BusinessMirror February 13, 2025

CHINA SEEN HIKING RICE

CBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia

HINA will secure larger rice shipments this year following the decline in quotations from Thailand and Vietnam—the Philippines’s top sources of the food staple.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised upward its projection for China’s rice imports this year to 2.2 million metric tons (MMT) as exporter quotes tumbled below domestic prices.

This was higher than its previous forecast of 2 MMT, owing to expected bolstered demand spurred by lower global rice prices, the agency said. The USDA noted that India’s return to the export market continued to put downward pressure on world prices, prompting an acceleration of China’s total rice imports in the final quarter of 2024. The East Asian nation imported

around 1.6 MMT of rice last year, the lowest since 2011. China saw a sharp decline in foreign rice demand after India placed trade restrictions on milled rice exports last 2023, the agency said.

“As global prices shot sharply higher, imported prices became uncompetitive relative to domestic rice, and Chinese buyers were noticeably absent from the market,” the USDA said. India, however, eased restrictions after lifting its ban on nonbasmati rice shipments last year. The South Asian nation is the world’s largest rice exporter.

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has junked the plea of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to reverse its 2022 decision nullifying its P2.2-billion tax assessment on former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee. In a 68-page decision penned by Associate Justice Jean Marie Bacorro-Villena, the CTA En Banc affirmed the September 29, 2022 decision and February 17, 2023 resolution issued by the CTA’s Special Third Division, declaring null and void the BIR’s tax deficiency assessment for violating their right to due process. The CTA division held that the BIR failed to notify the couple when it issued the preliminary and final assessment notices to settle their unpaid taxes. In upholding the ruling, the

CTA en banc denied the BIR’s argument that there was no violation of the couple’s right to due process as they received the notice for informal conference (NIC).

The CTA noted that based on its thorough examination of the records, the BIR did not formally mark as evidence the NIC dated January 18, 2012 and that there was no proof of actual receipt by the respondents.

The tax court stressed that due process requirements in administrative tax assessments are governed by Revenue Regulation No. 12-99, which mandates that “the taxpayer must be informed in writing of any discrepancies and be given the opportunity to explain and present evidence in an informal conference.”

“In this case, respondents were deprived of this fundamental right, as the NIC was

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

HE so-called peak season for visa application in the Philippines starts this month, and scammers are also working overtime and getting more creative in victimizing travelers who want to fast-track their application or are desperate to get their visas approved.

This is the warning issued by VFS Global, the company tapped by 28 embassies or consulates in the Philippines to handle the visa application of Filipinos.

One way to prevent being victimized by scammers is to plan for visas ahead and apply as soon as possible. “We strongly encourage all trav-

elers to apply for their visas well in advance of their intended travel dates. Waiting until the last moment not only increases the risk of delays but also exposes applicants to fraudulent entities seeking to exploit their urgency,” Bernard Vijaykumar, Head of VFS Global North Asia & Philippines, said in a media conference.

For instance, the embassies issuing Schengen visas can now accept visa applications for trips six months ahead of trip. The Australian Embassy in Manila also suggests applying for visas at least two months before the trip.

However, most countries accept visa applications up to 90 days (3 months) before the date of travel.

The VFS Global handles adminis-

trative tasks in visa processing such as collecting application forms, ensuring documents submitted are complete, and if applicable, enrolling biometrics of applicants. They cater to the following embassies or consulates in the Philippines:

STEAKHOLDERS IN ACTION Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte inspect meat prices at

Commonwealth Market in Quezon City during the DTI-DA Joint Market Monitoring on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. With food inflation and supply chain disruptions driving up costs, the joint market visit aims to ensure fair pricing, protect consumers, and promote transparency to maintain market stability. NONOY LACZA

‘Party-list system hijacked by elites, political dynasties’

THEBy Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Center for People Empowerment in Governance

(CenPEG) has condemned the blatant manipulation of the partylist system, where political dynasties, retired government officials, and wealthy businessmen now control party-list seats meant for the marginalized.

If left unchecked, CenPEG warned, the continued “hijacking” of the party-list system will further entrench elite dominance in Philippine politics, diminishing the democratic space for genuine representatives of the marginalized.

“We call on all democratic forces—civil society, grassroots organizations, and concerned citizens—to stand together in reclaiming the party-list system for those who truly need it. The future of our democracy

depends on it,” CenPEG said in a statement, as they strongly called for the restoration of the original intent of the Party-List System Act or Republic Act 7941 as a mechanism to ensure representation for the marginalized and underrepresented sectors in Philippine governance.

The group said that continued distortion of the party-list system by political dynasties and business elites erodes democracy, weakens genuine sectoral representation, and entrenches

elite rule.

The group recounted that when the party-list system was introduced, it was meant to give voice to the voiceless—farmers, workers, indigenous peoples, urban poor, and other marginalized groups who have historically been excluded from decisionmaking.

“However, decades of flawed implementation, court rulings that opened the system to almost anyone, and the entry of powerful political families and big businesses have undermined this intent. Instead of serving as a platform for genuine representation, the party-list system has become a backdoor for traditional politicians and economic elites to further consolidate power.”

This practice, it added, distorts the essence of proportional representation and deprives legitimate sectoral groups of their rightful voice in policymaking. Instead of championing the interests of the poor, many partylist groups now act as mere extensions of ruling elites.

To restore the integrity of the party-list system, CenPEG

CTA junks BIR to impose P2.2-B tax case on paquiao

strongly pushed the following reforms:

1. Strict enforcement of the party-list law’s original mandate. Only organizations that genuinely represent marginalized and underrepresented sectors should be allowed to run.

2. Disqualification of political dynasties and big business proxies. The party-list system should not be a refuge for political families or a tool for expanding business interests in governance.

3. Transparency and accountability in party-list accreditation. The Commission on Elections must strictly scrutinize party-list applicants and reject those that fail to meet the law’s intent.

4. Legislative reforms to strengthen sectoral representation. Congress must amend the law to explicitly prohibit traditional politicians and economic elites from exploiting the system.

CenPEG assured the public that it remains committed to pushing for governance reforms that empower the people, not the powerful.

neither properly served nor clearly established as received. Further, there is no evidence to show that respondents were given an opportunity to participate in an informal conference as required under the cited regulation,” the ruling stated.

Likewise, the CTA held that the said deficiency income tax assessment lacks sufficient basis.

“While petitioners claim that the assessment was not solely based on newspaper clippings, the records reveal that the said clippings were

Continued from A1 Scam alert up as visa season peaks Continued from A1

ment, nor involved in immigrationrelated services.

Vijaykumar said some scammers pose as VFS Global, texting or reaching out to social media or instant messaging. One of the red flags are those who ask for money to facilitate their visa application. Some even pressure applicants to transfer money as deadline nears.

relied upon without independent verification of the reported figures,” the CTA said.

“This practice falls short of the standard required for a valid tax assessment as the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that such sources constitute hearsay evidence and lack probative value unless properly corroborated,” it added.

The subject deficiency tax covers income tax of the former senator and his wife for the period 2008 and 2009.

“After India lifted its restrictions in September 2024, all major Asian exporter prices declined, and China’s imports grew exponentially,” the USDA said in its latest report.

“Major suppliers Thailand and Vietnam are expected to have increased sales to China [in 2024],” it added.

The USDA said that last month,

“VFS Global does not work in association with any third-party entities for appointment bookings and has no role or influence on decision making. They should beware of scammers and fraudulent entities who claim to be associated with VFS Global in any capacity or pose as a VFS Global representative to dupe unsuspecting visa applicants and do proper due diligence before paying money,” Vijaykumar added.

global export quotations registered declines, with Vietnamese prices decreasing by $55 to $394 per metric ton (MT) while Thai prices dropped by $57 to $437 per MT with fewer sales to Indonesia.

“Pakistani quotes decreased $52 to $400 per MT and Indian quotes fell $34 to $410 per MT as India’s return to the export market continues to create downward pressure on global prices.”

It added that United States prices dropped $30 to $697 per MT due to weaker sales to Latin

‘PHL must upgrade export industrial base amid risks’

enterprises can “efficiently” reach global markets.

“Ultimately, addressing these barriers and strengthening the country’s industrial and export base will enable the Philippines to navigate protectionist headwinds and drive sustainable economic growth amid rising borders and increasing barriers in global trade,” the study asserted.

The CPBRD highlighted the abovementioned trade facilitation measures as it listed the Philippine sectors that would benefit and those that would be at a disadvantage from the po -

America while Uruguayan prices fell $32 to $668 per MT as buyers wait for the harvest of the new crop.

Meanwhile, the international agency said global rice production remained high despite a reduction this month for Sri Lanka while global consumption was raised following upward revisions for China and Indonesia.

“Imports are forecast up based on increases for China. Exports are also forecast higher driven by India,” the USDA said.

tential impact of US tariff pronouncements under a second Trump administration. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/02/07/phl-faces1-22-billion-loss-from-widertariffs-application/)

Leonardo Lanzona, Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) economist, told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Tuesday: “Strengthening domestic production can help create more robust, locally controlled supply chains that are less susceptible to international tariff disputes or global market fluctuations.”

‘Tol pushes West PHL Sea command

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provide focus, leadership, resources, and operational capabilities to address security challenges. Establishing a dedicated command would strengthen the AFP’s capacity to safeguard national interest, enforce sovereignty and ensure the security of our maritime domain,” he pointed out. Tolentino, main sponsor of two recent maritime zone acts enacted in the 19th Congress, noted that Philippine Coast Guard elements, when they call out Chinese or other

foreign vessels entering the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), make it clear that the Philippines has exclusive control of such area, and unauthorized entry may be barred.

The current chairman of the Senate Justice Committee is a veteran lawyer and is seeking reelection in the May 12 midterm elections. He said he has planned his campaign as an independent, noting he has always run as such, but thanked the alliances that have “adopted” him. Butch Fernandez

When asked about having political ties with the current administration, Pipo clarified that Marcos Jr. never interfered in Comelec’s regional operations— even when he was still governor of Ilocos Norte.

“The Marcoses are not like that. I feel comfortable being appointed by His Excellency and serving as commissioner under his administration,” he added.

Both Pipo and Tangaro-Casingal were appointed as ad interim commissioners while the 19th Congress is in recess. Their appointments took effect immediately but will only remain valid until Congress resumes on June 2. They must still undergo confirmation by the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA), which has the authority to approve or reject them.

Both expressed hope that the CA will confirm their appointments without delving into “too much personal” matters. If confirmed, they will serve as Comelec commissioners until February 2032.

Five out of the seven sitting members of the Comelec en banc are currently Marcos appointees.

‘Do not delay VP’s

impeachment trial’

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ALEADER of the House of Representatives has cau -

tioned the Senate that the continued delay in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial poses an increasing threat to the life of President Marcos.

Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre issued the warning on Wednesday, emphasizing that the Vice President’s “history of aggressive and violent tendencies should not be ignored.”

“We are not dealing with an ordinary elected official here. The Vice President has a history of brash and violent tendencies—she has made direct threats before, and we would be foolish to ignore the possibility that she may act on them,” Acidre, the nominee of the party-list group Tingog, said.

He expressed concern over the five-month delay in the Senate trial, saying that prolonging the proceedings exacerbates the risk to the President, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

He cited the Duterte’s past statements and actions, which he said suggest “a pattern of aggressive and reckless behavior.”

In particular, he highlighted the November 23, 2024, meltdown of Duterte, during which she claimed that if she were assassinated, she had already arranged for an assassin to kill President Marcos, the First Lady, and Speaker Romualdez.

“The vice president’s past behavior, including her infamous public outbursts and use of force, should not be dismissed,” Acidre said.

“She has already demonstrated what she is capable of. If we continue to delay justice, we may be

placing our Commander-in-Chief in serious danger,” he said.

Acidre urged the Senate to act swiftly, stressing that postponing the trial only emboldens those who exploit impunity.

He reiterated that public officials should be held accountable for their actions and that due process should not be weaponized to shield powerful individuals from the law.

“No one should be above the law, especially when the highest leader of the country is under threat,” Acidre asserted.

While Acidre raised the possible threat to the lives of the President, the First Lady, and Speaker Romualdez, a delayed trial could heighten; some House impeachment prosecutors have reminded senators of the constitutional command for them to begin the trial as soon as possible.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua said the mandate of the Constitution is for the Senate trial “to proceed forthwith” if the impeachment complaint is filed by one-third of all members of the House.

The impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte was signed by 215 House members, more than two-thirds of the chamber’s membership.

Twenty-five more lawmakers have expressed their intention to join the petition by submitting verification forms.

A 1987 Constitutional Commission member Rene Sarmiento said the Senate can convene as an impeachment court even during the current May elections-related recess of Congress.

Senate President Francis Escudero said that the impeachment trial of Duterte will start only after President Marcos delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July.

Caap heightens drone monitoring

By Nonie Reyes @Nonielonlon

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) has strengthened its oversight of drone operations nationwide, announcing a collaborative effort with key government agencies to enhance regulations and promote responsible drone usage.

The move comes as drone technology rapidly advances, prompting concerns about public safety and national security.

An inter-agency meeting presided over by the Caap Civil Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) chief, retired Maj. Gen. Ricardo Banayat, brought together representatives from Caap CSIS and the Office of the Director General (ODG), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup), and the Office of the President’s Anti-Terrorism Council.

The discussions centered on strengthening the enforcement of existing drone regulations, streamlining administrative processes for drone operators, and improving coordination among the various agencies involved. A key area of focus was the potential establishment of designated

“drone parks” or zones, offering a safe and legally sanctioned environment for both recreational and professional drone activities.

“By collaborating with various government agencies, we aim to create a more structured and efficient regulatory framework that promotes responsible drone usage,” said Caap Director General Manuel Antonio Tamayo. He emphasized the critical importance of public safety and national security in light of the evolving drone landscape.

To further enhance compliance, Caap is planning to introduce an accessible online registration system and a comprehensive safety program for drone users. These initiatives aim to ensure that regulations keep pace with advancements in drone technology while maintaining airspace safety and promoting innovation within the industry.

This initiative reaffirms CAAP’s commitment to proactively address the challenges and opportunities presented by the growing popularity of drone technology in the Philippines. The agency hopes that the new measures will strike a balance between fostering innovation and safeguarding the public.

Digitalization of local govts on track–Marcos

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

NBI files inciting to sedition, grave threats charges vs Sara

appointment to the NBI, said.

TIn

“Complementing

is focusing on streamlining and digitalizing bureaucracy to make government services more efficient,” Marcos said. Of the said local governments, he said

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

HE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday recommended the filing of inciting to sedition and grave threat charges against Vice President Sara Duterte in connection with her saying during an online press briefing last year that she had hired a hitman to kill President Marcos First Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez in case she gets killed.

NBI officials submitted the recommendation to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for evaluation and possible conduct of preliminary investigation to determine if there is a strong case to indict Duterte before the court.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said it would be up to the DOJ prosecutors to determine if there

is a probable cause to file either grave threats or inciting to sedition charges or both or totally dismiss the complaint.

“We filed inciting to sedition and grave threats [charges]. The DOJ will weigh whether to file both or just one or totally dismiss the complaint. Those are the only possible actions of our prosecutors,” Santiago, a trial court judges before his

Sought for her reaction to the NBI’s filing of a complaint against her, Duterte just said,” as expected.”

Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the National Prosecution Service (NPS) will still have to evaluate the evidence submitted by the NBI to determine if there is basis for the conduct of a preliminary investigation.

“If it is with the NPS already, it will again be evaluated to determine if the evidence is complete. If it is, then that is the only time it can be referred for preliminary investigation,” Fadullon said in a text message to reporters.

“Pending the results of the evaluation, we cannot say anything more for now, in order not to preempt the results and prejudice the rights of any party,” he added. It can be recalled that Duterte refused to appear before the NBI for investigation in connection with her statement made during a midnight online news conference on November 23, 2024.

Santiago said Duterte’s failure to appear before the agency for investigation can be considered

as a waiver of her right to answer the possible charges of grave threats and violation of Republic Act 11479 or the Antiterrorism Act of 2020 that may be filed against her. Duterte, however, submitted a letter to the NBI through her lawyers wherein she denied having made any threat that would constitute grave threats and violation of the anti-terrorism law. In the letter, Duterte’s lawyers indicated the lack of impartiality of the NBI as an investigating body considering that its investigation stemmed from the statement made by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referring to the Presidential Security Command the supposed active threat on the President, as well as upon the directive of the Secretary of Justice. She noted that the Secretary of Justice is NBI’s administrative superior, head of agency and the President’s chief alter-ego. Duterte’s camp also called on the NBI to fulfill its promise to also look into the supposed threats to the Vice President.

Duterte’s lawyers pointed out that the threat to the Vice President was publicly disclosed almost several months ago.

Coast Guard continues to shoo away Chinese vessels

By Rex Anthony Naval

THE Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday night announced that its ship, BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and its crew have successfully prevented Chinese maritime forces from intruding in the country›s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In a statement, the agency said BRP Cabra has deterred the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3304

from approaching the Zambales coastline.

“Despite its smaller size, BRP Cabra has effectively maintained a distance of 78 to 85 nautical miles between the Chinese vessel and the Philippines’ EEZ,” the PCG said.

In a further demonstration of its commitment, the 44-meterlong BRP Cabra has also confronted the Chinese research vessel Lan Hai 101, one of the two of China’s largest fisheries research ships,

which was operating approximately 25 nautical miles off the coast of Pangasinan.

“BRP Cabra has asserted that the activities of the Chinese vessel fall within the Philippines’ EEZ, constituting violations of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the agency said. The PCG added that it remains

Day 1 of election campaign peaceful–PNP

DAY one of the midterm elections campaign for national candidates was generally peaceful, the National Police (PNP) reported on Wednesday.

The force issued the statement based on the consolidated reports from the PNP National Election Monitoring Action Center (Nemac) in Camp Rafael T. Crame, Quezon City, the National Police’s general headquarters.

“[Reports from the Nemac

indicated that] there were no major incidents recorded throughout the day,” the PNP announced.

Despite this, PNP personnel nationwide will remain vigilant and fully deployed to ensure public safety and security during campaign activities.

“We continue to implement strict adherence to electionrelated laws, particularly the gun ban and other security measures, in coordination with

the Commission on Elections and other concerned agencies,” it added.

And while the initial day of the campaign period proceeded smoothly, the PNP urged all candidates, their supporters, and the general public to uphold peace, order, and the rule of law as the campaign season progresses.

The PNP also reiterated its commitment to securing a safe, orderly, and credible

Senate asked to okay House-approved bill on

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ASENIOR lawmaker urged the Senate on Wednesday to enact a bill that has been approved by the House of Representatives, which would protect and advance the welfare of Filipino journalists and other media professionals by providing them with the financial benefits they are entitled to and by improving the conditions that allow them to work in a safe, effective, and unrestricted manner.

“Graduating” Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte stressed his support for House Bill 454, which he co-authored and which the House passed in November 2022. This bill provides journalists with benefits

like security of tenure, hazard pay, night shift differential, and overtime pay, recognizing the risks they face. He emphasized the need to address the oftenoverlooked labor rights of media workers.

“It is unfortunate that media workers are usually the ones whose labor rights are ignored, hence the need to institutionalize for them a package of comprehensive benefits at par with the current benefits enjoyed by those in the labor force in both the government and the private sector,” Villafuerte, who is on his third three-year term at the House, said.

He added, “It seems farfetched for me to take any action, as claimed by certain groups, that would undermine press freedom

or campus journalism, given that this runs counter to my longtime advocacy for safeguarding press freedom and advancing the welfare of journalists and other members of the media.” Villafuerte also issued this statement in dismissing the allegation that he was behind the takedown of a report in The Spark—the official student publication of the Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC) in his province—about a mock election whose results supposedly showed that the outgoing three-term congressman, and three-term governor previously, was trailing his rival in the race for the gubernatorial seat in the May 12 elections.

He acknowledged the right of student publications to re -

committed to addressing the unlawful presence of Chinese maritime forces.

“We will not allow any alterations to the status quo through encroachment on Luzon’s coastline. The continued presence of BRP Cabra illustrates our unwavering dedication to upholding our sovereign rights and a firm stance against violations of international law, all while prioritizing a peaceful resolution,” the agency added.

electoral process leading up to Election Day.

It also renewed calls to the public to report any electionrelated concerns to the nearest police station or through its designated hotlines and social media platforms.

“The PNP assures the Filipino people of our impartiality, professionalism, and dedication in fulfilling our mandate to safeguard democracy and protect every citizen during this crucial period,” it added.

Rex Anthony Naval

port on developments, including survey results, but also asserted his right to question the accuracy of such reports, especially those concerning him. He expressed concern about the methodology of the survey and the possibility of student researchers being manipulated for political purposes.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and local student groups supported The Spark and called on colleagues in the province and the rest of the region to stand with the campus press on this issue.

“In keeping with my advocacy for upholding press freedom and the independence of campus jour -

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‘Marcos-certified bill a threat to digital security’

By Rizal Raoul Reyes @brownindio

INTERNATIONAL

think tank Stratbase Institute on Wednesday warned that the deregulation of the country’s radio frequency spectrum would leave its digital infrastructure to exploitation, especially by foreign actors.

“We want to be connected, but not at the cost of our security,” Stratbase Institute president Victor Manhit.

“Removing the requirement for

a legislative franchise to access the country’s radio frequencies weakens safeguards and opens the door to foreign entities with potentially harmful intentions,”

added Manhit.

The Konektadong Pinoy bill, now pending in Congress does away with legislative franchises for use of radio frequencies.

It is important to protect the country’s digital networks, he said, “by robust policy and technology that would protect our government and private institutions from malevolent foreign infiltration.”

“By easing entry requirements for new telecommunications players, the legislation could allow unreliable or even hostile entities to disrupt critical infrastructure,” said.

Manhit pointed out that the Konektadong Pinoy Bill does not align with the safeguards outlined in the Public Services Act (PSA), which ensures that vital infrastructure remains under strict regulatory oversight.

“We need to strengthen the security of our digital backbone, not expose it to unchecked foreign

influence,” he said.

Aside from the national risks, consumer protection advocate Patrick Climaco, Secretary General of Konsyumer at Mamamayan (KM) warned that the Konektadong Pinoy Bill could open the doors for a surge in digital fraud and scams.

“If new players were allowed to enter the industry without stringent vetting, bad actors could exploit the system, leading to an increase in online scams, phishing schemes, and fraudulent telecommunications services,” Climaco said.

Likewise, CitizenWatch Philippines lead convenor Orlando Oxales stressed that, Without strong regulatory enforcement, the National Telecommunications Commission [NTC] would have limited power to oversee new market entrants, making it easier for unscrupulous entities to take advantage of consumers,

PHL, Latvia strengthen maritime cooperation

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

THE Philippines and Latvia have strengthened maritime cooperation with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) recognizing each other’s certificates issued under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said.

particularly in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas [GIDA] where digital literacy is low – and internet users will be more vulnerable.”

The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), in a separate statement, raised strong opposition to the bill, calling it not only unnecessary but potentially unconstitutional. The group argues that eliminating the congressional franchise requirement for new players undermines existing protections meant to safeguard the country’s limited radio spectrum.

“The Konektadong Pinoy Bill disregards constitutional provisions, undermines fair competition, and could even stifle investment in the telecommunications sector,” the PCTO said in a statement. The organization also criticized the bill for expanding spectrum allocation policies beyond data transmission into broadcast

frequencies, a move that they argue could invite legal challenges.

Earlier, President Marcos certified as urgent Senate Bill 2699, or the Konektadong Pinoy Act to modernize data transmission infrastructure. However, experts warned that by weakening regulatory oversight, the bill could expose the nation’s telecommunications networks to serious security threats.

“The government must ensure that any entity granted access to the nation’s digital backbone is thoroughly vetted,” Manhit emphasized.

Further, Manhit pointed out that weak oversight will heighten the  risks of cyberattacks targeting government institutions, private businesses, and ordinary Filipinos.

“Digital inclusivity must not come at the expense of national security and consumer protection,” Manhit said.

The agreement, formalized on the sidelines of the 11th session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training, and Watchkeeping (HTW) this week, allows Latvian authorities to endorse certificates issued by the Marina.

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113 have fully complied with the Electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) requirement as mandated by Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. Another 741 local governments, Marcos said, have adopted the eLGU as

Under the agreement, the Maritime Administration of Latvia will issue an Endorsement of Recognition to Filipino seafarers who have obtained certificates from Marina. The process adheres to STCW Convention provisions, ensuring compliance with rigorous training and competency standards.

Marina Administrator Sonia

a ready-to-use eBOSS platform last year. He noted the updated Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGeps) with its new Virtual Store, eWallet, ePayment, and eMarketplace features, will augment the digitalization efforts of local governments.

The President said his administration continues to prioritize digitalization efforts to boost the country’s competitiveness and also to sustain the efficiency gains of local governments.

B. Malaluan and Maritime Administration of Latvia Director Jānis Krastiņš represented their respective governments in the signing ceremony.

Marina in a statement said the pact ensures that the training, competence assessment, and certification of Filipino seafarers meet international standards under the STCW Code, bolstering the global mobility of the country’s maritime workforce.

“It also mandates continuous monitoring of all education, training, assessment, certification, endorsement, and revalidation activities through a

“What faces us today is a highly technical world, a highly technical system for our different economies, for the global economy, and a rapidly accelerating development in all kinds of research and technology. And that is why we have to keep up with that,”

Marcos said.

“Those countries that are able to develop quickly and adopt these technologies are the ones that become successful. And the others which have not been able to use new technologies to improve public service,

quality standards system,” the agency said.

The recognition of Philippineissued STCW certificates is expected to boost employment prospects for Filipino seafarers, who comprise a significant portion of the global maritime workforce.

“The signing of this agreement further strengthens maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Latvia, reinforces international maritime standards and expands opportunities for Filipino seafarers to serve on Latvian-flagged vessels,” the Marina said.

those are the countries that are left behind,” he added in Filipino.

Most local governents have already made gains in their financial sustainability and have met the highest standards required to obtain a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), he also said.

“From over 493 local governments [with the SGKG] in 2023, this has grown to 714 in 2024...It is a clear sign that more local governments are boosting fiscal discipline and transparency,” he said.

Marawi board targets 3,000 claims in 2025

By Bless Aubrey Ogerio

THE Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) is aiming to process and distribute 3,000 claims this year, double its 2024 target.

MCB Chairperson Maisara Damdamun-Latiph on Monday explained in a media forum that the board’s increased capacity is made possible with additional government support, including an expansion of plantilla positions to accommodate the growing number of claims.

“Last year, our target was around 2,000,” Latiph said in Filipino. “This year, we are targeting between 2,000 to 3,000 claimants. Essentially, we are doubling our target for 2025.”

As of 2024, the MCB had resolved 1,436 claims, distributing P2 billion.

“Efficiency-wise, we were very efficient last year because we achieved our target before the year ended,” she noted.

(See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2024/11/24/long-shadow-of-marawi-siege-7-yearson-compensation-for-marawiterror-victims-still-a-slog/)

In 2023, the board released P841 million for 887 claims, covering 496 claimants. While opposition to claims was minimal, which was around 3 percent, Latiph acknowledged that resistance from affected communities posed initial challenge. Some preferred receiving lump-sum compensation rather than undergoing a detailed verification process.

To address concerns, the board held public consultations in 32 shelters, engaging information officers, lawyers and engineers. Yet, lack of personnel remained a key issue.

“Right now, our capacity is 1,500, but we are targeting 3,000. The challenge is how to double that,” she said.

The board received an additional P2.3 billion in 2024 from

unprogrammed funds due to its “demonstrated efficiency.” However, operational constraints persist under Republic Act 11696, which mandates a sunset clause requiring the MCB to complete its work by 2028.

“By 2028, we should be able to complete all claims. If we are targeting 3,000 per year, we should be able to meet that timeline,” Latiph explained.

Currently, around 5,000 families remain affected. Of these, 2,000 have received permanent housing provided by the government, particularly for those who can no longer return to their homes. The remaining 3,000 reside in temporary shelters while awaiting permanent solutions.

“Those who can no longer return are those whose houses have already been demolished and replaced with barangay halls, convention centers, and other government projects. Since they can no longer go back, they have instead accepted the housing projects provided to them,” she said.

Process improvements TO expedite claims processing, the MCB is pushing for faster deliberation by its nine-member en banc.

“The board should not hold onto the paperwork for too long. Our target is to process each claim within 15 to 28 days, whether for approval or disapproval,” Latiph said. As some claimants lost their records during the conflict, ensuring reliable documentation remains a challenge. Given such, the board aims to improve data collection and verification mechanisms to facilitate the process.

Latiph remains optimistic about achieving the 2025 target.

“Inshallah,” she said. “We are able to complete 60 claims per day. So, if you multiply that by four weeks, that would be 240, which means we can meet our target. Our actual goal is 3,000.”

nalism, I recognize the right of student publications to report on developments, including the outcome of local surveys that are conducted with the proper methodology,” Villafuerte said. “But while I acknowledge such rights of professional and campus journalists, I also have the right to question certain reportage or the presentation of news, such as on the outcome of locally done opinion polling, and I certainly hope that they would similarly recognize my right to respond to such reports, particularly those that concern me and my family,” Villafuerte said.

Continued from A3

DOH unveils plan to boost domestic funding for HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis programs amid declining foreign aid

By Claudeth S. Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

TO address the overall projected funding gap in HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis programs, the Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with the Philippine Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund (PCCM-GF), assured the public that it has been identifying various sources of domestic financing.

The DOH is optimizing public financial management strategies to ensure the sustainability of critical health programs through a Transition and Public Financial Management (PFM) Plan.  This plan aims to increase domestic health financing

by mobilizing PhilHealth reimbursements, optimizing DOH budget utilization, and securing alternative funding sources, such as grants, loans, and investments from local government units (LGUs) and the private sector.

During the PCCM-GF meeting on Wednesday, it was reported that the decline in foreign fund allocations for the Philippines may pose significant challenges, as the country uses the support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for essential commodities such as secondline drugs (SLDs), antiretroviral therapy (ART), and human resources for health (HRH).

“It is clear that governments, including ours, must recognize our own priorities and take more responsibility for financing these priorities in our national health budgets, lessening our dependence on international funding cycles and external decisions and protocols.

PHL conducts 7th MMCA with Canada and the US

By Rex Anthony Naval

ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff

Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Wednesday announced that the country’s military have conducted the seventh multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) with Canada and the United States.

In a statement, Brawner said the naval and air force units of the participating

nations conducted the exercise as part of efforts to increase their cooperation and interoperability.

Brawner also said the combined armed and defense forces of the Philippines, Canada, and the United States demonstrated a “collective commitment” to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

He added that the MMCA took place in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

But a later message from AFP public affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the seventh MMCA was held at the West Philippine Sea or the joint operational area of the Northern Luzon Command to be more exact.

Aside from this, Trinidad did not give any more details for security reasons

The AFP chief also said the MMCA was conducted in a manner consistent with international law and with due regard for the safety of

CBCP introduces alternative Filipino translation of Hail Mary prayer

By Justine Xyrah Garcia

FI LIPINO Catholics now have another way to recite the Hail Mary, as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) approved on Tuesday an alternative Filipino translation of the prayer.

The newly introduced Ave Maria is meant to provide a more faithful translation of the original Latin text while maintaining clarity and accessibility.

However, CBCP Secretary General Msgr. Bernardo Pantin clarified that it will not replace

the widely used Aba Ginoong Maria.

“[It’s] more contextualized, simple and adaptable to the changing times, as well as enhances our understanding and appreciation of the significance and richness of its biblico-theological foundation,” he added.

In a separate statement, the CBCP said the revision follows key principles such as biblical accuracy, simplicity, prayerfulness, and adaptability—all while promoting unity within the Church.

“The revisions are guided

by: faithfulness to the original Latin text, bible-based, simplicity, prayerfulness, adaptability to the changing times and in the Philippine context, and the spirit of synodality that all may be one,” the CBCP said in a statement.

The bishops’ decision comes as the Catholic Church prepares for the Jubilee Year of 2025, which also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the CBCP’s 1975 pastoral letter Ang Mahal na Birheng Maria.

The new translation read as follows:

Increasing domestic financing is one of the most sustainable solutions,” Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.

The DOH and PCCM-GF readily identified an initial list of alternative sources to the foreign funds. The Transition and PFM plan sees steps like procurement and supply chain reforms, especially with the New Government Procurement Act or RA 12009, digitalizing financial management systems like the Budget and Treasury Management System (BTMS), and leveraging financing mechanisms to improve budget execution.

Additionally, the Transition and PFM plan seeks to enhance localized health program implementation given the country’s devolved health system, by supporting LGUs in the procurement and delivery of essential health commodities.

“We, as a country, must find ways to source funds that international partners have previously funded,”Herbosa said.

navigation, and the rights and interests of other States.

“This underscores our shared commitments to upholding the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” he added.

The first MMCA took place in April 2024, followed by the second and third held in June and August of the same year.

While the fourth took place in September and the fifth in December, also in 2024.

The sixth MMCA took place on February 5, 2025.

Ave Maria puno ka ng grasya, ang Panginoong Diyos ay sumasaiyo. Pinagpala ka sa kababaihan, at pinagpala ang bunga ng iyong sinapupunan na si Jesus.

Santa Maria, Ina ng Diyos, ipanalangin mo kaming makasalanan, ngayon, at sa oras ng aming kamatayan. Amen.

While the Church has approved the alternative version, CBCP reminded that its adoption will ultimately depend on the preference of Filipino Catholics in their personal and communal prayers.

Travelers advised to avoid Kennon Road to avoid heavy traffic

By Liza Agoot

BAGUIO CITY—Motorists are advised to avoid Kennon Road in going to or from Baguio to avoid being caught in heavy traffic due to repairs at the temporary bypass area. In an advisory sent to the media on Wednesday, engineer

Khadaffy Tanggol, regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DPWH-CAR), said,

“There will be heavy traffic flow from February 12 to 14, 2025, due to road surface correction along the temporary bypass of Kennon Road.”

The bypass road located at Camp 2, Tuba, Benguet was closed middle of 2024 after a portion of the road collapsed due to continuous heavy rains. Tanggol, in a private message, said the repairs would be done to address the difficulty of traversing the area, especially for cars not intended for off-road.

He said the department has issued a continuing advisory that Kennon Road has limited access for light vehicles but only for those that can manage to pass dirt and mud as the bypass remains temporary pending the start of the full repair of the damaged area.

He suggested the use of Marcos Highway, San Pascual Road or Naguilian Road for more convenient travel. Tanggol asked for the public’s understanding as they came up

Go meets with a thousand farmers in Marawi, reaffirms support for agricultural development

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go met with local farmers in Marawi City, underscoring his commitment to agricultural development and rural livelihoods. The gathering, held at the Lanao del Sur Provincial Gymnasium, provided an opportunity for the senator to listen to the concerns of farmers and reinforce his advocacy for inclusive economic recovery February 10 the official campaign period, “Alam ko pong hindi madaling buhay magsasaka, lalo na sa mga panahon ng mataas na presyo ng bilihin at iba pang hamon sa sektor ng agrikultura,” Go said. “Pero nandito po kami para siguraduhin na kayo ay patuloy na nabibigyan ng suporta upang mas mapalakas pa ang inyong kabuhayan.”

Sen. Go and his Malasakit Team actively engaged with a total of 1,000 farmers and the community, listening to their needs and ensuring that government programs reach those who needed these most.

Meanwhile, through the collaborative efforts of Go and the local officials of Marawi City, qualified beneficiaries received support from the local government.

During his visit, Go emphasized several initiatives aimed at supporting farmers and strengthening rural economies. He reaffirmed his push for more sustainable livelihood programs and infrastructure projects that benefit agrarian communities.

“Lagi kong isinusulong ang mga programang makakatulong sa kabuhayan ninyo, lalo na ang pagpapatayo ng imprastraktura na magpapadali ng pagdadala ng produkto mula sa mga sakahan patungo sa mga pamilihan,” he said.

His legislative efforts have focused on reinforcing agricultural support systems to ensure that the backbone of the country’s food supply remains strong and resilient.

Among his significant legislative contributions is co-authoring Republic Act No. 11901, also known as the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022.

This law enhances financial mechanisms and support systems for the agricultural sector, allowing farmers and fisherfolk better access to necessary resources.

Furthermore, Senator Go has co-sponsored and co-authored RA 11953, the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which

alleviates the financial burdens of agrarian reform beneficiaries. This measure condones loans, including interest, penalties, and surcharges, giving farmers a fresh start toward economic stability.

As part of his continued advocacy for agricultural development, Senator Go introduced Senate Bill No. 2117, which seeks to provide comprehensive crop insurance protection for agrarian reform beneficiaries. Additionally, he has filed SBN 2118, which aims to expand insurance coverage and services for farmers if enacted into law.

Beyond agriculture, Senator Go has supported various infrastructure projects in Lanao del Sur, including the construction of multi-purpose buildings in Marawi City.   As part of his healthcare advocacy, Go also announced the launch of a new Malasakit Center at the Lanao del Sur Provincial Hospital in Tamparan town. This marks the second Malasakit Center in the province, following the one established at Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City in 2020.   Go is the principal author and sponsor of RA 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. As of now, 167 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, poised to assist with patients’ medical expenses. The DOH reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more than 15 million Filipinos.

The Malasakit Center serves as a one-stop shop where Filipinos can access medical assistance from various government agencies, ensuring that healthcare remains within reach for those in need.

Senator Go expressed his gratitude to local leaders who helped facilitate the gathering. Among those present were Lanao del Sur Governor Datu Mamintal Adiong, Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid Adiong, Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra, and Vice Mayor Anouar Abdulrauf.

Before concluding the event, Go reiterated his dedication to serving Filipinos if given a fresh mandate, particularly those in marginalized communities.

“Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo ‘yan kay Allah,” he stated.

with remedies to provide better travel conditions, despite the temporary nature of the repair. Kennon Road repairs continue to be implemented every year after the historic road incurred major damage as a result of the 1990 Intensity 7 earthquake that hit northern Luzon.

Among the new projects is the 99 percent completed rock shed at Camp 6 that hopes to address the frequent landslide in the area that closes the whole 33-kilometer stretch of road.  PNA

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Netanyahu threatens ceasefire withdrawal amid hostage release tensions with Hamas

By Josef Federman & Sam Metz The Associated Press

JERUSALEM—Israeli

Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday threatened to withdraw from the ceasefire in Gaza and directed troops to prepare to resume fighting Hamas if the militant group does not release more hostages on Saturday.

Hamas said Monday—and reiterated Tuesday—that it planned to delay the release of three more hostages after accusing Israel of failing to meet the terms of the ceasefire, including by not allowing an agreed-upon number of tents and other aid into Gaza.

Amid the mounting tensions, US President Donald Trump emboldened Israel to call for the release of even more remaining hostages on Saturday.

Trump questions ceasefire’s durability

AFTER meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday, Trump predicted Hamas would not release all the remaining hostages as he had demanded.

“I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline, personally,”

the president said of Hamas. “They want to play tough guy. We’ll see how tough they are.”

Since the ceasefire took effect, Hamas has released 21 hostages in a series of five exchanges for more than 730 Palestinian prisoners. A second phase calls for the return of all remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce. However, Trump’s statements about both the pending releases and plans for postwar Gaza have destabilized its fragile architecture. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Netanyahu’s threat referred to the three hostages scheduled for release on Saturday or all the remaining hostages, which would be a departure from the terms of the ceasefire. Netanyahu’s office said it “welcomed President Trump’s demand.”

As Trump spoke to reporters in Washington and reasserted his demands, an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting, said Israel was “sticking to Trump’s announcement regarding the release of the hostages. Namely, that they will all be released on Saturday.”

Netanyahu’s office also said it ordered the military to mobilize troops on and around the Gaza Strip in preparation for scenarios that could arise.

Trump has said Israel should cancel the entire ceasefire if all of the roughly 70 hostages aren’t freed by Saturday. Hamas brushed off his threat Tuesday, doubling down on its claim that Israel has violated the ceasefire and warned that it would only continue releasing hostages if all parties adhered to the ceasefire.

“Trump must remember there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties. This is the only way to bring back prisoners,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Tuesday. “The language of threats has no value; it only complicates matters.”

The group later condemned Trump’s White House remarks, saying they amounted to a “call for ethnic cleansing” and accusing Trump of seeking to “liquidate the Palestinian cause and deny the national rights of the Palestinian people.”

It said in a statement it re -

mained committed to the ceasefire, yet did not address its plans to suspend the hostage releases outlined in the first phase of the agreement.

Jordan—a US ally—faces new pressures

TRUMP hosted King Abdullah II in Washington as he escalates pressure on Jordan to take in refugees from Gaza, perhaps permanently, as part of his audacious plan to remake the Middle East.

“We’re not going to buy anything. We’re going to have it,”

After meeting with Trump, Jordan’s king says his country opposes displacing Palestinians in Gaza

By Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian & Will Weissert The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—Presi -

dent Donald Trump

hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday and renewed his insistence that Gaza could somehow be emptied of all residents, controlled by the US and redeveloped as a tourist area.

It’s an audacious, but highly unlikely, scheme to dramatically remake the Middle East and would require Jordan and other Arab nations to accept more Gazans— something Abdullah reiterated after their meeting that he opposes. The pair met in the Oval Office with Secretary of State Marco Rubio also on hand. The president suggested he wouldn’t withhold US aid to Jordan or Egypt if they don’t agree to dramatically increase the number of people from Gaza they take in.

“I don’t have to threaten that. I do believe we’re above that,” Trump said. That contradicted the Republican president’s previous suggestion that holding back aid from Washington was a possibility. Abdullah was asked repeatedly about Trump’s plan to clear out Gaza and overhaul it as a resort on the Mediterranean Sea. He didn’t make substantive comments on it and didn’t commit to the idea that his country could accept large numbers of Gazans.

He did say, however, that Jordan would be willing “right away” to take as many as 2,000 children in Gaza who are suffering from cancer or otherwise ill.

“I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace and prosperity to all of us in the region,” the king said of Trump in his statement at the top of the meeting.

Abdullah left the White House after about two hours and headed to Capitol Hill to meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. He posted on X that during his meeting with Trump, “I reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.”

“This is the unified Arab position. Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all,” Abdullah wrote.

That was despite Trump using his appearance with Abdullah to repeat suggestions that the US could come to control Gaza. Trump also said Tuesday that it wouldn’t require committing American funds but that the US overseeing the war-torn region would be possible, “Under the US authority,” without elaborating what that actually was.

“We’re not going to buy anything. We’re going to have it,” Trump said of US control in Gaza. He suggested that the redeveloped area could have new hotels, office buildings and houses, “and we’ll make it exciting.”

“I can tell you about real estate. They’re going to be in love with it,” Trump, who built a New York real estate empire that catapulted him to fame, said of Gaza’s residents, while also insisting that he personally would not be involved in development.

Trump has previously suggest -

ed that Gaza’s residents could be displaced temporarily or permanently, an idea that leaders around the Arab world have sharply rebuked.

Additionally, Trump renewed his suggestions that a tenuous ceasefire between Hamas and Israel could be canceled if Hamas doesn’t release all of the remaining hostages it is holding by midday on Saturday. Trump first made that suggestion on Monday, though he insisted then that the ultimate decision lies with Israel.

“I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline, personally,” Trump said Tuesday of Hamas. “They want to play tough guy. We’ll see how tough they are.”

The king’s visit came at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas is accusing Israel of violating the truce and says it will delay future releases of hostages captured in its October 7, 2023, attack.

In a statement, Hamas called Trump’s Tuesday comments “racist” and “a call for ethnic cleansing.” It also accused the president of seeking to “liquidate the Palestinian cause and deny the national rights of the Palestinian people.”

Trump has repeatedly proposed the US take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” with Palestinians in the war-torn territory pushed into neighboring nations with no right of return.

Trump’s Tuesday comments contradicted his Monday suggestions that, if necessary, he would withhold US funding from Jordan and Egypt—longtime US allies and among the top recipients of its foreign aid—as a means of per -

suading them to accept additional Palestinians from Gaza.

Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said last week that his country’s opposition to Trump’s idea about displacing Gaza’s residents was “firm and unwavering.”

Besides concerns about jeopardizing the long-held goals of a two-state solution to the IsraelPalestinian conflict, Egypt and Jordan have privately raised security concerns about welcoming large numbers of additional refugees into their countries even temporarily.

Trump announced his ideas for resettling Palestinians from Gaza and taking ownership of the territory for the US during a press conference last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The president initially didn’t rule out deploying US troops to help secure Gaza but at the same time insisted no US funds would go to pay for the reconstruction of the territory, raising fundamental questions about the nature of his plan.

After Trump’s initial comments, Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that Trump only wanted Palestinians relocated from Gaza “temporarily” and sought an “interim” period to allow for debris removal, the disposal of unexploded ordnance and reconstruction.

But asked in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier that aired Monday if Palestinians in Gaza would have a right to return to the territory under his plan, he replied, “No, they wouldn’t.”

Trump said of US control of Gaza as the Jordanian king stood by. Abdullah II was asked repeatedly by reporters about Trump’s plan to remake the Middle East, but didn’t make substantive comments. He also did not comment on the idea that a large number of refugees from Gaza could be welcomed in Jordan, where millions of Palestinian refugees already reside.

The king said, however, that Jordan would be willing “right away” to take as many as 2,000 children in Gaza who have cancer

or are otherwise ill.

Last week, the top World Health Organization official for Gaza said between 12,000 and 14,000 patients still need medical evacuation from the territory—including 5,000 children. Palestinians and the international community have seethed over Trump’s recent comments that any Palestinians potentially expelled from Gaza would not have a right to return.

During the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, Hamas committed to freeing 33 hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, while Israel said it would release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The sides have carried out five swaps since Jan. 19. The war could resume in early March if no agreement is reached on the more complicated second phase of the ceasefire. But if it does, Israel will face a drastically different battlefield. After forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to evacuate to southern Gaza in the early stages of the war, Israel allowed many of those displaced people to return to what is left of their homes, posing a new challenge to its ability to move ground troops through the territory.

Metz reported from Rabat, Morocco. Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington and Natalie Melzer in Nahariya, Israel, contributed to this report.

Ukraine, Russia trade long-range attacks as officials probe possibilities for peace

By Illia Novikov The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Russian forces targeted Ukraine’s energy and gas infrastructure in a “massive” nighttime missile attack and Ukrainian drones struck an important oil refinery inside Russia, officials said Tuesday, as the near three-year war rumbled on against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic efforts to end it.

Ukraine’s state energy company, Ukrenergo, said it imposed emergency blackouts due to the Russian attack. Russia has repeatedly hammered Ukraine’s power grid throughout the war.

Meanwhile, as part of its long-range drone campaign against targets deep inside Russia, Ukraine hit a refinery in Russia’s Saratov region about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Ukraine’s border, the Army General Staff claimed. The facility produces gasoline, fuel oil and diesel fuel for the Russian military, it said. International efforts are afoot to stop the fighting, with President Donald Trump’s senior advisers expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later this week on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss a path toward ending the war.

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, are among the US administration officials traveling to Germany for the summit.

Zelenskyy said late Monday that Trump’s representatives will visit Ukraine this week, ahead of Munich, though he didn’t provide details. Trump said he was sending Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to Ukraine to meet with Zelenskyy.

“This war must and will end soon— too much death and destruction,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “The

US has spent billions of dollars globally, with little to show. When America is strong, the world is at peace.”

The Ukrainian government aims to sidestep new US tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, according to Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development Minister, Yuliia Svyrydenko.

Metallurgical products make up nearly 58% of Ukrainian exports to the US, earning Ukraine just over $500 million last year, she said.

Ukraine is also offering to make a deal with Trump for continued American military aid in exchange for developing Ukraine’s mineral industry, including rare earth elements needed for modern technology.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia fired 124 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine overnight. In addition, at least 19 Russian missiles of various types hit Ukrainian gas production facilities, it said. Reports in Russia of the claimed Ukrainian drone attack were sketchy. Officials rarely provide details of successful Ukrainian attacks.

The governor of Russia’s Saratov region, Roman Busargin, reported a Ukrainian drone attack that sparked a brief fire and inflicted damage on an unspecified “industrial facility.” He said that the fire was put out within hours. One unconfirmed Russian media report identified the attacked facility as the Saratov oil refinery, part of Russia’s state-run oil giant Rosneft. Some other unconfirmed reports said the attack also targeted Engels, a city in the Saratov region that houses multiple industrial plants.

In addition, the main base of Russia’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers is located just outside Engels. It has come under repeated Ukrainian drone attacks since the early stages of the war, forcing the Russian military to relocate most of its bombers to other areas.

A PALESTINIAN family cooks on fire next to their tent, in an area largely destroyed by the Israeli army’s air and ground offensive in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. AP/JEHAD ALSHRAFI

Trump readies matching tariffs on trade partners, possibly setting up a major economic showdown

By Josh Boak The Associated Press

ASHINGTON—President

WDonald Trump is taking additional action to upset the world trade system, with plans to sign an order as soon as Wednesday that would require that US tariffs on imports match the tax rates charged by other countries.

“It’s time to be reciprocal,” Trump told reporters earlier this week. “You’ll be hearing that word a lot. Reciprocal. If they charge us, we charge them.”

The president had suggested that the order would come on Tuesday or Wednesday. But when Tuesday passed without the tariffs being officially announced, Trump was asked if he would sign the order on Wednesday and Trump answered: “We’ll see what happens.”

As Trump has unleashed a series of tariffs after being in power for less than a month, he has fully taken ownership of the path of the US economy. It’s a bet that his economic ideas can eventually deliver meaningful results for voters, even if by Trump’s own admission the import taxes could involve some financial pain in the form of inflation and economic disruptions. For all of Trump’s talk, the impact will likely depend on the details of the tariffs and how other nations respond.

A reciprocal tariffs order could amount to a substantial tax hike to be shouldered largely by US consumers and businesses as the Census Bureau reported that the country had total imports of $4.1 trillion last year. The tariffs could set off retaliatory measures by trading partners that could roil growth around the globe and reset where the United States stands with allies and rivals alike.

By signing the order, Trump would fulfill his long-standing pledge to raise taxes on most imported goods, a clear break with his recent White House predecessors who saw tariffs as either targeted tools to use strategically or barriers worth lowering. Trump has broken with that precedent by saying he wants to return the United States to the 1890s when taxes on imports were the government’s dominant source of revenues.

But should job gains never materialize and should inflation stay high, it’s an easy line of attack for Democratic lawmakers and candidates that Trump helped the ultrawealthy at the expense of the middle class.

“No matter which way you slice it, costs are going to climb for consumers,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said earlier this month. “I will work with my colleagues to undo this mess, get costs down and get these billionaires out of the way.”

Trump put 10 percent tariffs on China over its contributions to the production of the illicit drug fentanyl, and China has taken retaliatory measures. He said he is ready if necessary on March 1—after a 30-day suspension—to put tariffs on Mexico and Canada over his belief they should do more to fight illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

On Monday, he closed the exemptions to his 2018 tariffs on steel and aluminum, in addition to raising the tariff rates on aluminum. He has also talked about additional taxes on imported autos, computer chips and pharmaceutical drugs.

Many of America’s dominant trading partners are preparing for an economic rupture in reaction to Trump’s possible actions.

In response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday: “Unjustified tariffs on the EU will not go unanswered—they will trigger firm and proportionate countermeasures.” That means motorcycles, jeans, bourbon and peanut butter from the United States could face new taxes abroad. Mexico and Canada—America’s two largest trading partners—have also prepared countermeasures.

Multiple Trump aides have privately said that Trump’s longstanding goal with tariffs has been reciprocity. But Trump has also portrayed tariffs as a diplomatic tool to try to force Canada and Mexico to spend more resources on stopping illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the United States. He also suggested repeatedly that tariffs would be a source of revenues that could offset his planned income tax cuts.

But even before Trump formally signed the order, analysts at Goldman Sachs on Tuesday concluded it was unlikely to be the final word on tariffs.

“Of course, even if President Trump views reciprocal tariffs as an alternative to more sweeping measures at the moment, we are entering only the fourth week of a four-year presidential term and it seems likely there will be many further tariff announcements,” the investment bank’s analysts wrote.

Michael Zezas, a strategist at Morgan Stanley, wrote in a Sunday note that the “tariff trajectory” would shape what happens with growth, inflation, interest rates and Federal Reserve policies this year.

“It’s a major shift from the era of globalization, when companies shrank expenses by pursuing lower-cost labor and materials offshore,” Zezas said. “This transition is likely to take many years, creating challenges for some and substantial opportunities for others.”

Pope slams Trump’s

deportation policy, warns it ‘will end badly’

By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press

ROME—Pope Francis issued a major rebuke Tuesday to the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations of migrants, warning that the forceful removal of people purely because of their illegal status deprives them of their inherent dignity and “will end badly.” Francis took the remarkable step of addressing the US migrant crackdown in a letter to US bishops in which he appeared to take direct aim at Vice President JD Vance’s defense of the deportation program on theological grounds.

US border czar Tom Homan immediately pushed back, noting that the Vatican is a city-state surrounded by walls and that Francis should leave border enforcement to his office.

History’s first Latin American pope has long made caring for migrants a priority of his pontificate, citing the biblical command to “welcome the stranger” in demanding that countries welcome, protect, promote and integrate those fleeing conflicts, poverty and climate disasters. Francis has also said governments are expected to do so to the limits of their capacity.

The Argentine Jesuit and President See “Pope,” A14

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Powell signals patience on interest rate cuts, citing strong economy

By Amara Omeokwe

Reserve Chair Je -

EDERAL

Frome Powell said the central bank doesn’t need to rush to adjust interest rates, again signaling that officials will be patient before lowering borrowing costs further.

“With our policy stance now significantly less restrictive than it had been and the economy remaining strong, we do not need to be in a hurry to adjust our policy stance,” Powell told the Senate Banking committee Tuesday.

“We know that reducing policy restraint too fast or too much could hinder progress on inflation,” he said. “At the same time, reducing policy restraint too slowly or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and employment.”

Following his testimony, Treasury bond yields remained higher on the day while stock prices fluctuated. Traders also largely left unchanged their expectations for rates this year, with a cut not fully priced until September and less

than two cuts priced in for all 2025.

Powell’s comments largely echoed remarks he gave in January after Fed policymakers left the central bank’s key policy rate unchanged.

That decision came after the Federal Open Market Committee lowered interest rates at each of its last three meetings in 2024. Powell and other officials have signaled they are likely to hold rates steady until they see more progress on lowering inflation, and as they await further details on President Donald Trump’s economic-policy plans.

The labor market remains sound, which officials have said also allows them to be patient in considering further interest-rate reductions.

Powell on Tuesday described the labor market as “broadly in balance” and “not a source of significant inflationary pressures.”

Asked whether the US economy was experiencing a “soft landing”—a term that describes lowering inflation back to target without significantly damaging

the labor market—Powell said it was “not for me to say.”

The most recent employment data painted a picture of a slowing, but solid labor market. Employers added 143,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate ticked down to 4%. Inflation, as measured by the Fed’s preferred gauge, remained above target at 2.6% at the end of 2024. Powell said inflation is “somewhat elevated” above the central bank’s 2% goal.

In his testimony, Powell added that inflation expectations “appear to remain well-anchored.”

Trump’s policy proposals, meanwhile, have added a layer of uncertainty to the economic outlook and will likely prompt a line of questioning for the Fed chair. The Trump administration has ramped up tariffs on goods from China and on all imports of steel and aluminum, threatened additional duties on Canada and Mexico and launched a promised immigration crackdown.

Those measures could put upward pressure on inflation,

weigh on economic growth or constrict the number of available workers, all of which would likely have policy implications for the Fed. Some Fed officials have begun to factor in Trump’s policies into their forecasts for how the economy will evolve, while others have said they haven’t yet seen enough details on the plans to do so.

Deregulatory push

“WE are attentive to the risks to both sides of our dual mandate, and policy is well positioned to deal with the risks and uncertainties that we face,” Powell said.

Lawmakers also probed Powell on financial regulation, as Trump advances a deregulatory push across the federal government. That push has already played a role in the coming resignation of Fed Governor Michael Barr from this role as vice chair for supervision. Though he will stay on as a governor, Barr has said he’ll step down from the regulatory post at the end of February, in part

How Elon Musk $97.4 billion bid complicates matters for OpenAI

By Matt O’brien, Thalia Beaty & Kelvin Chan AP Business Writers

ARIS—OpenAI

PCEO Sam Altman has dismissed a $97.4 billion takeover bid led by rival Elon Musk, but the unsolicited offer could complicate Altman’s push to transform the maker of ChatGPT into a for-profit company.

“We are not for sale,” Altman said Tuesday at an artificial intelligence summit in Paris.

Musk’s bid, announced Monday, is the latest in a bitter years-long battle with Altman over control of the AI startup they both helped found a decade ago as a nonprofit and is now a leading force in the global boom surrounding generative AI technology.

“OpenAI has a mission,” Altman told France’s AI minister in an on-stage discussion Tuesday mobbed by tech industry workers and investors. “We are an unusual organization and we have this mission of making AGI benefit all humanity. And we are here to do that.” Its stated aim since its founding in 2015 is to safely build futuristic, betterthan-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk, an early investor and board member, quit OpenAI in 2018 after an internal power struggle left Altman in charge.

Their public feud has escalated over the past year as Musk sued OpenAI and is working to grow his own AI company called xAI, part of a business empire that includes Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X. Musk also now holds power as a top adviser to President Donald Trump in reshaping the US government, and has publicly questioned OpenAI’s Trump-backed private investment project for building AI

Donald Trump have long sparred over migration, including before Trump’s first administration when Francis in 2016 famously said anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants was “not a Christian.”

In the letter, Francis said nations have the right to defend themselves and keep their communities safe from criminals.

“That said, the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness,” he wrote.

Citing the Book of Exodus and Jesus Christ’s own experience, Francis affirmed the right of people to seek shelter and safety in other lands and described the deportation plan as a “major crisis” unfolding in the US. Anyone schooled in Christianity “cannot

data centers in the United States.

What happens next?

THE offer complicates OpenAI’s plan to shift its structure away from its nonprofit roots to a company beholden to shareholders.

OpenAI’s nonprofit board will need to consider Musk’s offer. It’s not Altman alone who can accept or reject it, though the chair of the board, Bret Taylor, echoed Altman’s approach and declared “OpenAI is not for sale” at a Wall Street Journal event Tuesday in Palo Alto, California.

Taylor said Musk’s move was “largely a distraction” from the board’s fiduciary duty to its mission.

As a nonprofit board, said Taylor, “our job is very simple, which is to basically evaluate every strategic decision of the organization through that one test, which is, ‘Does this actually further the mission of ensuring AGI benefits humanity?’ And I have a hard time seeing how this would.”

The board will need to weigh not just the value of the company’s assets but also the value of controlling the company developing this technology. Musk’s offer also seems to set a floor for how much the nonprofit should be paid if it does relinquish control of its subsidiaries.

Rose Chan Loui, executive director for the Lowell Milken Center on Philanthropy and Nonprofits at UCLA Law, said the board should consider the credibility of Musk’s offer, including if he and his investors will pay in cash. And they should consider whether a new board under the control of Musk and other investors would be independent and what guarantees they can give about protecting its public mission.

Musk’s $44 billion Twitter takeover in 2022 also started with an unsolicited offer and a legal fight with Twitter’s board, which was also led by Taylor, a former Facebook and Salesforce executive. However, taking

fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality,” he said.

“What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly,” he warned.

The president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, responded with a letter of thanks to the pope.

“With you, we pray that the US government keep its prior commitments to help those in desperate need,” Broglio wrote. “Boldly I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that more than 8,000 people had been arrested in immigration enforcement actions since Trump took office Jan. 20. Some have been deported, others are being held in federal prisons and still

over OpenAI would be more complicated because of its charitable purpose.

“There is a legally binding purpose,” said Jill Horwitz, a professor at UCLA School of Law. “It is the promise that was made to the public when OpenAI, the nonprofit, was formed. That promise is legally enforceable.”

The sudden popularity of ChatGPT two years ago brought worldwide fame and new commercial possibilities to OpenAI and also heightened internal turmoil over the future of the organization and the advanced AI it was trying to develop. Its nonprofit board fired Altman in late 2023. He came back days later with a new board.

OpenAI’s nonprofit complications

OPENAI’S nonprofit purpose, as defined most recently in 2020, is “(to) ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity, including by conducting and/ or funding artificial intelligence research.”

The question is, can it do that if it sells its assets and loses control of the company developing this technology?

“To make the promise to the world that you are bound by a legal purpose and to build with that promise, including telling your investors not to expect any returns and to think of your investments as more akin to a donation than an investment,” said Horwitz. “And then to say once you’ve gotten big enough, ‘You know what? We’d like to own this.’ That seems like a real violation of the promise.”

Musk sued OpenAI last year, first in a California state court and later in federal court, alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab that would benefit the public good. A lawyer for Musk has said he invested about $45 million in the startup from its founding until 2018.

Lawyers for OpenAI and Musk faced off in a California federal court last week as a

others are being held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.

Vance, a Catholic convert, has defended the administration’s Americafirst crackdown by citing a concept from medieval Catholic theology known in Latin as “ordo amoris.” He has said the concept delineates a hierarchy of care—to family first, followed by neighbor, community, fellow citizens and lastly those elsewhere.

In his letter, Francis appeared to correct Vance’s understanding of the concept.

“Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups,” he wrote. “The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan,’ that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”

David Gibson, director of the center for religion and culture at Fordham University, said in a social media post that Francis’ letter “takes aim at every single absurd theological claim by JD Vance and his allies in conservative Catholicism (and the

to avoid a clash with the new administration.

Powell said he is hopeful a version of a long-awaited bank-capital plan could be reached “fairly quickly,” and would be in line with other large jurisdictions and consistent with international accords.

“We remain committed to completing Basel III Endgame. We think it’s good for US banks, it’s good for our economy that there be a global standard beneath which foreign banks can’t fall,” said Powell.

Lawmakers repeatedly pressed Powell about the impact of a diminished Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked him who is responsible for examining giant banks to make sure they are not cheating consumers in the absence of the consumer watchdog agency.

“No other federal regulator,” Powell responded. The questions come after billionaire Elon Musk, who is acting as an adviser to the Trump White

judge weighed Musk’s request for a court order that would block OpenAI’s for-profit conversion.

The judge hasn’t yet ruled on Musk’s request but in the courtroom said it was a “stretch” for Musk to claim he will be irreparably harmed if she doesn’t intervene to stop OpenAI from moving forward with its planned transition. But she also suggested Musk had plausible enough arguments to take to a jury trial.

Who else is backing Musk’s OpenAI bid?

ALONG with Musk and xAI, others backing the bid announced Monday include Baron Capital Group, Valor Management, Atreides Management, Vy Fund, and firms run by Musk allies Ari Emanuel and Jon Lonsdale.

Musk attorney Marc Toberoff said in a statement that if Altman and OpenAI’s current board “are intent on becoming a fully for-profit corporation, it is vital that the charity be fairly compensated for what its leadership is taking away from it: control over the most transformative technology of our time.”

Altman told employees this week that OpenAI’s structure “ensures that no individual can take control of OpenAI” and he has sought to characterize Musk’s tactics as those of a competitor trying to catch up.

“I think he’s probably just trying to slow us down. He obviously is a competitor,” Altman told Bloomberg TV at the Paris summit on Tuesday.

Continuing their deeply personal feud, Altman said Musk is probably not a “happy person.”

“Probably his whole life is from a position of insecurity. I feel for the guy,” Altman said.

O’Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island, and Beaty from Seattle.

Catholic electorate).”

Vance’s reference to the ordo amoris had won support from many on the Catholic right in the US, including the Catholic League, which said he was right about the hierarchy of Christian love.

Writing in Crisis Magazine, editor Eric Sammons said Vance was merely drawing on the wisdom of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas and the broader teaching of the Church to insist on loving things in an order.

“For Augustine, every love, even the love of neighbor, must be ordered beneath the love of God,” he wrote.

“This hierarchy extends to our human relationships where love for family, community, and nation should precede our love for the world at large, not in intensity but in priority of duty and responsibility.”

Homan, a Catholic, said Francis should fix the Catholic Church and leave US border protection to his department.

“He wants to attack us for securing our border. He’s got a wall around the Vatican, does he not?” Homan told reporters in a video from The Hill posted on X. “So, he’s got a wall around that protects his people

House, helped to effectively shut down the CFPB this month. Powell also told lawmakers the US central bank makes no decisions related to outgoing government payments.

“We make no judgments whatsoever. Those are all made upstream from us,” Powell said, adding that the Fed acts as the Treasury Department’s fiscal agent, processing federal payments on its behalf.

Asked whether the system is safe, Powell said, “I believe it is.” Powell’s comments come as the Treasury has landed in the spotlight in recent weeks after members of Elon Musk’s government efficiency team were given access to government payment systems at the department. Powell said he didn’t believe members of the socalled Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, had tried to access the Fed’s systems. Powell is set to appear before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. With assistance from Megan Howard/Bloomberg

White House bars AP reporter from Oval

Office

because of AP style policy on ‘Gulf of America’

By David Bauder Ap Media Writer

NEW YORK—The White House blocked an Associated Press reporter from an event in the Oval Office on Tuesday after demanding the news agency alter its style on the Gulf of Mexico, which President Donald Trump has ordered renamed the Gulf of America.

The reporter, whom the AP would not identify, tried to enter the White House event as usual Tuesday afternoon and was turned away. The highly unusual ban, which Trump administration officials had threatened earlier Tuesday unless the AP changed the style on the Gulf, could have constitutional free-speech implications.

Julie Pace, senior vice president and executive editor of The Associated Press, called the administration’s move unacceptable.

“It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism,” Pace said in a statement. “Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment.”

The Trump administration made no immediate announcements about the move, and there was no indication any other journalists were affected. Trump has long had an adversarial relationship with the media. On Friday, the administration ejected a second group of news organizations from Pentagon office space.

Before his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump announced plans to change the Gulf of Mexico’s name to the “Gulf of America”—

and himself, but we can’t have a wall around the United States.”

The Vatican, a walled-in, 44-hectare (108-acre) city state inside Rome, recently increased sanctions for anyone who illegally enters the territory. The December law calls for a prison term of up to four years and a fine of up to 25,000 euros ($25,873) for anyone who enters with “violence, threat or deception,” such as by evading security checkpoints.

The U.S. bishops conference had already put out an unusually critical statement after Trump’s initial executive orders. It said those “focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and the environment, are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us.”

It was a strong rebuke from the US Catholic hierarchy, which considers abortion to be the “preeminent priority” for Catholic voters and had cheered the 2022 Supreme Court decision to end constitutional protections for abortion that was made possible by Trump-appointed justices.

and signed an executive order to do so as soon as he was in office. Mexico’s president responded sarcastically and others noted that the name change would probably not affect global usage.

Besides the United States, the body of water—named the Gulf of Mexico for more than 400 years—also borders Mexico.

The AP said last month, three days after Trump’s inauguration, that it would continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico while noting Trump’s decision to rename it as well. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP says it must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences. AP style is not only used by the agency. The AP Stylebook is relied on by thousands of journalists and other writers globally.

Barring the AP reporter was an affront to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which bars the government from impeding the freedom of the press, said Tim Richardson, program director of journalism and misinformation for PEN America. The White House Correspondents Association called the White House move unacceptable and called on the administration to change course.

“The White House cannot dictate how news organizations report the news, nor should it penalize working journalists because it is unhappy with their editors’ decision,” said Eugene Daniels, WHCA’s president.

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP.

Trump won 54 percent of Catholic voters in the 2024 election, a wider margin than the 50 percent in the 2020 election won by President Joe Biden, a Catholic. Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, a strong ally of Francis, cheered Francis’ letter and, in comments to Vatican Media, said it showed that the pope considered “the protection and advocacy for the dignity of migrants as the preeminent urgency at this moment.” It’s not unusual for a pope to address a country’s bishops or faithful to deliver a specific message. But it’s rare for a pope to weigh in on a specific political program of a government with such a letter, although migration is certainly an

‘Cheap rice scheme must also benefit planters’

By Jovee Marie Dela Cruz @joveemarie & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

THE leadership of the House of Representatives on Wednesday called for strong coordination between government agencies and Congress to ensure that the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) rice policy will not discourage local rice production.

While supporting the DA’s initiative to set the National Food Authority (NFA) rice price at P35 per kilo, House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez stressed the critical need to ensure fair income for farmers to sustain local rice production.

“Ensuring that rice remains affordable is crucial for our consumers. However, we must also ensure that our farmers receive fair compensation for their hard work.”

Romualdez assured the public that Congress will closely monitor the implementation of this pricing strategy.

“We will closely observe how this policy unfolds and determine if additional government interventions are necessary to sustain it,” he said.

“I urge the DA and the NFA to work closely with Congress to ensure that this policy does not unintentionally discourage local rice production.”

He emphasized the potential role of subsidies and government support programs to ensure farmers are not negatively impacted while keeping rice affordable for the public.

Romualdez reiterated the ultimate goal of these efforts: food security that benefits both farmers and consumers. “We know that balancing the interests of farmers and consumers is not easy, but it is essential for our economy and food security.”

He also emphasized the need for continuous assessment of the policy’s impact and encouraged open dialogue among stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

Romualdez affirmed Congress’s readiness to provide support if policy adjustments are needed.

“If changes to the policy are necessary, we are ready to provide support to ensure that every Filipino, especially farmers, benefits from this reform,” he said. “We are committed to finding solutions that uphold the welfare of our farmers while ensuring that every Filipino

Manila slaps temporary ban on German meat products

TBy Ada Pelonia

@adapelonia

HE Department of Agricul -

ture (DA) imposed a temporary ban on products from animals susceptible to foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Germany.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Memorandum Order (MO) 8 after the European nation reported outbreaks of the highly contagious virus that affects cloven-hoofed livestock.

The DA noted that Germany notified the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) of confirmed FMD cases in domestic buffaloes in the municipality of Hoppegarten, located in the district of Märkisch-Oderland, Brandenburg on January 10.

Following this report, Laurel ordered the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to suspend the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC). Under the order, skeletal muscle meat, casings, tallow, hooves and horns as well as live swine, bovines, and water buffaloes (including semen) are not allowed to enter the country.

However, certain products are exempt from the ban, such as heattreated meat products in hermetically sealed containers and protein meal and gelatin.

This also includes ultra-high

temperature milk and derivatives, provided that these came from herds not infected with FMD virus; in vivo-derived bovine embryos; and limed hides, pickled pelts, and semiprocessed leather that underwent treatment for at least 28 days with salt containing 2 percent sodium carbonate.

The order said all these products are subject to the Philippines’ import terms and conditions.

The DA noted that products already in transit or at ports are also exempt, provided they were sourced from animals slaughtered before December 26, 2024. Laurel said the import ban will remain in place until Germany regains its FMD-free status from WOAH.

The DA said the Philippines imported 3,177.5 metric tons (MT) of beef from Germany in 2024, accounting for around 0.5 percent of the country’s total beef imports.

It added that Germany had also been a significant source of pork until 2020 when the DA imposed a separate ban due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the European nation.

FMD is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects livestock, especially cattle. Other cloven-hoofed animals, including pigs, sheep, goats, and buffaloes, are also susceptible. The disease poses

has access to affordable rice.”

Cheaper food

MEANWHILE, former Senator Kiko Pangilinan said political will and sustained cooperation of the Executive branch and Congress can bring down prices of basic food items, especially rice and animal meat, to ease the burden of millions.

In a speech at the opening salvo of his senatorial campaign in Cavite on Tuesday, the former presidential food security adviser listed three key measures to make this possible, recalling that he had been able to do the same in 2014 when he was adviser to then President Noynoy Aquino.

“Can we bring down the prices of rice and basic food items? Pangilinan asked, promptly supplying his own reply: “My answer: Yes, it can be done if the Executive and Congress work together. Why do I say this? Because we were able to bring down rice prices when we were Food Security Secretary during the time of former President Aquino.”

He recalled, speaking in Filipino, that “in year 2014, if you had a thou-

a high mortality rate, particularly among young animals.

“The flow of meat and goods across Europe has been turned upside down overnight,” Per Fischer Larsen, senior vice president for industry sales at European pork producer Danish Crown, said in a statement last January, referring to the halt in purchases by Britain, a top non-EU pork buyer. The company, the continent’s biggest pork producer, owns three slaughterhouses in Germany.

The outbreak is the latest setback for the nation’s livestock sector, which has seen production shrink due to challenges including higher energy costs and the outbreak of African swine fever among pigs that curbed trade. That forced some factories to close, while herd sizes have also dwindled amid reduced consumption in domestic markets. Germany is one of the European Union’s largest pork exporters. With reports from Bloomberg News

guides pigs towards a truck in Ohrenbach, Germany. BLOOMBERG

sand pesos, you could buy a lot.”

Today, he lamented, “Your one thousand pesos can hardly buy anything. But when we were Food Security Secretary , in just a span of one year, we were able to bring down rice prices to as low as P3 a kilo through three measures.”

Pangilinan signaled he will again focus on farm issues and food security, among others, should he be lucky in his bid to make a Senate comeback.

The first of three measures he focused on in 2014, according to Pangilinan, was preventing traders, smugglers, and their government cohorts—officials of the DA and NFA—from resorting to profiteering practices.

“We filed cases in six regions. We raided warehouses of traders who were deliberately delaying the release of stocks to the market; we revoked their permits and put them on a blacklist. We confiscated over half a billion pesos worth of smuggled rice.”

The second of three measures they focused on, Pangilinan recalled, was that for the first time in the 42-year history of NFA, “we

rejected the high prices tendered by Thailand and Vietnam. We told them four times, ‘that’s too expensive, bring it down.’ And four times, they brought it down.”

Because of that, he added, the government “saved P7 billion in just one year.”

The last measure they did, according to the former senator, is they poured into the market an ample volume of cheap NFA rice, at prices of P27 and P32. “The result: after one year, rice prices went down to as much as P3 a kilo in September 2015; and because rice prices were low, we posted the lowest inflation rate in 20 years.”

Because of this, he recalled, “your P1,000 could buy a lot of things.”

“Rice was at P36 to P40. Pork was at P260. A kilo of chicken was P120. We were able to do this then, that’s why I’m sure we can stop the increase in the prices of rice and other food items.”

Hunger, he stressed, “has no color. We are ready to cooperate with the President and the Department of Agriculture in order to bring down prices.”

Coffee falls most in two months but remains above $4/pound

COFFEE futures fell by the most in two months after earlier marking a fresh alltime high, with supply concerns still the dominant theme in the market. The most-active arabica contract in New York jumped as much as 2.1 percent to reach a record of $4.2995 a pound on Tuesday, before heading lower by as much as 4.8 percent. That’s the biggest dip since December 2. Still, prices remain above $4 a pound, a milestone the premium bean reached last week.

Prices for the variety have doubled in the past year, with the market driven higher by worries over shortfalls from top producer Brazil and concerns over the quality of next season’s harvest. But “the possibility of sharp pullback remains given the volatility of the market,” Sucden Financial broker Harry Howard said in a note.

Adverse weather continues to pose a threat to Brazilian crops, with its biggest arabica coffee growing region receiving belownormal rainfall last week. Limited rains and low soil moisture, unfavorable for cherry growth, are expected to persist over the next week, according to forecaster Maxar Technologies Inc.

New buyer interest above $4 “should be reduced somewhat as long as there are no bullish inputs,” but that’s unlikely given concerns over US tariffs, according to a Tuesday note from Sucafina SA. Still, a recent uptick in arabica inventories in exchange-monitored warehouses may provide

some relief to the market.

Voluntary recall TRI-UNION Seafoods issued a voluntary recall of canned tuna products sold at national retailers including Trader Joe’s, Walmart Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp. and Harris Teeter Supermarkets in dozens of states across the US. The seafood was recalled due to a defect on the pull tab of the can that may cause the can to leak or be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, the Californiabased manufacturer said in a statement on the US Food and Drug Administration website. Clostridium botulinum can cause botulism, a serious illness that attacks the body’s nerves and can cause paralysis or death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The company said that customers should return recalled products to stores for a full refund, throw the product away or contact Tri-Union Seafoods directly for a replacement. No illnesses associated with the recalled products have been reported, the company said. No issues have been reported with the products, according to a statement from Trader Joe’s. A Walmart spokesperson said the company is working to remove the product from all impacted stores. Costco and Harris Teeter didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Bloomberg News

Slow shift to organic agri due to high cost, supply constraints–study

LIMITED access and supply concerns discourage local farmers from going organic, according to a study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (Pids).

The study from the government think tank titled “Prospects for Widespread Adoption of Organic-Based Fertilizers in the Philippines: A Rapid Appraisal” explored the challenges related to fertilizer use and its impact on Philippine agriculture.

In particular, PIDS Research Fellow Roehlano Briones, former Supervising Research SpecialistIvory Myka Galang, and Project

Technical Assistant Helena Luz Pastolero raised concerns about balancing sustainability, food security, and supply constraints.

The cost of urea fertilizer surged to nearly P3,000 per sack in May 2022, almost triple its price from January 2021, which spurred a “renewed interest” in organic alternatives.

However, the study’s authors noted that while organic-based fertilizers offer significant longterm benefits for soil health, insufficient domestic supply halts farmers from completely replacing inorganic fertilizers. They also said that organic

methods often require a higher initial investment and are not always readily available in some regions.

Small-scale farmers, particularly those living in rural areas, face additional hurdles, such as limited access to markets and resources for sourcing organic fertilizers.

“There is considerable supply potential, although a limiting factor is availability of raw materials, namely animal and plant waste, and the cost of collecting these materials,” the authors said.

“There are favorable prospects for expanding organic-based fertilizer utilization among farmers

in the Philippines, as long as difficulties in obtaining adequate raw materials, as well as in marketing of organic-based fertilizers, can be overcome.”

Tweaks

THE study proposed several recommendations to address concerns regarding fertilizer use, such as a gradual shift in government policy, including strengthening the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP), an initiative that promotes organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices.

It also pushed for the expansion in the use of Participatory

Guarantee Systems (PGS), an affordable, community-based certification system for organic products and suggested a coordinated effort to promote organic labeling for packaged goods, encouraging retailers to adopt these labels.

Furthermore, it advocated for a phased repurposing of fertilizer subsidies, which would gradually redirect funds from inorganic fertilizers to organic fertilizers and biofertilizers.

The study noted the Department of Agriculture’s fertilizer subsidies, which primarily focus on inorganic fertilizer. This was

the agency’s response to the drastic increase in fertilizer costs.

“Subsidies for organic-based fertilizers should encourage widespread adoption of Balanced Fertilization Strategies [or, in some cases, full organic farming],” the authors said, with the goal of phasing out the subsidies once farmers have sustainably adopted new practices. The study also urged for the establishment of a value chain program that would develop the biofertilizer and organic fertilizer industries, which are vital for longterm agriculturalsustainability. Ada Pelonia

A WORKER

Business groups decry lack of transparency in 2025 budget process

THE recent outcry from seven prominent business groups regarding the 2025 National Budget should serve as a wake-up call. The concerns raised by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, FinTech Alliance PH, Justice Reform Initiative, Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Philippine Business for Social Progress, and the UP School of Economics Alumni Association, highlight a critical need for greater transparency and accountability in the budget process. The diversion of funds from essential social services to projects with questionable economic merit threatens the nation’s long-term stability and creditworthiness. (Read the BusinessMirror story: “7 groups push budget process reform,” February 6, 2025).

These groups rightly point out the dangers of prioritizing local infrastructure projects and unconditional cash transfers over programmed healthcare, social services, and education. Such actions not only undermine the intended purpose of the national budget—to address the needs of the Filipino people— but also open the door to patronage and potential corruption, especially with elections on the horizon. The specter of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scandal, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, looms large, reminding us of the devastating consequences of unchecked political influence on public funds.

While President Marcos’ veto of P26 billion in congressional insertions into the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget is a welcome step, it is insufficient to address the fundamental flaws in the system. The business groups’ proposals for reform offer a concrete path forward.

Transparency in the Bicameral Conference Committee: Opening the doors to public scrutiny is crucial for ensuring accountability. Releasing records of discussions will deter backroom deals and force lawmakers to justify their decisions.

Prioritizing Conditional Cash Transfers (4Ps): Shifting focus from unconditional cash transfers promotes empowerment and self-sufficiency, while also reducing the risk of political manipulation. Transparency in beneficiary lists is essential for preventing abuse.

Institutional Safeguards for Unprogrammed Funds: Unprogrammed funds should be reserved for genuine emergencies, not used as a slush fund for pet projects. Clear guidelines and strict oversight are necessary.

Citizen Participation in the Development Budget Coordination Committee: Engaging the public in the budget process will ensure that priorities reflect the actual needs of the people, not just the political agendas of those in power.

The call to classify all Congress-introduced amendments in the 2025 budget as “For Later Release” is a pragmatic measure to prevent electioneering. However, the ultimate goal must be a comprehensive reform of the budget process itself.

As the Institute for Leadership, Empowerment and Democracy has highlighted, the allocation of a significant portion of the national budget to pork barrel projects is a blatant disregard for the pressing needs of the Filipino people. The manipulation of unprogrammed appropriations to conceal the true extent of pork barrel spending is a dangerous trend that must be reversed. The business groups’ proposals offer a roadmap for a more transparent, equitable, and accountable budget process. It is imperative that policymakers heed their call and take immediate action to safeguard the nation’s longterm economic stability and ensure that the national budget serves the best interests of all Filipinos.

BusinessMirror

T. Anthony C. Cabangon Lourdes M. Fernandez

A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace

Angel R. Calso, Dionisio L. Pelayo

Ruben M. Cruz Jr.

Eduardo A. Davad

Nonilon G. Reyes

D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos

Aldwin Maralit Tolosa

Rolando M. Manangan

BusinessMirror is

We,

the 99 Percenters

HJohn Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

IGH liquidity trading of innovative companies with strong investor protections boosts stock market participation. These are the factors that make for a vibrant stock market.

Vibrant is exactly the term that should describe an economy’s stock market, full of activity, excitement and therefore growth. But what makes something truly vibrant is participation. The proof of the sisig is in the eating. The proof of a vibrant market is in the performance metrics.

PSE data from 2023 shows 1.91 million stock market accounts. This number does not reflect individual participants; one person might have multiple accounts. How many accounts do you personally hold? My family uses seven different brokers.

Also note this as critical. “In terms of classification, retail investors made up 98.5 percent of total accounts while the remaining 1.5 percent belonged to institutional

Trump’s

Pinvestors.” Thus, effectively 99 percent of the PSE is you and me. That is why the PSE is lost.

The stock market is like Divisoria. Everyone wants to buy and sell and everything is a negotiation. The heart of all stock market transactions is the counterparty, the other side of your buy or sell trade. Your counterparty in Divisoria is the vendor and not an individual like yourself.

In a vibrant stock market, there are large numbers of both retail accounts and institutional accounts.

About 60 percent of all New York Stock Exchange listed shares are held directly or indirectly (personal pension accounts) by retail investors. Therefore, 40 percent of the shares are held by institutions, the most active being hedge funds. Not

We are the Philippines but the PSE should be able to do better. What is the solution for this stagnation and decay? It starts with stopping making excuses like “Filipinos just don’t understand the stock market.” It starts with a change from the same people doing the same things that have not been successful in the past. The industry needs to not be afraid to shake up the status quo and bring in international best practices while understanding local nuances. I am optimistic. I will remain a “99 Percenter.”

all counterparties are created equal. The goals, strategies, and just about everything else are completely different between me and Bobby Axelrod in the Netflix series “Billions.”

Read this. “Tiny investors have responded to the DeepSeekinduced equity sell-off and the Trump tariff double-whammy by doing what they do best: buying the drop, and they have done so in never before seen amounts.

According to Vanda Research, in the immediate aftermath of the drawdown, mom-and-pop traders poured roughly $4.2bn of new

capital into US financial markets, with Monday (February 3) seeing the bulk of inflows ($1.85bn).”

As for the people who wear very expensive shoes, “When retail investors bought, institutions sold anything they could find. Institutions net sold a $4BN of equities on Tuesday.”

The little guys were buying, and the Big Boys were selling. Then “After 5 straight weeks of selling by hedge funds—and an unprecedented buying spree by retail investors—hedge funds bought US equities every day this week, as single stocks saw the largest net buying in more than 3 years.”

In 2023, the total number of PSE institutional accounts was about 29,000 including corporate accounts. Again, you and I and a million like us are “The PSE.” We basically ‘counterparty’ each other. That does not make for a vibrant stock market because “We, the 99 Percenters,” think about the market in the same way and therefore trade in a similar way. It is karaoke night and everyone is singing “My Way.” Boring. Look at a monthly chart of the PSEi and you find it has been lifeless and trendless beginning in 2013 with the local research analysts recommending ‘Buy’ (never Sell) on the

See “Mangun” A17

trade wars may slow the growth of carbon markets

By Heesu Lee

RESIDENT Donald Trump’s tariff measures may slow the adoption and expansion of carbon markets in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for three-fifths of global emissions and has been a key driver of growth in trading.

Despite their rapid expansion, the region’s emissions trading systems currently cover just 16 percent of global greenhouse gases, and weak demand and liquidity means prices are still far below those in Europe. If Trump’s trade policies and tariffs lower economic growth in the region, it could slow the political urgency to be more ambitious, said Szymon Mikolajczyk, a partner at Climate Focus, an international carbon markets advisory firm.

From Thailand to Vietnam, more governments in the region have moved toward putting a price on carbon to align with stricter global regulations, such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Meanwhile, China and South Korea are expanding their existing systems to include more polluting sectors.

However, weaker carbon prices and slower adoption of pricing policies could follow in Asia if Trump’s

tariffs weigh on global trade, according to Chia Chen, a senior associate analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

“If the US imposes more tariffs on Asian goods, it’d be difficult for these countries to raise carbon prices—it’s like stacking tariffs on top of tariffs,” she said. “It could ultimately cripple their economies.”

Here’s where some of the region’s biggest economies stand:

China

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment plans to expand its emissions trading scheme, or ETS, beyond electricity generation to cement, steel, and aluminum this year. The government has also introduced other policies, such as tighter caps for power plants and harsher penalties for companies found to be falsifying data.

India

The Ministry of Environment,

From Thailand to Vietnam, more governments in the region have moved toward putting a price on carbon to align with stricter global regulations, such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Meanwhile, China and South Korea are expanding their existing systems to include more polluting sectors.

Forest and Climate Change released de tailed regulations in July for a market under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme. Set to launch fully by 2026, it will initially cover nine sectors, including aluminum, cement, steel, and petrochemicals, with plans for expansion.

Indonesia

The Southeast Asian nation opened its domestic carbon exchange to foreign investors to strengthen its position as a hub for offsets and climate finance.

The country also plans a tax on emissions, starting with power plants and expanding to the transport sector, local media reported, citing Finance Minister

in Asia

Japan

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is considering plans to expand its ETS to companies emitting more than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. From fiscal year 2026, as many as 400 firms—mainly in the steel, oil, and automotive sectors—may be required to participate in the system.

Taiwan

The Ministry of Environment plans to impose a carbon fee on heavy emitters from 2026, targeting steel and semiconductor manufacturers, which account for over half the country’s emissions. The fee will be applied to power and manufacturing firms emitting more than 25,000 tons annually.

Vietnam Vietnam may delay the start of its ETS to 2028, two years later than initially planned, according to a draft policy seen by Bloomberg. It is expected to cover about 150 companies in thermal power, steel and cement, with finalization set for year-end. Bloomberg

Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

Nato

allies

await US

defense secretary’s visit, the first by a member of the Trump administration

By LORNE COOK & TARA COPP | The Associated Press

BRUSSELS—US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will on Wednesday become the first member of the new Trump administration to visit Nato, where the allies are keen to understand how America now plans to influence the course of the war in Ukraine.

Hegseth’s trip comes just ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Most US allies fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not stop at Ukraine’s borders if he wins, and that Europe’s biggest land war in decades poses an existential threat to their security.

President Donald Trump has promised to quickly end the war. He’s complained that it is costing the American taxpayer too much money. Some allies worry that a hasty deal might be clinched on terms that are not favorable to Ukraine.

Hegseth will first take part in a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Nato’s Brussels headquarters. Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin set up the main international forum for drumming up arms and ammunition for Ukraine in 2022.

Over the last three years, around 50 countries have collectively provided Ukraine more than $126 billion in weapons and military assistance. But this week for the first time, the meeting will be convened by another country; the United Kingdom. No decision has been made on who might chair the next meeting, if one is convened.

Hegseth was not expected to make any announcement on new weapons for Ukraine. He was not set to meet one on one with his Ukraine counterparts, but rather to be in a “listening mode” at the meeting, as well as at Thursday’s Nato defense ministerial, one US official said.

Asked on Tuesday if the US would send troops to Ukraine to track weapons shipments, Hegseth said the US will not be sending troops into the country.

“The Secretary will reiterate President Trump’s commitment for a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible. He will also highlight the need for increased European leadership on security assistance to Ukraine,” the Pentagon said, prior to Hegseth’s departure.

America’s 31 Nato allies also want to hear what a new Trump administration has in store for the world’s biggest security organization. Trump traumatized his European partners last time by threatening not to defend any member that doesn’t meet Nato guidelines for military spending.

Nato is founded on the principle that an attack on any ally must be considered an attack on them all and met with a collective response. Membership is considered to be the ultimate security guarantee, and it’s one that Ukraine is trying to secure.

A senior Nato diplomat said that “constructive dialogue with the new American administration would be the most important outcome” of the meeting, along with a US com-

Hegseth’s trip comes just ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Most US allies fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not stop at Ukraine’s borders if he wins, and that Europe’s biggest land war in decades poses an existential threat to their security.

mitment to do everything we can to keep Ukraine in the fight.”

The diplomat spoke to reporters on condition that he not be named, which is common practice among many member countries who make their envoys available to brief media about the latest developments ahead of NATO ministerial meetings and summits.

But Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said over the weekend that “the Europeans have to own this conflict going forward. President Trump is going to end it. And then in terms of security guarantees, that is squarely going to be with the Europeans.’’ Ukraine’s security needs and defense spending will be discussed on Thursday. European allies have hiked their military budgets since Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, and 23 are estimated to have reached or exceeded last year the target of spending 2 percent of GDP.

However, a third still do not, and Trump is almost certain to target them again. Recently, Trump called for Nato members to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, a level that no member has reached so far—not even Poland, which is the closest, spending over 4 percent and expected to approach 5 percent this year.

Speaking to reporters in Germany on Tuesday, Hegseth would not commit to having the US increase its defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Hegseth said he believes that the US should spend more than it did under the Biden administration and “should not go lower than 3 percent.”

He said any final decision would be up to Trump, but added that “we live in fiscally constrained times” and need to be responsible with taxpayer money. The US spends about 3.3 percent of GDP on defense.

Nato diplomats estimate that members would need to spend 3.5 percent to 3.7 percent of GDP on their military budgets to be able to effectively execute new defense plans that have been drawn up in case of an attack on allied territory. The organization’s leaders are expected to agree on new spending targets at their next planned summit, in The Hague on June 24-26. Copp reported from Washington

same two dozen or so issues again and again. The PSE has been playing ‘Trip to Jerusalem’ since then. Same players; same chairs. No, the addition of the REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) issues did not significantly change market dynamics. It took a global pandemic to have even brief PSE excitement. In contrast the Dow Jones is 240 percent higher since 2013. Indonesia is up 60 percent. The Ho Chi Minh City stock market up 300 percent should make you weep. We are the Philippines but the PSE should be able to do better. What is the solution for this stagnation and decay? It starts with stopping making excuses like “Filipinos just don’t understand the stock market.” It starts with a change from the same people doing the same things that have not been successful in the past. The industry needs to not be afraid to shake up the status quo and bring in international best practices while understanding local nuances. I am optimistic. I will remain a “99 Percenter.”

Governance and business in action: Turning reforms into reality

By Henry Go

I)FINANCE

executives, governance, and the urgency of fiscal accountability

A recent publication by ABS-CBN News on January 27, 2025, headlined “Finance Execs Urged to Speak Out Against ‘Misallocations’ in 2025 Budget,” highlighted a call to action from PHINMA Chairman and CEO Ramon Del Rosario Jr. Speaking at the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) 2025 Inaugural Meeting and Induction Ceremonies, Del Rosario emphasized: “We cannot stay silent when we see concerning patterns in public spending. We should not just be guardians of corporate bottom lines; we should be stewards of our nation’s dignity and well-being.”

Del Rosario stressed the critical role of finance professionals in ensuring responsible allocation and utilization of national budget. His statement comes at a crucial moment, as the February 5, 2025 issue of the Philippine Star reveals fiscal data of increasing economic concerns. Our national debt reached P16.05 trillion in 2024, reflecting a 9.8 percent increase from the previous year, driven by budget deficits and currency fluctuations. Domestic debt climbed 9.1 percent to P10.93 trillion, while external obligations surged 11.4 percent to P5.12 trillion. Despite a 5.6 percent GDP growth rate in 2024, the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains at 60.7 percent, exceeding the internationally accepted 60 percent threshold. To correct it, sustainable economic growth and disciplined fiscal policies are now imperative.

II) Strengthening transparency and fiscal responsibility Amid these economic concerns, the 2025 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Manila from February 5-7, provided a crucial platform for advancing governance reforms for the region. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his opening remarks, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to transparency and accountability: “This meeting is more than just a showcase of achievements. It’s a call to action… Through trust, collaboration, and the belief in the

power of our people, we can build a world where every citizen’s voice is heard and every government is accountable.”

Launched on September 20, 2011, during the UN General Assembly, OGP began with eight heads of state and an equal number of civil society leaders endorsing the Open Government Declaration and unveiling the first set of action plans, each containing specific commitments to advance open government reforms. Since then, OGP has expanded to 77 countries, 150 local governments, and thousands of civil society organizations. OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism ensures accountability by providing comprehensive, impartial reports that assess government progress on these commitments.

Initiatives like OGP align with Del Rosario’s advocacy by promoting responsible fiscal management and preventing budget misallocation. However, finance executives must do more than merely highlight issues— they should actively collaborate with legislators, regulatory bodies, and civil society to proactively institutionalize reforms rather than reacting after misallocations occur, it can include but not limited to:

n Independent Budget Oversight Commissions to analyze government spending patterns.

n Government and businesses working together to make governance more open, accountable, and efficient.

n Digital Tracking Systems for

With the upcoming May elections, it is more important than ever to combine merit-based governance with democratic safeguards. Now is the time to push for reforms that stop wasteful spending, ensure responsible use of public funds, and make sure the government truly works for the Filipino people. Business leaders, educators, policymakers, and civic groups must come together to promote transparency, accountability, and real progress for our country.

real-time monitoring of public expenditures.

III) Balancing democracy and meritocracy in governance

A harmonious fusion of democracy and meritocracy will serve as a catalyst for a more effective government. The democratic institutions are available such that everyone can be included, whereas the merit-based system is empathy f or competency, strategic leadership, and accountability. This combination supports sustainable economic growth and responsible fiscal management.

Several countries have successfully implemented hybrid models where meritocracy complements democratic mechanisms:

n Singapore enforces strict performance metrics in public service while maintaining electoral democracy.

n Nordic countries are generally characterized by a combination of inclusiveness and results orientation in building strong foundations for the effective mobilization of public funding.

Similarly, if the Philippines can be guided along such principles, it can attain long-term national stability since good governance based on competence and integrity rather than political maneuvering shall flourish.

IV) Institutional reforms for transparent and accountable governance

The implementation of a meritbased governance system can improve the quality of leadership as well as brings policies that rely on expertise, not popularity. For the Philippines, the policies can adopt results based by way of the following: n Merit-based candidate screening—the Commission on Elections (Comelec) would screen national and local candidates via academic and professional credentials rather than political ties.

n Performance-based budgeting —Business and professional organizations be an advisory partner to the Congress in formulating the national budget, to ensure every expense item has a related outcome, therefore, measurable in outcome. n Fiscal discipline through institution building—Agencies like the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) need to do their part through enhanced public spending watch with periodic report disclosure.

Good governance isn’t just about politics—it’s about having a clear system that focuses on efficiency and long-term growth. With Godfearing and selfless leaders and strong democratic safeguards, the government can truly serve the people and help the Philippines move forward.

V) A call to action

With the upcoming May elections, it is more important than ever to combine merit-based governance with democratic safeguards. Now is the time to push for reforms that stop wasteful spending, ensure responsible use of public funds, and make sure the government truly works for the Filipino people. Business leaders, educators, policymakers, and civic groups must come together to promote transparency, accountability, and real progress for our country.

Vance offers an ‘America First’ argument on AI deregulation in his first foreign policy speech

By Aamer Madhani | The Associated Press

PARIS—In his first big moment on the world stage, Vice President JD Vance delivered an unmistakable message: the United States under the 47th president has room for you on the Trump train—but it also has no problem leaving you behind.

Vance, speaking at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris on Tuesday, hewed closely to President Donald Trump’s “America First” outlook as he spoke of maintaining US dominance in the surging industry.

He also pressed European nations to step back from “excessive regulation” of the AI sector that he said “could kill a transformative industry just as it’s taking off.”

“Now, just because we’re the leader doesn’t mean we want to or need to go it alone,” Vance said. “But to create that kind of trust, we need international regulatory regimes that fosters the creation of AI technology rather than strangles it. And we need our European friends in particular to look to this new frontier with optimism rather than trepidation.”

The message was centered on AI, but the tone and substance of Vance’s remarks fall in line with a Trump administration that has been approaching policymaking—and its opponents—with the attitude that it’s a juggernaut that will not be stopped.

Already, Trump has effectively shut down much of foreign aid through the United States Agency for International Development. He remains insistent that post-war Gaza will be taken over and redeveloped by the US into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” despite Palestinians and much of the Arab world flatly rejecting his

plans. He has also threatened to take back the Panama Canal and turn Canada into 51st state.

Vance’s remarks contrasted sharply with the overall tenor and content of the summit, which was largely focused on protecting democracies from disinformation and promoting the use of AI technology for the public interest.

“The United States of America is the leader in AI, and our administration plans to keep that,” Vance said.

“The AI future is not going to be won by hand-wringing about safety. It will be won by building.”

Early in his address, he knocked former President Joe Biden’s administration for being far too risk averse and referred derisively to a speech that then- Vice President Kamala Harris gave at a summit two years ago.

“I’m not here this morning to talk about AI safety, which was the title of the conference a couple of years ago,” Vance said. “I’m here to talk about AI opportunity.”

For Vance, the five-day overseas visit to Paris, and later Munich, for a pair of summits gives him an early chance to rub shoulders with world leaders and the titans of the tech industry.

But his boss threw a little shade at Vance ahead of the trip, telling Fox News that the vice president was “very capable” but that he wasn’t ready to endorse him as his heir apparent in 2028.

Vance’s remarks contrasted sharply with the overall tenor and content of the summit, which was largely focused on protecting democracies from disinformation and promoting the use of AI technology for the public interest.

“I think you have a lot of very capable people,” Trump said. “So far, I think he’s doing a fantastic job. It’s too early. We’re just starting.”

The Paris summit was billed by organizers France and India as an opportunity for leaders to focus on solutions and standards for shaping a more sustainable AI that works for collective progress. Vance told emerging AI innovators that America is open for business while expressing disbelief that some “foreign governments are considering tightening the screws on US tech companies with international footprints.”

“This administration will not be the one to snuff out the startups and the grad students, producing some of the most groundbreaking applications of artificial intelligence,” Vance said. “Instead, our laws will keep Big Tech, Little Tech and all other developers on a level playing field.”

The vice president arrived in Paris with Trump sparking new tension with world leaders, including some at the AI summit. Trump on Sunday announced hours before Vance embarked for his trip that he would levy 25 percent tariffs on all foreign aluminum and steel.

The new tariffs didn’t sit well with some US allies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

issued a statement early Tuesday that the US tariffs “will not go unanswered.”

Hours later, von der Leyen and Vance sat down for talks at the US embassy. Neither directly addressed the steel and aluminum tariffs in their brief appearance before reporters.

“We also want to make sure that we’re actually engaged in a security partnership that’s good for both Europe and the United States,” Vance said, as Trump has also been pressing for Nato members to dramatically increase domestic spending.

Von der Leyen, for her part, noted a moment in Vance’s speech when he called for allies to be motivated by optimism instead of fear.

“I think the same should go for our transatlantic relations,” von der Leyen said. “We should look with optimism.” Vance and his wife, Usha, were hosted for lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the Elysee Palace.

In an address on the opening day of the summit, Macron took a jab at Trump, contrasting France’s push for reducing its reliance on fossil fuels with Trump’s belief that pumping more oil could be the answer to solving all that’s wrong with the economy.

“In this world, where I have a good friend on the other side of the ocean saying, ‘Drill, baby, drill,’” Macron said. “Here, there’s no need to drill. It’s just plug, baby, plug.” Vance will head on Thursday to Munich, where he’s slated to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine, visit the site of the former Dachau concentration camp and deliver a much-anticipated address to the Munich Security Conference.

‘PHL must upgrade export, industrial base amid risks’

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

THEREis a “fundamental” need to upgrade the Philippines’s industrial and export base to help the country navigate “protectionist” headwinds such as US President Donald Trump’s tariff pronouncements, according to a study of the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD).

In particular, the CPBRD paper with the title “Rising Borders, Increasing Barriers: The Potential Impact of US Tariff Pronouncements on the Philippines” recommended the aggressive implementation of the Tatak Pinoy Strategy through “broader” stakeholder participation, institutionalization of the National Single Window (NSW) system and enhanced maritime trade competitiveness.

“Although exploring alterna -

tive markets and intensifying negotiations for preferential treatment under the US Generalized System of Preferences may mitigate the detrimental effects, at the core of these challenges lies the fundamental need to upgrade the country’s industrial and export base,” the CPBRD study stressed.

The study underscored the “sectoral effects” of the US’s tariff pronouncements which it said “reveal

Prepare for stronger typhoons, LGUs

By Samuel P. Medenilla

P@sam_medenilla

RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos said local government units (LGU) should prepare for more destructive calamities this year by reviewing the impact of the series of typhoons, which struck the country in the last quarter of 2024.

He said local officials should learn from the billions worth of damage to property and agriculture caused by tropical cyclones “Kristine” (international name: Trami), “Leon” (international name: KongRey),”Marce” (international name: YinXing),”Nika” (international name: Toraji), “Ofel” (international name: Osagi), and “Pepito” (international name: Man-Yi) from October to November last year.

“We can’t say that the past typhoons—the six typhoons which passed through the Philippines in 23 days won’t happen again. So we have to prepare,” Marcos said in Filipino during the 2025 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) General Assembly in Manila last Wednesday.

The President said local officials should expect typhoons to be more erratic and get stronger with climate change.

“Where there were no floods before, there are floods now. Where the ground was not collapsing before, it is happening now. We have to accept that today’s weather is not what it used to be—today’s storms are not what they used to be. They are stronger and more frequent,” Marcos said. He said Philippines remains among the top 3 countries, which are at most risk from the effects of cli -

told

mate change.

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) highlighted the role of the government in mitigating the impact of climate change through its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan (NDCIP).

“Under President Marcos’ leadership, climate action has been prioritized through clear governance frameworks that encourage meaningful participation,” Borje said during the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting in Manila last week.

‘Whole-of-society approach’

MARCOS said the government should also engage with the public through a whole-of-society approach when it comes to addressing problems such as climate change.

“So we are now including our private sectors, our businessmen, our NGOs [nongovernment organizations], and the civil society. We bring everyone together to work with all of us,” he said.

Borje said the public can help in auditing tax-paid funds used for climate change response through the Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) mechanism, which is now being implemented by the government.

“CCET allows the public to see where climate funds go, making financial flows more transparent and ensuring that investments lead to meaningful outputs and outcomes,” Borje said.

Last year, P457.41 billion or 7.93 percent of the P5.76 trillion approved national budget was used for climaterelated initiatives.

deeper structural challenges in the country’s industrial development.”

According to the CPBRD paper, the “timely and effective” formulation and implementation of the Tatak Pinoy Strategy through broader stakeholder participation provides a “window of opportunity” for the country to implement an industrial policy based on historical lessons, international best practices, and experts’ recommendations.

The Tatak Pinoy Strategy is a multiyear and multistakeholder strategy for empowering “Tatak Pinoy” industries to offer “diverse and sophisticated products and services to global markets,” based on the Tatak Pinoy Act website.

Another measure that the study said could be pursued is the “institutionalization” of the National Single Window (NSW)system.

The NSW system, the paper explained, is a computerized internet-based system that “interconnects government agencies involved in the processing of import and export shipments, and allows the lodging of information and documents through a single-entry

point to fulfill all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.”

Moreover, the paper suggested looking into the logistics expenses in the Philippines—particularly customs, shipping and freight charges which it noted are “notably higher” than those of neighboring countries, with the cost of importing a container estimated to reach 10 percent of the shipment’s value.

The CPBRD study also stressed the need for the government to “enhance” maritime trade competitiveness.

“The government should strengthen the Maritime Industry Authority’s [Marina] oversight of shipping line charges and transfer the regulatory functions of the Philippine Ports Authority [PPA] to Marina to streamline governance,” the CPBRD paper underscored.

The think tank for the House of Representatives said these trade facilitation measures will “streamline” trade processes, reduce costs, ensuring that once the country develops products to export, domestic

By Justine Xyrah Garcia

THE Commission on Elections has assured the public of its impartiality in the May 12 midterm elections, despite the majority of its commissioners being appointed by President Marcos Jr.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said that the commissioners’ loyalty will remain to the country—not to the administration who appointed them.

“Even though we were appointed by the current administration, we can exercise our powers and functions without bias or influence. What matters is that God and the people bear witness to our work,” Garcia added in Filipino.

The poll chief’s comment comes amid concerns that the appointment of Atty. Maria Norina S. Tangaro-Casingal and Atty. Noli Rafol Pipo as new commissioners could affect the credibility of the upcoming May 12 polls. Garcia, however, stressed that presidential appointments are still subject to congressional checks and balances.

Tangaro-Casingal and Pipo replaced former commissioners Socorro Inting and Marlon Casquejo, who retired earlier this month. Both have had long tenures in Comelec, with Tangaro-Casingal serving as chief of the poll body’s Law Department since 2016 and Pipo leading its Ilocos Region office since 2006.

‘Tol pushes West PHL Sea Command

SENATE Majority Leader Francis Tolentino has urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to immediately craft guidelines for the creation of a West Philippine Sea Command.

Tolentino said at Wednesday’s Kapihan sa Senado he will write a formal letter to the President to explain the operational and strategic reasons why the creation of new command in the West Philippine Sea is necessary. “It is about time, for purposes of

implementing the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, that we create our own new command which is the West Philippine Sea Command for maritime security, to improve response capabilities, for both the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard, and to enhance coordination between those two naval agencies including the Philippine National Police Maritime Com

mand,” Tolentino said.

“It will now improve our re

sponse capabilities because a dedicated command would

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia is flanked by newly appointed Commissioners Atty. Maria Norina S. Tangaro-Casingal and Atty. Noli Rafol Pipo. COMELEC PHOTO

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Bloomberry Resorts taps ₧40B syndicated loan facility DOE gets offers for RE projects

By VG Cabuag @villygc

RAZON-LED Bloomberry Resorts Corp. on Wednesday said it signed with a group of banks a P40 billion syndicated refinancing facility.

The said loan will be used to refinance the existing P40 billion syndicated term loan facility obtained in February 2019 to partially finance the construction of Solaire Resort North in Quezon City.

This is the second refinancing exercise successfully completed by

SMPH,

SHOPPING mall operator SM

Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPH) announced last Wednesday it has signed an agreement with TeaM (Philippines) Energy Corp. to install over 33,000 square meters (sqm) of solar panels on the rooftops of four SM malls. Construction for the project is set to start in March, with operations expected to commence by year-end, the company said.

With a combined capacity of roughly 7.5 megawatt (MW) peak, the solar installations at the firm’s malls in Lucena, Santa Mesa, Tarlac and East Ortigas are estimated

Meralco gives out pumps to farmers

ONE Meralco Foundation Inc. (OMF) has turned over solar-powered mobile irrigation pumps to support around 140 farmers in the province of Nueva Ecija.

The Lupao Pag-ahon Agriculture Cooperative and Nueva Ecija Rice, Corn, Vegetable and Livestock Raisers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (NERCOVELIR) each received a mobile irrigation pump that eliminates their dependence on diesel-powered pumps to draw out water for their farmlands, the corporate social responsibility arm of Meralco said on Wednesday.

“Our income as farmers has increased, especially since we no longer have to spend as much on fuel. Our other members also no longer worry when their irrigation system breaks down because we can bring the mobile solar irrigation pump to them. This way, their irrigation won’t be delayed, and their crops won’t be stressed,” said Lupao Pag-ahon Agriculture Cooperative Secretary Henry V. Ramos.

Meralco Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Ferdinand O. Geluz said the “first of its kind” project underscores the importance of Meralco values malasakit and bayanihan in uplifting the quality of life in underserved communities, including farmers, through innovative solutions. Lenie Lectura

Bloomberry in the last four months, the company said.

The key features of the P40 billion syndicated refinancing facility are similar to the P72 billion facility obtained in October last year.

The new facility carries a term of 10 years or until February 2035,

while the principal payment schedule is structured such that heavier payments are made in the last three years of the facility.

“The interest margin on the loan is 75 basis points lower than the original facility and gives the borrowers the opportunity to fix the interest rate in the next 12 months,” the company said.

These features will lighten debt service requirements over the coming years and allow Bloomberry to benefit from anticipated interest rate cuts in the next months, it said.

“Our recent refinancing activities optimize our cash flow by reducing annual interest and principal payments. The timely refinancing of

our P40 billion facility demonstrates our proactive financial management stance and our commitment to provide a consistent return of capital to our shareholders,” Bloomberry Chairman and CEO Enrique K. Razon Jr. said.

The syndicate of lenders includes BDO Unibank Inc., Bank of Commerce, Bank of the Philippine Islands, China Banking Corp., Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Philippine National Bank and Union Bank of the Philippines.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp. served as lead arranger and sole bookrunner while BDO Unibank Inc.-Trust and Investments Group is the security trustee, facility agent and paying agent.

Team Energy ink RE deal

to generate approximately 11,000 MW-hours of clean energy annually. This will supply about 16 percent of each mall’s electricity needs, significantly reducing reliance on traditional power sources.

“Integrating renewable energy sources into our operations is part of our long-term strategy to achieve our net zero goals, enhance operational efficiency and contribute to a more sustainable business,” SMPH President Jeffrey C. Lim said. SMPH is among the first companies in the Philippines to commit to net zero emissions and invest in renewable energy to meet that tar-

get. Currently, 44 of its 87 malls in the Philippines are already equipped with solar photovoltaic systems.

These installations have a total capacity of more than 50 megawatt peak, equivalent to taking thousands of vehicles off the road annually.

To ensure the long-term efficiency and reliability of the solar power systems, Team Energy will use highquality bifacial solar panels. These panels are designed to capture sunlight from both sides and have one of the lowest degradation rates in the market, at 0.4 percent annually.

“We are committed to delivering high-performance solar solutions

that meet international engineering standards. Through regular monitoring and preventive maintenance, we will ensure these systems operate at peak efficiency for the entire 20year contract period,” Team Energy President Tristan Taghoy said.

Beyond operational benefits, the new solar installations are expected to contribute to a cleaner environment by reducing approximately 4,400 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.

“These projects align with our shared commitment to sustainable energy and environmental responsibility,” Taghoy said. VG Cabuag

Cebu Air to expand int’l network

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

CEBU Air Inc. (CEB), the airline company that operates under the trade name Cebu Pacific Air, announced plans to expand its international network with the launch of direct flights between Iloilo and Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport.

Starting March 31, the Gokongwei-led carrier will operate flights on the Iloilo-Bangkok route three times a week—every Monday, Wednesday and Friday—making it the only airline to offer non-stop flights between the two cities.

Bangkok becomes the third international destination that Cebu Pacific will serve from Iloilo, alongside Hong Kong and Singapore.

“We are thrilled to offer more travelers the opportunity to explore the majestic city of Bangkok. Strengthening our Iloilo hub allows us to connect even more passengers from the Western Visayas region to exciting destinations across our international network,” CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer Xander Lao said.

To celebrate the launch, Cebu Pacific is offering an introductory P1 one-way base fare for flights booked between February 12 to February 16. The promo is valid for travel from March 31 to October 25.

Passengers can book flights using their existing Travel Fund, as well as through various payment options, including credit/debit cards and e-wallets.

Lao noted that the new Iloilo-Bangkok route is expected to boost tourism and economic exchanges between the Philippines

and Thailand, giving Iloilo-based travelers easier access to Bangkok’s renowned Buddhist temples, vibrant street food scene,

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Department of Energy (DOE) received offers from 14 renewable energy (RE) projects that will deliver a total capacity of 7,500 megawatts (MW) between 2025 to 2035.

During the Green Energy Auction (GEA-3) held last February 11, the offered capacities of the 14 projects submitted in the auction exceeded the installation target of 4,650 MW.

The GEA3 covers Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH), with a total capacity offered at 7,500MW and geothermal at 30.887MW.

Currently, the only PSH in the country are the government-owned Kalayaan 1 and 2 in Laguna with a total capacity of over 300 MW.

The aggregate capacity of accepted bids underscores the growing confidence of investors and developers in the Philippine RE sector, the DOE said.

The list of winning bidders will be posted on the DOE website once the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has completed its review of the price offers.

The bids in the auction were

and world-famous nightlife.

Cebu Pacific currently operates 37 domestic and 26 international destinations.

ranked based on offers from lowest to highest bid price and stacked corresponding to the respective RE technology until the installation target is met.

The Certificate of Award will be released to the winning bidder upon complete submission of the post-auction documents under Section 9 of the Terms of Reference and affirmed in order by the GEA-Bids Evaluation and Awards Committee. The GEA underscores the DOE’s commitment to creating a fair and competitive environment for RE development, ensuring transparency, innovation and deployment of cost-effective RE technologies across the country.

The GEA is a key initiative in the government’s strategy to expand RE capacity and achieve a 35% share of renewables in the national energy mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. It provides energy developers with opportunities to secure contracts that support the growth of the country’s sustainable energy production. In the last two years, the DOE has conducted two rounds of auction, which generated a total of 5,306 MW of RE capacities committed to deliver power in 2024 to 2026.

’24 industry growth to ₧56B

TBy Ada Pelonia

Banking&Finance Policy rate cut seen to boost consumer spend, investment

“Despite this, the Commission still views that the non-life sector exhibited strength and continued financial growth, with a solid performance in key areas like motor car insurance and high investment returns,” Regalado said.

“Overall, the non-life market remains stable and improving, indicating positive long-term prospects,” he added.

Total premiums earned by nonlife insurance companies increased to P71.84 billion, higher by 10.49 percent year-on-year from P65.01 billion.

“All non-life insurance business lines saw growth as of the end of Q4 2024, with the Motor Car line leading, followed by the Fire insurance line, which contributed 16.64 percent of the NPW and saw a 12.44 percent increase from Q4 2023,” Regalado added.

By VG Cabuag @villygc

THE Philippine equity markets are currently pricing in a potential 25-basis-point (bps) rate cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in its upcoming policy meeting on Thursday, executives of Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corp. have said.

Total benefits payment rose by 18.97 percent year-on-year to P160.33 billion in 2024 from P134.76 billion.

Life insurance companies recorded a net income of P40.23 billion in 2024, up by 19.63 percent year-onyear from P33.63 billion.

The life sector’s premiums improved by 13.56 percent to P352.02 billion year-on-year, based on the data.

“The increase can be attributed to the good performance shown by the Single Premiums of variable life insurance which reported a significant increase of 40.33 percent as of Q4 [fourth quarter] 2024,” said Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo A. Regalado.

Invested assets of life insurance companies increased by 7.09 percent to P1.86 trillion from last year’s P1.74 trillion.

Meanwhile, non-life insurance companies booked a net income of P8.89 billion as of the fourth quarter of 2024, 2.63 percent lower than the P9.13 billion posted in the same period in 2023.

The agency noted that this decline was largely due to a 3.68 percent contraction in Underwriting Gain, as the rise in total Underwriting Expenses outpaced the growth in Underwriting Income.

Moreover, total net surplus of MBAs rose to P7.16 billion as of the fourth quarter, up by 23.24 percent from P5.81 billion last year. Contributions or premiums of MBAs also increased by 7.49 percent to P16.54 billion.

Total invested assets of MBAs reached P152.54 billion, 12.62 percent higher than the P135.44 billion it invested a year ago.

Consolidated data showed the overall insurance industry has P2.46 trillion in total assets as of the fourth quarter of the year, up by 6.43 percent from P2.31 trillion in the same period last year.

Further, insurance penetration— the insurance sector’s contribution to the national economy—slightly improved to 1.67 percent from last year’s 1.61 percent, but remains low.

“This is explained by the faster growth of the insurance premiums vis-à-vis the 8.84 percent growth in the gross domestic product (in current prices), which underscores stronger expansion within the insurance and MBA sectors as of Q4 2024,” Regalado said.

Meanwhile, Insurance density, or the average spending of each individual on insurance, also rose by 12.58 percent to P3,892.77 as of end-December 2024 from P3,457.84 last year.

JAPAN’S financial regulator urged the country’s regional banks to pay closer attention to the risks of investing in so-called repackaged government bonds, which are gaining popularity, people familiar with the matter said.

At a regular meeting with regional bank heads on Wednesday, a senior official at the Financial Services Agency told lenders that they should make sure they have proper risk management in place for the financial instruments.

The regulator is specifically focused on these products, which typically bundle Japanese government bonds with derivatives to enhance returns and have been gaining traction from some banks because the buyers don’t have to mark them to market, thus avoiding the possibility of paper losses, the people said. In contrast, when the banks hold JGBs directly, they have to account for the declining value of the bonds as interest rates rise.

The FSA is concerned that depend-

ing on how the products are structured, the banks could suffer negative spread, according to the person who asked not be named since the matter is not public. That occurs when the yield curve flattens and the banks’ returns get smaller than what they pay for deposits and other funding. The FSA made a similar warning a year ago. Investors purchase the products in the form of loans to a vehicle that houses the sovereign debt, according to the people. For banks this has the additional advantage of boosting their loan balances and is reflected as growth of their core lending business.

Returns on the repackaged JGBs are often lower than similar products when fees to originators are taken into consideration, according to the people. Still, some regional banks are buying them because of no mark-to-market need and being counted as lending, they said. FSA officials were not immediately available for comment. Bloomberg News

Mark Alan Canizares, the company’s head of equities, said that while the country’s fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) remained stable at 5.2 percent, a reduction in the BSP’s key rate could bolster consumption spending and investment—two areas that exhibited some weakness in the most recent GDP data.

“Moving forward, investors are expected to closely monitor headline inflation, which has been gradually increasing since November but remains within the BSP’s 2-percent to

ATOTAL of P242 billion in duties and taxes were collected by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in 2024 under its fuel marking program.

The BOC said the continuous enforcement of the fuel marking program was a “key initiative” last year as it ensured that about 20 billion liters of fuel were marked. This showed a 5-percent increase from the previous year.

The program began on September 4, 2019, as part of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law, aimed to ensure that oil products available in the market comply with tax regulations.

Under the law, petroleum products that are refined, manufactured,

T4-percent target range,” Canizares said. “This trend may prompt the BSP to signal a pause in its easing cycle, helping to stabilize the currency and anchor inflation expectations.”

Meanwhile, Citi Economist for the Philippines Nalin Chutchotitham said that the bank continues to expect the next 25 basis point (bp) of rate cuts in June and August, although the second-half rate cut “may still be dependent on several outcomes later this year, including, in our view, the global

or imported to the Philippines such as unleaded premium gasoline, kerosene, and diesel, must be marked by an official marking agent after taxes and duties have been paid.

A unique chemical marker is used in marking fuel that can be embedded at a molecular level in petroleum products—gasoline, diesel, and kerosene—enabling authorities to test, identify, and distinguish petroleum products with paid excise taxes.

Meanwhile, the agency said it seized P85.167 billion worth of smuggled commodities from over 2,100 anti-smuggling operations conducted last year.

It added that these enforcement actions targeted various illicit items,

REASURY yields rose and stocks fluctuated as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank is in no rush to cut rates.

Bonds fell across the curve, with money markets continuing to fully price in just one rate cut by the Fed this year. The S&P 500 remained stuck in a tight range. Most big techs dropped, though Meta Platforms Inc. climbed for a 17th consecutive day. Intel Corp. and GlobalFoundries Inc. surged as Vice President JD Vance said the US will make sure the most sophisticated artificial-intelligence hardware is made domestically.

Just a day ahead of a key inflation reading, Powell signaled that officials will be patient before lowering borrowing costs further as the economy remains strong. He also told Congress it is unwise to speculate on tariff policy at this time. Powell is due to testify before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday.

To Krishna Guha at Evercore, the Fed is taking an “extended time-out on rates,” but remains oriented towards lowering borrowing costs further if and when there is further sustained inflation progress.

The S&P 500 was little changed. With a high-low range sitting below 0.6 percent for two days in a row, the gauge was mired in a stretch of tight trading not seen since midDecember. The Nasdaq 100 dropped 0.3 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3 percent.

“The stock market has been stuck in a sideways range,” said Matt Maley at Miller Tabak. “Despite the narrative on Wall Street, the market is not broadening out to the degree that some people are trying to portray.

economic momentum, the Fed’s monetary easing.”

Chutchotitham added that “aside from the general elections in May, we think that [the] BSP could pause in April to reassess overall inflation risks.”

Citing the central bank’s “FourthQuarter 2024 Monetary Policy Report,” he explained that the risks may come from the expected rise of water and electricity rates during the year, and the programmed tax increases of alcohol (6.0 percent) and tobacco (5.0 percent) from the Universal Healthcare Act.

The Monetary Board also highlighted some concerns over the potential effect of an average of 8.1 percent increase in minimum wages across 16 out of 17 regions (5.7 percent for Manila) approved since the second half of last year, Chutchotitham said.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. earlier said that, given persisting inflation, a 25bp cut in H1 and another 25bp cut in H2 “sounds about right,” which leaves the uncertainty over the June rate cut. Remolona also mentioned that the MB is considering 200bp cut in the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR)

such as counterfeit products, illegal drugs, smuggled tobacco and vape goods, and agricultural products that pose risks to farmers and consumers.

The BOC also noted that it revoked the accreditations of 56 importers and customs brokers found violating customs regulations as part of efforts to reinforce compliance. It added that 45 criminal cases were filed against those involved in smuggling.

The agency also said collaboration with other government agencies remained a critical strategy, adding that it organized three Intelligence Summits across the country in 2024. These garnered over 200 intelligence officers to enhance co -

So, until we break out of this range, investors will want to remain nimble.”

The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced four basis points to 4.54 percent. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index lost 0.3 percent.

US inflation showed scant signs of downward momentum at the start of the year, while healthy job growth undergirded the economy, backing the Fed’s stance to hold the line on interest rates for now.

Shortly before the second half of Powell’s two-day testimony marathon, a report is forecast to show the consumer price index excluding food and energy rose 0.3 percent in January for the fifth time in the last six months.

Compared with a year earlier, core CPI is forecast to have risen 3.1 percent. While marginally lower than than the annual figure for December, that’s just a 0.2 percentage point decline from the middle of last year.

“Recent inflation prints, coupled with a strong jobs market will allow patience from the Federal Reserve who will likely hold policy at its target range of 4.25 percent-4.50 percent in March,” said Josh Hirt at Vanguard.

A survey conducted by 22V Research shows 41 percent of respondents expect the market reaction to CPI to be “risk-off,” 31 percent said “risk-on” and 28 percent “mixed/negligible.”

In addition, 37 percent of investors surveyed by 22V believe that financial conditions need to tighten.

“This value has come down significantly since last month,” said Dennis DeBusschere at 22V. “59 percent believe that core CPI is on a Fed friendly glide path without a significant tightening of financial conditions, and 4 percent think there will be a recession.” Bloomberg News

in June or July from the current 7 percent for large banks, “which could help the economy through more lending, suggesting some concerns over growth.”

However, Canizares pointed to the depreciation of the Philippine peso as presenting a near-term challenge for the country’s equity markets.

“In recent years, currency volatility has significantly impacted share price performance, as foreign investors’ returns are closely tied to the U.S. dollar. A weaker peso raises hurdle rates for foreign investors, potentially leading them to overlook the local market, despite its historically low forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9- to ten times. Additionally, peso depreciation could increase import and borrowing costs, thereby negatively affecting corporate earnings, a briefing paper by the company read. On the fixed income side, MIMT advised to mitigate currency risks, investors may consider hedging strategies using derivatives such as currency forwards and swaps. Additionally, investing in U.S. dollar-denominated assets provides an effective means of diversification, it added.

ordination, share best practices, and strengthen the collective response to smuggling activities. According to Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, the agency intensifies its crackdown on illicit trade to protect local industries, ensure food security, and promote a level playing field for businesses.

“Smuggling is not just an economic issue—it is a national security concern that affects every Filipino,” Rubio said in a statement.

“By leveraging intelligence, enforcement, and inter-agency collaboration, the BOC remains steadfast in its mission to secure our borders and uphold economic stability,” he added. Ada Pelonia

MACQUARIE Group Ltd., a major backer of global renewable energy and green investments, has joined banks in the US and elsewhere in quitting the finance sector’s top climate alliance.

Sydney-based Macquarie follows peers including Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. in leaving the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, which had asked members to ensure their financed emissions were aligned with “pathways to net zero” by 2050 at the latest.

The alliance helped members establish initial decarbonization plans, and “with those building blocks now in place, like many peers Macquarie will no longer be a member of NZBA, as we focus on updating and delivering our plans and reporting in line with regulatory requirements,” the bank said Tuesday in a statement. Subscribe to The Bloomberg Australia Podcast on Apple, Spotify, on YouTube, or wherever you listen. Banks began their retreat from the group in December amid ongoing attacks on climate finance by the Republican Party in the US, while President Donald Trump’s return to office has seen major steps to roll back Biden-era climate policies.

Lenders who’ve quit insist the decision won’t impact pledges to decarbonize their businesses, and Macquarie will continue to support investments in areas including climate mitigation, green technologies and carbon markets. The bank will also remain an adviser on renewable energy transactions, and assist companies—including in the fossil fuels sector—on net zero plans, according to the statement.

“We also believe that the transition must be managed, orderly and just, which is why we have continued to support carbon intensive industries to reduce their emissions and continue to work with oil and gas companies,” Macquarie said. Bloomberg News

PHOTO shows the skyline of Tokyo with Mount Fuji in the background. CREDIT: TOMOHIRO OHSUMI/BLOOMBERG

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Experts

By Rory Visco Contributor

IT is best to consult a doctor in cases where fatigue, sadness and low mood or anxiety, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, or an unexplained increase or decrease in weight is experienced because these symptoms are known to be associated with thyroid disease.

Thyroid disease is any health condition that affects the thyroid gland, that small, butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the neck. It is responsible for producing, storing, and releasing hormones that help control how the body uses energy, regulates metabolism, and contributes to many vital functions.

Many believe that raising awareness about thyroid health is crucial because while it is common, thyroid disorders are often undiagnosed or misunderstood. Many people live with the symptoms for years but unfortunately, they don’t realize that they have a thyroid issue.

Once doctors suspect a thyroid problem, a series of blood tests to measure thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), and sometimes triiodothyronine (T3) levels is ordered to assess how well the thyroid is functioning. For cases of hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid, doctors usually prescribe medication to replace thyroid hormones. For hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid, on the other hand, treatment options may include medication, therapy using radioactive iodine, or surgery. With treatment, patients can re -

Health& Fitness

turn to balanced thyroid hormone levels, relieving symptoms and improving their overall quality of life.

Why spreading awareness matters

BEING aware of possible thyroid health issues through early detection is important since many cases can go undiagnosed and may possibly lead to complications like heart disease, infertility, depression, and extreme fatigue. These symptoms may also be misinterpreted as a result of aging, stress, or poor lifestyle choices instead of thyroid problems.

Thyroid disorders are more common in women but can also affect men and even children. Lifestyle and nutrition also play a key role when it comes to thyroid health. By educating the public about certain lifestyle factors that support the thyroid like managing stress and avoiding certain environmental toxins can improve overall well-being. With regular screening and education, medical professionals can provide appropriate medical attention sooner, not later so awareness really helps people recognize when to get tested.

Advocates are concerned about the widespread lack of awareness regarding thyroid disease, which impacts an estimated 200 million people worldwide. In a recent thyroid summit, Dr. Aurora Macaballug, President of the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM), said that many people remain unaware of the symptoms, risks, and importance of thyroid health. “As a group, we are strengthening our

thyroid health advocacy and commitment. We have had a successful run before the pandemic and now we are again actively working alongside the Department of Health and other partners.”

Gaps in knowledge can mean delayed diagnoses and inadequate treatment, but the fundamental lack of data is also hampering the necessary interventions. People at risk for thyroid diseases include newborns and pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially those who are deficient in their iodine intake.

According to Dr. Teofilo San Luis, Jr. National Coordinator of the Iodine Global Network, this is where the focus should be because when a woman gets pregnant and she has goiter, the impact is on the brain development of the fetus. “We need to rescue the intelligence quotient (IQ) of these children before they are born. Once they are born, the brain structure is already there.”

Based on the 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey of about 48,530 households, it showed that only 64.9 percent were aware of iodized salt. While over half, or 55.7 percent, reported using iodized salt, only about a third of households, or 33.2 percent, were using adequately iodized salt (at least 15 parts per million of iodine).

Experts rue lack of data on thyroid disease “ Ov E r A LL , t here is not much data available about thyroid disease in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region,” says Dr. Daveric Pagsisihan, PCEDM Board Member and Chairper -

son of its Advocacy Committee.

For example, the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism (about 0.038 percent), a cause of developmental delay, is detected through the Newborn Screening Program. In comparison, data on the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction (8.53 percent) is based on the Philippine Thyroid Diseases Study (PhilTiDeS). “In addition to raising awareness among the public and healthcare professionals, we need to collect data through surveillance, target screenings for highrisk groups, and work on standardized clinical guidelines for the region,” Dr. Pagsisihan said.

r e cently, the PCEDM Thyroid Advocacy Council brought together several advocates, healthcare professionals, and community members in the province of Capiz for “Goiter Alagaan! Wag Pabayaan.” In observance of Goiter Awareness Week, held every fourth week of January, the event included a medical forum and informative lay lecture aimed at raising awareness about goiter and thyroid health.

“We are still far from the finish line, but at least we have five ‘P’s to guide us. First is partnership, where collaboration and communication is important. Second is profiling through gathering of data that will support our advocacy. Next is policymaking since efforts with the government achieve common goals. Promotion, as we will continue to raise awareness about thyroid health for all patients. Lastly, a proactive mindset keeps us moving forward,” said Dr. Erick Mendoza, President, Philippine Thyroid Association.

Japanese firms team up for dengue awareness, prevention

By Vincent Peter Rivera

OTS u k A-S O LA r Philippines, Inc. and Takeda Healthcare Philippines, Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding to raise awareness at the community level and implement integrated approaches towards dengue at Diamond Hotel last January 6, 2025.

Dr. Enrique A. Tayag, former undersecretary of the Department of Health and public health advocate, revealed during the event that as of November 2024, the Philippines recorded the highest numbers of dengue cases in the Southeast Asian region with a total of 340, 860. “The highest fatality rate was observed in the very young [nine years old and below] and those 60 years and above,” he added. With the continuous threat of dengue among Filipinos, Otsuka-Solar and Takeda formed an alliance with the hope of managing the infection in the country and achieving the World Health Organization goal of zero dengue deaths by 2030.

Me T R o Pacific Health Tech Corporation (mwel l), the pioneering digital healthcare arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), has entered into agreements with the Ayala Group to acquire KonsultaMD, an Ayalaled telehealth provider. This strategic acquisition will reinforce mwel l’s position as the largest and leading digital healthcare ecosystem in the Philippines, significantly expanding its reach and capabilities. K onsultaMD is the flagship healthcare platform of Globe’s 917Ventures. From a health hotline in 2015, it has evolved into a superapp that provides comprehensive health services including 24/7 doctor consultations, diagnostics, medicine delivery and homecare. It currently has 2.7 million users and a vast network of partner doctors with deep expertise in mobile-based healthcare solutions. The acquisition is highly complemen -

“By combining the resources and the expertise of Otsuka and Takeda, we’ll be able to amplify the ongoing efforts and help promote the Department of Health’s advocacy on 5S and at the same time, promote the recent recommendation of WHO to ensure an integrated and multifaceted approach towards the prevention and control,” said Loreann E. v i llanueva, Country Manager of Takeda Healthcare Phil -

tary to mwe ll’s existing business offerings. As the only health and wellness app with an established digital health ecosystem, it brings together consultations and wellness resources both for physical and mind health for its 3.1 million users. Its global reach includes more than 90,000 users from across Asia, South America, Africa, North America, o c eania and e u rope. This integration is poised to accelerate the growth and expansion of MPIC’s health business, including Metro Pacific Health. KonsultaMD will continue to keep its brand and operate under MPIC/mwe ll management in the interim, ensuring continued access to key services while enhancing healthcare delivery. By uniting the KonsultaMD and mwel l platforms as digital gateways, this acquisition will expand MPIC’s reach, connecting more

ippines, Inc. “So hopefully, with our friends in Otsuka, we will be able to c ontribute to the zero dengue deaths.”

k e n Saito, President of Otsuka-Solar Philippines, also shared the same mission of containing the disease through the collaboration. “The partnership with Takeda aligns perfectly with our mission to provide health awareness in the Philippines by combining our strengths in hydration and

health education. We aim to provide the community with the knowledge and tools to prevent diseases like Dengue while also overall wellness.”

Presently, Takeda Healthcare Philippines, Inc., a pharmaceutical ompany specializing on rare diseases treatments, has already reached out to seven cities to provide community level awareness, training among healthcare professionals, and education on dengue.

While Otsuka-Solar Philippines, Inc., a company that focuses on nutrition and pharmaceutical (nutraceutical) products like Pocari Sweat, has successfully conducted dengue activation days to educate communities about dengue and distributed 1,124 dengue kits to both public and private institutions.

The Japanese Embassy in the Philippines also extended its support to the collaboration. Dr. Fumiko Aoki, First Secretary and Health Attache of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, together with v i llanueva and Saito led the formal signing ceremony.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

How important are dialogues to address the issues of Universal Health Care (UHC)?

Unilab Foundation’s Unilab Center for Health Policy (UCHP) Program serves as a dialogue partner and advocate for evidencebased health policies to achieve the UHC mandate in coordination with the public and private sectors, healthcare providers, patient groups, and other stakeholders.

The results of the dialogues are shared with the Department of Health (D o H ) and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to supplement their own field studies.

The UCHP gathered top local officials and health sector stakeholders in Iloilo to discuss ways to improve further the delivery of medical services under PhilHealth’s outpatient package, Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) Program.

For UCHP Program Director Ruben Basa, dialogues are vital.

The UCHP, he said, seeks to act as a local laboratory for UHC implementation, aiming to achieve UHC one LGU at a time.

o u r work is rooted in research and evidence-based implementation,” he said, adding that Konsulta is a key program to achieve the objectives of the UHC law, which promises access to a comprehensive range of health services and benefits from promotive and preventive to curative and rehabilitative health services.

A t the said multistakeholder forum, he presented key findings from a UCHPcommissioned research that analyzed the country’s health expenditures over three decades.

It revealed both p rogress and persistent gaps: health spending in the Philippines has grown 30-fold since 1991, yet out-ofpocket expenses remain alarmingly high, accounting for 44 to 45 percent of total expenditures, well above the health reform targets of 20 percent

Iloilo leg

T H e Iloilo leg was the third stop, after the National Capital Region and Pampanga, of the UCHP-organized roundtable discussions throughout the country to ensure the smooth implementation of the Konsulta program. Mindanao will be the next venue of the multi-sector dialogues.

The local government was well-repreented in the Iloilo Konsulta dialogue, with Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr. represented by the Provincial Health o f ficer, Dr. Maria

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Socorro Quinon, and the municipal and city health officers exchanging inputs with the private sector representatives.

Bridging gaps through strategic collaboration I N h is closing remarks, Dr. Leopoldo Vega, a member of the UCHP Advisory Board, emphasized the value of the roundtable discussion as a collaborative platform for addressing health financing challenges.

“The Unilab Center for Health Policy successfully established a platform for dialogue among stakeholders. Indeed, this is one of those moments we can confidently say we are making progress and creating a meaningful impact in the implementation of primary health care,” Dr. Vega said.

MOP

A M o NG t he highlights of the discussion was the unveiling of the Konsulta Manual of o p erations (M o P), developed by UCHP principal researchers Dr. Mae Gonda and Dr. Shirley Domingo.

The M o P p rovides clear guidance on critical aspects such as provider accreditation, member registration, benefits availment, and financial sustainability. The main goal of the M o P s to provide convenience to providers, end users, and administrators. This guidebook aims to ensure consistent implementation of Konsulta across various health facilities, addressing common hurdles like financial governance, service delivery, and information dissemination.

“The Konsulta discussion has allowed us to address our needs and issues with respect to K onsulta Implementation. Both PhilHealth and the Department of Health are here to assist us.” Dr. Vega emphasized.

Shared vision for best quality health care for Filipinos T HR o U GH o U T t he activity in Iloilo, stakeholders reiterated the importance of fostering partnerships at all levels. The consensus was clear: the path to achieving UHC requires unified action.

D r. Vega concluded, “It is clear that we all share a common objective: to provide the best possible healthcare for Filipinos.” UCHP reaffirms its commitment to this mission. By leveraging evidence-based research, fostering dialogue among stakeholders, and addressing systemic challenges, UCHP stands at the forefront of advancing UHC in the Philippines. w i th concerted efforts and shared responsibility, the Konsulta program can fulfill its potential to transform the Philippine healthcare landscape.

Finland boosts cooperation on ethical labor mobility

THE Philippines and Finland have committed to ensure fair, ethical and sustainable working conditions for skilled Filipino workers in the Scandinavian country.

In a ceremony, Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), together with Min. Arto Olavi Sartonen of Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) that covers the ethical and sustainable labor mobility of Filipino specialists and skilled workers.

The signing was witnessed by the Philippines’ ambassador to Finland Domingo Nolasco and top Finnish envoy to the country Saija Nurminen, as well as more than 50 delegates from the Scandinavian country’s private sector.

Sartonen underscored Finland’s growing need for labor due to the country’s aging population, creating gaps in the workforce that, in turn, opens avenues for Filipino workers whom he said are key contributors to various industries: “There is a significant need for skilled workers, especially in health care, [information technology] and industrial sectors. The Philippines, along with India and Vietnam, remains one of our primary sources for labor migration, and we are

committed to ensuring that these workers are treated with the same rights and pay as their Finnish counterparts.”

The agreement is set to pave the way for more diverse opportunities, according to the Finnish minister.

Aside from work opportunities, he also discussed the possibility of upskilling overseas Filipino workers in Finland, and of bringing their families with them.

In his speech, Cacdac confirmed that the joint declaration reaffirms both governments’ vision for a future where labor mobility is governed by fairness, dignity and mutual benefit: “This collaboration reflects our collective commitment to advancing the interests of Filipino workers and strengthening our partnerships.”

He furthered that the declaration aims to reinforce the long-standing bilateral relations between the Philippines and Finland, which is focused on enhancing the protection and welfare of Filipino workers in the said European country while promoting fair and transparent recruitment processes.

Both officials emphasized their

shared commitment to ensuring that Filipino workers are treated with dignity and respect throughout their employment journey.

The secretary said the signing of the declaration also reflects the DMW’s commitment to advancing Filipino workers’ interests and boosting global ties.

Among the key areas of cooperation outlined in the JDI include Filipino workers’ sustainable labor mobility, rights and welfare protection; addressing and combating issues of exploitation and abuse in the international recruitment process; supporting employment opportunities; and exploring the potential for a formal memorandum of understanding to further strengthen labor mobility frameworks.

The two countries have pledged to address issues related to recruitment

transparency and workers’ rights, with particular focus on health-care professionals.

Usec. Patricia Yvonne Caunan shared a key feature of the declaration ensuring that the said professionals are properly licensed to practice in Finland, and that they have valid work visas and contracts in place before departing the Philippines: “Our ethical recruitment framework ensures that Filipino workers go through a rigorous and regulated process to protect them from exploitation.”

Cacdac highlighted the importance of ethical recruitment, urging Filipino workers to ensure they use licensed recruitment agencies to avoid the risk of exploitation: “Our message is clear: Join the safe and ethical way, which means ensuring proper documentation and contracts are in place.”

Marita Moaje/PNA

Israel commemorates Holocaust, decries antisemitism with DepEd

THE Embassy of Israel in the Philippines recently partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) for the annual commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The deputation said this “darkest chapter in history saw one-third of the Jewish population murdered simply because they were Jewish.”

“Holocaust remembrance is not just about looking back: It is a commitment to confronting hatred, denial and distortion. The fight against antisemitism continues today, and we must be unwavering in our resolve to fight it—including through education,” Amb. Ilan Fluss of Israel pointed out. “Antisemitism—the hatred that fueled the Holocaust— continues to rise globally, including in the Philippines, and is alarming. We cannot simply watch as this hateful ideology spreads.” The ambassador thanked the Department of Education (DepEd) and Sec. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara for making the event possible, and for their ongoing commitment to Holocaust remembrance in DepEd facilities.

“Today’s commemoration is not just about remembering the past: It’s about reaffirming our commitment to an education that will help our youth reject hate, [embracing diversity, and working] to create a future where unity triumphs over division,” said Usec. Gina Ong of the DepEd’s Curriculum and Teaching.

On behalf of his family, Gabriel Quezon-Avanceña retold the act of humanity of his grandfather—former president Manuel L. Quezon—who opened the doors of the Philippines to some 1,300 Jewish refugees who fled the Nazi regime.

The commemoration event

featured a photo exhibit and highlighted the lighting of six candles

representing the 6 million Jews who perished during the Holocaust. The candles were lit by Fluss, Ong, Quezon-Avanceña, Amb. Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke of Germany, Jewish Community in the Philippines president Salito Malca and DepEd learner Rhian May Gonzales.

Representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, local government unit of the City of Manila, Jewish community, DepEd teachers and learners, as well as the diplomatic community, were also in attendance.

The ceremony was held on January 31 at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila. The United Nations General Assembly designated every January 27th as “International Holocaust Remembrance Day.”

Blumentritt descendant visits PHL for first time

IN what was described by the Embassy of Austria as “a significant and historic visit,” Elke Pickert—the greatgreat-granddaughter of the esteemed teacher, lecturer and author of articles and books on Philippine ethnology Ferdinand Blumentritt—toured Manila for the very first time.

Prof. Blumentritt’s works include the translation of Noli Me Tangere into German. He also contributed significantly to La Solidaridad—the revolutionary publication that advocated for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is well known among Filipinos not just for the famous streets and the Light Rail Transit station named after him, but also for his close friendship with Dr. José Rizal. The rich correspondence between the two served as a vital reference for Rizal historians and enthusiasts, while also symbolizing the strong relationship between Austria and the Philippines today. His daughter Dolores, whom Rizal called “Loleng,” married Dr. Karl Pickert and finally settled in 1903 in Kufstein—a town in the western Austrian province of Tyrol where their legacy lives on to this day.

Born in Vienna in 1969, Elke now lives in the house that Dolores Blumentritt bought in 1913 in Kufstein. She shared that her grandfather, Prof. Harald Pickert—son of Dolores and Karl—was a painter and graphic artist. Her parents sorted his artworks and kept some in the cellar, where Elke found two very beautiful portraits of Dolores and hung them up in her living room. It was only when Dr. Johann Stockinger, who is an anthropologist and founder of the Austro-Philippine Society, pointed it out to her and learned they were by renowned late 19thCentury Filipino painter, sculptor and political activist Juan Luna.

On February 4, the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) led a guided tour for Elke and her husband Michael Ocvirk, where both explored key sites around Manila, including the Rizal Park. The group continued their journey in Intramuros, where they visited the Museo de Rizal at Fort Santiago and the newly opened Centro de Turismo. They concluded the day with a tour of the National Museum of Fine Arts, where they viewed notable works by Rizal and Luna—both close friends of Blumentritt.

Of particular interest was Luna’s watercolor painting Bandera Filipina:” a treasured loan from the National Library of the Philippines. The art piece was a gift from the artist to Blumentritt during his visit to Litoměřice (then Leitmeritz).

Warm welcome

TO mark the historic visit, Austrian ambassador to the

Philippines Johann Brieger hosted a dinner reception that brought together prominent national historians and directors from Philippine cultural institutions. They engaged in discussions that highlighted Prof. Blumentritt’s historical significance, as well as the enduring friendship between Austria and the Philippines. According to Brieger, “Ms. Pickert’s presence is not only a personal connection to the past, but a celebration of the enduring legacy of Ferdinand Blumentritt’s commitment to the Philippines. Her ancestor’s work in promoting understanding between our people, his scholarly contributions, and his unwavering moral support played an essential role during a crucial time in Philippine history.” The reception was attended by historian and Rizal expert Prof. Ambeth Ocampo; National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chair Regalado Trota Jose Jr.; NMP’s Board of Trustees chair Andoni M. Aboitiz; director general Jeremy Barns and deputy director general for Museums Jorell Legaspi; Filipino historian Prof. Xiao Chua; the Philippines’ honorary consul in Tyrol Prof. Christian Traweger; as well as Knights of Rizal-Blumentritt Chapter members Ricky Ornopia, Jairus Espiritu and Vincent Santiago. In a gesture of appreciation and cultural exchange, Elke presented to the NMP and the NHCP a set of reproductions of two family heirlooms: watercolor portraits of her Dolores painted by Luna.

For Elke, her trip to the Philippines was a moving experience that connected her not only to her own family history, but also to the rich culture and history of the country: “I had known the story of my greatgreat-grandfather…since my youth, but it was only now that I had the opportunity to follow his footsteps on the ground.’’ She believes the most special thing about the relationship between her great-grandfather and Rizal was their deep intellectual and personal connection based on mutual respect, shared values and a passionate interest in education and cultural exchange.

“Their friendship was a remarkable example of how two people from completely different worlds—Europe and Asia—could build a bridge between their cultures,” she added. “At a time when prejudice and colonial dominance were widespread, their friendship showed that empathy and respect are the true foundations for building bridges between nations and peoples.”

Elke wishes to honor the memory of her great-great grandfather by fostering stronger ties binding the Philippines and Austria through cultural exchanges, with the support of local cultural institutions and the latter’s deputation in Manila.

THE signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent between Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers PNA/MARITA MOAJE

SHARED VISION Australia’s deputy ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Moya Collett (third from left) and Philippine Eagle Foundation director for operations Dr. Jayson Ibañez (back) mingled with participants during the “Fellowship Assessment and Re-Entry Action Plan”

PICKERT at Ferdinand Blumentritt’s bust in Rizal Park

JEWISH Community in the Philippines president Salito Malca (from left), Amb. Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke, Amb. Ilan Fluss, Usec. Gina Ong, Gabriel Quezon-Avanceña and DepEd learner Rhian May Gonzales

Anya Resort Tagaytay Redefines Luxury with Personalized Service, Reliable Connectivity

FOR seven years, Anya Resort Tagaytay has been recognized as a beacon of luxury by international travelers and Manila’s elite. This Philippine gem, nestled in the heart of Tagaytay, is designed to offer a world-class experience and was conceived by its visionary founder, Santiago “Santi” Elizalde.

The resort’s unique character has been crafted by blending the finest elements of global luxury hotels, which has resulted in an exclusive boutique retreat that is conveniently situated just an hour south of Metro Manila. Its prestigious status has been cemented through its membership in the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, an elite group where only 500 exceptional properties worldwide have been selected.

The resort’s steadfast commitment to luxury is demonstrated through its guestcentric approach. “Personalized service is what we aim for,” remarked Mikel Arriet, General Manager of Anya Resort Tagaytay. Each guest is carefully matched with an “Anya Experience Assistant” through whom their stay can be customized beyond the luxury accommodations that are provided.

A diverse range of options is offered, from family-friendly activities that can be enjoyed by all ages to gourmet six-course international meals that have been expertly prepared, or local specialties such as the region’s famous Bulalo. For guests seeking rejuvenation, an extensive range of wellness treatments and services is provided at the resort’s wellness center, Niyama.

Connectivity has been integrated as a fundamental aspect of the guest experience in worldwide travel. “Throughout the industry’s history, connectivity has been considered a major part of hospitality, like with connecting the room to the front desk. Now, when connectivity is discussed, Wi-Fi and the internet are what are thought of,” observed Arriet.

The General Manager noted that internet access has been elevated above breakfast in guests’ priorities, which highlights how the demand for fast, reliable connections in hotels has been intensified globally. Equal importance is placed on its utilization for the enhancement of hotel operations. As a hands-on manager, operations across the property are monitored by Arriet through his mobile device. “Everything is processed through my cellphone. That is why strong signal data access throughout the property is of utmost importance to me, so that messages from my staff can be addressed immediately regardless of where I am located.”

Anya Resort Tagaytay’s connectivity needs have been addressed through their partnership with Converge ICT Solutions

Inc. The technology company’s selection has been made in alignment with the resort’s service-oriented philosophy of providing seamless, worry-free service. A contrast with their previous internet provider is drawn by Arriet. “The previous service provider and their technicians were based in Manila. When an issue needed to be fixed, in one instance, it took a week before it was resolved.” Such delays were found to have hampered the resort’s cloud-based operations and negatively impacted the guests’ experience. A significant improvement in service reliability has been experienced since the resort’s switch to Converge. Quick responses for maintenance, troubleshooting, and technical support have been enabled by Converge’s presence in Tagaytay and proximity to the resort. Through this efficiency, downtime has been minimized, by which smooth operations at the resort have been ensured.

A remarkable transformation in service quality was quickly noticed by the Anya Resort Tagaytay’s guests after the switch to Converge. Arriet shared that prior to Converge, complaints about poor Wi-Fi connectivity were frequently received at Anya Resort.

“The impact of such issues can be observed in the end. Alternative accommodations with stronger Wi-Fi connections are sought by guests instead of choosing Anya,” Arriet pointed out. “Since our transition to Converge was made, I did not receive a single negative comment about Wi-Fi from our guests. By partnering with Converge, we sent a clear message to our guests that we acknowledged

Have an Unparalleled Valentine’s Day celebration at Eastwood City

THIS Valentine’s Day, Eastwood City sets the stage for a celebration brimming with charm, excitement, and unforgettable moments. Whether you’re reveling in the spark of new love or celebrating the depth of a lasting connection, Quezon City’s Entertainment Capital beckons lovers to immerse themselves in a journey of romance, where every destination offers a new chapter in their love story. Here are some date ideas for a Valentine’s Day like no other: Hallyu Hearts STEP into the world of K-drama romance at the Hallyu Hearts event which is set to feature a lineup of exciting activities for guests and couples. On February 14, 2025 enjoy a special Valentine’s Day concert at 6 pm at the Eastwood Mall Open Park, featuring rising local acts Jarlo Base, Ace Banzuelo, and Angela Ken. The celebration continues with a couple’s trivia night on February 15, 5 pm at Eastwood Citywalk’s 4F, while

the Eastwood Central Plaza will enchant visitors with snow and bubble shows throughout the weekend.

SuperPark Philippines FOR a Valentine’s Day filled with excitement, head to SuperPark, the world-famous indoor theme park at Eastwood City. With expansive spaces for classic park games and innovative techintegrated attractions, it’s the perfect place for couples to bond over fun and adventure. 4F, Eastwood Mall

Whimsical Wonderland STEP into a dreamscape at Whimsical Wonderland, where immersive spaces are filled with enchanting installations and Instagram-worthy moments. Perfect for both couples and families, this interactive experience invites you to explore captivating displays that spark wonder and creativity. 4F, Eastwood Mall

and quickly addressed their essential need for fast and dependable internet connectivity,” Arriet added.

Anya Resort Tagaytay’s position is a testament to luxury hospitality maintained through the combination of world-class accommodations with personalized services. Its dedication to excellence and drive to give guests comfort beyond their expectation showed in their quick action to address an essential need of modern-day travel.

The resort’s partnership with Converge brought about a transformative effect that helped elevate the promise Anya Resort pledges to its guests the moment they step foot on the property: a worry-free, soul-rejuvenating stay. Guest satisfaction

is not only enhanced by the collaboration, but hotel operations are also streamlined, allowing focus to be maintained by Anya Resort on its core strength: the delivery of an exceptionally elegant luxurious experience. The resort’s vision extends beyond its current achievements, continuing in its goal to be recognized as the epitome of world-class hospitality in the Philippines. This aspiration is supported by its unwavering commitment to quality service, demonstrated through every aspect of its operations. Through the combination of luxurious accommodations, personalized service, and now, robust, reliable connectivity, progress toward this ambitious goal is not far beyond its reach.

Ring in the Love Month with MR.DIY’s ‘Taiwan-A Be With You’ Raffle Promo

GO where love takes you as leading home improvement retailer MR.DIY invites you to embark on your next romantic adventure with the exciting “Taiwan-A Be with You” raffle promo.

WHIMSICAL Wonderland

Artboom

FOR a unique and artsy Valentine’s Day, head to Artboom, where couples can unleash their creativity and paint their own masterpieces. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a beginner, this hands-on experience offers a fun way to connect while creating something truly personal to bring home. 4F, Eastwood Mall

PlayTime Trailblazes with Game-Changing Innovations

GEARING up for elevated fun and excitement in 2025, PlayTime recaps its game-changing milestones and innovations in digital entertainment.

“The milestones and innovations we have achieved inspire us to continue what we have started and help us reach more Filipinos in need of quality entertainment anytime and anywhere,” PlayTime Senior PR Manager Jay Sabale shared. With over 2,500 games to choose from, PlayTime has a wide array of games: card games, sports, arcade, and other fun and interactive games that challenge opponents and subscribers, bringing enjoyment and thrill. The excitement continues with PlayTime’s introduction of new and exciting ways to play, launching exclusive games to allow better engagement and interactivity. PlayTime will also enter the digital bingo scene soon.

PlayTime warrants up to two percent guaranteed cashback, the highest in the country. Experience the best online gaming with Playtime as it has the easiest and fastest cashout of winnings, with a guaranteed withdrawal of 10 minutes and a P1,000 guarantee for any delayed orders. For those who are new to online gaming, PlayTime gives its new players a free bonus worth P3,875. Playtime takes you to a delightful and fun-filled online gaming pleasure, helping you win big and earn more. With its advanced encryption technology, PlayTime payment methods are safe and secure. This innovative online gaming platform gives you the ultimate gaming experience.

In July 2024, PlayTime announced veteran TV host, producer, comedian, and actor, Vic Sotto as its brand ambassador. Spanning more than four decades of his career in Philippine entertainment, Sotto is an excellent choice as Playtime ambassador, making a stronger presence online to help bridge digital entertainment to more Filipinos.

In just six months, PlayTime saw a soaring boost in subscribers, reaching 15 million in six months.

Towards the end of 2024, Playtime has already hit more than 20 million subscribers with two million active players each day, with a frequency of playing thrice a day. “It was a remarkable feat considering that we are a newcomer in the industry,” Sabale said. This makes Playtime a contender as the fastest growing online games platform in the country.

Filipino classic card games are now available online as PlayTime launched the digital versions of some of the Philippines’ well-loved classic card games, Tongits Time, Pusoy Time and Texas Time, that can be played interactively with friends via digital platform and in real time.

These games bring back good memories and nostalgia and entice more players to share thrills and laughter while playing their favorite Filipino card games.

Since PlayTime’s inception in the digital gaming platform, their presence has been felt not only in the online world but also on-ground. PlayTime has been doing various partnerships in the entertainment, sports, and IT industries.

This is a part of PlayTime’s commitment to supporting and elevating the experience in the Philippine arts, culture, and entertainment.

Playtime has successfully forged tie-ups with the following: Bb. Pilipinas 2024, PMPC Star Awards for Film and Music, Beer Below Zero, Preview Ball 2024, Tribute to Soldiers, Fireworks Circus Music Festival, Reyes Cup, Akon’s Concert, Bumper to Bumper Car Show, and 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.

Due to PlayTime’s impressive first year in operation, PlayTime pays it forward to the Filipino community through various causes.

PlayTime CARES, where CARES is an acronym for Community, Action, Relief, Empowerment, and Sustainability, is Playtime’s Corporate Social Responsibility project that aims to help Filipinos in their needs.

PlayTime also had a joint venture with Alagang Kapatid where the company donated starter kits for fire victims of Tondo last December 2024.

PlayTime, through PlayTime CARES, established a partnership with Gawad Kalinga. With this, PlayTime will be sponsoring a series of PlayTime playgrounds with Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) to provide a fun and interactive space for kids and families to stay fit and active.

PlayTime also provided reusable eco bags to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) project called “Walang Gutom 2027”. It is a Flagship program of the President under Executive Order No. 44 that aims to help in the fight against hunger. PlayTime plays an important role as the official partner of DSWD, providing eco bags to be utilized by millions of recipients of this noteworthy program.

PlayTime is a Remote Gaming Licensee (RGL) of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). For unparalleled online gaming experience, PlayTime is easily accessible via popular payment gateways or www. playtime.ph, where every moment is fun-filled, and every peso brings one closer to winning big and earning more.

Until March 31, 2025, shop at any participating MR.DIY stores nationwide to be one of the two winners of an allexpense-paid trip for two to Taiwan.

How to Join: SPEND a minimum of P500 in a single receipt at any participating MR.DIY store within the promo period. Scan the QR code displayed in-store or log on to https:// forms.gle/sSH3nQLGurFSp8Fn9. Complete the online form by providing your name, email address, mobile number, home address, receipt details, purchase amount, and store location. Upon submission, you will receive an email confirmation. Retain the original receipt dated within the promo period as proof of purchase. Winners will be announced on MR.DIY’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mrdiyPH).

Don’t miss this chance to make your Taiwan dreams come true with MR.DIY! Shop now and submit your entries for an unforgettable experience! To learn more about MR.DIY’s products and promotions, visit www.mrdiy.com/ph/ and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-211806 Series of 2025.

MR.TOY’s Toddler Treats Boost Memory, Social Skills Through Playful Learning

MR.TOY is thrilled to present Toddler Treats, a specially curated collection of toys designed to spark joy, foster creativity, and enhance essential skills in toddlers. This exciting range of products helps develop memory, social skills, and problem-solving abilities, all while keeping little ones engaged in fun and imaginative play.

Memory Game & Builder (Ages 3+) THESE toys are perfect for improving memory retention and concentration. The Memory Game strengthens cognitive abilities by encouraging children to match cards and recall images, while the Builder set helps develop spatial awareness and fine motor skills, laying the foundation for problem-solving.

Butterfly Dress Set & Wooden Number Puzzle (Ages 3+) THE Butterfly Dress Set promotes creativity and self-

expression, as children mix and match different outfits for their butterfly friends. The Wooden Number Puzzle builds early numeracy skills and enhances hand-eye coordination, making learning fun and interactive.

The Tea Play Set THE Tea Play Set encourages role-playing and enhances social skills, as toddlers pretend to serve tea and engage in cooperative play with others. Building Blocks foster creativity and fine motor development, encouraging little ones to build and explore shapes and structures.

Squishy Animal Pop-Out Cut & Slime (Ages 4+) These squishy toys offer a calming sensory experience, helping children manage stress while improving their sensory awareness and

Editor:GerardS.Ramos

Raising stronger kids: Fighting malnutrition with smart nutrition

THE start of a new year is filled with hope, especially for parents who want the best for their children’s health. However, malnutrition remains a persistent challenge in the Philippines, threatening the growth, development, and well-being of millions of children.

Despite improvements in healthcare, many Filipino children still suffer from undernutrition, vitamin deficiencies, and even obesity — conditions often rooted in limited awareness and access to proper nutrition. Parents play a crucial role in reversing these trends by fostering healthy eating habits and ensuring their children receive the right nutrients for growth and development.

THE REALITY OF MALNUTRITION IN PHL

According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM-2), one in three Filipino children experiences stunted growth or malnutrition. The World Bank further ranks the Philippines fifth in the East Asia and Pacific region for the highest prevalence of stunting, placing the country among the 10 nations worldwide with the highest number of stunted children.

One of the major causes of malnutrition is the lack of proper nutritional guidance during early childhood. This leaves many children vulnerable to undernourishment, especially during critical developmental stages. Childhood malnutrition, particularly stunting, has long-term effects beyond physical limitations, leading to poor cognitive development, lower educational achievement, and decreased productivity in adulthood.

UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSES OF MALNUTRITION

MALNUTRITION stems from multiple factors, including insufficient dietary intake, poor nutrient absorption, and inefficient nutrient utilization. These deficiencies manifest in different forms, such as: Stunting (low height-for-age); Underweight (low weight-for-age); and Wasting (low weight-for-height)

While access to food is important, the quality of nutrition children receive is critical in fighting malnutrition. Providing a balanced diet rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins is key to ensuring proper physical and mental development.

ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR HEALTHY GROWTH

PARENTS should focus on key macronutrients and minerals that support their children’s growth.

4

n Protein: Essential for tissue repair and

muscle growth, protein can be found in lean meats, dairy, eggs, and legumes. Underweight children may need extra calories from healthy sources such as healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein—not junk food.

n Iron: Vital for delivering oxygen to cells, ironrich foods include meat, eggs, and leafy greens.

n Zinc: Plays a crucial role in cell growth and immune function. Foods like beef, spinach, and beans are excellent sources.

n Arginine: Supports bone growth and stimulates growth hormone release, aiding linear growth. It is found in nuts, grains, legumes, meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy.

n Vitamin K2: Helps calcium absorption and transport into bones, promoting stronger bone density. It also supports cardiovascular health. Good sources include fermented dairy products like yogurt and cheese, as well as animal-based foods like meat and eggs.

While these nutrients can be sourced from everyday foods, ensuring children receive adequate amounts is vital. Parents should consult pediatricians about supplements or specialized formulations if necessary.

SUPPLEMENTING NUTRITION FOR GROWTH

FOR children who may require additional nutritional support, specialized formulations like PediaSure Plus offer a scientifically designed solution. Packed with 37 growth nutrients, including Natural Vitamin K2 for strong bones and added Arginine for faster linear growth, these formulations help children reach their full potential.

Dr. Jose Dimaano, Jr., Nutrition Medical Director for Asia Pacific at Abbott (www.abbott.com), the global healthcare leader behind Pediasure Plus, emphasizes: “Understanding and being attentive to your children’s dietary needs is vital for their growth and development. Providing a balanced diet that includes essential nutrients like Arginine and Vitamin K2 can promote bone growth and overall physical development. Ensuring they receive proper nutrition through a healthy diet, supplemented with the right formulations when necessary, optimizes their health and helps them reach their full potential.” By prioritizing proper nutrition, parents and caregivers can set their children up for success, helping them grow healthier, stronger, and ready to face the future with confidence. Let’s make this year a milestone for better health and stronger kids. n

ways parents can help kids have a great summer at camp

FOR generations of kids, summer camp has been a familiar rite of passage. They’d get some exercise, maybe learn a new skill, and hopefully build a few new friendships before the lazy days of summer ended. Whatever the camp’s focus might be, kids could mostly count on a predictable ritual of sunny days and nights around the campfire.

But the pandemic-disrupted summers of 2020 and 2021 turned the camping experience, like most every other part of American life, upside down. Some camps closed, while others attempted to host kids and adopted safety precautions. For many parents of kids too young to get vaccinated, camp just wasn’t an option.

So this year, many families may be attempting a “normal” they haven’t tried since 2019—or haven’t tried at all. And after two years of hybrid school schedules and learning online, kids may feel trepidation at an in-person camp. Fortunately, camping experts say, there are plenty of ways parents at home can help support their summer campers.

SHARE INFO ABOUT YOUR CAMPER

THIS year, “kids need more,” says Tom Rosenberg, president and CEO of the American Camp Association. “They need more supervision, they need more coaching.” Camp directors and counselors might be especially grateful for insight into the children they’re hosting. Communicate with the folks in charge: Knowing how a child responds to conflict “helps us provide a better experience for the camper,” agrees Julie Bowman, manager of camps and public experiences at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.

Think about dropping a note to camp directors sharing strategies that work for you with your child.

COMMUNICATE WITH CARE

PARENTS often write letters to sleepaway campers

explaining how terribly the kids are missed at home. These parents mean well, “but that 9-year-old kid really believes that their parent needs them. They’re worried about their parents,” says Bob Bechtold, director of programs at Pittsburgh’s Sarah Heinz House, which operates a day camp and overnight camp. And they might feel more homesick.

Rather than focusing your letter on how much you miss the child, Bechtold says, “it should be more prompts to get the kids to talk about their experiences and telling them how proud you are.”

Mention that you’re looking forward to hearing their stories about camp and you’re so glad they’re having new experiences.

“That puts them in a good place where they can be successful—where they’re not worried about home, where they’re not thinking about what’s going on there,” Bechtold says. “That’s what camp’s about—making those memories, living in the moment.”

Also, let your child know in your letters that this can be

a summer for trying new things and having fun rather than worrying about excelling, Rosenberg says.

SENDING SUPPLIES

CAMPS often have emergency items like towels that a camper can borrow. But kids can feel surprisingly uncomfortable telling a counselor they’ve forgotten something, Bechtold says. Some will do without key items rather than ask for help.

So if your child hasn’t left for camp yet, confirm what’s needed even if you believe you know, and use a written checklist when packing. And if camp has already begun, let your child know that if anything got left behind, they can tell their counselors and ask for help remedying the situation.

DEALING WITH DEVICES

HELP your child understand and follow the camp’s policy on phones and digital devices. Sometimes the rules can be jarring to kids who have spent lots of time on digital devices throughout the past couple of years.

At Bowman’s day camp, “we encourage them not to bring a cellphone,” she says. “And if they do bring a cellphone, we ask that they keep it tucked away.”

Rosenberg says this can be especially stressful for some boys who are more used to communicating via text or on gaming platforms where they’re not to show emotion or connect empathetically with others.

If your child hasn’t begun camp yet, confirm the policy on phones and other devices, and prepare your camper for it. If camp is underway and your child is frustrated that device use is limited, try to encourage them to embrace a screen-free (or at least screen-minimal) summer.

The beauty of camp, Rosenberg says, is that kids develop their budding identities by forming face-to-face connections with others. AP

NEXT TRIP CLOSER THAN EVER WITH NEW METROBANK CARD

AS wanderlust continues to soar among Filipinos, Metrobank announces the launch of the Metrobank Travel Signature Visa: the card that brings you closer to your next trip.

Designed for the modern adventurer, the new credit card enables Filipinos to turn everyday expenses into valuable rewards that lead you closer to your dream destination, making every purchase work harder for you. With this new travel must-have, consumers can fly faster with every purchase. Earn 1 mile for every P30 spent, whether it’s your grocery run, a daily coffee fix, or a splurge at a luxury boutique. These air miles can be redeemed with Metrobank’s frequent flyer partners such as Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles, Cathay, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Excitingly, AirAsia will soon be added to the roster. Ready to tick off another country in your bucket list? The new Metrobank Travel Signature Visa card gives you unlimited access to local airport lounges. Just visit any of the Metrobank partner lounges such as PAGSS and, soon, Plaza Premium. Enjoy comfort and convenience as you unwind before you board your flight. Simply present your credit card, passport, and international boarding pass to experience a stress-free start to your vacation. The Metrobank Travel Signature Visa also helps you unlock incredible savings with one of the lowest forex processing fees in the market at just 1.68%*. Spend confidently while dining and shopping abroad, knowing you’re getting the best value for your international purchase.

More information can be found at https://tinyurl. com/453fed6a.

JOLLIEST PARTY NOW A FEW CLICKS AWAY WITH NEW BOOKING WEBSITE

CELEBRATIONS form wonderful joys for both kids and kids-at-heart. Jollibee knows how important it is to make these moments happen, and now making the ultimate dream celebration easier than ever with the launch of its new online booking platform. Say goodbye to stressful party planning and hello to effortlessly booking your kid’s or your own dream celebration with the Jollibee Kids Party booking website. You can now book the jolliest party for anyone, anytime, anywhere through http://party.jollibee.com.ph. The new website helps you view available Jollibee branches across the country, giving you the best options nearby. After booking the ideal branch, target date and time, you can now access all the customizable party options. Choose from a variety of themes, from the festive Jollitown Theme Park, the thrilling Jollirace, or the dreamy Fairytale Land. The best part is you can customize the meals for you and all our guests using the new Create-Your-Own Meal feature. To add to the fun, you can even pick which mascots will be celebrating with your kid on their jolliest birthday. You can choose from among Jollibee, Hetty, Popo, Yum, and Twirlie to give them the best party moments and even join them in games and dances.

PHOTO BY KYLE SMITH ON UNSPLASH

Del Rosario off to fine start as Seong sets pace

Container Terminal Services Inc. Worldwide Link Philippine Ladies Masters at The Country Club in Santa Rosa, Laguna. Seong bounced back from a late mishap on the par-5 eighth, closing with a birdie on the ninth to take the top spot after a tough day with only 25 of the 131 starting field scoring under par.

Leading the local charge was Del Rosario, who overcame a shaky outward nine to end up in joint sixth.

“I didn’t do anything special to prepare for this tournament,” said Del Rosario, who finished tied for 11th in Jakarta. “I just took a week off after the Indonesian Open and stuck to my usual routine— range practice and short game work.”

The first Filipina to win on the Ladies Professional Golf Association of Taiwan (TLPGA) in 2017, Del Rosario got off to an impressive start with three birdies against a bogey in her first 11 holes from the back nine of the 6,337-yard layout. She positioned herself among the early frontrunners before stumbling with a bogey on the tough par-4 fifth hole, momentarily slipping down the leaderboard.

Undeterred, she regained her composure with two steady pars before mounting a strong comeback. At the par-5 eighth, she skillfully hacked her

Trump wants trans wins in NCAA reversed

WASHINGTON—The Department of Education took another step Tuesday in advancing the Trump administration’s new transgender policy for sports by asking the NCAA and a key high-school sports organization to restore titles, awards and records it says have been “misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories.”

The department’s office of general counsel sent a letter requesting the changes to the National Federation of State High School Associations and the NCAA. In a news release, the department said the request was “entirely consistent with the NCAA’s new policy.” The day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week aimed at banning transgender athletes from women’s and girls sports, the NCAA changed its participation policy to restrict competition in women’s sports to athletes who were assigned female at birth. Neither the NCAA nor the high school federation immediately returned emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. The most obvious target for reallocation on the college

approach from 25 yards to within six feet and confidently sank the putt. She followed up with another clutch six-footer on No. 9 after a precise 130yard approach, firmly re-establishing herself among the top contenders in the $200,000 tournament.

Coming off a 20th-place finish in Indonesia, Seong made an early statement by birdieing the first two holes at the back, then shined on the course’s signature island green par-3 17th, finishing her opening nine with a 33.

She carried her momentum into the front nine with birdies on Nos. 1 and 4, defying the odds and overcoming the challenges of the demanding TCC layout. Although she found herself in a fairway bunker on the par-5 No. 8, she played out but then dumped her third shot into the greenside bunker, resulting in her first bogey. Unfazed, the 25-year-old came up with two strong shots on the ninth for birdie.

Pattharat Rattanawan also posted a five-under card after 15 holes, featuring six birdies against one bogey. However, a costly bogey on the 17th hole derailed her momentum, allowing Seong to take control.

“I star ted strong and finished well,” said Seong, who has lived in the country for 15 years and played frequently at Riviera near her home in Silang, Cavite.

“But this course is really tough.”

Rattanawan ended up with a 68 for joint second with Parinda Phokan and

fellow Thai Nook Sukapan and Korea’s Kim Nahyun, with Han Nakyoung, also from Korea, also hitting birdie on the ninth to save a 69 and join del Rosario at sixth.

Phokan came agonizingly close to seizing the outright lead but faltered on the demanding par-4 18th with a three-putt miscue, settling for a 68 in what could have been a commanding start to the championship. The late bogey dampened her momentum in this fiercely competitive event, where confidence is key.

“My driving was strong, and my short game was nearly flawless, with an impressive up-and-down success rate,” said Phokan, whose birdie-blast on the par-3 11th fueled her blazing start.

S he praised the course, calling it “near-perfect,” and added, “The fairways and greens are in excellent condition—almost perfect.”

Kim made the most of the early morning conditions, thriving in the calm atmosphere to post a 68. Meanwhile, Sukapan birdied three of her final four holes on the front nine, finishing with a 33-35 to create a crowded leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Korean Son Yeonjung stole the spotlight with a hole-in-one on the 125-yard, par-3 sixth hole, using a pitching wedge and a Bridgestone ball No. 1, earning a $300 prize from the coorganizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., along with a trophy, a TCC cap and a polo shirt from the host club.

PHL men’s curling team a win away from semifinals

By Josef T. Ramos

HARBIN, CHINA—The Philippine men’s curling team beat Chinese-Taipei, 11-3, on Wednesday in the 9th Asian Winter Games at the Pingfang Curling Arena.  Filipino-Swiss Marc and Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller and Alan Frei went ahead 6-0 and held on to finish Group A play with a 3-1 win-loss slate.

The Philippines eyes a spot in the semifinals when it takes on Japan’s Ryo Aoki, Haruki Watanabe, Ayumu Hemmi and Rin Kyotoh on Thursday at 2 p.m.

We’re definitely going for a medal. This is going to be historic for the country,” lead curler Frei said.

S outh Korea will face the winner of the match between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong.

The Philippine women’s team faced a tough match against South Korea late Wednesday for a place in the semifinals.

C hina skip Wang Rui and her deputy Han Yu, lead Jiang Jiayi and

Su Tingyu defeated the unranked Filipina curlers, 9-5. That sent the Filipinas to a make-or-break encounter with the world No.3 Koreans.

Skip Kathleen Dubberstein, Leilani Sumbillo An, Anne Bonache and vice skip

Sheila Mariano fell to Kazakhstan earlier.

V ictory over the South Koreans will put the Filipina curlers in the semifinals on Thursday.

L aetaz Amihan Rabe finished sixth and last in the women’s freeski big air event at the Yabuli Ski Resort.

The event was originally scheduled for Thursday but organizers decided to hold the competition a day earlier because of the threat of strong winds, which left the athletes only a few hours to practice their routines.

The 15-year-old Rabe, the youngest in the field, did a 540 spin and several aerial moves, compiling 119.50 points from the six judges in the event dominated by China.

“I love the sport, and I hope to improve more. I’m still young and there’s no way to say no despite the results. I

always love to represent the Philippines,” Rabe said, adding that she will train every day in Switzerland to improve.

China’s veteran Liu Mengting, the gold winner in the slopestyle competition on Tuesday, delivered the best score of 175.50 points after a variety of gravity-defying maneuvers up to the final run to seal her back-to-back gold medals.

Fellow Chinese Han Linshan got the silver with 162.75 points after settling for the bronze medal in slopestyle the other day while another Chinese Yang Ruyi bagged the bronze with 159.50 points.  Ruyi won the silver in Tuesday’s slopestyle competition.

Japan’s Kiho Sugawara placed fourth with a 154.75 and compatriot Kondo Kanon scored 134.75 for fifth. Rabe also finished last at sixth spot in the freeski slopestyle event.

Figure skaters Cathryn Limketkai and Sofia Lexi Jacqueline Frank placed ninth and 10th, respectively, in the women’s single skating short program at the HIC Multifunctional Hall in downtown Harbin.

Who won the Super Bowl?

of Super Bowl LVII. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts inflicted the most pain on the Chiefs just by being disciplined, consistent and even-keeled and was named Super Bowl MVP.

B ut we’re not here to talk about the game. We’re here to talk about the sideshow. And it’s not the half time entertainment either.

T hey say there are two kinds of people who watch the Super Bowl: those that watch the game, and those who watch the commercials. In fact, one can’t mention the Super Bowl without conjuring TV commercials as a twin thought. Commercials and the Super Bowl go together. The NFL sporting event gathers a hefty and diverse worldwide audience that is now also being reached by various platforms of digital media. Super Bowl viewers span many demographics and age-groups, with women accounting for 40% of viewers. For companies that want to advertise, the Super Bowl is the must-join media event. Besides the commercials aired during the game, spots get additional airplay in newscasts and morning shows the next day. To say Super Bowl commercials have a life of their own is not an anomaly.

That makes the cost of commercial spots on the Super Bowl both mind blowing and mind boggling. In 1967, a 30-second spot cost advertisers $37,500 on NBC and $42,500  on CBS. This

B8 | Thursday, FeBruary 13, 2025

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

Luisita, Canlubang seize share of lead in PAL Seniors Interclub

48 as Abe Rosal scored 47 and Abraham Avena added 45. Del Monte matched Luisita’s 145 points behind Arsenio Mondilla’s 51, Crispin Aparilla’s 49, and

Bacolod Team B, the

division leader, is still in the hunt for history, despite a four-point penalty for

violations. Julius Susarno followed up his impressive 58-point performance with a 52, leading Bacolod as Primitivo Tabujara managed 40 and Allan Magallanes contributed 39 points. Manila Southwoods remains a serious threat, having posted a gutsy 140 points at Binitin. Joseph Tambunting shot 48, Monet Garcia added 47, and Judd Roy chipped in with 45. With 416 points overall, Southwoods is only three points off the lead. “It’s going to be a free-for-all,” said Junjun Plana, who will lead Southwoods’ final-day charge in the 76th staging of the PAL Interclub supported by Platinum

tied with Canlubang going into the final day.” C

CHOCO MUCHO and Cignal brace for crucial matchups on Thursday in their quest to build momentum heading into the knockout phase of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Tied for third place with a 6-3 record, the Flying Titans enter their 4 p.m. clash against the Nxled Chameleons with confidence, having won four straight matches. However, they remain cautious as the Chameleons rediscovered their winning ways with a four-set triumph over the Galeries Tower Highrisers.

Spearheaded by an explosive core of Sisi Rondina, Dindin Manabat, Isa Molde, Cherry Nunag and Des Cheng, Choco Mucho boasts a balanced offense complemented by solid defense that make them the overwhelming favorites over the Chameleons.

B ut Nxled (1-8) is looking to make the most of its remaining matches despite being out of contention for the upper half of the 12-team

became $1 million per spot  in 1995 and $5 million in 2017. In this year’s Super Bowl, 30-seconders sold for $8 million for just a single, not-even-a-minute-long exposure. Brands outdo themselves in reaching out to their vast audience They use humor, emotion or famous personalities to create a memorable commercial message that will grip viewers with a clever or heart-tugging presentation. One of the more memorable and still cited Super Bowl commercials was Coca Cola’s “Hey Kid, Catch” in Super Bowl XIV in 1980. A young fan offers a Coke to Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro defensive tackle “Mean Joe” Greene at the tunnel. He takes the bottle, drinks up the soda in one sip, then tosses the kid his well-worn jersey as a gift. Touching. The ad won a Clio Award (advertising’s Oscars) and was later regarded as “the best Super Bowl commercial of all time” by Advertising Age in 2011. Since then, Super Bowl ads have moved in many creative directions, with brands trying to outdo each other in terms of being memorable. One of the more fun and catchy ads of the present era is the Dunkin’ Donuts Super Bowl series that first aired in 2023 and starred Ben Affleck, a Dunkin’ fan in real life. The first version featured a cameo of his then partner Jennifer Lopez and got 7 billion impressions on its first airing. T he following season, the Dunkin’

standings. With no realistic chance of securing a higher seeding, the Chameleons are instead focused on gaining experience and momentum, especially with their final prelims assignment looming against the No. 2-ranked Petro Gazz Angels (8-1).

T he Chameleons’ recent victory was fueled by EJ Laure, who provided much-needed firepower with 19 points. Her strong presence on the court has injected confidence into her teammates, particularly Chiara Permentilla, May Luna, Jaycel delos Reyes and Lycha Ebon, who combined for 40 points in that match. Nxled’s head coach Ettore Guidetti will have to maximize his team’s strengths, particularly in scrambling for points through aggressive defense and transition plays. The Chameleons will need an almost flawless performance to stand a chance against a powerhouse team like Choco Mucho, but with nothing to lose, they could turn into a dangerous spoiler.

THOMAS

PAULINE DEL ROSARIO hits five birdies against two bogeys.

THE Philippines’ Anne Bonache releases the stone during their women’s curling match against China. AP

CHERRY NUNAG and the Flying Titans seek their seventh win in 10 matches.