TROPICAL Storm Trami (local name Kristine) blew away from the northwestern Philippines on Friday, leaving at least 65 people dead in landslides and extensive flooding that forced authorities to scramble for more rescue boats to save thousands of terrified people, who were trapped, some on their roofs.
By Troi Santos
Grand Tasting.
Attendees delighted in Kabisera’s famous Lumpia and Atsara, crafted by the talented duo, Chef Augelyn “Augee” Francisco and Chef Earl Robles. NYCWFF, which took place from October 17 to 20, brought together more than 500 culinary stars, uniting the best in food and wine to support New Yorkers in need. In addition to this prestigious recognition, Kabisera NYC recently won “Best Lumpia Vendor” at the 2024 Smorgasburg and Philippines Fest, further establishing it as a go-to destination for authentic
KABISERA NYC’s Chef Augee
A RESIDENT walks beside a truck buried by volcanic mud that flowed from Mayon Volcano after heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm Kristine hit Guinobatan, Albay, on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. AP/JOHN MICHAEL MAGDASOC
RESIDENTS navigate through floodwaters in Kawit, Cavite, after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Kristine submerged parts of the town. NONIE REYES
A VIEW of damaged structures caused by Tropical Storm Kristine in Laguna de Bay, Friday, October 25, 2024. MALACAÑANG PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE VIA AP
BRIDGE damaged by Tropical Storm Kristine, in Laurel, Batangas, Friday October 25, 2024. MALACAÑANG PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE VIA AP
RESIDENTS of San Mateo, Rizal, cross the powerful currents of the swollen San Mateo River, caused by the relentless rains of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. NONOY LACZA
Storm havoc…
“They will start today [Friday] Sir,” he informed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., adding that logistics planning is currently under way.
“May I also say that the Philippine Air Force was able to go into Naga and Legazpi and will continue the air bridge to take advantage of any gaps in the weather now,” Teodoro said.
The DND chief further noted that the 205th Helicopter Wing and the 505th Search and Rescue Groups are deploying all rotary assets already in the area to enhance airlift capabilities.
Kristine leaves trail of destruction KRISTINE left the Philippines Friday afternoon with a trail of destruction in many parts of the country, most especially in Bicol and Southern Tagalog regions.
Kristine’s wrath broke Typhoon Ondoy’s 455mm one-day accumulated rainfall in Metro Manila in 2009. In Daet, Camarines Sur, it registered a record 528.5 mm of rainfall in just one day on October 22, one day before the storm made a landfall in Isabela. Doppler instruments in Legazpi, Albay, also hit a record 431 mm of rainfall that day.
However, Kristine (international name Trami) will likely return to the Philippines Tuesday next week as another storm, Tropical Cyclone KongRey, has developed in the western Pacific Ocean, state forecasting agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
It is not yet known what the projected impact of Kristine’s second entry to the Philippines will be. But Sci-
ence Secretary Renato Solidum said it is likely that Kristine will stay in the West Philippine Sea until next week.
This forecast model is also shared by other meteorological agencies in Hong Kong, US, Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea.
The possibility of two storms merging as one, or what meteorologists coined as Fujiwhara effect, is still unlikely.
Although Kristine has left PAR, Pagasa warned of moderate to heavy rainfall (50-100mm) Saturday in Palawan, western Visayas, Negros Occidental, southern portion of Negros Oriental and Zamboanga Peninsula.
Winds may also be “slightly stronger” or “enhanced” in coastal and mountainous areas in Palawan, Romblon, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Siquijor, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte.
On Sunday, Kristine’s winds will still be felt in Palawan, Romblon, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte.
Pagasa said sea condition could be very rough and waves could be as high as 5-6 meters (16-19 feet) from the western seaboard of Batanes, Ilocos Region up to the western seaboard of Cagayan, Bataan and Batangas on Saturday.
“Sea travel is risky for all types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if under way, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside,” Pagasa said.
DTI: local businesses aided THE Department of Trade and Indus-
try (DTI) said it is prepared to assist local businesses affected by Typhoon Kristine through joint efforts with the private sector and industry groups.
In a statement issued on Thursday night, DTI Acting Secretary Cristina A. Roque said, “We have been actively discussing with our partners in the private sector, including industry associations, to mobilize resources and provide immediate assistance to affected businesses.”
Roque said the agency is working closely with all “concerned” agencies and organizations to ensure that local businesses will be able to recover from the effects of the severe tropical storm.
“Through these partnerships, we can efficiently deploy resources such as financial assistance, business advisory services, and market access to help businesses navigate the challenges brought by the storm,” said Roque.
“Our top priority is to facilitate the rapid recovery of businesses, as they are essential to supporting the livelihoods of countless Filipinos,” the DTI chief added.
In addition to these measures, the DTI has implemented a price freeze on basic necessities in areas under a state of calamity declaration.
“A price freeze on essential goods is automatically in effect for all areas under a state of calamity. Consumers can stay informed about price freeze bulletins by following DTI Philippines on social media,” said Roque.
“The DTI is encouraging affected businesses to reach out to their nearest Negosyo Centers or DTI regional offices for information on available assistance programs,” the Trade department said in its statement.
65 DEAD AS ‘KRISTINE’ EXITS; U-TURN FEARED
slides set off by Trami in Batangas province south of Manila. That brought the overall death toll from the storm to at least 65.
Eleven other villagers remain missing in Batangas, Col. Jacinto Malinao Jr. told The Associated Press by telephone from the lakeside town of Talisay, where he stood beside a villager whose wife and child were buried in the deep mound of mud, boulders and trees.
With the use of a backhoe and shovels, police scrambled to search into 10 feet (3 meters) of mud, rocks and debris and found a part of a head and foot that apparently were those of the missing woman and child.
“He’s simply devastated,” Malinao said of the villager, a fisherman, whose wife and child were buried in the landslide that happened Thursday afternoon amid torrential rains while he was away tending to fish cages in a lake.
“He’s in shock and couldn’t speak and we’re only asking him to point to where their bedroom was located so we can dig in that part,” Malinao said.
The storm was last tracked at dawn blowing 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of the coastal town of Bacnotan in northern La Union province with sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers (59 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 115 kph (78 mph). It was moving northwest at 25 kph (15 mph) toward Vietnam, which was forecast to be lashed by Trami starting on Sunday if it stays on course.
The Philippine weather agency, however, said it’s possible that high-pressure winds and other weather factors in the South China Sea could force the storm to turn back toward the Philippines.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., sounding exasperated, inquired about that prospect in an emergency meeting with Cabinet members and disaster-response officials Friday about the response to the widespread devastation.
“What is the forecast for that? Is it possible it would return?” Marcos asked.
A government forecaster told him Trami could turn toward the western Philippines early next week, but it is more likely to blow away from the Philippines again without making landfall.
“It doesn’t have to make landfall for the damage to occur,” Marcos said, citing the continuing downpours set off by Trami in the Philippines.
Marcos also cited another brewing storm in the Pacific Ocean that could again threaten the country.
“Oh God, it is what it is. We just have to deal with it,” Mar -
cos said.
State forecaster Jofren Habaluyas told the AP that Trami’s possible U-turn has drawn interest among government weather experts in Asia, including those from Japan, which has been providing information to the Philippines to help track the storm.
Bicol badly hit
THE 65 storm deaths included 26 villagers who died in floodwaters and landslides in hard-hit Bicol, an agricultural region and tourism destination southeast of Manila that is popular for Mayon, one of the country’s 24 most active volcanoes that has a nearperfect cone.
Although Trami did not strengthen into a typhoon, it dumped unusually heavy rains in some regions, including some that saw one to two months’ worth of rainfall in just 24 hours, inundating communities with flash floods.
Officials in Naga city, where 11 people died by drowning, and the outlying provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay pleaded for more rescue boats at the height of the onslaught to reach people
trapped on the upper floors of their homes or on their roofs as floodwaters rose.
In the foothills of Mayon volcano in Albay province, mud and other debris cascaded toward nearby towns as the storm hit, engulfing houses and cars in black-colored mudflows.
More than 2.6 million people were affected by the deluge, with nearly 320,000 people fleeing into evacuation centers or relatives’ homes, disaster-mitigation officials said.
The government shut down schools and government offices on the main northern island of Luzon. Inter-island ferry services were also suspended, stranding thousands. In Vietnam, state forecasters warned of heavy rains in the central region. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered coastal provinces to stay vigilant, closely monitor Trami’s course and brace for contingencies.
Last month, Typhoon Yagi battered Vietnam, killing 323 people and causing extensive damage valued at $3.3 billion, according to a Vietnamese government report.
Kabisera NYC’s Lumpia named among Top 3 ‘Best Bites’ at 2024 Grand Tasting
Continued from A1
recognized among such esteemed company,” said Chef Augee. “Sharing the flavors of the Philippines, especially through dishes like Lumpia, is our way of connecting with the community and bringing a piece of home to New York,” said Chef Earl.
The NYCWFF is New York City’s premier wine and food festival, supporting “God’s Love We Deliver,” the city’s leading provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling for individuals facing severe illness. Since its inception, NYCWFF has raised over $14.8 million to benefit God’s Love We Deliver, helping them deliver more than four million meals annually to nearly 15,000 individuals in need.
“God’s Love We Deliver is proud to be the exclusive charity partner of NYCWFF,” said Da-
vid Ludwigson, President & CEO. “Through NYCWFF, we reach new volunteers, clients, and supporters, furthering our mission to provide life-sustaining meals and nutrition education to New Yorkers at no cost, full of love.” As Kabisera NYC celebrates this honor, Chef Augee and Chef Earl continue their mission to share Filipino cuisine and culture through their food.
Augee’s love for cooking grew in the Sierra Madre foothills, where food was more than just eating—it brought people together. There, she learned to make the comforting dishes of her childhood: nilaga (a warm vegetable stew), kinilaw (freshly cured seafood), and inihaw (grilled meats)—each filled with the flavors of her Igorot heritage.
As Augee traveled to Korea and Japan, she discovered new flavors and cooking techniques,
adding fresh ideas to her Filipino cooking style. When she returned to the Philippines and later moved to the US, Augee opened her dream restaurant, “Kabisera”. It quickly became a local favorite, known for its soulful Filipino dishes and perfectly brewed coffee.
Chef Earl Robles journeyed from Kinayao in the Philippines to New York City, rising from humble beginnings to become the head chef at Kabisera, where he brings Filipino flavors to a broad audience. His culinary path began in Bahrain and led him to positions in international kitchens, including an executive chef role at PF Chang’s, where he earned multiple awards for his innovative dishes. Now, at Kabisera, Chef Earl combines traditional Filipino recipes with modern techniques, creating unique dining experiences that showcase his passion and dedication to Filipino cuisine.
IN this photo provided by the Police Regional Office Calabarzon, police conduct search and rescue operations after a landslide hit a village burying some people in Talisay, Batangas, on Friday, October 25, 2024. POLICE REGIONAL OFFICE CALABARZON VIA AP
RESIDENTS staying on top of their roofs to avoid floods caused by Tropical Storm Kristine wait to be rescued at Libon, Albay, Wednesday, October 23, 2024. PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD VIA AP
House confident Senate will keep key ‘25 budget items on food security, safety nets
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
THE House of Representatives listed the key amendments, aimed at bolstering social safety nets and ensuring food security, that are embodied in the P6.352-trillion proposed 2025 General Appropriations Act it transmitted to the Senate.
Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, said the amendments include an additional P292.23 billion dedicated to supporting vulnerable sectors, including low-income families, farmers, and soldiers.
“This budget is a lifeline for those who need it most. By increasing funding for social programs, we’re addressing immediate needs while laying the groundwork for long-term resilience,” Co said. Significant enhancements in the budget include an extra P39.8 billion allocated to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the Ayuda sa
Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which will offer financial aid to those earning P21,000 or less monthly. The AKAP allocation for 2025 is three times higher than the previous year’s P13 billion, in response to widespread public demand.
Education remains a priority, with an additional P30.01 billion earmarked for scholarships under the Commission on Higher Education’s Tertiary Education Subsidy and Tulong Dunong programs. Meanwhile, the Department of Education will receive P7 billion more for the construction and repair of school facilities. To bolster national security, P8.44 billion has been added to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ budget, raising soldiers’ daily subsistence allowance by 67 percent to P250. Funding is also allocated for critical infrastructure projects on Pag-asa Island to defend the West Philippine Sea.
In agriculture, P30 billion is directed toward irrigation and cold storage projects to enhance food security, while the National Irrigation Administration’s budget sees a P44 billion increase.
The amended budget now awaits Senate deliberations, with lawmakers expressing optimism about its swift passage.
The HOR sent the 2025 GAB to the Senate at the height of typhoon Kristine on Thursday, as both chambers have committed to the timely enactment of the measure.
The Senate leadership earlier said all members will focus on the GAB deliberations once sessions resume after the “Undas” holidays, as major inquiries in aid of legislation are beng wrapped up. The only other major investigation, to be opened on Monday (October 28) by a special subpanel of the Blue Ribbon Committee, dwells on the Duterte-era drug wars and extrajudicial killings.
SE Asian ports alliance inks ‘green’ deal in Subic Bay
By Henry Empeño
UBIC BAY FREEPORT—Ma -
Sjor ports in the Southeast Asian region have joined the Port of Subic in its campaign for resilient, sustainable and carbonneutral ports, committing recently to strengthen collective action in promoting best practices and expertise in these areas.
Ronnie Yambao, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) senior deputy administrator for operations, said heads of member-ports belonging to the International Network of Affiliated Ports (INAP) signed a “Green Manifesto” on the first day of the recent 23rd INAP Convention here.
The manifesto expressed the group’s commitments to protect the marine environment in support of declared responsible growth objectives, such as the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, and in compliance with policies and regulations of the International Maritime Organization on Marine Environmental Protection.
It also stated INAP’s pledge to promote and implement plans and programs for carbon-neutral ports, improve disaster preparedness and resilience, and share best practices, experiences, and expertise to strengthen collective initiative in developing resilient, sustainable, and green ports.
The signatories included SBMA Chairman and Administrator Jose
Aliño, for the Port of Subic; Jong Koo Yeo, CEO of Mokpo Newport Terminal Co., Ltd. of South Korea; Ali Sodikin, Executive Director 3 for PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero); Jia Funing, Deputy General Manager of Shandong Port Group, China; Kazuhiko Yokochi, Director General of the Kochi Prefectural Government, Department of Public Works, Japan; Francisco Comendador III, General Manager of Cebu Port Authority; and Analee Aguila, Port Manager of Philippine Port Authority, Davao. Yambao, who formally welcomed delegates to the maritime convention, said the convention theme of “RESILIENT PORTS: Innovating Best Practices for Environmental Protection and Disaster Management” echo topics that are
being addressed by world leaders.
The port officials capped the two-day meeting by planting trees at Subic’s Malawaan Park overlooking the port to show solidarity in their commitment for a green future.
SBMA Chairman Aliño, who is the incoming chairman of INAP, has previously championed the “Shore Power Connection for Carbon Neutral Ports” project, an SBMA initiative that he said will be the first of its kind in the country.
Aliño said that by providing shoreside electrical power to a ship at berth while its main and auxiliary engines are shut down, Subic would cut air pollution from ships at berth by 95 percent.
The SBMA chairman said other green projects in Subic would in -
volve decarbonizing buildings and transportation, adopting low-carbon infrastructure designs, energy efficiency and conservation, leveraging renewable energy sources, as well as solid waste and waste water management.
The 23rd INAP convention here marked the fourth time that the Port of Subic hosted the maritime meeting.
Founded in 1998, INAP was formed to play a special role in creating environmental awareness, so as to minimize the ecological impact caused by industry and modernization. It also envisions an environmentally-friendly society, and a peaceful and harmonious earth, while upholding the principles of friendly, harmonious co-existence among members.
Ateneo study reveals key for tougher semicon materials
IBy Bless Aubrey Ogerio
NCREASING the carbon content of silicon carbide (SiC) can significantly enhance its durability, according to an Ateneo de Manila University study.
The research found that SiC’s strength peaks at 25 percent carbon composition, which could help improve its performance in semiconductors, aerospace materials, and nuclear reactor shielding, where strength and toughness are critical.
Beyond this threshold, however, the results showed that additional carbon weakens the material.
SiC’s tensile strength, yield
strength, elastic modulus, and toughness were investigated by the research team, which are critical properties for materials used in extreme conditions such as spacecraft, nuclear reactors, and highperformance electronics.
Its composition of silicon and carbon gives SiC semiconductive and insulative properties, making it an ideal material for heat shields, microprocessors, and other highstress applications.
Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS), a molecular dynamics simulation software, was utilized to model how varying carbon levels affected SiC’s durability. However, they emphasized
that the findings are based on computer simulations and recommended conducting further tests with actual SiC samples to confirm the observed trends and validate the material’s performance under real-world conditions.
“This study offered initial insights into the increase of carbon impurities in pure silicon; (we) recommend conducting a separate study on the effects of other parameters such as the effects of mechanical properties at elevated temperatures,” the researchers stated.
“Further studies be made using actual SiC test samples,” they added.
While naturally occurring SiC
is rare on Earth, it is abundant in space, found primarily in meteorites and stardust surrounding carbon-rich stars. Due to its scarcity in nature, most SiC used in industries is synthetically produced.
Grand View Research reported that the SiC market was worth $3.30 billion in 2022 and is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of 11.7 percent from 2023 to 2030.
The study, titled “Mechanical properties of Si(1−x)–C(x): strength and stiffness of materials using LAMMPS molecular dynamics simulation,” was published on August 22 in the Japanese Journal of Applied Physics.
THE country’s two top pension agencies for state and private sector workers have opened loan windows for members affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.
Members and pensioners affected by Kristine could immediately avail of salary and pension loans from the Social Security System (SSS).
“As part of our proactive response to the urgent financial needs of our members and pensioners during natural calamities, the SSS loan programs are readily available to support their recovery,” SSS Senior Vice President for Lending and Asset Management Group Pedro T. Baoy said in a statement on Thursday.
Employed, self-employed and voluntary members with 36 monthly contributions, six of which should be within the last 12 months before the month of the loan application, can qualify for a one-month salary loan. To avail of a two-month salary loan, members should have at least 72 contributions.
Loan applicants must also be under 65 years of age and have not been granted any final benefit, such as total disability retirement or death benefits, Baoy said.
Individually paying members must also have at least six contributions under their current membership type before the month of the loan application.
“Employers’ compliance is crucial in these situations since their updated contribution and loan payments are essential for their employee’s loan eligibility,” Baoy added.
Members who wish to avail of the salary loan may submit their application through the My.SSS Portal.
Once approved, loan proceeds will be credited to the member’s registered Unified Multi-Purpose Identification (UMID)-ATM Card or active accounts with a Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet)-participating bank.
Pension loan
RETIREMENT pensioners can also avail of the SSS Pension Loan, which allows them to borrow an amount equivalent to three, six, nine or 12 times their Basic Monthly Pension, with a maximum loan amount of P200,000. Pensioners must be 85 years old or below at the end of the loan term, have no existing deductions from their monthly pension and must not have availed of any advanced pension under the SSS Calamity Assistance Package.
“If retirement pensioners availed of the 18 months advance pension, they must be receiving their regular monthly pension for at least one month,” Baoy noted.
Loan applications may be submitted via the My.SSS Portal or in person at their nearest SSS branch.
Once approved, the loan will be credited to their UMID-ATM Card or a PESONet-participating bank account.
The loan can be repaid through deductions from the pensioner’s monthly benefits, with a 10 percent annual interest rate applied to the reduced principal balance.
The repayment terms range from six, 12 ot 24 months, depending on the loan amount, ensuring that at least 47.25 percent of the Basic Monthly Pension plus the additional P1,000 benefit remains as a net take-home pension.
GSIS emergency loans
THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) announced financial assistance to members and pensioners affected by Typhoon Kristine through its Emergency Loan Program. The program is already open in Albay and Naga City and is ready to be activated in areas officially declared under a state-of calamity.
GSIS is monitoring other areas in the Bicol Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Negros Island Region, Eastern Visayas, and Mindanao for state-of-calamity declarations. Once an area is declared under a state of calamity, GSIS will immediately make the loan available to qualified members and pensioners.
GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso urged GSIS members and pensioners to use the GSIS Touch in applying for loans for safe and quick transactions. He said the GSIS Touch offers a secure, seamless, fast and more efficient way to apply for loans, keep track of premium remittances, loan and insurance payments, access membership and pension records, and enables them to manage their accounts through their mobile phones.
Members without an existing emergency loan can borrow up to P20,000, while those with existing balances can apply for up to P40,000. The loan has an interest rate of 6 percent per annum and is payable in three years.
To qualify for the emergency loan, members must be actively employed, not on leave without pay, no pending administrative or legal cases, with payment of at least six months premiums and with a net take-home pay of at least P5,000. Pensioners must have a remaining net pension of at least 25 percent of their pension after loan amortization to qualify.
If any member or pensioner requires assistance in using the GSIS Touch mobile app, its dedicated customer service is available 24/7 to help. Members may call the GSIS Contact Center at 8847-4747 (Metro Manila) or 1-800-8-847-4747 (Globe and
NSA commends gov’t troops for arrest of acting CPP chief
By Rex Anthony Naval
NATIONAL Security
Adviser (NSA) Eduardo M. Año on Friday commended government security troops and their supporters for the successful arrest of acting Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chair Wigberto “Baylon” Villarico in operations in Quezon City Thursday morning.
“We commend the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) for the successful operation that resulted in the arrest of Wigberto
Villarico alias Baylon, the Acting Chairman of (the) CPP. This operation is a major step in our ongoing efforts to dismantle the leadership of the communist terrorist group and bring lasting peace to our country,” he added.
Villarico assumed leadership of the CPP after Benito Tiamzon was killed on Aug. 22, 2022, in a military encounter in Samar.
The NSA said Villarico’s arrest during a joint operation conducted by the AFP’s 2nd Infantry Division and PNP-NCRPO and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is a significant victory in neutralizing the CPP’s leadership structure.
“Villarico was the last communist leader at large capable of commanding both the party and its armed wing, the New People’s Army. The operation exemplifies the unwavering dedication of our
security forces to pursue justice and uphold the rule of law,” Año said.
He added that Villarico’s capture closes the chapter on a terrorist fugitive responsible for atrocities against the people, including leading violent purges within the CPP-NPA Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee in the 1980s, where many were executed by his own hands.
“As we move forward, the National Security Council remains fully committed to supporting the efforts of our security forces to ensure peace, order, and justice in all corners of the country. We will continue to work hand in hand with all stakeholders to safeguard the safety and well-being of our people, striving towards the end of Communist Terrorism in our country,” Año noted.
House Appro panel head refutes tales on Bicol flood-control funds
THE chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations on Friday refuted claims circulating on social media about the alleged substantial budget allocation for flood control in the Bicol Region, saying these reports are false.
Appropriations committee chairman and Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Zaldy Co, in a statement, said that contrary to rumors, Bicol has one of the smallest allocations for national road infrastructure and flood control projects.
“There’s no truth to the alleged billion-peso appropriations for Bicol flood control. In fact,
the region’s funding for national roads and flood control is among the smallest in the country,” Co said, without citing the amount of the funding.
The lawmaker stressed that the current administration’s infrastructure strategy prioritizes integrating flood control measures with sustainable water management to enhance food security.
He cited ongoing efforts to ensure that all flood control projects are linked to water impounding facilities managed by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), which serve as vital sources of irrigation for local farmlands.
“Congress, under Speaker [Martin] Romualdez’s leadership, is ensuring that all flood control initiatives are connected to the NIA’s water management system. This approach ensures that these projects contribute directly to our agricultural needs,” Co said.
Co credited Congress with curbing unnecessary flood control expenditures.
He noted that because of these reforms, Congress unanimously agreed not to fund projects that fail to align with safety and food production goals.
“For the first time in three decades and across five administra -
tions, we ceased funding for flood control projects, rocknetting and safety devices in the House of Representatives that do not provide long-term benefits,” he added.
He contrasted this approach with the previous administration, which allocated P51 billion for Davao and nearly P200 billion for rocknetting over three years, often without ensuring alignment with food security and public safety.
Under the current administration, Co said “every peso is directed towards meaningful projects that not only mitigate disasters but also bolster food production in Bicol.” Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
No more walk-in Apostille applicants starting December 1, ‘24, says DFA
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
STARTING December 1, 2024, the Department of Foreign Affairs will no longer accept walk-in applicants for those wishing to authenticate their public documents such as birth certificates and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances.
According to the DFA, applicants for Apostille documents should schedule for an online appointment first.
To book an appointment, visit this link: https:// appointment.apostille.gov.ph/
The DFA Office of Consular Affairs said this new Online-AppointmentOnly System “will eliminate walk-ins to improve efficiency and ensure a schedule-based delivery of services for a more convenient client experience.”
Exempted from this OnlineAppointment-Only system are PWDs, senior citizens, and pregnant women.
In the meantime, for the whole month of November, the DFA may still accept walk-in applicants for Apostille.
For November 1-15, document owners or their immediate family members up to second degree of consanguity may be accepted as walkins at the DFA Aseana or other consular offices in the provinces.
First degree of consanguinity extends to parents, children or spouse. Second degree of consanguinity extends only to grandparents and siblings.
For November 16-30, the DFA will only accept document
owners for walk-in Apostille application.
In anticipation of the demand, the DFA said that they will increase the allocation for online Apostille slots to 1,100 daily.
Filipinos residing, working or studying overseas are sometimes being required to submit authenticated documents for employment and other purposes.
As a signatory to the Apostille Convention, the Philippines can certify if the signature of a public or legal document is authentic or not.
The DFA is the designated authentication agency of public documents for the Philippines. The DFA Apostilled document may already be accepted in another country which ratified the Apostille Convention. However, Finland, Germany, Greece and other countries that did not accede to the Apostille Convention still require authenticated documents from the Philippines to undergo another authentication from the foreign embassy or consulate of the country which will receive the document.
Aside from DFA main consular headquarters in Aseana in Pasay City, Apostilles can be applied in other DFA consular offices in SM Manila, Ali Mall in Cubao, DFA Alabang, SM Megamall, DFA Pampanga in Robinsons Starmills, DFA La Union in CSI Mall, DFA Legazpi in Pacific Mall, DFA Cebu in Robinson’s Galleria, DFA Iloilo in Robinson’s Place, DFA Davao in SM Davao, and DFA Cagayan de Oro in SM Downtown Premier.
Alcoholic drinks makers, e-comm platforms, biz groups launch PSC vs harmful alcohol use
By Andrea E. San Juan
LEADING alcoholic beverage producers, e-commerce platforms and industry groups on Friday launched the Philippines Standards Coalition (PSC) which aims to curb harmful alcohol use in the country.
At the launch in Makati City, the founding members of the Coalition signed a pledge promoting responsible marketing and sales practices.
In a statement on Friday, the Asia Pacific International Spirits & Wines Alliance (APISWA) said the pledge underscores the coalition’s commitment to preventing minors from accessing and purchasing alcohol products, with a special focus on the Philippine Association of Sari-sari Store and Carinderia Owners (Pasco), which represents 7,000 micro-retailers who are key sellers of alcohol in
the Philippines.
The industry-wide partnership was formed by 11 groups: Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Moët Hennessy, Brown-Forman, and Bacardi, PASCO, Sugbo Wine, Winery, Singlemalt, Booze Shop and Flasked.
The signatories crafted four statements which were contained in the pledge.
“We firmly believe beer, wine and spirits are adult drinks and oppose marketing, promotion and sale of alcohol beverages to minors,” the parties noted.
The groups also pledged to put in place measures and pratices to prevent marketing, promotion or sale of alcohol beverages to those below the Legal Purchase Age (LPA).
Moreover, the signatories pledged: “We equip our employees and partners with training and information to promote responsible marketing and retail practices.”
The groups also committed to “regularly” review and monitor marketing channels to ensure that advertising and promotional materials are not targeting minors or promoting irresponsible drinking behaviors.
Key figures who signed the pledge were: Alcoholic Beverages Alliance of the Philippines (ABAPI) Chairperson Nick Sonderup, Emerging Asia Brown-Forman General Manager Sally Goh, Flasked Ph President and CEO
Mervin Carson Ong, Winery Ph General Manager Eileen Ancheta, ABAPI President Rachanatorn Laohaphan, and PASCO National President Elilyn Gadia.
APISWA representative Siau Xi Goh said the launch of the Philippines Standards Coalition “demonstrates” the industry’s commitment to address an “important” area of alcohol-related harm which is the access to and consumption of alcohol by minors.
“These standards should be applied by all levels of the supply chain, from producers to distributors and retailers, to support existing government legislation including the Legal Purchase age [LPA] at 18 years old,” Siau pointed out.
Speakng for local sari-sari store owners, PASCO National President Elilyn S. Gadia said the coalition’s mission is to create an environment where industry responsibility and government regulation come together to ensure alcohol products are consumed in a safe way.
“This includes ensuring responsive retail service and a robust age verification system at the retail level, including at communitybased micro-retailers, also known as sari-sari stores,” Gadia said.
“Such mechanisms will reduce harm while still ensuring that the local retail, hospitality and F&B industries can continue to thrive,” she also noted.
APISWA cited World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030 which targets a 20-percent reduction in harmful alcohol use by 2030, compared to 2010 levels.
“The launch of the PSC reinforces the Philippines’ commitment to achieving this target,” APISWA noted.
APISWA, a group that represents 11 global spirits and wine producers operating across the Asia-Pacific region, said the coalition launch “builds on other recent efforts by the alcohol industry to promote self-regulation.” In 2023, ABAPI expanded its pledge to promote responsible practices in the online sale of alcohol amid the rapid growth of ecommerce sales.
ABAPI also joined 17 e-commerce platforms, brand owners and industry groups, including the online shopping platform Lazada, in signing an e-commerce MOU by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to combat the illicit trade of alcohol online.
Citing global data from the World Health Organization (WHO), APISWA cited a 20-percent decline in alcohol-related deaths globally, demonstrating “significant” progress in less than a decade. However, the Asia Pacific group of spirits and wine producers said further efforts are needed to address alcohol-related harm in the Philippines where indicators show “lower declines.”
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in a video message at the event that the PSC launch is a “major step in uniting stakeholders, the alcohol beverage industry, the sari-sari stores and carinderia owners and key groups in the country to promote responsible practice, as tackling harmful alcohol consumption requires collective action.”
THE Philippine Standard Coalition pledge was signed on Friday, October 25, at Dusit Thani in Makati City, by several key figures: ABAPI Chairperson Nick Sonderup, Emerging Asia BrownForman General Manager Sally Goh, Flasked Ph President and CEO Mervin Carson Ong, Winery
Ph General Manager Eileen Ancheta, ABAPI President Rachanatorn Laohaphan, and PASCO
National President Elilyn Gadia. This initiative aims to prevent minors from accessing and purchasing alcohol, particularly focusing on PASCO, which represents 7,000 micro-retailers who are major sellers of alcohol in the country. EIRON JOHN FRANCISCO
Time BusinessMirror Our
DMW to develop programs for returning elderly OFWs
By Marita Moaje
MDepartment of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other government agencies, including the House of Representatives and the Senate, will develop programs to cater to elderly overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In a Radyo Pilipinas interview on Tuesday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government must prepare for elderly OFWs, who migrated about two decades ago, when they return to the Philippines.
“And we need to best prepare for that, because they are going home. Of course, it is good that they have something saved or plans when they go home, but at the same time, with the length of service they’ve given to their families, to their communities and to our nation as OFWs, we need to also help them mainstream themselves back into Philippine socioeconomic life,” Cacdac said.
“So that’s what we’re preparing for, on a broader scale, the return of the generation of OFWs who left 20 to 30 years ago and are now returning home,” he added.
Cacdac said that between 2006 and 2007, OFW deployment reached one million for the first time. He said that if those OFWs were between 25 and 30 years old at that time, they must be entering their 50s or mid-50s by now.
“In due time, maybe in four to five years’ time, they are going home. Because the retirement age in Saudi or the Middle East is
not exactly the same as ours, which is 60 to 65. Around 50 to 60, some of them or many of them may decide to come home,” he said.
Cacdac said the DMW has already coordinated with House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Francis Escudero for a law that will be the basis of assistance for elderly OFWs.
Moreover, he said that there are ongoing talks with party-lists at the House of Representatives, as well as with the National Commission of Senior Citizens under the Office of the President. Cacdac added that the DMW is partnering with the Social Security System (SSS) for expanded coverage, especially for those OFWs who have been paying their contributions, amid the clamor for a pension system for OFWs.
“There are clamors because there was no pension system until 2019, when the Social Security Law was amended, so many of them did not reach the pension system under our Social Security System,” he said.
The policy on expanding the coverage of the Employees’ Compensation Program to land-based OFWs who are registered members of the SSS was promulgated in 2019.
Cacdac said the DMW is also starting to draft programs for elderly OFWs to help them with their medical expenses.
“We will announce this in due time but we will definitely implement it. We want to help OFW returnees who are getting older,” he said. PNA
Tumba: Centuries-old All Saints’ Day ritual draws tourists to Ilocos Norte
By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY—Centuriesold tradition “Tumba” highlights Ilocos Norte’s halloween bash, enticing more tourists to visit up north.
Unique to the residents of Paoay, Tumba is an annual social ritual held every All Saints’ Day.
Like in the previous years, the town’s 10 districts representing its 31 villages come together at the heritage town plaza to build makeshift huts usually made of bamboo and other indigenous materials where they place their atang (offering) for those who have departed.
During the ritual, elderly women wearing inabel, a traditional woven cloth of the Ilokano people, gather in front of the displayed offering with lighted candles, images of saints akin to an altar and recite the prayers and hymns for the dead, including those whose names or memories were already forgotten.
These prayers start early at 6 p.m. after everyone has made visits to the cemetery, and last until midnight.
The offerings at the altar include eggs, famous Ilokano cuisines, homemade alcoholic bev-
erages, rolled tobacco and even betel-nut chews.
The most distinct of these offerings is a rice cake called baduya, a sweetened fried glutinous pancake mainly produced for this occasion.
Visitors can also partake of the food offering in an act called agkararrua (meaning to be done on behalf of the spirits).
Cultural heritage worker Bernard Guerrero of Paoay town, in one of his written articles documenting the living and enduring traditions of his hometown, describes Tumba as the Philippines’ version of Dia de Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, in Mexico. It portrays a celebration that is both solemn and jovial. It is meant to remember and honor the departed ones as well as to provide a form of neighborhood entertainment, he said. Guerrero said that “while the town is famed for its rare Mardi Gras [Fat Tuesday] celebration
called Guling-Guling , another unique ritual held every Nov. 1 called Tumba is less known.”
He said Tumba means “tomb” in Spanish.
“While there are no records to show when or why it started, Tumba is largely believed among locals to be at least 200 years old,” he said.
Guerrero theorized that Tumba may trace its origin back to its older counterpart in Mexico, from where the tradition found its way to and eventually gained popularity in Paoay during the Spanish colonial period.
To ensure that Tumba will be observed and preserved through the years, the municipal government of Paoay is allocating some funds annually to sponsor prizes for the best Tumba exhibit.
Prizes range from P10,000 to P15,000 for the top three winners, while a consolation prize is P5,000.
While the Tumba concept or theme is left to the discretion of the participating village or district, the exhibit should still depict the culture, tradition, and values of the Paoayeños, giving emphasis on how the community celebrates All Saints’ Day.
“The tumba festival highlights our distinct and solemn ways of honoring the spirits of our departed love ones,” Paoay Mayor Sheilla Galano said in a media interview on Thursday as she enjoined everyone to visit the Tumba huts on Nov. 1 and experience a unique intangible heritage of the community, which illustrates a strong connection of the people to their past. PNA
They laughed when I mentioned Homo erectus: Why it’s important to be an interesting conversationalist in old age my sixty-zen’s
Homo erectus was a piece of anthropological trivia I inserted in the middle of a conversation with old friends who were pathetically talking about E.D. (erectile dysfunction) and other sexual concerns of senior males. In an instant, they all gave me a quizzical look and then burst into laughter, thinking it was a joke related to the topic of the hour. Of course I was not joking and it had nothing to do with E.D. It was just my wandering hyper textual mind kicking in. I also have a reflexive tendency towards word association.
But I got their attention and I seamlessly started a new conversation thread because I was eager to share my fresh knowledge, which I’ve just absorbed from a book I was then reading about other prehistoric human species who existed side by side with Homo sapiens 100,000 years ago.
I’m always looking for a way to engage people by telling them all kinds of interesting stuff. Talking about topics and subjects that are unusual and uncommon transforms ordinary boring chit-chats into livelier and more substantial conversations.
Do you consider yourself an interesting conversationalist at this late stage? You should strive to be
By Nick Tayag
come one. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself now.
For one thing, they say that old folks need to be involved in more social activities. Research shows that regularly interacting with others may help stimulate your mind and reduce your risk of developing dementia. So it’s good to hang out regularly with friends or people who share your interests, inclinations and preoccupation to keep loneliness, depression and Alzheimer’s away.
That being said, I’ve made it a point to have occasional conversations with old friends and colleagues of the same age as mine. But many of these meet-ups are what I call “dangling conversations” or retreads of previous talks, monotonous talks on their achievements, broken record of reminiscences of the past. I am often dismayed to realize that ex corporate executives or formerly adulated individuals are one-dimensional people. In other words, dull and boring, empty and shallow. In our colloquial parlance, “wala kang mapipiga” (nothing to squeeze out anymore).
I prefer to invest my time in being with people who will surprise me and keep me delightfully engaged with what they know, what they have experienced and what it all means to them. More than just to
stimulate my brain cells, I now go for enrichment and that can only come when you engross yourself in chats with interesting persons.
I am no longer impressed by individuals who are lionized and feted by high society. When people tell me oh, he’s wealthy, he’s a CEO, he’s a billionaire, he has a lot of connections, he has properties in California, I ask: yes, but is he an interesting person or would he just bore me to death talking about his achievements or flaunting possessions?
Let me tell you about an assistant professor of history in his late 30s. He always seemed to have fascinating stories that were all factual. He
he got a scholarship from a university in England.
The key to his special aura was his vast wealth of knowledge. He did not only spew facts, he gave context to them, which combined with his storytelling skills, made him spellbinding. As one of his listeners pointed out: “he talks about historical characters as if they were old friends of his.”
“STOP BEING BORING AS F*CK, Expand Your Knowledge.” Excuse the language, but these were exactly the words of a meme that I stumbled upon on my social media. I think I would send it one of these days to a few of my tiresome vacuous friends.
appeared to attract others without making much of an effort, which included me. After encountering him I wanted to spend more time with him and get to know him. He did not dominate conversations but he still would be the center of gravity every time he was with other people. The thing is he did not seem conscious about it. To my eternal regret, I totally lost contact when I found out
“Knowledge is power” is a tired overused cliché but it still rings true. When you know a lot, you gain the power of self-confidence to talk and share your knowledge. It naturally, and even incontinently, leaks out of you.
For one thing, vast deep knowledge is a great leveler. It boosts your confidence muscles to stand chin to chin with people who deem
themselves superior to you. I am no longer intimidated by people from elite circles. I can hold my own mixing with diplomats and wealthy people. I don’t shy away from repartees with celebrities or luminaries. Why? Sometimes, I know more than they do. And I am not hesitant to let it show, most especially if the other party is obviously lacking in knowledge yet exudes an aura of arrogance and superiority.
But don’t get me wrong. It’s not really about me. As much as I find myself enriched by knowledge, I wouldn’t want to keep it just for self-aggrandizement or ego-tripping. What I really enjoy doing is employing this knowledge, when the opportunity comes, to spark the minds of old people whose minds are stuck in one gear and starting to waste away for lack of use.
Being a good and interesting conversationalist can help you pull old people out of their retirement inertia and push them into other fields of knowledge that will, at the least, re-awaken their sense of curious wonder and amazement. I hate to see aging best friends ride away into the sunset with minds that are empty or half-full.
But first, you must make sure you bring something to the table. To be able to enrich each conversation hereon, you must expand and deepen your knowledge and understanding. Be an eclectic in your absorption of knowledge. Any source is welcome. Books, documentaries, movies. Open up your mind to any subject or topic. Biographies, cultural studies, anthropology, myths and legends, astronomy, quantum physics, natural sciences, religious traditions, and so on. Nuggets of
wisdom can be found in the most unlikely places. Just to prove a point, I am now scanning a well-written little book published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is able to make characters in the bible come alive. Best of all soak yourself in the humanities, focusing on arts, culture and history. The Latin orator Cicero said, “to be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child”. The rich cultural legacy of both the east and west can expand your vision beyond the present moment. You begin to see things in a panoramic way. In my case, my changed perspective has turned me into steady, well-grounded, and philosophical person.
The rewarding feeling one gets for being an interesting conversationalist is that people want to spend time with you, and they’re more likely to enjoy the time because they are delighted to learn new things from you. You add to the conversation. They too become enriched.
The late Bob Marley, the Jamaican musician and exponent of reggae music, was once asked: “You must be a rich man because you have a lot of possessions?” He replied: “I don’t have that kind of richness, my richness is life.” Good answer, Bob Marley! So in your next coffee meet-ups, find something interesting to help you add to the conversation. Don’t get stuck in talking about E.D. That’s so limp. Move on! My humble suggestion: learn all you can about Homo technosapiens who will soon replace us after our generation is gone. It will mean that you’ve now evolved a long way from Homo erectus.
the Department of migrant Workers building pnA File photo
ANILA—The
Sen. Gatchalian seeks incentives to encourage private-sector participation in public education
By Butch Fernandez
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill that will incentivize the private sector to develop, modernize, and upgrade the country’s public education system.
As filed in Senate Bill 2731, the “Adopt-a-School Act of 2024” amends the “Adopt-a-School Act of 1998 (Republic Act 8525)” to strengthen linkages between educational institutions and the country’s industries—particularly in the employment and training of senior high-school (SHS) graduates.
The senator filed the bill alongside former colleague and now Education secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.
Gatchalian, who is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said in Filipino that, in elevating the quality of the country’s education, it is vital to partner with the private sector. With the Education secretary, he said that the “Adopt-a-School” program is being expanded and bolstered to encourage the private sector to support public schools. To incentivize private-sector involvement in public education, the proposed measure seeks an additional deduction amounting to 50 percent of labor-training expenses incurred for teachers’ scholarships and skills development of enterprise-based trainees, as provided for under the “Corporate Recovery and Tax incentives
GATCHALIAN SENATE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION BUREAU
for Enterprises Act,” or the “CREATE Law (Republic Act 11534).”
Another incentive is an additional deduction amounting to 20 percent of salaries paid to SHS graduates employed. Donations made to public schools under the program will also be exempted from customs duties, value-added tax, excise tax, donor’s tax and other fees.
Under the proposed measure, “Adopt-a-School” will allow Filipino or foreign individuals and
entities to assist public early childhood, elementary, secondary, technical-vocational or “techvoc,” Alternative Learning System, and higher education institutions. Preference will be given to institutions in fourth- and fifth-class municipalities as well as local government units with severe shortages, insufficient budget, and a large number of poor but highperforming learners.
The proposed measure provides that Adopt-a-School program participants can assist training and development for teachers and school heads; scholarships for teachers; construction of school facilities such as libraries, laboratories and facilities related to power, water and sanitation; school supplies and other instructional materials; technical-vocational livelihood tools and equipment; health and nutrition packages; as well as assistive devices and equipment for learners with disabilities, among others.
I. Cervantes partners with schools for Spanish filmfest
INSTITUTO Cervantes de Manila tapped several educational institutions in Metro Manila as partners for the 23rd Pelicula>Pelikula Manila Spanish Film Festival, which ran until October 13. The festival, which featured more than 20 Spanish and Latin American films, was held this year in collaboration with Asia Pacific Film Institute (APFI), Ateneo de Manila University’s Modern Languages, CIIT College of Arts and Technology, De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Far Eastern University’s Institute of Arts and Sciences, iAcademy, Mapúa University’s School of Media Studies (SMS), Meridian International College (MINT), University of the Philippines’ Film Institute, and UP’s Department of European Languages. Mapúa Digital Film Program chair, SMS professor and filmmaker Sheryl Andes led the talkback ses -
sion with “ Benito Pérez Buñuel ” director Luis Roca and producer Marta de Santa Ana after the Asian premiere of their documentary on October 8. The film explores the life and influ -
ence of Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel and writer Benito Pérez Galdós. The audience had the opportunity to learn the creative process behind the documentary, as the filmmakers
JET Programme for 2025 now open for applications
THE Embassy of Japan in the Philippines is now accepting applications related to the Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) and Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) positions in the 2025 Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. CIRs are placed mainly in local governments across Japan. They assist in international-exchange matters by translating documents; project planning, designing and implementation; oral and written communications with non-Japanese residents and communities; as well
as other related tasks. Meanwhile, ALTs will work in public or private schools, or local boards of education in the prefecture or municipality they will be assigned to. Their primary task is to assist in classes led by Japanese teachers of English. Applicants must be Filipino citizens with excellent English communication skills, both orally and in writing; be physically and mentally fit to work abroad; hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, or be able to obtain such qualifications by the designated arrival date.
Other than the above, CIR position applicants must possess Japanese language proficiency (JLPT N1, or its equivalent). In 2024, the Philippines sent more than 120 JET participants—the largest batch in a single year, which brought the country’s total number of participants to over 300. Since last year’s recruitment cohort, the embassy has accepted applications for the CIR position alongside those for ALT. The former work in local government offices in Japan, with a focus on international exchange. Guidelines, application forms,
shared their insights on the legacies of Galdós and Buñuel, as well as their passion to bring it to life.
Also, Spanish filmmaker Mario Torrecillas held a two-day postproduction workshop at iAcademy Nexus-Makati on October 8 and 9. He provided 12 students from APFI, CIIT, DLS-CSB, iAcademy, Mapúa, and MINT with hands-on experience on the post-production process and practical knowledge of stop-motion animation.
Torrecillas earlier discussed his work as a comic book writer and his experience of adapting comics to cinema in his talk: “From Comics to Film” at Shangri-La Plaza Red Carpet Cinemas, then presented the film “ Loli Tormenta ,” where he was the scriptwriter. The Spaniard also facilitated a free animation workshop for children last October 6 at the mall’s Grand Atrium.
and other requirements are available at the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines web site. Submission deadlines are November 6, 2024 (Friday) for ALT applicants and December 6, 2024 (Friday) for CIR. Applications must be submitted via post or courier to “THE JET PROGRAMME, Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, 2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1300.” For inquiries, contact: jetprogram@ma.mofa.go.jp
JET was introduced in 1987 to help deepen mutual understanding between the people of Japan and those of other countries through foreign language exchange and cultural immersion at the local level.
De La Salle U invests on Filipino language learning, urges youth to preserve heritage
DE La Salle University (DLSU) is making a significant investment in the future of the Filipino language, as it calls on the nation’s youth to help preserve such.
Recognizing that the many languages and dialects spoken throughout the Philippines face uncertain futures, DLSU has launched powerful initiatives to ensure these vital forms of communication thrive for generations to come. At the heart of this endeavor is “DLSU Salita (Sentro sa Pagsasalin, Intelektuwalisasyon at Adbokasiya):” a newly established center serving as the university’s hub for all things related to Filipino.
This commitment to the language is driven partly by a growing awareness of the challenges it faces. The recent “Survey on the Linguistic Situation at DLSU” conducted by DLSU Salita underscored the critical need to empower younger generations in embracing Filipino in all spheres of life.
While 64 percent consider themselves proficient in both Filipino and English, 67 percent preferred to answer the survey in English, citing greater familiarity and comfort. Further, 83 percent believe it is important to actively develop and promote the Filipino language, especially within the university setting. The survey also revealed that both students and professors are open to using Filipino in graded subjects— including those within the Lasallian Core Curriculum.
“Our goal is to make Filipino a language of aspiration—confidently used in academic discourse, research and daily life,” said Dr. Raquel SisonBuban, who is DLSU Salita’s director. “It carries stories of our ancestors and the wisdom of generations. [Our language’s future rests in the hands of the youth, and we’re committed to empowering them to be] stewards and advocates this linguistic heritage deserves.”
Operating under the Office of the Associate Provost, DLSU Salita serves as the university’s hub for professional translation services, Filipino language education, and translationrelated activities. The center is a hive of activity, offering translator training, language editing, and advocacy programs designed to elevate Filipino as a language of intellect and culture.
DLSU Salita actively champions the intellectualization of Filipino.
The center translates significant literary works, develops specialized terminologies, and encourages research conducted entirely in the language.
To ensure high standards for its use in academia, DLSU Salita focuses on editing, evaluating, and certifying translations. The center is also com -
piling an annotated bibliography of translated works and research conducted at the university, serving as a key resource for researchers and translators.
Moreover, DLSU Salita is actively developing machine translation software in Filipino and other computerassisted translation tools.
However, the center’s mission extends far beyond the university walls. Recognizing that the linguistic landscape of the Philippines encompasses a rich array of dialects facing extinction, DLSU Salita is expanding its translation services, promoting vital research and documentation of endangered languages, and advocating for policies that champion mother tongue-based multilingual education. These efforts are already bearing fruit: Once a niche offering, the Language Proficiency Program has evolved into a sought-after experience. International students now actively advocate for Filipino language learning, with many returning to the Philippines for classes and internships.
“We must move away from the belief that Filipino is inferior to English,” stated Dr. Sison-Buban, as she pointed out the need to change societal perceptions and highlight the economic, cultural, and historical value of Filipino languages. “Eventually, once we strengthen our pool of translators, we will offer translation services for English and Filipino; [then] hopefully, for the major languages used in the country.”
The director emphasizes the importance of daily language use in preserving Filipino to prevent it from disappearing. She urged to “speak your language with pride and teach it to your children… Every conversation, every story, and every song sung in our native tongue is a victory for our linguistic heritage.”
Looking ahead, DLSU Salita aims to expand its translation services to include other indigenous and foreign languages spoken in the Philippines, reinforcing its role as a regional language hub. The center also plans to foster a community of Filipino language scholars, envisioning a future where research dissemination in Filipino is institutionalized, making knowledge more accessible to all Filipinos.
“We envision a future where Filipinos fully embrace their linguistic heritage,” concluded Dr. Sison-Buban. “By investing in language preservation and promoting Filipino as a language of knowledge and innovation, we can unlock the potential of our linguistic diversity and create a brighter future for the Philippines.”
DLSU Salita members
SPANISH filmmaker Mario Torrecillas (third from left) conducted a two-day post-production workshop at iAcademy Nexus-Makati.
Tourism&Entertainment
Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan
HAPPIEST CRUISE ON EARTH?
Disney Adventure promises Disney magic when it sails in December, 2025
Photos courtesy of Disney
If every Disneyland theme park on the planet is considered as “the happiest place on Earth,” then it won’t be surprising if every passenger who has experienced a Disney Cruise will consider it “the happiest cruise on Earth.”
Indeed when Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Adventure, embarks on its first voyage from Singapore on December 15, 2025, it will celebrate Disney’s timeless storytelling, bringing beloved characters and iconic worlds from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel to life on board. An immersive
and magical cruise experience filled with entertainment, adventure, and relaxation await guests.
Disney Cruise Line currently operates five ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish. Three more ships are expected to join the fleet in 2024 and 2025 namely Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure.
As part of Disney Cruise Line’s expansion, the Disney Adventure is the first ship designed for guests in Asia. It will introduce several “firsts” for the fleet, featuring attractions and experiences created specifically for the Asian market. During its launch event in Singapore, Disney Cruise Line Cruise Director Stephen Cloete and his crew unveiled the exciting features of Disney Adventure.
‘The cruise is the destination’
A S part of our unprecedented expansion for Disney Cruise Line, we are committed to delivering exceptional experiences that bring our special brand of cruising and the best of Disney storytelling to new guests on new shores,” Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Cruise Line noted. “When the Disney Adventure sets sail in December 2025, guests throughout Southeast Asia will have the opportunity to experience the magic of their favorite Disney, Pixar and Marvel stories, in their very own backyard.”
Sarah Fox, vice president and regional general manager, Southeast Asia, Disney Cruise Line added: “Sailing on primarily three-and four night voyages designed with only dedicated days at sea, the ship will include something for everyone. From fun and interactive spaces for kids, to relaxing venues for adults to unwind, to entertaining and engaging
The fourth weekend of October marks the highlights of the annual MassKara Festival in Bacolod City. This year’s theme is “Sapphire Celebration” to commemorate the 45th edition of the City of Smiles’ world-famous fiesta whose portmanteau literally translates to “many faces” as depicted in the smiling masks worn by festival participants. It was in 1980 when the MassKara Festival was born amid a time of crisis in Bacolod – the capital city of Negros Occidental province known as the “Sugar Bowl of the Philippines.” Considered the lifeblood of most Negrenses, the sugarcane industry was then suffering from a glut in the world market that caused sugar prices to plunge. The sugar crisis led to economic hardships in Bacolod and the 30 other LG u s of the province. Adding more misery to the Negrenses, another crisis struck in April 1980 when the Negros Navigation Co.’s M/V Don Juan inter-island ship was rammed by an oil tanker and sank off Tablas Strait while en route from Manila to Bacolod. More than 200 passengers perished in the Don Juan tragedy, including prominent Bacolod families.
During the kickoff ceremonies for the 2024 festival, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez paid tribute to the late Mayor Jose “Digoy” Montalvo, founder of the MassKara Festival, and his co-founder e ly Santiago, a multi-awarded painter-cartoonist who coined the festival’s name. Together with members of the Art Association of Bacolod, Montalvo and Santiago conceptualized the festival not to mask the Bacolodnons’ grief but to rise as a city in defiance of adversity.
MAIN FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Be ING the peak of the MassKara Festival, this weekend
features a frenzy of activities such as the finals of the street dance and arena competitions at Paglaum Stadium; the MassKara 80s Music Festival at Megaworld’s The u pper e ast; and the MassKarade Ball at the brandnew r oy’s h otel and Convention Center.
Other ongoing events include the 3rd Mayor Albee Benitez Open Billiard Tournament at Ayala Malls Capitol Central; the MassKanamit Food Festival also at Megaworld’s The u pper e ast; the shows of Pinoy Pop band SB19 and Japanese artist Fumiya at r obinsons Place Bacolod and SM City Bacolod, respectively; the Mardi Gras and Bombo r adyo Dance Showdown at the Bacolod City Public Plaza; and the much-awaited e lectric MassKara nighttime parade at the Lacson Tourism Strip.
JEWEL OF THE SUGAR ISLAND
Three and a half hours south of Bacolod, Sipalay City is known as “the Jewel of the Sugar Island” due to its natural treasures and ecotourism destinations. Its distance from Bacolod is 170 kilometers which is equidistant from Dumaguete City in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental.
Among Sipalay’s breathtaking destinations are Tinagong Dagat, a hidden lagoon sitting on a shallow green sea amid scattered islets; Campomanes Bay, a marine sanctuary that showcases colorful reefs and two shipwrecks; Matlag Cave, an underground experience featuring large chambers and stalactites for those who enjoy spelunking; and Poblacion Beach, a 1.9-kilometer shoreline at the city center with magnificent sunset views. The latest hidden oasis to uncover in Sipalay is Manami r esort, located in a tucked-away paradise that has
places for families to enjoy together, guests will find endless adventures from bow to stern.”
“The cruise is the destination,” Cloete declared in promoting Disney Adventure as the tourist attraction in itself.
Attractions and themed areas
There are seven themed areas in Disney Adventure namely Disney Imagination Garden, Toy Story Place, San Fransokyo Street, Town Square, Wayfinder Bay, Disney Discovery r eef and Marvel Landing.
Marvel Landing will feature exciting rides, including the exclusive Ironcycle Test r un, the longest rollercoaster at sea, will take guests on a high-speed circuit inspired by Tony Stark’s Ironcycle prototype.
Aboard Pym Quantum r acers, guests will steer Pym Tech-modified mini-cars on an oversized toy set track, while Groot Galaxy Spin will take guests on an out-of-this-world ride onboard a Nova Corp Bass Jumper, set to an awesome mix of upbeat music.
The equally breathtaking Disney Imagination Garden will showcase open-air performances on the Garden Stage and features three-deck-high L e D screens for vibrant shows with Disney and Marvel characters.
San Fransokyo Street is home to the Big h ero Arcade, a dynamic gaming lounge with an immersive training simulator. Throughout the ship, “Broadway-style” entertainment will captivate guests, including the debut of “ r emember,” featuring beloved characters from Disney-Pixar’s “Wall- e .”
Unique dining experiences
The ship will also feature a wide variety of dining
options, including world-class Asian cuisine and international favorites.
Guests will experience a unique “rotational dining experience” with distinct dining venues like Navigator’s Club and h ollywood Spotlight Club will offer dinner with a side of entertainment that also features character interactions.
Magically animated restaurants will transform throughout meals, where guest drawings come to life alongside famous Disney and Pixar characters.
The ship’s dining lineup will include family-friendly favorites like e nchanted Summer r estaurant and Pixar Market r estaurant, offering both buffet-style meals and table-service dinners.
For adults, premium dining options like Palo Trattoria and Mike & Sulley’s—Flavors of Asia offer exquisite cuisine, with reservation-only access for an elevated dining experience.
Accommodations and concierge services
W IT h a range of luxurious stateroom options, every traveler will find comfort and relaxation during their journey.
The staterooms aboard the Disney Adventure are designed for comfort and convenience, with options to suit every type of traveler. Families will appreciate the ship’s “split-bathroom design”, while spacious concierge suites offer luxury and personalized service.
Concierge guests will have exclusive access to the Concierge Lounge, inspired by Disney’s “Aladdin,” where they can enjoy complimentary refreshments and private amenities throughout the day. The luxurious Concierge r oyal Suites inspired by “Frozen” promises ultimate comfort, with spacious
the Discovery Group as the flagship of its
living areas, private whirlpools, and dedicated concierge services.
For adults and kids
A D u LTS looking for relaxation can unwind at the ship’s spa, fitness center, or one of the many “adults-only bars and lounges.” h ighlights include Tiana’s Bayou Lounge, offering craft cocktails and specialty coffees, and Palo Café, inspired by the Italian town of Portorosso from Pixar’s “Luca.”
For children, Disney’s Oceaneer Club will offer immersive spaces inspired by Disney, Pixar, and Marvel stories. Teens aged 14 to 17 will find their haven at Vibe, a dynamic space where they can meet new friends, watch movies, play games and engage in group activities designed just for them.
For the younger tweens aged 11 to 14, e dge offers a vibrant clubhouse where they can have fun, make friends and enjoy various games. Both Vibe and e dge are cleverly disguised as storefronts on San Fransokyo Street, and offers an ultra-exclusive and ultra-cool retreat for both adolescent groups to call their own.
Bookings for Disney Adventure will open on December 10, 2024, with details on pricing and sailing dates available on November 14, 2024. That gives all of us more than a year and enough time to save and prepare for what is shaping up to be an adventure of a lifetime.
To learn more about the Disney Adventure and future bookings, visit Disney Cruise Line or simply follow Disney Cruise Line’s social media channels. BusinessMirror will publish more details about Disney Adventure in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.
Cauayan, and Ilog. Danjugan Island is a 43-hectare protected marine reserve in the town of Cauayan which is popular for its scuba diving and bird-watching opportunities. It is managed by the award-winning Philippine r eef and r ainforest Conservation Foundation, which bought and saved the island from possible destruction back in the 1990s. Soon to rise is the regional center of the Philippines’ newly-legislated Negros Island r egion (NI r) composed of three provinces: Negros Occidental, Negros
Story & photos by Joseph Araneta Gamboa
A NIMATORS Palate
C APTAIN Mickey Captain Minnie
D ISNE y Imagination Garden
Story Place
D ISNE y Adventure ship
C ONCIERGE Suite with Oceanview Verandah
ONCIERGE Aerial Seating
BusinessMirror
How to protect your personal devices and information
ONLINE banking has opened a world of convenience for users. Imagine the time and effort saved when people pay bills, deposit money, and do other financial transactions online instead of going to the bank for these things. Also, the ease of being cashless is unmatched. No more carrying of heavy coins, or being afraid that your cash will be pickpocketed or stolen.
However, the price of convenience is steep as users are exposed to security risks. Criminals can target online banking users because, really, it is so easy.
Phishing is one of the ways in which criminals can access the bank accounts of people. A phishing attack occurs when a user contacted by e-mail, telephone, or text message by another posing as a representative of a legitimate institution (in this case, a bank) so they would provide PINs, passwords, and banking and credit card details.
The information obtained can be used to access accounts and result in financial loss and even identity theft. Aside from phishing, there are also also “vishing” or voice phishing and “smishing” SMS phishing, and other phishing techniques. So what should users be aware of? Hyperlinks are the most obvious tool of criminals. This is the URL that comes with an e-mail or SMS. Beware of misspellings. They will attempt to make the URL look legit but if you read carefully, it’s not it. Beware of attachments, too, as these often contain malware that can access your information.
For e-mails, check your settings and turn on your spam filters. Also remember to contact the institution before entering any of your personal details (including your own birthday and mother’s maiden name) online.
A recent modus is for cyber thieves to use malicious virtual hard drives to distribute malware. These virtual hard drive files are said to be undetectable by even the most effective antivirus solutions. Threat actors use these hard drives to send zip archive attachments to users in the hope that they
SMARTWATCHES and wearables have revolutionized how we approach our overall wellbeing with powerful tools to help users achieve their health goals with ease and convenience.
The OPPO Watch X boasts of features that do just that—from over 100 sports modes, a range of sensors to monitor your vitals, and even a mode that helps you monitor your sleep— this latest smartwatch innovation from OPPO is truly an all-in-one wellness device.
Curious about how this cuttingedge smartwatch can elevate your wellness journey? Here are five amazing features that can help you achieve total wellness.
will run or open it.
But since most of us are on our mobile phones and barely use computers (except for work), it is very important to make sure we are not vulnerable to cyber threats.
According to the US National Security Agency, there are ways to protect yourself, one of which is to disable Bluetooth when you aren’t using it. Another way is to not to connect to public or open WiFi and disable WiFi when not needed.
Here are the other ways in which users can protect their personal devices and information, according to the National Security Agency:
■ Maintain physical control of the device. Avoid connecting to unknown removable media.
■ Use strong lock-screen PINs and passwords: A 6-digit PIN is enough if the device wipes itself after 10 incorrect password attempts. Set the device to lock automatically after 5 minutes.
■ Install a minimal number of applications and only ones from official app stores. Be cautious of the personal data entered into apps. Close applications
when not in use.
■ Update the device software and applications as soon as possible.
■ Consider using a protective case that drowns the microphone to block room audio (hot-miking attack).
■ Cover the camera when not in use .
■ Do not have sensitive conversations in the vicinity of mobile devices not configured to handle secure voice.
■ Consider using biometric (e.g., fingerprint, face) authentication for convenience to protect data of minimal sensitivity.
While many of these measures seem kind of extreme, they are necessary. If you have never been the subject of a cyber attack, you will never understand how helpless it will make you feel. My debit card was recently charged for an Uber Eats transaction in Australia (a country I have never been to) and I felt so angry and violated. As the National Security Agency puts it, “Threats to mobile devices are more prevalent and increasing in scope and complexity,” so it’s best to be careful. ■
■ Manage and improve your sleep and stress with ease. Did you know that quality of sleep is just as important as the quantity? More than eight hours of sleep is often needed to support optimal health. The OPPO Watch X is equipped with advanced sleeping features that significantly enhances your sleep experience. It also provides insights into your sleep patterns, and a sleep quality score to help you assess how well you rested. Additionally, it monitors your sleep breathing rate and assesses the risk of snoring, along with tracking your
blood oxygen levels during bedtime.
The OPPO Watch X is designed with heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring to help you make timely adjustments in response to your health conditions. Moreover, this smartwatch can remind you to take breaks and relax when your stress levels are high.
■ Seamlessly sync your other health and fitness apps. The OPPO Watch X allows you to sync with various fitness apps through the OHealth app, providing a
comprehensive wellness experience. With advanced features like heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and sports recognition, you can easily integrate your health data for better insights.
■ Monitor your workout performance. With the OPPO Watch X, you can track not just the duration of your workouts but also your performance. This advanced smartwatch supports 11 different workouts, offering specialized data for each. For badminton, it measures
swing movement and swing speed, while for runners it tracks ground contact time (GCT) and GCT balance to enhance efficiency. When swimming, it evaluates your swim form, providing insights to improve your strokes. This comprehensive performance monitoring empowers you to optimize your training and achieve your fitness goals.
■ Choose between 100 sports modes. The OPPO Watch X boasts six types of automatic sports recognition, effortlessly tracking activities like running, walking, cycling, swimming, rowing, and elliptical workouts. For those seeking more variety, the professional sports mode offers an impressive selection of 100 options, including mountain climbing, tennis, and rope skipping. This feature caters to all fitness enthusiasts, helping you find the perfect workout to meet your goals.
■ Achieve your wellness goals. Ready to elevate your wellness journey? Experience the cuttingedge features of the OPPO Watch X, which comes in Mars Brown and Platinum Black and retails for P18,999 at all OPPO Stores and e-commerce channels on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES
THE Manny Pacquiao-backed Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and Daily Fantasy, the country’s first fantasy sports platform, recently announced their partnership that is expected to generate more interest among Filipino basketball fans. Carlos Molina, Daily Fantasy Marketing Manager, said the partnership would take effect in the 2024 season and generate an additional layer of excitement to live matches as it allows fans to build their own fantasy MPBL teams featuring their favorite players.
“We aim not only to provide our users with more ways to enjoy local sports but also to elevate the experience for loyal MPBL fans and add a deeper connection to the league,” Molina said. Since it is already available for sports enthusiasts to use, Molina said players can access the games via the website, with an Android app also available for download via
According to Molina, Daily Fantasy is committed to provide an authentic Filipino fantasy basketball experience. Its key features include a 10-minute adjustment time at the start of each game, daily tasks for earning free Ruby rewards, and an AP Level system for in-game progression.
Upping the excitement are cash prizes that await winning HOW TO PLAY. To enjoy your fantasy MPBL game, register and log on to the website (lets.playdailyfantasy.
). Then, pick an MBPL game, and play the role of a coach to build your winning team. Choose your captain and vice captain as these players can earn extra points for your team. Simply select the player that you feel can deliver the best performance in the live match. Just review the players’ standings and scores to strategize and earn more chances of
■ IMPACT ON MPBL AND PLAYER INVOLVEMENT. Molina said MPBL players have an integral part in this fantasy game experience as users can hand-pick their favorite players as they create lineups.
“This will significantly boost the MPBL’s popularity as it brings the excitement of the game to fans nationwide and engage the sports enthusiasts who are also strategists,” said Molina.
■ INTEGRITY. He said Daily Fantasy operates under strict data privacy standards and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. supervision, ensuring compliance and transparency. “The platform is designed to promote responsible gaming, with options for free play using rubies or paid participation,” he said.
■ FUTURE PLANS. Molina said Daily Fantasy ill expand, including the addition of more sports and leagues, as well as new games. One of these is a collaboration with the MPBL on future events to engage the basketball community and regional MPBL fans further. With fantasy sports continuing to gain traction globally, Molina said the partnership between Daily Fantasy and the MPBL marks a significant milestone in the Philippine sports landscape, promising to transform how fans interact with their favorite
Editor: Gerard S. Ramos
Google’s search engine’s latest AI injection will answer voiced questions about video and photos
BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO—Google is injecting its search engine with more artificial intelligence that will enable people to voice questions about images and occasionally organize an entire page of results, despite the technology’s past misadventures with misleading information.
The latest changes announced on Thursday herald the next step in an AI-driven makeover that Google launched in mid-May when it began responding to some queries with summaries written by the technology at the top of its influential results page. Those summaries, dubbed “AI Overviews,” raised fears among publishers that fewer people would click on search links to their websites and undercut the traffic needed to sell digital ads that help finance their operations.
Google is addressing some of those ongoing worries by inserting even more links to other websites within the AI Overviews, which already have been reducing the visits to general news publishers, such as The New York Times and technology review specialists, such as TomsGuide.com, according to an analysis released last month by search traffic specialist BrightEdge.
The same study found the citations within AI Overviews are driving more traffic to highly specialized sites such as Bloomberg.com and the National Institute of Health.
Google’s decision to pump even more AI into the search engine that remains the crown jewel of its $2 trillion empire leaves little doubt that the Mountain View, California, company is tethering its future to a technology propelling the biggest industry shift since Apple unveiled the first iPhone 17 years ago.
The next phase of Google’s AI evolution builds upon its seven-year-old Lens feature that processes queries about objects in a picture. The Lens option is now generates more than 20 billion queries per month, and is particularly popular among users from 18 to 24 years old. That’s a younger demographic that Google is trying to cultivate as it faces competition from AI alternatives powered by ChatGPT and Perplexity that are positioning themselves as answer engines. Now, people will be able to use Lens to ask a question in English about something they are viewing through a camera lens—as if they were talking about it with a friend—and get search results. Users signed up for tests of the new voiceactivated search features in Google Labs will also be able to take video of moving objects, such as fish swimming around aquarium, while posing a conversational question and be presented an answer through an AI Overview.
“The whole goal is can we make search simpler to use for people, more effortless to use and make it more available so people can search any way, anywhere they are,” said Rajan Patel, Google’s vice president of search engineering and a co-founder of the Lens feature.
Although advances in AI offer the potential of making search more convenient, the technology also sometimes spits out bad information—a risk that threatens to damage the credibility of Google’s search engine if the inaccuracies become too frequent. Google has already had some embarrassing episodes with its AI Overviews, including advising people to put glue on pizza and to eat rocks. The company blamed those missteps on data voids and online troublemakers deliberately trying to steer its AI technology in a wrong direction.
Google is now so confident that it has fixed some of its AI’s blind spots that it will rely on the technology to decide what types of information to feature on the results page. Despite its previous bad culinary advice about pizza and rocks, AI will initially be used for the presentation of the results for queries in English about recipes and meal ideas entered on mobile devices. The AI-organized results are supposed to be broken down into different groups of clusters consisting of photos, videos and articles about the subject.
A Creative comeback
IFELT a wave of nostalgia when I first got an invitation from Creative Technology announcing its “return” to the Philippine market and bringing its complete lineup of audio products.
For Gen Xers and older millennials, “Creative” holds a special place in our era of computer audio. If you built a desktop PC in the ‘90s or early 2000s, chances are your introduction to quality sound came from a Creative Sound Blaster card or a pair of Creative speakers.
WHEN AUDIO GOT CREATIVE: FROM SOUND BLASTER TO SUPER X-FI
CREATIVE Technology Ltd. was founded in 1981 by Sim Wong Hoo, and made a name for itself in PC audio technology with the launch of the Sound Blaster sound card in 1989.
This breakthrough came just as multimedia PCs were gaining traction, and it quickly turned Creative into a household name, setting the Sound Blaster as the go-to standard for PC audio. By 1992, Creative was leading the market, pushing its revenue to nearly $1 billion annually.
Over the years, the company continued to refine its audio expertise, expanding its range to include highquality sound cards, digital amplifiers, and various multimedia devices.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Creative diversified by branching out into digital media with products like the NOMAD, MuVO and Zen series of portable media players, and competed on the same wavelength as the early iPods. Creative stayed ahead by incorporating technologies like SBX Pro Studio and Super X-Fi, enhancing audio quality for everyone from casual users to serious audiophiles.
Creative’s market reach has been truly global, with particularly strong sales across North America and Europe. Its commitment to high-quality audio has garnered a global fanbase of over 400 million users. And now, Creative aims to reconnect with its Filipino audience by reintroducing their updated and cutting-
edge line of products.
NEW SOUNDSCAPES: FROM GAMING TO MUSIC
AT a product launch held earlier this month at the Balara Content Studio in Quezon City, Bobby Seah, Creative Technology regional sales, Southeast Asia, stressed the brand’s vision of making “cutting-edge technology accessible for everyone,” that is why they are bringing Creative’s complete lineup of products to the Philippines. These include Aurvana, Zen, Outlier headphones; Katana, Stage, Pebble speakers and computer audio solutions SoundBlaster and LIVE!
■ Aurvana Ace Series: The series embodies the brand’s premium true wireless earbuds, renowned for delivering high-fidelity sound with a focus on comfort and innovation. Featuring advanced MEMSbased drivers, these earbuds provide lifelike audio across music, movies and calls, ensuring clarity and precision in every listening experience.
■ Creative Pebble: Drawing inspiration from the smooth, rounded shapes of river pebbles, the Creative Pebble series offers compact desktop speakers that deliver excellent sound quality in a minimalist design. Despite their small footprint, these speakers produce clear, balanced audio, thanks to a 45 degree elevated driver setup that directs sound towards the listener for optimal acoustics. With easy plug-andplay connectivity via USB or AUX, the Pebble series is perfect for users seeking a simple yet effective upgrade to their desktop audio without bulky equipment.
■ Katana Series: The Creative Katana series of soundbars lives up to its name, echoing the sleek precision and power of the iconic Japanese sword. Designed for gamers, movie enthusiasts, and audiophiles, these high-performance soundbars offer a slim profile that fits neatly under monitors or TVs, delivering rich, room-filling sound through customtuned drivers, robust subwoofers, and advanced audio processing.
Seah also discussed Creative’s latest audio innovations including its award-winning Super X-Fi technology which will be present across its upcoming range of products, including TWS earbuds, premium headphones, and speakers. This expansion allows users to experience high-end multi-speaker sound on compact devices, seamlessly integrating with streaming platforms, like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify. As a leader in audio technology, Creative Technology blazed a new path with LE Audio, featuring enhanced Bluetooth audio performance
with lower power consumption, improved sound quality, and new audio-sharing capabilities—ideal for users prioritizing battery life and sound quality in wireless devices.
The AI-powered Smartcomms Kit, meanwhile, enhances online meetings with automatic microphone muting, voice detection, and noise cancellation, ensuring clear and professional communication for remote work and gaming.
In our interview with Seah, he shared that the Philippines has been one of Creative’s fastest-growing and strongest markets in Southeast Asia, which is why they are eager to expand their presence here by holding several consumer events. “While we are quite well-known among the older generation,” he said, “the challenge is to introduce Creative and our different brands to the younger users.”
To mark the company’s presence in the Philippines, Creative Technology is giving away three Katana soundbars (worth $500 each), renowned for their superior sound quality and innovative features, to three lucky winners. To enter, follow their official TikTok account @creativephilippines. Winners will be notified via private direct messages on TikTok. The contest closes on December 31, 2024.
Creative products are available at Lazada, Shopee and TikTok, or in any nationwide retail outlets of Octagon, Powermac, Datablitz and Infoworx. ■
GOMO launches high-speed internet offer with GOMO Fiber
THE brand shaking up the digital world, GOMO is enhancing your borderless life with its latest innovation: GOMO Fiber. As GOMO celebrates its 4th anniversary, the brand is rolling out this next-level internet solution, combining the convenience of mobile with the power of fiber-speed connectivity. This is another industry first for the digital telco brand, as it introduces a true digital fixed-mobile convergence product in the country.
“We’re committed to empowering
you to live without boundaries.
GOMO Fiber offers the flexibility and reliability to keep you connected and in control, so you can be unstoppable—anytime, anywhere, in whatever way works best for you,” said Don Laudencia, head of GOMO Philippines.
GOMO Fiber keeps you connected at home with the same ease and flexibility you’ve come to expect from GOMO mobile, bringing you closer to living your life any way you want. It offers speeds of up to 50 Mbps, letting
you enjoy GOMO whether at home or while on the go. For just P999, which includes the modem and one-time installation fee, you can get fiber-fast internet, plus a free 7-day trial of unlimited fiber, so you can instantly feel the difference whether you’re streaming, gaming, working from home, or bingewatching your favorite show.
Just like its mobile services, GOMO Fiber gives you the freedom from long-term contracts and complicated billing—just a fiber connection that
you can manage with a tap in the GOMO app. To give customers even more flexibility, GOMO Fiber offers are also available via ‘Mo Creds. The GOMO app allows you access to both your mobile and home internet accounts in one place. It’s the ultimate partner to achieving the life you want.
For those who already love GOMO UNLI Data, GOMO Fiber is the perfect upgrade. Visit the GOMO app, sign up for GOMO Fiber, and get the connection that will make you unstoppable.
A10 Saturday, October 26, 2024
No blaming Kristine, Zaragosa bags trophy
RUPERT ZARAGOSA
claimed his second Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) crown in the Typhoon Kristine-affected International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Negros Occidental Classic in Bacolod City on Friday.
The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. initially flagged off three flights but called them off after continuous downpour made conditions worse at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.
The competition was first to 54 holes on Wednesday then to 36 holes following an overnight deluge that submerged multiple fairways and bunkers.
Zaragosa’s second-round score of 66, completed before the typhoon hit, secured him a commanding six-
Bianca 4 strokes off leader in KL
BIANCA PAGDANGANAN fired a six-under 66 for a share of ninth spot after the second round of the Maybank Championship Friday in Malaysia. The 26-year-old Filipina Olympian had a sizzling start on the back nine, getting to the turn with a five-under 31 in the Ladies Professional Golf Association event at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
She had eight birdies total before suffering the lone blemish on her scorecard for the day, a double-bogey on the par-4 No. 7. That put Pagdanganan at eightunder 136 entering the weekend play. The two-time Olympian stood four strokes off the pace after Maja Stark of Sweden fired a second consecutive 66 for a 132 aggregate.
Tied with Pagdanganan at eight under were major champion Celine Boutier of France, who shot a bogeyfree 69; Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, who had a rollercoaster 69; and Kristen Gillman of the US, who had a quiet 70 after a sizzling opening 66. Stark was two under through nine holes and caught fire on the homeward nine, nailing fourt consecutive birdies from No. 10. Marina Alex of the US fired the day’s best 64, gaining a share of second spot, one stroke off the lead.
Also at 133 were Narin An of South Korea, who shot a 67; Chinese Tiapei’s Wei-Ling Hsu, who fired a 68; and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, who carded a 69. Alone in eighth spot at 135 was Gabriela Ruffels of Australia, who submitted a 66. Yuka Saso of Japan added a 75 to her opening 66 for a share of 39th spot with four others, nine strokes off the pace.
stroke victory over Tony Lascuña and Reymon Jaraula.
He finished went six under at 134 to become the de facto winner of the event presented by Negros Electric and Power Corp.
“I’m super happy with the outcome, despite the shortened tournament,” Zaragosa said. “It would’ve been nice to finish the full 72 holes, but considering how unplayable the course became, I understand the decision.”
“I was ready to compete in the final 18, but I’m just as thrilled to win this way,” he said.
Zaragosa’s winnings of P450,000 capped off his 2024 PGT season and his focus now shifts toward the ICTSI Match Play Championship at The Country Club next month.
While this is Zaragosa’s second tour victory—his first a dominant nine-
stroke triumph in Iloilo last year—he fondly recalled his breakthrough win as more “memorable” because it was played the full 72 holes.
But Zaragosa remained proud and dedicated victory to his grandfather who’s currently recovering in the hospital.
“It’s been a challenging year for me. My game didn’t start off well, but I’m grateful I was able to finish strong and secure this win,” Zaragosa said.
He thanked God for giving him another opportunity to win the final leg of the PGT’s 10-stage season sponsored by ICTSI.
The last time a PGT event didn’t go four days was in 2012 also in the same venue when Zanieboy Gialon edged Lascuña in sudden death after the tournament was shortened to 54 holes.
Zaragosa now set his sight on
qualifying for the Asian Tour through its Q-School in December. Lascuña and Jaraula tied for second place at 140 and received P232,500 each—Lascuña, who won at Splendido Taal also under tough conditions last July, shot a 70, while Jaraula, last week’s Binitin champion, carded a 72. Collin Wheeler (70), Keanu Jahns (70), Russell Bautista (72), Sean Ramos (72), Francis Morilla (73) and first-round leader Michael Bibat (75) tied for fourth place at 141 and banked P91,250 each.
Asian senior beach volleyball tourney set at Nuvali
TEFANIE FEJES and Jana
SMilutinovic of Australia will be back to seek another title as Alas Pilipinas battles for podium spots in the 2024 Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championships starting November 5 at the Nuvali Sand Courts in the City of Santa Rosa.
The Aussie pair ruled the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open in April and have confirmed participation along with 19 other women’s tandems in the six-day event hosted by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF). Eight other women’s teams will go through qualifying for the remaining four slots in the main draw, according to PNVF and Asian Volleyball Confederation president
Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
Iran’s Abbas Pourasgari and Alireza Aghajanighasab are also set to return, looking to reprise their Nuvali Open triumph and will head the 20 pairs already in the men’s main draw.
Nineteen pairs are confirmed for the qualifying phase that will determine who gets the four open slots in the main draw.
Also back in action is Jasmine Fleming, who wound up with the silver medal with Georgia Johnson in April and will now team up with Elizabeth Alchin.
The Philippines will again count on the Philippine Air Force duo of Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda, who reached the Round of 16 last summer.
Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara, teammates at University of Santo Tomas, are also in the main
draw of the tournament.
A third Philippine pair, Philippine Army’s Alexa Polidario and Coast Guard’s Jenny Gaviola, will try to make it through the qualifying tournament.
The PNVF beach volleyball program also switched things up in the Alas Pilipinas men’s side by pairing Southeast Asian Games veterans Ran Abdilla and James Buytrago.
Rancel Varga, who earned the silver medal with Buytrago in the FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures in April, teams up on the big stage with Lerry John Francisco. Former University of Perpetual Help star Ronniel Rosales and exNational University stalwart Edwin Tolentino are also entered in the men’s qualifiers.
After exchange of pleasantries, RHJ eager for battle against Gin Kings
By Josef T. Ramos
TNT import Rondae HollisJefferson said he appreciates the compliments coming from Ginebra ahead of their championship series in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup on Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.
Hollis-Jefferson expressed his gratitude to rival Justine Brownlee and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, who have been all praises for the former National Basketball Association swingman.
“I appreciate the compliment, but I think at the end of the day I am just the person who wants to win and willing to do what it takes,” the 29-year-old six-year NBA veteran and Jordan naturalized player told BusinessMirror in response to Brownlee’s recent comments.
“So I may not shoot four-point shots like him but that is not the only thing I do to help my team win. Every game I play, I play the same way to win. It is just the date and time are different,” he said.
Brownlee told BusinessMirror that he believes RHJ has no “weakness” and will be tough to beat in their best-of-seven title showdown.
Even two-time grand slam head coach Tim Cone of Ginebra acknowledged RHJ’s impact that turned TNT to one of the best defensive teams, averaging 91.2 points allowed on top of 8.0 steals and 4.8 blocks average.
The Tropang Giga eliminated Rain or Shine in five games in the semifinals, closing the series with a 113-95 Game 5 win where HollisJefferson exploded for 36 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and six steals.
“RHJ causes a lot of problems defensively with his long reach, his quickness, and his desire to play defense that affects the whole team.
Eagles
Atry to get back at Archers
TENEO hopes to bring the momentum of a two-game streak when they seek payback against reigning champion De La Salle in their second-round confrontation in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 men’s basketball action on Saturday.
With Kristine no longer a threat after having crossed the country literally by storm during the week, a typhoon-like scenario is expected of the Ateneo-De La Salle game set at 6:30 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Ateneo is 3-6 won-lost to be halfa-game behind University of Santo Tomas (4-6) in the race for the last Final Four slot, while De La Salle’s 9-1 and already qualified for the semifinals but would be comfortable with a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.
“It’s really consistent with what we’ve always taught and it’s just that there’s more pressure on the process externally because people want results,” Baldwin said. “But we will maintain our integrity to the purpose that we always try to maintain.”
De La Salle head coach Topex Robinson knows a different Ateneo team will show up for the weekend.
“It will never change, where you are now right now, your standing, you just forget everything because it’s going to be Ateneo,” Robinson said. “We know that they are coming off a good run and their guys are really picking up the system.”
“There’s going to be excitement as you play one of the best programs… and there is so much history in this,” Robinson added.
Both sides are hoping rust hasn’t formed from the seven-day break they went through after a tight schedule bridging the first and second rounds of the eliminations. University of the East (UE), meanwhile, tries to get back into winning form when it battles National University at 2 p.m.
The overachieving Red Warriors won five straight games but were brought back to earth after the Green Archers avenged their first-round loss to the boys from Recto, 68-77, at the start of second round action. UE is 5-3 at third place while NU’s struggling at 2-7 at the bottom of the standings.
NU’s women’s squad, however, shoots for a ninth straight victory against UE at 10 a.m., while Ateneo tries to arrest a three-game skid in their 12 noon duel with De La Salle.
PLAYERS and their caddies make their way back to the clubhouse as torrential rain forces the cancellation of play on Friday with Rupert Zaragosa emerging champion. ROY DOMINGO
RONDAE
ROBINSON BALDWIN
• Editor: Angel R. Calso
Israeli airstrikes kill 38 in Gaza, 3 journalists in southeast Lebanon as violence escalates
By Bassem Mroue The Associated Press
BEIRUT—An Israeli strike killed 38 people in Khan Younis, Gaza health officials said Friday.
The Friday morning strike comes as Israel’s military ratchets up offensives in Lebanon and Gaza, where strikes have continued despite international pressure for a cease-fire and growing worries about supply shortages.
An Israeli airstrike on a compound housing journalists in southeast Lebanon killed three media staffers early Friday, their networks and Lebanon’s state-run news agency said.
Local news station Al Jadeed aired footage from the scene—a collection of chalets that had been rented by various media outlets— showing collapsed buildings and cars marked “PRESS,” covered in dust and rubble. The Israeli army did not issue a warning prior to the strike.
The Beirut-based pan-Arab AlMayadeen TV said two of its staffers—camera operator Ghassan Najar and broadcast technician Mohammed Rida—were among the journalists killed early Friday. Al-Manar TV of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said its camera operator Wissam Qassim was also killed in the airstrike on the Has -
baya region.
Al-Mayadeen’s director Ghassan bin Jiddo alleged that the Israeli strike on a compound housing journalists was intentional and directed at those covering elements of its military offensive. He vowed that the Beirut-based station would continue its work.
Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary said the journalists were killed while broadcasting what he called Israel’s “crimes,” and noted they were among a large group of members of the media.
“This is an assassination, after monitoring and tracking, with premeditation and planning, as there were 18 journalists present at the location representing seven media institutions,” he wrote in a post on X.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike.
Ali Shoeib, Al-Manar’s wellknown correspondent in south Lebanon, was seen in a video filming himself with a cellphone saying that the camera operator who had been working with him for months was killed. Shoeib said the Israeli military knew
that the area that was struck housed journalists of different media organizations.
“We were reporting the news and showing the suffering of the victims and now we are the news and the victims of Israel’s crimes,” Shoeib added in the video aired on Al-Manar TV.
The Hasbaya region has been spared much of the violence along the border and many of the journalists now staying there have moved from the nearby town of Marjayoun that has been subjected to sporadic strikes in re -
cent weeks. Earlier in the week, a strike hit an office belonging to Al-Mayadeen on the outskirts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Several journalists have been killed since exchange of fire began along the Lebanon-Israel border in early October last year.
In November 2023, two journalists for Al-Mayadeen TV were killed in a drone strike. A month earlier, Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and wounded other journalists from France’s in -
Gangs in Haiti open fire and hit a UN helicopter midair as violence surges
By Dánica Coto & Evens Sanon
The Associated Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—Gangs on Thursday opened fire and hit a UN helicopter, forcing it to land in Portau-Prince in the latest attack in Haiti’s capital as violence surges once again. No one was injured as several rounds of gunfire hit the helicopter that was carrying three crewmembers and 15 passengers, according to a UN source who was not authorized to confirm the incident. The helicopter, which had departed from Portau-Prince before it was attacked, landed safely, the source said. The attack comes five months after Haiti’s main international airport reopened following coordinated gang attacks that forced it to close for nearly three months.
Haiti on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
The violence has spilled to nearby areas including Arcahaie, where some 50 suspected gang members died this week after attacking the coastal town located just northwest of the capital. Among the dead are at least a dozen gunmen who drowned after their boat capsized, a government official said Thursday. While the majority were killed by police, a group of gunmen drowned on Wednesday after their boat hit the reef as they ferried ammunition to gangs attacking the town of Arcahaie, said Wilner Réné from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency. He told Radio Caraïbes that the attack
began on Monday, with gunmen burning homes and cars across Arcahaie.
When the gangs ran out of ammunition, they hid in nearby areas and were ferreted out by residents and police, he said.
The attack is still ongoing, and Réné warned that officers on the scene urgently need reinforcements from soldiers and
special police units.
The attack is blamed on a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm, which also has targeted communities in Port-au-Prince in recent days. Those attacks have displaced more than 10,000 people in the capital in just one week, according to a report released Thursday by the UN’s International Organization for Migration. More than half of those left homeless crowded into 14 makeshift shelters, including schools. The remainders are temporarily staying with relatives.
The spike in gang violence comes just months after a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police began with the aim of quelling a surge in violence from gangs, who control more than 80 percent of Portau-Prince. More than 700,000 people have been left homeless, and thousands have been killed.
The US government and top Haitian officials have warned that the Kenyan-led mission lacks personnel and funding and have asked that it be replaced with a UNpeacekeeping mission.
Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Putin hails BRICS as counterbalance to the West at summit; UN calls for ‘a just peace’ in Ukraine K AZAN, Russia—Russian President Vladimir Putin closed a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies on Thursday, praising its role as a counterbalance to what he called the West’s “perverse methods.”
ternational news agency, Agence France-Presse, and Qatar’s AlJazeera TV.
The killing of journalists has prompted international outcry from press advocacy groups and United Nations experts, although Israel has said it does not deliberately target them.
On Thursday, the Committee to Protect Journalists said it had preliminarily counted 128 journalists killed in Gaza since the war began.
Israel has accused journalists working for Al Jazeera of being
members of militant groups, citing documents it purportedly found in Gaza. The network has denied the claims as “a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists has dismissed them as well, and said that “Israel has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence.”
Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The Israeli campaign has since expanded to Lebanon, where Israel launched a ground invasion October 1, after trading fire with the Hezbollah militant group for much of the past year.
Lebanese health officials reported another day of intense airstrikes and shelling Thursday, which they said killed 19 people over 24 hours and raised the overall Lebanese death toll to 2,593 since October 2023.
Paris conference for Lebanon raises $1 billion in pledges for humanitarian, military support
By Sylvie Corbet The Associated Press
PARIS—An international conference for Lebanon in Paris on Thursday raised
$1 billion in pledges for humanitarian aid and military support to help the country where war between Hezbollah militants and Israel has displaced a million people, killed over 2,500, and deepened an economic crisis, French organizers said.
In his closing speech, France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said : “We have collectively raised $800 million in humanitarian aid and $200 million for the security forces, that’s about $1 billion.” The Paris conference gathered over 70 nations and international organizations.
French President Emmanuel Macron had called on participants to bring “massive aid” to support the country, as France promised $100 million.
“We’re up to the challenge,” Barrot said. The United States pledged to provide about $300 million, he added.
Germany pledged a total of 96 million euros in humanitarian aid to both Lebanon and neighboring Syria, also deeply affected by escalating violence in the Middle East. Italy announced this week an additional 10 million euros ($10.8 million) in aid for Lebanon.
The United Nations had previously estimated the urgent humanitarian needs in Lebanon to be $426 million.
Paris also seeks to help restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and strengthen its institutions.
The country, where Hezbollah effectively operates as a state within a state, has been without a president for two years while political factions fail to agree on a new one. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a pre-recorded video, called on Lebanon’s leaders “to take decisive action to ensure the proper functioning of state institutions in order to meet the country’s urgent political and security challenges.”
Lebanese prime minister urges international action ACTING Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the international community to take action.
“The devastating impact of this war on our nation cannot be overstated, and it has left a trail of destruction and misery in its wake. The Israelis’ aggression has not only caused immense human suffering and loss of lives, but also inflicted severe damage to the country’s infrastructure, economy and social fabric,” Mikati said Thursday in Paris. In Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike killed early Thursday three Lebanese soldiers, including an officer, as they were evacuating wounded people in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army said Israeli forces have targeted it on eight occasions since an all-out war broke out between Israel and Hezbollah in September.
“What Mr. Trump said recently, what I heard, (is) he spoke about the desire to do everything to end the conflict in Ukraine,” Putin said. “It seems to me that he said it sincerely. We certainly welcome statements of this kind, no matter who makes them.”
Putin also was asked about whether any North Korean troops were in Russia, which he neither confirmed nor denied. The US said Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia and are training at several locations.
“Images are a serious thing, if there are images, then they reflect something,” he said when asked about satellite photos of troops.
Putin noted that lawmakers in Moscow earlier in the day ratified a pact with North
The three-day summit in the city of Kazan was attended by leaders or representatives of 36 countries, highlighting the failure of United States-led efforts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine. The conflict came up repeatedly at the meeting, which saw the first visit to Russia from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in more than two years and drew an angry reaction from Kyiv. Guterres called for “a just peace” in Ukraine, in line with the U.N. Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions. He also urged an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan. At a news conference Thursday night, Putin was asked about former US President Donald Trump’s promise to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Korea on mutual military assistance as part of a “strategic partnership” with Pyongyang.
“We have never doubted that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously. What and how we will do within the framework of this article (of the agreement) is our business,” he said.
The summit covered the deepening of financial cooperation, including the development of alternatives to Westerndominated payment systems, efforts to settle regional conflicts and expansion of the BRICS group of nations.
The alliance that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa when it was founded in 2009 has expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally applied to become members, and several other countries have expressed interest in joining.
The Kremlin touted the summit as “the largest foreign policy event ever held” by Russia.
Speaking at what was dubbed the “BRICS Plus” session, which included countries that are considering joining the bloc, Putin accused the West of trying to stem the growing power of the Global South with “illegal unilateral sanctions, blatant protectionism, manipulation of currency and stock markets, and relentless foreign influence ostensibly promoting democracy, human rights, and the climate change agenda.”
“Such perverse methods and approaches—to put it bluntly—lead to the emergence of new conflicts and the aggravation of old disagreements,” Putin said. “One example of this is Ukraine, which is being used to create critical threats to Russia’s security, while ignoring our vital interests, our just concerns, and the infringement of the rights of Russian-speaking people.” AP
However, experts warn that delivering aid could be challenging as Lebanon’s growing dependence on informal and cash economy increases lack of transparency and corruption risks.
Strengthening Lebanon’s armed forces
THE Paris conference also aimed at coordinating international support to strengthen Lebanon’s armed forces so they can deploy in the country’s south as part of a potential deal to end the war. Such a deal could see Hezbollah withdraw its forces from the border.
This support to the Lebanese military includes “helping with health care, fuel, small equipment, but also supporting the plan to recruit at least 6,000 additional soldiers and to enable the deployment of at least 8,000 additional soldiers in the south,” Macron said.
The Israeli army apologized for a strike on Sunday that it said mistakenly killed three soldiers, and on Wednesday said it was looking into whether “a number of soldiers of the Lebanese army were accidentally harmed” after it targeted what it says was Hezbollah infrastructure. Israel in the past month has launched a major aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Lebanon as it says it’s targeting Hezbollah, with strikes hitting the capital, Beirut, and elsewhere.
The International Organization for Migration has said about 800,000 people are displaced, with many now in overcrowded shelters, while others have fled across the border into Syria. Mikati on Thursday estimated the number of displaced people is over 1.4 million, including 500,000 children. AP writers Geir Moulson in Berlin,
SMOKE rises from an Israeli airstrike on Mansouri village, as seen from the southern city of Tyre, south Lebanon on Thursday, October 24, 2024. AP/MOHAMMED ZAATARI
IMF chief warns of global economy stuck in slow-growth, high-debt rut
By Paul Wiseman Ap Economics Writer
WASHINGTON—The world economy, buffeted by conflict and growing geopolitical rivalries, is in danger of getting stuck in a slow-growth, highdebt rut, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday. She also urged Chinese leaders to take more decisive action to jump-start their country’s sluggish economy or risk seeing economic growth plummet.
“These are anxious times,’’ the fund’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, told reporters during the fall meetings of the IMF and its sister agency, the World Bank.
The IMF forecasts that the global economy will expand this year at what Georgieva called an “anemic’’ 3.2 percent.
Global trade is lackluster at a time of conflict and growing geopolitical tension—including frosty relations between the world’s two largest economies, the United States and China. “Trade is no more a powerful engine of growth,’’ she said. “We live in a more fragmented global economy.”
At the same time, many countries are struggling with debts
they took on to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. The IMF expects government debts worldwide to top $100 trillion this year. That would equal to 93 percent of global economic output—a share that is expected to approach 100 percent by 2030.
“The global economy is in danger of getting stuck on a low growth, high debt path,’’ Georgieva said. “That means lower income and fewer jobs.’’
Still, the economic backdrop isn’t entirely bleak.
The IMF says the world has made considerable progress to rein in inflation that surged in 2021 and 2022 as economies roared back with unexpected strength from pandemic lockdowns. She credited
higher interest rates engineered by the Federal Reserve and other central banks and the easing of backlogs at factories, ports and freight yards that had caused shortages, delays and higher prices.
In wealthy countries, the fund expects inflation to drop next year to the 2 percent sought by central banks. And price pressures have eased without sending the world into a recession. “For most of the world, a soft landing is in sight,’’ Georgieva said.
But many people are still struggling with high prices and economic uncertainty. World leaders are telling her that their economies are relatively healthy—but ordinary “people are not feeling good about their economic prospects.’’
The IMF, a 190-nation lending organization, works to promote
Japan’s ruling party may struggle in Sunday’s vote, but its decades of dominance won’t end
By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press
OKYO—Japanese Prime Minister
TShigeru Ishiba’s ruling party, dogged by corruption scandals and plunging support, faces its toughest challenge in more than a decade in Sunday’s parliamentary election.
This could set up a very short-lived time in office for Ishiba, who only took power earlier this month. But even if he may have to take responsibility and step down as head of the party and prime minister, it won’t cause his Liberal Democratic Party to fall from power. That’s because the party, which has had a stranglehold on power since 1955, easily dominates a fractured, weak opposition, which has only ruled twice, and briefly, during that time.
Analysts expect the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan to significantly gain ground, but not enough to change the government.
“I plan to vote, but the opposition won’t be my choice,” said Kanako Ojima, 48. “I don’t think I want to let the opposition take the helm again. ... I think after all it is the LDP that has a long-term vision.”
The LDP has built its juggernaut of support through a network of bureaucrats, businesses and regional leaders. While opposition parties have made inroads in cities, the LDP controls the countryside, funneling huge government subsidies to rural areas.
Ishiba ordered Sunday’s election on the day he took office, on October 1, aiming to use his image as a reformer to shake off voter anger and shore up power. Analysts say the LDP is likely to lose a few dozen seats and may fail to reach the target Ishiba set for his ruling coalition.
Even in a worst-case scenario, however, the LDP will still be the No. 1 party in the ruling bloc.
Here’s a look at how the LDP has domi -
nated postwar Japanese politics and what virtual single-party rule means for Japan.
The 1955 system
THE LDP was formed in 1955 by the merger of two major conservative parties: the Liberal Party and the Japan Democratic Party, just as leftwing groups formed the Socialist Party. They led Japan after the war, when conservatives in the US-occupied country were looking to deter the spread of communism.
The party’s rule was only interrupted twice, from 1993-1994 and 2009-2012, both times following bribery scandals. Many credit the LDP with leading Japan’s astonishing recovery after the war, when the nation became one of the world’s biggest economies through the 1980s.
People became used to the LDP dominating the smaller and the main opposition Socialist Party, whose initial ambition to take power faded and was known as the perennial opposition. The LDP and the Socialists were part of a 1994-1998 trilateral ruling coalition until the LDP returned to a one-party reign. The Socialist Party has since renamed itself as the Social Democratic Party.
Electoral reform
THE LDP’s loss to the short-lived eight-party coalition led by the Japan New Party after two high-profile bribery scandals led to political changes that set up a new electoral system that was supposed to promote two-party competition and eliminate pork barreling.
The current electoral system combines single-seat districts with proportional representation. That means Liberal Democratic candidates only face opposition rivals, rather than competing against fellow party candidates. It has allowed the LDP to concentrate its political resources on one candidate per district.
In traditional LDP strongholds, it has
also helped powerful families to take control of electoral districts, funding and connections, with power usually passing to men. Women make up only 10 percent of the lower house. The LDP has set a goal to increase female candidates to 30 percent over the next decade.
Factions
LDP lawmakers are loosely connected by their support of conservative social values, strong defense policies and a desire to revise the US-drafted war-renouncing constitution. Rather than ideological differences, LDP lawmakers until recently were divided among in-party factions competing for funding and connections that they need to keep winning elections and get favorable party and government posts.
Factional power struggles have led to frequent changes of party leadership and a succession of short-lived prime ministers. Those government changes are meant to regenerate the party, according to Tomoaki Iwai, a Nihon University politics professor.
This is what happened when Ishiba replaced his unpopular predecessor, Fumio Kishida, who resigned in the face of voter anger over a slush fund scandal. Kishida took leadership in the dissolution of most of the LDP factions and revised a political funding law, but voters and critics called the measures too lax.
All but one of six factions no longer have formal structures, but party heavyweights like Kishida and their former faction members were part of a collective effort in backing Ishiba in the party leadership vote.
Allies and opposition
SUPPORT for the LDP is strong among older conservatives, especially in rural areas, but it is weaker in urban areas. That means the LDP relies on an alliance with the Komeito party, which is backed by a Buddhist group called Soka Gakkai that
economic growth and financial stability and reduce global poverty. In its latest World Economic Outlook report, issued Tuesday, the fund forecast that the once high-flying Chinese economy would grow just 4.8 percent this year and 4.5 percent in 2025, down from 5.2 percent in 2023. Georgieva urged the Chinese government to shift away from dependence on exports and toward more reliance on spending by consumers, which she called a “more reliable’’ engine of growth. Taking “decisive action’’ to reverse a collapse in the Chinese property market, she said, would boost consumers’ confidence and willingness to spend.
“If China doesn’t move, potential growth can slow down to way below 4 percent,’’ she said.
has several million members nationwide. The parties’ partnership began in 1999 during a period of LDP struggles.
The LDP also receives support from industry organizations, fisheries, agricultural cooperatives and religious groups.
The main opposition is the liberalleaning Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, but the party has struggled to build momentum despite the LDP scandals. Its newly elected leader, centrist former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, is pushing a conservative shift for the party to attract swing voters, saying that “a change of government is the most effective political reform.”
Media analysts expect his CDPJ to significantly gain ground in Sunday’s elections, but not enough to change the government. That’s because the opposition groups are too fractured. The defunct Democratic Party of Japan, which Noda once led, toppled the LDP in 2009, but lasted only three years, struggling through the 2011 triple disaster of a massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.
The DPJ’s inexperience and shaky handling of the crises disappointed the public and paved the way for the LDP’s big comeback in 2012. Since then the LDP has not faced serious challenges.
LDP dominance is expected to last UNLIKE 2009, there is little voter interest in getting rid of the LDP.
Taizo Yoshida, a 45-year-old office worker, said he doesn’t want a change of government and hopes to see Ishiba push through reform. “I don’t think the opposition has the ability to run the government,” he said, though he’d like to see a viable opposition in Japan.
“This party has more of a track record of getting things done,” Rintaro Nishimura, a political analyst at the Asia Group, a strategy and business advisory organization, said of the LDP. With younger people increasingly unhappy about the lack of LDP policies addressing their worries, there may be future changes, but not any time soon. “There is still too much of uncertainty over what the opposition can do.”
INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, right, speaks during a news conference during the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington on Thursday, October 24, 2024. AP/Jose Luis Magana
