BusinessMirror June 15, 2024

By Cai U. Ordinario

IMPROVING global economic activity is expected to boost the country’s Balance of Payments (BOP) this year and next year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

On Friday, BSP said the country’s overall BOP is expected to post a surplus of 1.6 percent this year and 1.5 percent next year.

These were upgraded outlooks compared to the surplus of 0.7 percent and deficit of 0.5 percent

ITYSTATE Properties and Management Corporation (CPMC) held an exclusive event, Sandari’s Investors Night, on June 11, 2024, at Azumi Boutique Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The event introduced potential investors to CPMC’s newest development, Sandari Calatagan, a beachfront property in Batangas known for its focus on holistic wellness. Sandari Calatagan promises a lifestyle that integrates wellness with nature. The highlight of the evening was an insightful speech by Calatagan Mayor Peter Oliver Palacio, who discussed the bountiful investment opportunities in Calatagan, Batangas.

Mayor Palacio emphasized Calatagan’s potential for growth, especially under the stewardship of credible developers like CPMC. “We are glad na nasa Calatagan na ang Citystate Properties, known developer. Ang hinahanap ng isang bayan, ng mga mayor ay credible developers, para at least

projected in the first quarter of the year.

“Overall, the latest global economic landscape continues to stand on firm ground as the emerging risks to the outlook over the next two years remain broadly

balanced,” the BSP said in a statement.

The BSP said the overall BOP position posted a $401-million deficit for the period January-April 2024, a reversal from the $3.3-billion surplus recorded in the same period last year.

The country’s gross international reserves (GIR) level, based on preliminary data, rose to $104.48 billion as of end-May 2024 from the end-April 2024 level of $102.65 billion.

In a briefing on the data, BSP Monetary Policy Sub-Sector Senior Assistant Governor Iluminada T. Sicat said risks to this outlook

development dire-diretso,” Palacio

The mayor also highlighted the impressive influx of tourists to

Calatagan, especially during peak seasons. This surge in tourism highlights the growing popularity and improving infrastructure of

KEY RISKS IMPACTING BOP OUTLOOK

Geopolitical tensions: Middle East tensions affecting oil prices and global growth

Trade restrictions: India’s rice export ban in 2023 due to El Niño Global supply chain disruptions: Higher costs and limited economic activities

Climate change: Impact on food production affecting trade and local food prices

Domestic inflation pressures: Rice production and African Swine Fever (ASF)

Calatagan, making it an increasingly attractive destination for both short-term visitors and long-term investors. “Last Holy Week—Holy Week alone—100,000 tourist arrivals. Most of them [stayed] overnight. May data rin kami—2022 yung 645,000, 19,000 nag -overnight. Ibig sabihin, almost 15%, at last year’s 695,000, 333,000 ang nag -overnight. Meaning, nag -improve ang aming accommodation. Nasa mga 48% ang nag -overnight [We also have data: in 2022, 19,000 of the 645,000 visitors stayed overnight. That means, almost 15 percent. And last year, 333,000 of the 695,000 stayed overnight. Meaning, our accommodation improved, overnighters are now at 48 percent].” Palacio compared Calatagan to Forbes Park in Makati, emphasizing Calatagan’s prestige and highlighting its appeal as a destination for the elite, now poised for revitalization and modern luxury through developments like Sandari

The Electrician and the Tram

AN Armenian invocation comes to mind, Djamangeen gar oo chagar. Once upon a time, there was and there wasn’t. It’s a fitting notion to chew on when you weigh the story of a large lot along F.R. Hidalgo in Quiapo district, framed on two sides by esteros that are today more sewage than canal, waterways that once witnessed the rise of the country’s first modern power station, La Electricista—The Electrician.

The place is largely empty today save for excavators and construction workers erecting a massive condominium by New San Jose Builders. You will need a bit of imagination to conjure past and future together, but the spot, where Estero de Quiapo and Estero de San Sebastian meet, is certainly one of the best places for rumination.[1]

Thinking of history is the easy part. One end of the street contains the only metal church in East Asia, rebuilt in 1891 after fire and an earthquake claimed the 17th-century wooden then brick iterations of the cathedral that gave the street its early name, Calle San Sebastian. A stereoscope photo taken from one of San Sebastian Church’s bell towers during the period shows the smokestacks of the coal-fueled power plant along the street, the same one where you can find the deteriorated Paterno House and Ocampo Mansion, and where once stood the grand Enriquez Mansion, since moved to and restored in its entirety in Casa Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan. As for the future, given the threat humanity faces today in climate change, one would do well to dwell on where and how our electricity was first produced in the Philippines if only to consider the kind of energy system the nation needs if we truly desire reliable, affordable, and sustainable power for the long haul. The country’s first modern power sector began 132 years ago, on 16 September 1892, to be exact. This was the day Compania La Electricista acquired an electric lighting concession in the Philippines, first established by Millat, Marti and Mitjans, then taken over by Jose Moreno Lacalle and the Tabacalera Company.

By Renato Redentor Constantino

FROM left to right: Gen. Amando Melo Jr., VP for Land Management, Citystate Properties & Management Corp. (CPMC); Atty. Ramon Posadas, CPMC Consultant; Pedro G. Palacio IV; ALC Group Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon; Calatagan Mayor Peter Oliver M. Palacio; D. Michelle Cabangon Chua, CPMC President; Maureen S. Azarcon, CPMC EVP; Ms. Sharon Tan; and Ar. Rafael D. Tecson, Architect, RDBT Construction Corporation.

yung

said.

AERIAL view of Manila Electric Company Main Power Plant (foreground), 1940 US NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

THE ELECTRICIAN AND THE TRAM

Economics historian Benito J. Legarda Jr. tells us the firm was “capitalized at 500,000 pesos [valued at PhP 84.7 million, or US$1.5 million today, of which 50,000 represented the value of the concession, contracts, and preparatory work” contributed by the original concession holders, with 100,000 pesos representing the value of machinery and electrical equipment “contributed by Thomson-Houston International Electric Co. of Boston.” Legarda noted “the rest of the capital would be contributed in cash by the other stockholders.”

Technical details in a Spanish literary magazine in 1902 indicated how La Electricista generated power: It used six 300 horsepower boilers that fed six “steam engines connected to a common axle.” Alberto Dalusung III, one of the country’s foremost energy experts, analyzed the technical details and said it was apparent “The exhaust steam from the engines was cooled by two surface condensers,” each with 500 horsepower, “and two boiler feedwater pumps [that] conveyed the water back in the boilers—making it a closed loop system.” In his analysis, Dalusung said “the engines drive 10 alternators of 60 kW each or 600 kW” and that a few years after commencing operations, the company seems to have “added larger boilers and steam engines” registering capacity at 1,900 kW or 1.9 MW. According to Dalusung, “If the load of the power system was just the 30,000

lights installed in the city,” the rating of the lights would be “around 60 watts or less.”

An American writer, Joseph Earle Stevens, described the illuminating impact of the power station when the “lights were first turned on at the opening of the Royal Exposition in Manila” on 23 January 1895: “All of the elite of Manila were present at the ceremonies… as … the closing hours of the day arrived, the new electric lights were turned on for the first time. Then all Manila, hitherto illuminated by the dull and dangerous petroleum lamps, shone forth under the radiance of several hundred arclights and a couple of thousand incandescent ones.”

Unfortunately, “the combination of high power plant maintenance costs and the turmoil caused by the Philippine-American War…led to losses for the company.”

In 1900 the entire archipelago was placed by the US under martial law. By 1903, despite spirited Filipino resistance, US occupation troops were firmly established in Luzon as it added more boots on the ground and expanded its presence to other islands. And more industries turned ripe for takeover, including the power sector.

Charles M. Swift, a Detroit lawyer and businessman, came in, “secured a fifty-year franchise to distribute electric lights and power in Manila” and, having acquired the Compania de Tranvias in 1903, founded the Manila Railway & Light Company, which

eventually became Meralco.[2]

So much history from an almost empty 5,622-square-meter lot, where Victoria de Hidalgo, a 42-story mixed-use high rise, will be built, on a street that was once plied by tranvias and named after the great painter, Felix Resureccion Hidalgo. But the inquiries certainly shouldn’t stop with Swift.

La Electricista used coal to power up its steam engines, the same fossil fuel that powered the industrial revolution that brought in waves of cheap British cotton fabrics that decimated local textiles such as jusi and piña The same coal that propelled US warships to Noveleta, Panay, and Lingayen Gulf to offload more US soldiers or bombard Filipino revolutionaries and afterwards head to East Asia to help suppress the Boxer Rebellion, prise open and lay claim to the market of China, and catapult America to its current global gendarme role—the world policeman.

The Philippines became the lilypad to what Cornell University historian Walter Lafeber described as “a historic precedent” after US President William McKinley, after the “Benevolent Assimilation” of the Philippines, decided to send 5,000 American troops from its naval base in Subic to help put down the Boxers in what was then called Peking. McKinley’s move gave birth to modern presidential war powers in the US where “the president without express authorization from Congress, could intervene in a sovereign nation act and, without the nation’s consent, go about reor -

dering its political affairs.” Connecting threads that link intercontinental resource grabs and wars on nature today should no longer elude us. The emergence of the United States as a global power, surpassing the might and reach of British and French imperial interests, will forever be tied to the role of coal in fomenting disposession in the late 19th century, advancing subjugation early in the 20th century, and fueling global climate chaos today. Wars fought to secure petroleum and gas were preceded by efforts to capture and deploy anthracite and bituminous coal.

Isn’t it time we made the con -

nection? Filipinos continue to refer to large seafaring vessels as “ bapor ” even though there are no more steamships around: all they remember is the term describing vapor released by steam engines fired up by coal. But they have forgotten history: Subic was first a US naval coaling station just as Guantanamo was, from the outset, designed as a coal depot dedicated to American naval power serving the expansionist ambitions of the United States.

If you wish to raise awareness about climate change, start with Philippine history and open more doors. And if you want to deepen understanding of the

past, climate change is a pretty good starting point.

[1] From https://mapcarta.com/ N4297354393, accessed 01 June 2024.

[2] See Meralco’s own timeline in https://www.company-histories. com/Manila-Electric-CompanyMeralco-Company-History.html. Ludovice and Delina date Swift’s takeover in 1903 but Meralco lists the Detroit businessman as acquiring the franchise to build the Manila electric tramway first, in 1903, with the acquisition of La Electricista in 1904.

4-MO BOP GAP IS $401M; BSP SEES ’24, ’25 SURPLUS

include the continuation of the geopolitical tensions, such as those in the Middle East.

These could have spillover effects not just on the domestic price of oil but also on global growth, according to Sicat. The Philippines is a net oil importer.

The risk of trade restrictions such as the one imposed on the export or import of commodities was also cited. Last year, India imposed an export ban on rice as it suffered from the El Niño phenomenon.

Sicat added that disruptions in the global supply chain would also have an impact on the country’s overall BOP position. These disruptions can prevent the free flow of goods, leading to higher costs and limiting economic activities.

Climate change, she said, is another risk to the outlook as this would affect food production here and abroad, affecting global trade and local food prices.

Meanwhile, the persistent inflation pressures in the domestic market must be reckoned with.

This also includes domestic conditions such as rice production and combating animal diseases such as the African Swine Fever (ASF).

“If we cannot address some of the limitations faced by the economy in terms of the supply side, then these would impact on inflation, and consequently on prices of goods, which will impact again on economic growth [and consequently BOP position],” she said.

Lower tariffs

THE recent decision of the Na-

tional Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board, chaired by the President, to reduce rice tariffs to 15 percent from the 35 percent would also have an impact on the country’s overall BOP position.

The President is set to issue a new Executive Order (EO) slashing rice tariffs to 15 percent amid the soaring international prices of the staple. The government expects the tariff reduction to stabilize rice prices in the next four years and temper inflation (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2024/06/05/ phl-cuts-rice-tariffs-to-temper-inflation/).

However, Sicat said that such lower tariffs, which are expected to encourage more imports, would have a significant impact on the country’s Gross International Reserves (GIR).

She said the BSP is confident that such international purchases

will be “sufficiently financed” by the foreign reserves of the Philippine banking system.

“Consequently, in terms of BOP, that would be an outflow, and in terms of GIR, to the extent that the FX that are used to pay off these imported goods [that] would be coming or sourced from the BSP through purchases, for instance, then GIR would have a consequent decline,” Sicat said.

“But given that there [is] ample FX supply in the banking system then there may not be a decline in the GIR as these are sufficiently financed by the banking systems FX reserves,” she added.

In the briefing, BSP Director Sittie Hannisha M. Butocan also said the BSP included in its assumptions for its 2024 and 2025 BOP projections lower rice production on account of the El Niño phenomenon, consistent with the estimates of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Butocan said given this, the country may resort to higher imports. The USDA adjusted upwards its projection for the country’s rice imports to 4.7 million metric tons (MMT) in 2025, driven by rising consumption with reduced tariffs (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/06/14/rice-tariff-cutsto-boost-imports-in-2025-usda-report/).

“Should there be an increase in rice imports that is due from the reduction in the tariff rate, then we note its impact on the total goods import to remain close to our baseline forecast of 2 percent for 2024,” Butocan said.

CPMC HOSTS INVESTORS NIGHT

Continued from A1

Calatagan. “Sabi nga po before ang Calatagan ay Forbes Park ng Batangas, hideout of the rich and famous. Marami pong pumupunta doon na mga ambassadors, mga government officials, mga artists,” Palacio said.

Citystate Savings Bank’s Home Loan Unit Head Vannesa May D. Salazar provided valuable wealth management strategies to help investors maximize their returns.

Meanwhile, CPMC’s Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Rowena Riego De Dios, and Assistant Vice President for Marketing Mark Anthony Almazora, shared insights on wellness; and detailed plans and visions for the development.

“What truly sets apart Sandari Calatagan is our focus on holistic wellness. While wellness is often associated only with physical health, we believe in nurturing the overall wellbeing of our residents. This includes their mental, social, spiritual, and financial wellness, in addition to physical health. At Sandari Calatagan, we’re not just building homes; we’re cultivating

a lifestyle centered on holistic wellbeing,” Riego-De Dios said. Sandari promotes wellness through its three core principles: eat, sleep, and move. These principles are incorporated into every aspect of the development, from its amenities to its design philosophy.

“We designed spaces to accommodate a healthy lifestyle, such as parks that promote walking, running, and other forms of movement. Additionally, Calatagan is designed to provide relaxation. This embodies our core principles: Eat, Move, and Sleep,” Riego-De Dios said.

Positive testimonials from existing Sandari clients were also presented, highlighting the satisfaction and benefits experienced by Sandari’s current patrons. “For Calatagan, we immediately like the residential area since it has an ocean view. And when we went to the beach area, we said this is it. Our kids loved playing in the beach area. It is nice and serene water only. We can see the vision on how it will be developed as a great residential area with beach club access,” Jayson and Marianne Therese shared.

Property consultants were on

hand throughout the evening to assist clients and answer any questions regarding the project. In a special promotion, clients who purchased or reserved a lot during the event received discounts. The event was graced by D. Edgard A. Cabangon, Chairman of the ALC Group of Companies. Cabangon thanked the government officials of Calatagan, extending his commitment to be a strong partner in the community’s growth. He pledged to bring Calatagan to new heights of success, aligning perfectly with Sandari Calatagan’s vision for the area. Sandari’s Investors Night provided clients with comprehensive information about the municipality of Calatagan, the specifics of the Sandari Calatagan project, and valuable investment insights. This event marks another step forward in CPMC’s mission to create exceptional living spaces that prioritize wellness and sustainable living. Citystate Properties and Management Corporation belongs to the ALC Group of Companies founded by the late Amb. Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, and is currently chaired by D. Edgard A. Cabangon.

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With fine white sand, hidden paradise Tawi-Tawi finds champion in Tolentino

SENATE Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino sees great potential for tourism in Tawi-Tawi, and has pledged to support the efforts of its local government to encourage tourists to come over and see what the islandprovince has to offer.

“We need to improve and increase the number of flights to Tawi-Tawi because many people are curious, and would like to visit your province,” Tolentino told Governor Yshmael Sali on the senator’s morning radio program on DWIZ, “Usapang Tol.”

Alongside this, the senator called on the public to consider Tawi-Tawi as their next vacation destination, as he praised its beautiful white sand beaches that he described are comparable to Boracay Island.

“Napakaganda ng tourism dyan. Napakaganda ng Tawi Tawi kapag nakita mo yung mga beaches dyan, yung buhangin dyan mas pino pa sa  Boracay ang tingin ko, kaya ang laki ng potential dyan .”

[The tourism there is wonderful. Tawi-Tawi is incredibly beautiful. When you see the beaches

there, the sand is even finer than in Boracay. I see a great potential there},” added the senator, who has extensive experience in developing local tourism as a former mayor of Tagaytay City.

During the interview, Governor Sali highlighted his province’s rich cultural heritage, bountiful sea resources, and scenic spots. He said that each of Tawi-Tawi’s 11 municipalities offers a distinct experience for visitors.

Known as the “Seaweeds Capital of the Philippines,” Tawi-Tawi is also home to the Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque located in Brgy. Tubig Indangan, Simunul, TawiTawi –the oldest mosque in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Sali also assured the public that Tawi-Tawi is a safe and peaceful destination, as he noted the recent 50-percent increase in the number of tourists coming to the province.

Tolentino is scheduled to visit Tawi-Tawi and will also spend a week in Zamboanga City to grace the opening of the Mindanao qualifying leg of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Games from June 23-29.

Vigilance, more action needed amid dengue spike–Bong

AS some parts of the country grapples with a rising tide of dengue fever cases, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, called for increased vigilance and coordinated efforts among stakeholders within the community.

According to the latest data from the Department of Health (DOH), the nation recorded 67,874 dengue cases from January to May 2024. Go stressed the urgency of enhancing preventive measures and community engagement to combat the dengue outbreak effectively.

“In the face of rising cases of dengue, we need to redouble prevention efforts.

Being alert in avoiding it is key to protecting our communities,” he stated, partly in Filipino.

With a 28-percent increase in cases reported in specific regions such as Quezon City and parts of Western Visayas, Go highlighted the importance of governmental and community collaboration to remove mosquito breeding sites and promote public health education.

“No stone must be left unturned in fighting dengue. We should help each other in ensuring there is no stagnant water in our midst to prevent the breeding of more mosquitoes,” he added.

The senator called on the Department of Health, LGUs, the private sector, and communities to closely collaborate and implement more rigorously the enhanced 4-S strategy against dengue. The strategies include (1) “Search and Destroy”

‘PHL close to ending smuggling with pre-border system checks’

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

FINANCE Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the Philippines is now “one step closer” to ending smuggling, misdeclaration and undervaluation with the Pre-border Technical Verification and Crossborder Electronic Invoicing Systems under Administrative Order (AO) No. 23, series of 2024, in place.

In a statement on Friday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Recto convened the inaugural committee meeting to operationalize the border protection system on June 11, 2023.

“Grounded by AO No. 23, series of 2024, we take the first steps today towards achieving a fully digitalized border protection system in the country where no import goes unnoticed and unaccounted for,” Recto said.

Through digital and integrated preborder technical verification and cross-border electronic invoicing, AO No. 23, issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on May 13, 2024, will accelerate the inspection of all imported commodities entering the country.

“It is intended to strengthen national security, safeguard consumer rights, and protect people

against substandard and hazardous imported goods,” the DOF said.

Agricultural commodities will be covered in phase one of AO No. 23, followed by non-agricultural goods with health and safety concerns in phase two, and other goods with misdeclaration avoiding tariffs and taxes in phase three.

Moreover, Pre-border Technical Verification refers to the safety testing and inspection of all imported goods before they are shipped. Verifying the stated specs, description, weight, volume and country of origin is required for this process.

Meanwhile, electronic invoices for all imported items will be created through the Cross-border Electronic Invoicing System and exchanged in real time for transparency among relevant government entities to monitor international trade transactions.

The Committee for Pre-border Technical Verification and Crossborder Electronic Invoicing (CPTVCEI), chaired by the Secretary of Finance, was created through AO No. 23, the DOF added.

The Secretaries of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Energy, Health, Environment and Natural

Resources, and Information and Communications Technology also serve as members.

Other committee members include the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner, the Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and two non-voting representatives from duly recognized industry associations to be appointed by the chairperson upon recommendation of the committee.

The Finance chief urged the members of the committee to support the initiative through their collaboration, commitment and expertise.

“Remember, according to AO No. 23, we have two years to complete and fully implement the systems. So, let us all buckle down to work and get this started. Delay is not an option,” he said.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (Osapiea) Secretary Frederick D. Go, DOF Undersecretary Charlito Martin R. Mendoza and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Mary Jean T. Pacheco, were present at the meeting, the DOF said.

Robin wants to probe PNP ‘operation’ on KOJC premises

DID those who served the arrest warrants on controversial televangelist Apollo Quiboloy violate the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s policy to respect human rights when its operatives conducted an operation on the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) premises in Davao City on June 10?

Go

mosquito breeding places, (2) “Secure Self Protection” from mosquito bites, (3) “Seek Early Consultation” when signs and symptoms of dengue occur, and (4) “Say Yes to Fogging.”

Go also advocates for local government units to intensify their monitoring and cleanup efforts, particularly in high-risk areas.

Aware of the asymptomatic nature of many dengue cases, the senator also emphasized the need for heightened awareness and early detection.

Meanwhile, Go reiterated his commitment to support the establishment of more Super Health Centers nationwide. Super Health Centers focus on primary care, consultation, and early detection, further strengthening the healthcare sector in the country, especially in through the collective efforts of Go as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, the Department of Health, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for around 700 Super Health Centers nationwide.

The senator said Filipinos that they may seek medical assistance from the government through any of the 165 Malasakit Centers across the country.

Go has been pushing for proposed health measures that seek to establish the country’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Virology Science and Technology Institute. Go has previously filed Senate Bill No. 195, seeking to establish the CDC, and SBN 196 creating the virology institute.

Sen. Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla raised this matter on Friday as he sought a Senate investigation into the alleged “unnecessary and excessive force” used by PNP members during the operation.

“In serving warrants, law enforcement should take into consideration the totality of the situation at hand which should not in any way violate the dignity of persons...There is a need for the PNP to promote and protect human rights because these very acts are vital to the maintenance of public order, guarantee of public safety, and respect for the rule of law,” he said in a resolution he will formally file on Tuesday, June 18.

“There is a need for the PNP to promote and protect human rights because these very acts are vital to the maintenance of public order, guarantee of public safety, and respect for the rule of law,” he added.

PAG-IBIG IN DOLE

Pag-IBIG Fund representatives including Joel Richard I. Prado (left, top photo), the Acting DIvision Chief III of PagIBIG’s Institutional Housing Department, discuss to the personnel (seated, bottom photo) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) the Fund’s services and available properties for acquisition during a housing loan orientation and counseling session at the DOLE Central Office on June 13, 2024. The activity, graced by DOLE Assistant Secretary Amuerfina R. Reyes (right, top photo), also comes with the issuance of Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card Plus to DOLE employees. PHOTOS BY ALEJANDRO P. ECHAVEZ, DOLE-IPS

Padilla’s resolution seeks to direct the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on the alleged unnecessary and excessive force by the PNP members in the June 10 operation.

Padilla noted that Art. II Sec. 4 of the 1987 Constitution “imposes upon the Government the primary duty to serve and protect the people” while Art. II Sec. 11 of the Constitution “is a recognition of the State’s high regard to the dignity of every person with a guarantee of full respect for human rights.”

Also, he said the PNP adopted a Human Rights-Based Policing (HRBP) policy, whose guidebook stresses that “the first level of its human rights obligations is to respect human rights by refraining from interfering with the enjoyment of people’s rights.”

Yet, according to him, reports said that when PNP operatives including those from the Special Action Force (SAF) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), raided the KOJC premises including the Prayer and Glory Mountains—supposedly to serve arrest warrants on KOJC founder Pastor Quiboloy and five others— some missionaries were reportedly

hurt during the ensuing tension.

“In light of this event, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who has been recently designated as the Administrator of the KOJC properties, issued a statement that the alleged illegal raid was a clear violation of the law, and described it as an overkill in any language,” Padilla said.

Meanwhile, Padilla noted records showed several past instances when the PNP was called out for its use of excessive force in the service of its warrants, including an arrest of an elderly environmental activist in Pakil, Laguna by 25 SAF members in 2022; and the operation involving 18 CIDG personnel and six members of the Regional Maritime Unit that resulted in the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa in 2016.

“The Revised PNP Operational Procedures dictates that, in the lawful performance of duty, only necessary and reasonable force, should be used to accomplish the task of enforcing the law and maintaining peace and order,” Padilla said.

Akbayan slams Quiboloy ALSO on Friday, Akbayan Party President Rafaela David commented on the recent remarks by

the lawyer Quiboloy, the doomsday televangelist facing multiple charges of rape and human trafficking. Quiboloy’s lawyer claimed that his client is “not hiding but merely unavailable,” prompting a sharp response from David. “Unavailable? It sounds like a term for a stinky out-of-order restroom, yet oddly fitting for a fugitive accused of serious crimes like sexual abuse and human trafficking,” David quipped.

“If Quiboloy isn’t hiding, then he must have mastered the art of blending into thin air. Houdini would be envious. Sa lahat ng tao na hindi nagtatago, si Quiboloy lamang ang hindi mahagilap maski ng sarili niyang abogado  [Of all the people who are supposedly not hiding, Quiboloy is the only one cannot be found, even by his own lawyer],” she added.

Akbayan, which is the political party of Senator Risa Hontiveros, added: “We call on law enforcement and judicial authorities to intensify their efforts in apprehending Quiboloy. It’s time to stop the charades and bring Quiboloy to face the music. The victims of his alleged crimes deserve more than legal acrobatics; they deserve justice and closure.” Butch Fernandez

SENATE Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino sees great potential for tourism in Tawi-Tawi, and has pledged to support the efforts of its local government to encourage tourists to come over and see what the island-province has to offer. FILE PHOTO

China urges PHL to ban Pogos, AFP says probing ‘PLA’ uniforms

By Rex Anthony Naval & Malou Talosig-Bartolome

EVEN as Philippine leaders keep debating whether it makes sense to ban altogether all operations of online gaming, the Chinese government has sought the ban “at an early date” in order to “rout out this social ill.” In a statement issued through the Chinese Embassy on Friday, Beijing objected to “any baseless accusations and smearing against China” in connection with the crackdown on Pogos.

Pogo is the old acronym for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, which have since been referred to as Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) by the Philippine amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the state gaming regulator.

Also on Friday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is now coordinating with its law enforcement counterparts after it was confirmed that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) uniforms earlier seized during an anti-illegal POGO operation in Porac, Pampanga were found to be “authentic.”

“We are coordinating closely with the relevant intelligence and law enforcement agencies to fully investigate this matter,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a message to reporters Friday.

Revelations by authorities that the raiders on the illegal Pogo in Porac yielded “PLA uniforms” had fed the anti-Pogo frenzy, sparking fears in some quarters that the illegal hubs were being used as cover for spying—a scenario that, however, Beijing bristles at because it has been asking Manila since before the pandemic to ban Pogos on the ground that gambling is prohibited in China and internet gaming is causing addiction among Chinese citizens.

The statement released by the embassy Friday said: “Chinese law prohibits all forms of gambling. The Chinese government strictly cracks down on Chinese citizens engaging in gambling business abroad, including Pogo. Ample evidence shows that POGO breeds serious crimes such as kidnapping for

ransom, human trafficking and murder. POGO is detrimental to both Philippine and Chinese interests and images as well as China-Philippines relations.”

The past few years, the statement recalled, “the Chinese and Philippine law enforcement agencies have maintained close communication and cooperation and conducted multiple joint operations to bring down crossborder gambling and telecom fraud. Since 2018, nearly 3000 Chinese citizens implicated in the cases have been repatriated with joint efforts of both sides. In the past year alone, China has assisted the Philippines in shutting down five Pogo hubs and repatriated nearly 1000 Chinese citizens.” Beijing asserted that “the vast majority of the Chinese citizens involved in these cases

Second chance for children in conflict with the law: 26 graduate in Davao ctr

By Manuel T. Cayon

DAVAO CITY—A welfare center here for children in conflict with the law (CICL) recently graduated 26 children under the Alternative Learning School of the Department of Education.

The moving up ceremony was held on June 5 at the Bahay Pag-asa Children’s Village in

Barangay Tugbok, some 20 kilometers northwest of downtown.

The Bahay Pag-asa Children’s Village is one of the halfway homes maintained by the City Social Welfare and Development Office for the CICL.

The center graduated 10 of children in the elementary and 16 in the Junior High School.

The Madayaw Dabaw, the city government’s official Facebook

are victims of the Philippine offshore gambling industry. The Chinese government is committed to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens. We appeal to the Philippines to ban POGO at an early date so as to root out this social ill. And we firmly oppose any baseless accusation and smearing against China in connection with Pogo.”

AFP: Taking steps vs ‘threats’ THE Philippine military acknowledged the statement from the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission regarding the authenticity of the PLA uniforms its operatives had earlier confiscated during its operations in Pampanga early this week. Padilla also said the AFP “will take all necessary measures to address any potential threats.”

“We give thanks to our teachers for their perseverance,” he said. Nenita Lim, the center director, said the moving up ceremony did not only gave academic learning but also a second chance.

page quoted the topnotch student graduate John Rey, not his real name, as expressing his gratitude to the teachers and the program despite the odds.

“I thought we already lost our future because we don’t know how long we will be here and to go back to school,” he said in his valedictory address. “Even people outside did not believe we were able to finish school.”

“Failure in life is not the end, it’s a lesson for you to face the next opportunity and chance in life,” she added.

Dr. Rosalinda Tabig, the representative of the DepEd ALS, witnessed the moving up ceremony.

The center has currently 94 children in its care, the youngest of whom is 13 years old. It has five social workers and 16 house parents.

Rebel-turned-elder marks 62nd birthday

By Sarwell Meniano

BORONGAN

CITY, Eastern

Samar—For Daniel Belicario, his 62nd birthday is the most meaningful celebration after he reunited with four other family members who also joined the armed struggle in the forests of Samar Island as members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The simple party happened just a month after he, his wife Iluminada, and son-in-law Ariel gaspe surrendered to the government. He served as a political guide and combatant of the NPA operating within the boundaries of the Samar and Eastern Samar provinces for nearly four years.

Two of his children, Merian, 28, and John Carlo, 25, also yielded to authorities in September and October last year. The family resides in upland Osmeña village in general MacArthur, Eastern Samar.

Peaceful birthday

ON June 10, the Philippine Army’s 78th Infantry Battalion served roasted pig, fried chicken, pasta, cake, and bread to celebrate the man’s birthday in a resort in Locso-on village here. Also in attendance are 22 other former rebels who belonged to his platoon.

“This is really a happy birthday for me now that I am living peacefully with my family. There’s nothing that bothers me now,” Daniel told the Philippine News Agency.

His decision to join the NPA as a full-time combatant in late 2020

was not well planned, although he admitted that he used to subscribe to communist ideology as a member of the Yunit Militia.

“My son-in-law and I joined other men in our community in a meeting about farming. When we heard that there were soldiers patrolling nearby, we were told to run to the mountains and leave our families for fear of getting caught in a crossfire,” Daniel recalled.

In the mountains, they were trained to embrace the NPA’s ideology and use firearms.

Worried about what happened to her husband, Iluminada also went to the mountains to find Daniel. They met in early 2021 with the help of some villagers who were supportive of the NPA.

“Because of my love for him, I stayed with him even if life in the mountains was very hard and dangerous. While there, I was indoctrinated by their commanders and eventually joined the NPA,” Iluminada said.

August 2021 firefight

AN intense firefight between government forces and rebels in the forest of

Dolores, Eastern Samar, on Aug. 16, 2021, was a turning point for Merian, one of the couple’s eight children.

That armed confrontation that killed at least 19 rebels hiding in a lair was considered one of the most successful operations of government forces against the communist terrorist group.

“I was sleepless for several nights because I thought that my parents were among the dead. I was really determined to find or learn about them. I was happy when a relative in Hinabangan, Samar, told me that they saw my parents and they’re still alive,” Merian told PNA.

She then left her two small children under the care of her sister. She and her younger brother, John Carlo, traveled three hours to an upland village in Hinabangan town. An NPA supporter led them to the couple’s hiding place.

The siblings hiked for four hours until late at night, climbed the mountain, and crossed several rivers.

“Our plan was to check their condition and stay there for only two days, but NPA leaders told us not to leave since there were patrolling soldiers and it’s very risky to walk out of their hiding place. We believed them,” Merian added.

Like their mother, the NPA made all efforts to indoctrinate them until they were convinced to join the armed rebellion. John Carlo became a combatant, while Merlie served as the organization’s logistics officer.

Merlie found the opportunity to return home in September 2023 when asked to buy food supplies for combatants.

Fatigue and hunger prompted John Carlo to join other squad members to return home in October 2023.

Even if they’re in the same platoon, they don’t see their parents often since they belong to different squads. A squad has 10 to 15 members, while a platoon with 30 to 40

members has three squads.

Returning Home

DANIEL recalled how hard life was in the mountains running from government forces.

He recalled that their longest sleep was three hours since they were always scared of patrolling government forces.

“Our common meals are root crops and fruit trees. We are lucky enough if we get the chance to eat rice once a week,” he said.

With a lack of support from the villagers, Daniel, Iluminada, and four other comrades planned to mine gold in the mountains of Eastern Samar for them to raise money to buy food.

“Our leaders supported the idea, unaware that it was our way to leave the organization,” Daniel recalled.

For several days, the group mined P3,000 worth of gold. Instead of turning over the cash to NPA leaders, they used the money to start farming again.

They formally surrendered and turned over long firearms on May 24, 2024.

Wholistic subsidized healthcare for seniors

ONE day, my wife, who is over 70 years old, showed me a notebook where she had meticulously listed all the prescribed medicines we both take. I was flabbergasted by the lengthy list.

Then when we computed our combined monthly expenses for our medicines and doctors’ fees, we almost fell off our seats when we discovered that we are spending more for our healthcare needs than for our food! Ayayay! My monthly pension is so measly it can barely cover half the amount. No wonder our lifetime savings seem to be getting depleted at a dangerously rapid pace.

Since then we have strived to find ways to get our medicines at a cheaper price.

One way was to shift totally to generics whenever available, even if told that branded ones are of better quality.

The other way was to buy them at the pharmacy of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City. We found out that prices of medicines there are much lower than those available at the usual drug stores. There are three caveats, however: you have to bring your doctor’s prescriptions, the doctor must have a clinic at the said institution, and you can’t buy more than one month’s supply of the medicine.

Just recently, I was there at the said mini pharmacy. The line of waiting customers is usually long

By Nick Tayag

every day, but on that day it was exceptionally long. For whatever reason, the cashier did not arrive on time.

But the long wait was not wasted on me. It was time well spent for me.

I got to strike a very productive conversation with my fellow buyers who sat beside me or within earshot. They were in the same age range as mine, meaning 70s. Some came from as far as Paranaque, Cavite, Batangas and Pampanga. Being fellow seniors, we started the chat by comparing notes on our individual health issues and from my casual random survey, the most common were cardiovascular problems. As you know, once a connection is made, the elderly can be voluble, without inhibition.

Most were still physically and mentally active. One of them, a retired OFW, has even gone back to farming, a source of livelihood he left behind when he decided to work abroad. The rest have long wanted to venture into something to earn a regular income but alas, no capital to start it all.

My take away insight is that there’s so much more that our society can gain from the 10 or 20 bonus productive years that seniors are expected to enjoy after 60. I am happy to note that there’s now a bill entitled “Employment Opportunities for Senior Citizen and Private Entities’ Incentives Act” that man-

dates the state to employ seniors with the capacity and desire to work or be re-employed.

The said bill is welcome, said my senior comrades, “but to keep us employable and productive, government must subsidize our healthcare needs.” We all said amen to that.

Our spirited, freewheeling discussion and exchange of ideas went on for at least an hour and a half.

From it, I was able to piece together the kind of subsidized healthcare that seniors would need. I’m using words from my personal vocabulary but the ideas came from our casual discussion. Call it some sort of a

pect. Representative Joey Salceda, a senior citizen himself, is taking the cudgels for senior rights and welfare in the House of Representatives. He nailed it when he said: “The average senior makes around P3,000 per month, which makes 47 percent of them below the poverty line. This naturally produces a gap in personal capacity to finance not just health care but even basic necessities and the little pleasures that come with dignified old age.” Touche!

Talk about medical or health insurance. At 65, at a critical time when they need it most, many se-

prescription, which hopefully our government would consider sooner or later, preferably soonest.

First of all, subsidized healthcare for the growing number of elderly must not take a piecemeal approach. It must be “wholistic.”

One dictionary defines “wholistic” as “the medical consideration of the complete person, in the treatment of a disease.”

The focus should be on the complete person, which to me includes financial, physical, psycho-spiritual needs.

Let’s start with the financial as -

niors find it difficult to get health insurance within their reach. Since government has no money to subsidize consultations, hospitalizations and major treatments for the elderly, seniors have to depend on their respective family members, which, in turn, burdens the children.

To the rescue, Rep. Salceda is now said to be working to establish a separate insurance fund to cover the projected P1.6 trillion in health care for all senior citizens. This is expected to address today’s “acute and catastrophic health care” for sick senior citizens and especially

The major factor in their decision to surrender was the letters from their children pleading with them to return.

“I got letters from my children telling me of the benefits if we surrender. They also told us that the NPAs are lying about their claims that former rebels are being tortured and jailed by the Philippine Army,” Iluminada told PNA.

Local Engagement

SENDINg messages to active NPA members is one of the initiatives under the Friends Rescued Engagement through Their Families (FReE Families) program.

The program optimizes the local government’s efforts to link and convince the remaining NPA members through the active participation of the rebels’ families to work for the peaceful surrender of their loved ones and take advantage of the benefits through the Enhanced Local Integration Program.

The family is among 22 former members of the NPA’s Apoy Platoon who supported peace efforts in the

their burdened ordinary families. The big question hanging in the air: would the government have the money for it? But then financial problem is only the first piece. There are other pieces needed to be addressed to make subsidized healthcare “wholistic.”

Let me quickly reprise the other points discussed by my ad-hoc mini focus group that morning at the Philippine Heart Center.

1. Instead of having laws now and then to expand the coverage of medicines and drugs covered under the senior discount system, why not establish mini pharmacies exclusively for seniors where prices of medicines are subsidized. Why only in government hospitals such as Philippine Heart Center or the National Kidney Institute? Why not in every L gU? Of course, safeguards must be put in place to prevent abuses from non-seniors. Then there would be no need for seniors to come all the way from Batangas, Pampanga, Cavite and Bicol to avail themselves of the benefit of lower prices for their medicines.

southern towns of Samar and Eastern Samar by convincing 16 active rebels to return home.

“With the launch of Project Apoy, which stands for Advocating Programs that Promote Reconciliation and Optimizing gains Yielding Peace, these individuals are set to become key allies in advocating for peace and reconciliation,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Bugaoan, commander of the Army’s 78th Infantry Battalion.

The series of surrenders of these former NPA fighters resulted from the follow-through of the government-led local peace initiatives and the FReE Families program. Currently, only 16 members have remained in the platoon.

Brig. gen. Noel A. Vestuir, commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the 22 former NPA members would take an active role as peace advocates within their communities.

“These former NPAs were rescued from the deceptive ideology of the Communist Terrorist Movement and are living testaments to the transformative power of unity and reconciliation. Their journey from conflict to collaboration embodies the hope for a brighter, more peaceful future in Eastern Samar and the whole of the region,” Vestuir added.

It can be recalled that upon deployment of the 802nd Infantry Brigade in Samar Island on June 1, 2023, the brigade was able to reduce the manpower of Apoy Platoon from 47 to 27, and its firearms from 43 to 31 at the end of 2023. Seventeen of these personnel and nine firearms resulted from the FReE Families program.

In the first half of 2024, another 10 former NPAs heeded the call of their families to embrace peace, bringing six high-powered firearms with them. PNA

3. Why confine our healthcare to conventional western medicines? There are alternative regenerative therapies such as frequency treatments, PRPs, quantum healing, ayuverdic therapy, and other alternative therapies.

4. How about subsidized healthy and green restaurants for the elderly managed by professional nutritionists? Healthy organic food could be sourced from community urban farms, many of which are thriving in our city’s empty and idle lands. Dishes could be prepared by professional chefs who are into healthy eating.

5. Finally, why not adapt a system practiced in the US and other countries where the government provides a monthly stipend to trained family members and relatives who will be devoted to the caring of a disabled senior citizen parent or relative?

The point in all this “wholistic” subsidized healthcare for senior citizens is simple: let’s not waste good aging. It’s time to stop looking at older adults primarily in terms of their diseases. Let’s emphasize ability instead of disability. Let’s make a paradigm shift from looking at older people as medical burdens to seeing all their vitality and wisdom. Speaking as a senior, if government will find ways to subsidize our total healthcare needs, we will definitely have something more to contribute. By taking a “wholistic” approach, government will help ensure that our physical and mental functions will remain high, and that we will have a positive attitude and zest for life.

2. Let’s not forget a senior citizen’s psycho-social-spiritual needs. Many seniors get depressed and need to be lured out of their shells. Expressive arts, including visual arts, music, dance/movement, writing, and poetry, are empowering tools that can assist in the aging process and even delay dementia. No matter what their age or their physical or mental ability, older adults can and should participate in the arts. So why can’t L gUs establish creative aging facilities and activities at subsidized costs? They can outsource this program to organizations and individuals in the arts and aging services that are focused full-time or part-time on providing professionally led, high-quality community arts programs to older adults. Include psycho-spiritual counseling in the package.

Daniel Belicario blows a candle to celebrate his 62nd birthday on June 10, 2024 in Borongan city, eastern Samar. He said it was the most meaningful celebration after he reunited with four other family members who also joined the new People’s army in the forests of Samar island. PNA Photo by SArwell MeN ANo

JCI-led project with DepEd, etc. pursues revival of learners’ fundamental values

By Roderick L. Abad

THE Education Department will renew its support to “Project WATCH [We Advocate Time Consciousness and Honesty]” to restore basic virtues among Filipino youth.

According to the department, the project is aligned with its objective to strengthen the values of punctuality and honesty under the new “ MATATAG K-to-10 Curriculum.”

Project WATCH is a valuesadvocacy program jointly undertaken by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Senate Philippines; Department of Education (DepEd); Commission on Higher Education; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities; Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities; Private Schools Athletic Association; and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Education. It promotes and initiates programs that will instill and strengthen the abovementioned values in all sectors of society.

“Project WATCH is not just a campaign—it is a movement that transcends individual actions. It is a collective effort that starts with each one of us; it teaches government officials, community leaders and citizens—including students—the value of time to show respect for ourselves and others, and the value of honesty that fosters genuine connection,” said JCI senator Angelica Jones-Alarva, who is the national chairman of the project.

“[Throughout the years, Project WATCH has always been included in DepEd’s system. But what’s different for this year is the very auspicious timing for its relaunch to the introduction] of the new MATATAG curriculum,” said JCI senator Mark Padilla, who was the department’s representative during the ceremonial signing of the “Pledge of Commitment for Project WATCH” held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle last June 8.

On May 21, 2009, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Proclamation 1782, which declared June as “WATCH Month,” wherein all schools, colleges, universities and local government units (LGUs) are enjoined to undertake related programs of activities every second week.

Promoting punctuality, honesty CORE values of punctuality and honesty are vital in promoting national renewal and development, said JCI Senate Philippines.

Honesty is the cornerstone of integrity as manifested in words and actions, according to the chamber’s national president Eduardo Echem: “[Through honesty, we build credibility and faith with others. Forming the basis of a strong relationship, it creates a foundation of trust…essential for meaningful connections].”

JCI’s top official also explained

that time consciousness emphasizes the value of punctuality, reliability and respect for others. Being aware of the passage of time, he noted, “allows us to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and [seize] every moment.”

“By embodying honesty and time consciousness in our daily lives, we can create a culture of integrity, respect, and efficiency that benefits both individuals and society as a whole,” Echem said.

For the past 15 years of working with the DepEd under Project WATCH, JCI Senate Philippines has been able to infuse not only in theory, but more so in reality, the virtues of punctuality and honesty among Filipino students.

“We were able to adopt this, and do hope that we [have already achieved 50 percent. But we need to bring that number up],” JCI senator Cesar Ochoa, who is the project’s founder and chairman emeritus. He lauded Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte for joining the signing of commitments through Padilla.

‘Making explicit what is implicit’ STARTING School Year 20242025, the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to junior high school (JHS) will be formally implemented nationwide. Among its revisions is the revival of the “Good Manners and Right Conduct” subject, or “GMRC.”

“[Before, our values formation was infused in all subjects. With ‘MATATAG…,’ it’s now] reorganized into a full subject in itself,” Padilla explained.

For him, the new curriculum framework is closely aligned with the advocacies of Project WATCH in “making explicit what is implicit.”

“The disconnect lies in that same principle [of making] explicit what is implicit. When kids, or

even [those] in our age group, are asked in their exams about punctuality and honesty, everybody knows what is right: [either being on-time or being] honest. That’s implicit knowledge,” he pointed out. “But the idea now—and we’re happy with the integration of Project WATCH—is to make it explicit: It has to be lived; it has to be put into practice. We need to move toward making it explicit. We need to move from the paper, to doing what is right.”

With the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also signing the “Pledge…,” the JCI said the “loop is complete to make time-consciousness and honesty [cornerstones] of good values not only in the educational institutions, but also at the community and LGU levels.”

“With the infusion of DILG, we are so excited to partner… with them, because now our activities for Project WATCH are inside schools, and we can reach out and go [to communities and show our students—our future citizens—that explicit expressions of our values are] the ultimate goal of education,” Padilla pointed out. “[DepEd will always give its 100-percent support to this project so that together, we can achieve both institutional goals, while hopefully creating that ideal community and] ideal republic that we all are bringing in.”

JCI Senate Philippines will implement the relaunch via a youth summit in Ilocos and Bicol Regions, as well as the provinces of Laguna, Palawan, Cavite, Batangas, and Bulacan in July and August. As part of the WATCH Month celebration, a fund-raising concert featuring Jones-Alarva and other local artists will be held in Quezon City on June 29 for the benefit of DepEd schools in Batanes and other parts of the country.

BRIDGING SKILLS, EMPLOYMENT FOR SHS

Undersecretary Michael Wesley T. Poa (from left), who represented Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Z. Duterte; Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma of the Department of Labor and Employment; Deputy Director-General Rosanna A. Urdaneta of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, who represented DirectorGeneral Suharto T. Mangudadatu; and Commissioner Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela of the Commission on Higher Education, who represented chair J. Prospero E. de Vera III, sign copies of the Joint Memorandum Circular on “Strengthening Senior High School Curriculum and Delivery by Embedding TVET in SHS Tracks toward Work Force Readiness and Employability.” The JMC will push for the integration of technical and vocational education and training into all senior high-school tracks to strengthen the work readiness of graduates through industry-relevant competencies.

ALEJANDRO P. ECHAVEZ, DOLE-IPS

Benilde professor named Bacolod filmfest director

Aselect cinemas in the city. The Bacolod Film Festival Council (BFFC), chaired by Mayor Alfre -

Em L. Ang as co-chairperson, has designated Seymour B. Sanchez as filmfest director, per Section 7 of City Ordinance 1061-2024. Also known as the “Bacolod Film Festival Ordinance,” it provides for 10 filmmakers—producers, directors, or writers who are bona fide residents of Bacolod City—to be given production grants worth P300,000 each. Sanchez signed the memoran -

dum of agreement with the BFFC at Ang’s office. The Sangguniang Panlungsod , with Vice Mayor El Cid M. Familiaran as the presiding officer, confirmed the former’s appointment during its 96th Regular Session.

Since May 2014, the professor has facilitated classes in Film Directing, Film Marketing, Production Management, Cinematic Criticism and Discourse, Film

Davao City scholars receive Latin honors

By Manuel T. Cayon

DAVAO CITY—Thirty-four

scholars here have achieved top honors at the close of this school year, that will also produce almost 300 graduates.

According to the city information office, which quoted Technical Assistant Emilio Domingo Jr., the same number will be admitted to the city’s Educational Benefit System Unit (EBSU) to fill vacated slots.

Domingo said 34 EBSU scholars were able to graduate with high honors, three of them summa cum laudes , 16 magna cum laudes , and 15 cum laudes

As of May, the EBSU said 257 scholars were confirmed to have graduated. The office expects that number to increase to almost 300 by July or August.

The unit has also opened the application for the next batch of scholars who must take the priority courses endorsed by the program. Domingo shared that there were almost 300 senior highschool students who filed applications online, despite glitches in the

early part of operations. Per Domingo, qualified applicants should have a general average of 93 percent, aside from their family being classified under “modest economic status.” Eligibility and documentary requirements are posted on the City Government of Davao’s Facebook page. For the “Scholarship for Tertiary Education Program” or “STEP,” an applicant may be placed under any of the three categories: Part A - P25,000 per semester, or P50,000 per school year; Part BP20,000 per semester, or P40,000 per school year; or Part C - P7,500 per semester, or P15,000 per school year.

Full scholarship for medical school entitles a scholar to P160,000 per school year, including a P20,000 book allowance. A half scholarship allots P80,000 for tuition, and P10,000 for book allowance. A full scholarship for law school entitles a grantee to P50,000 per school year with an P8,000 book allowance. Half scholarship allocates P25,000 per school year, and P4,000 for book allowance.

FEU targets 50% RE use, sustainable ops by 2028

COMMITTED to its mission of promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship, Far Eastern University (FEU) aspires to implement more sustainable operations—including the use of 50-percent renewable energy (RE) by 2028. As the threat of environmental degradation and climate change continues to loom not just in the country but also globally, FEU believes that universities are in a special position to help address this crisis.

In a recent seminar on “Braving New Heights for Sustainable Development Goals,” FEU president Juan Miguel Montinola emphasized the importance of raising awareness about existing environmental issues and ways the university believes in the effectiveness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework in tackling these issues.

“It’s not just sustainability alone, but sustainability with a purpose,” said Montinola. “We are talking about the livability of our planet in the present and in the future… Reflecting on this is something that [FEU] must instill upon the youth.”

Theories, Masters of the Cinematic Arts, Film and Philippine Literature, Pop Culture Studies, Film and Popular Culture, Corporate and Non-cinematic Filmmaking, Documentary Filmmaking, World Cinema, Philippine Cinema, Introduction to and Appreciation of Film, Writing for New Media, World Cinema, Philippine Cinema, and Basic Video Production, to name a few.

Sustainable operations

MONTINOLA also shared the university’s drive toward sustainability that started more than a decade ago.

One of these initiatives is the strategic investment in a district cooling chilled water-plant system, which currently supplies 11 out of 12 campus buildings—a project that urges for responsible consumption and climate action

adhering to SDGs 12 and 13. Other sustainable operations include a central filtration plant for clean water (SDG 6), the use of a “Building Management System” in the FEUture Building (SDG 12), as well as compliance with proper waste-management regulations and rainwater harvesting, resulting in substantial cost savings for the university.

With these interventions, the university recorded a 6.99-percent reduction in power consumption in 2023, compared with the pre-pandemic face-to-face period in 2019. FEU also significantly reduced its carbon emissions, which was found to be equivalent to the sequestration of 17,074 mature trees. Also, the university boasts of erecting first academic building in the country to receive an “Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies” or “EDGE” certification.

Centennial year AS FEU approaches its 100th anniversary in 2028, its pursuit for sustainability remains on the agenda of its five-year aspiration plan. Currently, the university is powered by 25-percent RE, with a goal to reach 50 percent by 2028, inclusive of the solar-energy projects to add 369 kilowatts in its Marikina and Silang campuses. Expanding its program offerings to accommodate the rising demand for sustainability-related careers is also among FEU’s strategic targets in the coming years. With these initiatives, the university affirms its commitment to help build a more livable and sustainable planet for the next generation.

FEU: Universities are in a special position to help address the climate crisis.

Tourism&Entertainment

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

FORE-TASTIC FUN

NUSTAR TEES OFF pREmIER gOlF TOURNAmENT IN CEbU CITy

Eiron R. Francisco

CEBU CITY—NUSTAR, a premier 5-star integrated resort, has expanded its offerings beyond luxury amenities by introducing golf as one of its unique signatures for guests and partners.

NUSTA r r esort and Casino takes pride in curating luxury lifestyle experiences and one-of-a-kind moments that transcend time and elicit different emotions from guests. These unique moments, deeply rooted in NUSTA r 's vision, are what the brand calls NUSTA r Signatures.

o n May 24, amidst the lush greens of Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, NUSTA r welcomed golf enthusiasts from near and far to its inaugural tournament. From seasoned professionals to casual players, the event saw a melting pot of personalities like Paul Jake Castillo, Vince h izon, GP r eyes and his wife Andi Manzano and nationalities, with Koreans, Japanese, and locals vying for the glory on the fairways.

According to the resort’s management, this addition aligns perfectly with their vision of providing guests with an unparalleled experience, whether indulging in the thrill of gaming, or unwinding with a round of golf, visitors can now experience the perfect blend of excitement, and relaxation in and outside of the property.

As the tournament teed off, it not only showcased the resort’s commitment to excellence but also highlighted Cebu’s burgeoning reputation as a haven for both avid golfers and travelers seeking unforgettable experiences.

With each swing of the club, NUSTA r reaffirmed its position as not just a destination in the Visayas and Mindanao, but an unforgettable journey of luxury, leisure and sporting adventure.

After the golf tournament wrapped up, everyone headed back to NUSTA r just a quick 20 to 30-minute drive away from the golf club.

GOLF TOURISM

The Fili Hotel experience NUSTA r proudly boasts Fili h otel, one of the two towers on the property, as the first authentic 5-star Filipino hospitality brand in the country.

Developed by r obinsons h otels and r esorts, the hospitality arm of r obinsons l and Corporation, this integrated resort is located just 4.8 kilometers from Magellan’s Cross and offers 379 rooms and suites adorned with modern and traditional Filipino touches, which provide stunning views of the ocean, mountains, and skyline.

Guests can catch a glimpse of the famous Cebu-Cordova l ink e xpressway that offers an alternative route from Mactan to Cebu i nternational Airport and is capable of handling thousands of vehicles daily.

The “Fili experience” begins the moment guests arrive on the property. Their arrival is made even more delightful with Fili’s Signature Welcome Drink, the perfect refreshment after a long journey by air or land. With its spacious facilities, Fili h otel offers a wide range of accommodations. o ptions include deluxe king rooms ranging from 41 to 47 square meters, deluxe twin rooms, deluxe seaview king rooms, deluxe seaview twin rooms, and premier deluxe twin rooms from 61 to 70 square meters.

The awards ceremony was a blast, with prizes like e ye Society vouchers, Garmin Approach S62 golf watches, Ping G430 Max golf club drivers, and NUSTA r gaming credits up for grabs in exciting raffles. NUSTA r keeps the excitement going with a special prize for hitting a hole-in-one at the sixth hole of Alta Vista. The lucky winner gets a three-day, two-night stay in a Fili Suite with breakfast for two, gaming credits worth P88,888, and dining credits worth P10,000 for Fili Cafe’s lavish buffets.

For those seeking ultimate luxury, the Fili Suite City View ranges from 89 to 91 square meters, and The Villas offer personal butlers and spacious rooms with three to four guestrooms. e ach villa features a private pool, office, powder room, and a deck with stunning sea views.

At Fili h otel, your stay will be an experience of unparalleled comfort and enjoyment. The amenities provided make it feel like a home away from home.

The hotel is designed to cater to your every need without requiring you to leave the property. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, you will find everything you need right at your fingertips.

For those who love shopping, the hotel's on-site mall offers a wide range of stores, from high-end boutiques to popular retail chains. you can spend hours browsing the latest fashion, accessories, and more. i f you are looking for entertainment, the arcades

Why it’s thriving in the Philippines

provide fun and excitement for guests of all ages, with a variety of games and activities.

While movie enthusiasts will appreciate the mall’s cinema, where you can catch the latest blockbusters in a comfortable and modern setting that can accommodate 76 individuals for the V i P cinema and 210 individuals for the regular cinema.

e very aspect of Fili h otel is designed with your comfort and convenience in mind.

The attentive staff is dedicated to providing top-notch service, and ensures your stay is as pleasant and hassle-free as possible.

Dining options

Me ANW hile, dining at Fili h otel is a journey around the world. With a variety of restaurants on the property, you can savor flavors from different cuisines. Whether you crave i talian, Asian, American, or local specialties, there is something to satisfy every palate.

For instance, the Fili Cafe, an all-day

cilities are underway, making travel more convenient for international visitors.

Sustainable Tourism Practices

There is a growing emphasis on sustainability within the golf industry. Many courses in the Philippines are adopting eco-friendly practices, such as using recycled water for irrigation and preserving natural habitats. This commitment to sustainability will appeal to environmentally conscious travelers and ensure the long-term viability of golf tourism.

Training and Development

To maintain high standards and enhance the visitor experience, investments in training programs for caddies, hospitality staff, and golf professionals are being prioritized. This focus on skill development will ensure that guests receive top-notch service and expertise.

Marketing and Promotion

Coll A bor AT io NS between the Department of Tourism and private sector stakeholders are enhancing the promotion of the Philippines as a golf destination. Participation in international golf expos and hosting major golf tournaments will increase visibility and attract a global audience.

o ne example was the recently concluded e astWest b ank Golf i nvitational 2024 held at the Mimosa Plus Golf Course located in the Filinvest l eisure City in Pampanga. The e astWest b ank launched its new b usiness Class segment, which also kicks off its 30th Anniversary. This milestone event brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and relevant media from across the country for a day of golfing, networking, and celebration. The event focused on the enthusiasm for e astWest’s innovative offerings and future initiatives.

“NUSTAR Resort and Casino takes pride in curating luxury lifestyle experiences and oneof-a-kind moments that transcend time and elicit different emotions from guests. These unique moments, deeply rooted in NUSTAR’s vision, are what the brand calls NUSTAR Signatures.”

dining buffet restaurant located on the 4th floor of the hotel, features a vast array of dishes and cuisines, including a live roasting station.

o f course, their Fina restaurant, named after the term “Filipiniana,” showcases authentic Filipino dishes, including beloved classics and cherished recipes from Cebu and various parts of the country. These dishes are artfully presented which offer a dining experience that feels both fresh and nostalgic.

Guests can also indulge in the worldfamous Mott 32 from h ong Kong, the only Mott 32 in the Philippines, located just steps from the Fili h otel. This award-winning Chinese restaurant is widely recognized for serving “the best Peking duck in h ong Kong” and celebrated for its many other delightful dishes.

Set sail with Fili Hotel

For those wanting to feel the ocean breeze,

o ne of the highlights of the event was the introduction of e astWest’s new b usiness Class segment, designed specifically for entrepreneurs and business owners. Norman Martin r eyes, SVP and h ead of Marketing and Cash Management, elaborated on the unique offerings of b usiness Class, said, “ o ur new b usiness Class segment provides tailored financial solutions that allow business owners to focus on personal growth while we handle their operational tasks. From dedicated relationship officers to 24/7 banking through the e astWest e asybiz App, we’ve created a suite of services that cater to the dynamic needs of today’s entrepreneurs.”

Benefits of Golf Tourism

Economic Growth

Gol F tourism generates significant revenue through spending on accommodation, dining, transport, and other services. i t creates jobs in hospitality, maintenance, and retail sectors, contributing to local economies.

Environmental Stewardship

Gol F courses often serve as green spaces that support biodiversity. b y adopting sustainable practices, these venues can protect ecosystems and promote environmental awareness among visitors.

Cultural Exchange

Gol F tourism brings together people from diverse backgrounds, promoting cultural understanding and exchange. This interaction enriches the experiences of both tourists and local residents, fostering a global community spirit.

Community Development

M AN y golf courses engage with local communities through outreach programs, providing education, healthcare, and employ -

Fili offers its newest experience: Crucero, a sunset cruise designed to immerse guests in an unforgettable sensory experience. As the sun sets over the horizon, casting a golden glow upon the tranquil waters, while the scent of the sea mingles with delectable aromas from the onboard culinary offerings. Guests can expect a curated experience with every detail, from the carefully crafted menu to the ambient music, which enhances the engaging ambiance and it's a chance to escape the ordinary and indulge in moments of pure bliss. h owever, it's essential to note that this experience operates according to a set schedule, ensuring that every Crucero voyage is perfectly timed for maximum enjoyment.

Fili h otel at NUSTA r Cebu offers an unmatched blend of luxury, adventure, and warm Filipino hospitality that guarantees every guest's stay is truly memorable.

ment opportunities. This fosters goodwill and ensures that tourism benefits are felt broadly.

A good example of community building is the fund raising event organized by The Pink Argonauts, which recently made its mark as the first of its kind in the golf and dive landscape. The event successfully gathered together golfers and divers to play for a cause. The golf tournament was held at Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club in l ipa, while the diving segment was held at Aiyanar b each and Dive r esort in Mabini, b atangas. The Pink Argonauts’ proceeds is currently funding the certification of aspiring boatmen, fishers, and other deserving locals to become Dive Masters and Dive Guides, which is managed by Marivic Maramot, Co-Founder of The Pink Argonauts. The much-needed manpower to professionalize dive guides for tourists and dive enthusiasts coming

Story by Arabelle Jimenez

Photos by Monch Henares

Story & photos by John

The Mimosa Plus Golf Course is one of the major projects of Filinvest Mimosa + Leisure City in Pampanga.

Why ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’ is relatable and endearing

EVERYBODY is talking about How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, a Thai movie by writer-director Pat Boonnitipat and starring Billkin Putthipong Assaratanakul (yes, that Billkin), Usha Seamkhum, Tu Tontawan, and Phuak Pongsatorn.

If you have not watched the movie, catch it at any SM Cinema (they are exclusively showing it) because it is a beautiful movie that will bring you to tears without really trying.

I barely watch movies in cinemas anymore. With all the streaming services available, it’s really just easier to lie in bed and watch instead of going to a cinema. I think that last movie I watched inside a cinema was the Suga concert. I made an exception for How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies because I was attracted to the poster.

I never saw any of my grandmothers alive. Both my grandmothers died when my parents were young. The closest figure to a grandmother that I remember from my childhood was my father’s Chinese grandmother, who everyone called Amah. She died when I was around four or five, I think. I remember her funeral and her giving me a gold bracelet when she was still alive but that’s about it.

The movie How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is about a grandmother who has three children and two grandchildren by them. The three children include an affluent but distant son with a daughter, a good-for-nothing son, and a hardworking daughter with a son named M.

The grandma, who is called Amah in this movie, lives alone and sells porridge. She owns the house she lives in. She’s quite an outspoken old woman.

When Amah is diagnosed with stomach cancer, M (played by Billkin) takes it upon himself to be her caretaker. This isn’t for altruistic reasons. M hopes that when Amah dies, he will leave her the house so he can sell it. He is an unsuccessful game streamer without any prospects so this makes sense.

There is nothing melodramatic about the movie and how Pat Boonnitipat and co-writer Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn handle the characters and the situations. I think what makes How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies work is that the story is told simply and matter-of-factly. There are no big dramatic scenes. In fact, the best parts of the movie and the ones that will make you cry are those that we are familiar with. The objects that will break your heart are those that we see in our daily lives, such as Amah’s slippers and a reused shopping bag that serves as Amah’s purse.

There are many things and characters that are very familiar in the movie. Amah’s eldest child Kiang seems to be her favorite. He spends for her medical

and is the one constantly burdened with taking her mother to the doctor and doing other tasks expected of Asian daughters. One of the most memorable moments in the movie is when Chew said something like sons inherit the assets and daughters get the illnesses.

I mean, if you’re Asian, surely you understand what this means. If you’re an Asian daughter, you’re expected to take care of sick parents while male siblings can go on with their lives.

This is why I think How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has resonated with many people and why the movie is a hit not just in Thailand but in other parts of Southeast Asia. There are no bells and

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is really a good acting vehicle for him. I watched the movie and thought he was good without me knowing he was Billkin.

The cinematography is spot-on and I love how it made everything, even the shabbiest streets, seem Instagrammable.

This movie is proof that cinema, as a medium, is still very much alive. Give people a good movie and they will troop to the cinemas to watch it.

I won’t spoil the movie but you need to watch How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies to see for yourself why everyone’s talking about it. Let’d just say M inherited more than money and what he got from Amah will stay with him for the rest of his life. ■

Concentrix utilizing AI and Generative AI for growth

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) and Generative AI as well are boon to major global technology services provider Concentrix.

Amit Jagga, executive vice president and country leader of Concentrix, told reporters that Generative AI is boosting the productivity of their workers as it enables to tackle challenges in workplace.

“Generative AI enables our clients to work with us to implement their goals toward growth,” he said in a weekend press briefing held in San Juan City.

“Concentrix uses AI in broad areas for customer service. It is used in empowering staff, study of Big Data and customer experience,” Jagga said.

Nonetheless, Jagga said governments around the world would implement regulations and guardrails because of issues on privacy, fraud prevention and proliferation of deepfakes. “Large companies around the world such as airlines, manufacturing companies and hotels are heavy users of AI,” he said.

Hazel Baňas, vice president for solutions of Concentrix, said AI and Generative AI should not be feared. She added AI is used to empower humans to become more productive.

“There is always fear of the unknown. AI helps people become more efficient which is part of empowering the people of Concentrix,” she said.

Jagga said the success of Concentrix is credited to the development of a

human-centered, tech-powered and intelligence-fueled environment.

“We continue to make investments that recognize the contributions of our people who are the driving force of our business, as well as those for whom they give their best every day,” he said.

Moreover, Jagga said Concentrix’s unique blend of tech-powered and AI-infused services has proven that AI can harness the potential of human behavior and data intelligence can drive higher growth.

“As a global tech and services leader, we are proud to offer our expertise and use public opportunities such as our vodcast and media organizations to discuss tech-driven transformation and how it positively contributes to the customer experience industry and careers for our

workforce,” Jagga explained.

“Concentrix utilizes AI to combine the best of humans and technology to accelerate processes, drive better experiences for our clients and their customers, and drive improved performance and satisfaction for our game-changers,” Jagga said.

Aside from providing the staff with attractive compensation and benefits, Baňas said Concentrix is developing a workplace that promotes sustainability initiatives to support the environment and develop strong camaraderie among the workforce through various activities such as the Concentrix Family Day. On June 2, Concentrix organized the #OneFAMNation Musicfest that was one of 11 location-based events nationwide.

YouTube toughens policy on gun videos and youth; critics say proof will be in enforcement

BY DAVID KLEPPE� The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—YouTube is changing its policies about firearm videos in an effort to keep potentially dangerous content from reaching underage users.

The video sharing platform owned by Google said on Wednesday it will prohibit any videos demonstrating how to remove firearm safety devices. In addition, videos showing homemade guns, automatic weapons and certain firearm accessories like silencers will be restricted to users 18 and older.

The changes take effect June 18 and come after gun safety advocates have repeatedly called on the platform to do more to ensure gun videos aren’t making their way to the site’s youngest users, potentially traumatizing children or sending them down dark paths of extremism and violence.

Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project, said the change was welcome news and a step in the right direction. But she questioned why the platform took so long to issue a new policy, and said her group will look to see how effectively YouTube enforces its new rule.

“Firearms are the number one cause of death for children and teens in America,” said Paul, whose group has long sought stronger age controls on online gun videos. “As always with YouTube, the real proof of change is whether the company enforces the policies it has on the books. Until YouTube takes real action to prevent videos about guns and gun violence from reaching minors, its policies remain empty words.”

Last year, researchers at Paul’s group created YouTube accounts that mimicked the behavior of 9-year-old American boys with a stated interest in video games. The researchers found that YouTube’s recommendations system forwarded these accounts graphic videos of school shootings, tactical gun training videos and how-to instructions on making firearms fully automatic.

One video featured an elementary school-age girl wielding a handgun; another showed a shooter using a .50 caliber gun to fire on a dummy head filled with lifelike blood and brains. Many of the videos violated YouTube’s own policies against violent or gory content.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last month called on YouTube to stop the proliferation of firearm-related videos to young users, and told the company it was failing to enforce its own policies. On Wednesday, Bragg said he applauded the company’s new policy.

“We have heard firsthand from young individuals that YouTube’s algorithm is driving them to the world of illegal and 3D-printed firearms, which is having a direct impact on the safety of Manhattanites,” Bragg said in a statement e-mailed to reporters.

YouTube said the policy changes were designed to reflect new developments, like 3D printed guns, which have become more available in recent years. YouTube requires users under 17 to get their parent’s permission before using their site; accounts for users younger than 13 are linked to the parental account.

“We regularly review our guidelines and consult with outside experts to make sure we are drawing the line at the right place,” said company spokesman Javier Hernandez.

Along with TikTok, YouTube is one of the most popular sites for children and teens. Both sites have been questioned in the past for hosting, and in some cases promoting, videos that encourage gun violence, eating disorders and self-harm.

Several perpetrators of recent mass shootings have used social media and video streaming platforms to glorify violence, foreshadow or even livestream their attacks.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ACITY of unparalleled glamour and ambition, Dubai is a place where ancient traditions meet futuristic wonders. From a humble fishing village nestled along the Arabian Gulf, to being named world’s best destination for three years in a row by Trip Advisor, Dubai’s monumental transformation offers a unique blend of old-world charm and modern marvels. Known for its iconic skyline, luxurious shopping malls, and rich cultural heritage, Dubai offers an experience that captivates the senses and ignites the imagination. It had been on my bucket list ever since my partner Lou worked there. Her brother had been urging us to visit him earlier this year when the weather was way cooler, but we just couldn’t find the right schedule. My annual birthday trip was our second option, but May wasn’t the most ideal since the weather was getting hotter, and you know me—I’d rather freeze than melt like a popsicle. So, we were thinking of moving it to December. But then came the invitation to the launch of the Poco F6 series, which was just too good to pass on.

Making sure to pack all my Airism undershirts so I wouldn’t look like a sweating pig and my favorite Skechers slip-ons to keep my feet comfortable for those long walking adventures (aka Toy Hunting), we braved the 42-degree weather and had a sweatingly good time—all captured using the Poco F6. Our journey through Dubai and Abu Dhabi was a perfect blend of exploration and technology, which allowed me to test the best features of the Poco F6.

The new Poco series comes in two models, the vanilla Poco F6 and Poco F6 Pro. Both share many similarities, such as a 6.67-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, in-display optical fingerprint sensor, and face unlock. Both start with 256GB of storage (although the Pro has a 1TB option), pack a 5000mAh battery that supports fast charging (90W for the basic and 120W for the Pro), and utilize Poco’s Liquid Tech 4.0 for gaming and overheating prevention. But there are also notable differences. The nonPro version has a plastic frame and back, making it lighter at 179g, compared to the Pro’s metal frame and glass back, which weighs 290g. The Poco F6 also boasts of Gorilla Glass Victus for better drop resistance compared to the Gorilla Glass 5 of the Pro model. The F6 likewise has a higher IP64 rating for water- and dust-resistance, offering better protection than the Pro’s IP54 rating. Performance-wise, the F6 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, while the Pro uses an older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. For the cameras, the F6 has a dual-lens camera setup compared to the triple camera setup of the Pro which can record up to 8K compared to the F6’s 4K. When it comes to color options, the F6 comes in a wider range of colors, including black, titanium and green, while the Pro is available only in black and white.

THE LONG (FLIGHT TO) DUBAI

WE had a morning flight which meant sleeping throughout the trip was going to be difficult. Good thing I had the Poco F6 to try out and keep me busy in between those in-flight meals. Not to be biased, but I actually prefer the design of the F6, though I do like those gold accents on the camera lens on the F6 Pro. The Poco F6’s sleek design and robust build makes it an ideal companion for any trip. Its dimensions (160.5mm x 74.5mm x 8mm) and weight (179g) ensured it fit comfortably in my hand, pocket or a small body bag, making it easy to carry around whether I was exploring the historic lanes of Bastakiya or the luxurious interiors of the Mall of the Emirates. The phone’s IP64 rating provided peace of mind, protecting it from dust and water splashes, which was particularly useful when we went to the beach at W The Palm (just don’t submerge it!), or took an Abra Water Taxi ride across Dubai Creek. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Given the choice, I would have preferred the Titanium finish, but this black version is actually okay because it’s not too shiny and reflective. It can still pick up smudges easily, though. As I needed to coordinate three events while I was in Dubai, the Poco F6 proved to be a reliable smartphone that didn’t let me down even if I was already stressed out. Poco phones are all about performance and the Poco F6 did not disappoint. As one of the first to use the newest Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, it offers a significant improvement over its predecessors, delivering a 27 percent performance

fully charge it in about 40 minutes.

Souks, shopping, and strolls: Discovering Dubai with the Poco F6

increase in the CPU department ensuring faster and more efficient processing that is essential for both everyday tasks and intensive gaming sessions. The GPU performance is even more impressive, boasting a 40 percent improvement from the previous generation, making it an ideal choice for gamers who demand high graphics quality and smooth gameplay.

In addition to these hardware upgrades, the Poco F6 is equipped with a brand-new AI engine that supports large model processing. This AI capability enhances various aspects of the phone’s functionality, from photography to system optimization, ensuring a smarter and more responsive user experience.

To complement the powerful chipset, the Poco F6 includes LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage technology, which are top-tier in any segment. The phone comes with an upgraded storage capacity of 12GB RAM and 512GB ROM.

With the help of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and

Xiaomi HyperOS, WildBoost Optimization 3.0 ensures an incredible gaming experience by focusing on three key areas: fast and stable gameplay, highquality graphics, and accurate controls.

For me, however, using it for sheets to prepare a guestlist, creating blog posts, answering emails and having several webpages and other apps open, I didn’t encounter any slowdown or apps suddenly closing.

BATTERY: ENDURANCE FOR A DAY OF EXPLORATION

SINCE there’s a four-hour time difference, we landed in Dubai at around 1 pm local time, so we still had almost a full day of itinerary. I used the Poco F6 on the plane to listen to music, watch some videos, and edit a few photos and I still had about 60 percent battery left. Equipped with a standard 5000mAh battery, it should last you an entire days’ worth of moderate use. It does support 90W HyperCharge and I was able to

This feature was particularly beneficial during our long days of sightseeing in Dubai, where the last thing I wanted was to worry about running out of power.

From our early morning trip to The View at the Palm Jumeira to the night fountain show at Dubai Mall, the Poco F6 was able to keep up with our demanding itinerary without needing a midday recharge.

AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE DUBAI SKYLINE

MUCH as I hate heights, I was really looking forward to going up to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. And though my knees trembled initially, I enjoyed it too much that I went back a second time with my partner.

Just like the fantastic Dubai skyline, the Poco F6 has an equally fabulous display. The 6.67” CrystalRes 1.5K Flow AMOLED display is another improvement over its predecessor and because it has a peak brightness of 2400 nits, it remained perfectly visible even under direct sunlight. This feature proved invaluable while taking photos from The View at the Palm, The Top of Burj Khalifa and Museum of the Future.

It also comes with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and an instant touch sampling rate of 2160Hz for that smooth and responsive experience, whether I was gaming or just browsing, or navigating through the map of Dubai Mall. The dual speakers with Dolby Vision delivers an immersive audio-visual experience, enhancing the enjoyment of watching videos, which is a good thing since they’ve ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack.

HELLO LOVE, DUBAI

CAMERAS have never been a top priority for Poco, but with the F6 series, the brand has decided to levelup its camera game as well. The Poco F6 now features dual Sony cameras with OIS, which is a massive upgrade compared to last generation. The 50MP main camera has a Sony IMX 882 sensor that is paired with an 8MP ultra-wide Sony IMX 355 sensor. The useless 2MP macro lens is gone, so I was actually hoping for a better ultra-wide camera.

The Poco F6’s camera setup is quite impressive and I was able to capture stunning images in various lighting conditions, from the vibrant colors of the Spice Souk and Gold Souk to the twinkling lights of the Dubai skyline at night when I returned to Burj Khalifa. Even the photos I took at various toy stores were quite good despite the less-than-ideal lighting conditions. The 8MP ultra-wide camera added versatility, allowing for expansive shots that highlighted Dubai’s architectural marvels and was especially useful during our trip to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. It might not be the best in its price range yet—but it’s a big leap compared to the previous Poco F series phone I used.

If you’ve ever used a Xiaomi or Poco phone, you know there are a lot of fun editing tools you can use from quick video editors for reels, sticker cutouts, collages and other AI tools to remove people, object or change the sky. Also worth mentioning are the Poco F6 new air gestures that provided hands-free navigation, which is particularly useful when I was eating and I wanted to scroll through my Facebook feed or change music—all I had to do was swipe my hands up or down without the need to touch your phone. You can also do a circular wave to answer a phone. It still isn’t perfect but hopefully they can fix it with a software update.

FINAL WORD: Just as Dubai represents a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, the Poco F6 embodies the perfect balance of high-end performance and affordability. The Poco F6 is a powerhouse phone for gaming, viewing and even photography enthusiasts, and with a price that starts at P21,999 that can get even lower during flash sales or with discount vouchers, it’s the perfect choice for those looking to get a new phone this coming school year. ■

Online travel app launches AirAsia flight promos for local, intl travelers

Availing AirAsia’s plane ticket

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor

FOLLOWING its successful launch, AirAsia Move, as the official booking partner of AirAsia Philippines, makes travel more affordable with various promos. When travelers book directly via the AirAsia Move app, they can avail of the low base fares on domestic and international flights offered by AirAsia Philippines. Those who availed its just concluded all-in one-way fare promo now can start planning their flight schedules until March 31, 2025.

one-way fare, exclusively available via AirAsia Move.

Travelers can have a better and seamless

experience with the AirAsia Move app with some of its key features. These include more ancillary options such as additional luggage, inflight meals, travel protection, etc., which can be booked directly on the app with up to 30 percent savings; ability to check and monitor AirAsia flight status within the app; conveniently manage flight bookings and check-in for all AirAsia flights; earn AirAsia points to travel and redeem flights, hotels and more; and connect with fellow travelers via the AirAsia Communities feature.

“At AirAsia Move, our vision is to be Asean’s favorite travel companion that

creates inclusive and delightful journeys, and as Asia’s Leading OTA [Online Travel Agents by World Travel Awards], we are proud to be the exclusive travel platform to offer the lowest base fares for all AirAsia group of airlines’ flights, enabling more people to access affordable travel conveniently,” said AirAsia Philippines chief executive officer Ricky Isla. “This is an expansion of how our biggest airline partner’s wide connectivity has benefited many across the region to fulfill their dreams to travel, complemented by key features of our AirAsia Move app to enhance each travelers’ journey,” he added.

Nadal skipping Wimbledon to focus on Olympics

Magsayo says he won’t squander opportunity as he faces Ramirez

ARK “MAGNIFICO” MAGSAYO will not take Mexican veteran Eduardo Ramirez lightly on Sunday (Philippine time) when they face off for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) intercontinental super featherweight title—the ticket to a world title shot possibly against champion Lamont Roach Jr. The Magsayo-Ramirez bout is part of the event headlined by WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Frank Martin, while David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk will be fighting for the World Boxing Council light heavyweight belt at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“There’s no problem about his style. I know I can take him in this weight class. But he is a true veteran so I have to be careful,” Magsayo (252 win-loss record with 17 knockouts) told BusinessMirror on Friday.

“I’m confident that I can beat him.” Ramirez, who holds a 28-3-3 record with 13 knockouts, is known for his great timing and power that will be a good match to Magsayo’s aggressive style.

“They have the same mission—get another opportunity for a world title shot. So I’m really expecting this fight will be exciting,” Sean Gibbons, president of Manny Pacquiao’s MP

Promotions, said. “I believe the boxing people would love this.”

Both fighters are itching to bounce back after losing their world title opportunities.

Magsayo lost to Brandon Figueroa in the World Boxing Council (WBC) interim featherweight title fight via unanimous decision last March 2023. He moved up to super featherweight, winning his debut over Isaac Avelar via third-round knockout last December.

Ramirez lost to Isaac Cruz via second-round knockout in September 2022 for the WBC silver lightweight championship before moving down to the super featherweight to beat Sebastian Maldonado of Mexico via sixth round technical knockout last August 2023. Josef T. Ramos

RAFAEL NADAL is going to skip Wimbledon, as expected, and instead prepare for the Paris Olympics by entering a clay-court tournament in Bastad, Sweden, he hasn’t been to in 19 years.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who turned 38 on June 3, said Thursday he wants to just remain on clay, rather than switching over to grass for the All England Club, then needing to go back to clay for the Summer Games.

“We believe that the best for my body is not to change surface,” Nadal said in a statement.

He has been dealing with hip and abdominal injuries over the past 1 1/2 years, including having surgery in 2023, and has been forced to play a limited schedule. Nadal was defeated in the first round of the French Open late last month by eventual runnerup Alexander Zverev—marking the first time in Nadal’s career he has lost consecutive matches on clay.

The Summer Games will hold the tennis competition at Roland Garros starting on July 27. That is the site of the French Open, where Nadal has won a record 14 titles.

Nadal will play doubles—with Carlos Alcaraz—and singles at the OIympics, Spanish men’s tennis captain David Ferrer said Wednesday. Alcaraz, 21, won the French Open on Sunday for his third Grand Slam title. He is the youngest man to own major championships on all three surfaces.

After his exit against Zverev in Paris, Nadal was asked about participating at Wimbledon, which runs from July 1 to 14.

“Looks difficult, honestly. For me, now, I can’t confirm what’s going on, but it looks difficult to make a transition to grass, having the Olympics again on clay,” he said.

“But I don’t think it’s going to be smart, after all the things that happened to my body,” Nadal continued, “[to] now make a big transition to a completely different

CBy Josef T. Ramos

ARLOS “CALOY” YULO is eyeing the ultimate prize in Paris.

After a frustrating performance at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium last October, the 24-year-old two-time world champion has seemingly regained his composure early this year with grit when he bounced back big in the Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last May.

And Yulo expressed gratitude to those who supported him all the way—during his highs and lows.

“There are people who always motivate and pray for my success, so

hopefully I capture the ultimate prize in Paris, which is the gold medal,” Yulo told BusinessMirror on Friday. “That’s for them. One of them is my girlfriend Chloe. She’s always there for me.”

“So I’m hoping to reach the all-around final and then focus on some of the apparatuses. I have my eyes on the floor exercise, parallel bars and vault, hopefully to capture the gold,” he added.

Yulo split with his longtime Japanese mentor coach Munehiro Kugiyama in last October’s World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium where he ended medal-less, but got an Olympic qualification berth.

He bounced back in the World Cup last April in Doha, winning the gold

surface and then come back immediately to clay.”

He won two titles at Wimbledon, beating Roger Federer in the 2008 final and Tomas Berdych in the 2010 final.

Nadal also was the runner-up there three times and exited after reaching the semifinals in each of his past three appearances, including his last trip to the All England Club, in 2022, when he withdrew from the final four because of a torn abdominal muscle.

“I will miss playing at the Championships this year at Wimbledon. I am saddened not to be able to live this year the great atmosphere of that amazing event that will always be in my heart,”

Nadal said Thursday, “and be with all the British fans that always gave me great support. I will miss you all.”

This will be his fourth appearance at Bastad—a clay-court tournament that starts July 15— and first since 2005. Nadal won the trophy there that year, beating Berdych in the final. AP

in the parallel bars and bagging the silver medal in the vault.

Yulo stamped his mark anew in the 2024 Asian Championships last May when he won four gold medals. He won the men’s all-around individual class, floor exercise, vault and parallel bars.

“He is very busy honing his skills and movements at Intramuros gym and we believe he can get a gold medal in Paris,” Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) President Cynthia Carrion said. Yulo will be joined in the Paris Games by Aleah Finnegan, Levi JaviRuivivar and Emma Malabuyo. Carrion believes Yulo could win the gold in the men’s floor exercise,

YOUNG golfers from the southern Philippines are set to showcase their talent and skills in a competitive yet fun environment as the three-leg Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Visayas Series begins on Monday at the Iloilo Golf Club in Iloilo City.

Sean Sinfuego, Rinz Vesinica and Srixon Sequito are among the early entries in the boys’ 16-18 age category in the tournament serving as the first of three scheduled in the region by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. (PGTI).

On the girls’ side, Hannah Bernardo, Rhiena Vesinica and Necky Tortosa lead the pack in the centerpiece stroke-play tournament.

The series is a significant step in elevating junior golf in the Visayas and providing a platform for young golfers to compete at a high level and gain valuable experience. Established to cultivate talent and

promote camaraderie, the JPGT, sponsored by ICTSI, operates independently from other junior golf organizations.

After the Iloilo leg, the series continues with the JPGT Visayas Series 2 set June 24 to 27 at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Murcia, and Series 3 from July 1 to 4 at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.

The series features competition in boys’ and girls’ 8-9, 10-12, 13-15 and 16-18 age groups. Registration for the Iloilo leg is ongoing. For details, contact PGTI’s Jhi Castillo at 0928-316-5678 or Shiela Salvania at 0968-3114101.

Players will earn points based on their performances in each tournament, with the best two results out of the three tournaments contributing to their final ranking. The top two players in each division will qualify for the JPGT Match Play Championship at The Country

Club in Laguna in October. Headlining the 13-15 division are Tiffany Bernardino and Alex Gabi (girls) and Inno Flores, Matthew Dilag, and Marcus Dueñas (boys). Other notable players in the Iloilo leg include (girls’ 8-9) Eliana Mendoza, Faith Reosura, Ana Marie Aguilar, and (girls’ 10-12) Sam Alvarez, Andrea Borromeo, Tea Bernardino and Cailey Gonzales.

Supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf, the nationwide circuit also includes a four-leg series in talent-rich Mindanao with Apo Golf Club in Davao hosting the first tournament from July 23 to 26.

MAGSAYO

Editor: Angel R. Calso

G7 leaders tackle migration crisis amid division over abortion rights

By Elena Becatoros The Associated Press

BARI, Italy—Leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations are turning their attention to migration on the second day of their summit Friday, seeking ways to combat trafficking and increase investment in countries from where migrants start out on often lifethreatening journeys.

The gathering in a luxury resort in Italy’s southern Puglia region is also discussing other major topics, such as financial support for Ukraine, the war in Gaza, artificial intelligence and climate change, as well as China’s industrial policy and economic security.

But some divisions also appeared to emerge over the wording of the summit’s final declaration, with disagreement reported over the inclusion of a reference to abortion.

Migration is of particular interest to summit host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Right-wing Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, known for her hardline stance on the issue, has been keen to increase investment and funding for African nations as a means of reducing migratory

pressure on Europe. Italy “wanted to dedicate ample space to another continent that is fundamental to the future of all of us, which is Africa, with its difficulties, its opportunities,” Meloni said at the summit opening Thursday.

“Linked to Africa, and not only to Africa, there is another fundamental issue that Italy has placed at the center of the presidency, which is the issue of migration, the increasingly worrying role that trafficking organizations are assuming, clearly exploiting the desperation of human beings,” she said.

Meloni has a controversial five-year deal with neighboring Albania for the Balkan country to host thousands of asylum-seekers while Italy processes their claims.

She has also spearheaded the “Mattei Plan” for Africa, a continentwide strategy to increase economic

Pope Francis will be first pontiff to address a G7 venue. He’s raising the alarm about AI

By Nicole Winfield & Kelvin Chan

The Associated Press

BARI, Italy—Pope Francis is no stranger to artificial intelligence—a deepfake photo of him in a white puffer jacket went viral last year—but his concerns about AI go far beyond an unflattering shot and are now taking center stage at the Group of Seven summit.

Francis will address G7 leaders on Friday at their annual gathering in southern Italy—a first for a pope. He intends to use the occasion to join the chorus of countries and global bodies pushing for stronger guardrails on AI following the boom in generative artificial intelligence kickstarted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.

The Argentine pope used his annual peace message this year to call for an international treaty to ensure AI is developed and used ethnically. He argues that a technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness is too perilous to develop unchecked.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni invited Francis and announced his participation, knowing the potential impact of his star power and moral authority to twin a broadly shared concern about AI with his priorities about peace and social justice.

“The pope is, well, a very special kind of a celebrity,” said John Kirton, a political scientist at the University of Toronto who directs the G7 Research Group think tank. Kirton recalled the last summit that had this kind of star power was the 2005 meeting in Gleneagles, Scotland, where members decided to wipe out the $40 billion of the debts owed by 18 of the world’s poorest countries to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

That summit was preceded by a Live8 concert in London that featured Sting, The Who and a reformed Pink Floyd and drew over a million people in a show of solidarity against hunger and poverty in Africa.

“Gleneagles actually hit a home run and for some it’s one of the most successful summits,” Kirton said.

No such popular pressure is being applied

to G7 leaders in the Italian city of Puglia, but Francis is expected to wield his own moral authority to renew his demands for safeguards for AI and highlight the threats to peace and society it poses.

Generative AI technology has dazzled the world with its capabilities to produce humanlike-responses, but it’s also sparked fears about AI safety and led to a jumble of global efforts to rein it in.

Some worry about catastrophic but far off risks to humanity because of its potential for creating new bioweapons and supercharging disinformation. Others fret about its effect on everyday life, through algorithmic bias that results in discrimination or AI systems that eliminate jobs.

In his peace message, Francis echoed those concerns and raised others. He said AI must keep foremost concerns about guaranteeing fundamental human rights, promoting peace and guarding against disinformation, discrimination and distortion.

On the regulation front, Francis will in some ways be preaching to the converted as the G7 members have been at the forefront of

opportunities at home and so discourage migration to Europe.

More than 22,000 people have arrived in Italy by sea so far in 2024, according to UNHCR figures. In 2023, more than 157,000 arrived, and nearly 2,000 died or went missing while attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing.

The United States has also been struggling with a growing number of migrants at its southern border.

President Joe Biden introduced new policies to curb migration after a bill he tried to get through Congress failed to pass.

However, immigrant rights advocates filed lawsuits on Thursday over the new policies, and it is unclear whether they will be able to withstand the legal challenges in the US courts.

Tackling migration “is a common challenge,” European Council President Charles Michel said after arriving at the summit.

the debate on AI oversight.

Japan, which held the G7’s rotating presidency last year, launched its Hiroshima AI process to draw up international guiding principles and a code of conduct for AI developers. Adding to those efforts, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last month unveiled a framework for global regulation of generative AI, which are systems that can quickly churn out new text, images, video, audio in response to prompts and commands.

The European Union was one of the first movers with its wide-ranging AI Act that’s set to take effect over the next two years and could act as a global model. The act targets any AI product or service offered in the bloc’s 27 nations, with restrictions based on the level of risk they pose.

In the United States, President Joe Biden issued an executive order on AI safeguards and called for legislation to strengthen it, while some states like California and Colorado have been trying to pass their own AI bills, with mixed results.

Antitrust enforcers on both sides of the Atlantic have been scrutinizing big AI companies including Microsoft, Amazon and OpenAI over whether their dominant positions stifle competition.

Chan reported from London.

Pope Francis will also become the first pontiff to address a G7 summit when he delivers a speech on artificial intelligence Friday.

Other invitees include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The summit opened Thursday with a strong show of support for Kyiv: an agreement reached on a US proposal to back a $50 billion loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as collateral. Biden also signed a bilateral security agreement with Zelenskyy on Thursday evening, aiming to send a signal to Russia of American resolve in supporting Kyiv.

“This is the route that we intend, together with our partners, to put in place: this coalition to fight against the smugglers, these criminal groups which are abusing (vulnerable people) to make money and to destabilize regions and countries across the world,” he added.

Apart from the G7 nations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US, the Italian hosts have also invited several African leaders—Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Kenyan President William Ruto and Tunisian President Kais Saied—to press Meloni’s migration and development initiatives.

Describing it as a “truly historic day,” Zelenskyy said the agreement was “on security and thus on the protection of human life.”

But some cracks appeared among the G7 leaders, with French President Emmanuel Macron deploring a lack of reference to abortion in the draft of the summit’s final document.

The statement after last year’s summit in Hiroshima, Japan, expressed a commitment to provide access to safe and legal abortion to women and girls, and pledged to defend gender equality and the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community.

But Italy’s ANSA news agency,

citing the draft for this year’s communiqué, said Thursday the final document had no reference to abortion.

“I regret this,” Macron said, answering a question on the issue from an Italian reporter. France “has included women’s right to abortion, the freedom of decision on one’s own body, into its Constitution,” he said, adding that France defends “this vision of equality between women and men.”

“It’s not a vision that’s shared across all the political spectrum,” Macron said. “I regret it, but I respect it because it was the sovereign choice of your people.” Meloni, who campaigned on a “God, Faith and Fatherland” motto, has denied she is rolling back abortion rights, which have been legal in Italy since 1978. But the center-left opposition has warned that her initiatives are chipping away at those rights, including by giving pro-life groups access to women considering abortions.

According to ANSA, this year’s text says the G7 “repeats our commitment expressed in the final communiqué of the G7 of Hiroshima for a universal, adequate and sustainable access to health services for women, including the right to reproduction.”

to this report.

The Associated Press writer Colleen Long in Borgo Egnazia, Italy, contributed

US President Joe Biden and leaders attend the Partnership for global infrastructure and investment event at the G7 world leaders summit at Borgo Egnazia, Italy on Thursday, June 13, 2024. AP/DOMENICO STINELLIS

Millions converge in Mecca for Hajj pilgrimage amid regional tensions

By Samy Magdy

The Associated Press

MINA, Saudi Arabia—In sweltering temperatures, Muslim pilgrims in Mecca converged on a vast tent camp in the desert on Friday, officially opening the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Ahead of their trip, they circled the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site.

More than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world have already amassed in and around Mecca for the Hajj, and the number was still growing as more pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia joined. Saudi authorities expected the number of pilgrims to exceed 2 million this year.

This year’s Hajj came against the backdrop of the raging war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian militants, which pushed the entire Middle East to the brink of a regional war between Israel and its allies on one side and Iran-backed militant groups on the other.

Palestinians in the coastal enclave of Gaza were not able to travel to Mecca for Hajj this year because of the closure of the Rafah crossing in May when Israel extended its ground offensive to the strip’s southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.

Palestinian authorities said 4,200 pilgrims from the occupied West Bank arrived in Mecca for Hajj. Saudi authorities said 1,000 more from the families of Palestinians killed or wounded in the war in Gaza also arrived to perform Hajj at the invitation of King Salman of Saudi Arabia. The 1,000 invitees were already outside Gaza— mostly in Egypt—before closure of the Rafah crossing.

“We are deprived of (performing) Hajj because the crossing is closed, and because of the raging wars and destruction,” said Amna Abu Mutlaq, a 75-year-old Palestinian woman from Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis who had

planned to perform Hajj this year.

“They (Israel) deprived us from everything.”

This year’s Hajj also saw Syrian pilgrims traveling to Mecca on direct flights from Damascus for the first time in more than a decade. The move was part of an ongoing thaw in relations between Saudi Arabia and conflict-stricken Syria. Syrians in rebel-held areas used to cross the border into neighboring Turkey in their exhausting trip to Mecca for Hajj.

“This is the natural thing: Pilgrims go to Hajj directly from their home countries,” said Abdel-Aziz al-Ashqar, a Syrian coordinator of the group of pilgrims who left Damascus this year for Hajj.

The pilgrimage is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do it.

It is a moving spiritual experience for pilgrims who believe it absolves sins and brings them closer to God, while uniting the world’s more than 2 billion Muslims. It’s also a chance to pray for peace in many conflict-stricken Arab and Muslim countries, including Yemen and Sudan, where more than a year of war between rival generals created the world’s largest displacement crisis.

For many Muslims, the Hajj is the only major journey that they made in their life. Some spend years saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the journey in their 50s and 60s after they raised their children.

The rituals during the Hajj largely commemorate the Quran’s accounts of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Prophet Ismail and Ismail’s mother Hajar—or Abraham and Ismael as they are named in the Bible.

Male pilgrims wear an ihram, two unstitched sheets of white cloth that resemble a shroud, while women dress conservative, loose-fitting clothing with headscarves, and forgo makeup and perfume. They have been doing the ritual circuit around the cube-shaped Kaaba, counterclockwise in the seven-minaret Grand Mosque since arriving in Mecca over recent days.

Saudi authorities have adopted security restrictions in and around Mecca, with checkpoints set up on roads leading to the city to prevent those who don’t have Hajj permits from reaching the holy sites.

Security authorities arrested many people who attempted to take pilgrims to Mecca who didn’t have Hajj permits, said Lt. Gen. Muhammad al-Bassami, head of Hajj Security Committee. Most of them were expelled from the country, while travel agents faced jail for up to six months, according to the Interior Ministry.

On Friday, the pilgrims made their way to Mina, officially opening the Hajj. They then will move for a daylong vigil Saturday on Mount Arafat, a desert hill where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his final speech, known as the Farewell Sermon.

Healthy pilgrims make the trip

on foot, others use bus or train.

The time of year when the Hajj takes place varies, given that Hajj is set for five days in the second week of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month in the Islamic lunar calendar.

Most of the Hajj rituals are held outdoors with little if any shade. When it falls in the summer months, temperatures can soar to over 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). The Health Ministry has cautioned that temperatures in the holy sites could reach 48 Celsius (118 Fahrenheit). Many pilgrims carried umbrellas against the burning sun.

After Saturday’s warship in Arafat, pilgrims will travel a few kilometers (miles) to a site known as Muzdalifa to collect pebbles that they will use in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil back in Mina.

Pilgrims then return to Mina for three days, coinciding with the festive Eid al-Adha holiday, when financially able Muslims around the world slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor. Afterwards, they return to Mecca for final circumambulation, known as Farewell Tawaf.

In recent years, the annual pilgrimage has returned to its monumental scale after three years of heavy restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, more than 1.8 million pilgrims performed Hajj, approaching the 2019 level when more than 2.4 million pilgrims participated in the pilgrimage.

UN adopts resolution demanding that Sudan’s paramilitary force halt its siege of a Darfur city

by edith m. lederer

The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The UN Security Council adopted a resolution Thursday demanding that Sudan’s paramilitary force immediately halt its siege of the only capital in the vast western region of Darfur that it doesn’t control and where more than a million people are reportedly trapped.

The British-sponsored resolution, which was approved by a vote of 14-0 with Russia abstaining, also calls on the paramilitary Rapid Support Force and Sudanese military “to seek an immediate cessation of hostilities” leading to an end to their more than year-long war.

It expresses “grave concern” at the spreading violence and credible reports that the Rapid Support Forces are carrying out “ethnically motivated violence” in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, as well as last year in El Geneina in West Darfur. Britain’s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council after the vote that the resolution sends a clear message: the RSF must “immediately stop the siege of El Fasher and that all sides step back from the brink.”

“An attack on the city would be catastrophic for the 1.5 million people sheltering in the city,” she warned. “This brutal and unjust conflict must end.”

Sudan plunged into conflict in midApril 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital Khartoum and spread to other regions including Darfur. The UN says over 14,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured.

Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias, against populations that identify as Central or East African. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes.

That legacy appears to have returned, with the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, saying in January there are grounds to believe both sides may be committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in Darfur.

The RSF was formed from Janjaweed fighters by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades before being overthrown during a popular uprising in 2019. He is wanted by the ICC on charges of genocide and other crimes during the conflict in Darfur in the 2000s. The resolution demands that the RSF and government forces ensure the protection of civilians, including allowing those wishing to move within El Fasher or leave the city for safer areas to do so.

It also calls on all nations to halt interference fomenting conflict and instability instead of peace efforts. And it reminds countries supplying weapons to the combatants that they are violating a

UN arms embargo and could face sanctions. UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the council on April 19 that the war has been fueled by weapons from foreign supporters who continue to flout UN sanctions aimed at helping end the conflict. “This is illegal, it is immoral, and it must stop,” she said. She didn’t name any of the foreign supporters.

But Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, who led a military takeover of Sudan in 2021, is a close ally of neighboring Egypt and its president, former army chief AbdelFattah el-Sissi. In February, Sudan’s foreign minister held talks in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart amid unconfirmed reports of drone purchases for government forces. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the RSF, has reportedly received support from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group. UN experts said in a recent report that the RSF has also received support from Arab allied communities and new military supply lines running through Chad, Libya and South Sudan.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned that if outside interference in the conflict continues it will “only foment further instability.”

“This resolution could not come at a more precarious moment,” she said. “The people of El Fasher are trapped. They’re surrounded by heavily armed RSF. Food, water, medicine and other essentials are drying up. Famine is setting in, and the threat of a large-scale massacre looms large.”

Already, hundreds of people have been killed and scores wounded in El Fasher, she said.

The resolution expresses concern at “the catastrophic and deteriorating humanitarian situation, including crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity, and the imminent risk of famine, particularly in Darfur.” The UN humanitarian office said Tuesday that the UN and aid organizations “are working against the clock to stave off famine and mitigate the most pressing humanitarian needs in Sudan.”

But the UN said this is “incredibly challenging” because this year’s humanitarian appeal for Sudan is just 16 percent funded—with less than $441 million received of the $2.7 billion required.

Thomas-Greenfield said over 25 million Sudanese are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and she and many council members urged that more crossings be opened—and that donors come forward. Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said Moscow abstained because the resolution “is at odds with the reality on the ground,” ignores the views of the Sudanese themselves, and doesn’t contain “any substantive proposals” to end the war.

“The priority should be efforts that seek to preserve state institutions, unity and the territorial integrity of the country through finding a political solution that is defined by the Sudanese people themselves,” she said.

South Africa on political knife-edge: Ramaphosa’s reelection hinges on unprecedented coalition deal

By Gerald Imray & Mogomotsi Magome

The Associated Press

APE TOWN, South Africa—For the first time in 30 years, South African lawmakers will elect a president on Friday with the outcome not a mere formality.

Cyril Ramaphosa is seeking a second term as leader of Africa’s most industrialized economy but his African National Congress party has been

weakened after losing its long-held majority in an election last month. He will need the support of other parties if he is to return as president.

The ANC is hoping that a general coalition agreement with others— particularly the main opposition Democratic Alliance—will hold and they will back Ramaphosa’s reelection.

The ANC needs lawmakers from parties that were once its main political foes to now vote for Ramaphosa and continue the ANC’s three-decade hold on the presidency.

The ANC announced late Thursday that it had a coalition agreement in principle with the DA and other smaller parties, but ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the final details of the agreement were still being worked out. He did not say there was an agreement among those coalition partners for their lawmakers to vote for Ramaphosa in Parliament, even if he said that’s what the ANC hoped would happen.

The DA, the second largest party in Parliament behind the ANC with a potentially decisive number of lawmakers, said talks on the exact details had continued through the night and into early Friday and there was no signed agreement just hours before Parliament convened at 10 a.m. local time.

“This morning at 2 a.m. we thought we had a final settlement and agreement but ... a few issues have arisen and they are just trying to sort those out,” Helen

Zille, the federal chairperson of the DA, told reporters. “We are going to have to work until the very last minute to get an agreement in place.”

She said DA lawmakers would vote for Ramaphosa if the deal is signed.

The 71-year-old Ramaphosa is expected to be reelected given no other candidate has been put forward, but the country was on a political knife-edge ahead of the first sitting of Parliament since the landmark May 29 election. Ramaphosa arrived at the Parliament session and smiled and shook hands with members of his party before taking his seat.

The sitting was being overseen by the chief justice and Parliament will first swear in hundreds of lawmakers for a new five-year term and then elect a speaker and deputy speaker before the vote for president. It could take hours. The 400-seat lower house of Parliament, called the National Assembly, will vote by secret ballot for all those positions.

A majority of votes cast is required to elect a president.

The ANC had faced a deadline to cobble together a coalition agreement of some sort given Parliament must

sit for the first time and vote for the president within 14 days of the election results being declared.

South Africa has not faced this level of political uncertainty since the ANC swept to power in the first all-race election in 1994 that ended nearly a half-century of white minority rule under the apartheid system of racial segregation.

The ANC had held a clear majority in Parliament ever since then, meaning elections for the president were formalities and every South African leader since has been from the ANC, starting with Nelson Mandela. Last month’s election changed that as the ANC’s share of the vote slumped to 40 percent. The DA won the second largest share of the vote with 21 percent, making it a key party in the coalition talks.

The ANC had proposed forming a government of national unity in the wake of the election and invited all of the other 17 parties that won seats in Parliament to join. Some have refused.

Magome reported from Johannesburg.

World leaders to attend Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland but Russia won’t be taking part

By Jamey Keaten The Associated Press

GENEVA—Switzerland will host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine even though Russia, which launched and is continuing the war, won’t take part.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government didn’t want Russia involved, and the Swiss—aware of Moscow’s reservations about the talks— didn’t invite Russia. The Swiss insist Russia must be involved at some point, and hope it will join the process one day.

Ukrainians too are considering that possibility, Zelenskyy’s top adviser says.

The process—unlikely to produce major results this weekend—is seen as a largely symbolic effort on the part of Kyiv to rally the international community and project strength against its better armed and manned adversary. But the question looming over the summit will be how the two countries can move back from the brink and eventually silence guns in a war that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars and caused hundreds and thousands of deaths and casualties, without Moscow attending.

The conflict has also led to international sanctions against nuclear-armed Russia and has raised tensions between NATO and Mos -

cow. The summit comes as Russian forces have been making modest territorial gains in eastern and northeastern Ukraine, extending the grip they already hold on about a quarter of the country.

Here’s a look at what to expect from the weekend gathering at the Burgenstock resort on a cliff overlooking Lake Lucerne.

Who’s going?

AMONG the stakes will be simple optics: How many countries the Swiss and Ukrainians can draw in.

The bigger the turnout, the bigger the international push—and pressure—for peace will be, the thinking goes.

Swiss officials sent out some 160 invitations, and say about 90 delegations, including a handful of international organizations like the U.N., will attend. Roughly half will be from Europe. Zelenskyy led a diplomatic push, in Asia and beyond, to rally participation.

Several dozen attendees will be heads of state or government, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Japanese Prime

Minister Fumio Kishida, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

US Vice President Kamala Harris and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will take part.

Who are the major no-shows?

PRESIDENT Joe Biden is scheduled to be at a campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles hosted by actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts on Saturday.

Russia’s key ally China will not attend.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said it believes any such international peace conference should involve both Russia and Ukraine, although Beijing supports efforts to bring the conflict to an end and is monitoring the developments in Switzerland.

The final list of attendees isn’t expected until late Friday, and question marks remain about how key developing countries like India, Brazil and Turkey might take part, if at all.

But so far, under half of the 193 United Nations member countries are planning to attend, testifying to a wait-and-see attitude in many world capitals.

“Russia does not have a lot of allies in this particular situation,” said Keith Krause, a professor of international security studies at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. “It has a number of states that are susceptible to being pressured, and a few that actually wish to stand aside, from what they see as a northern, US-Russia, NATORussia confrontation.”

“They essentially don’t have— what they would consider—a dog in the fight,” he added.

What can be expected?

NAYSAYERS have harrumphed that the peace “summit” will be short on substantial achievements toward peace without Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government doesn’t believe Switzerland—which has lined up behind European Union sanctions on Moscow over the war—is neutral. Swiss authorities have worked closely with Ukraine to set up the conference.

Participants are expected to unite around an outcome document or a joint plan, and Ukraine will have a lot of input into what it says. But ironing out language that delegations can agree upon is still a work in progress, and could explain why some countries aren’t yet saying whether they will attend.

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, said Ukrainian officials wanted countries that respect Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity to be invited. He said the basis of the talks should be a 10-point peace formula that Zelenskyy has presented, and he held out the possibility that Russia could be invited to a second such summit.

Speaking to reporters late Tuesday, Yermak said Ukraine and the other participants would be preparing a “joint plan” to unite around, “and we’re looking for the possibility in the second summit to invite representative of Russia, and together present this joint plan.”

Asked what would be the mea -

Elon Musk wins back his $44.9 billion Tesla pay package in shareholder vote

By Tom Krisher & David Hamilton Ap Business Writers

DETROIT—Tesla shareholders voted Thursday to restore CEO Elon Musk’s record $44.9 billion pay package that was thrown out by a Delaware judge earlier this year, sending a strong vote of confidence in his leadership of the electric vehicle maker.

The favorable vote doesn’t necessarily mean that Musk will get the all-stock compensation anytime soon. The package is likely to remain tied up in the Delaware Chancery Court and Supreme Court for months as Tesla tries to overturn the Delaware judge’s rejection.

Musk has raised doubts about his future with Tesla this year, writing on X, the social media platform he owns, that he wanted a 25 percent stake in the company in order to stop him from taking artificial intelligence development elsewhere. The higher stake is needed to control the use of AI, he has said. Tesla also has struggled with falling sales and profit margins as demand for electric vehicles slows worldwide.

But at the company’s annual meeting

Thursday in Austin, Texas, Musk reassured shareholders that he will stick around, telling them he can’t sell any stock in the compensation package for five years.

“It’s not actually cash, and I can’t cut and run, nor would I want to,” he said.

Vote totals on Musk’s pay weren’t immediately announced, but the company said shareholders voted for Musk’s compensation plan, which initially was approved by the board and stockholders six years ago. Tesla last valued the package at $44.9 billion in an April regulatory filing. It was once as much as $56 billion but has declined in value in tandem with Tesla’s stock, which has dropped about 25 percent so far this year.

Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick ruled in January in a shareholder’s lawsuit that Musk essentially controlled the Tesla board when it ratified the package in 2018, and that it failed to fully inform shareholders who approved it the same year.

Tesla has said it would appeal, but asked shareholders to reapprove the package at Thursday’s annual meeting. A separate vote approved moving the

company’s legal home to Texas to avoid the courts in Delaware, where Tesla is registered as a corporation.

“Its incredible,” a jubilant Musk told the crowd gathered at Tesla’s headquarters and large factory in Austin, Texas. “I think we’re not just opening a new chapter for Tesla,

we’re starting a new book.”

Musk and Tesla didn’t win everything.

Shareholders approved measures that trimmed board member terms from three years to one and cut the required vote on shareholder proposals to a simple majority.

Legal experts say the issue of Musk’s pay

sure of a successful summit in Burgenstock, he replied: “We think it’s already a success because it’s a big number of countries (attending).”

What is the Ukrainian 10-point peace formula?

UKRAINE’S peace plan, launched by Zelenskyy in late 2022, outlines 10 proposals that encapsulates the president’s step-by-step vision to end the war against Russia’s invasion, now in its third year.

The plan includes ambitious calls, including the withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied Ukrainian territory, the cessation of hostilities and restoring Ukraine’s state borders with Russia, including Crimea. That is an unlikely outcome at this stage in this war, as Ukraine is unable to negotiate from a position of strength. Moscow’s army has the upper hand in manpower and firepower while Kyiv’s momentum has been stalled by delays in Western military supplies. That is likely why the most contentious elements of the plan are not being discussed.

Only three themes will be on the table at the summit: nuclear safety, including at the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant; humanitarian aid; and food security, not just in Ukraine but globally—notably the spillover effects of the war on Ukrainian agricultural production and exports.

Western officials in Kyiv said these themes cut across international interests and are easy for Kyiv to rally the international community around. But they do not encompass the tougher issues that can only be resolved with Moscow as a negotiating partner.

will still be decided in Delaware, largely because Musk’s lawyers have assured McCormick they won’t try to move the case to Texas.

But they differ on whether the new ratification of the pay package will make it easier for Tesla to get it approved.

Russia’s hesitancy about the conference stems in part from its unwillingness to show any sign of acceptance of Ukraine’s longstanding peace formula, which it rejects, or any red lines set by Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin has espoused a deal to be premised on a draft peace agreement negotiated in the early days of the war that included provisions for Ukraine’s neutral status and put limits on its armed forces while delaying talks on the status of Russianoccupied areas.

What’s the way forward?

KRAUSE , of the Graduate Institute, said Ukraine needs to emerge from the conference with “momentum”—a reaffirmation of commitment from its top allies and partners around its “bottom lines” on issues like territorial integrity and future relationships, even if membership may be far off, in NATO or the European Union one day. He said Ukraine will want to see a reaffirmation that it’s up to Kyiv to lay out the terms on which the war will end.

“I don’t think anybody is particularly deluded that this is going to give birth to a new peace plan, or even to some kind of agreement that stops the hostilities on the battlefield,” Krause said. “But as past wars have shown, including as far back as World War II, discussions about the contours of the peace began long before the fighting stops on the battlefield.”

The Associated Press writer Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

Charles Elson, a retired professor and founder of the corporate governance center at the University of Delaware, said he doesn’t think the vote will influence McCormick, who issued a decision based on the law.

McCormick’s ruling essentially made the 2018 compensation package a gift to Musk, Elson said, and that would need unanimous shareholder approval, an impossible threshold. The vote, he said, is interesting from a public perception standpoint, but “in my view it does not affect the ruling.”

Hamilton reported from San Francisco.

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