THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the administration is willing to adjust rice tariffs if global and local economic conditions drastically change.
On Monday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told BusinessMirror that the 15-percent tariff was already the optimal rate to provide protection for local farmers and reduce rice prices to benefit Filipino consumers.
However, Balisacan, later on told reporters that tariffs are policy
tools that can be adjusted when they become “quite dull” and fail to effect the desired outcome or attain a specific goal.
“If [the] situation changes, the government must have that flexibility to re-examine its tools. If the tools have become already quite dull
INVESTING in human capital within a generation starting today will make the Philippines a rich country before it gets old, according to the World Bank.
At the launch of the Philippine Human Capital Review report, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand
Ndiame Diop said the benefits of investing in human capital are immense for the country.
Diop said the Philippines has a unique advantage over its neighbors, who are expected to age be-
‘Tourist
TOURIST arrivals in the Philippines are projected to post double-digit growth annually until 2028, according to the latest outlook by BMI, a Fitch Solutions Company.
BMI Country Risk & Industry
Research said this level of growth rate will boost the country’s tourist arrivals to 8.3 million in 2025 and 9.4 million in 2028.
This year, tourist arrivals are expected to grow 32.6 percent to 6.6 million from the 5 million arrivals recorded in 2023. This, BMI said, is already 81 percent of the 8.2 million tourist arrivals in 2019.
“We have a positive outlook for the Philippines’ tourist arrivals in 2024 and over the remainder of
fore they become rich countries. This will allow it to improve its Human Capital Index score which is currently lagging behind its neighbors at 0.52.
“So if investment in human capital happens now, the people that will be coming out of the education system and joining economic activities will be equipped to really propel the Philippines to even higher growth, which means that the Philippines will be able to grow at a high rate,” Diop said in a press briefing on Monday.
our medium-term forecast period to 2028. We expect arrivals growth to be driven by key source markets in Asia-Pacific, North America and Europe,” BMI said.
BMI said the country’s tourism sector’s post pandemic recovery remains under way. The Covid-19 pandemic caused tourist arrivals in the country to contract by 82.9 percent year on year in 2020.
The BMI outlook said the lockdown and the shuttering of borders led to tourist arrivals dropping to 1.4 million.
However, while the outlook for the tourism sector remains positive, BMI said there are risks on the horizon that could derail the recovery.
Rice inventory to settle at 3.6MMT, says DA
By Ada Pelonia
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) expects the country’s yearend rice inventory to settle at 3.64 million metric tons (MMT) despite the “moderate” damage caused by El Niño on palay production.
According to Assistant Secretary for Operations U-Nichols Manalo, the projected volume is equivalent to about 93 days of national rice consumption, surpassing the 1.9 MMT recorded in December 2023.
“While we have a positive outlook for the Philippines’s arrivals, there are short-term risks stemming from high living costs in many markets globally and tighter credit conditions which will weigh on consumer spending, particularly on non-essential categories such as travel,” BMI said.
Citing data from the Department of Tourism, BMI said the data showed there were 1.6 million tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2024, a 21.3-percent y-o-y growth from the 1.3 million tourist arrivals in the same period last year. The data, BMI said, showed South Korea was the Philippines’s largest source market over the first three months of 2024 with 458,619
Manalo said the weather phenomenon damaged 191,233 MT of rice at the end of the dry cropping season. This was 2 percent of the department’s 9.2 MMT expected damage due to El Niño. The DA said that if its year-end projection is realized, the national inventory at the end of the year will be the “highest” in at least a quarter of a century, topping the 3.42 MMT recorded in 2010 as per the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) data.
arrivals, making up 26 percent of tourist arrivals. This was followed by the US and Mainland China at second and third place, respectively, with 264,690 at 16.9 percent of tourist arrivals and 109,568 at 7 percent of total arrivals arrivals over the first quarter of 2024.
The top five source markets, BMI said, were completed by fifthplaced Japan with 105,347 arrivals in the January to March period this year; while Australia ranked fifth with 70,601 arrivals. Earlier, Filipinos spent nearly a trillion pesos on shopping as well as entertainment and recreation services while on vacation here and
PAMPANGA POGO PROBE Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, leading the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, conducted an extensive inspection at the raided Pogo (Philippine
and personnel from the Special Action Force. Story in A3 Nation ROY DOMINGO
ARAW NG MAYNILA The City of Manila commemorates its 453rd anniversary with a civicmilitary parade at Onyx Street, San Andres Bukid, Manila, on June 24, 2024. The event, featuring cultural performances by local residents, pays tribute to the city’s founding on this day in 1571 by Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi. NONIE REYES
All 27 Pinoy seafarers safe after Houthis hit their ship
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
ALL the 27 Filipino crew members of the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Transworld Navigator are safe after it was hit by a missile attack from a Houthi group during the weekend, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Investing...
“If you don’t invest in human capital now, those kids that are getting out of school and entering the labor market will not be able to drive innovation, to drive economic growth, and then you’ll see a hump. You’ll see the growth in the longer term, not in the medium term,” he also said.
World Bank Economist Toni Joe Lebbos said in a presentation on Monday that human capital “encompases the health, knowledge, skills, and experience that people accumulate throughout their lives.”
Human capital, Lebbos said,
makes up 70 percent of the country’s total wealth. This highlights its importance to the Philippine economy.
Diop said the Philippine economy has been growing at an average of 6 percent in the past 15 years or since 2010, except for the pandemic years. Reaching this level of growth in the next 25 years will transform the Philippines into a high-income country before it starts to age.
Lebbos said the demographic window for the Philippines closes in 25 years. He said addressing social and economic challenges as well as reducing disparities will allow the country to maximize the productivity of its working population which is expected to peak soon.
In a radio interview on Monday, DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac said while the ship was hit by a ballistic missile, it was still able to continue with its voyage.
“It was not immobilized. It was able to continue sailing and its 27 crew on board were rescued,” he said.
The DMW chief said they already informed the families of the affected seafarers about the incident.
According to news reports, MV Transworld Navigator was targeted by the Yemen-based Houthis after it used an Israeli port.
Diop added that Thailand has already started to age but has not reached high-income status. This is why it is crucial for the Philippines to move fast and to make the right investments in health, education, reskilling, and upskilling.
“While many analysts have pegged the country’s potential gross domestic product [GDP] growth at about 5 to 6 percent, this demographic transition can be a boon to the Philippine economy,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said in his speech on Monday.
“For the next two to three decades, we may look at a boost of as much as one percentage point to GDP growth per year. The Philippines thus has the opportunity to grow rapidly and replicate the
Cacdac said the crew of MV Transworld Navigator are expected to seek repatriation once they arrive at a safe port.
“They may need to return home to their families,” Cacdac said.
Prior to MV Transworld Navigator, Houthi forces also launched a missile attack against MV Tutor, which sank earlier this month.
Of the 22 Filipino crew of MV Tutor, 21 were already repatriated, while one seafarer who was trapped near the engine room remains missing.
economic success stories of our East Asian neighbors during their rapid industrialization and development periods,” Balisacan also said.
Based on the report, the World Bank found that 27 percent of children aged zero to five years old are stunted and 90 percent of primary school age children are not learning.
The report also said 18 percent of young Filipinos aged 15 to 24 years old are not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
The World Bank also said the likelihood of dying of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Philippines is rising compared to other countries, while gender disparities among adults aged 26 to 64 years old were noted in the labor force.
Aging or senior Filipinos, the report said, face difficulties accessing healthcare and social protection services nationwide.
Given these, the World Bank recommended that the Philippines invest early by strengthening governance, monitoring, and awareness as well as scaling up interventions to reduce stunting and ensure optimal child development.
The World Bank also cited a need to develop enabling platforms for Early Childhood Care and Development and focus on foundational skills; prioritize social protection for vulnerable groups; and ensure adequate and efficient financing and incentives.
“Strengthen the capacity of LGUs [local government units] to invest in human capital by channeling resources and support towards lagging areas that need them most,” Lebbos said in a presentation.
“While investing in the Early Years will yield the maximum benefit, do not lose focus on the young populations soon to enter the labor market,” he added.
The report described the importance of health, nutrition, education, and social protection during the first decade of life.
Investment in these areas boosts human capital, which is the accumulation of knowledge, skills, health, and experience that allows citizens to realize their potential as productive members of society.
Cai U. Ordinario
for a particular event, then you have to be able to change those tools. That’s what a dynamic economy is all about,” Balisacan told reporters.
“If you cannot adjust, if you cannot navigate major changes around us because you are so constrained [by] all your policy tools, then you will not be able to survive a major shock,” he also said.
Main reason: Blunt price shocks
BALISACAN explained to BusinessMirror that the main reason for the reduction in rice tariffs was to mitigate the impact of rising world prices.
If tariffs were left at 35 percent, Balisacan said Filipino consumers would pay more given that rice prices have continued to increase.
On Monday, Bloomberg reported that China, the world’s second biggest fertilizer exporter, has decided to impose curbs on the export of “urea, a nitrogen-based fertilizer, and phosphates.”
Data earlier obtained by the BusinessMirror showed the average unit value of imported rice, based on freight on board (FOB) costs, has already increased this year.
In the past four months, FOB costs of rice imports averaged 0.52 US cents per kilo, 23.81 percent higher than the 2023 average of 0.42 US cents per kilo.
“The rise of rice inflation in the previous months has contributed almost half of the headline inflation [rate]. And the world prices are still rising. What you want to do is really to moderate the impact of the world prices on the local economy,” Balisacan told BusinessMirror in a mix of English and Filipino.
Lower prices, Baisacan said, will also help the country’s medium term socioeconomic goals, one of which is to reduce poverty to singledigit level by the time the President steps down from office.
This goal may be threatened if Filipinos are unable to have access to food, specifically rice, at an affordable price. This would also have the potential to worsen the country’s already high stunting rate of 27 percent.
High prices also pose a major threat on the economy as a whole since high inflation prompts Filipinos to reduce their consumption, which accounts for 70 percent of the Philippine economy.
This was observed in the first quarter of the year when household final consumption expenditure (HFCE) slowed to 4.6 percent, the slowest in 14 years, sans the pandemic years. Consumption spending accounted for 74.5 percent of the country’s GDP in the January to March period this year. (See: https://businessmirror .com.ph/2024/05/10/spend-
He added that only 4 percent of the 4.5 MMT corn target was affected, totaling 188,861 MT ending the dry cropping season.
“This indicates that our rice and corn supplies were not severely impacted,” Manalo said.
ing-cutbacks-to-continue-say-experts/).
“If you compare the price today versus last year, there’s a big difference even with the 15 percent. But we don’t want to reduce it further [because its a] balancing [act]. We want to still continue protecting our farmers,” Balisacan told BusinessMirror.
“It hurts me so much that we have to do this. But anong option natin [What are our options]? There’s no other option. We want to prevent poverty from increasing. We want to prevent hunger from deteriorating,” he added.
TRO plan
OVER the weekend, farmers groups said they will file a petition for temporary restraining order (TRO) before the Supreme Court to prevent the implementation of Executive Order (EO) 62, which reduced tariffs on key agricultural commodities, including rice. (See: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2024/06/24/ farmers-to-ask-high-court-tohalt-eo-62/).
Balisacan said this plan to file a TRO may be something that can be responded to by the Office of the President, given that President Marcos signed the Executive Order. Nonetheless, Balisacan said the administration is open to discussing with farmers groups as well as extending support given the reduction in rice tariffs.
Balisacan said Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto met with farmers prior to the issuance of the Executive Order. This, he said, is an indication that the economic team is always open to dialogue with farmers groups.
“I spent my career trying to get our agriculture sector, the rural sector [growing]. While it would seem that it’s anti-farmer, it’s not. Because if you manage [your tools well], everybody will benefit,” Balisacan said.
Earlier, Virginia Lacsa Suarez, legal counsel of the broad agriculture sector coalition Sinag, cited the “unreasonable” reduction in tariffs and the absence of consultation and public hearing that should have been conducted by the Tariff Commission (TC) as grounds for filing the petition.
Suarez also noted that groups are under time constraint because EO 62 specifies that the tariff for rice will be slashed to 15 percent 15 days after the order is published in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
The groups plan to file the petition for prohibition with prayer for a TRO or a writ of preliminary injunction before the High Court within the week. She also said they would talk to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and urge the administration to rescind the EO.
abroad in 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
The latest Tourism growth data from the PSA indicate that Filipinos spent P722.16 billion on shopping, entertainment and recreation while on vacation in 2023.
This was composed of P537.738 billion worth of shopping in domestic destinations nationwide, followed by P126.236 billion on entertainment and recreation services.
This was followed by P29.059 billion for shopping and P29.129 billion for entertainment and recreation services in foreign destinations. Cai U. Ordinario
The DA said the national rice inventory represents the total volume of rice available within the country at a given period after subtracting the demand from various sectors such as food consumption, waste, and other uses.
It added that this inventory encompasses both locally produced and imported rice. It serves as a critical indicator for assessing food security and planning for agricultural and trade policies related to rice.
To mitigate the effects of the dry spell and assist affected farmers and fishers, the DA said it has extended interventions across 170,469 hectares. As of June 6, it noted that financial aid and farm inputs amounting to P9.23 billion have been distributed to 1,174,699 beneficiaries.
Manalo said the Office of the President also provided additional support that benefitted farmers, fisherfolk, and their families across eight regions. Meanwhile, the DA said it will focus on water management in preparation for La Niña.
“We are collaborating closely with relevant agencies to develop action plans that prioritize managing excess water resulting from anticipated heavy rainfall,” Manalo said.
The DA said it will oversee initiatives like desilting irrigation canals, repairing and rehabilitating irrigation systems, inspecting and maintaining gates and hoists, and constructing small-scale irrigation projects and canals. It added promoting submergent-tolerant and early maturing crop varieties and establishing seed reserves in key areas to ensure sustained food production nationwide despite irregular weather patterns.
De Lima beats last drug-related case
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
THE Regional Trial Court of Muntinlupa City yesterday junked the last drug-related case filed against former senator Leila de Lima by the Duterte administration.
In a decision released on Monday, Judge Gener Gito of Branch 206 of the Regional Trial Court in Muntinlupa City granted the demurrer to evidence filed by de Lima which sought the immediate dismissal of her drug case for lack of sufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The grant of the demurrer to evidence is tantamount to an acquittal, thus, the court told the former senator that she “can now enjoy unmitigated freedom.”
“With the grant of my demurrer to evidence, which is tantamount to acquittal, that means I am now completely free and vindicated. It’s very liberating,” de Lima told reporters.
The trial court also granted the respective demurrer to evidence by de Lima’s coaccused namely Ronnie Dayan, her former security aide, former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Joenel Sanchez; and a certain Jose Adrian Dera.
De Lima and her co-accused were charged with conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
“Thus, assessing the totality of the evidence presented by the prosecution, the Court is of the firm resolved and so holds that the prosecution was not able to prove the guilt of all the accused beyond reasonable doubt,” the trial court said.
In her demurrer to evidence de Lima cited the court’s decision allowing her to post bail in November 2023 as an indication of the prosecution’s weak case against her.
She also noted that many of the prosecution’s witnesses have already retracted their allegations against her, including former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos and most of the Bilibid inmates who earlier linked her to the illegal drugs trade.
The former senator was accompanied by her lawyer Boni Tacordon during the promulgation of the court’s decision.
Head of the prosecution panel in the de Lima case, Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo, said he would convene all the members of the panel to discuss whether or not they would still file a motion for reconsideration of the court’s decision or determine if there are other legal remedies available for the prosecution.
“We are not discounting that possibility [filing of a motion of reconsideration]. We still consider that an option,” he said.
Ocampo said their decision would depend on their review of the court’s ruling.
He also admitted being delighted over the acquittal of De Lima, being their former boss at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
De Lima served as a justice secretary during the term of the late President Benigno Aquino III.
Prior to yesterday’s ruling, de Lima won two other drug cases lodged against her before two other branches of the RTC in Muntinlupa.
The first drug case was dismissed through demurrer of evidence in February 2021 and the other due to lack of merit of the prosecution’s case in May last year.
“Thank you to Judge Gener Gito for his strong sense of justice and fairness. Regaining my freedom is a big part of my quest for justice,” de Lima said.
With her acquittal in all the drug charges filed against her, De Lima vowed to hold Duterte accountable for all the abuses committed during his administration’s drug war campaign.
De Lima confirmed that she is currently cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is investigating Duterte and his allies for the bloody anti-illegal drug campaign.
She said she would meet with other lawyers to determine their next actions and to study certain cases.
“We will announce it in due time,” De Lima added.
Bantag loses appeal at CA
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
THE Court of Appeals (CA) has junked the plea of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag seeking to nullify the murder charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against him and several others in connection with the killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and Bilibid inmate Jun Villamor in October 2022.
In a four-page resolution written by Associate Justice Ronaldo Roberto Martin, the CA’s Second Division affirmed the orders issued by the Regional Trial Court of Las Piñas City on November 16, 2023 and February 26, denying the motion to quash information and warrant of arrest issued by the court in connection with the murder cases.
The CA junked Bantag’s plea for his failure to follow procedural rules on filing a petition for certiorari.
The appellate court noted that Bantag’s camp failed to secure the conformity of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in filing the petition.
The CA noted that the Supreme Court (SC) has previously held that “only the OSG may bring or defend actions on behalf of the Republic of the Philippines, or represent the People or State before the SC and the CA.”
The said rule, according to the CA, is provided under Section 35 ( 1 ), Chapter 12, Title III, Book II of the 1987 Administrative Code of the Philippines.
The CA slso noted that Sections 12.5 and 12.6, Chapter XII2 of the Manual for Prosecutors requires that all requests to file petition for certiorari shall be first coursed through the Office of the Prosecutor General for evaluation and approval prior to endorsement to the OSG.
“The said procedure along with the non-conformity of the OSG on the filing
Senators want local execs charged over Pogos in Bamban, Porac
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
LOCAL officials, especially those from mayors’ offices and barangays, should be held culpable for gross negligence at the very least, or graft and corruption for being bribed to abet illegal activities in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation hub in Porac, Pampanga, as well as that in Bamban, Tarlac.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said this on Monday after inspecting the Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga, which an inter-agency team led by the Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided recently.
Like the Pogo hub in Bamban, Tarlac, whose Mayor Alice Guo—a suspected Chinese national and “sleeper spy” who allegedly faked her Philippine citizenship, is being investigated—the one in Porac is suspected of having been closed off to regulators and local officials because it was hiding crimes like human trafficking, cyber fraud, and money laundering.
To Gatchalian, the failure of the mayor’s office in Porac or the barangay executives to check out the Pogo hub in the town is unacceptable. “The mere fact that they were barred entry is a red flag,” Gatchalian said in a mix of English and Filipino during a press briefing in Porac.
Officials who go along with that, and simply not move despite the red flag, are deemed complicit in illegal acts committed in the Pogo enclave, he added.
Gatchalian, a former mayor himself, noted that a city or town mayor has wide latitude to check out any
of instant petition for certiorari calls for the outright dismissal of the petition,” the CA declared.
“Wherefore, the petition is dismissed outright,” it added.
In his motion to quash filed before the Las Piñas RTC, Bantag argued that the DOJ panel of prosecutors did not have the authority to file the murder cases and that the trial court has no jurisdiction over the case as it falls under the original jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan being the director general of the BuCor, a position ranked Salary Grade 30.
On the other hand, in his petition before the CA, Bantag ascribed grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Las Piñas RTC when it denied his motion to quash.
Bantag reiterated that the Sandiganbayan and not the RTC has jurisdiction over cases filed against him.
The former Bucor chief is now considered a fugitive due to his failure to surrender to authorities following the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
Bantag and his then deputy, Ricardo Zulueta were charged as principals by inducement in the Lapid killing.
Zulueta died on March 15, 2024 due to heart failure while Bantag is still in hiding.
Bantag was also charged as principal by inducement with the murder of Villamor, the alleged middleman in the journalist’ killing.
Several prisoners who were named as co-respondents in the two murder cases were convicted in July 2023 and sentenced to a maximum of eight years of imprisonment after they pleaded guilty for acting as accessories in the two killings.
Authorities pointed to the radio commentator’s continued exposé of the issues against Bantag on his show “Lapid Fire” as the motive in the killing.
For Villamor’s death, authorities said the motive was to cover up the murder of Percy Lapid.
Christopher Go attended the“66th
Ceremony’ni Tambunting,”
the joyous union of 34 couples in
City on Saturday, June 22.
event, held at
Bicutan, was led and
and former
by Parañaque
Gus
Joy
providing an unforgettable day for indigent couples. Other key officials, including Mayor Eric Olivarez, Vice Mayor Joan Villafuerte, and Don Bosco Barangay Chairman Mar Jimenez,
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
THE Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will implement power service interruption in some parts of its franchise area on June 25 and 26 due to scheduled maintenance activities.
On Monday, the power distribution utility company said pole replacements, facility installation, line reconducting works, and installation of additional lightning protective devices will be conducted in some parts of Taguig City, Dasmariñas City in Cavite; Malate and Paco in Manila; Binangonan in Rizal; and Pasay City.
Between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., the service interruption will occur in the following areas in Manila on June 25: a portion of Pedro Gil St. from Angel Linao St. to Singalong St. in Paco; a
DBy Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox
AVAO CITY—The Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) Rocketry Team launched the country’s first rocket entry to the prestigious Spaceport America Cup in a hail of cheers and an accolade from American directors of the event.
The school said its rockety team, the first and sole team from the Philippines, sent its rocket Sibol, a Filipino term for growth, to flight as it lifted off successfully on Saturday from the Spaceport USA grounds in New Mexico, USA.
Strong winds and heavy overcast skies nearly aborted the scheduled competition
provides boost to newlyweds were also in attendance. In his congratulatory speech, Go
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian
business or community within his constituency, invoking a wide range of reasons—for suspected violation of the sanitation code, labor code, human trafficking, public hazard. A mayor who allows a suspect business in his area to simply bar him is liable to either being lazy or, at worst, a corrupted accomplice to crime, he stressed.
Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, praised, however, the provincial government of Pampanga for intervening and taking decisive action against the Pogo hub and cooperating with various agencies to move the investigation along.
A second “red flag” in the Porac case is that the enclave, comprising dozens of buildings, was largely built up at the height of the pandemic, “when construction was barred or restricted” in most parts of the country, the senator pointed out.
Because of these two red flags alone, Gatchalian suggested that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) look at the accountability of the Porac mayor for, at the very least, gross negligence.
A third red flag that Senate probers and the PAOCC units have turned up,
said Gatchalian, is the revelation that “some incorporators admitted they were just paid” to have their names serve as “incorporators” on paper—indicating they are not the kind of “real investors” the country is looking for.
Part of the investigation in both the Bamban and Porac hubs is focusing on the possibility that these are being used for massive money-laundering, considering that a whopping P6.1 billion at least has been poured into the Bamban hub alone.
Gatchalian earlier found this odd, given that Bamban town’s economy is largely agricultural, but the funds were largely spent for building condominium buildings and plush amenities.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian said one of two ranking executives of the Lucky South Pogo hub was flagged at Davao airport Sunday night. The unidentified Chinese national, a female, is believed to be a senior manager.
At the National Police general headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, National Police chief, said the police commander in Central Luzon, Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr., is being investigated for his accountability over the illegal Pogos in his area of responsibility.
This came following incidents of unreported killings that allegedly happened in these Pogo hubs which were found to be operating as “scam farms,” Marbil said in a news conference.
“We are also investigating the regional director, because the reports [of alleged unreported killings] were not acted upon properly. We put ac-
countability on our regional directors,” he said.
He said this is among the factors for the relief of all policemen in Bamban, the chief of police of Porac, and the director of the Pampanga Police Provincial Office.
“Hindi kasi normal. Sa ibang bagay, bakit may mga foreigners na may namamatay na doon and dapat from there on dapat inimbestigahan nila. Dapat inaalam nila. [This is not normal. Another thing is that why are there foreigners dying there and from there on they should investigate it. They should have looked into it],” Marbil said.
He said they do not consider these police officials as “protectors” of Pogos.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director, Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco, meanwhile, said they have seen a connection between the raided Pogo hubs in Central Luzon.
“We are in the process of applying a warrant regarding computer data and upon completion of these processes we will give you the result of the examination of these computers and other equipment in Porac,” he said.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. directed the National Police and local governmentss to work together in curbing illegal Pogos. Abalos, citing data from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), said only 43 legal Pogos are operating in Kawit, Cavite and Metro Manila. He also acknowledged the possibility that money from illegal Pogo operations may be used by some politicians for their election campaign.
Service interruption set in some parts of Meralco franchise area
portion of Singalong St. from Remedios St. to Quirino Ave. in Malate; a portion of Pilar Hidalgo Lim St. from San Andres St. to near Remedios St. in Malate; portion of Remedios Circle St. from Jorge Bocobo St. to Adriatico St. in Malate; portion of Adriatico St. from Remedios St. to Adriatico Interior St. in Malate; portion of Remedios St. from Pilar Hidalgo Lim St. to near Jorge Bocobo St. in Malate; portion of L. M. Guerrero St. from San Andres St. to near Gen. Malvar St. in Malate; and portion of Maria Orosa St. from Remedios St. to Julio Nakpil St. in Malate. The Woodtown Residences Subd. in Bgy. Langkaan I, Dasmariñas City, Cavite will experience power interruption on June 25 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Some households along America St. in Enlisted Personnel Village 1, barangay Western Bicutan, Taguig City, will also experience power outage on June 25 and 26.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., some portions of B. Esteban St. from E. Flores St. to and including Marcela Marcelo, B. Mayor, Maligaya, Pag-Asa and Pagkakaisa Streets in Malibay, Pasay City will experience power interruption on June 26. Meralco also said that some portions of Sampaguita St. from Manila East Road to and including Cattleya 2nd St.; Crystal East Valley Subd., sitio Tabtab and sitio Balatik Na Malaki; Andre, Anore, Cattleya 1st, Cenidoza, Certeza, Bolado, Daang Hari and Ojascastro Sts. in barangays Mambog and Tatala in barangay Mambog, Binangonan, Rizal Province will experience power interruption on June 26 between 12:01 and 3 a.m.
Meralco also advised its customers that bills for June will be delayed after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) directed all distribution utilities to hold the issuance of June 2024 bills until the final Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) bill is received. It further said that
RP launches first rocket in Spaceport America Cup
flight of the Philippine entry.
“Strong winds yesterday [Friday] and rains and clouds today [Saturday] were not at all ideal flight conditions,” Ramon Gregorio III, the Philippine team faculty technical adviser said. The 9.7-foot rocket lifted its 8.8-pound payload and surged 10,000 feet up as required in the competition “and arced, heading back to earth,” he added.
“The Philippine rocket competed in the commercial off-the-shelf [COTS] 10,000-feet category. It was recovered safely from the field,” Rogel Mari D. Sese recounted the successful flight to the monitoring team back home at the ADDU.
Sese is the chairman of the ADDU Aerospace Engineering Department and lead
advisor of the ADDU Rocketry Team Spaceport USA directors called it “a great achievement” for a first-timer team, the school said.
The Spaceport America Cup 2024 is the world’s largest Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition for student rocketry teams, with around 200 teams from 20 different countries participating. ADDU’s team is one of the two representatives from Southeast Asia along with a team from Thailand.
Ateneo, the only university in Mindanao that offers Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, designed and constructed the rocket to meet the performance criteria of the prestigious Spaceport America.
“The launch is a victory for Filipinos who
aim for excellence and innovation in space technology,” student lead Franz Guevara declared.
“The ASE student and faculty team had been working on it for a year to qualify for the competition,” Sese said. Guevara said the team qualified for the competition after applying for an initial screening for the school’s qualifications and submitting the necessary reports for the Spaceport America Cup in November last year.
“We started applying for the Spaceport America Cup in the initial screening to determine if the school could participate in the competition. There were a series of evaluations where we had to submit three technical reports. And last May, we had to submit a technical report which consisted of all the specifics for the rocket,” Guevara said.
grace and fortitude,”he advised. Further inspiring the couples, Go spoke about the keys to a successful marriage.
“Stay in love, grow together, and support one another. Communication is vital—learn to listen and respect each other’s perspectives. Your journey together is a continuous learning experience,” he encouraged. More than his presence as a witness to their union, the newlyweds received financial assistance, wedding packages, masks, vitamins, shirts, and balls from the senator.
There were also select recipients of shoes, phones, and watches. The initiative received praise from Senator Go for its positive impact on the community, putting importance on family. He expressed his gratitude to the local government for organizing the event, highlighting its significance for couples who might not have the financial means for a formal wedding ceremony.
Rep.
Tambunting
congresswoman
Tambunting,
Rice traders to reduce prices by ₧9 per kilo
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
AGROUP of rice traders has assured lawmakers they would reduce rice prices by as much as P9 per kilogram by July this year.
Following a meeting with House leaders, Speaker Martin Romualdez said that the traders estimate that rice prices will drop to between P42 and P49 per kilogram in the market next month, attributing the expected decrease to the savings from the tariff reduction being passed on to consumers. Specifically, they predict that by July and August, the price of wellmilled rice, which is 25 percent broken and typically consumed by ordinary Filipinos, will range from P45 to P46 per kilogram. Meanwhile, premium rice, which is 5 percent broken and usually consumed by the middle class, is expected to be priced between P47 and P48 per kilogram.
“Your commitment to making affordable rice accessible to our people is greatly appreciated,” Romualdez said, addressing rice traders and importers after their meeting.
“This collaborative effort showcases our shared dedication to the welfare of every Filipino. Your actions are a testament to what we can achieve when we work together for the common good,” he added. The traders’ group, called the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM), was represented in the meeting by its founder and lead convenor, Rowena Sadicon, and co-founder, Orly Manuntag, who is also the spokesperson of the Grain Retailers Confederation of the Philippines (Grecon). Also present at the meeting were National Food Authority (NFA) Officer-in-Charge Larry Lacson, Rep. Zaldy Co, House Committee on Appropriations chairman; Rep. Mark Enverga, House Committee on Agriculture and Food chairman and Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo.
On the part of the NFA, Lacson said the NFA continues to purchase rice from local farmers at competitive prices, ranging from P29 to P31 per kilo, to cushion any possible adverse impact of cheaper imports.
Sadicon and Manuntag informed Romualdez that their group is responding to President
Marcos’s and the Speaker’s call for a whole-of-nation approach to bring down rice prices and make quality rice affordable and available to all Filipinos.
Sadicon and Manuntag said their members were in agreement to help the Marcos administration lower the price of rice as soon as the reduction in tariffs on imported rice takes effect.
“We are ready to help the government so that our fellow citizens can immediately feel the positive effects of the tariff reduction on rice,” Manuntag said.
“We are one with the government in this campaign. Let’s all work together to ensure that the tariff reduction results in lower rice prices in the market,” Sadicon added.
Marcos recently issued Executive Order 62, reducing the tariff on imported rice from 35 percent to 15 percent.
Romualdez reiterated that the reduction in the import levy and the government’s direct sale of imported rice through Kadiwa centers should substantially lower the retail price of rice.
According to Romualdez, this effort aligns with the administration’s
goal of making staple foods accessible and affordable for all Filipinos.
“This is not just a whole-ofgovernment approach, but a whole-of-nation approach,” he emphasized.
Romualdez assured the public that the effects of the rice tariff reduction would be felt as soon as possible, ideally before the President’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.
“We want this to happen as soon as possible. That’s why we’ve been meeting and pushing for immediate action. We cannot be complacent; we have to always be on the ball,” Romualdez said.
He stressed the urgency of the situation, noting the daily struggles of Filipino families. “Every day, as every Filipino family has to purchase, let’s say, two kilos of rice, we know and we can feel the hardships of our fellow Filipinos,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve sprung into action. We want to meet this headon. It would be highly desirable for this to happen even before the SONA, and I don’t think it’s impossible. We will all work together to make it happen as soon as possible,” he added.
Japan, UNDP project supports small fishermen in Mindanao
THE government of Japan and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Monday handed over a solarpowered ice block-making facility to the local government of Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, to support fish production in the locality.
The project was implemented under the Enhancing Food Security and Livelihood in Bangsamoro Project of UNDP Philippines, being funded by the government of Japan.
Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Endo Kazuya, and UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Selva Ramachandran led the simple handover ceremony.
UNDP Philippines, through the project, and upon the request of the Parang local government, commissioned the installation of the solar-powered ice block-making facility located near one of the province’s fishlanding centers and public markets.
By Henry J. Schumacher
IWAS sorry to read in the papers today that Filipino students are among the worst in creative thinking. The new OECD study indicate that the 15-old students in the Philippines ranked 63rd out of 64 countries in producing and evaluating original ideas that would translate into effective solutions.
As I have said in previous columns, without critical thinking we cannot thoughtfully process information and make reasoned decisions. We lose the ability to thoroughly analyze issues, understand different perspectives, spot logical fallacies, and weigh evidence. Critical thinking is the very foundations of a healthy democracy and an educated populace. It is also essential that young people are directed to critical thinking.
Here are a few undeniable reasons why it’s crucial to have these skills:
5. The Basis of Science & Democracy TO have a democracy and to prove scientific facts, we need critical thinking. Theories must be backed up with knowledge. For a society to effectively function, its citizens need to establish opinions about what’s right and wrong (by using critical thinking!). Again, the youth must definitely be prepared for this.
6. Key for Career Success CRITICAL thinking is crucial for many career paths. Not just for scientists, butdoctors, reporters,engineers, accountants and analysts (among many others). All must use critical thinking in their positions.
7. Promotes Curiosity CRITICAL thinkers are constantly curious about all kinds of things in life and tend to have a wide range of interests. Critical thinking meansconstantly asking questionsand wanting to know more, about why, what, who, where, when, and everything else that can help them make sense of a situation or concept, never taking anything at face value.
8. How Is Critical Thinking Developed at School?
Parang is a coastal town in Maguindanao del Norte, located along the eastern coast of the Iranun Bay.
The area has rich fresh and marine waters, with coastal and marine fishing areas like bays and straits, as well as inland waters like marshlands and rivers. Fishing is among the major sources of livelihood and food security in the province.
Parang Mayor Cahar Ibay highlighted the strategic importance of their location. “Parang is the center of trade among the five municipalities of the Iranun Corridor, hence the facility will not only benefit our community in Parang but the neighboring municipalities as well. Unity and cooperation of the five municipalities is vital for the development of the region,” Ibay said.
The handover activity took place during the week-long Iranun Peace Festival, which celebrates the culture and unwavering commitment to peace and unity among
The local government contributed to the land preparation and construction of roofing and protective structures around the facility.
the Iranun Community. In a show of support, municipal mayors of the adjoining towns in the Iranun Corridor—Mayor Tomawis of Barira, Mayor Manalao-Masurong of Buldon, Mayor Bansil-Guro of Matanog, and Mayor Panda of Sultan Mastura—joined the ceremony. The installation of the ice-making facility seeks to address one of the most common difficulties of fishermen in Mindanao—preserving the freshness of their catch due to a lack of ice and cold storage facilities. The weak and unreliable power supply in the area has made it impossible to set up and sustain industrial-level ice storage facilities.
In his keynote message, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya noted that: “As a coastal town, Parang’s waters remain a valuable source of sustenance and livelihood for many of its people. I hope the introduction of a solar-powered ice-making facility and its technology can help ensure such resources are harnessed efficiently. In helping attain socio-
economic development with aspiration for self-sufficiency and community empowerment, we hope to foster a more resilient and cohesive community—one that contributes to the overall stability and peace in the region.”
By providing a solar-powered ice block-making facility, fisherfolk in Parang can overcome challenges in transport and power supply. This technology can help enhance the profitability of fishing communities by eliminating their dependency on distant ice suppliers, reducing their operational costs, and increasing their bargaining power in pricing their fish. The use of solar power technology also offers a more reliable and environmentally friendly source of energy for the ice-making process.
The facility in Parang is the third to be turnover by UNDP Philippines to fishing communities in Mindanao—the first two being in Datu Mantil and Datu Binasing in Pigcawayan, Special Geographic Area of BARMM. Jonathan L. Mayuga
1. Critical Thinking is Universal CRITICAL thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. What does this mean? It means that no matter what path or profession you pursue, these skills will always be relevant and will always be beneficial to your success. They are not specific to any field.
2. Crucial for The Economy OUR future depends on technology, information, and innovation. Critical thinking is needed for our hopefully fastgrowing economy, to solve problems as quickly and as effectively as possible.
3. Improves Language and Presentation Skills TO best express ourselves, we need to know how to think clearly and systematically! Critical thinking also means knowing how to break down texts, and in turn, improve our ability to comprehend. Digital technology literacy is obviously part of this process, and young Filipinos will become part of this development.
INTEGRATED resorts and casinos remain as one of the main growth drivers of local tourism, in the process creating a multiplier effect across various industries, an official of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation said.
This was emphasized by Pagcor Assistant Vice President Maria Vina Claudette Oca, who heads the company’s Gaming Licensing and Development Department, during a panel discussion at the First Philippine Tourism and Ho-
tel Investment Summit held over the weekend.
Oca, one of the panelists on the topic, “Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Casino Hotels in the Philippines,” said casinos are just a small component of the many attractions offered by integrated resorts in the country.
She said that this is because Pagcor mandates all integrated resorts to offer more non-gaming attractions and resort facilities, including dining and shopping destinations.
4. Promotes Creativity BY practicing critical thinking, we are allowing ourselves not only to solve problems but also to come up with new and creative ideas to do so. Critical thinking allows us to analyze these ideas and adjust them accordingly.
MUCH of this important skill must be practiced at school, and rightfully so! The youth must learn to think critically! When a teacher asks a question in class, students must be given the chance to answer for themselves andthink critically about what they learnedand what they believe to be accurate. When students work in groups and are forced to engage in discussion, this is a great chance to expand their thinking and use their critical thinking skills. Once they have finished school and enter the workforce, their critical thinking journey only expands and grows from here! Finally, in the wake of ChatGPT, some argue that AI poses the greatest existential threat of our time. Advanced algorithms can automate jobs, enable manipulation through deepfakes, and weaponize disinformation. But AI systems are still designed by humans. Their capabilities are limited by what programmers develop. While potentially dangerous, current AI lacks sentience—the ability to think and feel. Minds design, build, regulate, and use technology for good or ill. Minds make ethical judgments with global consequences. No algorithm can replace human wisdom and analysis and critical reading and thinking skills. I look forward to receiving your comments; please contact me at hjschumacher59@ gmail.com.
Integrated resorts fuel economy, local tourism–Pagcor
“In fact, they are only allowed to allocate 7.5 percent of their facility’s total floor area to gaming,” she said. “The rest of the floor area is allocated for non-gaming facilities such as hotel rooms, retail areas, dining and other attractions.”
Oca added that currently, integrated casinos employ over 20,000 Filipinos, helping provide livelihood opportunities to locals.
Meanwhile, close to 80 percent of Pagcor’s revenues from regulated gaming are remitted to the government to fund significant
socio-civic projects, she said. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco also graced the First Philippine Tourism and Hotel Investment Summit as keynote speaker. The event was held at the New World Makati Hotel last June 21. The event was co-presented by the Department of Tourism’s attached agency, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority along with Pagcor and the Tourism Promotions Board as government agency sponsors.
June 25, 2024
NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP/S)
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Netanyahu announces troop deployment to confront Hezbollah as tensions mount
By Josef Federman The Associated Press
ERUSALEM—Israeli Prime Minis-
Jter Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the current phase of fighting against Hamas in Gaza is winding down, setting the stage for Israel to send more troops to its northern border to confront the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The comments threatened to further heighten the tensions between Israel and Hezbollah at a time when they appear to be moving closer to war.
Netanyahu also signaled that there is no end in sight for the grinding war in Gaza.
The Israeli leader said in a lengthy TV interview that while the army is close to completing its current ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, that would not mean the war against Hamas is over.
But he said fewer troops would be needed in Gaza, freeing up forces to battle Hezbollah.
“We will have the possibility of transferring some of our forces north, and we will do that,” he told Israel’s Channel 14, a pro-Netanyahu TV channel, in an interview that was frequently interrupted by applause from the studio audience. “First and foremost, for defense,” he added, but also to allow tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to return home.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately
after Hamas’ October 7 cross-border attack that triggered the Gaza war. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire nearly every day since then, but the fighting has escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of a full-blown war.
Hezbollah is much stronger than Hamas, and opening a new front would raise the risk of a larger, region-wide war involving other Iranian proxies and perhaps Iran itself that could cause heavy damage and mass casualties on both sides of the border.
White House envoy Amos Hochstein was in the region last week meeting with officials in Israel and Lebanon in an effort to lower tensions. But the fighting has continued.
Netanyahu said he hoped a diplomatic solution to the crisis could be found but vowed to solve the problem “in a different way” if needed. “We can fight on several fronts and we are prepared to do that,” he said. He said any deal would not just be “an agreement on paper.” He said it would require Hezbollah to be far from the border, an enforcement mechanism and the return of Israelis back to their homes. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated shortly after the fighting erupted and have not been able to go home.
Hezbollah has said it will continue battling Israel until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. The group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, warned Israel last week against launching a war, saying Hezbollah has new weapons and intel-
Emperor Naruhito of Japan begins UK visit with nostalgic return to the Thames Barrier
By Danica Kirka The Associated Press
LONDON—Before Emperor Naruhito of Japan attends a banquet hosted by King Charles III, lays a wreath at Westminster Abbey or tours one of Britain’s premier biomedical research institutes, he’ll kick off this week’s trip to the UK by visiting a site that has special meaning for him: The Thames Barrier. While the retractable flood control gates on the River Thames don’t top most lists of must-see tourist sights, the itinerary underscores the emperor’s fascination with the waterway that is the throbbing heart of London.
That interest was born 40 years ago when Naruhito studied 18th-century commerce on the river as a graduate student at the University of Oxford. But those two years, chronicled in his memoir “The Thames and I,” also forged a special fondness for Britain and its people. The future emperor got a chance to live outside the palace walls, seeing the kindness of strangers who rushed to help when he dropped his purse, scattering coins across a shop floor, and experiencing traditions like the great British pub crawl.
“It would be impossible in Japan to go to a place where hardly anyone would know who I was,’’ Naruhito wrote. “It is really important and precious to have the opportunity to be able to go privately at one’s own pace where one wants.’’ Naruhito and the Empress Masako, who studied at Oxford a few years after her husband, returned to the UK on Saturday for a weeklong stay combining the glitter and
ceremony of a state visit with four days of less formal events that will allow the royal couple to revisit their personal connections to Britain.
The visit comes at a time when the UK is seeking to bolster ties with Japan as it aims to be the most influential European nation in the Indo-Pacific region, said John Nilsson-Wright, the head of the Japan and Koreas program at the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge. In October 2020, Britain touted an economic partnership with Japan as the first major international trade agreement it had struck since leaving the European Union earlier that year.
“The UK-Japan relationship is hugely important.... It’s based on shared common experience. It’s based also on the affinity between our two peoples,’’ Nilsson-Wright said. “Britain and Japan can act as a source of stability and, hopefully, mutual reassurance at a time when political change is so potentially destabilizing.”
The trip, originally planned for 2020, was intended to be the emperor’s first overseas visit after he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019. But it was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He later attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
The state visit begins Tuesday, when Charles and Queen Camilla will formally welcome the emperor and empress before they take a ceremonial carriage ride to Buckingham Palace. Naruhito will also lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey then return to the palace for a state banquet.
But before the pomp and circumstance begins, Naruhito will visit The Thames Barrier,
ligence capabilities that could help it target more critical positions deeper inside Israel.
Hezbollah already has unveiled new weapons during the low-level fighting, including hard-to-defend attack drones that strike with little warning. An Israeli soldier was badly wounded Sunday in a drone strike.
But Israel says it too has shown Hezbollah only a small part of its full capabilities, and that Lebanon will be turned into a second Gaza if there is a war. Israel’s army last week said it had “approved and validated” a new plan for a Lebanon offensive.
a series of retractable steel gates that protect London from flooding while allowing ships to continue navigating the river. After the state visit, he and his wife will have time to tour their old colleges at Oxford.
It was at Merton College that the future emperor, who was born Hironomiya Naruhito, was known simply as Hiro because it was easier for faculty and students to remember the nickname (and because the prince liked the sound of it), he wrote in “The Thames and I.”
One of his greatest joys at Merton was to go to the Middle Common Room, a meeting place for graduate students, to drink coffee and talk with other students after lunch.
“These moments, with my fellow students, brief as they were, were very important for me,’’ Naruhito wrote.
Britain in the 1980s was a revelation to Naruhito because it seemed to respect the past even as it embraced the future, he said, remembering the peaceful co-existence of scholars in traditional caps and gowns with young people wearing punk rock garb.
“I did not feel that was out of the ordinary,’’ he said. “It seemed to me that both reflected the spirit of the place. This was, after all, a country that produced the Beatles and the miniskirt. felt that while the British attach importance to old traditions, they also have the ability to innovate.’’
Naruhito also wrote about the novelty of walking through the streets of Oxford without being noticed, of spending hours in the local records office doing his academic research and of having the chance to do his own shopping and other mundane chores that most people take for granted.
The Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi and Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed.
In the interview, Netanyahu said that Israel’s offensive in Gaza is winding down. The Israeli army has been operating in the southern border town of Rafah since early May. It says it has inflicted heavy damage on Hamas in Rafah, which it has identified as the last remaining Hamas stronghold after a brutal war stretching nearly nine months. But he said Israel would have to continue “mowing” operations— targeted strikes aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping.
Israel launched its air and ground invasion of Gaza immediately after Hamas’ October 7 attack, which killed
some 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage.
The Israeli offensive has killed over 37,000 Palestinians, unleashed a humanitarian crisis and triggered war crimes and genocide cases at the world’s top courts in The Hague.
It also has raised tensions with the United States, with President Joe Biden and Netanyahu clashing publicly over the course of the war. Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu again repeated his claim that there has been a “dramatic drop” in arms shipments from the US, Israel’s closest ally, hindering the war effort.
Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over concerns of heavy civilian casualties, but his administration fought back last week against Netanyahu’s charges that other shipments had also been affected.
Although the US and other mediators are pushing a cease-fire plan, Netanyahu has ruled out an end to the war until Israel frees all hostages held by Hamas and until it destroys Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.
The current phase of the war “is about to end,” Netanyahu said. “That doesn’t mean the war is about to end.”
Netanyahu spoke as his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, was in Washington for talks with American officials about the war and tensions with Lebanon. And next month, Netanyahu has been invited to address
Congress for a speech that already is dividing Washington along partisan lines. Some Democrats, angry at Netanyahu’s public fighting with Biden, say they will not attend.
American officials also have been pressing Netanyahu to spell out a clear post-war plan for Gaza. The US has said it will not accept a long-term Israeli occupation of the territory.
Netanyahu spelled out a very different vision. He said the only way to guarantee Israel’s security is for Israel to maintain military control over the territory.
“There is no one else” capable of doing that, he said. But he said he is seeking a way to create a Palestinian “civilian administration” to manage day-to-day affairs in Gaza, hopefully with backing from moderate Arab countries. He ruled out any role for the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, which was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in a violent 2007 takeover.
Netanyahu said the Israeli army several months ago looked into working with prominent Palestinian families in Gaza, but that Hamas immediately “destroyed them.” He said Israel is now looking at other options.
Netanyahu ruled out one option favored by some of his ultranationalist governing partners—re-settling Israelis in Gaza. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, ending a 38-year presence.
“The issue of settlement is not realistic,” he said. “I’m realistic.”
Ukraine and Russia trade strikes, leaving dozens dead and injured
By Tom Williams & Elise Morton The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine—Russian authorities said six people died and over 100 were wounded in Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on Sunday, while the second day of Russia’s aerial bombing of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine killed at least one person.
Among the dead were five people—including two children— who were hit by falling debris from Ukrainian missiles that were shot down over a coastal area in Sevastopol, a port city in Russia-annexed Crimea, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the city’s Moscow-installed governor. Another person died in Grayvoron city in Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Razvozhayev said 151 people were wounded in Sevastopol.
Falling rocket fragments caused a forest fire of over 150 square meters (1,600 square feet) and set a residential building alight, RIA Novosti said, noting that a fifth missile had exploded over the city.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said
Extreme heat claims over 1,300 lives during Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia
By Samy Magdy
The Associated Press
CAIRO—More than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, Saudi authorities announced Sunday.
both Ukraine and the US bore “responsibility for a deliberate missile strike on civilians.” It said that US-supplied ATACMS missiles were used in the Ukranian attack.
Razvozhayev declared Monday a day of mourning in Sevastopol, with public events canceled.
Air defenses overnight shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over Russia’s western Bryansk, Smolensk, Lipetsk and Tula regions, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Sunday. No casualties or damage were reported.
A fresh attack on Kharkiv killed at least one person and wounded 11 on Sunday, according to local officials. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the city was attacked by a guided bomb and that around half of Kharkiv was without electricity because of the strike.
Sunday’s attacks came after Russia struck Kharkiv on Saturday afternoon with four aerial bombs, hitting a five-story residential building and killing three people.
Regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said that 41 people were still being treated for injuries on Sunday.
In a video address following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraine’s partners to bolster its air defenses.
The government also said officials from the companies have been referred to the public prosecutor for investigation.
“Modern air defense systems for Ukraine—such as Patriots, accelerated training of our pilots for F-16s, and most importantly, sufficient range for our weapons—are truly necessary,” he said. Two people were wounded by falling debris when two Russian missiles were shot down over the Kyiv region overnight, Ukraine’s air force commander Mykola Oleschuk said.
Regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin of Ukraine’s partly occupied Donetsk region said that Russian attacks on Saturday killed two people and wounded four. In other developments, the Ukrainian Navy released photos Sunday that it says confirm the destruction of a warehouse in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region used to launch and store Iraniandesigned Shahed drones. Navy officials said training instructors and cadets were killed in the attack on Friday night. Moscow has not yet commented on the reports, but officials said air defenses shot down a number of drones in the region overnight on Friday.
Morton reported from London.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said that 83% of the 1,301 fatalities were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in soaring temperatures to perform the Hajj rituals in and around the holy city of Mecca.
Speaking with the state-owned Al Ekhbariya TV, the minister said 95 pilgrims were being treated in hospitals, some of whom were airlifted for treatment in the capital, Riyadh. He said the identification process was delayed because there were no identification documents with many of the dead pilgrims. He said the dead were buried in Mecca, without giving a breakdown. The fatalities included more than 660
Egyptians. All but 31 of them were unauthorized pilgrims, according to two officials in Cairo. Egypt has revoked the licenses of 16 travel agencies that helped unauthorized pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia, authorities said.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists, said most of the dead were reported at the Emergency Complex in Mecca’s Al-Muaisem neighborhood. Egypt sent more than 50,000 authorized pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year.
Saudi authorities cracked down on unauthorized pilgrims, expelling tens of thousands of people. But many, mostly Egyptians, managed to reach holy sites in and around Mecca, some on foot. Unlike authorized pilgrims, they had no hotels to return to to escape the scorching heat.
In a statement Saturday, Egypt’s government said the 16 travel agencies failed to provide adequate services for pilgrims. It said these agencies illegally facilitated the travel of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia using visas that don’t allow holders to travel to Mecca.
According to the state-owned Al-Ahram daily, some travel agencies and Hajj trip operators sold Saudi tourist visas to Egyptian Hajj hopefuls, violating Saudi regulations that require exclusive visas for pilgrims. Those agencies left pilgrims in limbo in Mecca and the holy sites in scorching heat, the newspaper said. The fatalities also included 165 pilgrims from Indonesia, 98 from India and dozens more from Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Malaysia, according to an Associated Press
tally. Two US citizens were also reported dead. The AP could not independently confirm the causes of death, but some countries like Jordan and Tunisia blamed the soaring heat. AP journalists saw pilgrims fainting from the scorching heat, especially on the second and third days of the Hajj. Some vomited and collapsed. Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. The pilgrimage’s history has also seen deadly stampedes and epidemics. But this year’s tally was unusually high, suggesting exceptional circumstances.
PEOPLE protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and call for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Israel on Saturday, June 22, 2024. AP/LEO CORREA
Fake birth certificates expose alarming gaps in our national security editorial
THE disturbing revelations by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian about the proliferation of fake birth certificates highlight a serious breach in our nation’s security and immigration controls. His call for a Senate investigation is a necessary and urgent step to address this concerning issue. (Read the BusinessMirror report: “Gatchalian seeks inquiry on fake birth certificates,” June 21, 2024).
T he impl ications of fake bir t h cer tif icates go beyond mere bureaucratic irreg u larities. T hese f raudu lent documents enable unscrupu lous ind iv iduals, includ ing foreigners, to exploit loopholes in our systems, evade immig ration laws, and per petrate crimes. T he case of Bamban Mayor Al ice Guo, who is l inked to an i llegal Phi l ippine Offshore Gaming Operator hub and faces allegations of human traff ick ing, ser ves as a stark reminder of t he dangers associated w it h fake bir t h cer tif icates.
T he f ind ings of t he Senate fact-f ind ing investigation, which brought to l ight d iscrepancies in Guo’s bir t h cer tif icate, demonstrate t he urgent need to add ress t his issue. T he absence of gover nment records suppor ting t he ex istence of Amel ia Leal, t he named mot her in Guo’s bir t h cer tif icate, ra ises questions about t he cred ibi l ity and rel iabi l ity of our bir t h reg istration system. It is imperative to identify and d ismantle t he synd icates responsible for producing t hese fake documents and exploiting t he late bir t h reg istration system.
T he alar ming statistics revealed by t he Depar tment of Foreign Affa irs (DFA), t he Bureau of Immig ration (BI), and t he Phi l ippine Statistics Aut hority (PSA) high l ight t he magnitude of t he problem. From t he d iscover y of 308 fake bir t h cer tif icates used for Phi l ippine passpor t appl ications in 2023 to t he ongoing investigation of around 300 incidents involv ing Fi l ipinos and 65 cases involv ing foreigners, it is clear t hat t his issue poses a signif icant t hreat to our national security.
Foreign nationals presenting aut hentic PSA-issued bir t h cer tif icates to pose as Fi l ipinos and secure gover nment identif ication is a worrisome trend. T he fact t hat t hese ind iv iduals are successf u lly evad ing immig ration inspection and misrepresenting t hemselves to overstay in t he countr y underscores t he urgent need for stricter measures and enhanced scrutiny of documents during t he appl ication process.
T he Senate investigation called for by Senator Gatchal ian must focus on identify ing t he root causes of t his problem, assessing t he loopholes in our systems, and f ind ing comprehensive solutions. It shou ld involve close coord ination between gover nment agencies, such as t he DFA, BI, and PSA, to ensure a unif ied and effective approach
It is crucial to strengt hen t he bir t h reg istration system and ensure its integ rity. Implementing stringent verif ication processes and cross-referencing bir t h records w it h ot her gover nment databases can help identify f raudu lent entries and detect suspicious activ ities. Collaboration between t he PSA and ot her relevant agencies is v ital to establ ish a robust and interconnected system t hat leaves no room for manipu lation.
Add itionally, law enforcement agencies must be equipped w it h t he necessar y resources and tra ining to detect counter feit documents and apprehend ind iv iduals involved in t heir production and d istribution. T he creation of a special ized unit focused on investigating document f raud and synd icates involved in t his i ll icit trade wou ld be a signif icant step for ward in effectively combating t his issue.
Fur t her more, publ ic awareness campa igns shou ld be launched to educate citizens about t he dangers of fake bir t h cer tif icates and t he potential consequences of using t hem. Encourag ing ind iv iduals to repor t suspicious activ ities and prov id ing t hem w it h secure channels to do so w i ll help create a cu lture of v ig i lance and active par ticipation in safeg uard ing national security. T he issue of fake bir t h cer tif icates is not a new one, but its current scale and t he potential for national security breaches demand immed iate and decisive action. A comprehensive investigation, coupled w it h a mu lti-agency approach to add ress t he v u lnerabi l ities in our system, is crucial to protect t he integ rity of our national identity and ensure t he safety and security of our nation. T he f ight aga inst f raudu lent documents must be relentless.
CJohn Mangun
What does the US want? OUTSIDE THE BOX
ONSIDERING the fact that military service is not compulsory in the Philippines and that it is not particularly regarded as a career with high esteem, it is fortunate that in the newspapers and social media we have many newly minted geo-military specialists. Maybe we can thank “General Google” for that.
Some are conv inced t hat Xi Jinping f requently checks t he button t hat launches his nu kes at Mani la to make sure it is work ing. Ot hers are sure t hat t he US of A is ver y ready and most w i ll ing to respond w it h extreme prejud ice if Xi even casts a sideways glance towards Ta iwan.
Is it true as some of t he exper ts in Washington D.C. bel ieve t hat China has a master plan to establ ish t he 21st centur y version of t he “Greater East Asi a Co-Prosperity Sphere” ? How can you arg ue w it h t he g reatest mi l itar y minds t he US has ever produced?
But what does t he US seek in t he current situation?
Since t he earl iest days of t he Republ ic as embod ied in George Washington’s farewell speec h, t he unoff icial pol icy was to avoid “foreign entanglements.” T he Monroe Doctrine enumerated in t he 1823 State of t he Union Add ress sa id t hat as nearly all Spanish colonies in the Americas had or were close to independence, f ur-
t her effor ts by European powers to control or influence sovereign states in t he reg ion wou ld be v iewed as a t hreat to US security.
Great Brita in shared t hat general objective, and t he Royal Navy was t he sole nation enforcing it for many years as the US lacked adequate naval capabi l ity. Decades later, T heodore Roosevelt bel ieved t hat it was absolutely necessar y for the US to possess the necessar y militar y capability that wou ld force an adversar y to pay close attention. T he US cou ld t hen “Speak softly and carr y a big stick.”
T he US was initially not at t he foref ront of eit her World War One or Two. Its scores of historic cover t and mi l itari ly over t actions (Cuba, Dominican Republ ic, Korea, Chi le, Iraq, Lebanon, Panama, t he for mer Yugoslav ia, and Haiti among numerous ot hers) was not for occupation but to ensure as much as possible for a US f riendly gover nment to be in place.
However, if any of our local ex-
per ts examined histor y back f ur t her t han a few decades, t hey might d iscover a d ifferent real ity. I w rote about Obama’s “Pivot to Asia” in 2011 recently. Now in 2022 we had Biden’s pivot in t he W hite House “Indo-Pacif ic Strategy” document. “T he f uture of each of our nat ions—and indeed t he world— depends on a f ree and open IndoPacif ic, enduring and flourishing in t he decades a head.” T he hyperbole is strong in t he Biden administration. “T he Indo-Pacif ic’s f uture depends on t he choices we make now. T he American role in t he reg ion must be mo re effect i ve and enduri ng t han ever.”
I take it t hat t he “more effective and enduring” par t to mean more and for longer American mi l itar y in t he Phi l ippines. T he narrative mentions t he US par tnership w it h Ind ia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and T ha i land but only t he Phi l ippines has “T he Bases.”
T he pur pose of t he US strategy is clear “T he PRC is combining its economic, d iplomatic, mi l itar y, and technolog ical might as it pursues a sphere of influence in t he Indo-Pacif ic and seeks to become t he world’s most influential power.” We know t hat cannot be allowed to happen.
“For our par t, t he United States is compet ing w it h t he PRC to defend the interests and v ision for the future t hat we share w it h ot hers.”
T h at word “compet i ng” i s i mpor tant. W hen t he W hite Hou se released t hi s second Indo-Pac i f ic st rategy i n Febru a r y 2022, two weeks later,
Ru ssi a i nvaded Uk ra i ne. Not long ago, when t he US told anot her nat ion to “Stand Down,” its order was obeyed. But t he US econom ic and m i l ita r y power i s bei ng c h allenged ever y day. Becau se all t he US h ad to do was to “Speak
Parts of Modi’s agenda face risk in India’s fractured parliament
By Swati Gupta
m ir and passed an amendment to t he c it i zenship law t h at d i sc ri m i nates aga i nst Mu sl i ms. In Janu a r y, Mod i i naug urated a temple bui lt on t he rui ns of a demol i shed mosque i n Ayod hya. T he dest ruct ion of t he mosque led to riots ac ross Ind i a t hree decades ago and helped propel t he BJ P to t he nat ional stage. W hi le analysts and economists expect Mod i to broadly cont i nue pursuing t he economic pol icy goals
that shaped his f irst decade in power, t hey say he may be forced to jettison many of t he more controversial social pol icies his par ty had advocated prior to it’s electoral setback. A new
l i ament tak i ng off
Monday may g ive some hint of whet
domestic pol icies are now in doubt, or need to be reworked under
ition gover nment. Uniform civil code FOR years, the BJP has advocated for t he replacement of Ind ia’s rel ig ionbased laws w it h a unifor m civ i l code. T his wou ld enta i l a non-rel ig ious set of ru les gover ning issues l i ke marriage, inheritance and d ivorce. Mod i and his par ty have long championed for a unifor m code. T hey see t he current system as allow ing non-Hindu comm u n i t i es—espec i ally M u s-
lims—to operate on their own terms, and a new code wou ld l i kely outlaw many personal practices relating to marriage and d ivorce. In a test case, t h e BJ P - ru n nor t he r n Ind i an state of Utta r ak h
Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua
By Reine Juvierre S.
lHealt h Pr es i dent and C hief Exec ut ive Off ice r (CEO)
Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr and Pu lse 6 3 CEO Loui s Kweyamba Mag uru s i gned t he P OV ag reement on Ju ne 24, Monday. “We a i m to add ress two c rit ical i ssues t h at h ave long plag ued our healt h i ns ur ance system: cla i m delays and cla i m ret ur ns. T he i nteg r at ion of advanced AI tools and models w i ll s i gn i f icantly reduce t he t i me re quired to effect ively process cla i ms,” Ledesma sa id. Acco r d i ng to Mag uru t h e c urrent cla i ms system of Phi lHealt h takes up to 60 days, as mandated by law, fo r cla i ms to be pa id by t he i ns ure r Phi lHealt h rece ives all t he data and rev iews it aga i nst its ru les and e it he r den ies or ret ur ns t he appl icat ion to t he hospital.
PHL losing $7.1B in
climate fuels 5
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
THE economy stands to lose $7.1 billion due to five health risks that are bound to result in more cases and deaths due to climate change between 2026 and 2030, according to the latest report of the World Bank.
In t he repor t, T he Phi l ippi nes Hu man Capital Rev iew: Invest i ng i n t he
T
Trade c hief, however, sa
cou ld not d i sclose t
t
i nvestment leads and t
sector s for eac h project.
bi ll ion,” Su n ico also noted.
O ut of t he 201 projects i n t he pipel i ne be i ng mon itored by t he Depa r tment of Tr ade and Indu st r y (DTI), Sec reta r y Alf redo E. Pasc u al gave repor te r s deta i ls on t he stat u s of t he projects, mostly t hose i n t he advanced stages, i n a brief i ng on Monday. “[T hose t h at a re] ope r at i ng or Categor y 6, t he re a re 12 projects as of May 20, 2024, w it h an est i mated act u al project cost of $328 m i ll ion,” Pasc u al, who coc h a irs t he BOI,
t he BOI repor ted it approved P640.22 bi ll ion wor t h of i nvestments i n t he Janu a r y to May 2024 pe riod, mak i ng it t he “ hi g hest f ir st-5-mont h approval” f i g ure i n BOI’s 57-yea r hi stor y. Accord i ng to t he i nvestment promot ion agency, t hi s ma rks a 14-percent i nc r ease f r om t h e P562.90 bi ll ion recorded i n t he same pe riod last yea r Of t he whole i nvestment approvals pie i n t he f ive-mont h period, BOI sa id foreign i nvestments amou nted to P 114. 37 bi ll ion, or 17.86 pe rcent of t he pie, whi le domest ic i nvestments reac hed P525.85 bi ll ion, or 82.14 pe rcent of t he i nvestment approvals pie.
T hese projects, t he BOI noted, a re expected to c reate 13,871 jobs for Fi l ipi nos. As to t he source of i nvestments, t he i nvestment p r omot ion agency sa i d Sw itze r land was t he lead i ng so ur ce of fo r e i gn i nvestments, cont ri b ut i ng P 62.89 b i ll ion, followed by T h e Net h e r lands w it h P3 9. 33 b i ll ion; Si ngapo r e, P 6.07 b i ll ion; C hi na, P 1.5 3 b i ll ion; Ta iwan, P 1.28 b i ll ion; and t he USA w it h P 95 3 m i ll ion. In ter ms of sector BOI sa id t he Renewable and Energy Power i ndu st r y cont i nued to dom i nate t he Phi l ipp i ne i nvestment approvals landscape, att ract i ng P607.47 bi ll ion in investments, a 20.73 -percent
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
Alberto
PHILHEALTH President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. and Pulse 63 CEO Louis Kweyamba Maguru sign the POV agreement on June 24, Monday. REINE JUVIERRE S. ALBERTO
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
TBy Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
WO Japanese firms have committed additional investments of P7.4 billion to expand their operations in the Philippines, according to the Board of Investments (BOI).
Tire Phi l ippines Inc. (YTPI), is one of t he largest faci l ities in t he Clark Freepor t Zone, employing Fi l ipinos and producing mi ll ions
of tires annually.”
As for MinibeaMitsumi, t he BOI
cha ir man sa id it has plans of expand ing its semiconductor factor y in Cebu “T hey might also set up a solar fa r m to suppor t t heir factor y i n Cebu.”
T he DTI sa id last June 19 t hat
MinebeaMitsumi is w i ll ing to help t he Phi l ippi ne gover nment t r a i n 128,000 semiconductor professionals by 2028.
T his, DTI noted, reinforces” t he US CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $50 bi ll ion to t he industr y and identif ied t he Phi l ippines and Japan as key par tners.
Pascual sa id Phi l ippine off icials met w ith eight Japanese f ir ms which have ex isting operations in t he Phi lippines.
T he si x other companies prov ided updates on t he status of t heir invest-
ments in t he Phi l ippines. T hese si x companies are Sojitz Cor p., Marubeni Cor p., Murata Manufacturing, Mitsubishi Cor p., Sumitomo Cor p. and Ta iheiyo Cement Cor p. Pascual sa id Sojitz had committed to invest about P2.6 bi ll ion but its actual investments have already reached P3.6 bi ll ion. Murata has pledged to invest P47 bi llion to increase its manufacturing capacity in t he Phi l ippines, according to a letter of intent it signed last Februar y 2023 “Out of P47 bi ll ion, t hey have al-
data breach exposed the data of more t han 1,000 major companies. T he data includes deta i led personal, membe r, and book i ng i nfor mat ion. Spec i f ically, it reveals sender deta i ls such as f u ll names,
Shell bullish on bitumen sales
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
const ruct ion compan ies for bit u men solut ions t h at can help reduce t he ir ca r bon footpri nt. It s i gned deals w it h Cemex Hold i ngs Phi l ippi nes Inc., Roadex Const ruct ion Cor p. and Green Antz Bui lders.
S h ell sa i d i t a i ms to leve r age i ts st r ong b i t u men b u s i ness, expe rt i se i n low-ca r bon f u els and cleane r ene r gy sol u t i ons to h elp t h ese compan i es solve t h e ir u n iqu e” deca r bon i zat i on c h allenges. T h e Depa r tment of Pu bl i c Wo r ks and H i g
ways
i d t h e ag r eements wo u ld h elp t h e co u nt r y “ac hi eve o ur common goals of p r ov i d
l i on i n t h e f ir st qu a r te r, a r eve rsal of t h e P3 00-m i ll i on net loss i t i nc urr ed i n t h e same pe ri od a yea r ago. T h e company sa i d i t s i gn i f icantly i mp
i o u s yea r ’s negat i ve P 5.9 b i ll i on. T hi s i s att ri b utable to t h e company’s act i ve wo r k i ng cap i tal management and val u e del i
h h olds data fo r all compan i es i n t h e g r o u p,” N P C told r epo r te r s i n a V i be r message on Monday. T he countr y’s privacy watchdog sa id “sensitive” personal infor mation, includ ing dates of bir t h and senior citizen ID numbers, have been compromised.
“Approx imately 11 mi ll ion data subjects are affected, t he majority of whom a re Joll ibee c ustomers,” NPC sa id.
Ot her brands t hat have been affected are Mang Inasal, Red R ibbon, Chowk ing, Greenw ich, Burger K ing, Yoshinoya, and Panda Express.
Accord ing to NPC, Joll ibee has requested an add itional 20 days to complete its “ inter nal investigation.”
Just last week, NPC conf ir med t hat it received a data breach notif ication repor t f rom Max icare Healthcare Cor poration.
According to cybersecurity watchdog Deep Web Konek, t his alleged
rr ed dates and t i mes, and a l i st of re quested p r oced ur es. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/06/19/maxicare-breachlatest-in-private-sector-npc-probes-as-dataof-1000-major-firms-exposed/). Last June 6, NPC prov ided updates on data breach notif ications involv ing some of t he largest companies in t he countr y.
“Robinsons Land notif ied us of a data breach on June 1, 2024. Add itionally, Toyota notif ied us of a breach on May 14,2024. T he repor ts are currently under evaluation,” NPC sa id in a statement. Andrea E. San Juan
Banking&Finance
BIR amends regulations on electronic CARs
By Reine Juvierre Alberto
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has removed the 5-year validity of Electronic Certificate Authorizing Registration (eCAR) to make it easier for taxpayers to transfer the ownership of real properties.
What is hyperbolic discounting?
IMAGINE you re g iven a choice between receiving P1,000 today and P1,500 after two months. W hat would you choose?
Most people wou ld opt for t he immed iate P1,000. T his common preference for immed iate rewards over larger, delayed ones is a phenomenon known as hyperbol ic d iscounting, and it has signif icant impl ications for personal f inance.
Hyperbol ic d iscounting is a psycholog ical concept t hat reflects our tendency to prioritize immed iate rewards over larger but delayed ones.
It occurs because ind iv iduals value instant g ratif ication heav i ly and have d iff icu lty env isioning t he f uture in a way t hat makes f uture rewards seem equally valuable.
T his bias can lead to impu lsive f inancial choices t hat have a detrimental impact on longter m f inancial goals.
The cost of hyperbolic discounting HY PERBOLIC d iscounting can w reak havoc on personal f inances in various ways:
1. Savings and Investments
People who suffer f rom hyperbol ic d iscounting are less l i kely to save or invest for t he f uture. T hey may prioritize spend ing money now on consumer goods, enter ta inment, or ot her immed iate pleasures instead of sav ing for retirement, emergencies, or long-ter m f inancial goals.
2. Debt accumu lation
Hyperbolic discounting can lead to impulsive spending decisions, including taking on debt. People may use credit cards excessively or take out loans for things they want now, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of debt with high-interest rates.
3 Poor retirement planning Sav ing for retirement often requires sacrif icing immed iate consumption for a more comfor table f uture. People who struggle w it h hyperbol ic d iscounting may delay or underinvest in retirement accounts, leav ing t hem unprepared for t heir later years.
4. Weight on decisionmaking Hyperbol ic d iscounting can influence various aspects of f inancial decision-mak ing, f rom choosing between job offers w it h d ifferent long-ter m benef its to mak ing investment decisions.
How to overcome hyperbolic discounting RECOGNIZING and add ressing hyperbol ic d iscounting can help ind iv iduals make more sound f inancial decisions. Here are si x t hings you can do.
1. Create a financial plan Develop a comprehensive
f inancial plan t hat outl ines your shor t-ter m and long-ter m goals. T his can ser ve as a v isual reminder of t he impor tance of sav ing and investing for t he f uture.
2. Automate savings Set up automatic transfers to your sav ings or investment accounts. T his “pay yourself f irst” strategy ensures t hat you allocate a por tion of your income to sav ings before you have t he chance to spend it impu lsively.
3 Delayed gratification techniques
Practice techniques t hat encourage delayed g ratif ication, such as t he “10-10-10” ru le. W hen faced w it h a f inancial decision, consider how it w i ll impact you in 10 minutes, 10 mont hs, and 10 years.
4. Emergency fund
Bui ld an emergency f und to cover unexpected expenses, reducing t he need to rely on cred it cards or loans when unforeseen f inancial challenges arise.
5. Financial education
Invest in your f inancial education. Improve your f inancial l iteracy. So t hat you can better understand t he long-ter m benef its of sav ing and investing. T he more you know, t he easier it becomes to prioritize your f inancial f uture over your immed iate desires.
6. Seek professional help Consider consu lting a f inancial planner or f inancial adv isor who can help you develop a strategy to overcome hyperbol ic d iscounting and make infor med f inancial choices.
In conclusion
HY PERBOLIC d iscounting is a common cognitive bias affecting many f inancial decisions. W hi le it may be challeng ing to overcome, t he long-ter m benef its of doing so are well wor t h t he effor t.
By recognizing and being aware of t his tendency, developing strateg ies to mitigate its effects, and prioritizing f inancial planning, you can make better choices for your f uture, ensuring your f inancial well-being and peace of mind.
Remember, whi le instant g ratif ication is tempting, t he rewards and self-f u lf i lment you experience by doing delayed g ratif ication are often g reater and far more signif icant.
Fitz Villafuerte is registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. His views in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the BUSINESSMIRROR S. To learn more about personal-financial planning, attend the 108th RFP program this May 2024. To inquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text at 0917-9689774.
TBy Ada Pelonia
HE Depar tment of Agriculture (DA) is planning to borrow 350 million euros from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its solar irrigation project.
Ag ricu lture Assistant Secretar y and Spokesman A r nel De Mesa sa id solar irrigation is an “ inexpensive” way of del ivering water to far ms.
“Small-scale irrigat ion projects enable planters to have t he means to develop t heir far m and d iversify t heir crops,” De Mesa sa id during a food security forum in Makati on Monday.
T he forum, which was organized by Phi nma Cor p., ADR St ratbase Institute and t he Makati Business Club, sought to encourage insightf u l and collaborative d iscussions” to cu ltivate a resi l ient and susta inable food security env ironment w it hin t he countr y.
De Mesa added that far mers cou ld d iversify into vegetables, high-value commercial crops, and l ivestock.
“Water is basic for ag ricu lture. If far mers have enough irrigation water, it wou ld be easy for t hem to plant whatever t hey want,” he sa id.
He noted t h at t he small-scale project cou ld irrigate up to eight to 10 hectares ( ha) and cou ld be developed in eight to 10 days.
“We can foc u s on t hese smallscale irrigat ion projects t h at t he fa r me r s can eas i ly manage,” De Mesa added.
He sa id t he project has been approved by t he Investment Coord ination Committee (ICC) Technical Board, w it h t he ICC Cabinet Committee as t he next step before it is elevated to t he National Economic and Development Aut hority (Neda)
Board for conf ir mation.
“It w i ll be implemented nationw ide, hopef u lly star ting next year,” he told repor ters. Meanw hi le, De Mesa sa id t he depa r tment h as re quested an add it ional P 22 bi ll ion for t hi s yea r f rom t he Depa
Bank tried to w in under w riting business for t he brokerage unit. In one case, a representative d irector of MUFG Bank at t hat time was aware t hat t he infor mation sharing was potentially
INDONESIAN state-run power utility’s dollar bonds have suffered the most in Asia over the past two weeks due to rising concerns about the nation’s debt. T his has pressured local borrowers, who face $6 billion in maturities through the end of 2025.
Si x of t he 10 biggest decl iners in t he Asia ex-Japan dollar bond market in t hat period
Commission, sa id earl ier t his mont h t hat MUFG Bank, Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities had inappropriately exchanged cl ient infor mation at least 26 times to w in business. T he market watc hdog also found ot her improper conduct, including cases in which MUFG
t he countr y’s debt ratio to f und his spend ing promises. On Friday, t he rupia h hit a new four-year low, mak ing it costlier for local companies to ser v ice t heir dollar debts. “T h e t i g h tness i n c r ed i t spreads i n gene r al ri g ht now g ive l ittle room for any rate volati l ity or adverse change in risk perception, whi le t he weakness in rupia h is cer ta inly
plan promptly. T he bank ing industr y has long lobbied off icials to ease restrictions, arg uing it would better ser ve clients’ interests if lenders and their g roup brokerages can offer products and ser v ices toget her Off icials found f irewall v iolations a few years ago at rival Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.’s brokerage subsidiar y. Bloomberg News
PERSONAL FINANCE
Fitz Gerard Villafuerte F
PHOTO FROM WWW.PNA.GOV.PH
Art BusinessMirror
‘Creating generations of art lovers’: MoCAF goes big in 3rd run
THE Modern and Contemporary Art Festival (MoCAF) returns this July for a supersized third year, touting a bigger venue and more programs that support its positioning as an “inclusive” art event.
From its original space at Fairmont Makati for the past two years, MoCAF 2024 relocates to Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City, covering the entirety of the four-story venue for its three-day run from July 5 to 7. Festival chairperson Ricky Franscisco
said during MoCAF 2024’s recent press conference at Asott BGC, the move allows them to further distinguish their festival by creating more projects that appeal to a wider demographic of art enthusiasts.
“We wanted to do more than a usual art fair,” Francisco said at the event’s sidelines. “We wanted to ensure that we don’t only feature established players in the arts scene, because there are a lot of young players that deserve recognition as well for what they do. Also, there are other things that are not just high art that normal people could also relate to, which serves as the entryway to exploring high art. We’re trying to create generations of art lovers.”
A total of 47 galleries will participate in MoCAF 2024. The main ballroom of Marquis Events Place will be occupied by 24 exhibiting art spaces, including seven foreign galleries, presenting artworks from established and emerging artists alike.
Meanwhile, MoCAF 2024 draws up an extensive lineup of 11 special exhibitions. Two of these feature collectors’ favorites Kartrina Cuenca and Michael Cacnio, set to showcase event-exclusive pieces. A
partner of the festival, the Department of Tourism has also prepared curated shows.
MoCAF 2024 likewise builds on the festival’s e forts to become an inclusive artistic platform for everyone to enjoy. Last year, the festival introduced MoCAF XP, a community-oriented program featuring small local enterprises and establishments which presented engaging art-related experiences to the younger audience. The 2024 edition of MoCAF XP already got the ball rolling for this year’s festival through a recent painting workshop with VeryGood Gallery in collaboration with Art Caravan. Other activities will be announced soon leading to the festival proper.
“It’s always been a goal of MoCAF to reach out to the community,” festival director Coleen Wong said.
“MoCAF is also known for how relaxed it is for the festival-goers; it doesn’t pressure you to roam around. We want festival-goers to simply enjoy and breathe in the art experience.”
JUDY GARLAND’S HOMETOWN IS RAISING FUNDS TO PURCHASE STOLEN ‘WIZARD OF OZ’ RUBY SLIPPERS
GRAND RAPIDS, Minnesota—The Minnesota hometown of Judy Garland, the actress who wore a pair of ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz, is raising money to purchase the prized footwear after it was stolen from a local museum and then later turned over to an auction company. Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where the late actress was born in 1922, is fundraising at its annual Judy Garland festival, which kicks off on Thursday.
The north Minnesota town is soliciting donations to bring the slippers back after an auction company takes them on an international tour before offering them up to prospective buyers in December.
“They could sell for $1 million, they could sell for $10 million. They’re priceless,” Joe Maddalena, Heritage Auctions executive
vice president, told Minnesota Public Radio. “Once they’re gone, all the money in the world can’t buy them back.”
The funds will supplement the $100,000 set aside this year by Minnesota lawmakers to purchase the slippers.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions received the slippers from Michael Shaw, the memorabilia collector who originally owned the iconic shoes. Shaw had loaned them in 2005 to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
That summer, someone smashed through a display case and stole the sequins-and-beads-bedazzled slippers.
Their whereabouts remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018.
The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, 76, pleaded guilty in October
to theft of a major artwork, admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum’s door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off “one last score” after turning away from a life of crime. He was sentenced in January to time served because of his poor health.
In March, a second man, 76-year-old Jerry Hal Saliterman, was charged in connection with the theft.
The ruby slippers were at the heart of The Wizard of Oz, a beloved 1939 musical. Garland’s character, Dorothy, danced down the Yellow Brick Road in her shiny shoes, joined by the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion.
Garland, who died in 1969, wore several pairs during filming. Only four remain. Maddalena, with Heritage Auctions, says
he sold two other pairs of ruby slippers.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and a group of the actor’s friends purchased one set for the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.
Advance notice could help venues like the Judy Garland Museum secure the slippers that will be auctioned in December, he said. The museum which includes the house where Garland lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.
“We wanted to enable places that might not normally be able to raise the funds so quickly to have plenty of time to think about it and work out ways to do that,” Maddalena said.
“That’d be an amazing story. I mean, if they ended up back there, that’d be a fantastic story.” AP
By Eugenia Last
GEMINI
CANCER
and foresight to implement your plan. You have plenty to gain if you complete your task.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t try to do the impossible. Look for opportunities and put your experience, knowledge and energy where it brings the highest return. Refuse to let emotional incidents fracture your chance to advance or test your integrity or reputation. Try to see the good in everything and everyone.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be aware of what’s happening around you, and prepare to sidestep anything you want to avoid encountering. Pay attention to events that offer alternatives and answers and show results. Hanging out with people who share your insights will be beneficial.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): TFix your surroundings to accommodate what you want to pursue. Expand your mind rather than limit yourself because you feel you must associate with something or someone who is outdated or stagnant. Try something new and exciting that will open a channel that leads from boredom to enthusiasm.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Learn from your mistakes and move forward without trepidation. Expanding your interests, knowledge and desires will take you on a journey that stretches your imagination, makes you face your fears and brings you to a place of comfort.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Just do it. Distance yourself from those standing between you and what you want. Pay attention to details and oversee every move you make. There is little wiggle room today, so leave nothing to chance.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Unusual people, places and pastimes will draw your attention. Go with the flow and explore the possibilities. Life, love and happiness await if you invest time and money into whatever excites you the most.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sit tight, wait, and watch anyone pushing you to make a change or act hastily. Spending more time and energy fixing up your surroundings and mulling over how you feel and what you can do to relieve stress will help you find solace.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take the high road and don’t look back. Refuse to think someone else’s ideas can be better for you than your own. Cozy up to someone you feel has longterm potential as a personal or business partner.
BIRTHDAY BABY: You are appealing, unique and entertaining. You are enthusiastic and commanding.
BY SHANNON RAPP
Show BusinessMirror
MoCAF...
Much of the spotlight of MoCAF 2024 shines on emerging artists as well. Some of this year’s gallery exhibitions feature alumni of the MoCAF Discoveries program, a curated exhibit that promotes young talents. Francisco noted that the program provided a critical platform for young artists, “many of who like Carla Gamalinda, Gelo Montiero, Wendel Candawan, RAFA, Seth Corda and Ian Inoy, among others, now have lourishing careers.”
Then there’s the new o fering, called MoCAF XT , designed to “extend” the festival’s reach to cover young, potentially game-changing galleries, artisanal shops and artists’ groups. On top of the main presenting galleries, MoCAF XT will accommodate an additional 1 galleries and collectives to the festival. This includes young art spaces like M Gallery, alongside non-traditional art forms through the “Artisans” section which will showcase art-inspired merchandise from clothing to books to pottery and more. The section includes the unique collection of Imao Studios, the local and international prints of Spruce Gallery, and textile paintings courtesy of clothing brand RIOtaso.
Lastly, MoCAF Dialogues is envisioned to spark important conversations. The series of talks will touch on topics such as plagiarism, art conservation, and other relevant issues in visual arts.
MoCAF 2024’s inclusivity slant is re lected in its ticket price, deliberately made a fordable at P 00, according to Francisco. Students, PWDs and senior citizens could avail of tickets using their special discounts. Festival tickets and more information about MoCAF 2024 are available at www.mocaf.net
“We really want to like bring art to the community because we want to break that barrier,” said Wong, the festival director. “We want to make art accessible for all.”
GMA records highest trust score among PHL news brands for fourth consecutive year
MEDIA giant GMA etwork has retained its status of having the highest trust score among news brands in the Philippines for the fourth straight year, according to the 2024 Digital ews Report (D R) produced by Oxford niversity’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
Further cementing its position as the country’s industry leader, GMA recorded a 72 percent brand trust rating, taking the top spot among other local media brands included in the question “How trustworthy would you say news from the following brands is ” Likewise, sustaining the highest score among radio brands was the network’s lagship AM radio station, Super Radyo D BB 5 4 kHz, which tallied a 5 percent brand trust rating this year.
The high trust rating is re lected both online and o line, with GMA ews Online having the highest weekly users among news brands surveyed at 45 percent. ABS-CB ews Online followed at 40 percent.
Covering o line reach, which comprises TV, radio and print, the network continues to dominate with its news programs and Saksi as well as GMA’s second free-to-air channel, GTV, earning the highest weekly use at 47 percent. ABS-CB was second at 40 percent.
The Digital ews Report 2024 was commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism to understand how news is being consumed in a range of countries. The D was based on a YouGov survey of individuals from 47 countries, conducted at the end of January or the beginning of February 2024.
Editor: Gerard S. Ramos
Sid Lucero is on a roll
AWARD WI I G actor Sid Lucero is happy that he is so busy as an actor.
“My hands are full as far as work is concerned, and I’m very happy because acting is my passion and driving force,” he told us recently. Lucero hops from one set to another, shuttling between his regular TV5 series Lumuhod Ka sa Lupa and his many movie commitments.
“I love to be busy, and I have learned over the years to smoothly get in and out of the characters I play,” he shared.
Lucero is glad that he is cast in various genre projects. He has a movie currently showing, titled Karma, directed by Albert Langitan, the same director who helms his TV5 series. “Direk Albert and I are almost always on the same page. We are both not talkers,’ but we get each other and we share each other’s vision. He also is a good collaborator and he listens and adjusts. I love Direk Albert Karma is hard core action and Lucero loves it.
“Before Karma, I also did a movie, called Topakk, which made the rounds of international festivals, and that is also hard core like Karma.” Lucero puts to good use his training in gun iring and handling, as he continuously competes in national level shooting competitions.
“Firing a gun combines both discipline and focus. You need to concentrate, always be alert, and be quick when iring a gun. And my years of training, both in gun iring and Brazilian jujitsu, certainly help me in ight scenes.”
His current TV series Lumuhod Ka sa Lupa, a joint venture between TV5 and Viva TV, is also Lucero’s happy pill. “I love going to the set, and I enjoy the company of my co-actors and the production team.
It’s so chill every work day and everyone loves everyone.” Because it is gaining a following, the series has been moved to an evening primetime slot a ter enjoying months in the a ternoon block.
For the coming Cinemalaya Film Festival in
August, Lucero is topbilling an entry, titled An Errand, directed by Dominic Bekaert from the screenplay of Sarge Lacuesta. Almost 20 years ago, Lucero got his baptism of ire in Cinemalaya via the movie Donsol, which catapulted him to lead actor status.
Lucero also shared that he has just wrapped up work for the zombie project Outside intended for et lix this October. “Our amazing director Carlo Ledesma is so fun to work with and he is so clear with his vision for the movie. I spent a whole month shooting in egros and it was such an intense and liberating experience. I also love the fact that I acted with the likes of Beauty Gonzales, Joel Torre and
my mother Bing (Pimentel) in Outside, which was unveiled at the recent et lix Asia Paci ic showcase in Jakarta where Direk Carlo joined a panel composed of creatives and content heads from the region to discuss the future of storytelling on ilm in the Asian region.”
Lucero is working hard not only because acting is his being, but he also gets inspiration from his daughter Halo. “My daughter is growing up fast and I can see her interest in performing arts. But I’m a cool dad, you know I will support her whatever path she chooses to take in the future. At the moment, I am her hard-working actor-daddy, so I can provide her with a comfortable, beautiful life.”
Newly named ‘Washington Post’ editor decides not to take job after backlash, will stay in Britain
EW YORK The Washington Post’s new editor Robert Winnett never made it to his job, withdrawing on Friday and deciding to stay in England in another upheaval at a news outlet where a reorganization plan has gone disastrously wrong.
He’d been the subject of several published reports including one in the newsroom that he sought to lead—that questioned whether he followed an ethical compass foreign to American journalists.
The Post’s CEO and publisher, Will Lewis, announced Winnett’s decision in a note to sta f, and said a recruitment irm would be immediately hired to search for a replacement.
The inancially struggling Post had announced Winnett would take over as editor of the core newsroom functions a ter ovember’s presidential election, while it was also setting up a “third newsroom” devoted to inding new ways for its journalism to make money.
Three weeks ago, then-executive editor Sally Buzbee said that she would quit rather than take a demotion to head this revenue-enhancement e fort. Besides Winnett’s hiring, former Wall Street Journal editor Matt Murray was brought on as her interim replacement and future leader of the “third newsroom.”
Since then, several published reports had raised questions about the journalistic ethics of Lewis and Winnett stemming from their work in England.
For example, both men worked together in a series of scoops about extravagant spending by British politicians fueled by information that they paid a data information company for—a practice frowned upon by American journalists.
The New York Times wrote that both Winnett and Lewis were involved in stories that appeared to be based on fraudulently-obtained phone and business records. It sparked a newsroom revolt at The Post.
David Maraniss, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who has worked at the newspaper for four decades, said this week that he didn’t know anyone there who thought the situation with the publisher and “supposed new editor” could stand.
“The body is rejecting the transfusion,” Maraniss wrote on Facebook.
Lewis, a former Wall Street Journal publisher and vice chairman of The Associated Press’ board of
directors, started at The Post earlier this year, hired by billionaire owner Je f Bezos to stem a costly exodus of readers. The Post had said it had lost 77 million last year. In a memo to key sta f members earlier this week, Bezos assured them that journalistic standards and ethics at the newspaper would not change. “I know you’ve already heard this from Will, but I wanted to also weigh in directly,” he wrote.
“To be sure, it can’t be business as usual at The Post,” Bezos wrote. “The world is evolving rapidly and we do need to change as a business.”
In his Facebook note, Maraniss said that the issue for sta f members is integrity, not resistance to change. To that end, it remains to be seen whether Lewis can gain sta f support in order to survive himself.
“I think the deal is Will Lewis stays, for now,” former Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan said in a message on X Friday. “Winnett’s pre-ouster is the sacri ice compromise. Was his tenure even less than a single Scaramucci
Lewis said on Friday that the recruitment irm and process for replacing Winnett will be announced soon. Winnett’s sudden hiring—without any indication of an extensive search—had also rankled sta f members.
Lewis said that the reorganizations e forts would continue, albeit delayed. He said the “third newsroom” would be operational early next year.
Winnett is staying at the Telegraph in London. Telegraph editor Chris Evans told that newspaper that “he’s a talented chap, and their loss is our gain,” according to the Guardian. AP
KEVIN COSTNER EPIC WESTERN ‘HORIZON’ TO OPEN IN PHL CINEMAS
KEVIN COSTNER is back in the director’s chair with Horizon: An American Saga, a four-part epic Western featuring a star-studded cast that includes Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Jamie Campbell Bower and Luke Wilson. Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1, distributed in the Philippines by Parallax Studios and Saga Films Studios, opens in local cinemas simultaneously with the rest of the world on June 28, while Chapter 2 has been scheduled for August 2024.
Horizon is said to be a passion project of Costner’s. The actor-director, who also co-wrote the films, reportedly poured $38 million of his own money to make the sweeping saga, a project that he’s been developing for over 30 years. According to reports, the first two chapters, scheduled for release this year, cost $100 million to make.
The first chapter was screened at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a seven-minute standing ovation. “Such good people. Such a good moment, not just for me, but for the actors that came with me, for people who believed in me who continued to work,” said a teary-eyed Costner, in response to the standing ovation, applause and chants of his name. “It’s a funny business, and I’m so glad I found it. There’s no place like here. I’ll never forget this—neither will my children.”
Get ready to be swept away when the first chapter of the epic Horizon: An American Saga, distributed in the Philippines by Parallax Studios and Saga Film Studios with Axinite Digicinema, opens in cinemas June 28. Follow Parallax Studios and Saga Film Studios on Facebook for the latest updates on Horizon: An American Saga.
June 25, 2024
JOLLIBEE FOODS CORPORATION PARTNERS WITH DTI FOR 1ST MSME LEARNING SESSION
THE Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) shared its business and marketing expertise with the MSMEs as part of its partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in mentoring entrepreneurs in the country.
Joining DTI Undersecretary Ma. Cristina Roque (first row: middle) in the photo are leaders from JFC (left to right, first row) Steve Piczon, Assistance Vice President , Government Affairs; Atty. Raul Academia, Vice President and Public Affairs Head; Gisela Tiongson, President, Jollibee Group Foundation; Kenneth Lingan, President, Chowking Philippines; Bryan Tividad, JFC’s Assistant Vice President and Head of Global Procurement Services; Joanna Ignacio, MJB Meat Processing Inc.’s Procurement Head; and Marievic Bonoan, DTI’s Director for Bureau of Market Development Promotions, and OTOP Office.
OVER 30 micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSMEs) entrepreneurs benefitted from the learning session recently organized by the Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) and its social development arm Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The first learning session, which supports Republic Act 9501, centers on capacity building and knowledge sharing that aims to enhance MSMEs’ business and marketing skills to enable them to scale their businesses.
DTI Undersecretary Ma. Cristina Roque was present during the learning session titled “Joy in Learning: MSME Meet and Learn,” which discussed the company’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program under JGF and the Company’s practices in conducting Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-toConsumer (B2C) engagements.
“I began my entrepreneurial journey 30 years ago with a mere capital of P6,000, a prayer, and a dream. Once in my lifetime, someone has opened the door for me, and I realized that I, too, should open the door for others. I hope that through these learning sessions, the MSMEs will have a different mindset and open their eyes to the possibilities.
Remember, not so long ago, Jollibee was an MSME, too,” said Roque.
DTI recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the JFC and JGF to help MSMEs grow through capacity building and knowledge sharing. The partnership supports Republic Act 9501, also known as the Magna Carta for MSMEs, which aims to promote MSME growth by expanding entrepreneurship training programs, fostering linkages between large and small enterprises, and encouraging private sector engagements.
“We are truly grateful for the support of DTI in our goal of enriching the lives of MSMEs in the country. By sharing our expertise and experiences, we hope to inspire and empower these entrepreneurs to dream bigger and succeed in their businesses,” said JFC President and Chief Executive Officer Ernesto Tanmantiong.
JGF’s President Gisela Tiongson opened the learning session by discussing how institutional markets like JFC established relationships with MSMEs and highlighting the Foundation’s experience in linking smallholder farmers as suppliers to the Company.
stakeholders toward an #SMWasteFreeFuture on a unified
and
campaign in response to the growing
on waste. The #SMWasteFreeFuture program promotes behavioral changes in waste management through effective waste segregation via Recyclable, Disposable, Compostable, or RDC. It aims to achieve two primary objectives: (1) Reduce Overall Waste Generation by implementing effective waste segregation practices, and 2) Enhance Waste Diversion Rate by diverting a greater proportion of waste away from landfills through recycling, composting, and other sustainable disposal methods. The #SMWasteFreeFuture project was launched at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, on June 5, 2024, World Environment Day.
Sustainability Champion and SM Engineering Design and Development Corporation President Hans “Chico” T. Sy, Jr. emphasized, “We have to be open to new ways of doing things and of putting into action every little step that’s crucial for advancing waste management solutions,” he said “This is a small step in a long journey. This is a learning process and it will not be perfect. We highly encourage all of you to give us feedback,” he said. Sy further emphasizes that, “This project is not specific to one organization, but one that belongs to an entire society. We welcome everyone to practice this in their everyday lives.”
Sy also encourages the youth and the general public. “Now it’s up to you and every individual here in attendance, to embrace the cause of change. We are given the opportunity to work on the biggest problems of our community when the planet truly needs it. Let’s not waste this opportunity,” he said.
In the hotel and tourism sector, SMHCC’s
Launched in 2008, the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) organizes and transforms small-scale farmers into agro-entrepreneurs. With the help of its partners and stakeholders from various sectors across the country, the Foundation has helped farmers sharpen their technical and business acumen and link them with institutional markets such as the JFC for increased and steady income.
“Through the shared knowledge and hard work of our teams, partners, and stakeholders, FEP farmers could innovate their practices, understand the importance of calculated risks, and aim for bigger goals for themselves and their businesses.Apart from capacitating them as agro-entrepreneurs, the opportunity empowers them to have a sustainable livelihood and uplift their lives and communities,” Tiongson said.
Aside from the farmers, the session also allowed the MSMEs to discover the different options and considerations for business development for B2B and B2C engagements.
JFC’s Assistant Vice President and Head of Global Procurement Services Bryan Tividad provided an overview of JFC’s Procurement Value Matrix, which expounds buyers’ decision points. The session also allowed the attendees to understand the key criteria of institutional markets before onboarding suppliers.
“While it may seem daunting, we wanted to give our MSMEs inspiration that it is doable and that there are B2B opportunities for them. We hope that through this session, they can learn the expectations and validations that companies like the JFC require from their suppliers. How they can prepare their businesses for effective and successful B2B transactions,” Tividad added.
Meanwhile, Chowking President Kenneth Lingan tackled the ins and outs of Business-to-Consumer (B2C) while underscoring customer focus as its core value.
According to him, winning the hearts of customers helps build the consumer’s relationship with the brand. Sharing how they put customer focus into action in Chowking, Lingan highlighted that they identify their target market, establish a Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and execute the Marketing Mix Strategy, which focuses on Product, Price, Place, and Promotion, or 4Ps.
JFC is looking forward to more collaborations with DTI as it continues to play an active role in uplifting the lives of more Filipinos, including MSMEs.
practical and sustainable solutions zeroed in on waste diversion focused on food waste management and condemned linens.
In 2019, SMHCC took decisive leadership to mitigate global food waste across all its properties in the Philippines. It opened its Back of House (BOH) operations to WWF-Philippines as the pilot study for the Sustainable Diner Project, covering the journey of food from source to plate, including kitchen operations, menu creation, guest engagement, composting, waste management, and working with local farmers.
“We have diverted 198 tons of food waste from landfills as of 2019 to 2023. More importantly, food waste prevention is where we take our first steps. We’ve made it our priority through mindful production and simple innovative solutions.” said Leah Magallanes, VP for Quality and Sustainability at SMHCC.
Launched during World Recycling Day, March 18, 2024, at SMX Convention Center Manila, Tela Tales, a textile upcycling project, gives life to condemned linens while seeking to provide livelihood to women from the local community.
The hotels industry changes its linens every two to three years. “We upcycle our condemned linens into beautiful products created by the communities we help,” said Magallanes. “But we also want to provide opportunities for skills building and encourage mothers from the singleincome households to use their creativity and earn a little bit of extra while taking care of their families,” she said.
In partnership with designer Zara Juan, the program invested on the training and skills development of 41 women members of the community of Barangay Bulihan in Batangas and Kalingap Casa de Sueno in Tagaytay, to help them increase the additional home income and encourage entrepreneurship.
To date, Tela Tales has upcycled 1,716 yards of condemned linens. The project addresses the amount of linen in hospitality and is the hotel’s commitment to #SMWasteFreeFuture.
Developer Primex Corporation appoints Antonio Abacan, Jr. as new independent director
PUBLICLY listed developer Primex Corporation recently announced the appointment of Antonio S. Abacan, Jr. as an Independent Director to its Board. With a wealth of experience and a deep-seated passion for the industry, Abacan is expected to be a pivotal force in advancing Primex’s strategic growth initiatives.
Abacan brings a distinguished career to this role, having held key executive positions and served on the Boards of Directors of various Metrobank Group companies. Additionally, he served as a Monetary Board member at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. His extensive background in these influential organizations positions him as a valuable asset to Primex.
Primex Corporation anticipates that Abacan’s exceptional leadership, strategic insight, and unwavering commitment to excellence will seamlessly align with the company’s mission and objectives.
“As our new Independent Director, Mr. Abacan will be instrumental in driving Primex Corporation forward, ensuring sustained growth and success within the industry,” stated Ernesto O. Ang, President and Chairman of the Board at
Primex. “His profound understanding of market dynamics, coupled with his strategic vision, will guide us in navigating new opportunities and overcoming industry challenges.”
Primex has seen an upswing in financial performance in recent months. For the first quarter of 2024, the Company recorded Gross Revenues of P219.1 million compared to P46.1 million for the same period in 2023. This resulted in a Net Income After Tax of P82.1 million in the first three months of 2024, an increase of over 700 percent from the P9.6 million reported in the same period last year.
Nutriasia partners with Dualtech in Calamba for Special Hiring Activity
NUTRIASIA, the country’s largest manufacturer of condiments and sauces that have become staples in every Filipino home, organized a special hiring activity exclusively for students and alumni of Dualtech in Calamba, Laguna, last June 11, 2024.
“We are very happy with the partnership between NutriAsia and Dualtech. Since 2022, our Cabuyao Plant has accommodated on-the-job trainees from the school, and some have moved on to become regular members of our workforce. This time around, we hope to get even more trainees and assign them to our other facilities.
The hope is for more graduates of Dualtech to join our team,” explained HR Operations Manager for Luzon, Noe Reynes.
Dualtech Training Center Foundation, Inc of Dualtech is a technical training institution founded in 1982 that started as a social development project to alleviate the widespread poverty in the country by providing vocational training to young men.
The school trains high school graduates on electromechanics and prepares them to be employed by partner companies. At present, Dualtech partners with over 100 manufacturing and service companies, and 300 high schools across the country.
Dualtech pioneered the Dual Training System (DTS), a German model for technical training that runs for 24 months, the first six months spent at school, while the remaining 18 months in the partner company as in-plant trainees.
“Through our partnership with companies like NutriAsia, we can provide our students with an opportunity to reinforce their learnings from school with actual hands-on experience. Many of our alumni end up working as full-time regular employees of our partner companies,”said, Leonard Calma, Dualtech Partnerships and Programs Manager.
For more information about Dualtech, visit www.dualtech.org.ph.
CONDEMNED linens no more: The Tela Tales bags give new life to old hotel linens and provide an artistic expression to the mothers of SMHCC’s communities.
ANTONIO S. ABACAN, JR.
NUTRIASIA HR Operations Manager for Luzon, Noe Reynes, explains to graduating students of Dual Tech the current hiring opportunities across the company’s manufacturing facilities in Bulacan, Laguna, Cebu and Davao.
The hidden costs of extreme heat: How climate change impacts worker productivity in the US
By Alicia Clanton & Brian Delk
ANYONE who’s had to go to work on a hot summer day knows how exhausting it can be. Brain function slows, commuting is more uncomfortable and, for people who work outdoors, simply staying safe becomes a challenge. All of these factors combined add up to a heatrelated hit on worker productivity, which stands to get more pronounced as climate change drives more intense heat waves.
“We used to think, ‘ Well people get hot and they sweat and they’re fine.’ But now we know that’s not necessarily the case,” says Jill Rosenthal, director of public health at the Center for American Progress, which this month released a report on the threat extreme heat conditions pose to workers in the US.
Quantifying that threat can be difficult. Broadly speaking, it includes everything from weather-related commuter disruptions to diminished cognitive performance, poor sleep and added time off when kids are kept out of schools that lack air conditioning. But there are some hard numbers: During a heat wave last summer, President Joe Biden said extreme heat is costing the US $100 billion a year, citing a report from the Atlantic Council that warned those losses could double by 2030. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress killed more than 800 workers in the US, and injured more
than 70,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The most severe of these impacts are felt by people whose jobs are outdoors. In the US, just five states guarantee workers access to rest, shade and water. Federally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s general duty clause requires employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace, but it doesn’t set clear standards for heat hazards. OSHA is working on such standards, which would be implemented anytime the outdoor temperature crosses 80°F. But they aren’t expected to take effect until next summer.
Some other countries have clearer guidelines. In China, for example, employers are required to train workers on heat-related illnesses and provide rest areas, free cool drinks and air conditioning indoors. Work hours and intensity must be cut or suspended on hot days, and workplaces that can’t keep temperatures below 95°F out-
doors and 91.4°F indoors must pay their workers High-Temperature Subsidies ranging from the equivalent of $1.24 to $ 30.90 per day.
The greatest heat-related labor losses are born by outdoor industries such as construction, mining and agriculture, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. By 2200, researchers estimate heat-induced labor losses will reduce US capital stock, a measure of accumulated investment, by 5.4% , and consumption by 1.8 % . In workplaces with limited AC, including restaurants and warehouses, safety and productivity will also take a hit.
White-collar workers, who are most likely to have an air-conditioned office at their disposal, aren’t entirely spared from the effects of extreme heat. That’s in part because heat affects cognitive performance. The body’s process
of cooling itself down saps energy that is normally used for the complex brain functions, says Clayton Page Aldern, neuroscientist and author of The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Affects Our Brains.
“What do we happen to see disappear in those instances? Well it’s the finely honed executive control functions and higher-level attention networks—the stuff that happens in the most newly evolved areas in the brain,” Aldern says. “The stuff that defines humans as humans is some of the first stuff to go in the heat.”
Hot weather also impairs cognition by causing inflammation to brain tissue, weakening the connection of neural networks and disrupting sleep. Though air conditioning can rescue people from these deficits, Aldern says heat exposure at night and on the way
to work can still have lingering cognitive effects. Then there’s the way heat disrupts infrastructure. Railroad tracks, airport runways and roads are all susceptible to heat, which can melt asphalt and weigh down overhead wires. Some of the biggest transit corridors—including the Northeast Corridor that links up much of the US East Coast— experience delays when temperatures climb, preventing commuters from getting to work on time.
Gabrielle Guarneri, who commutes from New Jersey to Manhattan for work via New Jersey Transit, says she was “consistently late” during the heat wave that struck the US last July. The memory felt particularly fresh as Guarneri waited on a stalled New Jersey Transit train outside Penn Station on June 18, when her commute was delayed by over an hour
due to a disabled train. In places where AC is less common, arriving at work doesn’t necessarily offer relief. Across Europe, many businesses, schools and homes lack air conditioning entirely. Even in the US, known for its high levels of AC adoption, more than 40 % of schools need new or updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. When an office does have AC, extreme heat can have the ironic impact of increasing employees’ affinity for it—a reversal from the pandemic-driven shift toward working from home. “For a lot of people it’s more comfortable in the office than home,” says Mark Ein, chief executive officer of Kastle Systems, an office security company that monitors how often employees in over 2,600 buildings across 138 US cities swipe into their offices. When Kastle examined four heat waves across the US cities it monitors between 2022 and 2023, it found no correlation between a rise in temperature and employee absenteeism. But other events do have clearer fallout. “During adverse weather like the flooding in Texas, we saw those have a huge impact on our data,” Ein says. Mansoor Soomro, a future of work lead and professor at Teesside University Business School, says even companies with air-conditioned offices are working to increase employee awareness of heat. Some promote “hydration stations,” while others mandate risk assessments, focusing on the employees most vulnerable to heat. Although productivity is a factor, Soomro says mitigating any adverse effects from heat— like medical emergencies—is a bigger one. “Reputation is a risk far higher than the financial,” he says. Bloomberg News
Putin’s hybrid war opens second front on NATO’s eastern border
By Kati Pohjanpalo, Aaron Eglitis, Milda Seputyte & Ott Tammik
SHORTLY after midnight, several masked men in boats began removing orange navigational aids on the Narva River that separates Estonia from Russia—a watercourse that demarcates the extent of NATO’s reach.
Even that late in the day it’s twilight in northern Europeat the end of May, leaving the Russian border guards who were working to lift the markers clearly visible to the watching Estonian authorities.
Then again, Russia’s actions in the early hoursof May 23 weren’t necessarily meant to be conducted under cover of darkness; Estonia took it as an explicit signal of intent to the Baltic States and the West more broadly. The incident was cataloguedas one in a series of acts intended to provoke and destabilize the nations that share a 3,550-kilometer (2,210-mile) frontier with Russia and its ally Belarus. Generally falling short of conventional attacks that could trigger NATO’s collective response, these episodeshave grown in frequency since Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in early 2022.
That reality is increasingly turning the Baltic region into a second front in the West’s conflict with Moscow.
“Russia is currently waging two wars,” Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said at a foreign policy forum in Helsinki on June 14. “One is a kinetic, conventional war in Ukraine. The other is a hybrid war in Europe and the West with the aim of influencing the tone of public discourse or in some way shake our sense of security.”
Sending groups of migrants to storm borders; jamming GPS signals; recruiting criminals for petty acts of sabotage: theyare part of an expanding repertoire of acts cited by countries from Finland through the Baltic states to Poland and beyond as calibrated to unsettle their citizens.
Each nation shares a troubled history of dealings with Moscow, and all are now members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They’ve responded with plans toreinforceand upgradethe easternborderthrougha combined $3.5 billion, and have askedfor hybrid attacksto be on the agenda at next month’s NATO summit in Washington.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow didn’t respond to an e-mailed request for comment on its activities on Wednesday.
In the past few months alone, Finland and Sweden have suffered airspace violations, multiple commercial aircraft have been prevented from landing at small airports due to interference with the global positioning system, and Poland has detained people for alleged Russia-backed acts of sabotage inside the European Union.
Questioning established borders is another well-worn tactic given a modern twist.
The Russian frontier at Narva has long been a flashpoint for tensions with Estonia, strains that have ratcheted up since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.This year, Moscow restricted traffic crossing the border bridge to pedestrians only. Estonia is surveilling the areafor drone activity and has putup signs warning travelers of Russian intelligence recruitment efforts.
According to the government in Tallinn, it’s traditionally agreedwith Moscow on
the location ofnavigational markers on the river to ensure fishing and leisure boats don’t veer into Russian territory by accident, but that since 2023 Russia has not given its assent anddisagreed with the location of about half the 250 buoys planned this year. Estonia demanded the markers that were removed be returned, and said it would continue installing more unless Russia provided evidence that the location of the shipping lane had changed. It’s still awaiting a response.
Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have a combined frontier with Russia that extends over more than 2,300 kilometers; add the 1,250 kilometers shared with Belarus, and that’s longer than the USMexico border.
Since the Cold War, a 100-kilometer corridor separating Poland and Lithuania known as the Suwalki Gap has been considered a strategic choke point in any conflict scenario. Sandwiched between Belarus and the heavily armed Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, it’s a territory that, if severed, would cut off the Baltic States’ land access tothe rest of Europe.
It’s a vulnerability that’s been used to rattle nerves in Lithuania. In March,
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed a blueprint to grab the Suwalki Gap and close it to Kaliningrad on the Baltic. Posing in military uniform with a fluffy white dog on his lap, Lukashenko was shown on social media conversing with his army commanders about plans for a land grab of Lithuania and part of northern Poland.
For Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, rather than evidence of imminent military activity, it shows that Russia is “attempting to spread fear, uncertainty and doubt about their intentions in the Baltic Sea.”
The states in Russia’s immediate western neighborhood—formerly unwilling Soviet republics, members of the Soviet bloc, or wary observers—have long been among the most hawkish when assessing Moscow’s intentions. Feeling vindicated, they have responded to the war in Ukraine by raising defense budgets well above NATO’s 2 percent of economic output goal and taking steps toward conscription.
Russia has denounced as provocations the decisionsofSweden, with which it shares a maritime border, and of Finland tobreakwith decades of non-alignment and becomeNATO members. The Baltic
States areeach hosting advanced NATO battle groupsin a significant increase in the military alliance’s forward presence next toRussia’s border.
“There will be no war today.”
ALL concerned have to grapplewith disinformation and influence operations at record levels.
Moscow routinely portrays the Baltic States as warmongers and Russophobes, and has enlisted trolls andbot armies to spam social media with malicious content, according to their intelligence services.
Where language mistakes in disinformation texts used to make them relatively easy to spot, the widespread advent of artificial intelligence makes the challenge more difficult,Lithuania’s top cyber security agency has warned.
The Kremlin has sought to mobilize Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia and Latvia to sow internal divisions, mostly without success, while in Poland the focus has been on stoking tensions between locals and the large numbers of Ukrainians who sought refuge from the war.
Lithuania’s armed forces stepped in with a message on social mediato calm the population in March—“there will be no war today”—after soldiers were approached in public and asked when the conflict was going to start and how to prepare for it.
It’s part of a broader pattern of actions meant to sow fear and anxiety, said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who was placed on a wanted list by the Kremlin this year. “Let’s not fall into the trap of Russian intimidation,” she told reporters on May 23.
Russia has gone low tech, too, sending migrants to frontier zonesto put pressure on border control and potentially stir public dissent. It’s a strategy that began
in 2015, when scores of people suddenly appeared at remote Lapland border stations in Finland and Norway in what Finnish authorities later determined was a test to gaugepreparedness.
A migration crisiserupted in 2021 on a larger scale in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, with Syrians and other nationalities flown in from the Middle East to Belarus. Forced back by border guards, some froze to death in the forests. In the fall of last year, migrants reappeared at the FinnishRussian frontier—groups of men on rickety bicycles, some even riding children’s bikes— prompting Helsinki to close all road crossings. The border remains shut.
Barriers to halt migrant flows are being erected in Finland, Latvia and Poland, while Lithuania has finished a 500-plus-kilometer fence on its border with Belarus. Warsaw alone plans to invest about $2.5 billion in fortifying the border, which would protect the country both against conventional invasion with tanks and cyber warfare. Russia’s European neighbors from Norway to Poland are considering establishing a “drone wall” to combat Russian surveillance drones, track migration and disruptsmuggling. Latvia and Lithuania are planning investing in “drone armies” this year as part of efforts to boost production of the local defense industry, with the latter now offering courses to the public in operating drones just like learning to drive. With so much investment, front-line countries complain they shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden alone. “We are doing the work for
PRESIDENT Joe Biden said extreme heat is costing the US $100 billion a year, citing a report from the Atlantic Council that warned those losses could double by 2030. BLOOMBERG
WORK began in earnest at the Team Philippines training camp in Metz on Sunday with Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)
president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Chef de Mission Jonvic Remulla leading the rounds at the all-in facility where the Olympics-bound Filipino athletes will get in harness for a month.
“It’s all systems go here at La Moselle,” said Tolentino, adding “and the morale of the team is very high.”
This marks the first time that the POC is conducting a training camp for Olympic athletes a month before competition—the Paris
Army bets swim to 9 gold medals in ROTC Games
PHILIPPINE Army grabbed nine golds to dominate the medal-rich swimming competitions of the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Games Mindanao leg on Monday at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex Aquatic Center in Zamboanga City.
Olympics start July 26.
“The first batch of athletes that flew in with us here last Saturday morning are amazed with the facility and are eager to wind up their training for their respective events for the Olympics,” added Tolentino, who met up with Team Philippines with Remulla in Metz also on Sunday.
“The athletes are excited and enthusiastic about this training camp the main objective of which is to make sure our athletes are in top shape for the competitions,” Remulla said.
The first batch of the 15 Filipino athletes who are so far qualified for the Olympics included weightlifters Vanessa Sarno and Elreen Ando, boxers
Aira Villegas, Hergie Bacyadan, Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, rower
Joanie Delgaco and weightlifter John Febuar Ceniza.
They are also accompanied by secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan, the athletes coached and trainers and a lean POC staff who set the facility ahead of the team’s arrival and will be in France for the entire duration of the Games that end August 11.
Expected to arrive in Metz from different origins in the next few days are boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, fencer
Samantha Catantan and gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar.
Team Philippines to Paris, according to Tolentino, would breach
the 20-athlete mark with more qualifiers expected in athletics, golf and swimming—the sport’s international federations will announce the official qualifiers for the Olympics this week.
“The Paris campaign is now in full throttle,” said Tolentino, during whose first watch at the POC in Tokyo 2020, the country produced its first Olympics gold medalist, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, and saw its best finish ever in the Games with Paalam and Petecio’s silvers and Marcial’s bronze medal.
Villar to bikers: Pedal for healthy environment
Ronnie Tayom, Reymond Pelisan, Herjamie Guiao, Jellie S. Somera and Jovaira Valle cornered two golds apiece in to lead the Army cadets’ onslaught with plenty to spare.
Wendelen Sangcom delivered Army’s other gold medal in the event established by Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Tayom ruled the men’s 200 meters individual medley in three minutes and 7.02 seconds and the 50 m backstroke in 37.04, while Pelisan won the men’s 100m freestyle in 1:09.84 and Guiao easily took gold in 37.73 in the men’s 50m butterfly and 200m breaststroke in 3:58.83. Somera, on the other hand, proved too much in the women’s 100m freestyle in 1:22.38 and 50m backstroke in 41.55, while Valle made her presence felt in the women’s 200m individual medley in 4:13.62 and 50m butterfly 45.30. The Air Force cadets, meanwhile, settled with six gold medals courtesy of John Austin Hampac in the men’s 100m freestyle in 59.33 and 50m butterfly in 28.06. Daniella Melburn followed suit with golds in the women’s 100m freestyle (1:37.76) and 50m butterfly (42.75), along with Christian Adrino and Rashiden Minor in the men’s 50m (51.78) and 200m backstroke (3:59..24).
The Navy Sailors brought home three golds all from Haji Al-Jhaes in men’s 50m butterfly (31.43), 200m individual medley (2.59.90) and 50m backstroke.
SENATOR Cynthia Villar underscored her care for the environment during the “Bike Ride and Cleanup Drive” at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP) over the weekend.
“Every piece of litter we collect and every kilometer we ride is a step towards a cleaner, greener planet,” Villar said in her keynote speech. “You, the bikers are making a tangible difference by participating in the event.”
She added: “Your actions today help to reduce pollution, protect wildlife and inspire others to join the cause of protecting not just the Las Pinas-Paranque Wetland Park but the environment as a whole.”
Villar said she’s hopeful the event will
be a catalyst for ongoing effort to make more people aware of the need to protect the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park.
Villar, who chairs the Senate environment and natural resources committee, encouraged everyone to continue to advocate for the protection of our natural resources.
“A bike ride today symbolizes a commitment to sustainable transportation and a healthier lifestyle,” she said.
“As we pedal through the scenic routes going to the wetland park, we are reminded of the beauty that we strive to protect,” she said. “Our collective effort in the cleanup drive demonstrates our dedication to preserving this precious ecosystem for future generations.”
Peak summits in PHL sports market
By Lito Cinco
the National Basketball Association. At last year’s FIBA World Cup, champion Germany, Serbia and Latvia were in Peak and the national Olympic committees of Brazil, Belgium, New Zealand, Rumania, Slovenia, Philippines and four other countries are clad in the same brand.
Those are the fruits of hard work and passion of a company established
35 years ago with the BusinessMirror being given the chance recently to visit Peak’s sprawling three-storey headquarters in X iamen recently.
In the Philippines, Peak has also reached a pinnacle.
“We established our company here 10 years ago and it was a real struggle in our earlier years, but we learned and adjusted,” said Michael Cheunglay, Peak Philippines’ company owner who now entrusts most of his task to his son Jonathan with Assistant Vice President Batchie Magat running the operations.
“The last five years have seen a steady growth every year and we believe we have already successfully established our brand here, basketball in particular,” Cheunglay added.
The company adopted Peak’s global formula: get popular professional basketball players—among them Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Robert Bolick,
Juammi Tiongson, Gio Jalalon and the now retired player Arwind Santos—to promote the brand. These players, Cheunglay said, were actively involved in the design of the shoes.
Although the brand is Chinese, Cheunglay said the designs are intended for Filipinos.
“We are a Chinese brand but we are producing shoes and apparel that for some are specifically for Filipinos,” he said. “We get the athletes involved and our international designers have integrated the Philippine colors, culture and sights in their designs for the Philippine market.”
A highlight for Peak Philippines is the brand having been adopted by the Philippine Olympic Committee as the official supplier of training kits for the Paris Olympicsbound athletes, coaches and officials. “These uniforms are also be available
to the public now that the POC has publicly introduced the brand,” Cheunglay said.
Peak was officially introduced as the official training kit for Team Philippines to Paris during the sendoff last week graced by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Intramuros.
Magat said that the goal is to expand more into the local basketball scene.
“We want to pursue both the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association,” said Magat, adding that they have started to secure as endorsers women’s volleyball stars Sisi Rondina, Desiree Cheng and Jolina de la Cruz.
The barangay level, Cheunglay said, also remains as the local company’s target.
“This
a good start with a chip-in birdie on No. 10,” said Tambalque, a 16-year-old student from Learning Links Academy in Silang, Cavite. Tambalque caught up with Oro at six-over following a bogey-doublebogey exchange on No. 8 but seized the solo lead with a clutch birdie from four feet on the last hole.
“My decision-making wasn’t great, but tomorrow [Tuesday] I know what I need to do to improve my game,” added Tambalque, a category winner in last year’s JPGT national finals who tied for fourth in the Luzon Series’ first leg at Splendido Taal last month.
Breathing down his neck were Oro and Wahing, who carded 76s, while John Paul Oro posted a 77. Arsenio Acuña IV, who led earlier, stumbled with a triple-bogey on No. 6, ending up with a 79 for joint fifth with Keith Pagalan, setting the tone for a spirited battle over the next three rounds of the 72-hole tournament.
In contrast, Dominique Evonne Gotiong marked her Junior PGT debut impressively with an 81 to seize a six-shot lead over Iloilo leg winner Rhiena Sinfuego, who scored an 87, with Breanna Rojas at third place with a 98 in the girls’ premier division.
“I got a bit nervous after a run of bogeys at the back but I was able to recover,” said the 16-year-old hopeful from Cebu making her first start in the nationwide series put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Expecting a charge from Sinfuego and other contenders, including one-armed golfer Necky Tortosa, who made a 108, Gotiong vowed to do better on Tuesday but stressed the need to minimize mistakes.
“My driving was good but I had several careless misses. I plan to do better tomorrow,” said Gotiong, who also struggled with her short game. In the 13-15 division, Nyito Tiongko and Tiffany Bernardino took charge with 76 and 87, respectively. Race Manhit set the pace in the boys’
