectors from various barangays in Pasay City, on Tuesday, September 17.

“Elections should be fair. There should b no advantage or misuse of government power to influence the outcome,” he said.

Under Rule II Section 11 of Comelec Resolution 11045, partylist nominees holding appointive or elective office may continue to hold office even after the acceptance of their nomination.

This is in contrast with the rule for candidates running for senator down to district representatives, where persons holding appointive office are immediately considered resigned upon filing their certificates of candidacy.

The Comelec, through its budget sponsor Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto said that the rationale behind this is because party-lists are elected as a group, not based on the people who may represent them.

Held at the Cuneta Astrodome in the city, Go and his Malasakit Team distributed essential items, including food packs, shirts, masks, vitamins, and basketballs

people, no matter the personal cost or political intrigue,” she said.

She also reiterated her decision to allow the House to act independently on the OVP’s 2025 budget.

“I am not asking for any special treatment, nor am I asking you to uphold any tradition. There is no disrespect. All I am saying is that you have the complete freedom to do whatever you wish to the OVP budget. If you feel that all the documentary submissions are not enough, then by all means, huwag kayo magbigay ng budget .”

At the end of her remarks, she asked Chua to terminate the hearing on Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano’s September 3 privilege speech on supposedly questionable OVP expenses for its socio-economic programs in Metro Manila.

But the committee chairman told the Vice President he could not abruptly end the hearing because his panel had just decided to take cognizance of and jurisdiction over the Valeriano speech.

At one point, the Vice President requested a one-minute recess, during which she talked to Arroyo.

She shook hands with Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta before returning to her chair.

In a separate interview, Duterte stated that it is not in her nature to ask for help from anyone including President Marcos or even from his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte amid these issues against her.

For his part, Valeriano said the hearing is a chance for OVP, COA, NCR, and local governments to present evidence on how OVP funds were spent.

Valeriano raised concerns about unverified claims and questioned the absence of any detailed documentation from the OVP.

“She expressly rejected any question about the OVP budget even before those questions were put forward,” Valeriano said, noting that the OVP had not submitted documents to support its claims of socioeconomic programs

However, Hataman said that this does not matter given that at the end of the elections, it is still the nominee who would take the seat in the lower House.

“If you are in a position in the government and you know you will take a seat, you will definitely use your influence. In essence, it is the person who takes the seat, not the party,” he said.

‘Suspicious’ resolution

MEANWHILE , Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza criticized the poll body, calling its resolution “suspicious,” as previous elections had always mandated that party-list nominees holding public office were considered resigned upon accepting their nomination.

benefiting over two million individuals in the National Capital Region.

Valeriano also urged potential whistleblowers to come forward with any information, evidence, or testimony regarding the alleged misuse of funds by Duterte.

Motu proprio CHUA announced that they had received authorization from the House Committee on Rules to proceed with a motu proprio investigation.

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability has initiated an investigation into the Department of Education’s (DepEd) questionable fund utilization during Vice President Sara Duterte’s leadership. The panel, often regarded as the House’s counterpart to the Senate Blue-Ribbon Committee, will investigate potential “malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance” related to the Department of Education’s failure to deliver key projects, specifically the distribution of laptops and e-learning equipment.

This investigation follows a motion unanimously approved by committee members, based on concerns raised by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro during the September 10 House Committee on Appropriations hearing on DepEd’s budget.

The investigation focuses on Luistro’s concern over DepEd’s failure to utilize nearly P9 billion of its P11.36 billion budget for ICT equipment in 2023, resulting in a low utilization rate of 19.22 percent.

The committee will further examine the 2023 Commission on Audit (COA) report, which exposed serious operational deficiencies in DepEd’s Computerization Program.

The report noted that only 50.07 percent of the program’s budget had been utilized, with no substantial accomplishments for the year.

The Comelec maintained its position, based on the ruling in the Penera vs. Comelec case, that an aspirant is only considered a candidate once the campaign period starts. Earlier this week, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal already filed a petition before the Higher Court to nullify the Comelec’s rule on partylist nominees.

The poll body said that it will wait for the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the said matter.

“I suspect that there will be many incumbent government officials who are planning on running for party-lists. I think that’s unfair, unjust, and illegal,” he said. Daza added that the resolution violated Article 9, Section 2 of the Philippine Constitution which states that no employee in the civil service should engage, directly or indirectly, in any partisan political campaign.

DOE policies on RE boost investments

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

HE lifting of foreign owner -

Tship restrictions on some renewable energy (RE) projects, alongside measures and mechanisms to accelerate their development, resulted in a more favorable business environment for investments in the power sector.

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday welcomed the latest report from the Board of Investments (BOI), which highlights a recordbreaking P1.35 trillion worth of investments in the country approved

from January to date, surpassing last year’s total of P1.26 trillion. Of the P1.35 trillion total investments, P1.29 trillion or 95 percent is on RE projects.

One of the DOE programs that lured in more investors is the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), which promotes transparent and competitive pricing for RE and enhances project bankability through a 20-year offtake guarantee.

The government has also simplified the application process for RE development and duty-free importation incentives. Additionally, it has created new opportunities for new

Malacañang shortens govt work hours on Monday

MALACAÑANG shortened the work hours in government offices on Monday in line with the observance of the 32nd National Family Week and Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day.

Under Memorandum Circular 64 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on auhority of President Marcos, work in the Executive Branch will be suspended from 3:00 p.m. onwards on that day.

MC 64 was issued in recognition of the need for government workers to celebrate with their families the National Family Week and Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day.

“This Office also encourages all government workers in the Executive Branch to fully support the programs and activities relative to the observance of Family Week, as organized by the National Committee on the Filipino Family,” the order read.

The Palace also encouraged the suspension of work in all branches of the government, independent commissions or bodies, and the private sector to afford all Filipino families the full opportunity to celebrate the 32nd National Family Week.

However, MC 64 directs government

agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness, response to disasters and calamities, and the performance of other vital services to continue their operations and render the necessary services.

Proclamation 60 issued in 1992 declares the last week of September of every year as Family Week.

On the other hand, Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day is held every fourth Monday of September every year, by virtue of Proclamation 326 issued in 2012.

The country commemorates the National Family Week to strengthen and promote unity, solidarity and stability of the Filipino Family as the basic unit of Filipino society.

Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day is observed annually to highlight and celebrate the value of Filipino families sharing meals as a national tradition.

The National Committee on the Filipino Family, mandated to promote the family as the foundation of the nation, is in charge of leading the national observance of Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day.

Samuel P. Medenilla

investments within existing contract areas, allowing them to apply for additional RE contracts. This, it said, could lead to extended contract terms and incentives for capacity-increasing investments.

“The DOE is committed to work with the private sector and our partner agencies in the national government and local governments to ensure that these approved investments will ripen into beneficial and tangible energy infrastructure for our people,” Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

Investments registered under the BOI enjoy a wide range of incentives,

including income tax holidays, a preferential tax rate on gross income, zero value-added taxes (VAT) rating, as well as tax- and duty-free importation of capital equipment, raw materials and supplies.

Additionally, “with banks and financial institutions playing a vital role in our quest for the accelerated development of renewable energy projects, we are working closely with banks and financial institutions, through the Bangko Sentral, to align the needs of developers with the objectives of financial institutions to effectively support these projects,” added Lotilla.

Recently, the BSP convened a forum on “Financing the Philippine Energy Transition Program. This maiden session of the BSP Knowledge Exchange Series on InclusiveSustainability was held in coordination with Citi Philippines and the DOE. The forum put a spotlight on the opportunities and challenges around financing RE projects.

Interest in the country’s renewable energy sector has grown since the implementation of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. As of March 2024, the DOE has awarded a total of 1,327 renewable energy service contracts, with 5.8 gigawatts already installed

and a further potential capacity of about 137.8 gigawatts. The majority of the renewable energy potential capacities are from solar, hydro and wind accounting for almost 90 percent of the total renewable energy contracts awarded. To further accelerate renewable energy projects, the third round of GEAP is scheduled for this year, covering capacities for impounding and pumped storage hydropower as well as geothermal technologies. The fourth round will focus on Integrated Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Systems (IRESS) and natural gas technologies.

Thailand FDA bans 12 ‘mercury cosmetics’ being sold to Pinoys

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

NONGOVERNMENT organizations based in the Philippines and Thailand lauded on Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Thailand for stopping the production and trade of 12 skincare cosmetics contaminated with mercury.

These products are being sold in the physical and online markets, and are bought by unsuspecting Filipino consumers, said Ecological Waste Coalition of the Philippines (EcoWaste Coalition) and Ecological Alert and Recovery—Thailand (EARTH) in a joint statement.

Together with the Foundation for Consumers (FFC) and the International Pollutants Elimination Network— Southeast and East Asia (IPEN-SEA), the two groups had earlier sought the

help of the Thai FDA in addressing the illegal production in Thailand and subsequent export to the Philippines of dangerous cosmetics containing high levels of mercury, a highly toxic substance not permitted as an ingredient in cosmetics under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Cosmetic Directive (ACD).

“We laud the Thai FDA for listening to our plea for regulatory action, which eventually led to the banning of 12 of the 14 mercury-laden products we previously reported,” said Aileen Lucero, national coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition.

“We urge those behind the manufacture, export, import, distribution and sale of these dangerous cosmetics to desist from continuing their unlawful activities, which pose a real threat to people’s health and the environment as well. Despite being flagged by the Thai health authorities, some of these banned products are still listed in popular online shopping platforms.”

“The commendable action taken by the Thai FDA will uphold the ban on

mercury cosmetics under the ACD and the Minamata Convention on Mercury and contribute to the protection of consumers in Thailand and the region against mercury exposure through the use of contaminated skin lightening products,” said Penchom Saetang, executive director of EARTH.

“To ensure that its directive is strictly followed, we request the FDA to conduct non-stop compliance monitoring, including in online marketplaces, and prosecute those who continue to defy the law.”

Among the products banned by the Thai FDA were Lady Gold Seaweed GlutaSuper Gluta Brightening, five variants of Dr. Yanhee (also called “Mhor Yanhee”), two variants of Dr. Wuttisak (also known as “Mhor Wutti sak”), Meyyong Seaweeds Super Whitening, Polla Gold Super White Perfects, 88 Whitening Night Cream, and Snow White Armpit Whitening Underarm Cream.

The EcoWaste Coalition obtained the above products from online sellers and then screened them for mercury using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, which found the items contaminated with mercury ranging from 3,042 parts per million (ppm) up to 44,540 ppm, way beyond the 1 ppm limit under the ACD.

Tests conducted by FDA Thailand confirmed the presence of mercury in all the 12 products. Moreover, some of the samples were found to contain controlled ingredients in prescription medicines that are not allowed in cosmetics, including betamethasone, hydroquinone, and retinoic acid that are used for the treatment of certain skin

conditions and which should only be used under strict medical supervision.

EARTH and the EcoWaste Coalition also appealed to all national cosmetic regulatory authorities to strengthen their coordination to tackle enforcement issues, protect consumer rights, and make the Asean regional bloc safe from mercury-containing cosmetics, including those that are sourced from other countries like China and Pakistan.

The groups further urged the authorities to make the Asean PostMarketing Alert System or PMAS more accessible to the region’s close to 700 million inhabitants, noting that the purpose of the system is to inform and protect consumers against defective or unsafe health products, including cosmetics contaminated with mercury and other substances of concern. In promoting the active and effective enforcement of the mercury ban in cosmetics, the groups underlined the hazards posed by adulterated products to human health.  “Aside from allowing mercury to penetrate into the body through the skin, consumers of these contaminated cosmetics are also exposing anyone at home, including babies and children, to mercury vapors, which can be inhaled and thus creating a two-fold exposure situation via skin absorption and mercury vapor inhalation,” the groups pointed out.

“People living together in places with inadequate ventilation are at greater risk when they breathe mercury-contaminated air and touch mercury-contaminated clothes, blankets, pillows, and towels,” they added.

Comelec to block fake news, bots in new socmed campaign rules

WITH its new social media campaigning guidelines, the Commission on Elections seeks to limit the manipulation of public opinion through misleading online content.

Under Resolution No. 11064, Comelec announced on Wednesday that it will ban “false

amplifiers” such as fake accounts and bots used to spread misinformation or disinformation for or against any candidate or political party. The Comelec will also prohibit three types of visual disinformation to prevent the spread of deceptive content during the campaign period.

These include deepfakes, which are digitally manipulated images or videos created using artificial intelligence (AI); and cheap fakes, which refer to re-contextualized authentic media to distort meaning.

Softfakes, the most subtle of the three, involve imperceptible manipulations that are harder to detect but equally misleading.

While the Comelec is banning these forms of disinformation, it will not completely prohibit the use of AI. Instead, any content produced through AI must adhere to transpar -

ency and disclosure requirements

According to the commission, any content produced through AI technology will be okay as long as it complies with the transparency and disclosure requirements it has set.

“All election propaganda and campaign materials of candidates and political parties, that utilize artificial intelligence technology shall be required to disclose the fact of its use and appropriate technology is employed to identify its authenticity and legitimate source,” the Comelec said.

Disclosures must be made in the following forms: for visual media, a text that must be in a font size at least as large as the largest text or large enough to be easily readable if no other text is present. For audio-visual media, both a written disclaimer and a spoken statement are required. Audio-only media must include a clear and audible spoken disclosure.

Those who will use campaign materials with undisclosed AI technology will be subject to removal by the technology platforms and providers concerned.

Besides the guidelines, all the official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, and vlogs, and other online-based platforms of candidates and political parties must be registered with the commission’s Education and Information Department on or before December 31.

Non-compliant electoral aspirants will be required to provide an explanation to the Comelec. Additionally, the commission will request the removal of these non-compliant accounts or platforms. Justine Xyrah Garcia

Marketing

Brief

16.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Ability to work under pressure and motivation

17. SHEN, JIE

Marketing Specialist

Brief Job Description: Responsible for coordinating with other marketing and sales professionals to implement innovative campaigns for branding or product launches.

18. OUYANG, CHEN Project Coordinator

Brief Job Description: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of a construction project, under the direction of a general manager.

19. WANG, SHANGSHAN Project Coordinator

Brief Job Description: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of a construction project, under the direction of a general manager.

20. HAN, BINGHUA Quality Construction Specialist

Brief

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study. Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Knowledge of file management, transcription, and other administrative procedures or a related field. With good communication and interpersonal skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study. Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Knowledge of file management, transcription, and other administrative procedures or a related field. With good communication and interpersonal skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php

5/f

Brief

E-GENESIS MARKETING MANAGEMENT INC. Unit No.a, Flr No.7th, Bldg No.2601, Lions Bldg, Taft Ave Cor., Lions Road San Rafael St., Zone 9, Barangay 86, Pasay City

48. LI, XIWEI Marketing Consultant

Brief Job Description: Responsible for setting comprehensive goals for the performance and growth of the company and for establishing policies that promote the company’s culture and vision.

EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay

49. CHEN, YONGQUAN Marketing And Sales Agent

Brief

50. HE, CHUNLIN Marketing And Sales Agent

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing

51. HU, FENGMING Marketing And Sales Agent

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services, implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas. Basic Qualification:

52. LIU, QIANG Marketing And Sales Agent

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services, implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas.

53. LIU, XIANGCHUN Marketing And Sales Agent

Brief

85. LUO, TIANYONG Stock Coordinator

Brief Job Description: Conducting product research and sourcing new suppliers and vendors.

LINFRA CORP. 306 3/f No. 2, Marbella I Condo Bldg., Roxas

86. PARK, MINJIN Project Manager

Brief Job Description: Responsible for identifying project requirements, defining project deliverables, managing project roles, and for determining and completing training requirements to meet/exceed customer expectations.

MAIDEHAO TRADING, CORP. Unit 1202 & 1203 The Finance Centre, 26th Corner 9th Ave., Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

87. DUAN, XIAOSHU HR Manager

Brief Job Description: Coordinating all administrative related to an organization’s personnel.

MARUBENI CORPORATION 8/f L.v Locsin Bldg., Ayala Cor. Makati Aves., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

88. TAKAI, TAKAHIRO Representative To Maxima Machineries, Incorporated

Brief Job Description: Manage the financial operation of Maxima Machineries Inc.

101,

89. ANANTH BHASI Consultant

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing advice, counsel, technical assistance, as well as all relevant support and training when it comes to Safety, Health and Environmental Management and adhere to the client’s instruction for the demolition project.

Qualification: College graduate, with at least 15 years of work experience in the field of Safety, Health and Environmental Management and with excellent communication, leadership and interpersonal skills.

90. XIE, TIANDING Mandarin Project Planner

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Project Planner is responsible for planning and scheduling various workloads. Gathers and analyzes information to prepare status report. Basic Qualification: Must have understanding in cost planning and contract administration.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

91. XU, XINGXING Mandarin Project Planner

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Project Planner is responsible for planning and scheduling various workloads. Gathers and analyzes information to prepare status report.

92. XU, YANG Mandarin Project Planner

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Project Planner is responsible for planning and scheduling various workloads. Gathers and analyzes information to prepare status report.

93. ZHANG, SHENG Mandarin Project Planner

Basic Qualification: Must have understanding in cost planning and

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Project Planner is responsible for planning and scheduling various workloads. Gathers and analyzes information to prepare status report. Basic

TELEPHILIPPINES INCORPORATED G, 3, 4&5/f Peoplesupport Center, Ayala Avenue, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

AMOUR LEATICIA Customer Service Representative

129.

TENERITY PHILIPPINES CORP. 12th Floor, W Fifth

130. VELASQUEZ MARTINEZ, ASTRID YAMILETH Customer Care

131.

HIROKI

132. LUO, ZHENGHUA Manager

133. WANG, GANG Manager

Brief Job Description: Manages Chinese seller account.

134. QIAN, LIANGRUI Chinese Mechanical Specialist

Leading A

Celebrating 25 Years of Corporate Governance Excellence

ON the occasion of its 25th years, the Institute of Corporate Directors Phlippines holds a forum titled “Global Governance Summit: Leading the Future, Strengthening Unity” today, September 19, at the Manila Ballroom of Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay City.

The landmark gathering featuring policy makers and heads of industries aims to highlight the impactful contributions of corporate governance in the country and open a platform and discuss the next direction of the corporate community. in 1999, Chairman Emeritus and other industry leaders established ICD Ph as a response to the financial crises that they believed was caused by poor corporate governance. "Through the perseverance of

our founders, trustees, employees, partners, and clients, we are celebrating our Silver Anniversary— strong, agile, and ready to address the corporate governance challenges facing the country," said ICD Ph Chairman Pete Maniego in his speech at a recent media conference. Today, Maniego observed, "The Philippines has made considerable strides since its inception. However, our country still lags behind its ASEAN neighbors in the Corporate

Governance Scorecard. We cannot and should not remain in a businessas-usual mode if we are to catch up and eventually surpass our counterparts. We must do much more!

"Although these are particularly challenging times for the world, the Philippines has performed well and consistently registered significant economic growth rate. However, it is still way behind in FDIs versus our ASEAN neighbors primarily due to poor perception of its global competitiveness." Among the speakers are Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on "Beyond Budget: Importance of Transparency and Building Truth in Government"; former ICD Chairman Rex C. Drilon II, on "Shared Prosperity and Shared Responsibility: The Power of We versus The Evils of Inequality and Exclusion"; Global Network of Director Institutes member Kirsten

Jesus Estanislao, Atty. Pete Maniego, Tammy Lipana and Catz Jalandoni.

From left: Nandy Bengzon, Maricelle Narciso, Jess Estanislao, Ida Tiongson, Pete Maniego, Tammy Lipana, and Catz Jalandoni.

From left: Maricelle Narciso, Marivic Españo, Bing Maloto, and Ida Tiongson.

Leading the Future

Excellence with the Global Governance Summit

Patterson on "Board Chair of the Future: Asia Pacific Board Priorities"; Singapore Institute of Directors GOvernance Council member

Shai Ganu on "Stewardship as a Guiding Principle In Your Board and People Agenda"; and Director of Geopolitical Adversity

Ey Parthenon, Kyle Flawless on "Shifting Geopolitics and the Role of the Board."

Panel discussion promise to be lively and insightful with the participation of Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Amando Tetangco, chairman of SM Investments Corporation; Flor-

encia Tarriela, PNB board advisor, among others.

The event is expected to be an opportunity for participants to connect and engage with local and global governance leaders.

"Good governance creates a stable and transparent environ-

ment, which is needed to attract investment that drives economic growth. It enhances a country's global reputation, building trust and confidence among international partners and citizens.

Let us learn how we can do it together. See you at the Summit!"

continued Maniego. To cap the milestone gathering, the Golden Arrow Awards will take place in the evening to recognize individuals and corporations who serve as exemplars of good governance.

Ticket prices are Php3,500 for

general admission; Php3,500 for ICD members; Php1,500 for students; and Php30,000 for table of six. For more Information about the Global Governance Summit, visit https://www.icd.ph/copy-oficd25thanniversary

—Francine Medina

Explosions rock Lebanon and Syria as Hezbollah pagers detonate, Israel blamed for covert attack

By Bassem Mroue, Abby Sewell & Kareem Chehayeb The Associated Press

BEIRUT—Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded near-simultaneously Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and wounding several thousand, officials said. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack.

An American official said Israel briefed the United States on Tuesday after the conclusion of the operation, in which small amounts of explosive secreted in the pagers were detonated. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the information publicly.

The Israeli military declined to comment.

Among those wounded was Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon. The mysterious explosions came amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which have exchanged fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the October 7 attack by Hamas that sparked the war in Gaza.

The pagers that blew up were apparently acquired by Hezbollah after the group’s leader ordered members in February to stop using cellphones, warning they could be tracked by Israeli intelligence.

A Hezbollah official told The Associated Press the pagers were a

new brand, but declined to say how long they had been in use.

Taiwanese company Gold Apollo said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the AR-924 pagers used by the Hezbollah militant group, but the devices were produced and sold by a company called BAC.

At about 3:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, as people shopped for groceries, sat in cafes or drove cars and motorcycles in the afternoon traffic, the pagers in their hands or pockets started heating up and then exploding—leaving bloodsplattered scenes and panicking bystanders.

It appeared that many of those hit were members of Hezbollah, but it was not immediately clear if non-Hezbollah members also carried any of the exploding pagers.

The blasts were mainly in areas where the group has a strong presence, particularly a southern Beirut suburb and in the Beqaa region of eastern Lebanon, as well as in

Exploding pagers used in apparent Israeli attack on Hezbollah made in Hungary–Taiwan maker

By Johnson Lai & Simina Mistreanu

The Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwanese company

Gold Apollo said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications network but that another company based in Budapest manufactured them.

Pagers used by the militant group Hezbollah exploded near-simultaneously Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and wounding nearly 3,000.

Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack.

An American official said Israel briefed the United States on Tuesday after the conclusion of the operation, in which small amounts of explosive secreted in the pagers were detonated. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the information publicly.

The AR-924 pagers were manufactured by BAC Consulting KFT, based in Hungary’s capital, according to a statement released Wednesday by Gold Apollo.

“According to the cooperation agreement, we authorize BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in designated regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC,” the statement read.

Gold Apollo Chair Hsu Ching-kuang told journalists Wednesday that his company has had a licensing agreement with BAC for the past three years, but did not provide evidence of the contract.

At about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, as people shopped for groceries, sat in cafes or drove cars and motorcycles, the pagers in their hands or pockets started heating up and then exploding—leaving blood-splattered scenes and panicking bystanders. It appeared that many of those hit were members of Hezbollah, but it was not immediately clear if non-Hezbollah members also carried any of the exploding pagers.

The blasts were mainly in areas where the group has a strong presence, particularly a southern Beirut suburb and in the Beqaa region of eastern Lebanon, as well as in Damascus, according to Lebanese security officials and a Hezbollah official. The Hezbollah official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Hezbollah, which has pointed the blame at Israel, said in a statement Wednesday morning that it would continue its normal strikes against Israel “as in all the past days” as part of what it describes as a support front for its ally, Hamas, and Palestinians in Gaza.

“This path is continuous and separate from the difficult reckoning that the criminal enemy must await for its massacre on Tuesday that it committed against our people, our families and our fighters in Lebanon,” it said. “This is another reckoning that will come, God willing.”

Hezbollah began firing rockets over the border into Israel on Oct. 8, the day after a deadly Hamas-led attack in southern Israel triggered a massive Israeli counteroffensive and the ongoing war in Gaza. Since then, Hezbollah and Israeli forces have exchanged strikes near-daily, killing hundreds in Lebanon and dozens in Israel and displacing tens of thousands on each side of the border.

At hospitals in Beirut on Wednesday,

Damascus, according to Lebanese security officials and a Hezbollah official. The Hezbollah official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

The explosions came hours after Israel’s internal security agency said it had foiled an attempt by Hezbollah to kill a former senior Israeli security official using a planted explosive device that could be remotely detonated.

The United States “was not aware of this incident in advance” and was not involved, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. “At this point, we’re gathering information.”

Experts said the pager explosions pointed to a long-planned operation, possibly carried out by infiltrating the supply chain and rigging the devices with explosives before they were delivered to Lebanon.

Whatever the means, it targeted an extraordinary breadth of people with hundreds of small explosions—wherever the pager carrier happened to be—that left some maimed.

One online video showed a man picking through produce at a grocery store when the bag he was carrying at his hip explodes, sending him sprawling to the ground and bystanders running.

At overwhelmed hospitals, wounded were rushed in on stretchers, some with missing hands, faces partly blown away or gaping holes at their hips and legs, according to AP photographers. On a main road in central Beirut, a car door was splattered with blood and the windshield cracked.

Lebanon Health Minister Firas Abiad told Qatar’s Al Jazeera network at least nine people were killed, including an 8-year-old girl, and some 2,750 were wound -

the chaos of the night before had largely subsided, but relatives of the wounded continued to wait.

Lebanon Health Minister Firas Abiad told journalists during a tour on hospitals Wednesday morning that many of the wounded had severe injuries to the eyes, and others had limbs amputated. Journalists were not allowed to enter hospital rooms or film patients.

The health minister said that the wounded had been distributed among all the area hospitals to avoid any single facility being overloaded and added that Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Egypt offered to help in treating the patients.

Earlier Wednesday, an Iraqi military plane landed in Beirut carrying medical equipment, airport officials said. Abiad said the plane was carrying 15 tons of medicine and medical equipment.

Experts believe explosive material was put into the pagers prior to their delivery and use in a sophisticated supply chain infiltration.

The AR-924 pager, advertised as being “rugged,” contains a rechargeable lithium battery, according to specifications once advertised on Gold Apollo’s website before it was apparently taken down Tuesday after the sabotage attack. It could receive texts of up to 100 characters.

It also claimed to have up to 85 days of battery life. That would be crucial in Lebanon, where electricity outages have been common after years of economic collapse. Pagers also run on a different wireless network than mobile phones, making them more resilient in emergencies—one of the reasons why many hospitals worldwide still rely on them.

The Associated Press journalists Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut; Zeke Miller in Washington; and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

ed—200 of them critically—by the explosions. Most had injuries in the face, hand, or around the abdomen.

It appeared eight of the dead belonged to Hezbollah. The group issued a statement confirming at least two members were killed in the pager bombings. One of them was the son of a Hezbollah member in Parliament, according to the Hezbollah official who spoke anonymously. The group later issued announcements that six other members were killed Tuesday, though it did not specify how.

“We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression that also targeted civilians,” Hezbollah said, adding that Israel will “for sure get its just punishment.”

Iranian state-run IRNA news agency said that the country’s ambassador, Mojtaba Amani, was superficially wounded by an exploding pager and was being treated at a hospital.

Previously, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had warned the group’s members not to carry cell -

phones, saying they could be used by Israel to track and target them.

Sean Moorhouse, a former British Army officer and explosive ordnance disposal expert, said videos of the blasts suggested a small explosive charge—as small as a pencil eraser—had been placed into the devices. They would have had to have been rigged prior to delivery, very likely by Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, he said.

Elijah J. Magnier, a Brusselsbased senior political risk analyst, said he spoke with Hezbollah members who had examined pagers that failed to explode. What triggered the blasts, he said, appeared to be an error message sent to all the devices that caused them to vibrate, forcing the user to click on the buttons to stop the vibration. The combination detonated a small amount of explosives hidden inside and ensured that the user was present when the blast went off, he said.

Israel has a long history of carrying out deadly operations well beyond its borders. This year,

separate Israeli airstrikes in Beirut killed senior Hamas official Saleh Arouri and a top Hezbollah commander. A mysterious explosion in Iran, also blamed on Israel, killed Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ supreme leader.

Israel has killed Hamas militants in the past with boobytrapped cellphones and it’s widely believed to have been behind the Stuxnet computer virus attack on Iran’s nuclear program in 2010. The pager bombings are likely to stoke Hezbollah’s worries about vulnerabilities in security and communications as Israeli officials are threatening to escalate their monthslong conflict. The neardaily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah have killed hundreds in Lebanon and several dozen in Israel, and have displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, deplored the attack and warned that it marks “an extremely concerning escalation in what is an already unacceptably volatile context.”

On Tuesday, Israel said that halting Hezbollah’s attacks in the north to allow residents to return to their homes is now an official war goal. Israeli Defense Minister Gallant said the focus of the conflict is shifting from Gaza to Israel’s north and that time is running out for a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah.

The Associated Press writers Hussein Malla, Hassan Ammar, Fadi Tawil and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut; Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Michael Biesecker

UN to vote on Palestinian resolution demanding Israel end its occupation

By Edith M. Lederer

UNITED NATIONS—The UN General Assembly will vote Wednesday on a Palestinian resolution demanding that Israel end its “unlawful presence” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year, withdraw its military forces and evacuate all settlers.

The resolution is being put to a vote in the 193-member assembly as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza approaches its first anniversary and as violence in the West Bank reaches new highs. The war was triggered by Hamas attacks in southern Israel on October 7.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, opened the assembly meeting Tuesday by saying Palestinians face an “existential threat” and claiming Israel has held them “in shackles.” He demanded an end to Israel’s decades-long occupation and for Palestinians to be able to return home to live in peace and freedom.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, urged member nations to reject the resolution, describing it as “an attempt to destroy Israel through diplomatic terrorism” that never mentions Hamas’ atrocities and “ignores the truth, twists the facts and replaces reality with fiction.”

“Instead of a resolution condemning the rape and massacre

committed by Hamas on October 7, we gather here to watch the Palestinians’ UN circus—a circus where evil is righteous, war is peace, murder is justified and terror is applauded,” he said.

If adopted, the resolution would not be legally binding, but the extent of its support would reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council.

The resolution is a response to a ruling by the top United Nations court in July that said Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories is unlawful and must end.

In the sweeping condemnation of Israel’s rule over the lands it captured during the 1967 war, the International Court of Justice said Israel had no right to sovereignty over the Palestinian territories and was violating international laws against acquiring the lands by force.

The court’s opinion also is not legally binding. Nonetheless, the Palestinians drafted the resolution to try to implement the ruling, saying Israel’s “abuse of its status as the occupying power” renders its “presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.”

Mansour stressed that any country that thinks the Palestinian people “will accept a life of servitude” or that claims peace is possible without a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “not being realistic.”

The solution remains an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace and security with Israel, he said.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas Greenfield told reporters that the resolution has “a significant number of flaws,” saying it goes beyond the ICJ ruling. It also doesn’t recognize that “Hamas is a terrorist organization” in control of Gaza and that Israel has a right to defend itself, she said.

“In our view, the resolution does not bring about tangible benefits across the board for the Palestinian people,” ThomasGreenfield said. “I think it could complicate the situation on the ground, complicate what we’re trying to do to end the conflict, and I think it impedes reinvigorating steps toward a two-state solution.”

The resolution calls for Israel to pay reparations to Palestinians for the damage caused by its occupation and urges countries to take steps to prevent trade or investments that maintain Israel’s presence in the territories.

It also demands that Israel be held accountable for any violations of international law, that sanctions be imposed on those responsible for maintaining Israel’s presence in the territories, and for countries to halt arms exports to Israel if they’re suspected of being used there.

in Washington; Josef Federman in Jerusalem; Zeke Miller in Washington; and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

CIVIL Defense first-responders carry a man who was wounded after his handheld pager exploded, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. AP

The Associated Press

Ukrainian drones strike large military depot deep inside Russia, prompting evacuations

By Hanna Arhirova The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian drones struck a large military depot in a town deep inside Russia overnight, causing a huge blaze and prompting the evacuation of some local residents, a Ukrainian official and Russian news reports said Wednesday.

The strike came as a senior US diplomat said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recently announced—but still confidential—plan for winning the war “can work” and help end the conflict that is now in its third year.

Ukraine claimed the strike destroyed Russian military warehouses in Toropets, a town in Russia’s Tver region about 380 kilometers (240 miles) northwest

of Moscow and about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the border with Ukraine.

The attack was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service, along with Ukraine’s Intelligence and Special Operations Forces, a Kyiv security official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation.

According to the official, the depot housed Iskander and Tochka-

U missiles, as well as glide bombs and artillery shells. He said the facility caught fire in the strike and was burning across an area 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide.

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti quoted regional authorities as saying air defense systems were working to repel a “massive drone attack” on Toropets, which has a population of around 11,000. The agency also reported a fire and the evacuation of some local residents.

There was no immediate information about whether the strikes had caused any casualties.

Successful Ukrainian strikes on targets deep inside Russia have become more common as the war has progressed and Kyiv developed its drone technology.

Zelenskyy is also seeking the approval from Western nations for Ukraine to use the sophisticated weapons they are providing to hit targets inside Russia. Some Western leaders have balked at that possibility, fearing they could be dragged into the conflict.

Ukraine’s targeting of Russian military equipment, ammunition and infrastructure deep inside Russia, as well as making Russian civilians feel some of the consequences of the war that is being fought largely inside Ukraine, is part of Kyiv’s strategy.

The swift push by Ukrainian forces into Russia’s Kursk border

Colombia president says attack on army base ‘practically ends’ peace talks with ELN rebels

By Manuel Rueda

The Associated Press

OGOTA, Colombia—An at -

Btack on a military base in eastern Colombia killed two soldiers and injured at least 21, Colombia’s military said on Tuesday, as tensions escalate between Colombia’s government and one of the nation’s largest remaining rebel groups.

Colombia’s military blamed the National Liberation Army for the attack, with President Gustavo Petro hinting late on Tuesday that the attack will lead to a suspension, or a cancellation of peace talks with the rebel group.

“This is an attack that practically closes a peace process, with blood,” Petro said during a ceremony, in which he named a new judge to one of Colombia’s highest courts.

The National Liberation Army, or ELN, ended a cease-fire with the Colombian government in August, but is still involved in peace talks aimed at ending more than five decades of conflict.

The army said Tuesday that the group fired homemade rockets from a cargo truck that had been parked near a base in Puerto Jordan, a small town in Colombia’s Arauca province.

The ELN was founded in the early 1960s by union leaders and university students inspired by the

Cuban Revolution. The group has an estimated 6,000 fighters in Colombia and Venezuela and finances itself through drug trafficking and illegal gold mines.

Recently the ELN has been spreading into rural areas abandoned by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the large rebel group that made a

peace deal with Colombia’s government in 2016.

After being elected two years ago, President Gustavo Petro quickly launched peace talks with the ELN and several smaller armed groups under a policy known as total peace.

But talks with ELN floundered as the group continued to conduct kidnappings and tax civilians in areas under its control. The ELN has also expressed its frustration with a recent effort by Colombia’s government to start separate peace negotiations with one of its splinter groups in southwest Colombia.

A cease-fire between the government and ELN expired at the end of August and was not renewed. Since then, the group has stepped up its attacks on military targets and oil pipelines in Colombia’s Arauca province.

In a message published on X, Colombia’s defense ministry said it would act with “firmness and resolve to restore security and stability” in Arauca province.

Deadly clashes escalate in Mexico: 30 killed in Sinaloa cartel turf war

EXICO CITY—At least

M30 people have been killed in the past two weeks in Mexico’s northern state of Sinaloa as two factions of the powerful Sinaloa cartel continue to clash, authorities said Tuesday.

Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said that two military personnel were among those killed in the fighting that started September 9, despite the presence of more than 2,000 security personnel.

The surge in violence had been expected after Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, landed near El Paso, Texas on July 25 in a small plane with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Zambada was the cartel’s elder figure and reclusive leader. Af -

ter his arrest, he said in a letter circulated by his lawyer that he had been abducted by the younger Guzmán and taken to the US against his will. Now there appears to be a struggle for power between the remaining sons of El Chapo, known locally as “the Chapitos,” and those loyal to Zambada. The clashes in the state’s capital Culiacan are the latest example of the violence that continues to plague Mexico, where cartels employ increasingly sophisticated forms of warfare, including roadside bombs or IEDs, trenches, home-made armored vehicles and bomb-dropping drones.

Since the beginning of last week, Culiacan has been semiparalyzed. Schools are empty, businesses are closed and there is almost no transportation due to people’s fear of being caught

in the middle of a shootout.

Sandoval said that 2,200 members of the armed forces and the National Guard were sent to Sinaloa to reinforce security and they haven’t ruled out further military presence.

On Monday, the regional army commander, Jesús Leana Ojeda, said the possibility of the situation calming down does not depend on them. “It depends on the antagonistic groups to stop confronting each other,” he said at a news briefing.

“We, on the contrary, are here to prevent them from having confrontations and the loss of human lives,” he added.

Although they have received reinforcements and military helicopters, Sinaloa’s Gov. Rubén Rocha suspended schools last week and festivities around Mexican Independence Day over

the weekend. Schools resumed classes Tuesday.

Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday that the Armed Forces are protecting the population and ensuring that there are no clashes between criminal groups.

Throughout his presidency, López Obrador has favored a “hugs not bullets” strategy that seeks to avoid confrontation with cartels often causing tensions with the United States. He claims members are forced into criminality by a lack of opportunities, and his strategy offers job training programs for youths so they won’t become cartel gunmen.

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has said she will maintain her predecessor’s security policy. AP

region last month fits into that plan, which apparently seeks to compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to back down.

Putin, however, has shown no signs of backing down, and has been trying to grind down Ukraine’s resolve through attritional warfare and also sap the West’s support for Kyiv by

drawing out the conflict. That has come at a price, however, as the UK Defense Ministry estimates that the war has likely killed and wounded more than 600,000 Russian troops.

On Tuesday, Putin ordered the country’s military to increase its number of troops by 180,000 to a total of 1.5 million by December 1. Zelenskyy last month said his plan to victory includes not only battlefield goals but also diplomatic and economic wins. The plan has been kept under wraps but the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said during a news conference Tuesday that Washington officials have seen it.

“We think it lays out a strategy and a plan that can work,” she said, adding that the United States will bring it up with other world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York next week. She did not comment on what the plan contains.

US military bolsters presence in Alaska amid increased Russian military activity

By Mark Thiessen The Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—The US military has moved about 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in the Aleutian chain of western Alaska amid a recent increase in Russian military planes and vessels approaching American territory.

Eight Russian military planes and four navy vessels, including two submarines, have come close to Alaska in the past week as Russia and China conducted joint military drills. None of the planes breached US airspace and a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday there was no cause for alarm.

“It’s not the first time that we’ve seen the Russians and the Chinese flying, you know, in the vicinity, and that’s something that we obviously closely monitor, and it’s also something that we’re prepared to respond to,” Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a news conference.

As part of a “force projection operation,” the Army on September 12 sent the soldiers to Shemya Island, some 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage, where the US Air Force maintains an air station that dates to World War II. The soldiers brought two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, with them.

US Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the US military also deployed a guided missile destroyer and a Coast Guard vessel to the western region of Alaska as Russia and China began the “Ocean-24” military exercises in the Pacific and Arctic oceans September 10.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it detected and tracked Russian military planes operating off Alaska over a four-day span. There were two planes each on September 11, September 13, September 14 and September 15.

The planes operated in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a zone beyond US sovereign airspace, but within which the US expects aircraft to identify themselves, NORAD said.

The Russian Embassy in the US did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

NORAD has said the number of such incursions has fluctuated yearly. The average was six to seven intercepts a year. Last year, 26 Russian planes came into the Alaska zone, and so far this year, there have been 25. Often in such encounters, the military provides photos of the Russian warplanes being escorted by either US or Canadian planes, such as during a July 24 intercept of two Russian and two Chinese planes. However, none was released in the past week and a NORAD spokeswoman, Canadian Maj. Jennie Derenzis, declined to say whether jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian planes.

The US Coast Guard said Sunday its homeland security vessel, the 418-foot (127-meter) Stratton, was on routine patrol in the Chukchi Sea when it tracked four Russian Federation Navy vessels about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Point Hope, Alaska. The Russian vessels, which included two submarines, a frigate and a tugboat, had crossed the maritime boundary into US waters to avoid sea ice, which is permitted under international rules and customs.

Two years ago, a US Coast Guard ship about 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of Alaska’s Kiska Island in the Bering Sea came across three Chinese and four Russian naval vessels sailing in single formation. Ryder, the Pentagon spokesperson, said the recent spike is “something that we’ll continue to keep an eye on, but doesn’t pose a threat from our perspective.” Sullivan called for a larger military presence in the Aleutians while advocating for the US to respond with strength to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“In the past two years, we’ve seen joint Russian-Chinese air and naval exercises off our shores and a Chinese spy balloon floating over our communities,” Sullivan said in a statement Tuesday. “These escalating incidents demonstrate the critical role the Arctic plays in great power competition between the US, Russia, and China.”

UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends the Fourth Crimea Platform Leaders Summit in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 11, 2024. LEON NEAL/POOL VIA AP

COLOMBIAN President Gustavo Petro speaks after signing a law banning bullfighting, in La Plaza Santa Maria, Bogota, Colombia on July 22, 2024. AP/Ivan Valencia

Bangladesh opposition rallies for election as interim govt remains silent on timeline

DHAKA,

By Julhas Alam The Associated Press

Bangladesh—

Thousands of activists and leaders of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party rallied Tuesday in the nation’s capital to demand a democratic transition through an election as an interim government has yet to outline a timeframe for new voting.

The supporters gathered in front of BNP headquarters in Dhaka, where they chanted slogans demanding a new election.

The interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has rolled out a number of plans to reform various sectors of the country, from the Election Commission to financial institutions. But major political parties—including the BNP, which is headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia—want the new election sometime soon.

Yunus took the helm after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country during a mass

uprising last month, ending a 15year stint in power. The protests began in July and morphed into an anti-government movement. Hasina has been living in India since. The country’s powerful military is playing a crucial role in running the administration, which faces a number of challenges including worker unrest in its garment industry sector, unstable law and order, and an uncertain economy. In his recent speeches, Yunus hasn’t outlined when a new national election would be held and said they would stay in power as long as the people want them to stay. A team of newspaper editors

recently said that Yunus should complete crucial reforms first and stay in power for at least two years.

The BNP initially demanded an election in three months, but later said it wants to allow the interim government time for reforms. The country’s main Islamist Jamaate-Islami party, which was once officially an alliance partner under Zia’s party, also wants to give the Yunus-led government more time before an election.

Tarique Rahman, heir apparent to Zia and the BNP’s acting chairman, spoke online from London where he has been living in exile since 2008. He said Tuesday that his party supported the interim government’s plans for reforms, but such changes would only be sustained if the people have their say in the process.

He didn’t specify when a new election should be held, but said any reforms must be endorsed in the next parliament.

“Only a free and fair election can ensure the political empowerment of the people,” he said.

He said that reforms by the Yunus-led government should focus on installing an elected parliament and a new government that would empower the people politically.

“To ensure such an election, reforms must be made in the Election Commission, public admin -

istration and security agencies, enabling them to perform effectively,” Rahman said.

In another development, a court in Dhaka on Tuesday allowed interrogators to question two senior journalists facing murder charges while they are held in custody. Shyamal Dutta, editor of Bengali-language Bhorer Kagoj and former general secretary of the National Press Club in Dhaka, and Mozammel Babu, managing director and editor-in-chief of private station Ekattor TV, were arrested on Monday as they reportedly attempted to flee to India. Both of

EU’s top diplomat says escalating tensions in Middle East threaten regional stability

By Jon Gambrell The Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emir -

ates—The European Union’s top diplomat warned Tuesday that every day that passes without a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war risks the lives of the hostages held by the militants and of those in the Gaza Strip as well as a regional war breaking out.

Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief, came before journalists just after news broke from Lebanon of at least eight people killed and 2,750 others wounded by exploding pagers across the country, including members of the militant group Hezbollah. Suspicion immediately fell on Israel, which earlier Tuesday stressed that halting Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel’s north to allow residents to return to their homes was now

an official war goal.

Borrell said he would seek more information from Beirut, where he just traveled from, but acknowledged it could escalate the alreadyboiling tensions in the region.

“Certainly there is the possibility of the war spilling over to Lebanon,” Borrell said.

Borrell, when asked repeatedly about when he hoped a ceasefire could be reached, insisted he couldn’t offer a time. Months of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas has not seen any major hostage release, while the Gaza Strip has been decimated by an Israeli offensive.

Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The Israeli military operation has killed over 41,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Meanwhile, Israel has launched

repeated, dayslong operations in the West Bank, which the Palestinians also hope will form a part of a future state.

“President Biden announced a plan for a cease-fire. Everybody was expecting it to be agreed and quickly,” Borrell said. “I cannot foresee what can happen in the next days or weeks. The only thing I can say is that all actors involved have to continue pressure on both parties to reach this agreement.”

He added: “The trouble is not a matter of waiting for tomorrow. Tomorrow is already too late.”

Meanwhile, Borrell stressed that attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea also threatened both economies and the environment. He brought up the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which carries 1 million barrels of oil and has been burning for weeks after a series of Houthi attacks.

An EU naval mission called Operation Aspides just towed the Sounion away from Yemen so salvagers can attempt to offload the crude on board as the vessel remains on fire. Borrell stressed the mission would remain “defensive” and wouldn’t attack Houthi positions, even if they come under fire.

The Houthi campaign is “not against Israel, it’s against the freedom of navigation and about the economy of Egypt,” Borrell said, referencing the slowdown in traffic through the Suez Canal, a key source of hard currency for Cairo.

“Just before the war in Gaza, the prospect were good for the situation in Yemen,” he added, referring to peace talks to end a yearslong Saudi-led war sparked by the rebels seizing the capital, Sanaa.

“Then everything became stalled. And it is still stalled. This is one the examples of the spillover effect of the war” in Gaza, he said.

Chinese aircraft carrier enters Japan’s contiguous waters for the 1st time, prompting serious concerns from Tokyo

By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press

TOKYO—A Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan’s contiguous waters for the first time on Wednesday, leading Tokyo to convey its “serious concerns” to Beijing over China’s increasingly assertive military actions around Japan, officials said. The Chinese carrier Liaoning, accompanied by two destroyers, sailed between Japan’s westernmost island of Yonaguni and nearby Iriomote, entering the country’s co-called “contiguous zone,” the Defense Ministry said. That’s

an area of sea beyond a country’s territorial waters in which it can still exercise some control over maritime traffic, reaching up to 24 nautical miles offshore.

The Liaoning’s transit was part of a fleet movement Tuesday and Wednesday, during which Chinese warships also passed off the western coast of the disputed Japanese-controlled islets it calls the Senkakus, the ministry said. China claims the same islets, calling them the Diaoyus. Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshi Moriya told reporters that “the latest incident is

absolutely unacceptable from the perspective of the national and regional security.”

Last month, Japan said that a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance airplane violated Japanese airspace.

Days later, a Chinese survey ship breached the Japanese territorial water just off the southern prefecture of Kagoshima.

Moriya said the Japanese government expressed “our serious concerns” to China through diplomatic channels on Wednesday.

“China has increasingly expanded and intensified military activities around Japan in recent

years,” Moriya said. “We will continue to closely watch Chinese warships’ activity around Japan and the regional waters while ensuring information gathering and vigilance.”

Tokyo had reinforced defenses in southwestern Japan, including remote islands that are considered key to Japan’s defense strategy in the region.

The Soviet-built Liaoning underwent extensive refurbishing before being commissioned in 2012 as China’s first aircraft carrier. The country now has two more aircraft carriers, including one fully designed and built in China.

them face murder charges related to student-led protests. Both of them were known as being close to Hasina.

More than 150 journalists have faced charges such as murder and crimes against humanity since Hasina’s fall from power, drawing criticism from groups like Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, and the Human Rights Watch.

After two other journalists were arrested last month and more cases were filed against others, the RSF demanded a halt to such cases.

“The purge of journalists who

are considered to be affiliated with the former government has reached a new level. Media professionals are bearing the brunt of the need for vengeance that permeates this terrible legal cabal, which is hurting the image of the political transition underway in Bangladesh,” said Antoine Bernard, RSF’s director of Advocacy and Assistance.

“The interim authorities, headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, must do everything in their power to end this vicious process,” Bernard said.

Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy director of the agency’s Asia division, told The Associated Press last month that it was “extremely concerning that the justice system is replicating its abusive and partisan behavior since the fall of the Awami League government (of Hasina), with arbitrary arrests and failure in due process, merely reversing those targeted.” Also on Tuesday, the government granted magistrate powers to commissioned officials of the military to operate outside metropolitan areas across the country for the next two months. A notification by the Ministry of Public Administration said the empowered military officials would be able to apply their power in dealing with organized crime.

North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles in latest military display, neighbors say

By Kim Tong-Hyung & Mari Yamaguchi

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea—North Korea on Wednesday test-fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern seas, the South Korean and Japanese militaries said, adding to its military demonstrations as tensions with Washington and neighbors escalate.

The launches come days after North Korea offered a rare view into a secretive facility built to enrich uranium for nuclear bombs as leader Kim Jong Un called for a rapid expansion of his nuclear weapons program.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles from north of its capital, Pyongyang, and said they traveled about 400 kilometers (244 miles) while flying toward the northeast.

The joint chiefs said it was closely communicating with the United States and Japan while analyzing the launches but didn’t immediately provide further flight details.

Japan’s defense ministry said it detected at least two launches but didn’t immediately say what types of missiles they were and how far they flew.

Japan’s coast guard said the missiles were believed to have already fallen into waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan and urged vessels to watch out for falling objects. Japan’s NHK television said the missiles were believed to have landed outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The South Korean joint chiefs condemned the launches as a provocation that “seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” It said in a statement that South Korean and US militaries were closely monitoring North Korean activities while maintaining a combined defense posture “to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation.” North Korea didn’t immediately

confirm the launches. They followed a previous round of ballistic tests last week as Kim vowed to have his nuclear force fully ready for battle with its rivals. The North said the launches on September 12 involved its “super-large” 600mm multiple rocket launchers, which it describes as capable of delivering tactical nuclear warheads. Experts say North Korea’s large-sized artillery rockets blur the boundary between artillery systems and ballistic missiles because they can create their own thrust and are guided during delivery.

Since 2022, North Korea has ramped up its weapons testing activities to expand and modernize its arsenal of nuclear missiles targeting the US and South Korea. The allies have expanded their combined military exercises and are updating their nuclear deterrence strategies based on US assets to counter the North’s growing threat.

Analysts say Kim’s long-term goal is to force the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

While disclosing the uranium enrichment facility last week, Kim called for stronger efforts to “exponentially” increase its number of nuclear weapons in the face of what he described as US threats. State media published photos that showed Kim talking with military officials and scientists between long lone lines of centrifuges used to produce weapons-grade uranium, but the reports didn’t say where the facility was located or when Kim made the visit. Analysts say North Korea could conduct a nuclear test explosion or long-range missile test ahead of the US presidential election in November with the intent of influencing the outcome and increasing its leverage in future dealings with the new US administration.

Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.

SUPPORTERS of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) shout slogans during a rally demanding a democratic transition through an election in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. AP/RAJIB DHAR

Federal Reserve set to cut interest rates for 1st time in 4 years amid uncertainty

By Christopher Rugaber Ap Economics Writer

WASHINGTON—Having all but tamed inflation, the Federal Reserve is poised to do something Wednesday it hasn’t done in more than four years: Cut its benchmark interest rate, a step that should lead to lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses just weeks before the presidential election.

And yet an unusual air of uncertainty overhangs this week’s meeting: It’s unclear just how large the Fed’s rate cut will be. Wall Street traders and some economists foresee a growing likelihood that the central bank will announce a larger-than-usual half-point cut. Many analysts foresee a more typical quarter-point rate cut. With inflation barely above their target level, Fed officials have been shifting their focus toward supporting a weakening job market and achieving a rare “soft landing,” whereby it curbs

inflation without causing a sharp recession. A half-point rate cut would signal that the Fed is as determined to sustain healthy economic growth as it is to conquer high inflation. This week’s move is expected to be only the first in a series of Fed rate cuts that will extend into 2025. High interest rates and elevated prices for everything from groceries to gas to rent have fanned widespread public disillusionment with the economy and provided a line of attack for former President Donald Trump’s campaign. Vice

US Secret Service again faces scrutiny after another gunman targets Trump

By Rebecca Santana The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—For the second time in more than two months, the Secret Service that protects the highest echelon of American leaders is under scrutiny—this time after a gunman hid in the shrubs along the fence of former President Donald Trump’s golf course for 12 hours. The man didn’t get a shot off, but critics question how he could be just several hundred yards away from Trump—especially after the Republican presidential candidate’s security was beefed up after his near-death experience in July.

Biden administration officials praised the agency’s response, and former Secret Service agents say there are key differences between what unfolded Sunday and the security lapses at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman climbed onto an unsecured roof nearby and opened fire, clipping Trump’s ear and leaving a spectator dead.

Authorities say Ryan Wesley Routh camped with food and a rifle just outside the 27-hole Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the former president was playing Sunday. A Secret Service agent ahead of Trump spotted the rifle’s muzzle poking through the fence and opened fire. Routh fled and was later apprehended.

It’s long been known to law enforcement that places along the edge of the property leave Trump visible to those behind the fence, and some have questioned why it was not protected. But a sprawling golf course poses specific challenges, especially for a lastminute round, even with Trump’s bolstered security, former Secret Service agents say.

“A 400-acre golf course with miles of fence line is breachable. And the systems put in place to mitigate those threats worked. That’s not to say they couldn’t do more. But there are limits to what is possible,” said Paul Eckloff, a retired Secret Service agent who served on details protecting three presidents during his 23-year career.

The Secret Service is trying to protect a growing number of high-profile people, from presidents to visiting dignitaries, in a vitriolic political environment. President Joe Biden

and some Republicans are pressing for more resources for the agency still facing several investigations and whose director resigned after the first attempt on Trump’s life.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said Sunday’s golf game was not on a formal schedule or advertised ahead of time. That means agents may find out about it the day before or even minutes before it happens.

Rowe emphasized that the gunman never had a line of sight on the former president and that security worked as it should. He said the edge of the property wasn’t monitored ahead of time because Trump “wasn’t supposed to have gone there in the first place.” Rowe described how agents spread out in front of and behind Trump, looking for threats.

Trump and his campaign have routinely praised the agents protecting him while expressing concerns about the agency more broadly, including that his detail isn’t large enough given the threat level.

But some have raised questions. During an interview Monday on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show, Trump’s son Eric questioned how the gunman was able to stay in that location for so long without being detected.

“Those agents on the ground, they are remarkable,” he said. “But there is a breakdown.”

Rowe a day earlier said, “The agent’s hyper vigilance and the detail’s swift action was textbook.”

It’s not possible for the Secret Service to shut down all traffic around the golf course, said Eckloff, who protected Trump while he was president, including at two of his golf courses in Florida. This course is in the middle of the city and taking such a step would have huge effects on residents.

Trump loves to golf and owns three courses in Florida. Trump International is closest to his Mar-a-Lago home and is a place he likes to go with friends. While Trump was president, news photographers were often able to capture images of him on the green by finding gaps in the shrubbery.

Security around Trump was dramatically beefed up after the July shooting. Trump now speaks from behind a bulletproof glass enclosure at outdoor rallies, and long guns are often spotted near locations where he’s staying.

President Kamala Harris, in turn, has charged that Trump’s promise to slap tariffs on all imports would raise prices for consumers much further.

Over time, Fed rate cuts should lower borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards, as well as for business loans. Business spending could grow, and so could stock prices. Companies and consumers could refinance loans into lower-rate debt.

Chair Jerome Powell made clear last month in a high-profile speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that Fed officials feel confident that inflation has largely been defeated. It has plummeted from a peak of 9.1 percent in June 2022 to 2.5 percent last month, not far above the Fed’s 2 percent target. Central bank officials fought against spiking prices by raising their key interest rate 11 times in 2022 and 2023 to a two-decade high of 5.3 percent to try to slow borrowing and spending, ultimately cooling the economy.

Wage growth has since slowed, removing a potential source of inflationary pressure. And oil and gas prices are falling, a sign that inflation should continue to cool in the months ahead. Consumers are also pushing back against high prices, forcing such companies as

The agency doesn’t release specific information about his protection but Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Trump’s detail now includes countersurveillance, a countersniper and counterassault resources. Before the Pennsylvania shooting, some of those assets were used depending on the event but now they’re permanently part of his detail, Guglielmi said.

During a POLITICO event Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised the response Sunday and said Trump’s security is now “quite approximate” to that of Biden. Many Republicans doubt that’s true.

Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent who is now a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the close call shows there’s a need for more personnel to protect Trump and they could have been used to secure the course’s perimeter.

“That visible presence is what you want to deter any actors from saying, ‘Oh, I can do this today,’” Cangelosi said.

He commended the agent who spotted the muzzle but said there’s always a chance they could have missed it.

The Palm Beach County sheriff said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump were president, but because he is not, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.”

Following the second apparent assassination attempt, Biden said the Secret Service needs more resources and called on Congress to help. Rowe said the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress about funding.

Some lawmakers have said they’re willing to consider it. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham says money alone won’t fix the problems but that he hears from Secret Service agents that “the work hours are awful. You’ll never convince me that more people won’t help.”

Sen. Susan Collins, the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said lawmakers need more details, particularly because the Secret Service has said a lack of resources was not the reason for the security failures that led up to the first attempt.

Target and McDonald’s to dangle deals and discounts.

Yet after several years of strong job growth, employers have slowed hiring, and the unemployment rate has risen nearly a full percentage point from its half-century low in April 2023 to a still-low 4.2 percent. Once unemployment rises that much, it tends to keep climbing. But Fed officials and many economists note that the rise in unemployment largely reflects an increase in new workers seeking jobs— notably new immigrants and recent college graduates—rather

than layoffs.

Still, Powell said in Jackson Hole that “we will do everything we can to support a strong labor market.” He added that any “further weakening” in the job market would be “unwelcome.”

Some analysts have said that such a sweeping declaration suggests that Powell would favor a half-point rate cut. Other economists still think a quarter-point reduction is more likely. At issue is how fast the Fed wants to lower interest rates to a point where they’re no longer acting as a brake on the econo -

my—nor as an accelerant. Where that so-called “neutral” level falls isn’t clear, though many analysts peg it at 3 percent to 3.5 percent. Economists who favor a half-point reduction argue that the Fed’s key rate is much higher than necessary now that inflation is in retreat.

But others note that the Fed typically cuts its rate by a halfpoint or more only in an emergency. The last time it made an equivalent cut was in March 2020, when the pandemic paralyzed the economy. With consumers still spending and the economy likely to grow at a healthy pace in the July-September quarter, more cautious Fed officials can argue that there’s no rush to cut.

One hopeful sign is that as Powell and other Fed officials have signaled that rate cuts are coming, many borrowing rates have already fallen in anticipation. The average 30-year mortgage rate, for example, dropped to 6.2 percent last week—the lowest level in about 18 months and down from a peak of nearly 7.8 percent, according to the mortgage giant Freddie Mac. Other rates, like the yield on the five-year Treasury note, which influences auto loan rates, have also tumbled.

EU chief unveils new team with women in top roles in right-leaning Commission

BBy Raf Casert The Associated Press

RUSSELS—European

Union chief Ursula von der Leyen put women in many of the top roles on her new team for her next five-year tenure at the head of the bloc on Tuesday, despite the reluctance of many EU member states to give in to her demand for gender parity.

Von der Leyen named only two men in her top echelon with four women as vice presidents, including Kaja Kallas as foreign policy chief. Government leaders already agreed on Kallas.

Von der Leyen on Tuesday added Spanish Socialist Teresa Ribera to lead the green transition, along with Ribera also becoming the competition czar. Finland’s Henna Virkkunen was her pick for rule of law and digital leader, and Roxana Minzatu of Romania for social affairs leader.

The appointments of the Commission team—which veers to the right after the June elections saw a surge of far-right parties— still have to be confirmed.

The appointment as executive vice president of Raffaele Fitto of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s hard right Brothers of Italy party is bound to cause controversy during the parliamentary confirmation hearing in the coming weeks.

Also on Tuesday, von der Leyen gave French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne the industrial portfolio, after French heavyweight Thierry Breton resigned and openly criticized the EU chief for allegedly “questionable governance” on Monday, It left France with a strong voice in the Commission, and many saw Breton’s shock resignation more as a removal by von

der Leyen of one of her most open internal critics after exerting pressure on French authorities.

Compounding such problems was the defiance of many of the 27 member states as von der Leyen struggled to get anywhere close to gender parity on her Commission team—they staunchly refused to give her a choice between a male and a female candidate.

She said that originally, EU nations only proposed 22% female candidates before she started to push for more.

“So I worked with the member states and we were able to improve the balance to 40% women and 60% men. And it shows that—as much as we have achieved—there is still so much more work to do,” von der Leyen said.

If she could not get full gender parity in numbers, von der Leyen made sure they were more than well represented in the top jobs.

After days of secret talks with individual European governments about their picks, von der Leyen huddled with the leaders of the political groups at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, to discuss the makeup of her college before making the final announcement. Now attention will center on the hearings in the European Parliament, where each candidate can be rejected to force a member state to put another candidate forward.

All eyes are expected to be on Fitto, with some already criticizing his appointment. Greens lawmaker Rasmus Andresen said it was “completely incomprehensible” to name a representative of a far-right party, to the post of executive vice president of the Commission.

“Can an anti-European manage EU funds,” Andresen asked. “For the first time, our European executive will have among its leaders, someone who comes from the far right,” said Manon Aubry, the leader of The Left group. “It’s without precedent.” However, von der Leyen said the Commission team had to reflect Italy’s weight as a founding member and major economy.

“I think the balance is also very well kept,” said von der Leyen, who has long sought to keep Meloni, whose political roots are steeped deep in the extreme right, close once she became prime minister in 2022. Meloni welcomed Fitto’s appointment to a high-ranking position, calling it “an important recognition that confirms the newfound central role of our nation in the EU.”

“Italy is finally back as a protagonist in Europe,” Meloni said. Even if the Commission’s makeup has hardly become the talk of bar rooms or barber shops across the vast EU of 450 million people, it has enthralled the upper echelons of politics and bureaucracy, as they sought to boost one candidate or undermine another.

The Commission proposes legislation for the EU’s 27 member countries and ensures that the rules governing the world’s biggest trading bloc are respected. It’s made up of a College of Commissioners with a range of portfolios similar to those of government ministers, including agriculture, economic, competition, security and migration policy.

The Commission is to start work on November 1, but speculation is rife that it might not get down to business before January.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell walks outside of the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park near Moran, Wyo., on August 23, 2024. AP AMBER BAESLER

Addressing regulatory failures in the energy sector to boost foreign investments in PHL

THe recent emphasis on the Philippine economy’s growth targets and ambitions to achieve upper middle-income status underscores the vital importance of maintaining a steady pace of economic development. Reaching this milestone would reflect the country’s capacity to foster consistent, long-term growth that improves living standards and opportunities for all citizens. Sustained economic growth is crucial for advancing the country’s development path and enabling it to join the ranks of more prosperous nations.

Central to achieving these ambitions is the need to enhance productivity, create high-quality jobs, and attract foreign investments. However, a significant obstacle hindering these objectives is the state of the energy sector, where regulatory failures have led to increased costs and unreliable electricity supplies, deterring potential investors.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), tasked with overseeing the power industry, has come under scrutiny for its inaction and inefficiencies, contributing to higher electricity rates and uncertainties in the market. The failure to timely approve power supply agreements (PSAs) has exposed consumers to volatile Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices, leading to elevated costs and instability in the sector.

One critical instance is the termination of a baseload supply agreement by Meralco, driven by the ERC’s failure to act promptly on necessary price adjustments. This regulatory inertia not only led to increased consumer rates but also undermined investor confidence, impacting the overall business environment in the country.

Moreover, the delayed rate reset of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Distribution Utilities (DUs) further underscores the pressing need for regulatory reforms within the ERC. These delays impede the sector’s efficiency and hinder the government’s efforts to attract foreign investments, crucial for job creation and economic growth.

The recent preventive suspension of the ERC chairman by the Office of the Ombudsman due to complaints of regulatory lapses signifies the urgency of addressing these issues. The gravity of the charges—grave misconduct, abuse of authority, neglect of duty—underscores the necessity of impartial investigation in regulatory bodies.

While accountability is essential, it is equally important to ensure the smooth functioning of the ERC to maintain regulatory stability and investor confidence.

The failure to protect consumers from high prices and delays casts doubt on the suspended chairman’s management of the ERC and commitment to consumer welfare. Nevertheless, preserving the ERC’s institutional integrity is crucial, shielding its mandate to advocate for consumer interests from individual controversies.

To enhance the appeal of the Philippines as an investment destination and facilitate economic growth, decisive actions must be taken to revamp the regulatory framework governing the energy sector. Timely approval of PSAs, ensuring price adjustments are fair and transparent, and expediting necessary policy decisions are imperative steps towards fostering a conducive business environment.

Furthermore, appointing an officer-in-charge to oversee the ERC’s operations during the chairman’s suspension can help minimize disruptions and ensure the agency continues to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities effectively. Ultimately, by addressing regulatory failures in the energy sector and improving the investment climate, the Philippines can attract foreign investments, spur economic growth, and create the high-quality jobs necessary to advance towards upper middle-income status. It is essential for the government, regulatory bodies, and stakeholders to work collaboratively towards these goals to unlock the country’s full economic potential and pave the way for a prosperous future.

Cooking at the PSE

RJohn Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

egARdLeSS of what you might have seen on television, the executive Chef is not going to test to make sure your P4,000 Beef Wellington is the proper temperature. It is equally unlikely that the Head Chef would perform that task. In fact, it is the duty of the heated red wine poured over the meat just before serving to keep the dish hot.

If by chance you particularly enjoyed your meal and wanted to personally compliment the Chef, the person you thank probably had very little to do with the preparation of your food. That honor belongs to the “line cooks” that you will never meet.

The “PSE Sustainable Rally Checklist.” 1. The PSE Index moving higher. 2. Volume is increasing. 3. Blue-Chip stocks are providing leadership. 4. Major price resistance breaks and holds. 5. Good companies with “bad” stocks are going up. I first published that on August 20th and during the last four weeks, four of the five items have been checked off.

Okay, maybe three and a half have

Anews.businessmirror@gmail.com www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com Printed by brown madonna

Inc.–Sun Valley Drive KM-15, South Superhighway, Parañaque, Metro Manila

received the checkmark, as we need more days of confirmation of Number 4 with the index holding 7,000. But I am seeing increasing signs of confidence. The PSEi attempt to “B&H” 7,000 goes back to January 2023. Further, PSEi 7,000 was a major support level from January 2017 until the Covid Crash.  While commentators like to say that 7,000 is a “psychological price level,” that is like saying that 40 C is “psychologically hot.” No, it is actually hot just as 7,000 is actually the level that stock market investors have been hesitant to buy above since early 2022. Just as 40 C truly causes you to sweat and risk heat stroke, after 36 months of stock prices trad-

By Catherine Bosley & Katia Dmitrieva

fTeR more than two years of currency pain, Asia’s central banks are in for some relief as the federal Reserve is set to cut interest rates by a quarter-point Wednesday. The path for the region’s own monetary policy, though, will be bumpy from here.

Lower rates in the US frees up space for officials in Jakarta to Seoul and Mumbai to move lower too. The prospect for the Fed kicking off a regional cutting cycle has attracted investors, who’ve poured money into emerging Asian debt and equities, helping strengthen currencies in the region.

The question now for Asia’s central bankers is how much they need to cut in the coming months, or whether they even need to cut at all. Places such as India and the Philippines face inflationary risks, while South Korea may prioritize financial stability.

“It would be an error to think the region’s policymakers are chomping at the bit for their chance to commence monetary policy easing,”

said Brian Tan, Barclays Plc senior regional economist. “It’s not obvious that the economy is just crying out for policy easing and that policymakers need to shift as soon as possible.”

The wake-up call may arrive as soon as this week, with central banks in China, Taiwan and Japan all expected to hold rates, though there’s some chance of a cut in Indonesia. They’re followed by the Reserve Bank of Australia September 24, which is also expected to keep rates steady.

Then, in a 10-day spree mid-October, a swath of peers from India to the Philippines issue their own diverging decisions. Markets and economists are at odds on what that will look like.

I, and thousands of fellow traders regardless if the trading portfolio is P50,000 or a million, are the line cooks of the stock market providing the daily liquidity, volume, and price movement. The “Chefs” ride on our trading efforts, portfolio capital, and activity. Now that the line cooks have served the delicious Wellington and broken 7,000, the “chefs” will come in and move to the next resistance levels maybe to PSEi 8,000. You’re welcome.

ing below 7,000, there is a risk that there will not be any buyers above that level.

From the recent weekly market low in June 2024, the PSEi is about 15 percent higher. The first group of buyers at the low (6,100/6,400), were sellers at 6,900+ in August. Then a new buying wave came in at the 6,500 area. The steady price increase since then is because the buyers at 6,600 are not selling at 7,000. And the longer 7,000 stands firm, more buying will come in, holding to the next resistance area at 7,330/7,500.

Regarding “Number 5,” I have a list of several “Good companies;

Bad stocks” that I watch continuously. The actual issue/s I will buy will depend on if and when they meet my buying rules. 1. Buy only when the price is going up. 2. See rule number 1.

Back to the Beef Wellington. The Executive Chef is responsible for the weekly/monthly restaurant performance. The Head Chef is only concerned about the daily dinner service. It is the Line Cook who must prepare every dish that comes out of the kitchen. And even if the restaurant is not increasing its business, every Beef Wellington the line cook plates must come out with every guest’s order. I, and thousands of fellow traders regardless if the trading portfolio is P50,000 or a million, are the line cooks of the stock market providing the daily liquidity, volume, and price movement. The “Chefs” ride on our trading efforts, portfolio capital, and activity. Now that the line cooks have served the delicious Wellington and broken 7,000, the “chefs” will come in and move to the next resistance levels maybe to PSEi 8,000. You’re welcome.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com.

Lower rates in the US frees up space for officials in Jakarta to Seoul and Mumbai to move lower too. The prospect for the Fed kicking off a regional cutting cycle has attracted investors, who’ve poured money into emerging Asian debt and equities, helping strengthen currencies in the region.

Swap markets are pricing in a benchmark reduction of 50 basis points for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on October 9, with some chance of easing also expected for the Reserve Bank of India on the same day.

While New Zealand is likely to cut through the rest of 2024 as the economy teeters on the edge of a third recession in two years, analysts see a different picture playing out for the rest of the region.

Inflationary pressures in India and the Philippines are likely to keep policymakers there more cautious,

with analysts forecasting only one 25 basis point cut in the fourth quarter, surveys show. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona signaled a quarter-point cut in October or December.

Economists also see only one cut in the final three months of the year from the central bank in South Korea, where officials are keeping tabs on financial imbalances associated with home prices and household loans.

Economists expect the central bank to cut its key rate as soon as it sees signs that the property market is cooling, particularly in Seoul. In Taiwan, as well, real estate market trouble is likely to make officials wary of cutting rates. The Bank of Thailand will perhaps be the longest holdout, with expectations that the conservative institution will resist government calls to cut until next year at the earliest.   “Now, central banks are able to focus more on the domestic idiosyncrasies when they are contemplating See “Fed,”

Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Founder

Exploding pagers in Lebanon spur theories on sabotage method

By Jamie Tarabay

From the moment pagers began exploding across Lebanon on Tuesday, theories began to circulate on how devices considered outmoded in much of the world were turned into dangerous weapons that killed several people and wounded almost 3,000.

As Lebanon accused Israel of engineering the attack aimed at Hezbollah militants, much of the debate centered on the possibility that the supply chain for the retro devices had been compromised. One prevailing idea was that the pagers had been engineered so that their batteries would heat up until the devices exploded.

Overheating of the batteries indicated “foul play,” Lebanon’s Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm told Bloomberg.

But one cybersecurity expert, Robert Graham, dismissed that theory. He said on X that “making batteries do anything more than burn is very hard and implausible. Far more plausible is that somebody bribed the factory to insert the explosives.”

Among the other theories was that an electronic signal triggered the explosions.

“If true, I suspect it was an intentional physical defect enabled by cyber” or a radio frequency signal, said Mark Montgomery, a retired admiral and executive director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television showed what it said were images of Motorola pagers that were being used before the attack.

“These pagers were detonated with high-tech by the Israeli enemy,” Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Mousawi told the group’s TV network.

Gold Apollo Co., a small closely held Taiwanese company identified in some media reports as the manufacturer of the pagers that exploded, denied that it made the devices.

“Those devices aren’t ours,” said a company official, asking not to be named before a formal statement. The person added that Gold Apollo licenses its brand to at least one other company, without providing more details.

Motorola Solutions Inc. didn’t immediately respond to Bloomberg’s requests for comment.

‘Supply-chain deployment’

DeepA KunDu R professor of electrical and computer engineering at the university of Toronto, said she suspects it was a “supply chain deployment.” In such an attack, she said, the perpetrator would infiltrate the pager’s upstream supply chain to manufacture a critical component with a built-in explosive charge, without the final vendor knowing. The explosive component could sit in a pager for months or years before being detonated on receipt of a message that triggers the modified part. pagers have been supplanted by mobile phones in much of the world, although npR recently reported that doctors in uS hospitals continue to favor their no-non -

their monetary policy action,” said Khoon Gho, head of Asia research at Australia and new Zealand Banking Group. “For the last two years or so, when the Fed was hiking aggressively, central banks here were really responding to that pressure on their currencies.”

Two factors may change the picture: A uS recession that would strengthen the greenback in a flight to safety or a november presidential election outcome that heralds protec-

DOLE: Exclude execution bond in the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers for being anti-worker

THezbollah operatives use lowtech devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies to avoid interceptions of their communications by Israeli intelligence. They can send encrypted messages without giving away their location. Israel neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attacks.

sense messaging. pagers are also routinely used in medical facilities in Lebanon.

Hezbollah operatives use lowtech devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies to avoid interceptions of their communications by Israeli intelligence. They can send encrypted messages without giving away their location. Israel neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attacks. But Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute said “it is by any definition a pretty significant intelligence coup for Israel, signifying that they penetrated Hezbollah’s security channels.”

“Israel is ratcheting things up in some ways, but they’re actually trying to send a message to Hezbollah through something short of full-scale war,” he said.

u S officials said they had no advance knowledge of the exploding pagers.

Israeli intelligence

I SRA e LI intelligence is considered masterful at engineering such covert sabotage while never acknowledging its role.

Most famously, the Stuxnet attack, which was discovered in 2010, involved planting computer code that destroyed as many as 1,000 nuclear centrifuges in Iran by making them spin out of control. It was widely considered a joint effort by Israel and the u S.

In 1996, Hamas bomb maker Yahya Ayyash was killed in Gaza City when his mobile phone exploded during a weekly phone call to his father in the West Bank.

Shin Bet, Israel’s security service, was believed to be behind the killing. In 2001, Israel was blamed for booby-trapping a public telephone in the center of the p alestinian city of n ablus, which exploded when Osama Jawabri, a member of a p alestinian militant group, went to use it.

In July, Ismail Haniyeh, political chief of the militant group Hamas, was killed by an explosion while staying in a guesthouse in Tehran. As usual, Israel neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attack, which was believed to have occurred when a bomb planted in the guesthouse was triggered remotely. With assistance from Dana Khraiche, Youssef Diab, Onur Ant, Marissa Newman, Miranda Davis, Curtis Heinzl and Jane Lanhee Lee /Bloomberg

tionist policies, hurting trade-reliant countries in the region.  The former isn’t the base case for economists, and the latter isn’t likely to halt the flow of funds into Asia assets just yet.  If Fed Chair Jerome powell and his colleagues reduce interest rates and signal more cuts are in the offing, that “will keep the party going and we’ll see more money coming to Asia,” said Taimur Baig, chief economist at DBS Group Holdings. “Investors have voted with their feet” for a shallow easing cycle in Asia, he said. With assistance from Jeremy Diamond, Betty Hou and Tracy Withers /Bloomberg

Dennis Gorecho

Pinoy Marino Rights

he latest version of the pending magna Carta for Filipino seafarers failed to consider recommendation of the Department of Labor and employment (DoLe) on the exclusion of labor dispute resolution provisions, particularly involving the execution bond.

“It’s anti-worker, impractical and inconsistent with the protection to labor clause,” thus said Department of Labor and employment Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma in a letter dated March 5, 2024 addressed to executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin as a comment on the Draft Bicameral Report of the Magna Carta. under the latest version of the bill’s Section 59, the seafarer may move for the execution of the disputed portion of the monetary award pending appeal upon posting of a sufficient bond. And if the seafarer ultimately prevails in the case, he will be reimbursed with the cost of putting up the bond.

Both Houses of Congress through the bicameral committee convened three times (December 6, 2023 then May 23 and July 31, 2024) just to restore the provision on the execution bond. The House contingent led the reinstatement of the said provision.

The bicameral committee in the first report omitted the escrow but retained a provision on execution bond. The whole provision was deleted in the second report but was

reinserted in the third report.

Laguesma said that the proposed remedy favors employers and is totally misplaced in a magna carta for seafarers.

He stressed that the requirement that the judgement obligee (which is the worker) should post a bond for the execution of awards under items (d) and (e) places an undue burden on the worker who has no means to put up such bond.

Laguesma likewise underscored that it is inconsistent with the equal protection clause under the philippine Constitution.

While the Supreme Court has ruled that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) constitute a distinct class needing special protection, the validity of the distinction has been founded on the nature of their employment and the peculiar circumstances that they face while working abroad.

Laguesma added that there has been no recognized valid basis for distinction in terms of how cases arising from the employment of OFWs are processed by local tribunals. The proposed provision not

Laguesma added that there has been no recognized valid basis for distinction in terms of how cases arising from the employment of OFWs are processed by local tribunals. The proposed provision not only makes a distinction between OFWs and local workers. It also effectively makes a distinction between sea-based and land-based OFWs.

only makes a distinction between OFWs and local workers. It also effectively makes a distinction between sea-based and land-based OFWs.

This can raise a “suspect classification” as it is doubtful if simply being an overseas seafarer—or a domestic seafarer for that matter—can be a substantive and valid basis to justify a differentiated treatment in the resolution and processing of cases, particularly at the execution stage.

Laguesma further noted that it undermines the Constitutional requirement for a complete decision.

The provision proposes that a decision should differentiate between “disputed” from “undisputed” claims. But a decision should completely resolve all issues in the dispute. This means that a decision should not differentiate between disputed claims and undisputed claims. Where the claim is disputed, the agency with jurisdiction is required to resolve the dispute and put an end to it.

In any case, if the employer is willing to concede to an “undisputed” claim, nothing prevents it from complying with the decision to the extent of this amount, without los-

ing its right to partially appeal the decision on the “disputed” claim.

Laguesma also stressed that the provision undermines the Constitutional independence of the courts to prescribe rules of procedure over cases that may be pending before the courts.

The pending bill effectively amends 234 (Mandatory Conciliation and endorsement of Cases), 229 (Appeal) and 230 (execution of Decisions, Orders, or Awards) of the Labor Code.

Laguesma explained that this appears to be inconsistent with the single-subject rule in the Constitution as the proposed provision is not at all mentioned in the title of the revised bill.

Article VI, Section 26 (1) of the 1987 Constitution provides that every bill shall embrace only one subject, which shall be expressed in the title thereof.

While mindful of the plenary nature of the legislative power that should not be unnecessarily impeded, the provisions pertain to subjects which are distinct from the rights of seafarers and are not carried in the title of the bill.

Dole also noted that the provision on the determination of disability grading may no longer be necessary in view of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in Bunayog v. Foscon, GR 253480, 25 April 2023, which provides definitive guidance on the matter.

Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

Global goals and peace: Chip in with Taiwan

MAIL

TH e ongoing 79th session of the united nations General Assembly (unGA) commenced at un Headquarters in new York on September 10, 2024, with the general debate to be held from September 24 to 28 and on September 30. The theme this year is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”

Ironically, the 23.5 million people of Taiwan continue to be left behind by the un system. This grave injustice is due mainly to China’s misrepresentation of unGA Resolution 2758; China’s attempts to mislead the international community into accepting that the resolution is equivalent to the so-called “one China principle”; and China’s spu-

rious claims that Taiwan is part of the people’s Republic of China and that Resolution 2758 has authorized the pRC to represent Taiwan in the un system. In the face of China’s cognitive warfare, prompt rebuttals and clarifications must be issued. Otherwise, the objective status quo across the Taiwan Strait—in which neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the pRC is subordinate to the other—will utterly change, allowing China to lay a legal foundation for an armed invasion of Taiwan. Therefore, Taiwan’s bid to participate in the united nations this year is focused on enhancing international understanding of unGA Resolution 2758.

Firstly, the pRC distorts unGA Resolution 2758, falsely conflating it with its “one China principle.” This has jeopardized the status quo across the Taiwan Strait as well as the stability in the Indo- pacific region. The pRC’s expansionism will not stop at Taiwan. As the philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua ( MRRV-9701) was preparing to raise anchor at Sabina Shoal on August 31, it was deliberately rammed multiple times in intimidating and dangerous maneuvers by a China Coast Guard vessel. This marked the third

confrontation between the two sides in the same maritime area in recent days. China has recently cited “rights protection” as a pretext for using illegal, threatening, coercive, and dangerous maneuvers to obstruct and interfere with the legal navigation of philippine vessels, leading to several collisions at sea. Taiwan condemns China’s bullying tactics in repeatedly and intentionally causing confrontations and escalating tensions in the South China Sea.

Moreover, un GA Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the un system. The united nations must seek suitable ways of including Taiwan to realize the un Sustainable Development Goals. In addition to its contribution to world peace, health, agriculture, and climate change, Taiwan also contributes remarkably to global supply chains stability by producing more than 90 percent of the world’s high-end semiconductors and a significant portion of the advanced chips that are driving the AI revolution, and thus demonstrate profoundly its strategic importance.

Lastly, The un Secretariat must uphold neutrality. The current practice of prohibiting Taiwan passport holders from entering un premises

Superbugs death toll could swell by millions

By Lisa Pham

more than 39 million people could die globally from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Antimicrobial resistance, which is also known as AMR and occurs when germs become resistant to drugs, is expected to worsen over the coming decades. Already more than one million people have died each year between 1990 and 2021 as a direct result of AMR, according to the study that analyzes global trends of the public health threat over time.  “This threat is growing,” said

Mohsen naghavi, joint first author of the study and team leader of the AMR research team at the university of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics and evaluation. “Antimicrobial medicines are one of the cornerstones of modern healthcare, and increasing resistance to them is a major cause for concern.”

Bacteria’s growing immunity to many common drugs has been

constitutes blatant discrimination against the people of Taiwan and is based purely on political considerations. The fact that Taiwanese media outlets and journalists continue to be denied accreditation to cover un meetings and events also violates the principle of freedom of the press.

Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue working with like-minded countries to maintain healthy and resilient global supply chains —particularly in the semiconductor industry. Taiwan also opposes any threat to security in the South China Sea or actions that harm regional peace and stability. It urges all sides to exercise restraint, abide by international law and the un Convention on the Law of the Sea, and resolve differences via peaceful means. I hereby call on the philippine government, its Congress, and its people to support Taiwan’s inclusion in the united nations and related meetings, mechanisms, and activities. After all, chipping in with Taiwan in the united nations will be a step closer to the global common good.

Wallace Minn-Gan Chow Representative Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines

over coming years

If left unchecked, AMR could lead to an estimated $1 trillion in additional healthcare costs by 2050, as well as a 3.8 percent loss of global gross domestic product, according to a report published last month.

driven by the overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals. It makes infections harder to treat and raises the risks of surgery, cesarean sections and cancer treatments. The united nations brought attention to the topic at a high-profile meeting in 2016, but momentum has since stalled. AMR is now a “systemic risk akin to climate change

and nature loss,” an investor group said earlier this month.  If left unchecked, AMR could lead to an estimated $1 trillion in additional healthcare costs by 2050, as well as a 3.8 percent loss of global gross domestic product, according to a report published last month.

“We urgently need new strategies to decrease the risk of severe infections through vaccines, new drugs, improved healthcare, better access to existing antibiotics, and guidance on how to use them most effectively,” said Stein emil Vollset, joint first author of the study published in the Lancet and affiliate professor at the IHM e Bloomberg

2nd Front Page

DOE eyes ‘specl allowance’ for petroleum service firms

THE Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing “special allowances” to petroleum service contractors to make the Philippine service contract regime more attractive to investments and improve the state of oil and gas exploration in the country.

In a draft circular titled “Grant of Special Allowances for Petroleum Service Contractors,” the agency is soliciting comments to its proposed policy on the grant of special allowances, on cost recovery, on marginal petroleum operations, on so-called new plays, for gas development in remote areas, and for gas production in remote areas. e DOE said it continues to adopt new mechanisms and strategies to carry out its plans and programs mandated under PD 87 because the current state of the oil and gas exploration in the country “shows low-level investments due

to the attendant high risk in petroleum operations.” As such, there is a need for the agency to offer improved fi scal terms to service contractors to complement other government initiatives in attracting more exploration and production fi rms to spur exploration activities that will lead to the discovery of more oil and gas fields in the country. “Providing special allowances that allow for maximum benefits to the country and, at the same time, provide reasonable returns to private companies that render fi nancial and technical services

Senators alarmed by ‘almost 99%’ attrition rate among Tesda scholars

@Claudethmc3

TWO senators have expressed alarm over the high dropout rate of Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (Tesda) during the Committee on Finance Subcommittee J’s deliberation of the P18.75-billion proposed 2025 budget of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) on Wednesday.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian reacted following a report from the Commission on Audit (COA) that from 2019 to 2023, in Metro Manila alone, only 20 graduated of the 2,000 from the training programs under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA).

“How come the attrition rate is almost 99 percent? It’s a pity because we gave them the scholarship, we spent a lot of time teaching them but they did not complete the course, or did not complete the whole activity,” Gatchalian said. When Tesda was asked about the possible reason why the scholars opted not to continue, an official said that basically it is due to the interest of the scholar to continue.

“It’s such a waste of funds. We have to make sure that the person who will join the program is committed to fi nish the program that is intended for a person to upskill, reskill, and prove himself. If their interest is the issue, there must be some more analysis on how to keep the interest until they graduate,” Gatchalian added.

Meanwhile, Sen. Joel Villanueva, who presided over the public hearing, doubted that the high attrition rate is due to the pandemic.

“I don’t think it’s due to pandemic [only], 99 percent...that is very high,” Villanueva, a former Tesda chief, said. Gatchalian urged the agency to look for interventions to prevent the dropout of scholars.

“Along the way they lost interest. Sayang ang pera. We allocated a budget for them. Along the way they [will] drop out? I just want to put that on the table...then the good secretary...to analyze and I’m sure he’ll fi nd a solution,” Gatchalian said.

However, Tesda chief Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez admitted that he is unsure if he can fi nd a solution, but assured them that they will fi nd a way to track what are the reasons, “beyond just simply saying perhaps they lost interest.”

“But I think, one of the things that we may wish to look at, is the decision and expectations of the three-year diploma course. ‘Coz it is very possible that a student comes in with a full intention of fi nishing the three-year course but after a year, they receive specific certification already [and] may chose actually to drop from the program and go straight into employment,” Benitez said.

Benitez recognized that the major decline or the increase in the number of dropouts should be addressed.

“If it is the case that we expect them to come in and out very quickly of the program and of the system [we need] to track that as well, including if they break or go back to work, [we will] fi nd ways to incentivize [for them] to come back to receive higher level certification,” Benitez pointed out Quality training

VILLANUEVA , meanwhile, expressed his support for the Tesda as he noted its role in helping Filipinos fi nd decent employment through technical-vocational education and training and scholarship programs.

He noted that since 1994, about 37.1 million Filipinos have been given quality training by Tesda.

“When we train, we are not only thinking of empowering our kababayans, but also for them to be more competitive and, at the end of the day, actually help them land decent jobs,” said Villanueva.

and assume all the risk of petroleum exploration” will, among others, induce the in flow of foreign investment capital and accelerate the exploration, development, and utilization of indigenous petroleum resources. e DOE said this would contribute to the country’s energy security, create jobs, and generate wealth.

Under the current regime, the DOE can enter into or modify said contracts provided that the government’s share, including all taxes, shall not be less than 60 percent of the difference between the gross income and sum of operating expenses (opex).

e special allowances for petroleum service contractors shall be applied by deducting the applicable special allowance from the gross proceeds. e government’s share should still not fall below 60 percent and that the reimbursement of all opex shall not exceed 70 percent of the gross proceeds from production in any year.

On cost recovery, the DOE is proposing a special allowance to recover exploration expenses from an existing service contract with production for as long as the said contract has not fully utilized the

70 percent allowable reimbursement of all opex from any production in any year. “ e balance of which shall be deemed to be the special allowance,” the draft circular read.

To enable petroleum service contractors to maintain operations in marginal petroleum fields and when the annual opex exceeds the cost recovery allowance of 70 percent, the DOE proposed 12 percent of the gross proceeds as special allowance for 80 percent and above cost recovery, nine percent for 75 -79 percent, and six percent for 7174 percent.

To encourage the discovery of new petroleum service sources, a special allowance of 7.5 percent of the gross proceeds will be granted.

For new gas fields discovered in remote areas with more than 200 kilometers from the identified delivery market, a special allowance of 10 percent will be provided.

For the development of facilities and production of indigenous natural gas in remote areas, a special allowance of 30 percent of the gross proceeds will be granted. e DOE will accept comments from industry stakeholders until September 23.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) expects a signi cant drop in rice prices by January as the full impact of the reduction in rice tari s takes hold.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier signed Executive Order (EO) 62, which reduced the tari on rice to 15 percent from 35 percent and took e ect in July.

The move aims to lower the cost of rice, the country’s main food staple that has signi cantly contributed to high inflation rates due to its substantial weight in the consumer price basket.

Economic managers estimated that the tari reduction could lead rice prices to decline by around P5 to P7 per kilo.

“But since demand for food usually spikes in December, we anticipate seeing a more substantial drop in rice prices by January,”

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.

The agriculture chief explained that the expected decline in rice prices has not yet fully materialized because traders ramped up rice imports in anticipation of a supply shortage caused by El Niño.

According to the department, between December 2023 and May 2024, rice importation averaged 422,000 metric tons (MT) per month, exceeding consumption by 102,000 MT per month.

The DA said this resulted in an excess of approximately 612,000 MT of imported rice at the higher 35-percent tari , enough to cover nearly two months of consumption. Ahead of the tari reduction, rice imports decreased to around 176,000 MT per month in June and July.

“It wasn’t until August that we saw a signi cant increase in import volumes to 385,000 metric tons,” Laurel said. In addition to high import tari s, the department noted that the soaring global price of rice has pressured traders to purchase palay from local farmers at elevated prices of up to P30 per kilo. With current palay prices ranging between P23 and P25 per kilo, the DA said a similar reduction in rice prices in the market could be anticipated.

“Given the wet season, some areas are seeing palay being bought at P16 to P17 per kilo. We need to monitor this closely to ensure farmers are not shortchanged,” he added. It

“Fortunately,

Senate okay of FTA with Sokor expected soon

THE Senate inched closer to concurrence in the ratification of the Philippines’ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea, a step that paves the way for expanded access for Philippine exports to one of Asia’s largest economies.

e chief sponsor, Senator Imee Marcos told Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel that implementing the FTA with South Korea “will provide market access for key Philippine agricultural products,” and will “complement” the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

e FTA’s “ economic and technical provisions will hopefully allow for more Korean investments in our country,” said Marcos, the chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, during Pimentel’s plenary interpellation.

e Korean president will be visiting Manila in October, she noted, and this is why “we are all so excited with this FTA.”

One important beneficiary of an FTA will be the local banana industry, which, Marcos noted, had drastically declined the past several years, as certain neighbors took a chunk of the Philippine share in Korea’s banana imarket.

“We used to have stranglehold almost of the Korean market for bananas,” Marcos said, but this had declined from over 97 percent to 68 percent.

“To stem the further decline, it’s important that we enter upon this FTA; after all, it’s the third best market for Philippine bananas... Let’s put 700,000 banana farmers and families on the road to recovery for entire industry,” the senator stressed.

Earlier, the DTI said around 740,000 Filipinos employed in the banana industry could be affected if the Philippines fails to capture the $280-million market share of bananas in South Korea.

“In terms of jobs if you will look at the banana industry alone we’re protecting here 744,000 jobs in that particular industry covering both directly employed, indirectly employed,” DTI Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said at a Senate hearing recently.

“So you can just imagine if they will lose the market share in South Korea which is equivalent to $280 million, what’s the impact of that? at alone is huge,” Gepty added.

e Trade undersecretary said the Philippines’ market share of bananas in South Korea plunged from 98-99 percent to 69 percent while Vietnam’s market share of

bananas in South Korea went up to 15 percent from zero.

He explained that once the free trade deal with South Korea takes effect, Philippine bananas would have to wait five years before enjoying zero tariffs in the South Korean market.

For his part, Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) and Dole Philippines consultant Melquiades L. Hernandez said that the tariffs with South Korea has been one of the issues hounding the Philippine banana industry.

“If we are not able to fi nalize this FTA with Korea, we are very afraid that we will lose entirely the Korean market which is our third biggest market next to China and Japan,” Hernandez said. Butch Fernandez; with earlier report by Andrea San Juan

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

SEC: Corporate registration of Boracay Capital revoked

By VG Cabuag @villygc

The Securities and exchange Commission (SeC) has ordered the revocation of the incorporation papers of Boracay Capital holdings Inc. for selling investment products to the public sans the necessary licenses from the commission.

t he SeC said the company entices the public to invest, initially through posting on social media platforms, by promising high yields and a passive income.

“Such invitation to offer or sell securities to the public without the corresponding registration with the commission is illegal and is punishable by law pursuant to Section 8 in relation to Section 73 of the SrC

[Securities regulation Code],” the agency said.

Incorporators and company directors Christine Grace tolentino and Antonio e chavez both denied the allegations of the SeC, saying the firm’s website was not operational. t hey said the findings were “a product of the mere opinion of Se C’s e nforcement and Investor Protection Department [e IPD],

based on its interpretation of social media and website posts.”

“ r espondents are reminded that as the regulator, the eIPD, as the enforcement arm of the commission, understands the provisions of the laws it is mandated to implement and to determine what constitute violations thereof,” the SeC said.

“It is important to note that their claim that the website is not operational is a very lame defense as the eIPD was able to visit the website proving that the same is accessible to the public. In fact, it was noted that it was only after the issuance of the show cause order when the website turned into ‘under construction’ status.”

t he SeC said the company admitted that it is an investment management company. It “is a clear proof that it is indeed engaged in investment-solicitation activities where the interested investors are enticed to deal and transact with the subject company.”

“Investors who were made to believe that that the subject entity is authorized to engage in investment-solicitation activities were subsequently offered make an initial deposit of P5 million allegedly to be invested in stocks, investment funds or bonds.”

tolentino and echavez, as incorporators, directors, officers, stockholders of Boracay Capital, were also found to be administratively liable for fraudulent act and were banned from serving as director of a corporation for 5 years.

Additionally, the SeC said Boracay Capital failed to comply with its reportorial requirements, including the submission of its General Information Sheet and Audited Financial Statements for the years 2023 and 2024, Beneficial o wnership transparency Form, as well as its compliance with Memorandum Circular 28, Series of 2020, which required firms to provide valid official and alternate email addresses.

Nakashin solar rooftop project gets perks

THe Board of Investments (BoI) has approved the grant of energy efficiency incentives to the P26million solar rooftop system project of nakashin Davao International Inc. t he Philippine Board of Investments (BoI) has approved the registration of nakashin Davao International Inc.’s 519.2 kWp Solar rooftop System project,” the BoI said in a statement on

Wednesday.

t he investment promotion agency attached to the Department of trade and Industry (Dt I) said the solar rooftop system will be installed at nakashin’s food manufacturing facility in Davao. nakashin, a BoI-registered firm, is a leading exporter of agricultural and aquatic products such as mangoes and pineapples to Japan and the european

union, according to the agency.

t he solar PV rooftop system, covered under tier I of the 2022 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) is designed to cut energy consumption.

o ver its 25-year lifespan, it is expected to deliver annual energy savings of 17.27 GWh, resulting in a total reduction of 137,000 tons of C o 2 emissions. Andrea E. San Juan

Fortune Life kicks off National Teachers’ Month with ‘Pa-Zumba sa Kwarenta’

Fortune Life Insurance Company, led by its e xecutive Vice President and Chief o perating o fficer e mma Abad, kicked off the n ational teachers’ Month celebration with “Pa-Zumba sa Kwarenta” at Candon Arena, Candon City, Ilocos Sur, on September 5, 2024. In coordination with the Department of e ducation (Dep e d), Fortune Life led this vibrant Zumba activity as part of its “ r oad to 40” initiative for its r uby Anniversary which highlights its commitment to honoring our educators. “Aming inihahandog ang ‘Pa-Zumba sa Kwarenta’ bilang pagbubukas sa okasyong ito at pagsaludo sa masisipag at magigiting na guro ng ating bayan,” e VP-C oo Abad remarked.

t his annual activity for teachers aims to recognize the invaluable role of teachers in shaping the future by educating and inspiring the students. Deped Secretary eduardo Angara expressed his gratitude through his video message, “our teachers are the foundation of our nation. no progress is possible without them.

Se AFooD City, the largest Filipino “grocerant” chain in north America, on Wednesday introduced SFC+, a digital marketplace app that features major Filipino brands to cater to the evolving needs of Filipinos living abroad.

According to SFC+ Inc. President elewin rebaya, the mobile app integrates e-commerce, remittances, bill payments, and investment services, making it a “one-stop digital marketplace app for the global Filipinos.”

“We created this app with the goal of reaching and serving more Filipinos globally, as well as to enrich and meet their ever-evolving lifestyle demands,” he said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

SFC+ partnered with ABS-CBn, the SM Group, Philippine Airlines, SMDC, BDo unibank, Smart, Globe, east West Bank of uSA, and BayaniPay, to “simplify global transactions.”

“From purchasing items and services to paying bills and even investing in the future of families and relatives they support, SFC+ will make these experiences rewarding for every global Filipino through our membership program,” said rebaya.

talino Venture Studios developed the app, which will be commercially available on october 15.

Winston Damarillo, president of talino Venture Studios, said SFC+ is a

realization of the company’s vision of creating a phygital—a combination of physical and digital—experience for users.

“In that sense, I think we’re unique,” he said. “You now have the ability to visit Seafood City if you want a physical experience, and also have the access to just experience shopping digitally.”

SFC+ features include free remittance services, bill payment options, and integrated banking through BayaniPay, east West Bank uSA, and BDo unibank.

users can shop digitally at Seafood City, enjoy discounted iWant tFC subscriptions, and convert SFC+ points into Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles or vice versa.

“We welcome SFC as our latest partner under the Mabuhay Miles program. our shared values of promoting Filipino culture and tradition have made our partnership truly special and memorable,” Philippine Airlines President and Coo Stanley ng said.

t he platform also supports purchasing SMDC condominiums with assistance from licensed real estate professionals in the uS, offers premium access to thousands of SM brands through the SM Gift Pass Choice, enables direct donations to ABS-CBn Foundation and Gawad Kalinga. Lorenz S. Marasigan

t hank you for your service and commitment.”

He also extended his gratitude to the Schools Division office of Candon, the Local Government unit of Candon City, the Ilocos Sur Provincial Government, and Deped partners for their support in hosting the ntM 2024 kick-off.

Fortune Life provided 1,000

zumba dri-fit shirts and corporate giveaways in support to this annual celebration of the Department of education, attended by 5,000 participants from 16 regions.

Fortune Life is part of the ALC Group of Companies founded by the late Amb. Antonio L. Cabangon Chua and is currently chaired by D. edgard A. Cabangon.

Photo shows (from left to right) Region 1 Regional Director (RD) Dr. tolentino Aquino, Region 12 RD Dr. Carlito Rocafort, Region 8 RD Dr. Evelyn Fetalvero, CAR RD Dr. Estela L. Carino, Region 7 RD Dr. Salustiano Jimenez and DepEd Undersecretary Atty. Meljohn Versoza together with EVP-Coo Emma Abad, AVP-Corporate Communications Floreda Constantino and Billing and Collection Manager Maricel Dagan.

BIR includes taxes, costs in cutting tobacco prices

By Reine Juvierre Alberto

Bureau of Internal Rev -

HE

Tenue (BIR) reduced the floor prices of cigarettes, heated tobacco and vape products sold in the market, including e-marketplaces.

The minimum retail price set by the BIR for these goods were updated, taking into account the sum of their excise and value-added taxes (VAT) and production costs, through Revenue Regulation (RR) 16-2024.

The floor price for cigarettes is now P78.58 per pack, down from P114.60, with a ream containing 10 packs amounting to P785.80 from P1,146.

According to the BIR, cigarette manufacturers reported lower costs of production prompting floor price of cigarettes to go down. Production cost per pack now amounts to P7.16 from last year’s P42.32. Total tax imposed per pack costs P72.42, consisting of excise tax and VAT amounting to P63.00 and P8.42, respectively. Excise tax was increased from P60.00 while VAT was reduced from P12.28.

Meanwhile, the floor price set for heated tobacco products (HTPs) were also decreased by half to P60.11 per pack from P120.40 due to a drop in production cost. The cost of producing an HTP significantly plunged to P19.54 from the P75.00 manufacturers reported last year.

Total tax imposed on HTPs also declined to P40.57 from P45.50, of which P34.13 represents the excise tax and P6.44 for VAT. Similarly, excise taxes also went up from last year’s P32.50 while VAT was reduced from P12.90.

Further, vape products also seen price reductions, with 2 milliliters nicotine salt pods now at P180.67 from P200, while a 10-milliliter bottle at P679.12. The cost for a vape product amounted to P52.11 per pod and P60.36 per bottle.

Excise tax imposed costs P109.20

THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced recently that its General Manager Melquiades A. Robles was recently elected as one of the members of the Executive Committee of the Asia Pacific Lottery Association (APLA) Ltd.

In a statement, the PCSO said that Robles was named to the body during the 2024 APLA Regional Conference held in Hanoi, Vietnam, last September 2 to September 5.

According to the PCSO, the APLA is a membership body for lottery operators and suppliers in the region. It was formally established at the World Lottery Association Conference in Glasglow, Scotland, in the year 2000. It is the first regional lotteries association to represent the interests of the Asia Pacific region, with an APLA member nominated to sit on the Executive Committee of the World Lottery Association.

The new set of officers who will serve for two years until the next Annual General Assembly (AGM) in September 2026, includes Chairman Michael Fitzsimons from Hong Kong Jockey Club while Mr. Lam Chee Weng of Singapore Pools was named vice chairman.

Aside from Robles, the first Filipino to earn a seat in the body, the other members of APLA Executive Board include Japan Lottery Association President Kazuhisa Yamaguchi and Future Gaming & Hotel Services Pvt. Ltd. CEO Kapil Khanna.

Also with them are La Pacifique Des Jeux SA CEO Thierry Gabarret and Lotto New Zealand CEO Jason Delamore. According to the statement, Robles expressed gratitude to his fellow delegates

“because being named to this position meant that my fellow gaming leaders recognize and appreciate the initiatives that we have

per pod and P546.00 per bottle, while VAT adds P19.36 and P72.76, respectively, bringing in total tax burdens of P128.56 per pod and P618.76 per bottle.

Banking&Finance BSP eyes refining securities to ‘deepen’ capital markets

Meanwhile, conventional “freebase” or “classic” nicotine vape products are priced at P181.72 for a 10-milliliter bottle and P263.73 for a 30-milliliter bottle.

The cost of production for 10-milliliter bottle amounts to P99.25 while P46.47 for 30-milliliter bottle.

The total tax on a 10-milliliter bottle is P82.47, which includes P63.00 in excise tax and P19.47 in VAT.

For a 30-milliliter bottle, the total tax burden is P217.26, comprising P189.00 in excise tax and P28.26 in VAT.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr., who issued RR 16-2024 last Monday, warned all e-marketplaces, online sellers, retail sellers, suppliers and distributors that selling vape, cigarettes and heated tobacco products below the floor price is prohibited.

“This is a criminal violation penalized by imprisonment of the seller. We are monitoring both online platforms and brick-and-mortar stores. Do not sell below the floor price. Take down all posts and offerings that are below the floor price,” Lumagui said.

Violators will be penalized with a fine of at least 10 times the amount of excise tax and VAT due, with a minimum pf P200,000 and a maximum of P500,000, along with imprisonment of four to six years, based on Section 145 (C) of the National Internal Revenue Code or Tax Code, as amended. Similarly, sellers of heated tobacco products and vapor products below the total excise tax and VAT will also face a fine of ten times the excise tax plus VAT, with a minimum fine of P200,000, and imprisonment of four to six years, according to Section 263 (A) of the Tax Code.

PCSO chief named new APLA Execom member

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is driven to introduce further refinements to the securities currently in its toolkit as the central bank seeks a high volume of trade with minute differences between buying and selling prices.

In a briefing last Wednesday, BSP Monetary Policy Sub-Sector Assistant Governor Zeno Ronald R. Abenoja said the central bank has already taken steps toward this direction, pointing out as example the issuance of multiple tenors for the BSP bills.

At the height of the pandemic lockdowns in September 2020, the central bank introduced such bill with a 28-day tenor. In June last year, the BSP again introduced the 56-day tenor bills.

“Markets are like a horse race. What makes for a horse race is a difference of opinions. People bet on different horses. In a market, the more differences in opinion there are, the more liquidity there is; the more trading,” BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. said in the same briefing.

“So the more diversified the participants are, the more likely you’ll find a difference of opinion. The dif-

ferences in opinions are reconciled in the market. There’s a consensus that is built in the market that people trade. That’s what we want,” Remolona added.

According to the central bank, these efforts are crucial as the auction of BSP bills accounts for an average of 50 percent of the regulator’s market operations.

Based on BSP data, the central bank has absorbed a total of P1.768 trillion from all its facilities between January to September this year. Of this amount, P804 billion were siphoned off by BSP bills.

Abenoja said that efforts to refine BSP securities also include the additional guidance from month-ahead indicative offer volumes introduced in October 2023. This provides information on how many and what amounts will be offered in the next month.

The refinements also included

the relaxation last January of the anti-cornering rule. Abenoja said that, previously, there was a cap of 20 percent of the total offered amount that is allowed for participants to bid in the auction of BSP bills.

“In fact, the anti-cordoning rule, when it was relaxed, it was not only good for the BSP bills, but also for the other facilities, the RRP (overnight Reverse Repurchase facility) and the TDF (Term Deposit Facility),” he added. Other efforts to refine securities included the expansion of access to trust entities (TEs) through Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITFs) in the secondary and primary markets.

Abenoja said non-residents who have 10 percent or less holdings in UITFs, were given access to BSP bills in the secondary market starting last December 2021 and in the primary market starting November last year.

“We think that this is an important part of the toolkit of the BSP. It has been about eight years now since we have had the interest rate corridor. We continue to refine it in response to changes in the operating environment, in response to the demand or the requirements of the banking system,” Abenoja said.

In 2023, Remolona said there was a need to deepen the capital market to create a “spare tire” for the country (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/12/11/deep-capitalmarket-to-serve-as-spare-tirebsp-governor/).

This is based on the recommendations of former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan in 1999 regarding the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis when he said a “spare tire” could have cushioned the impact of the crisis.

Efforts to deepen the capital markets have been underway in the region. In terms of the stock market and corporate bond market as a percentage of GDP in 2022, the Philippines trails its Asean counterparts except for Indonesia.

Remolona said deepening the capital market means opening the corporate bond market to single-A and triple-B borrowers.

The BSP Governor added that the country’s corporate bond market currently consisted of triple-A or double-A. Single-A bonds account for the smallest share. This could be termed as a “Lake Wobegon corporate bond market.”

Lake Wobegon is a fictional town created by Garrison Keillor. The town is the setting for the segment “News from Lake Wobegon” for a radio program in the novel.

Quoting Keillor, Remolona said in Lake Wobegon, “All the women are strong, all the men are good-looking and all the children are aboveaverage.”

In terms of the stock market, the central bank governor said better enforcement of insider trading rules are in order. Remolona added there are times when a listed firm’s stock price does not react to the public release of significant news.

BIR requires govt contractors to secure tax clearance

CONTRACTORS seeking to do business with the government are now required by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to submit a tax clearance before receiving final payment for the contract.

Revenue Regulation (RR) 172024 issued by Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. on September 18 prescribes the presentation of tax clearance prior to final settlement of government contracts.

All persons, natural or juridical, local or foreign, with existing contracts with government agencies, including state universities and col-

leges, state-run corporations and financial institutions and local government units, must secure an updated tax clearance from the BIR, according to RR 17-2024.

The clearance certifies that the contractor has no outstanding tax liabilities and has filed the latest income and business tax returns, along with payments of any taxes owed.

Contractors must present the tax clearance to the concerned government agency before any final payments or settlements of the contract it entered into with them.

The BIR stressed the government agency is entitled to suspend the

final settlement for any goods or services, including infrastructure projects delivered by the contractor if it cannot secure and present the BIR tax clearance.

If the final settlement on the contract for any goods or services by the contractor is suspended due to the lack of required BIR tax clearance, the withheld amount will be subjected to a tax lien, according to the BIR.

The tax lien will allow the government to claim the funds to cover any outstanding tax liabilities the contractor may have.

The BIR said the regulation was

SBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

TRESSING the importance of mining to strengthen and revitalize the economy—as the country continues to recover from lingering effects of the pandemic—

been implementing at PCSO.”

“These reforms have resulted in more revenues for the agency, which we translated into more charity programs for the people, especially the poor,” added the PCSO official.

According to the governmentowned and –controlled corporation (GOCC), the PCSO has already released P6.7 billion from July 2022 to July 2024 as mandatory contributions to various agencies of the government.

Also, the PCSO said it has remitted P5.4 billion for the Universal Health Care of PhilHealth and another P 627.8 million for the Commission on Higher Education. During the same 2-year period, the PCSO released P576.2 million to various local government units as their share for the operation of lotto in their respective areas, according to the GOCC.

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito prodded the Senate to pass an enabling bill improving the fiscal regime for large-scale metallic mining.

In sponsoring plenary deliberation of Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2826 to enact a law embodying the Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining Act, Ejercito foresaw the enabling law will foster an enabling policy environment correcting the current mining tax regime that is “fraught with complications.”

He assures that the enabling Senate bill aims to “modernize tax regime specifically for large-scale mining activities.”

At the same time, Ejercito also affirmed that the proposal considers those involving exploration, feasibility, development, utilization and processing under a mineral agreement or financial or technical assistance agreement, as defined in Republic Act (RA) 7942 (Philippine Mining

Act of 1995).

Moreover, the solon affirmed that “the proposed regime is designed to be fairer, simpler, more competitive sustainable.”

“With our nation having some of the world’s largest mineral reserves in nickel, copper, cobalt, chromite and gold , among other precious metals, the Philippines is strategically poised into the growing global demand for green technologies,” Ejercito said last Tuesday.

“By responsibly harnessing our abundant mineral resources, we can ensure maximum benefit for the Filipino people while contributing to a more sustainable future,” the deputy majority leader added.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has said that the Philippines’s mining potential remains untapped despite beginning the discussions to rationalize the country’s mining fiscal regime in 2012.

The Department of Finance (DOF) pushing for a “Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime” policy that the DOF said would simplify the tax system, ensure the government’s fair share in mining revenues and establish good governance in the mining industry.

BDO

and CEO Nestor V.

has under-

the bank’s crucial role in effectively connecting the increasing supply of capital from the sustainable investment community to meet the rising demand for sustainable financing.

“We remain committed to our sustainability philosophy as we continue to ingrain sustainability in all aspects of the business while transitioning to a low carbon economy,” Tan said during a forum in the first week of the month.

As a pioneer in sustainable financing, BDO aims to lead by example in promot-

issued to meet the requirements and objectives of Executive Order (EO) 398 (series of 2005) that mandates all government agencies to require contractors to pay taxes in full and on time.

Contractors must regularly present, within the duration of the contract, a tax clearance from the BIR as well as a copy of its income and business tax returns duly stamped and received by the BIR. Failure to do so gives the government the power to suspend payment for any goods or services the private contracting party delivers.

Reine Juvierre Alberto

Health& Fitness

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Early detection is key to fighting leukemia–expert

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

September is World Leukemia month, a time to raise awareness about leukemia, the leading blood cancer in the philippines, surpassing lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

Leukemia, according to the Department of health (DOh ), is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that happens when the body makes too many abnormal white blood cells.

These abnormal white blood cells are unable to fight infections, but only impair the ability of the bone marrow to produce other important blood cells like red blood cells and platelets.

Dr. Jasmin V. Reyes-Igama, President of the Philippine College of h ematology and Transfusion Medicine, said that leukemia ranks 8th in morbidity and 5th in mortality.

Causes Le U ke MIA occurs when the genetic information of cells that produce white blood cells become mutated over time. This leads to increased produc -

tion of immature white blood cells that are unable to function normally.

Various factors may increase the chances of developing leukemia:

n e xposure to high levels of radiation

n Repeated exposure to certain chemicals (for example, benzene)

n Chemotherapy

n Down Syndrome

n A strong family history of leukemia

n Increasing age

Symptoms

The DOh said that symptoms of leukemia vary depending on the type and stage but they can include the following:

n Fever, chills, night sweats and other flu-like symptoms

n Weakness and fatigue

n Swollen or bleeding gums

n headaches

n e nlarged liver and spleen

n Swollen tonsils and lymph nodes

n Bone pain

n Pallor

n Tiny red spots on the skin

n Weight loss

n Frequent infections

Because the exact cause of leukemia remains unknown, the DOh said, there is no certain way to prevent it.

“ h owever, avoiding exposure to solvents, such as benzene and toluene, and unnecessary exposure to radiation may reduce the risk of developing leukemia in the future.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Igama emphasized the importance of early detection.

“With only 120 adult hematologists, mostly in Metro Manila, early detection through simple tests like a complete blood count is vital. e arly detection saves lives. Join us in the fight—your action today could mean a cure tomorrow,” Dr. Igama said.

Metro Pacific Health, Cebuana Lhuillier partner to Enhance Healthcare Access for Employees

Me TRO Pacific health (MPh ), the largest group of private hospitals and healthcare facilities in the Philippines, recently announced its latest partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier, the country’s leading microfinancial services provider.

This strategic alliance marks MPh ’s second network-wide collaboration, following the successful partnership with PLDT-Smart, and underscores its continuing commitment to becoming the preferred healthcare provider for corporate partners across the nation.

Alagang MVP: Prioritizing Employee Well-Being

Th ROUG h the Alagang MVP (Most Valuable Patient) program, MPh will deliver a comprehensive healthcare experience tailored specifically for Cebuana Lhuillier’s executives, employees, and their dependents. This collaboration ensures that they will have priority access to MPh ’s extensive network of hospitals, including exclusive benefits such as e xecutive Check-Ups ( e CU), Annual Physical e xams (APe ), Inpatient (IP) and Outpatient (OP) services, and e mergency Room ( e R) care.

“We are excited to embark on this journey with Cebuana Lhuillier, a company that shares our deep commitment to enhancing, uplifting, and elevating the lives of Filipinos. Through this partnership, we promise to provide exceptional care with our trademark

The Zen Institute, a leading provider of holistic wellness solutions, today announced its top four Vietura treatments designed to help individuals defy aging and achieve optimal health. These cutting-edge therapies, known for their effectiveness and safety, address key aspects of the aging process and overall well-being:

n Colonic Hydrotherapy: This gentle yet powerful treatment helps cleanse the colon, promoting digestive health, boosting immunity, and improving energy levels.

n Ozone Therapy: This innovative therapy utilizes ozone to revitalize cells, enhance circulation, and sup -

empathy and understanding, ensuring that Cebuana Lhuillier employees receive the best healthcare services available, which they truly deserve,” said Jessica “Isca” Abaya, MPh Group Chief Marketing Officer.

A Commitment to Accessible and Compassionate Care

The partnership was officially launched with a signing ceremony on August 13, 2024, at the Leadership Boardroom of MPh . Following the successful launch, Cebuana Lhuillier employees can now

benefit from priority scheduling for swift and convenient appointment bookings, on-site assistance to enhance their experience at MPh facilities, and access to everyday affordable pricing along with special group discounts on key procedures.

MPh ’s collaboration with Cebuana Lhuillier is part of its broader strategy to provide accessible and compassionate healthcare to corporate clients, ensuring that employees can easily access the care they need, when they need it. The partnership will also leverage digital

solutions, including online booking options and digital payment systems, to streamline the healthcare experience for Cebuana Lhuillier’s workforce.

Strengthening Healthcare for Corporate Partners

W IT h a network of 24 hospitals across the country, Metro Pacific h ealth continues to lead the way in delivering world-class medical care. The partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier is another testament to MPh ’s dedication to expanding its reach and providing top-tier healthcare services to more Filipinos.

“Our goal is to set a new standard in corporate healthcare partnerships, ensuring that every employee under our care feels valued and well taken care of. This partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier is just one of many steps we are taking to achieve that larger, grander vision of premiere healthcare for all Filipinos,” added Abaya.

For more information about the partnership and the healthcare services available to Cebuana Lhuillier employees, please contact Cebuana Lhuillier’s h R team, Ma. Veronica Valientes h R Development Vice President and Division h ead e mail: mvvalientes@pjlhuillier.com Phone: (0919) 999 7166 or Aileen Domingo Benefits Lead, h R Shared Services Department e mail: adomingo@pjlhuillier.com Phone: (0966) 189 5821

The Philippine h ealth Insurance Corporation (Philh ealth) has assured the public that it covers hospitalization due to leptospirosis and dengue, two common conditions affecting Filipinos during the rainy season. Its dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic benefit packages are currently at P13,000 and P16,000, respectively while coverage for leptospirosis is at P14,300.

During rainy season it is observed that there is an increase in the prevalence of water and vector-borne communicable diseases. According to the World h ealth Organization (W h O), water-borne diseases are brought about by water contamination which is a major risk factor associated with flooding. On the other hand, incidence of vector-borne diseases increases due to stagnant water that serves as breeding sites for mosquitoes.

The Department of h ealth (DO h ) has recorded 2,115 leptospirosis cases from January to July 2024, while dengue cases nationwide have affected 208,965 Filipinos as of September 6, 2024.

Phil health Chief e mmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. has assured the public that these benefits are available year-round and can be availed of by anyone hospitalized for these conditions at any accredited health facility nationwide.

“Aside from dengue and leptospirosis, your Phil h ealth is aggressively enhancing the other benefit packages to provide adequate financial risk protection to all our kababayans. Asahan po ninyo ang patuloy na pagbuti ng mga benepisyo bilang bahagi ng aming programang Pinalawak at mga Bagong Benepisyo para sa Mamayang Pilipino [You can all

look forward to the continued improvement of benefits as part of our e xpanded and New Benefits program for Filipino Citizens],” he added.

Ledesma announced the recently board approved increase of its package for severe dengue hemorrhagic fever from P16,000 to P47,000, to take effect once the policy has been issued. he also emphasized that all Filipinos are immediately eligible to the benefits as provided for in the Universal h ealth Care Law.

“We continue to remind our members that they are supposed to enjoy your benefits prior to discharge from the facility, even if one has concerns on their contributions,” the Phil h ealth Chief noted. “Ito po ay garantiya ng batas kaya dapat i-observe ng lahat lalo na sa mga ospital [This is guaranteed by law so all hospitals should observe this].”

If ever there are missed payments on the part of the member, he said that these can be settled after the patient has enjoyed the benefits. “Ang mahalaga ay nagamot muna ang pasyente at nagamit ang benepisyo. Ito po ang esensiya ng U h C [What is important is that the patient is cared for and he is able to avail of his benefit. That is the essence of U hC],” he explained.

For the first half of 2024, Philhealth has paid over P14.7 million for leptospirosis claims, and more than P1 billion for both hemorrhagic and severe dengue.

For further inquiries on benefits and services, members may call Phil h ealth’s 24/7 hotline at (02) 866-225-88 or at mobile numbers (Smart) 0998-857-2957, 0968865-4670, (Globe) 0917-1275987 or 0917-1109812.

Mport the body’s natural detoxification processes.

n Stem Cell Therapy: This advanced treatment harnesses the regenerative power of stem cells to repair and rejuvenate tissues, promoting healing and reducing the effects of aging.

n Bone Joint Mobility Wellness: This comprehensive program focuses on improving bone health, joint mobility, and overall musculoskeletal function, reducing pain and enhancing quality of life.

A k ATI Medical Center (MakatiMed) continues to pioneer groundbreaking cardiac care, as the e lectrophysiology Group of the hospital’s Section of Cardiology performed a leadless pacemaker implantation, a first in MakatiMed’s history for arrhythmia interventions.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Anthony B. k ing Jr. and his team on a female patient under the care of Dr. Mary Milagros D. Uy who presented with high-grade atrioventricular (AV) block following bypass surgery. Traditional pacemakers use a transvenous approach, requiring wires (leads) and a subcutaneous pocket for the device. h owever, the new leadless pacemaker eliminates these components, reducing the risks associated with traditional pacemakers, such as lead displacement, pneumothorax (air leakage between lung and chest wall), cardiac tamponade, lead

fractures, and infections.

The revolutionary leadless pacemaker technology integrates the entire system into the right ventricle of the heart, leveraging advancements in battery and miniaturization technology. This innovative strategy offers patients a safer and more efficient alternative to conventional pacemakers, improving post-surgery outcomes and reducing complications.

The MakatiMed Section of Cardiology takes great pride in this achievement, underscoring its commitment to bringing quality cardiac care to its patients. For more information about Makati Medical Center’s Cardiology Services, you may contact the Section of Cardiology through MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888

Traders buying palay at lower prices–group

TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia

RADERS are purchasing unmilled rice at lower prices due to an anticipated supply glut during the peak harvest months of October and November, according to the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF).

FFF said it received reports from reports from Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Mindoro Occidental, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato that farmgate prices have fallen to a range of P21 to P23 per kilo. In some parts of Nueva Ecija, the country’s rice granary, traders are buying palay at P16.50 per kilo.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the average farmgate price of unmilled rice in the second quarter reached P24.54 per kg.

“Traders are afraid that the

fresh harvests will coincide with the arrival of cheap imports, resulting in oversupply. So, they play safe by buying low from farmers,” FFF National Manager Raul Montemayor said in a statement.

The group also expressed concern that the National Food Authority (NFA) may not be able to intervene in case farmgate prices drop further.

“The agency’s funds were depleted by heavy procurement during the previous season when it raised its buying price to P29 per

kilo,” it said. “Also, almost 95 percent of farmers cannot meet the NFA’s quality specifications due to the lack of drying and other post-harvest facilities.”

Montemayor added that the apprehensions were exacerbated by the reduction in tariffs on rice imports to 15 percent under Executive Order (EO) 62 which took

‘UK to regain status as one of PHL’s top poultry suppliers’

THE United Kingdom aims to reclaim its status as one of the Philippines’s top suppliers of poultry products following Manila’s decision to lift a 3-year ban it imposed on British poultry due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Order (MO) 34 last August which authorized the lifting of the ban. He said the Department of Agriculture (DA) found that there was “negligible risk of contamination” from British poultry meat.

“Poultry was, in the past, our second largest export to the Philippines. Why not become the (largest) sometime in the years to come?” British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils

told reporters on the sidelines of a trade event in Makati City on Tuesday.

“We’ve lost three years, sadly, so I think importers and traders have to get reacquainted with the UK market, with UK suppliers, and recognize the opportunity that is presented to them. Once they do, I think the sky’s the limit because they’ll be importing large quantities [of poultry products].”

To bolster confidence among industry stakeholders, the embassy said a regionalization agreement has been forged between the UK and the Philippines last May.

“This agreement specifies that farms, hatcheries, and slaughterhouses in affected districts will be ineligible to export, while those in unaffected areas can proceed

under strict health protocols,” the British embassy said in a statement.

Beaufils said the regionalization agreement with the Philippines showed that the DA and the UK’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs have forged a “strong relationship based on trust but also on science and data.”

She added that this would also entail a sustained trade despite bird flu cases in certain areas of the UK.

“That’s the whole idea of regionalization. Even where there may be a region where there’s avian flu, that will not detract from exporting from other regions in the country. The flow can be steady again, which is ultimately what

effect last July. He also noted that retail prices have decreased by an average of P0.40 per kilo since then compared to the promised drop of P7 per kilo.

importers want here as well.”

Meanwhile, the Meat Importers and Traders Association (Mita) said the regionalization was a “step in the right direction.”

“This regionalization of bird flu for the UK is a good sign because the DA now is also requesting for position papers on the regionalization of ASF countries,” Mita President Emeritus Jesus Cham told reporters.

Data from the British embassy showed that bilateral trade between the UK and the Philippines reached an “all-time high” of £2.8 billion in 2023, with UK meat becoming the second-most exported commodity at £37.2 million.

“With UK poultry back on the menu, we anticipate significant growth in these figures.” Ada Pelonia

‘Adherence to biosecurity measures crucial to fighting ASF’

VACCINATING pigs against Africa swine fever (ASF) alone will not prevent more outbreaks of the fatal hog disease, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

DA officials appealed to raisers and other stakeholders in the local farm sector to continue observing stringent biosecurity measures to stop the spread of ASF, which recently struck farms in Batangas—a major hog-producing region in the Philippines.

They also announced last Tuesday that initial results from vaccination drive it conducted in Lobo, Batangas, showed that most of the inoculated pigs remain in good health.

“The ELISA test results showed the presence of antibodies against ASF in some pigs, indicating they are building immunity. All remaining pigs are healthy and under

close observation,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Constante Palabrica said in a statement.

The DA said ELISA measures the immune response by detecting antibody levels. An increase in percentage blocking suggests stronger immunity.

“The DIVA test distinguishes between vaccinated pigs and those infected with the field virus, which will help determine if the virus in the deceased pigs is linked to the vaccine or external sources.

Apart from vaccination, Palabrica said there is also a need to implement “comprehensive measures” that would help curb the spread of the disease.

“Vaccination is crucial, but it must be accompanied by stringent biosecurity practices to prevent further outbreaks. Honest and timely reporting from farmers is essential for the program’s success.”

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. reaffirmed the government’s commitment to finding “a long-term ASF solution” and expressed optimism about the vaccine’s potential.

“These initial results are part of a broader effort to protect our swine population. We remain hopeful, but cooperation from all stakeholders is vital. Strict adherence to vaccination protocols and biosecurity measures is crucial.”

The DA said it is committed to providing further updates as ongoing tests are completed and analyzed.

“The 30-day post-vaccination period is critical for assessing vaccine effectiveness and ensuring the health of the remaining pigs.”

Laurel had issued Special Order (SO) 1265, which designated Agriculture Assistant Secretary Constante J. Palabrica as leader of the task force on ASF vacci -

nation. BAI Officer-in-Charge

Hyacinth G. Napiloy and BAI Livestock Research and Development Division chief Marivic M. De Vera are vice-chairs.

“The task force shall provide the oversight on the implementation of the controlled roll-out on the use of vaccine against ASF,” SO 1265 read.

The government began its pig vaccination drive in Lobo, Batangas last August 30. ASF struck hog farms in a number of towns in Batangas, which is one of the country’s major hog-producing provinces.

The DA said it is mulling over the grant of ASF vaccine subsidy for backyard raisers. The initial cost of the vaccines could range from P400 to P500 per dose.

Aside from vaccinating pigs, the government had also set up livestock checkpoints to control the spread of the virus. Ada Pelonia

UP-PCC study seen improving buffalo breeding program

By Bless Aubrey Ogerio

THE domesticated buffaloes in the Philippines, long thought to be subspecies, are two distinct species, according to the results of a joint study conducted by researchers from the University of the Philippines and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC).

The group debunked claims that the market’s slow reaction to the tariff cut was because traders were first disposing of stocks bought at higher prices in previous months.

“It does not make sense for traders to hold on to cheap stocks imported with 15 percent tariff while retail prices are still high. They are in fact maximizing their profits now instead of passing on their tariff savings to consumers.”

Citing import data from the Bureau of Customs, the group said the declared cost of imported rice with 5 percent brokens, inclusive of the 15 percent tariff in July and August, was only P34 per kilo. It added that in turn, retail prices of equivalent rice grades in the local market averaged over P55 per kilo, indicating a P20 per kilo profit margin for traders.

The group estimated that the government lost around P3.4 billion in customs duties from 581,000 metric tons of dutiable imports that entered the country in July and August as a result of the reduction in rice tariffs.

Parched fields threaten wheat sowing in key Black Sea region

DRIED out soils in Russia and Ukraine are threatening plantings for next year’s wheat harvest, yet another headache for farmers hit by weather setbacks and the ongoing war.

Swaths of land across the nations, which together account for more than a quarter of all wheat exports, are too dry to plant some crops on. While there’s still plenty of time for conditions to improve and farmers to catch up, the challenges risk shortening the sowing window for winter crops that make up the bulk of their annual production.

Most of European Russia is experiencing “tremendous dryness,” said Dmitry Rylko, director of Moscow-based consultant IKAR. “Farmers were hesitant to sow in the dust.”

It’s an early reminder of potential supply risks for next season. While wheat prices are well below a peak set following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, they’ve edged up in recent weeks in part due to Black Sea supply concerns. Ukraine’s wheat output is about a third below pre-war levels after it lost land to the invasion. Russia’s latest crop shrank roughly 10 percent due to unfavorable weather.

Russian farmers have planted 6.3 million hectares (15.5 million acres) of winter crops excluding oilseeds so far, the lowest for this time of year in more than a decade, according to IKAR. Ukraine’s planted area is about half of what it was this time last year.

Heat and dryness has left some fields too dry, including for other crops such as rapeseed. Temperatures up to 7C above normal in Ukraine and western Russia in the second week of September “exacerbated drought” for winter-crop

planting and early growth, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Ukrainian farm company HarvEast’s land has been too dry to sow winter crops and carry out essential work to prepare for planting, Chief Executive Officer Dmitry Skornyakov said.

“We can be pretty sure of a decrease in rapeseed hectares in Ukraine because the reasonable time to seed it” will soon run out, he said. “Regarding wheat and barley, we still have time.” The weather issues add to difficult situations for farmers. Regions now occupied by Moscow had been major agricultural producers, while farmers elsewhere in Ukraine have been working despite land contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance and a shortage of labor due to mobilization. Russia has also experienced a shortage of workers in industry and agriculture due to the war.

Though benchmark Chicago wheat futures are more than 50 percent below a peak set in 2022, there are signs of tightening supplies. Prices recently touched the highest since June, and the USDA forecasts global stockpiles to be at a nine-year low this season. Rain this week should aid soil moisture slightly for Black Sea wheat, but much more is needed for a significant improvement to ease worries over dryness, forecaster Maxar said. Still, farmers have until around October or November to catch up with plantings, if the weather improves.

If the European part of Russia gets good rains before midOctober and the weather remains warm, then “it’s not very dangerous yet,” IKAR’s Rylko said. Bloomberg News

Genetic and chromosomal analyses done by researchers showed that the swamp buffalo, previously classified as Bubalus bubalis carabanensis, should now be recognized as Bubalus kerabau Fitzinger, 1860, while the riverine buffalo will still be known as Bubalus bubalis bubalis. Farmers have traditionally crossbred these buffaloes to enhance milk and meat production. However, the recent findings may lead to a reevaluation of this practice, as unsuccessful hybrids may fail to meet desired traits.

“Confusions on the classifications of the two buffaloes have implications on the breeding program of these species,” said Dr. Ian Kendrich Fontanilla, one

of the lead researchers from UP. Swamp buffaloes, typically used as draught animals, are smaller, weighing between 325 and 450 kilograms, and feature crescentshaped horns. Their meat could appeal to niche markets centered on sustainable or traditional farming methods.

Meanwhile, the larger riverine buffalo, which weighs up to

1,000 kilograms with curly horns, is primarily raised for milk and meat production. Renowned for its high-quality milk, the riverine buffalo’s dairy products, such as mozzarella and other cheeses, could be more effectively marketed as premium items.

“These results corroborate the observed differences in their appearances and uses,” said Dr. Lilian Villamor from the PCC.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the coun -

try has a significant population of dairy carabaos (local swamp buffaloes). As of September 2023, they made up 33.2 percent of the total dairy animal inventory, with approximately 98,880 heads. Dairy carabao milk averaged P74.36 per liter in the third quarter of 2023, despite a slight decrease from the previous year. It remains significantly more valuable than cow’s milk, which averaged P37.60 per liter.

Filinvest Land Tops Off Building A in Futura One in Fora Dagupan hub

MULTI -awarded and trusted property

developer Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI) recently held a topping-off ceremony for the first building of Futura One within the mixed-use Fora Dagupan hub. This milestone has opened a new chapter for aspiring homeowners to experience modern condo living in the heart of Dagupan City.

With the completion of Building A’s structural framework, it’s full steam ahead for Dagupan City’s first masterplanned condo community. It will be ready to welcome its first batch of residents to a dynamic lifestyle by the second quarter of 2025.

Spanning 2.3 hectares, Futura One dedicates 69 percent of its property to lush open spaces complete with familycentric amenities for leisure, relaxation, and staying healthy. Among these are a clubhouse with swimming pools, refreshing pocket parks, and active spaces including a fitness gym, playground, basketball court, and pet area.

This dynamic community will be composed of seven mid-rise modernminimalist buildings, each eight storeys high with ground floor parking. It ensures a low-density and secure environment for its residents to nurture their bright

Experience

a bigger

future amidst the bustling Dagupan City.

To meet the high demand of the market for smaller units, Futura One’s Building A offers more studio units compared to its two-bedroom units. These efficient living spaces are built with embedded columns and beams that maximize the area for optimal use. Unit owners can also choose to lease out their unit and tap into the city’s booming rental market.

Futura One is strategically located along the accessible Dagupan-Binmaley road in Barangay Lucao. Schools, churches, hospitals, malls, and other lifestyle essentials are within reach, creating seamless condo living at the heart of progress. Located within Filinvest’s up-and-coming Fora Dagupan residential township, residents will soon enjoy a community center composed of a supermarket, family-oriented dining,

various retail establishments, and transportation hubs.

With its prime location and modern amenities that promote a balanced lifestyle, land values in Futura One are projected to appreciate over time. These unique features make it an ideal investment opportunity.

For over 60 years now, Filinvest Land continues to build Filipino dreams by responding to the evolving needs and lifestyles of its market. Futura One’s Building A is another testament to the company’s long-standing commitment to provide quality condo living in progressive urban centers such as Dagupan City.

To know more about this flourishing community, interested parties can contact (0917) 545-7788 / (0919) 0764758 or visit the project website: https:// futurabyfilinvest.com/project/futura-onefora-dagupan for more info.

Oktoberfest celebration at Newport World Resorts

DEEMED its most authentic and bigger than ever celebration this year, Oktoberfest at Newport World Resorts is back for its highly anticipated second edition on October 24 to 26, 2024 at Hilton Manila. The country’s premier lifestyle and entertainment destination is set to welcome more than 1,000 fest-goers for three days of indulgence in Bavarian fare, live entertainment, and overflowing steins. The iconic beer festival from Munich, Germany has now become one of the property’s most-awaited signature festivals, thanks to popular demand since launching last year.

“At Newport World Resorts, we take pride in creating experiences that are as authentic as they are enjoyable. This year’s Oktoberfest is no exception. We’ve gone all out to bring you the very best of Oktoberfest, right here at the country’s premier lifestyle and entertainment destination,” Newport World Resorts Chief Marketing Officer David Jorden shared during the media launch.

For this edition, bier lovers will enjoy a selection of classic Bavarian draft beers from the Weihenstephan Brewery, the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery. Serving up an even grander spread of Bavarian favorites, attendees will be treated to hefty servings of freshly baked pretzels and German rye bread with flavorful dips, Munich-style sausage salad, platters of pork bratwurst and frankfurter paired with tangy sauerkraut, crispy pork knuckle, chicken schnitzel, and cheese-topped spaetzle. To top off this Bavarian-style feast, indulge in baked apple tart and Kaiserschmarrn for dessert.

From October 24 to 26, starting every 6 pm, The Ballroom of Hilton Manila will be fully decked out into a traditional Bavarian beer hall with classic long benches, festive buntings, checkered tablecloths for guests to gather round. To complete the experience, worldrenowned AnTon Showband all the way from Austria, will keep everyone dancing and celebrating all night.

PAPI marks Golden Anniversary

THE Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) marks and celebrates its milestone Golden (50th) Anniversary on September 20, 2024 with a commemorative program at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

Founded in 1974, following the declaration of Martial Law on September 21, 1972 which saw the closure of all private media outfits in the Philippines, except Bulletin Today and the provincial newspaper Island Observer in Oriental Mindoro, publishers met in Manila to find ways to address the problem and present their plight to the Martial Law authorities.

The media leaders, led by Bulletin Today publisher, Gen. Hans M. Menzi, then an aide of President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. shortly organized PAPI as a non-stock and non-profit corporation. Its incorporators were Raul L. Locsin (Business) Juan A. Perez (Philippine Daily Express), Kerima P. Tuvera (Evening Post) and Rosario B. Olivarez (Journal Group of Companies).

PAPI’s first set of corporate officers were Menzi, president; Mariano B. Quimzon (Bulletin Today), secretary-treasurer; Sol L. Villa, overall coordinator; and Robert M. Mendoza. executive director. Included in its national board were the association’s regional chairmen from the country’s 11 regions then: Oseo Hamada (Baguio Midland Courier), Region I; Claudio Cortez (Cagayan Star), Region 2; Benigno Razon (Tarlac Star), Region 3; Mario S. Romero (The Island Observer), Region 4; Ramon Toleram (Naga Times), Region 5; Aurelio Servando, Jr. (Weekly Scope), Region 6; Zoilo Dejaresco, Jr., (Bohol Chronicle), Regions 7 &; 8; Armando Lopez (Zamboanga Times), Region 9; Bienvenido Cruz (Mindanao Star), Region 10; and Gil Abarico (Mindanao Mail), Region 11.  PAPI is reputedly the largest media fraternity in the Philippines today. Its membership ranks include about 400 community newspaper publishers in the regions and provinces, media executives, communicators and actively practicing journalists in print, broadcast and online media platforms, as well as campus journalists as associate members.

Incumbent PAPI president Nelson Santos said they have invited President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to keynote their anniversary program, along with other key

government and private sector leaders as special guests to their milestone event.

Santos said their program also includes a post dinner Fellowship Social cum Entertainment that will feature notable musical numbers and a KATHABI Fashion Show, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOSTPTRI) that will showcase Philippine fabrics developed from native fibers.

The PAPI event has the sponsorship support of DOST-PTRI, DOST NCR, APCU, PCSO, BAUERTEK Farmaceutical Technologies, FFCCCII, EPSI, Feliz Y Prosperidad Mining Corp. Our media partners the Manila Times, net 25 Radyo Agila and Pilipinas Ngayon DWIZ. With Santos in PAPI’s incumbent leadership, are Johnny P. Dayang, (who previously served as PAPI president for over 20 years) National Board Chairman Emeritus; Rebecca M. Velasquez, executive vice president/ Board secretary; Alma O. Ochotorena, vice president for Luzon; Dr. Paulus L. Canete, vice president-Visayas; Angelina S. Lim, vice president-Mindanao; Leonida P. Cardona; treasurer; Francia A. Orlain, assistant  treasurer; Jimmy C. Vistar and Eduardo L. Cardona, directors-Luzon; Edalyn B, Acta and Danilo N. Silvestrece, directors-Visayas; and Anila B. Acosta and Elpedio B. Soriano, Jr., directorsMindanao.

Lucky Chinatown’s Mid-Autumn art installation pays homage to the Moon Goddess Chang’e

LMid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a time for families to gather and celebrate the harvest, enjoy the full moon, and give thanks for the blessings of the past year. The festival is rich with stories, including that of the legend of the Moon Goddess Chang’e. Mooncakes, which are often shared among loved ones, are a traditional food associated with this celebration, and some mooncakes may even have images or symbols related to Chang’e.

Tolak Angin: Indonesia’s Legacy Herbal Relief Returns to the

PHL

Get first dibs on Oktoberfest tickets with an early bird promotion of P4,900 nett per person until September 30. The regular price goes for P5,400 nett per person from October 1. All Oktoberfest ticket holders can avail an overnight stay at Hilton Manila with breakfast for two (2) at a special rate of PHP 7,500 nett per room valid during the festival. Guests can also retreat in Holiday Inn Express - Newport City’s overnight stay package inclusive of breakfast for two (2) at PHP 4,000 nett. Join the festivities and enjoy exclusive offers through www.newportworldresorts.com/ oktoberfest-2024. For more information on Oktoberfest 2024 at Newport World Resorts, visit www.newportworldresorts.com and follow @newportworldresorts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Every visit is made more rewarding with an Epic Rewards membership, download the Epic Rewards Mobile App for free at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

ARE you ready to feel “Ginhawa” and “Hagod” all in one sachet? Get ready because Tolak Angin is about to bring the “GinHagod” feeling you’ve been craving to the Filipino masses. Tolak Angin, the renowned Indonesian herbal supplement, is to be reintroduced to the Philippine market and is ready to bring the GinHagod feeling to every Filipino. With a rise in global interest for natural health solutions, Tolak Angin is set for continued growth in the Philippine herbal supplement market. Committed to quality and expansion, PT Sido Muncul, the company behind Tolak Angin, is exploring new formulations to meet the diverse needs of the Filipino masses.

In the seven decades that it has been in the Indonesian market, Tolak Angin is celebrated for its comprehensive health benefits. It is effective in alleviating symptoms associated with colds, as well as an excellent anti-inflammatory remedy for stomach discomfort and bloating with ingredients such as ginger, fennel and mint.

Tolak Angin are Indonesian words; “Tolak” means to push and “Angin” means wind. Through its blend of herbs, Tolak Angin aids to expel the cold out of our bodies and return it to a natural state of balance in order to heal itself.

The secret of the Ginhawang Hagod or “GinHagod” effect that Tolak Angin brings lies in its carefully curated blend of 12 potent herbs and natural substances, each chosen for their naturally medicinal properties. Ensuring each sachet has quality ingredients that aid in the betterment of one’s immunity and health.

With a growing interest in natural health solutions, Filipinos are looking for trusted, effective remedies, and PT Sido Muncul wishes to bring that. Tolak Angin’s proven track record and natural composition make it an ideal choice for those seeking an alternative to synthetic medications.

Indonesian cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar, while mint, ginger, fennel, cardamom, tree bean and Indian Screw Tree provide anti-inflammatory benefits, soothe the stomach, and aids in digestion. Clove acts as a natural antiseptic and pain reliever. Nutmeg offers calming effects, gotu kola helps with memory and nerve functions, usnea aids in cold symptoms, with honey serving as the natural sweetener that binds it all together. Tolak Angin exemplifies quality ingredients and natural remedies, cementing itself as a trusted companion for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. With its reintroduction to the Philippine market and potential new products on the horizon, Filipinos are sure to have a bright and healthy future ahead. Tolak Angin comes in 15ml sachets at P12. Available at all leading supermarkets, drugstores and convenient stores nationwide. For more details on Tolak Angin email admin.ph@sidomuncul.co.id or call 09165927558.

NEWPORT World Resorts Chief Marketing Officer David Jorden (center left) and Hilton Manila General Manager John Lucas (center right) lead the ceremonial first tapping of the first keg of Oktoberfest 2024 at Newport World Resorts. Also present at the ceremonial tapping are Newport World Resorts VP for F&B Operations Knut Becker (2nd from left), Hilton Manila Director for Operations Iulai Sau (2nd from right), Distributors of Weihenstephan Brewery products Managing Director Larelen Go Dagondon (1st from left), and host Eiffelene Howard (1st from right).

A decade of sunshine SUNSHINE PLACE

THIS September, Sunshine Place celebrates 10 years of joy, creativity and, well, sunshine in the lives of its members. As part of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation, it has become a place for discovering hidden talents, sharing memories, and making friends for seniors and their families and friends.

Tess Castaneda, 74, calls it her happy place. “By joining various activities like dancing, workouts, art classes and more, I had the opportunity to lead an active lifestyle for the overall wellness of mind, body, and soul. I also was able to socialize with members and gain new friends.”

Here, members and instructors share with us their stories of sunshine.

ART IS FOR ALL AGES

CONCHITINA SEVILLA BERNARDO says the Sunshine Place came to her at just the right time. She had just turned 70, and after a fast-paced life in the diplomatic circle as the wife of a former ambassador, she “was looking for a place where I could search for whatever creative talent” she may have.

This woman of style found it in Sunshine Place which was “delightfully so close to my residence,” and would tag along her granddaughters to her painting classes. Ella, who was then 6 years old, showed much interest and excelled in it. Today, Lala, as she is called, and Ella share many creative moments painting together.

As a bank executive and later executive director of the SM Foundation, Linda Atayde says she “grew up believing I had no artistic bone in my body.” That

was until she enrolled at the Sunshine Place’s Ikebana Flower arrangement class. That led to many other creative pursuits including writing memoir and short story writing. During the pandemic, she along with other classmates managed to stay happy, healthy, and optimistic with “online classes in dancing, studying French and Spanish, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong exercises.” Today, her granddaughter Mandy joins her in the Sunshine Place’s art classes. “We cannot overemphasize the benefits we gained from our active participation in the activities of Sunshine Place,” she says.

THE WRITE STUFF MANY members were also surprised to find their voice in writing workshops at Sunshine Place, especially those conducted by Oscar Penaranda and Dr. Joem Antonio.

Antonio, who has won eight Don Carlos Palanca awards for plays and short stories, says “it has been a great pleasure to conduct workshops in Sunshine Place. There is something about the venue that draws very interesting people in.” In the workshops he has given there, he has met “grandmothers, doctors, fellow artists, and many others who arrived initially just to learn to write stories; one of them, I ended up collaborating in different book projects.” In all those workshops, Sunshine Place “has always felt hospitable and conducive to writing. It is, as its name does suggest, a place of sunshine in the city.”

Although he is based abroad, writer and educator Oscar Penaranda, who has taught, influenced and

inspired several generations of Filipinos in the US and Canada, still finds time to visit Sunshine Place for workshops from time to time.

Chit Mijares Chua, who has taken writing workshops under Oscar and Barbara Gonzales, says she likes the quiet joy and lightness of Sunshine Place. “Confidence, productive me-time, courage to step out of the box, peace, gaining a friend or two—Sunshine Place gives me those,” she says.

THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC

MUSIC therapy instructor Czarina Cruel says that Sunshine Place has been her second home for one and a half years, and “I am having the time of my life.” She says music therapy “is a journey of a thousand steps, faces, experiences, and realizations in this corner of the sky with a burst of music, laughter and, yes, sunshine.”

One of her students, Harvey Chua says that Sunshine Place brings the sunshine in her life especially since her husband’s passing six years ago. Here, she meets up with friends and gets involved in activities to make her life more enjoyable.

GRACIOUS LIVING

SUNSHINE Place also highlights gracious living with its Ikebana and Porcelain Painting classes.

“Teaching Ikebana at Sunshine Place has been very fulfilling and given me a lot of joy,” says instructor Marc Tomas. “Seeing young and most especially notso-young members pick up a new skill and hobby and seeing their excitement every time they come to my class gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

Wake-up call: Do you have daytime sleepiness?

IT’S the start of a new day: You’ve had your morning shower and a hot cup of coffee. A jam-packed schedule awaits you. There’s just one hitch: You can’t keep your eyes open and would rather crawl back in bed and spend the rest of the day catching up on your zzzzs.

“When you’re feeling sleepy in the morning, it’s assumed that you haven’t had the recommended eight hours of sleep the night before,” says Maria Patricia Ann T. Puno, MD, Sleep Medicine Specialist from Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www.makatimed.net.ph). “Maybe you were up late working, partying, or binge-watching your latest K-drama obsession. Perhaps you’re getting over jet lag or looking after a newborn that needs your constant attention.”

Having the right quantity of good quality sleep is important to stave off excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). But what if you did sleep for eight or more hours yet still feel it isn’t enough? And what if it happens often enough that it affects your ability to handle your responsibilities at home and on the job? It’s called hypersomnia, according to MakatiMed. Defined by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders as “the inability to stay awake and alert during the major waking episodes of the day, resulting in unintended lapses into drowsiness or sleep,” hypersomnia is identified by a number of symptoms.

“Patients with hypersomnia display constant sleepiness throughout the day, difficulty staying up despite having adequate hours of sleep, irritability, lack of energy and appetite,” notes Puno. “Moreover, they don’t benefit from power naps and remain sluggish even after a bit of shut eye.”

Identifying and treating the underlying causes of excessive sleepiness is key to the management of hypersomnia.

“When taken during the day, antihistamines, anti-epileptic drugs, antipsychotic medications, and muscle relaxants

can induce sleepiness,” reveals Puno. “Medical conditions like head trauma, hypothyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, a tumor, sleep apnea, and mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder have also been known to make you sleepy throughout the day.”

But hypersomnia can be a condition in itself, too, the result of genetics or of rare sleep disorders. “Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by the sudden urge to sleep deeply. It’s said to be caused by a lack of orexin, a neurotransmitter that helps you stay awake,” explains Puno.

“Kleine-Levin Syndrome is even rarer. Besides exhibiting chronic daytime sleepiness, patients with this condition also show varying degrees of behavioral and cognitive disturbances.” Kleine-Levin Syndrome’s cause is unknown, though it’s believed that illness or injury to the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that manages our sleep, is behind it.

With a proper diagnosis, hypersomnia can be treated with antidepressants, stimulants, and medications designed specifically for narcolepsy. “If you are currently taking prescription drugs whose side effect includes drowsiness, ask your primary physician if it’s possible to lower the dose or find an alternative,” shares Puno.

Simple lifestyle changes can also keep you awake when you need to be. “For daytime sleepiness caused by disruptions before bedtime, try turning in earlier than usual so you can clock longer hours at night,” says Puno.

“Daily 20-minute exercise can improve the quality of your sleep; so can relaxation techniques like meditation. Take stimulants like coffee, but not too much to affect your sleeping at night. And a 15-30 minute nap in the middle of the day can do wonders to sharpen your mind and lift your spirits.”

Cynthia Huessaff, one of his students, says she enjoys every Sogetsu Ikebana class where “I meet new interesting ladies and our Sensei Marc has helped us improve our talent in flower arrangements.”

Porcelain painting instructor Mee Lee Casey says it’s not only about learning a new skill, but “we enjoy the friendship and gathering, and occasionally be able to unload or frustrations and worries.

DANCING THEIR HEART AWAY

MEMBERS can also enjoy Dancing, Meditation, Fitness and Therapy classes at Sunshine Place. As members of the Dekada Class, Bella Pilapil, 71; Marilou “Balot” Prudente, 57; Maria Corazon Mendoza, 71; Cecille Ventura, 50; and Rey Legarda, 57 say they can’t imagine life without Sunshine Place, finding it conducive to learning, sharing wisdom and experiences, and further growth especially after retirement. After classes, there are lunches and mahjong sessions “to relax and exercise our brains.”

Another student, Cherry Co says she is now living her dream to become a tap dancer at 53 at Sunshine Place. She also brings her mother Enrica Babao, 84, to the senior hub three times a week. Although her mom’s age and health issues have been challenging for Cherry, Ms. Babao has been active in dance, salsa, chair dance, music classes, and brain enhancement classes. “Mommy was really enjoying, “she says.

“Sunshine gave my mother continuity even if she is a senior. There is life and happiness being part of the Sunshine Place family.”

Sunshine Place is at 56 Jupiter Street, Barangay Bel Air, Makati Metro Manila. n

THE Hope for Lupus Foundation (HFL) successfully hosted a makeup tutorial and demo in partnership with Ever Bilena Cosmetics. The event, aptly titled “HFL Ever Bilena for the Working Lupies,” aimed to uplift and empower lupus warriors who continue to shine despite their challenges.

Participants, composed of hardworking individuals living with lupus, received personalized makeup tips and techniques from renowned makeup artist Martin H. Orosa, Ever Bilena’s digital marketing and events supervisor. The tutorial focused on addressing common skin concerns associated with lupus, such as butterfly rash and uneven skin tone, providing practical solutions for a confident and radiant appearance.

“By equipping our lupus warriors with essential makeup skills, we aim to boost their self-esteem and support their daily endeavors,” said Emmeline Villar, co-founder of Hope for Lupus Foundation. “We are grateful to Ever Bilena Cosmetics for their unwavering commitment to our cause and for providing a platform for our warriors to feel empowered and beautiful.”

The event was made possible through the generous support of Ever Bilena Cosmetics and the dedicated efforts of HFL facilitators.

OF LUPUS WARRIORS

EVER Bilena digital marketing and events supervisor Martin H. Orosa (left) and Hope for Lupus Foundation cofounder Emmeline Villar (center) together with the makeup tutorial and demo participants.

Hills

BIG-HITTING Keanu Jahns fired a sizzling seven-under-par 64 for a one-shot lead in the rainhit

Container Terminal Services Inc. Forest Hills Classic at the Nicklaus course Wednesday in Antipolo. Jahns fired eight birdies against

bogey, while Enrico Gallardo

three birdies in the final four holes of the opening round in the P2 million championship.

An hour-long rain delay did little to slow Jahns’ momentum. After a fiery start through the first 12 holes, he birdied the par-5 16th and finished his round with six straight pars, delivering a championship-caliber 30-34 round.

“I managed the course very well,” Jahns said, attributing his success to his steady driving and sharp iron play. His long-range putting, which saw him sink birdies from 15, 20, and 25 feet, was a particular highlight.

“The greens were a bit softer, so the balls were stopping faster, but I made a lot of long putts, and that really highlighted my round,” he added. However, Jahns knows that a hot start alone won’t secure his first Philippine Golf Tour title. Two months ago at Splendido Taal, he closed with a bogey-free 67 but fell just short, losing by one stroke to veteran Tony Lascuña in the ICTSI Splendido Championship. That near-miss has only sharpened his determination, as he came out firing in this P2 million event, the seventh leg of the Philippine Golf Tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Equally impressive was Gallardo, who came out swinging with a 65, lighting up the course with four consecutive birdies starting at No. 8. Despite a bogey on No. 14, he bounced back with three birdies over the final four holes, posting his best opening round since turning professional in 2017.

“This is my strongest start, and hopefully, I can maintain it for the rest of the week,” said Gallardo, who has had a couple of Top 7 finishes at Caliraya Springs and Lakewood earlier this year. Gallardo, like many players, had to deal with the rain delay but stayed focused throughout. “I didn’t let the stoppage affect me. I just did some stretching and focused on taking it one shot at a time,” he said.

BusinessMirror

13-year-old jungolfer leads pro event by two Sports

B8 | Thursday, sepTemBer 19, 2024 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

YUNJU AN shone bright in the rain, the 13-yearold eclipsing a field of grizzled professionals in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, firing a 73 for a two-stroke lead in the first round of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Forest Hills Classic on Wednesday in Antipolo.

Winner in the Mount Malarayat leg of the Junior PGT Luzon last week, the young South Korean came up with a fine performance under pressure against the pros—she is the only amateur in the 19-player field.

She hit birdie on the opening hole but stumbled with bogeys on holes 2, 9, and 14. Nonetheless, her steady play allowed her to climb to the top of the leaderboard in the opening round of the 54-hole tournament, the seventh leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

“I just took a break and was able to prepare,” Yunju said through an interpreter, reflecting on her time off after her victory in Lipa City, Batangas.

PBA Press Corps fetes veterans Tenorio, Sangalang, Hodge

VETERANS LA Tenorio, Ian Sangalang and Cliff Hodge are part of the honor roll to be recognized by the PBA Press Corps when it holds its 30th Awards Night on Sept. 24 at the Novotel Manila Araneta City. The do-it-all Hodge will be hailed as the Defensive Player of the Year, while Tenorio and Sangalang are the recipients of the Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year award from the group of sportswriters regularly covering Asia’s pioneering pro league.

The event starts at 7:30 p.m. and presented by Cignal.

As Meralco’s long-time pillar at the post, the 36-year-old Hodge averaged 9.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, while providing tons of hustle and hard work that were hardly

reflected in the stats.

Hodge has been with the Bolts since 2012 when the team selected him no. 4 overall during the draft. He played a major part when the franchise finally won a first ever PBA championship when it beat highly-favored San Miguel Beermen in six games of the Philippine Cup finals last season.

Hodge joins Marc Pingris, Chris Jackson, Arwind Santos, Freddie Abuda, Chris Ross, June Mar Fajardo, among others, as recipients of the award.

Tenorio and Sangalang on the other hand, will be honored for their successful return to active duty after their respective bouts with careerthreatening illnesses.

Sangalang was previously diagnosed with hyperthyroidism that

TBy Josef Ramos

HE newly-formed Nasyonal

Mixed Martial Arts Pederasyon ng Pilipinas (NMMAPP) will stage the Asian Mixed Martial Arts (AMMA) Manila Open from October 14 to 16 at the Grand ballroom of the Marriott. Sixteen countries are expected to take part in the 11-division competition supported by 9 Dynasty, with gold medalists earning $8,000, the silver medalists getting $4,000 and bronze medalists $2,000.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, chief of the NMMAPP, and secretarygeneral Alvin Aguilar announced the details of the event in Wednesday’s press conference at the Marriott.

However, despite her inspiring start, she expressed slight disappointment, saying, “I couldn’t hit a lot of birdies,” vowing to stay focused in the upcoming rounds.

Jiwon Lee, coming off a victory at Splendido Taal in her LPGT debut, surged early with two birdies and two bogeys in her first nine holes. But bogeys on Nos. 12 and 14, followed by a double bogey on the par-5 16th, dropped her to joint second with a 75, tied with Florence Bisera and Apple Fudolin.

Bisera, a former LPGT champion at South Pacific, was steady through the first 10 holes, but a costly double bogey on the 12th left her with a 36-39 card, while Fudolin, despite birdieing the eighth and 16th, finished the day with a 38-37 round.

Meanwhile, Sarah Ababa, who also birdied the first hole, found herself sharing the lead despite three bogeys over the next nine holes. However, three additional bogeys in the final five holes dropped her to a tie for fifth, alongside

led him to miss the rest of the league’s Season 47 with Magnolia.

Colon cancer kept Barangay Ginebra team captain Tenorio from the Season 47 Governors’ Cup that finally ended his league record of 744 consecutive games played.

But following their respective treatments, both Sangalang and Tenorio are back in the pink of health and playing again for their respective teams, healthy enough to receive the special award named after PBA great William “Bogs” Adornado, who successfully came back from two career-threatening knee injuries and became a three-time league MVP.

Big prizes at stake in Asian Mixed Martial Arts Manila Open

Rivalries rock

WHAT makes a tournament worth watching? What makes the heart thump and the blood race when playing or watching games?

In one word, rivalry. The intense competition, the satisfaction of getting one up over the other, the sense of fulfillment when the opponent is left eating your dust—these are to-die-for moments for both athletes and fans in any sport.

In truth, rivalry makes the sports world go round. Without it, everything is blah.

When rivals compete, teams and individual athletes always come out with the best version of themselves. Watching games where there is “bad blood,” revenge or a grudge to resolve is much more engaging, and entertaining. According to sports psychology experts, Premier Sport Psychology, rivals are each others’ “best motivators.” Rivalry does increase both effort and performance.

Collegiate sports—and pro sports as well—is full of rivalries. Here, where school spirit runs deep and history (plus tradition) is the dye that steeps students and alumni in their school colors, the loyalty is notches higher, decibels louder and emotions deeper than in leagues or tournaments that have shorter pasts. To draw out emotions better and make team match-ups more memorable, clever people with innate marketing skills have given rivalries catchy titles with handles that resonate well with fans.

Ever heard of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ Battle of the East? Also called The Battle of Morayta—because of the strip of asphalt that separates their campuses—this battle is between the University of the East and Far Eastern University. Although they have not ruled UAAP basketball in recent years, UE and FEU were the Kings of the League in the 60s and 70s, and even beyond. UE won a record seven consecutive basketball crowns from 1965 to 1971.

Trials will be held to determine the country’s representatives in the event featuring 88 fighters.

The events are men’s traditional 60, 65, 71, 85, 120 kgs- and women’s 60 kgs, while also set are competitions in modern men’s 56, 65, 77, and 96 kgsand women’s 54 kgs- class.

“This is a good opportunity for all MMA fighters to show their fighting skills not only in some other fight promotions, but this is also a great avenue for them to fight for their flag and country in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games,” Tolentino said.

“Our Filipino fighters are known for their fighting skills and courage. I believe they will excel in this first Asian Open,” Tolentino added. “But every country here in Asia is competitive and strong because all of them have a strong MMA background.”

Veterans Seoyun Kim and Gretchen Villacencio posted matching 77s, while Kristine Fleetwood recorded a 78 to round out the top contenders. Mikha Fortuna struggled with five bogeys in her final seven holes, finishing with a 79, tied with Velinda Castil, Laurea Duque and Pamela Mariano, while Mafy Singson also had a rough day, carding an 80. It was Harmie Constantino, a three-leg LPGT winner and one of the pre-tournament favorites, who endured the most difficult round. She shot an error-filled 82, marred by six bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine, and failed to recover on the back nine. With two rounds left, local veterans and previous winners, including Lee, are expected to make a push. But Yunju remains focused on capitalizing on her solid opening round and extending her lead over the shaky field.

Blazers stretch streak to four with rout of Altas

COLLEGE of St. Benilde made it four wins in as many games, routing University of Perpetual Help, 78-51, Wednesday in NCAA Season 100 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.

Justin Sanchez scored 13, Tony Ynot added 12 points and Gab Cometa chipped in with 10 as the Blazers tightened their grip on the top spot even as Allen Liwag wound up with just four points and nine rebounds.

“I’m surprised we won by this much, to be honest. Every game we expect to win, but I didn’t expect we would win this big and I’m very happy with the way we played today,” Blazers coach Charles Tiu said.

“We always tell them it’s not about you, you may have a bad game but I want the type of team that even if you struggle, mag contribute ka in other ways,” said Tiu. The Blazers led, 69-40, by the end of the third quarter.

The Altas dropped to 2-2. Jose Rizal University defeated San

Between them UE and FEU have 38 UAAP basketball titles, with FEU having the edge in terms of crowns (20 to UE’s 18). Final Four-wise—the league started its Final Four era only in 1993—FEU has outdone UE, 22-12. They are still the most be-medalled teams to date, together with University of Santo Tomas (18 basketball crowns and may I add, 47 overall championships).

Another rivalry fueled by “territorial rights” is the Battle of Katipunan. Separated by a few kilometers (4.7) more than just an asphalted street, this relatively new rivalry between Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines can get as intense as intense can get.

In the basketball world, the Blue Eagles are miles away from the Fighting Maroons as far as championship trophies is concerned. But the rivalry is thick—extending beyond the basketball court and giving it both academic and lifestyle spins as well.

Of late, this rivalry has taken on a different dimension, especially after Season 84 when underdog UP dealt Ateneo its first loss that ended its four-year, 39-game winning streak. UP went on to dethrone Ateneo that season and since then, the two have been at it in elimination games, final four battles and do-or-die finals. Even in terms of player recruitment, UP and Ateneo have been flexing against each other like the Joneses. Although Maroon and

points to start the season, had 21 points as the Bombers improved to 1-3. The Stags fell to 2-2.

UAAP: Warriors nip Tams ETHAN GALANG nailed the big endgame shots as University of the East beat Far Eastern University, 56-51, Wednesday in the UAAP Season 87 basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum. With UE down by four with less than two minutes to go, Precious Momowei split his free throws before Ethan Galang hit a crucial three-pointer from the left elbow to tie the game at 51 with 1:16 left. After the Tamaraws missed their opportunity on the other end, the Red Warriors turned to Galang once more. He maneuvered to the same spot and sank another three-pointer, giving UE a 54-51 lead with 25 seconds remaining.

Galang finished with 10 points, including the final eight crucial points that secured UE’s first win, improving their record to 1-2 for sixth place in the standings.

Gjerard Wilson contributed 10 points, all scored during the second half, while Rainer Maga added nine points for the Warriors. Nigerian center Momowei finished with seven points and 12 rebounds despite struggling from the field (2-of-7) and the free-throw line (3-of-10).

Jorick Bautista had 16 points for the Tamaraws, winless in three games. FEU joins Ateneo at the bottom of the standings.

Blue make a cool color combination, fashion-wise, these two

Chihiro Ikeda, Miya Legaspi and Kayla Nocum, all of whom carded 76s.

POC chief and NMMAPP President Abraham Tolentino (fourth, from left) is joined by 9 Dynasty’s Derris Wong, AMMA sports director Galastein Tan, AMMA Organizing Committee Chairman Lock Wai Han, NMMAPP Secretary-General Alvin Aguilar and Newport chief marketing officer Mr. David Jorden during the launch of the Asian MMA Manila Open.

KEANU JAHNS hits eight birdies against one bogey. BERNARD TESTA

THE PBA’s Ironman LA Tenorio will be honored by sportswriters covering the league.

SAINT Benilde’s Justin Sanchez battles for a rebound against Perpetual Help’s John Boral.

Envoys&Expats

Well-traveled Malaysian ambassador is a champion and advocate of halal

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

ONE of the best perks of being a diplomat is being able to see and visit countless points of interest around the world.

At least, that was one of the motivations for Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony in joining the foreign service of Malaysia. He admitted that, ever since his days in the university, he has been bitten by the travel bug—thanks to his

was part of it, but it’s more [about the issues that resonate with] me, like human empowerment, peace and security.”

Castelino first joined his country’s private sector after graduation. But when an invitation came for him to join the civil service, he quickly applied for it. Inspiration came from his father, who was once a public servant.

faster.

“I saw how interrelated we can be because of the financial crisis,” Castelino explained. “We have our own policies. But it shows how integrated the world is, and we are not isolated. So, whatever happens in one country, also affects another. That’s when I decided [that this kind of work] is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

focused on diplomacy. It has many facets to it,” he said. “[There are issues to be dealt with,] like peace and security, climate change, health and trade. It opens up [a wider spectrum where one] can contribute.”

Halal cooperation, halal tourism

“Honestly, when I was in university [and] involved in AIESEC, I started traveling a lot,” the ambassador told BusinessMirror in an exclusive. It was during his journeys, however, that his eyes were opened on pressing global concerns. Asked what made him join the foreign service, he shared that “traveling

(International Association of Students in Economics and Business).

After a year of training, his first assignment was in the Ministry of Finance: “I was there…during the Asian financial crisis.”

In 1997, Malaysia experienced its worst economic slump. The ringgit’s value shrank nearly by half, and the stock market contracted by 60 percent. Compared with other Asian countries, the Southeast Asian country was able to weather the storm

Life has its unique way of turning things around, as Malaysia’s Public Service Department decided to reassign him to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—which he found exciting, because the future diplomat learned that, not only will he deal with just financial aspects, but other issues as well.

“Foreign relations is very interesting. It has evolved, and no longer

SINCE starting his stint in 2022 as Malaysia’s head of mission in Manila, Castelino has been trying to find a new area for cooperation.

This year, the envoy saw the potential of halal; particularly, halal tourism.

His vision is for Malaysia to help the Philippines create its own halal hub.

An Islamic country, Malaysia has been the consistent global leader in halal market for the past 10 years, besting 80 other countries, according

to the Global Islamic Economy Index. For many Filipinos, halal is often attributed to the kind of food that Muslims are not permitted to consume, such as pork and liquor. But the term does not only pertain to food and drinks. From the Arabic term meaning “lawful” or “permissibility,” halal is about matters of daily life that encompasses an entire ecosystem: from food production to consumerism. It also extends to modest fashion, cosmetics, media and recreation, travel, pharmaceutical and Islamic finance.

“For goods and services to be considered ‘halal,’ the process must be clean, hygienic, and must be sustainable, and permissible,” Castelino explained.

‘E&E’ - Education cRoSSoVER

Filipinos welcome to study in the UK–British Embassy

THE British government has made it clear: International students are welcome in the United Kingdom (UK), especially Filipinos.

This was emphasized at the recent “Study World: UK and Ireland Education Expo,” which was hosted by IDP Philippines. It was supported by the British Embassy-Manila led by Amb. Laure Beaufils and the British Council, whose representatives graced the event to assure attendees that Filipinos are welcome in the UK. They provided well-attended seminars for aspiring international students bound for the UK.

The British Embassy’s new political counselor Andrew Bowes delivered the opening remarks for the event on behalf of the ambassador.

Current secretary of state for Education Bridget Phillipson also addressed the attendees through a video message, where she shared her desire that “students [will] come from around the world and build bonds with their classmates here in the UK. Because friendships between students become friendships between countries—that’s what education is all about.”

This commitment to nurturing international students, according to IDP, is reflected in the UK’s recent

policies. Their graduate visa program, for example, allows international students to stay longer in the country if they can successfully complete an eligible course. They can remain in the UK for two or three more years to live, work, and make great contributions to the economy and culture.

The expo provided a rare opportunity for attendees to connect directly with representatives from 21 schools in the UK and one from Ireland, as it drew large crowds eager to explore educational opportunities there. Education counselors from IDP Philippines were also on hand and guided students who had questions about the application process and matters related to studying abroad.

PHL’s new chevening scholars

MEANWHILE, the British Embassy and Pru Life UK are jointly funding two Filipino Chevening scholars this year, who will be added to the pool of six scholar-alumni since the latter started supporting the Chevening Scholarship Programme. Chevening, a UK government initiative, aims to develop global leaders

and has a strong history of supporting Filipino scholars in pursuing studies in the UK. This year’s scholars are Jennivabe Allan and Ana Lourdes Cosme. With an advanced education in the UK, Allan aims to return to the Philippines better equipped to develop and implement peace-building strategies, contributing to a more stable and secure nation. For Cosme, her Chevening scholarship will help

enhance her expertise in ocean governance and environmental law, ultimately empowering the country to better protect its invaluable marine resources.

Since 2018, Pru Life UK has been partnering with the British Embassy for the program, which allows young Filipino professionals to take up a oneyear Master’s degree programme in UK universities.

Jica, ADMU hold lecture on Japan’s experiences, strategies on

THE Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) co-hosted the fifth Chair Lecture Series entitled “Japan’s Experiences and Strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience” on September 5.

Amb. Kazuya Endo graced the event with Jica Philippines chief representative Takema Sakamoto, ADMU president Fr. Roberto C. Yap SJ and Department of Environment and Natural Resources assistant secretary Noralene M. Uy. Tohoku University professor Dr. Satoru Nishikawa delivered an informative lecture as main speaker. Other discussants were Office of Civil De-

disaster-risk reduction, resilience

fense assistant secretary Bernardino Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV and ADMU’s Dr. Emma E. Porio.

In his opening remarks, Endo conveyed his deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in the wake of typhoons Carina and Enteng (international names Gaemi and Yagi, respectively). He hoped that the students who attended the lecture would “develop a greater consciousness in tackling disaster risk and [work tirelessly toward] the development of the Philippines.”

He also expressed the Japanese government’s commitment to continue to support the country’s attempts for disaster reduction.

Well-traveled Malaysian ambassador is a champion and advocate of halal

Continued from C1

The halal industry happens to be one of the fastest-growing in the world today, with the global Muslim population expanding to 2.2 billion people. There is also a growing trend for mindful and sustainable lifestyle. Halal-based food alone is worth US$1.17 trillion—the largest sector of the market. In 2025, it is estimated to expand to US$7.7 trillion.

“Malaysia is the largest halal hub at the moment, and we want to see how the Philippines can be a part of that growing industry,” the diplomat disclosed. His country, he said, can share expertise with the Philippines on ways of developing the local halal industry, with able assistance from Halal Development Corp., the International Tourism Council for Malaysia and the

Malaysian private sector. For one, the Malaysian Embassy was able to aid the Department Trade and Industry’s Halal Development Board Task Force in bringing Philippine companies to participate in the recently held “Malaysian International Halal Showcase.” The main objective in introducing halal to the Philippines, Castelino confirmed, is to help local small and medium enterprises, especially in Mindanao, employ 120,000 people and bring in US$4-billion worth of investments.

In their July 2023 meeting in Kuala Lumpur, both President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to boost halal cooperation.

anwar and PHL CASTELINO’S assignment in Manila came at an opportune time, as his country’s prime minister has a close

relationship with Marcos Jr. and with the Filipino people.

The Chief Executive considers Anwar a “dear friend,” and even recalled having spent nights enjoying karaoke sessions.

The latter, on the other hand, returned the compliment to his Filipino counterpart as his “valued friend,” who “cherishes their friendship, trust and determination.”

As a youth activist, Anwar once visited the University of the Philippines, and is an admirer of Philippine hero Jose Rizal.

When he was in the opposition and incarcerated, he sought support from the Philippine government to pressure former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad to release him.

Asked if the personal friendship between Philippine and Malaysian leaders would finally lead to the resolution of the Sabah claim, Castelino

Teco fetes top Fil. learners under Taiwan’s scholarship

REPUBLIC of China’s (Taiwan) Ministry of Education (MOE) and its International Development and Cooperation Fund (Taiwan ICDF) have once again selected outstanding Filipino students as scholarship recipients who will study in Taiwan.

This year, 20 students were awarded with the MOE Taiwan scholarship, 65 will study Mandarin through the Taiwan Huayu Enrichment Scholarship, while 10 were accorded with the Taiwan ICDF scholarship.

Each year, the Taiwanese government offers various types of scholarships for some 2,000 Filipino students to study in Taiwan. They are available for Mandarin language studies, as well as undergraduate, Master’s and Doctorate degree programs in numerous academic fields. Apart from these, scholarships are also offered for industry-academia collaboration programs which enable Filipino students to experience tailormade training in professional skills and internships in related industries, as well as outstanding technical-vocational education.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (Teco) staged the 2024 scholarship awards ceremony for the scholars. During the event, Rep. Wallace Chow expressed his warm congratulations for their achievements, then encouraged them to promote study opportunities in Taiwan to their friends and colleagues.

He also talked about more future collaborations with the Philippines’s leading universities in the fields of electronics, artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, as he motivated them to take advantage of work opportunities in Taiwan in the said sectors.

Former chair and resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office Silvestre H. Bello III also encouraged Filipino scholars to forge an enduring bond of friendship between the peoples of Taiwan and the Philippines.

The Taiwan Scholarship Programs being offered aim to cultivate Filipino talents into future professionals and leaders who will help contribute to the develop -

ment of the Philippines, according to a statement from Teco. Some scholars were able to share their motivations for choosing Taiwan as their study destination. For one, ICDF scholar Christine Corpuz chose to study there because of its world-renowned agricultural technology, and the contribution it has made to rapid economic development. She will pursue an International Master’s Program in Agriculture at National Chung Hsing University. After her studies, Corpuz looks forward to joining the academia to hone the new generation of Filipino agriculture researchers, and also set an example to fellow Filipino women who want to excel in the field. For his part, MOE scholar Jade Chuatak decided to pursue her studies in Taiwan for its advanced biomedical research infrastructure. Her professors provided inspiration to pursue graduate studies for biomedical engineering abroad, particularly in Taiwan where the field is more developed. She will study at Taipei Medical University under the Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering program. Chuatak is dedicated to enhancing her expertise in the field and contributing to biomedical-research institutions and medical-device manufacturers when she comes back to the Philippines.

Her first-ever overseas trip being in Taiwan, Cygnet Co said that it holds a special place in her heart. She enjoyed and appreciated the rich culture, especially when it came to food. An aspiring restaurant entrepreneur, Co will return to Taiwan this year to study Mandarin through the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. Apart from her Mandarin studies, she is also looking forward to exploring Taiwanese food culture and its history.

As it wished this year’s scholars a pleasant stay in Taiwan, Teco in the Philippines is determined to attract more Filipino students to study there. The program, according to the office, is part of the island-republic’s implementation of its “New Southbound Policy,” which aims to enhance cooperation with its neighboring countries.

US, PHL hold workshop on youth volunteerism

replied, “From what I know, the idea is to not let that issue curtail the development aspect our relations.” This is still practically the same tack, he said, since President Fidel Ramos.

“Let’s look at the area where they can bring benefit for both countries, and that’s why they pushed forward for social development, especially in Mindanao, creation of the halal industry, greater trade, and development. So that is the focus now and not let these curtail…Of course, these issues we can discuss as time goes on, but we want to focus on things that are important for development of both countries,” the Malaysian envoy explained.

And with the personal and peopleto-people deep relations between the Philippines and Malaysia, Ambassador Castelino is “very happy that things are going according to the plan.”

THE United States Peace Corps and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) hosted last month the second Youth Volunteerism Workshop in Subic, Zambales, which brought together more than a hundred Peace Corps Volunteers and their Filipino counterparts that promoted active youth participation in community development.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this year’s workshop trained 41 Peace Corps volunteers, 82 Filipino counterparts, and other youth leaders on various volunteerism strategies that included recruiting techniques, building and managing connections, developing volunteerism frameworks, creating action plans, as well as sharing of best practices on networking and collaboration.

The workshop is aimed at reaching 10,000 youth by utilizing a “train the trainers” model. Participants will then lead peer education in their own communities, focusing on key themes such as youth mental health, HIV/ AIDS prevention, and adolescent sexual reproductive health. Other topics cover life skills, environment and climate change, academic tutorials, and additional subjects based on their community’s needs. Last year’s workshop trained 12 Peace Corps volunteers and their Filipino peers, who then imparted their knowledge to 160 youth leaders and reached 5,000 youth from 14 municipalities in Luzon and Visayas. To date, more than 300 individuals have been trained through the Youth Volunteerism Project. The initiative is part of Peace Corps Phils.’ broader “Host Country Volunteerism” program and supported by PNVSCA, which seeks to strengthen and institutionalize volunteerism in the Philippines.

AMB. Laure Beaufils (from left) with Chevening scholars Jennivabe Allan and Ana Lourdes Cosme; Pru Life UK’s Government Relations and Sustainability vice president Maricel Estavillo; as well as SVP-Chief Legal, Government Relations and Sustainability officer Atty. Paul Anthony Mandal

BRITISH Embassy’s political counselor Andrew Bowes (11th from left), IDP Philippines country director Jose Miguel Habana (eighth from right), with UK and Ireland academic institutions’ representatives, as well as the IDP Team

JICA Philippines’ Takema Sakamoto (fourth from left, then onward), ADMU’s Dr. Emma E. Porio, Amb. Kazuya Endo, ADMU’s Fr. Roberto C. Yap SJ, Dr. Satoru Nishikawa, assistant secretary Bernardino Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV and Asst. Sec. Noralene M. Uy. JICA PHILIPPINES

REP. Wallace Chow and former Meco chief Silvestre Bello III flanked by Filipino scholars

&Expats

Switzerland eyes Fil. tourists to augment off-season arrivals

SWITZERLAND is intensifying marketing efforts to capture the Philippine tourist market that will increase stays and inbound arrivals during lean seasons.

In a briefing on the sidelines of last month’s Swiss National Day reception in Taguig City, Director of Switzerland Tourism for Southeast Asia Batiste Pilet said more than 60 percent of visitors from the Philippines spent overnight in the European country during “off seasons” in spring and autumn.

“Overall, in Switzerland, the occupancy rate of hotels is actually only at 50 percent, because there are really periods where [they are underbooked]…we have to push this period more,” Pilet pointed out. “So, for us to push markets like the Philippines is also relevant, because we know that we can afford a good growth because actually, it’s really [about] filling beds that are not full.”

The Philippines is a small market for Switzerland, only contributing more than 80,000 visitors in 2023, compared to its Southeast Asian counterparts that brought in around 125,000 to 234,000 tourists in the same year. Its growth rate in terms of overnight volume, however, was the highest at 74 percent between 2019 to

2023, said the tourism director.

Before the pandemic, overnight hotel stays by Filipino guests were at 46,000. He confirmed that “it’s a small market but the growth is, worldwide, our strongest.”

Switzerland Tourism operationalized its “antenna office” in Manila last 2022, which indicated its strong interest to develop the Filipino market.

Following a two-year assessment, Pilet said his office has decided to “stay” and further increase its network of tourism contacts in the country.

“The antenna status is [two years and after that, we will decide if we will stay, or] try another potential market,” he said, with indications that the office is keen on maintaining its operations in Manila.

Growing cooperation ON top of tourism, Switzerland conveyed keen interest in sustaining interaction with Manila, especially on trade and investments, as well as peace in Mindanao.

“The economic exchanges fostered by our free-trade agreement

[and] the new Swiss Chamber of Commerce not only enhance development, but also bring our nations closer together,” Amb. Dr. Nicolas Brühl said in his speech. “Switzerland’s contribution to the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in [Muslim] Mindanao demonstrates our commitment to fostering peace and stability.”

In his message read by Asst. Sec. Celia Feria, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo said the country also looks to Switzerland as a “partner in fostering and upholding a rulesbased international order.”

During a political consultation last year, both governments emphasized the need for dialogue among parties involved in the West Philippine Sea/ South China Sea row.

The two nations also agreed that “international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [or Unclos] and the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling must be respected by all.”

The Philippines and Switzerland are heavily engaged in trade and investment, the peace process in Mindanao, human rights, and consular affairs, among others.

National Day

SWITZERLAND’S Embassy celebrated its National Day with an elegant event late in August, led by Amb. Dr. Nicolas Brühl. It brought together distinguished guests who included government officials, diplomats and representatives from

various sectors, as they commemorated the European nation’s rich heritage and strong bilateral relations with the Philippines.

The program commenced with a heartfelt performance of the Swiss and Philippine national anthems rendered by the choir of the AJ Kalinga Foundation—an organization dedicated to restoring dignity and hope by empowering the homeless and the families of victims affected by the war on drugs.

Dr. Brühl and Feria’s remarks highlighted both nations’ shared values: democracy, human rights, and a commitment to fostering peace and prosperity.

Aside from the formalities, the celebration featured various interactive activities that allowed guests to experience the beauty and culture of Switzerland firsthand. The venue was adorned with photo booths that showcased iconic Swiss landmarks such as the majestic Matterhorn, skiing scenes from the Swiss Alps, the renowned SBB Train, and Switzerland’s beloved cow Happy Lily.

Switzerland Tourism provided engaging displays that added a touch of Swiss charm and offered guests a fun way to learn more about the country’s attractions.

According to the embassy, the Swiss National Day celebration was “a testament to the strong ties and mutual respect between Switzerland and the Philippines [that fostered] an atmosphere of goodwill and friendship. With a report from Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

Envoy hails PHL and Colombia’s best practices on peace process

FORMER Colombian envoy to the Philippines Marcela Ordoñez Fernández has hailed the exchange of best practices on the peace process between Manila and Bogota.

This, as she paid a farewell call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Malacañan Palace to officially mark the end of her tour of duty to the country.

“Just basically, I wanted to thank you for hosting me for the past threeand-a-half years. It’s been wonderful. It’s been a very interesting, very good experience. It was my first…as ambassador.” Fernandez told the Chief Executive, as quoted in a Presidential Communications Office (PCO) news release.

The Colombian diplomat also expressed her gratitude to Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. During Fernández’s tenure, the

Philippines and Colombia exchanged visits of officials in charge of the peace process to learn best practices. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace, Reconciliation and Unity has since expressed its support for the continuation and expansion of the bilateral cooperation on the peace process.

The ambassador was involved in the conduct of two meetings of the bilateral consultation mechanism: virtually in 2021, and in-person in 2024. Fernández also delivered Colombia’s support for the Philippines’s bid for the United Nations Security Council non-permanent seat for 2027 to 2028.

The Colombian envoy started her stint in the Philippines in February 2021, and is currently the dean of the Latin American Ambassadors in the Philippines. Darryl John Esguerra/PNA

UNDP, DOST to bolster strategic collaboration

RESIDENT Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines and Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) inked a memorandum of understanding that targets to bolster strategic cooperation between the two agencies in the areas of resilience, climate change, green and circular economy, electric mobility, energy security and transition to renewable energy, smart and sustainable communities, as well as digital readiness.

Dr. Solidum emphasized the importance of the agreement, and said that the partnership is: “…another milestone in the efforts to foster a holistic and synergistic approach that leverages on the power of science, technology, and innovation.”

He further highlighted the DOST’s mandate to focus on impact-oriented research via collaboration with key partners and leveraging the power of business communities in the diffusion of innovative science and technology solutions.

Dr. Ramachandran echoed Dr. Solidum’s sentiments, and noted that the joint efforts will contribute “toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the Philippines. Further, [the MOU signing] will aid the realization of the DOST Strategic Plan 2023-2028, and the UNDP Country Programme Document 2024-2028.”

The signing was witnessed by

Assistant Secretary for Development Cooperation Rodolfo J. Calzado Jr. of the DOST, Head of Cooperation Dr. Marco Gemmer of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in the Philippines, Deputy Resident Representative Edwine Carrié of UNDP Philippines, plus other officials. The DOST and UNDP, according to a statement from the latter, have had a long history of partnership, the seeds of which were planted in the areas of disaster-risk reduction, climate change modeling and hazard and risk mapping. As early as 2005, the UNDP and DOST collaborated on the “REINA Project,” which was an offshoot of a major disaster in Real, Infanta and General Nakar in Quezon Province. This and subsequent collaborations, namely “READY Project,” “GMMA READY Project”—which produced earthquake, volcano, and hydrometeorological hazard maps distributed to LGUs—leveled up the engagement. The joint work served as the foundation of the now famous “GeoRisk Philippines”— a data and information platform which institutionalized the provision of hazard and risk information to the public. Through the support of development partners like the EU and the government of Japan, UNDP is currently working with DOST across multiple initiatives—from building disaster resilience through data-driven community actions to fostering grassroots innovation for a circular economy.

OUTGOING ambassador to the Philippines Marcela Ordoñez Fernández pays a courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. PCO/PNA

DOST assistant secretary Rodolfo J. Calzado Jr. (from left); DOST chief Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr.; UNDP Philippines resident representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran; EU Delegation’s head of Cooperation Dr. Marco Gemmer; and UNDP Philippines deputy resident representative Edwine Carrié

AMB. Dr. Nicolas Brühl delivers his welcoming remarks.

ASST. Sec. Celia Feria conveys the Department of Foreign Affairs’ statements on behalf of Sec. Enrique Manalo.

CHEESE cutting with Diplomatic Corps dean Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio (right).

DEPUTY Head of Mission Tim Fürst (from left), Consular Attaché Derya Tecimel, Amb. Dr. Brühl and Mrs. Prof. Dr. Denise Brühl-Moser pose with the iconic Happy Lily cow.

COMMUNICATIONS Officer Sofia Santelices and Switzerland Tourism’ Southeast Asia director

Batiste Pilet on the SBB Train photo booth.

OFFICERS and members of the Swiss Embassy

Australia finalizes ₧1.7-billion economic dev’t effort for PHL

AUSTRALIA’S government is finalizing an AU$45-million (P1.7-billion) economic growth and development program for the country, Amb. Hae Kyong Yu PSM, FCPA said.

At the “Australian Business Mission to the Philippines” forum, Yu said the funding aims to boost trade and investment relations between the two countries.

During the press conference, she added that the program will be spread over five years, and is expected to be launched in early 2025.

“We could see that economic growth was one of the most [vital] priorities for the Philippines,” the envoy said. “So, we had actually made a very conscious decision to use part of our development money to focus on economic growth.” The Australian Embassy, according to her, is working with the national government in drafting the plan.

“A big chunk of this is really about helping the Philippines achieve good economic reforms,” she confirmed.

“So, it’s really tooling them with the

appropriate skills, expertise and knowledge, and even ideas based on Australia’s experience.”

Aside from the economic growth and development program, she said the Australian Investment Deals Team’s Manila office is already “up and running.”

Last year, the Australian government singled-out Manila as one of the hubs for its “Deals Teams,” which is part of its “Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.” The team monitors the business climate in the country, so that Australian firms can make sound investment decisions.

Business mission leader Shemara Wikramanayake, who is the CEO and managing director for Macquarie Group, said there are “170 long lists” of projects in the Philippines that the team is looking at. Wikramanayake spearheaded a

15-delegate business mission, whose members were in Manila from September 5 to 6.

Indo-Pacific Endeavor back MEANWHILE, Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity “IndoPacific Endeavour (IPE)” has just returned to the Philippines and participated in several activities of mutual interests and priorities.

IPE supports the Australian government’s focus on deepening diplomatic and defense partnerships across Southeast Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean. It boosts Australia’s commitment to an open, stable and prosperous region founded on openness, respect for sovereignty, as well as adherence to agreed rules and norms.

The 2024 edition built on outcomes from IPE 2023, and engaged agencies from across both Australian and Philippine governments. The Australian Civil-Military Centre and the Office of Civil Defense hosted a tabletop exercise that responded to an earthquake scenario and incorporated previous lessons learned, as well as more complex themes.

Other exchanges focused on maritime law, senior enlisted leadership, and gender in military operations.

The Australian Defense Forces’ basketball teams also joined the Armed

Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) squads for a series of sports tilts.

Aside from the country, IPE 2024 will conduct activities with Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam over the next four months.

According to its embassy, Australia is pleased to work with its regional partners through IPE 2024 to demonstrate shared commitments to regional stability and security.

Cmdre. Michael Harris OAM, RAN, who is the IPE24 commander, said “the Philippines is one of Australia’s closest partners and friends… [This affinity reflects] our shared interest in a peaceful, secure and prosperous region.”

According to Harris, IDE “allows Australia and the Philippines to work together in ways that are of, with and for the region—testing our combined disaster preparedness, and learning from each other on maritime law issues. Activities…part of IPE 2024 will also build friendships and understanding between our countries.”

He shared his excitement as they joined AFP teams for friendly, yet competitive basketball diplomacy as part of IPE 2024. With a report from Kris Crismundo/PNA

(Exclusive to Envoys&Expats)

AS we mark “International Peace Day” on September 21 during Philippine National Peace Consciousness Month, I want to share an Australian perspective on the vital role that peace plays in building prosperity.

Australia works closely with global partners in improving peace and stability in our region. This is especially true here in the Philippines. Through our longstanding international development program, we continue to make a real difference in the lives of communities that have been affected by instability, particularly through supporting women’s economic empowerment.

Since I started living in the Philippines, I have discovered numerous creative female entrepreneurs and artisans across this diverse nation. Beyond the value of their products, I see powerful women seeking to improve their own lives as well as the livelihoods of their families and community members. When they are economically and politically empowered, their communities are healthier; their growth, more sustainable. Regrettably, not all currently enjoy equal access to economic opportunities. That is why we are prioritizing gender equality at the heart of Australia’s internationaldevelopment policy. Our engagement in the Philippines is guided by the principle of equal opportunities, especially that of gender equality. No country can meet its full potential if some members of society are left behind.

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, the Philippines ranked 25th out of 164 countries—the highest-placed Asian nation and ahead of neighboring countries like Singapore (48th) and Thailand (65th). It’s a wonderful testament to this country’s progress. There is, however, more work to be done. This need is especially highlighted in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao—a region that has emerged from violent conflict, and is building a bright future. Under our “Peacebuilding in Conflict-Affected Mindanao” investment, Australia is promoting women’s economic empowerment as a primary means to improve conditions for peace and stability in BARMM. I would love to share with you some inspiring stories

about the impact our projects are having for women.

Success stories

FIRST is the story of Mellan Sayutin—an internally displaced person or bakwit in Tagalog. Despite multiple crises that women of her kind have encountered: war, floods, lack of access to basic services, she and 25 other women from her community in Maguindanao del Sur were able to form the Sigay Women’s Association that advocates for their rights, and explores economic avenues as agents of peace.

Thanks to Australia’s aid and the work of our implementing partner Oxfam Pilipinas, the association is a certified organization with a new community store that sells locally produced products such as banana chips and oyster mushrooms.

Beyond entrepreneurial activities, the Sigay Women’s Association also advocates for the rights of women, and has contributed at the local government unit-level to the development of the Philippines’s “National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.”

The second is about a woman of Talipao on the island-province of Sulu, in BARMM’s western side. Rawasiya Isirani, one of the beneficiaries, has a disability and finds communicating to be difficult at times, yet is renowned for her skill in making bubuk: a toasted, dried fish-flavored coconut and traditional cooking ingredient. Like many small artisans, Isirani has struggled with marketing and production. But with support from Accelerate Bangsamoro, which is delivered by The Asia Foundation thanks to an Australian grant investment, she has been able to showcase her bubuk to a wider market. Having recently received sponsorship from the Universal Storefront Services Corporation (Western Union) for product enhancement and marketing, she is now producing larger quantities for sale.

I am proud to share these stories with you. Their authentic experiences provide some insights into the benefits investing in women’s economic empowerment can bring. With our development assistance in BARMM, and right across the country, Australia is committed to supporting a peaceful and prosperous Philippines.

(Follow

AVIATION PARTNERSHIP Amb. Marie Fontanel of France (standing, right) and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (standing, left) witness the signing of a technical cooperation agreement on September 3 by Director General Manuel Antonio Tamayo of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (seated, left) and France’s Asia-Pacific Cooperation director Thibaut Lallemand. The cooperation will focus on developing an audit and inspection program to continuously enhance the safety performance of Philippine air operators and approved maintenance organizations. YANCY LIM/PNA

CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS Amb. Laure Beaufils of the United Kingdom (right) kicked-off discussions on inclusive environmental-protection measures during the “C40 Cities Southeast Asia Regional Academy Global Workshop” on September 3, with C40 Southeast Asia and Oceania regional director Milag San Jose Ballesteros (from left); Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown, Sierra Leone; Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City; as well as C40 Cities Regions and Mayoral Engagement managing director Shruti Narayan of India. ROBERT OSWALD P. ALFILER/PNA

DISCUSSING ECONOMIC GROWTH Deputy Ambassador Ester Buzgan from the Embassy of Israel discussed with Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City future collaborations to foster economic growth. The local chief executive cited a “shared commitment to innovation and progress [opening new opportunities for the city and] paving the way for stronger ties and mutual development.” ARNOLD ALMACEN/ILOILO CITY MAYOR’S OFFICE