BusinessMirror June 19, 2023

‘With RCEP, agri needs fund boost’

By Andrea E. San Juan

WITH the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)’s recent entry into force, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is calling on the government to allocate a higher budget for agriculture, noting that lowering of tariffs in the mega trade deal could “disadvantage” this sector.

I n a statement on Sunday, the major business group stressed that while the RCEP commitments could open more opportunities for Filipinos to generate income, “there is still much to be done to make full use of the trade agreement.”

A mong the sectors to pay attention to, the PCCI said, are the agriculture and manufacturing industries. Meanwhile, the business group said the government should also factor in the country’s competitiveness in terms of transport and power costs, among others, to utilize the

regional trade deal. “ In joining the RCEP, we have to work hard to maximize our gains from it,” PCCI President George T. Barcelon said in his speech at the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) International Trade Forum recently.

I n line with maximizing the gains in the mega trade deal, he said, “We have to improve our competitiveness by streamlining regulatory compliance and ensuring that government business services are in step with these streamlined procedures.”

For one, the PCCI chief said, inputs to production like transport, logistics and power must be lowered to a “competitive” level to be on a par with the Philippines’s neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region.

I n addition, he said, telecommunications and internet connectivity must be made available nationwide.  See “RCEP,” A2

BusinessMirror

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE national government’s borrowings to augment its financing requirements for pandemic response and infrastructure programs, among others, increased the country’s external debt as of March 2023, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

I n a statement, the BSP said the country’s external debt increased to $118.8 billion as of the end of March 2023. This was $7.5 billion or 6.8 percent higher from the $111.3 billion posted in the same period of 2022.

W ith a population of 111.57 million as of July 2022, this means every Filipino owes foreign creditors $1,064.89 or P59,484.67 at

an exchange rate of P55.86 to the greenback.

Borrowings by the public sector for the National Government’s [NG] general financing requirements, funding of pandemic recovery measures, and other infrastructure programs, among others, also contributed to the growth in the debt stock,” BSP said.

REMOTE WORK CAN HELP PLUG BRAIN DRAIN–H.R. PLATFORM

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

@brownindio

REMOTE work can help reverse the brain drain in the Philippines by allowing highly skilled professionals to work for global companies while at the same time contributing to the country’s economy and development, according to a human resource global platform.

R emote workers could contribute to the local economy by spending money on things like food, accommodation, shopping, and entertainment, which helps support local businesses. “International remote workers who stay longer also pay taxes to the govern-

ment, which helps fund important services,” Chris McNamara, Chief Revenue Officer

told the BusinessMirror in an email interview. A s remote work becomes more popular and job requirements become more flexible around the world, McNamara said people will now have more freedom to choose where they want to settle down. He said the trend will benefit businesses as it presents an  opportunity  to attract a wider pool of top talent. “Moreover, remote work also contributes to better employee engagement and retention, countering the phenomenon of quiet quitting,”

McNamara said.

More ASF cases swelled 5-mo meat imports–expert

By Raadee S. Sausa

A2

THE country’s meat importation from January to May has increased because of African swine fever (ASF), an economist said over the weekend. “

The generally rising trend on

meat imports as seen in recent months may be partly attributed to the ASF spreading to more provinces especially in Southern Philippines in recent months, thereby reducing pork/meat production in those areas, thereby increasing pork/meat imports as seen over the past three

to four years because of the ASF,”

Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. told BusinessMirror “

The one-year extension of the tariff reductions on pork/meat, rice, corn, among others in an effort to increase local supplies and

help bring down prices and overall inflation also led to pick up in pork/ meat imports in recent months,” he added.

R icafort is citing the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) data report that said the country imported

Liza Silerio. SM SUPERMALLS

Hotel projects swell tourism investments to ₧364B in ’22

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

INVESTMENTS in the tourism industry reached some P364 billion, as hotel developers resumed projects that had been put on hold or slowed due to the pandemic. This was 17.4 percent higher than the 2021 investments, but 39 percent lower than the investments made in prepandemic 2019, which reached about P596.3 billion.

Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed investments in hotels and resorts accounted for some 44 percent of total investments in the tourism industry, or P159.84 billion, up by a slight 3.7 percent from 2021, but 55 percent less than the P363.29 billion poured into the same  assets in 2019.

This was followed by P110.45 billion invested in “other tourism fixed assets,” which the PSA failed to detail. All data provided are in current prices and not adjusted for inflation.

O ther investments made into the tourism industry included: P56.04 billion in passenger tourism transport equipment, which was up 26 percent from 2021, but 42 percent less than the P96.48-billion poured into 2019; and P37.56 bil -

Continued from A1

launch three more hospitality projects this year. The Filinvest Group’s Chroma Hospitality will be opening new hotels in Baguio City and Mactan, Cebu, and expanding its Crimson Resort Mactan property, which had to be closed in December 2022, due to typhoon damage.

lion in “Other machinery and equipment specialized for the production of tourism characteristic products,” which was 15.5 percent higher than 2021, but just 11 percent less than the P42.32 billion invested in 2019.

Expanded footprint

MAJOR developers have had to slow down on their hotel construction as pandemic restrictions kept laborers away. But as alert levels eased, developers started announcing their expansion plans for their accommodation establishments. SM

Hotels and Conventions Corp., for instance, will be opening Lacson Place Mall of Asia sometime this year. It is also spending P15 billion to build 14 new hotels until 2028. Cebu Landmasters Inc. said it will

Drivers for the increase in the external debt stock include net availments of $2.7 billion, largely by the national government as it raised $3 billion from the issuance of a multi -

Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco expressed optimism for the full recovery of the tourism industry, as shown by the recent PSA data on the Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts, and cited the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) push for more domestic travel.

PSA data showed domestic tourists spent P1.5 trillion in 2022, up 92.3 percent from the P782.6 billion spent in 2021. Last year’s domestic tourism expenditure was 53-percent less than the P3.14 trillion in pre-pandemic 2019. (See, “Food, beverage biggest expenses of PHL tourists in 2022, says PSA,” in the BusinessMirror , June 16, 2023.)

‘Strong, reliable tourism contributor’

“ONE of our objectives is the maximization of domestic tourism as it has proven a very strong and reli -

tranche Global Bond for its general financing requirements and prior periods’ adjustments of $767 million.

T he BSP also noted that the appreciation of other currencies against

able contributor to the economy. Through the Philippine Experience Program, our regional expos, fairs, and the like, we intend to generate tourism opportunities by giving our travel and tourism stakeholders opportunities to immerse themselves in other destinations and regions and to come up with tour packages that they can dovetail with their offerings,” she said.

D uring the pandemic, the DOT had initiated programs and projects to encourage domestic travel, while international travel restrictions were in place across the globe. Among the programs included the mass vaccination of tourism frontliners,  and through the Tourism Promotions Board, funded digital apps to monitor the entry of domestic visitors, making available free RT-PCR tests to domestic travelers, among others.

T he DOT also had pushed for the reopening of the country’s borders, which helped attract 2.65 million international visitors last year. According to the PSA, these travelers spent P368.67 billion in the economy in 2022, just 38.6-percent less than P600 billion spent in 2019.

the US Dollar which increased the US Dollar equivalent of borrowings denominated in other currencies, thereby resulting in an overall positive foreign exchange (FX) revaluation of $432 million.

T he BSP said external debt (EDT) expressed as a percentage of GDP was recorded at 29 percent for the first quarter of 2023. This is higher than the EDT to GDP ratio of 27.5 percent in end-December 2022.

T he central bank said, apart from its financing needs, this increase is due to a change in scope of the external debt stock to include non-resident holdings of Peso-denominated debt securities issued onshore worth $3.8 billion.

The statistical adjustment, which resulted from the availability of detailed information on non-resident holdings of said securities, is in line with the International Monetary Fund’s standards under the External Debt Statistics Guide and the International Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual, 6th edition for external debt reporting,” the BSP said.

G iven this, the country’s debt stock rose by $9.1 billion. The increase was due to net availments of $7.6 billion, of which $7.4 billion pertain to national government borrowings; inclusion of non-residents holdings of Peso-denominated debt securities at $3.8 billion; and prior periods’ adjustments of $646 million.

Meanwhile, the transfer of Philippine debt papers of $1.7 billion from non-residents to residents, and negative FX revaluation of $1.3 billion partially tempered the increase in the debt stock for said period.

T he BSP noted, however, that while there was an increase, as of end-March 2023, the maturity profile of the country’s external debt remained predominantly mediumand long-term (MLT) in nature, such as those with original maturities longer than one year, with share to total at 85.4 percent.

T he country’s major creditor countries were: Japan which owns $14.3 billion of the country’s external debts; United States of America, $3.6 billion; and United Kingdom, $3.2 billion.

B SP data also showed that loans from official sources such as multilateral and bilateral creditors had the largest share at 37.9 percent out of the total outstanding debt.

T his was followed by borrowings in the form of bonds/notes which accounted for 35.2 percent of the total; and obligations to foreign banks and other financial institutions at 20.9 percent; while the rest at 5.9 percent were owed to other creditors (mainly suppliers/exporters).

I n terms of currency mix, the country’s debt stock remained largely denominated in US Dollar at 76 percent and Japanese Yen at 8.3 percent.

T he 15.7-percent balance pertained to 17 other currencies, including the Philippine Peso, Euro and Special Drawing Rights.

A t a media briefing as RCEP entered into force last June 2, Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said, when asked how the government will respond to high energy costs plaguing businesses in the country: “Not all industries are power-intensive. I will agree [that] for powerintensive industries, the cost of electricity can be a handicap.”

W hat the government is doing is “trying to attract developers of electric generating capacities or plants particularly those in the renewable energy sector,” he pointed out.

Pascual said RCEP is “not a magic pill that if we sign up for it, all of a sudden our economy will boom.”

He also noted that “a lot of hard work is needed by government, private sector, by all those engaged in businesses with potential for exports.”

Z eroing in on businesses’ strategies to utilize the mega trade deal, Pascual said, “Definitely if businesses will respond to the potential gains in RCEP, we will definitely benefit.”

He noted that RCEP is expected to bring more investments and trade opportunities to the country.

RCEP countries account for 30 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and one-third of total inward foreign direct investments (FDIs) as of 2022.

M eanwhile, Barcelon thinks, “Governments of the RCEP member-countries must be able to work on reducing non-tariff barriers, or at least agree on a uniform quality standard for food and other manufactured products across the region.”

For the Philippines, Barcelon said, laboratories to test quality standards should be put up in areas that are “readily accessible and available to local producers.”

R ecognizing that the lowering of tariffs could “disadvantage” the

Continued from A1

229.2 million kilograms (kg) of meat in the first five months of 2023.

I n May alone, imported meat stood at 65.511 million kg, higher than 48.870 million kg in April, also higher than 45.231 million kg in March, 39.311 million kg and 30.276 million kg in February and January, respectively, sustaining a five-month uptrend.

Lower prices of imports amid higher prices/inflation, especially since 2022, amid free trade agreements [FTAs] also encouraged increased importation of cheaper alternatives,” Ricafort added.

C iting the 2023 Remote Workforce Report, McNamara pointed out that fully remote employees are the most satisfied group and display a high degree of satisfaction. “They value the flexibility in their work and believe they are treated better compared to their hybrid and in-office counterparts,” he said.

McNamara said the trends in remote work present an opportunity even for developing countries like the Philippines to become leaders in the knowledge economy by attracting more skilled remote workers.

Furthermore, workers subscribed to the Remote network are drawn to places that provide a good quality of life, a thriving economy, easy immigration, and a supportive tax system.

He said more than 50 countries worldwide have recognized the demand and have introduced digital nomad visa programs which allow non-residents to stay in their country for a specific duration while working remotely for a foreign employer.

T hose residing outside of Metro Manila will have less pressure to leave their hometowns for the big cities, as remote work also opens up employment options for those residing in rural areas, thus creating more balanced opportunities across regions and fostering economic growth nationwide.

R emote is a platform that makes it simple for any company to hire, pay, and offer benefits to anyone any -

agriculture sector and local food manufacturers, Barcelon urged the national government, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to include “higher budget allocation” for the production of high-value crops and the agri-food industry.

DTI’s important role in promoting our country as an investment destination and export promotion must be supported with more budget and resources,” Barcelon also noted.

I n January, agricultural groups opposed through a statement the country’s ratification of RCEP as they feared an influx of imported produce into the country. This, despite RCEP proponents’ argument that sensitive products like rice, meats, vegetables and corn are exempted from tariff reduction; hence, there is nothing in RCEP to worry about.

T he agricultural stakeholders said “there is no guarantee of their benefit to us because other RCEP member-countries will enjoy the same privileges. They will be the gainers, and we will be the losers, if they are more competitive than us.”

Under RCEP, only 33 agricultural tariff lines in the Philippines will be liberalized to the RCEP membercountries. RCEP proponents said this is equivalent to 15 agricultural products which are not produced in the Philippines. This means they are the only products that will have tariff reductions.

T he 15 products are fish fillet; frozen mackerel; celery; sausages; olives; spinach; olive oil; live swine; live chicken; black pepper; palm nuts and kernels; preserved sweet corn, chilis and other capers; preserved onions; corn starch; and feeds for primates.

I n January to May 2022, meat imports also rose by almost 5 percent year-on-year to 460,000 million kg, BAI said. Figures from BAI showed meat imports during the five-month period were 20,915.912 million kg higher than the 439,986.873 million kg recorded a year ago. B AI data showed that higher pork imports drove the increase in the overall volume of imported meat products during the reference period. I mports of chicken, buffalo meat, beef and even duck meat products declined year-on-year.

where in the world in a legally compliant manner. In order to facilitate this, it went through the process all over the world of getting a business license, establishing operations, opening bank accounts, and hiring people, so that it can serve clients hiring in dozens and dozens of countries.

Mc Namara said Remote views the Philippines as a priority country in the region and it has enabled international companies to expand their presence there since 2021. “It’s fair to say that the Philippines is a country that requires specific knowledge of the local compliance environment in order to successfully do business here—though with the emergence of companies like Remote, the barriers to expanding to the Philippines have never been lower,” he said.

“In saying this, our view is there is still an opportunity for the local government to do more in attracting foreign investment in the age of distributed global teams, like providing more immigration support and infrastructure for remote work,” he added.

H e thinks government should also designate a certain region and invest in infrastructure, marketing, and other tactics to build it up into a global remote work destination. “For example, a lot of people now think of Bali as a remote work paradise, and the Canary Islands are developing a similar reputation in Europe thanks to the programs of the Spanish government,” he said.

Transport groups to govt: Lift caps on motorbike taxis

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

SEVERAL transport groups on Sunday called on the government to remove the cap on motorcycle taxi supplies in the Philippines, saying this will help provide relief to commuters forced to use “poor mass transportation infrastructure.”

CitizenWatch Philippines, Bantay Konsyumer, Kalsada, Kuryente (BK3) and The Passenger Forum said lifting the supply cap on motorcycle taxis “will serve the interests of millions of commuting Filipinos while providing livelihood for thousands of qualified drivers and their dependents.”

Kit Belmonte, CitizenWatch Philippines co-convenor, said the “absence of adequate mass transportation systems” has forced “millions of commuters [to be] plagued by the daily distress of having to fall in line for hours, squeeze themselves in packed modes of transportation or resort to illegal transport options, just to get home to their families after a hard day’s work.”

He lamented that the shortage has “resulted in the proliferation of illegal habal-habal, which are being patronized by desperate commuters.”

“Because they are unregulated, the drivers of habal-habal do not have proper training and they do not have accident insurance,” Belmonte said.

Removing the limits on motorcycle taxi numbers, he said, would encourage motorcycle taxi companies to hire these habal-habal drivers, thus providing much-needed livelihood for habalhabal drivers while helping commuters.

“No less than Senator Raffy Tulfo recommended to legalize habal-habal operations, and even asked MC taxi operators to help train habalhabal riders,” noted Belmonte.

For his part, BK3 Convenor Louie Montemar said lifting the limit is “the right policy,” citing best practices in other countries that have no supply cap on their motorcycle taxi supplies.

“We call on our transportation officials to remove the limitation on the supply of motorcycle taxis allowed to operate in the Philippines. This will ensure that the public will have a better experience in their commutes,” he said.

Other countries that allow motorcycle taxis as a form of public transportation include Indonesia and Vietnam, both of which did not impose any cap on the number of motorcycle taxis operating on the road.

The Philippines, on the other hand, has imposed a 45,000-supply cap on motorcycle taxis operating in Metro Manila. It also limited the supply in Cebu to 9,000 motorcycle taxis.

Meanwhile, The Passenger Forum Convener Primo Morillo, believes “it is about time to do away with the limit for motorcycle taxis as it impedes the potential of MC taxis to serve commuters and provide livelihood for riders.”

“No other than the Philippine Competition Commission recommended the removal of the cap as it will lead to better commuter experience,” added Morillo, who said government is already in a position to increase the number of motorcycles-for-hire.

“The removal of limits for operating motorcycle taxis will truly help commuters, riders, and even the government. We do not have to wait for the passage of the motorcycle taxi law to remove the cap as the technical working group can do it now,” Morillo said.

At a recent Senate hearing, lawmakers said by allowing habal-habal drivers to join motorcycle taxi companies, commuters are provided more safety nets, including passenger insurance.

Peza: 2 firms in auto safety, electricals to expand in MEZ

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) said two manufacturing firms involved in automotive safety supplies and electronic components plan to expand and register with the agency in the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) in Cebu.

Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga announced at the weekend that he met with locator companies in Cebu who expressed their interest to invest in the province.

He said Peza is “supportive” of the plans of Autoliv Cebu Safety Manufacturing Inc., a global supplier of automotive safety products for an expansion project at a 2.6-hectare area in the northern part of Cebu.

The Peza chief also noted that Taiyo Yuden Philippines Inc. expressed interest in registering with the investment promotion agency a new and expansion project in the Mactan Economic Zone.

Panga highlighted the potential economic gain from these expansion plans.   “I look forward to your sustained presence and expansion plans because these have a direct impact on generating employment for our [local government units] LGUs and as a whole improving the local economy of the Philippines,” he said.

He said the agency will be “open, innovative, and above all protective of our locators.”

The agency will continue to be “responsive” as it facilitates the operations and growth of its “valued ecozone investors” so the agency can help spur the country’s economic growth and “contribute to the President’s bid for the country to graduate to upper-middle income status within the next four years,” he added.

Panga expressed confidence that more investments will come to Cebu and expedite countryside development through the agency’s ecozone program.

Cebu-based locators’ contributions account for 11 percent share in the total Peza (key performance indicators) KPIs on investments, jobs and exports.

To date, PEZA has registered 48

NGCP seeks ERC nod for ASPAs with 3 power firms

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

can cause damage to sensitive equipment, or even automatic load dropping (ALD) if the fluctuations are severe enough to pose a danger to the transmission system as a whole.

FGHPC owns and operates the 120-megawatt (MW) Pantabangan hydro electric plant in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija.

BGI owns and operates the Bac-Man geothermal power plant complex located in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon, which includes the 55MW Bacman 1 geothermal power plant unit 2.

CPPC owns and operates a 50MW bunker diesel power plant in Cebu City.

contract before the same can be implemented,” NGCP said.

The NGCP is asking the ERC to immediately approve the ASPAs to maintain the present reliability and security of the grid.

“As the demand for power in Visayas increases, the requirements of the system likewise increases. Ensuring the integrity of the system is essential to protect the interests of the public. The absence of the system reliability and stability will certainly discourage investments and growth,” CPPC and NGCP said in their joint application.

In separate filings, the grid operator asked the regulator to approve its ASPAs with First Gen Hydro Power Corp. (FGHPC), Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. (BGI), and Cebu Private Power Corp. (CPPC). Ancillary services support the

transmission of power from generators to consumers to maintain reliable operations. These are necessary for NGCP to manage power fluctuations to ensure the quality and reliability of power flowing through its system. If not managed properly, fluctuations

FGHPC, BGI, and CPPC separately executed five-year ASPAs with NGCP on May 2, 2023.

These ASPAs become effective upon approval by the ERC. “NGCP has the mandate to procure the required AS. However, the Commission must first approve the

FGHPC, BGI and NGCP likewise stated the same in their joint application. “As the demand for power in Luzon increases, the requirement of the system increases. The immediate approval of the ASPAs by this commission is a necessity to maintain the present reliability and security of the grid,” they said.

economic zones in Cebu province, with 640 locator companies generating P275.3 billion in “cumulative” investments. This, it noted, resulted in 232,076 directly generated jobs and churned out US$5.9-billion annual average exports.

Further, the investment promotion agency said “Peza locators alone in Mactan island such as the Mactan Economic Zone [MEZ] I and II, Cebu Light Industrial Park, Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark, and Mactan Newtown remitted a total P267 million in tax payments last year from the 2-percent gross income tax share of the Lapu-Lapu City government.”

With this performance, the Peza chief said, “we are anticipating an upturn in the economy, especially within the province. At the same time, we are looking at welcoming strategic and big-ticket investments from various industries to locate in Cebu.”

Meanwhile, Panga told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of the Philippine Exports Development Plan (PEDP) 2023-2028 that in their consultation meetings with industries, Peza’s industry partners in Mactan, Cebu and members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc. (JCCIPI) have raised issues on the work-fromhome arrangements.

In line with this, Panga said Peza will raise the WFH issue with the  Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB).

Last month, the investment promotion agency said it is pushing for a hybrid workplace with a maximum 30-percent allowance for work-from-home.

“Our locators are really for a hybrid workplace. It’s not 100 percent WFH. So at most, just maybe 10 up to 30 percent,” Panga told reporters. He said another directive must be issued to institutionalize the 30-percent WFH arrangement.

“That was our discussion with FIRB, that we will ask them for a resolution. So at least we have the support of the [Department of Labor and Employment] DOLE,” Panga noted. Andrea E. San Juan

THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is asking the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to provisionally approve the ancillary service procurement agreements (ASPAs) it entered into with three power producers.

Monday, June 19, 2023

Substandard steel bars ordered destroyed

By Andrea San Juan @andreasanjuan

TRADE Secretary Alfredo E.

Pascual ordered the immediate destruction of around

P18.8 million worth of substandard steel bars following a surprise factory audit conducted by the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) in Laguna.

According to the DTI-BPS, the substandard deformed steel bars were produced in the local steel mill located in Laguna and were found non-compliant with the requirements of the regulations when DTI, through its standards arm, conducted a surprise factory audit on March 20.

“A total of 136 bundles of deformed steel bars were cut into pieces in the manufacturer’s warehouse last June 7 to June 9, 2023,” the DTI-BPS said in a statement issued last Saturday.

Pascual underscored the importance of prioritizing safety among consumers when it comes to the distribution of these products in the market.

“Substandard products must be destroyed immediately to ensure that these products will not be distributed in the market for the purchase of unknowing consumers,” the Trade chief said.

“Our country is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Department needs to be extremely vigilant and has to intensify our surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement of technical regulations for construction materials, especially for cement and steel products. I commend the DTI Consumer Protection Group [DTICPG] for their relentless efforts to consistently perform their mandates,” Pascual also noted.

The national standards body said it conducted an “unannounced” audit when a “concerned

citizen” reported the presence of steel bars in the market bearing an alleged unregistered logo.

“During the surprise factory audit, the BPS auditors found the

deformed steel bars bearing markings inconsistent with the markings prescribed by DAO 18-08:2018 and MC 21-07:2021 or the technical regulations governing the manda -

Bong Go’s unhampered service continues, sends team to aid communities in Bukidnon

AS part of his vision to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the most needy sectors, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go sent his team to aid vulnerable residents in Damulog, Bukidnon on Thursday, June 15.

“Magtulungan lang po tayo. Ginagawa po ng gobyerno ang lahat, binabalanse ang ekonomiya habang sinisigurado po na tayo ayligtasmulasapandemya.Unti-untinaman pong sumisigla ulit ang ekonomiya pero importantepoditoangbuhayngbawatisa,” underscored Go in his video message.

“Hinihikayat ko rin kayong lahat na ipagpatuloyniyolanganginyongsuportasa gobyerno.Akonamanaymagseserbisyosa inyosaabotngakingmakakaya.Hindinamin magagawaanglahatngitokungwalaang inyong suporta at malasakit sa bawat isa,” he continued.

Go’s outreach team facilitated the relief operation at the municipal gymnasium where they gave away snacks, shirts, vitamins, and masks to 150 indigents. Furthermore, some residents received shoes, mobile phones, and balls for basketball and volleyball.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program, extended financial assistance to help the residents sustain their basic needs.

Go, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also offered additional assistance to those with health concerns. Go advised them to visit the Malasakit Center located at Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Maramag. There are also nearby centers at Northern Mindanao Medical Center and at J.R. Borja General Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.

The senator has principally authored and sponsored Republic Act 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, to ensure that particularly poor and indigent patients have better and more efficient access to healthcare services. Currently, there are 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide ready to help cover the patients’ expenses.

“Ang Malasakit Center po’y handang tumulong po sa inyo. One-stop shop na po ‘yan, lapitan niyo lang po ang Malasakit Center diyanposainyonglugar,” encouraged Go.

“Parapo‘yansamgapoorandindigent patientsatdapatpomayro’ng express lane parasamgadisabled atsenior citizens samga Malasakit Center. Malasakit Center—parapo ‘yansamgaPilipino,” he continued.

To help create more economic opportunities and improve the delivery

of public service in the province, Go, who also serves as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of an evacuation center, municipal building and local access road as well as an electrification and solar lights project in Damulog, and the construction of a slaughterhouse, multipurpose building and the Northern Bukidnon Agri-Industrial Economic Zone Road Network and Southern Bukidnon Agri-Industrial Economic Zone road network development projects in Don Carlos.

Moreover, he was instrumental in the improvement of road links in Baungon, Libona and Talakag; access road leading to the Bukidnon Airport; farm-to-market and local roads in Cabanglasan, Kadingilan, Kibawe, Kitaotao, Lantapan, San Fernando and Talakag; and, other road linkages throughout the province.

BARMM execs ask SC to void Bangsamoro Electoral Code

APETITION has been filed before the Supreme Court by several leaders from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) asking the nullification of the provisions of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC) for being unconstitutional.

In a 63-page petition filed by 15 BARMM leaders, the SC was also asked to immediately issue a status quo ante order, a temporary restraining order and/or a writ of preliminary injunction directing the respondents Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) headed by its Interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro government Balawag Ebrahim to cease and desist from implementing the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act 35 or the BEC.

The petitioners argued that by enacting the BEC, the BTA exceeded the bounds of the BARMM’s political autonomy and infringed upon the powers and jurisdiction of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

They added that the BEC contravened the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11054 or the Organic Law BARMM.

“It violated the constitutional guarantee on equal protection of the laws and equal access to opportunities for public service,” the petition read.

Furthermore, the petitioners argued that

the BEC also tampered with the sole authority of the SC to promulgate rules on pleading, practice and procedure before regular trial courts in BARMM.

“Worse, by providing restrictive qualifications for political parties, the [BEC] curtailed what should be free and equal opportunity for political parties to seek and obtain parliamentary seats, thereby contradicting the mandate of the Constitution and the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” the petitioners claimed.

The petitioners also decried the use of public funds for political campaign or partisan political activities under the BEC, which violates the Omnibus Election Code.

It noted that the BEC has prescribed additional powers and functions to the Bangsamoro Registration and Accreditation Committee (BRAC) by allowing it to “monitor the regional political party’s compliance with laws and issuance on the utilization of party subsidies and other assistance received from public funds.”

The said function is in relation to Section 4, Article X of the BEC, which facilitates the establishment of a “BARMM Political Party Subsidy Fund.”

“In this case, it cannot be gainsaid that the monies that may be appropriated by the

Bangsamoro Parliament for any particular purpose are public funds. Those public funds may not be used, under any guise, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of, much less release to, any political party in the BARMM, pursuant to the clear prohibition under Section 261 ( o) of the Omnibus Election Code,” the petitioners stressed.

Likewise, the petitioners said, the BEC intruded into the power of Congress to define and penalize election offenses and prescribe procedures for their prosecution.

Among the specific provisions that the petitioners seek to declare null and avoid are Sections 3 and 5, Article II and Section 1 Article XI of the BEC for encroaching upon the duties and jurisdiction of the Comelec; Articles VI and VII as they seek to govern activities related to local and national elections, in violation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the Constitution; Section 4, Article X as it facilitates the grant and use of public funds for election campaign; Sections 1, 9 ( d ), 10 and 13, Article III and Sections 6, 7, 9, and 12, Article IV of the a they restrict access to opportunity for public service and fosters principles contrary to republicanism; Section 8, Article IV and Section 3, Article X for being unconstitutional as they contravene national elections laws; Article VIII for being unconstitutional as it defines,

penalizes, and provide for the prosecution of election offenses; and Chapter 3, Article VII for being ultra vires (beyond the powers) and void as it encroaches upon the power and prerogative of the SC to promulgate rules on pleading, practice and procedure involving elections cases before trial courts.

“Otherwise stated, the [BEC] would create instability to republican institutions as it would restrict opportunities to obtain parliamentary seats during the first and subsequent elections for the BARMM government, and thereby hamper the development of a free and open regional party system according to the free choice of the people,” the petitioners said.

“Worse, it would facilitate a violation of the Omnibus Election Code which prohibited the use of public funds for election campaigns or partisan political activities,” it added.

The petitioners are lawyer Dimnatang

L. Pansar, Abdul Rashid A. Balindong, Shariefuddin T. Lucman, Aleem Alibasher I. Abdullatif, Jamil Faisal B. Adiong, Rafsanjani Pendatun Ali, Mohajeran K. Balayman, Najia J. Pescadera, Sharif Jul Asiri J. Abirin, Abdul Muhaimin J. Abubakar, Mohammad Salmann M. Sakili, Sarib Hataman, Harisul T. Samanul, Sukarno U. Asri and Mohammad Yusof A. Tidal. Joel R. San Juan

BARMM Youth Commission, Malaysian experts to enhance staff competency

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

DAVAO CITY—The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) met policy experts in a learning visit organized by a Malaysian university policy center.

The BYC delegation went on a 4-day learning exchange with public policymaking experts in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 6 to June 9, the Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) said.

The BIO added that the learning exchange and academic visit involved experiences sharing, lectures, academic visits and case digests and studies on policy

development, politics and governance.

The International Institute of Public Policy and Management (Institut Antarabangsama

Polisi Awam dan Pengurusan or Inpuma) of Universiti Malaya (University of Malaysia) organized the said activity, according to the BIO. Inpuma Director Dr. Khadijah Md Khalid said the program “aims to guide the participants to a better understanding of public-policy making process in order to lay the foundation for the development of sound and effective policies for the youth in the Bangsamoro.”

Several topics and themes were discussed that included experiences in developing and implementing public

policies in Malaysia, principles of evidencebased policy-making, policy advocacy and communication, interrelationships between civil society, youth and policy, hate speech and disinformation.

BYC Chairman Marjanie Mimbantas Macasalong said the learning exchange “caters to the needs of the workforce of the Commission to acquire competencies that would help in effectively fulfilling its mandate as a youth policy-making institution in the Bangsamoro region.”

“This learning exchange aims to provide the wor kforce of BYC to engage with public policy experts in Malaysia and improve competencies in ensuring participatory, effective, efficient and

tory certification of steel products,”

DTI-BPS said.

The BPS also noted that steel samples were drawn and submitted to its product testing laboratory for independent testing. Results of the tests conducted showed that the steel bars did not conform to the requirement of the reference Philippine National Standard for deformed steel bars, particularly on elongation, height of lugs, average spacing, mass variations and marking requirements.

Further, the national standards body said the substandard products were cut into pieces using the manufacturer’s facility and was witnessed by representatives from the BPS.

“After the products were cut into non- commercial lengths, the same were transferred to the company’s smelting facility for re- processing. The company was directed to conduct analysis on the root cause of their

products’ non-conformance and was required to submit the proposed corrective measures to BPS for verification,” the BPS said.

According to the DTI-BPS, only after the “satisfactory” result of the verification audit and conforming third party test results for covered products shall the BPS allow the manufacturer to resume its operation and production. The Trade chief reminded the manufacturers that DTI “shall not waiver in its mandate to protect consumers.”

“As we continue to promote a conducive business environment, we also expect that manufacturers, particularly of products covered by the DTI-BPS’ mandatory certification, shall consistently adhere to regulations in order to produce and distribute only good quality and safe products for the benefit of Filipino consumers,” Pascual said.

Mayor Zamora leads San Juan City’s cityhood rites, Wattah-wattah fest

ASERIES of exciting activities kicked off the weeklong celebration of the Feast of San Juan City’s patron, Saint John the Baptist, as Mayor Francis Zamora led the celebration of San Juan’s 16th Cityhood Anniversary on June 17.

The celebration opened with San Juan’s water-conservation drive dubbed “Ang Tubig ay Buhay” biking parade at 7:30 a.m. last Saturday. Zamora led city bikers who have been partners of the local government in various campaign programs, for a bike around the city to launch the campaign through leafleting of water conservation tips. The group began biking from the Pinaglabanan Shrine.

“Our ‘Ang Tubig ay Buhay’ waterconservation drive seeks to create awareness about the importance of taking care of our most precious resource, this is also to encourage everyone to do their part in saving water especially now that the threat of El Niño looms in the country,” the mayor said.

The call to conserve water was also earlier made by Zamora through his Executive Order FMZ-148 dated May 5, 2023, which incorporates water conservation into the Wattah-Wattah Festival.

Also highlighting the cityhood anniversary celebration was the medical mission sponsored by Philhair and Philippine Red Cross at the San Juan Gym on Saturday morning.

“Along with Philhair and Philippine National Red Cross, we are bringing medical services closer to our constituents through a medical mission offering free medical checkups and consultations,” the mayor said.

Philhair also held its Latest Hair and Make-up Trends Contest at the San Juan Gym, showcasing the creativity and skills in hairstyling and make-up artistry of the participating San Juaneños through the support of Ricky Reyes.

Later on Saturday, San Juan City launched the first Makabagong San Juan Rap Battle Competition with the theme: “Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan.” at the Pinaglabanan Shrine. It is an inter-barangay

rap battle to discover homegrown talents in rap music while channeling their innate love for San Juan City’s historical and cultural affluence. Winners in the elimination round will vie for the coveted prizes on the Finals Night on June 22.

The San Juan City Bazaar at the Pinaglabanan Shrine showcasing local products and crafts of San Juan City’s SMEs also highlighted the evenings of the weeklong celebration starting June 17. The bazaar will be a great opportunity for local microentrepreneurs to promote their businesses.

The 2023 Mayor’s Cup Women’s and Men’s Volleyball Finals was also held on June 17, while the Basketball Finals for Women, Men’s Junior and Men’s Senior Divisions was set on June 18 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre. The Mayor’s Cup is the city’s annual sports league that promotes sportsmanship and camaraderie among city residents.

According to Zamora, the celebration of San Juan City’s 16th Cityhood Anniversary is a testament to the city’s progress and growth over the years. He said, “We are proud to celebrate this milestone and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community. This event is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our residents.”

San Juan was officially converted into a highly-urbanized city in 2007, a move spearheaded and sponsored by then San Juan City Congressman Ronaldo B. Zamora. In the last four years, its economic boom has conformed with its tag “Makabagong San Juan.”

“I am proud of what our city has accomplished for the last four years, we have transformed into a highly urbanized city, a home to over 120,000 residents, thriving businesses and world-class institutions and public facilities for the San Juaneños,” the mayor said.

“We want to thank our residents, business owners and stakeholders for their support in the city’s growth and through these collective efforts, we hope to continue building a better Makabagong San Juan!” Zamora added.

progressive sectoral policy development processes,” Macasalong said.

“Gaining competencies from international experts is among their institutional strategies for its continuous institution-building direction,” he added.

The BIO explained that the BYC is the primary policy-making body of the Bangsamoro government for the youth. It also functions as a coordinating and monitoring body on youth-related programs of the regional government.

In May this year, the BYC went to the National Youth Commission for a similar benchmarking activity to learn their best practices and processes.

American

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

AGENTS of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have arrested a 39-year-old American national who is being sought by authorities to stand trial for making threatening calls against an American politician and his associate in 2021.

The BI identified the fugitive as William Robert Braddock. Braddock previously aspired as the Republican candidate for the 13th Congressional District in Florida but later dropped out of the race.

Braddock was arrested in a joint operation conducted by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Diplomatic Security Service-Overseas Criminal Investigations (DSS-OCI) following an

nabbed

who threatened fellow Republican

extensive surveillance. He was collared by authorities along Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, last Friday. He was immediately transferred to the BI’s facility in Taguig where he will remain until his deportation.

Braddock is wanted for Interstate Transmission of Threat to Injure, in violation of Section 875(c) of Title 18 of the United States Code, after allegedly making calls threatening to kill his political opponent, Anna Paulina Luna, a fellow Republican who was gunning for a congressional seat.

It was also discovered that Braddock was an undocumented alien.

Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco commended the BI’s role in apprehending fugitives and vowed to enhance the country’s cooperation with international partners to bring fugitives to justice.

THIS undated photo courtesy of the Department of Trade and Industry shows destroyed substandard deformed steel bars. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

The World

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Blinken in Beijing on high-stakes mission to cool US-China tensions

By Matthew Lee AP Diplomatic Writer

and the entire human race.”

the US says was a Chinese spy balloon flying across the United States that was shot down.

Failed North Korean rocket is intelligence win for Kim’s foes

By Jon Herskovitz & Sangmi Cha

by the outside world on a North Korean rocket.

for attacks on hundreds of public agencies, schools and other targets around the world, as “far-fetched and unprofessional.”

AN OR TH K orean satellite launch that ended in fail -

BEIJING—US

State

Antony Blinken

Secretary of

arrived in Beijing early Sunday on a high-stakes diplomatic mission to try to cool exploding US-China tensions that have set many around the w orld on edge.

Blinken was to begin two days of talks with senior Chinese officials in the afternoon. He is the highest-level American official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office and the first secretary of state to make the trip in five years.

The trip comes after he postponed plans to visit in February after the shootdown of a Chinese surveillance balloon over the US.

Yet prospects for any significant breakthrough on the most vexing issues facing the planet’s two largest e conomies are slim, as already ties have grown increasingly fraught in recent years. Animosity and recriminations have steadily escalated over a s eries of disagreements that have implications for global security and stability.

Blinken plans to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Sunday, top diplomat Wang Yi, and possibly President Xi Jinping on Monday, according to US officials.

B iden and Xi agreed to Blinken’s trip early at a meeting last year in Bali. It came within a day of happening in February but was delayed by t he diplomatic and political tumult brought on by the discovery of what

The list of disagreements and potential conflict points is long: ranging from trade with Taiwan, human r ights conditions in China to Hong Kong, as well as the Chinese military assertiveness in the South China Sea to Russia’s war in Ukraine. US officials said before Blinken’s departure from Washington on Friday that he would raise each of them, t hough neither side has shown any inclination to back down on their positions.

Shortly before leaving, Blinken emphasized the importance of the US and C hina establishing and maintaining better lines of communication. The US wants to make sure “that the competition we have with China doesn’t v eer into conflict” due to avoidable misunderstandings, he told reporters.

Biden and Xi had made commitments to improve communications precisely so that we can make sure we are communicating as clearly as possible to avoid possible misunderstandings and miscommunications,”

B linken said Friday.

Xi offered a hint of a possible willingness to reduce tensions, saying in a m eeting with Microsoft Corp. cofounder Bill Gates on Friday that the United States and China can cooperate to “benefit our two countries.”

“I believe that the foundation of Sino-US relations lies in the people,”

Xi said to Gates. “Under the current world situation, we can carry out various activities that benefit our two countries, the people of our countries,

Biden told White House reporters Saturday he was “hoping that over the next several months, I’ll be meeting with Xi again and talking about legitimate differences we have, but also how ..to get along.” Chances could come at a Group of 20 leaders’ gathering in September in New Delhi and at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November in San Francisco that the United States is hosting.

Si nce the cancellation of Blinken’s trip in February, there have been some high-level engagements. CIA chief William Burns traveled to China in May, while China’s commerce minister traveled to the US. And Biden’s n ational security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Yi in Vienna in May.

B ut those have been punctuated by bursts of angry rhetoric from both sides over the Taiwan Strait, their broader intentions in the IndoPacific, China’s refusal to condemn Russia for its war against Ukraine, and US allegations from Washington that Beijing is attempting to boost its worldwide surveillance capabilities, including in Cuba.

And, earlier this month, China’s defense minister rebuffed a request from US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for a meeting on the sidelines of a s ecurity symposium in Singapore, a sign of continuing discontent.

Austin said Friday he was confident that he and his Chinese counterpart would meet “at some point in time, but we’re not there yet.”

Underscoring the situation, China rejected a report by a US security firm that blamed Chinese-linked hackers

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson repeated accusations that Washington carries out hacking attacks and complained the cybersecurity industry rarely reports on them.

T hat followed a similar retort earlier in the week when China said Qin had in a phone call with Blinken urged the United States to respect “China’s core concerns” such as the issue of Taiwan’s self-rule, and “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop harming China’s sovereignty, security and development interests in the name of competition.”

Meanwhile, the national security advisers of the United States, Japan and the Philippines held their f irst joint talks Friday and agreed to strengthen their defense cooperation, in part to counter China’s growing influence and ambitions.

T his coincides with the Biden administration inking an agreement w ith Australia and Britain to provide the first with nuclear-powered submarines, with China moving rapidly t o expand its diplomatic presence, especially in the Indian Ocean and the P acific island nations, where it has opened or has plans to open at least five new embassies over the next year.

The agreement is part of an 18-month-old nuclear partnership given the acronym AUKUS — for Australia, the United Kingdom and the U nited States. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

ure will provide a trove of information about the secretive state’s rocket program as South Korea salvages large sections from the bottom of the sea.

South Korea on Friday released photos of a 14.5-meter (15-yard) portion of the North Korean rocket that failed in flight shortly after takeoff on May 31. South Korea’s military said the two pieces it recovered in waters about 70 meters deep were likely from the second stage of the rocket that failed to ignite.

North Korea claimed the second stage contained a new engine and its failure may have been attributable to the “unstable character of the fuel used.” But the discovery by South Korea will likely give clues about the state’s proficiency in engine design and perhaps point to components that may have made their way to Kim Jong Un’s regime through sanctions violations.

“Anyone with access to that rocket part, and a good understanding of rockets, should be able to derive all technical data, performance data, and the manufacturing capabilities of the North Koreans from that hardware, including the meaning of proliferation for their whole program,” said Markus Schiller, an aerospace engineer who founded the ST Analytics consultancy in Germany that specializes in space technology.

The salvage operation will likely end up being the most significant

The first stage of the rocket North Korea dubbed “Chollima-1,” in reference to a mythological winged horse, is suspected to have used liquid-fuel engines. The regime has also deployed those engines in its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear warheads to the US mainland.

The second and third stages were of a smaller diameter and it is uncertain how they would have been fired to place North Korea’s first spy satellite into orbit.

A cross reference of the salvaged pieces shown by South Korea and images of the rocket provided by North Korea reinforce indications of the second stage being recovered, said Joseph Dempsey, a research associate for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“The most significant element South Korea could glean from this section is the engine,” he said. “If recovered, it could indicate the origins of the design, potentially highlighting further sanction violations.”

Under Kim, North Korea has been increasing the domestic technology and components that go into his newest array of missiles. The country still needs the outside world for certain materials and components, which it is barred from acquiring under global sanctions to punish it for its pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to deliver warheads. With assistance from Shinhye Kang / Bloomberg

Putin meets with African leaders offering Ukraine peace proposals

By Jamey Keaten The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Russian President Vladimir

Saturday

The seven African leaders—the presidents of Comoros, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia, as well as Egypt’s prime minister and top envoys from the Republic of Congo and Uganda—visited Ukraine on Friday to try to help end the nearly 16-month-old war.

The African leaders then traveled to St. Petersburg on Saturday to meet with Putin who was attending Russia’s showpiece international economic forum.

Details about the delegation’s proposals were thin.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after the three-hour meeting that the Africans’ peace plan consisted of 10 elements, but “was not formulated on paper.”

“The peace initiative proposed by African countries is very difficult to implement, difficult to compare positions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. But “President Putin has shown interest in considering it.”

“He spoke about our position. Not all provisions can be correlated with the main elements of our position, but this does not mean that we do not need to continue working,” Peskov said.

“The main conclusion, in my opinion, from today’s conversation is that our partners from the African Union have shown an understanding of the true causes of the crisis that was created by the West, and have shown an understanding that it is necessary to get out of this situation on the basis of addressing these underlying causes,” Lavrov said.

Russia says that it was effectively

forced to send troops into Ukraine because it was threatened by Ukraine’s desire to join NATO and by the country’s support from the United States and Western Europe.

Speaking at the economic forum on Friday, Putin declared that the first Russian tactical nuclear weapons have been deployed to Belarus, describing the move as a deterrent against Western efforts to defeat Russia in Ukraine. He previously said that the deployment would begin in July.

Asked if he could order the use of battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Putin said that there was no need for that but noted that Moscow could use its nuclear arsenals in case of a “threat to the Russian statehood.”

“In that case, we will certainly use all the means that the Russian state has. There should be no doubt about that,” he said.

The mission to Ukraine, the first of its kind by African leaders, comes in the wake of other peace initiatives— such as one by China—and carries particular importance for Africa, which relies on food and fertilizer deliveries from Russia and Ukraine. The war has impeded exports from one of the world’s most important breadbaskets.

“This conflict is affecting Africa negatively,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said at a news conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and four other African leaders after their closed-door talks on Friday.

Ramaphosa and others acknowledged the intensity of the hostilities but insisted all wars must come to an

end and emphasized their willingness to help expedite that.

“I do believe that Ukrainians feel that they must fight and not give up. The road to peace is very hard,” he said, adding that “there is a need to bring this conflict to an end sooner rather than later.”

The delegation, including Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal and Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, represent a cross-section of African views on the war.

South Africa, Senegal and Uganda have avoided censuring Moscow over the conflict, while Egypt, Zambia and Comoros voted against Russia last year in a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Moscow’s invasion.

Many African nations have long had close ties with Moscow, dating back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union supported their anti-colonial struggles.

Speaking during Friday’s news conference, Comoros President Azali Assoumani floated the idea of a “road map” to peace, prompting questions from Zelenskyy who sought a clarification and insisted he didn’t want “any surprises” from their visit with Putin.

Chances for peace talks look dim as Ukraine and Russia take sharply different stands. Ukraine demands that Russia withdraws its troops from all its occupied territories as a condition for peace talks. The Kremlin, in turn, wants Ukraine to recognize the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as part of Russia and acknowl -

Rescuers brave snipers as they rush to ferry Ukrainians from Russia-occupied flood zones

By Samya Kullab, Evgeniy Maloletka & Sam Mcneil

The Associated Press

KHERSON, Ukraine—At last, help came for Vitalii Shpalin.

From a distance, he spotted the small Ukrainian rescue boat traversing floodwaters that had submerged the 60-year-old’s entire neighborhood after a catastrophic dam collapse in the country’s embattled south.

H e and others boarded with sighs of relief—interrupted suddenly by the crackle of bullets.

Shpalin ducked, and a bullet scraped his back. He felt one pierce his arm, then his leg. The boat’s rescue worker cried into the radio for reinforcements. “Our boat is leaking,” Shpalin heard him say. An older man died before his eyes, his lips turning blue.

our people to danger,” Tolokonnikov said.

“

Russians keep threatening us and fulfilling their threats by shooting people in the back,” he said.

O lha, another resident of Oleshky, said she had heard about the re scue missions, but didn’t know how to get on a list. “If we could, we would have done the same, but I didn’t know how,” she said, declining to give her last name for safety re asons. Rescuers have often used information provided by relatives of t hose stranded. Military drone pilots have searched for people and p lotted routes through the fastmoving waters laden with debris, while navigating around Russian troop positions.

They also have delivered water, food and cigarettes to people with a note “from Santa.”

edge other land gains it has made.

China presented its own peace proposal at the end of February. Ukraine and its allies largely dismissed the plan, as the warring sides look no closer to a cease-fire.

The African peace mission comes as Ukraine launches a counteroffensive to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from occupied areas, using Western-supplied advanced weapons in attacks in several sections of more than the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.

In the village of Blahodatne, taken by Ukrainian forces in the counteroffensive six days ago, soldiers said they have orders to keep advancing and not retreat, indicating long grueling battles ahead in the direction where Russians have built up dense lines of fortifications.

“Morale is really strong because the guys know they’re moving forward to liberate their lands,” said a Ukrainian soldier with the callsign Skripal (Violinist). “We have an order not to retreat and to move forward, so we’re trying.”

Village roads are punctured with craters, buildings are caved in and bullet holes peppered nearly every residence. Inside a cultural center, a Ukrainian commander with the call sign “Lermontov” said that they’d captured many Russian soldiers during the liberation of the village and showed journalists four bodies that he said were Russian fighters who had been recruited from prisons. Sam McNeil in Blahodatne, Ukraine, and Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this story.

Canada’s snap retreat from China bank shows deeply divided world

Bloomberg News

By

ASINGLE Tweet alleging Com -

m unist Party interference was all it took for Canada to freeze ties with a China-led development bank this week. The question now is whether other US allies will join Canada—and would Beijing even care?

The controversy over the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank began Wednesday, when Bob Pickard—its former global head of communications—declared on Twitter that he was quitting his job because the lender was “dominated by Communist Party members and also has one of the most toxic cultures imaginable.” Within hours, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced it would halt all activities with the bank while the government conducts a review.

The AIIB quickly denied the claims, with Vice President and Corporate Secretary Ludger Schuknecht telling Bloomberg the bank welcomed Canada’s review because “we have nothing to hide.” China called the whole thing a “a sensational publicity stunt and a complete lie.”  Canada’s reaction appears more about current tensions with China than the substance of the allegations,

according to Jeremy Mark, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center and a f ormer speechwriter at the International Monetary Fund. A recent scandal over allegations of Chinese interference in domestic elections has gripped Canadian politics in recent weeks.

“Governments are going to be hesitant about following suit without a strong reason at this point,” Mark said. “Down the road, it would be interesting to see what happens. But for the moment, I suspect we would not see anything like a mass exodus of governments from the AIIB.”

Either way, the swift escalation of the incident shows the extent to which the world has become divided over China since the nation’s first major multilateral development bank was founded back in 2016. Back then, Canada and other American allies began signing up to participate in the bank even as the US expressed misgivings—a sign of China’s expanding global economic power and increased influence under President Xi Jinping.

The world has changed drastically since then, with Donald Trump’s administration starting a trade war with China that morphed into a wider ideological fight that is starting to

bifurcate the global economy. And international financial institutions are getting caught in the middle.  US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made it explicit earlier this week that global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank should act as a “counterweight” to China’s growing clout in the developing world. Beijing hit back, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin saying “they are not called the IMF or the World Bank of the United States.”

For its part, the AIIB has sought to avoid being an overt tool of the Chinese government since its creation, and some 100 nations have joined the organization. While China is the largest shareholder in the AIIB with 26.6% of the voting share, its president, Jin Liqun, is the only Chinese national on the bank’s senior leadership team. Other members include former Chief Secretary to the UK Treasury Danny Alexander and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Urjit Patel—both nationals of countries with strained ties to Beijing.  Chinese citizens make up about 35% of the bank’s total staff, the AIIB told Bloomberg. The bank was, however, is struggling to recruit overseas candidates as people were

increasingly reluctant to move to China, according to a current AIIB staff member, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

A separate former senior staffer at the bank, who also asked not to be identified, said they hadn’t seen CCP members dominate decisionmaking at the organization. The work environment at AIIB was no different from other multinational development banks, said another former AIIB official who now works at a different lender.

Joerg Wuttke, former president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, said the AIIB has “been a showcase of good governance.” “I have many contacts there,” he added. “Never has a single foreign executive stated any party influence.”

Schuknecht, the bank’s vice president, said it doesn’t “tolerate any influence from one member country and even less from a political party of one member country.”

“I wouldn’t even know who is a member of a Communist Party,” he added. The AIIB did not reply to request for comment on its ability to recruit overseas candidates.

Their vessel, taking civilians to safety in Kherson city across the river, had been shot by Russian soldiers positioned in a nearby house, a ccording to Ukrainian officials and witnesses on the boat.

“They [Russians] let the boats through, those coming to rescue people,” Shpalin said. “But when the boats were full of people, they started shooting.”

Massive flooding from the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on J une 6 has devastated towns along the lower Dnieper River in the Kherson region, a front line in the war.

R ussia and Ukraine accuse each other of causing the breach.

In the chaotic early days of flooding, Ukrainian rescue workers in p rivate boats provided a lifeline to desperate civilians trapped in flooded areas of the Russian-occupied e astern bank—that is, if the rescue missions could brave the drones and Russian snipers.

The boats have carried volunteers and plainclothes servicemen, s huttling across from Ukrainianheld areas on the western bank to evacuate people stuck on rooftops, in attics and elsewhere.

Now, that window is closing. As floodwaters recede, rescuers are increasingly cut off by putrid mud. And more Russian soldiers are returning, reasserting control.

A ccounts of Russian assistance vary among survivors, but many evacuees and residents accuse Russian authorities of doing little or n othing to help displaced residents. Some civilians said evacuees were sometimes forced to present Russian passports if they wanted to leave.

Russia’s Defense Ministry didn’t immediately respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment about actions by authorities in t he Russia-occupied flood zone, or about the attack on the rescue boat.

The AP spoke with 10 families rescued from the eastern bank, as well as with rescue workers, officials and victims injured on the rescue missions.

“The Russian Federation provided nothing. No aid, no evacuation. They abandoned people alone t o deal with the disaster,” said Yulia Valhe, evacuated from the Russianoccupied town of Oleshky. “I have my friends who stayed there, people I know who need help. At the moment, I can’t do anything except to s ay to them, ‘Hold on.’”

At least 150 people have been rescued by Ukraine from Russian-controlled areas in the risky evacuation o perations, government spokesperson Oleksandr Tolokonnikov said.

I t is a small fraction compared to the nearly 2,750 people rescued from flooded regions controlled by Ukraine.

A local organization Helping to Leave, which helps Ukrainians living under Russian occupation to escape, said it received requests from 3 ,000 people in the occupied zone, said Dina Urich, who heads the organization’s evacuation department.

We will surely do everything we can, but we also cannot expose

Valerii Lobitskyi, a volunteer rescuer, said shelling often derailed the missions. He has been shot at once, and on another occasion had to abort a mission to rescue an older woman after a close call with a Russian motorboat.

E very civilian evacuated from the eastern bank carried a harrowing tale of survival, of racing to re locate to higher ground. They described the initial scramble on the m orning of June 6. Within hours, the water came gushing in, reaching their ankles and then submerging entire floors.

In Oleshky, many residents moved from the outskirts of town to the center, which sits on an elevated plain.

Valhe, who was rescued with her family on June 12, said neighbors and friends tried to save people themselves in the absence of an official rescue effort.

I saw soldiers, I saw FSB workers [Russia’s Federal Security Service], but no rescue service,” she said.

One older man tried to flee the deluge by climbing a tree. But the winds were too strong. Valhe heard his cries for help, but knew that if she tried to approach him, she would perish in the current.

He told her, “My dear, stay put, don’t follow me.”

She watched him drown.

Shpalin said he lied to Russian soldiers when they tried to evacuate him to another area. He had he ard from others who accepted the Russian offer that they were taken only to a nearby village and told they couldn’t go further unless they agreed to obtain Russian passports.

Shpalin told the soldiers he wouldn’t leave because he had lost his documents in the flood. In reality, they were on his person.

I didn’t believe them,” he said.

When the Ukrainian rescuers found him, he was sheltering with other civilians on a sandy hill near a quarry in the village of Kardashynka.

The attack that wounded Shpalin on the evacuation boat on June 11 killed three civilians and injured 10 others. At least two police officers also were wounded. Kherson authorities and President Volodymyr Z elenskyy’s chief of staff said Russian soldiers fired the shots.

D rone footage obtained by the AP shows gunshots being fired from a nearby summer home as the evacuation boat passes an estuary. The v ideo’s authenticity was confirmed by Tolokonnikov.

Serhii, 59, another evacuee on the boat, said that he saw Russian soldiers on the balcony of the house.

They shouted something—“Move on,” or “Don’t move”—then fired, he said. Serhii, who would only give his first name because his family still lives in occupied territory, threw his body over his wife’s to protect her.

Some days later, in Kherson, the boom of artillery resounded in the background as 46-year-old Vitalii Holodniak, one of those killed in the boat attack, was laid to rest.

Continued on A7

Putin on

met with a group of leaders of African countries who traveled to Russia on a self-styled

“peace mission” the day after they went to Ukraine, but the meeting ended with no visible progress.

With assistance from Ramsey Al-Rikabi, Colum Murphy, Kari Lindberg, James Mayger and Muneeza Naqvi.

In this handout photo provided by Photo host Agency RIA novosti, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pose for a photo during a meeting with a delegation of African leaders and senior officials in St. Petersburg, Russia on Saturday, June 17, 2023. Seven African leaders—presidents of Comoros, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia, as well as Egypt’s prime minister and top envoys from the Republic of Congo and Uganda—traveled to Russia on Saturday a day after visiting Ukraine on a mission to try to help end the hostilities. Evg E n y Biyatov/Photo host ag E n cy R i a n o vosti via a P

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Rescuers brave snipers as they rush to ferry Ukrainians from Russia-occupied flood zones

Continued From A6

His sister Svitlana Nosik, 56, held up his death certificate. “Place of death: Dneiper River, evacuation boat,” it read.

“That is not how I expected to greet my brother in Kherson,” she said.

Another evacuee, Kateryna Krupych, said she looked out the window on June 7 to find mucky water s urrounding her home on the island of Chaika, in the gray zone between front lines. Houses floated by. She packed up

her family’s supplies and they left in a boat, but got separated along the way. Eventually, they were all rescued by Ukrainians.

Krupych said the previous eight months under Russian occupation had been hard. Her family survived by relying on the kindness of neighbors who f led to Kherson city. They told her where to find the spare keys to their homes and leftover food supplies.

“It was mentally difficult when the [Russians] entered our island, when they terrorized us,” she said. Russian

soldiers frequently passed their home, she said, pressuring them to leave. For Olha, still in Oleshky, the costs of the dam collapse continue to be revealed. Many houses are collapsing, she s aid, and she struggles to find drinking water and food. There is the risk of w ater-borne diseases. Plus, “[Russians] can force-evacuate people—we are scared of this, we don’t want to go to their territories,” she said. “We don’t want to be forgotten.” Samya Kullab reported from Kyiv. Evgeniy Maloletka and Sam McNeil reported from Kherson.

A volunteer carries a woman as she is evacuated from a flooded Kardashynka village of the left bank Dnipro ri ver, in Kherson, uk raine on June 9, 2023. Many small boats carrying volunteers and uk rainian soldiers have shuttled across from uk rainian-held areas on the west bank to rescue desperate civilians stuck on rooftops, in attics and in other areas amid the deluge. AP Photo/Evg E n iy M A l ol E t k A

Sudan officials: Airstrike killed 17 people, including 5 children

By Samy Magdy The Associated Press

CAIRO—An airstrike in Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Saturday killed at least 17 people, including five children, health officials said, as fighting continued between rival generals seeking to control the country.

The attack was one of the deadliest of the clashes in urban areas of Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan between the military and a powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces. There was no immediate comment Saturday from either side of the con -

flict on the strike, and it was not clear whether the attack was by warplanes or a drone. The military’s aircraft have repeatedly targeted RSF troops and the RSF has reportedly used drones and anti-aircraft weapons against the military.

The fighting broke out in mid-April,

capping months of increasing tensions between the leaders of the military and the RSF. The clashes have killed more than 3,000 people and wounded over 6,000 others, said Health Minister Haitham Mohammed Ibrahim in an interview late Saturday with the Saudiowned television station, Al-Hadath.

Saturday’s strike hit the Yormouk neighborhood in southern Khartoum, where clashes have centered in recent weeks, according to Sudan’s Ministry of Health. The area houses a military facility controlled by the army. At least 25 houses were destroyed, the ministry wrote in a Facebook post.

The dead included five children and an unknown number of women and elderly people, and some wounded people were hospitalized, the ministry said.

A local group that calls itself The Emergency Room and helps organize humanitarian aid in the area, said at

least 11 people were wounded in the strike. It posted images it said were of houses damaged in the attack and people searching through rubble. Other images claimed to show a wounded girl and man.

The United States and Saudi Arabia announced late Saturday that the warring sides agreed on a 72-hour cease-fire across the African country. The new cease-fire would take effect Sunday morning Khartoum time, according to a joint US-Saudi statement.

The statement said both the military and the RSF agreed to stop fighting and “refrain from seeking military advantage during the ceasefire.”

The US and Saudi Arabia urged the warring sides to fully implement the cease-fire, which comes ahead a pledging conference to fund the increasing humanitarian needs in the African country.

For weeks, Saudi Arabia and the United States have been mediating between the warring parties. Multiple cease-fire agreements failed to stop the raging fighting across Sudan.

The conflict has plunged the African country into chaos and turned Khartoum and other urban areas into battlefields. The paramilitary force has occupied people’s houses and other civilian properties since the onset of the conflict, according to residents and activists.

More than 2.2 million people have fled their homes to safer areas inside Sudan or crossed into neighboring countries, according to UN figures.

Activists and residents have reported widespread looting in the capital. Diplomatic missions, including residences belong to the US Embassy in Khartoum, have been stormed and looted, allegedly by armed men wearing RSF uniforms. Almost all diplomatic missions in Sudan were evacuated in the first weeks of the war.

“Looting was fairly extensive at some of the residences,” the US Department of State told The Associated Press. “The damage was discovered during routine checks of the residences. There is some damage to the structures and personal property.”

Sexual violence, including the rape of women and girls, has been reported in Khartoum and the western Darfur region, which have seen some of the worst fighting in the conflict. Almost all reported cases of sexual attacks were blamed on the RSF, which hasn’t responded to repeated requests for comment.

The Darfur city of Genena has experienced some of the worst battles, with tens of thousands of its residents fleeing to neighboring Chad. The RSF and allied Arab militias have repeatedly attacked the city, especially areas of the nonArab Masalit community, since late April, according to residents and activists.

The attacks intensified earlier this month. Volker Perthes, the UN envoy in Sudan, said last week that the fighting in Genena has taken on “an ethnic dimension,” with Arab militias and armed men in RSF uniforms showing “an emerging pattern of large-scale targeted

attacks against civilians based on their ethnic identities.”

On Wednesday, West Darfur Gov. Khamis Abdalla Abkar, who hails from the Masalit, was abducted and killed hours after he accused the RSF and allied Arab militias in a televised interview of attacking Genena. His slaying was blamed on the RSF, a charge the paramilitary force denied.

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called for bringing those responsible for Abkar’s slaying to justice, “including those who bear command responsibility.”

“Alongside liability of the direct perpetrator, Gov. Abkar was in the RSF’s custody, and it was the RSF’s responsibility to keep him safe,” Shamdasani told a news briefing in Geneva on Friday.

Abkar was the second high-profile official killed in Genena within a few days. The older brother of the traditional chief of the Masalit, Tariq Abdelrahman Bahreldin, was also killed, Shamdasani said.

Martin Griffiths, the UN’s top humanitarian official, decried the fighting in Darfur on Thursday, especially in Genena where trapped residents “are living a nightmare.”

“Babies dying in hospitals where they were being treated; children and mothers suffering from severe malnutrition; camps for displaced persons burned to the ground; girls raped; schools closed; and families eating leaves to survive,” he said. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.

North Korea opens key party meeting to tackle struggling economy and talk defense strategies

By Kim Tong-Hyung The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea—With leader Kim Jong Un in attendance, North Korea opened a key political conference to discuss improving its struggling economy and reviewing defense strategies in the face of growing tensions with rivals, according to state media reports on Saturday.

The enlarged plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee came as the United States sent a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea in the allies’ latest show of force against the North, which has ramped up its testing of nuclear-capable missiles to a record pace in recent months.

During the first day of meetings on Friday, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said, party officials reviewed the country’s economic campaigns for the first half of 2023, and discussed

foreign policy and defense strategies to “cope with the changed international situation.”

The agency didn’t specify what was discussed or mention any comments made by Kim. It said the meeting will continue for at least another day.

The arrival Friday of the USS Michigan in the South Korean port of Busan came a day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern seas in response to US-South Korean live-fire drills that took place near the inter-Korean border this week.

With the deployment of the USS Michigan, the US and South Korean navies are planning to conduct exercises focused on sharpening their special operation and joint combat capabilities in the allies’ latest combined training to cope with growing North Korean threats.

Pyongyang has condemned the allies’ combined exercises as invasion rehearsals. North Korea has

used the expanding US-South Korean drills as a pretext to ramp up its own weapons demonstrations, including test-firing around 100 missiles since the start of 2022. Weapons tested by the North this year include a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile designed to reach the US mainland, and various shorter-range weapons targeting South Korea and Japan.

Experts say Kim’s aggressive weapons push has put further strain on North Korea’s isolated economy, which was already damaged by decades of mismanagement, crippling US-led sanctions over his nuclear weapons program, and pandemicrelated border closures that reduced trade with China, its main ally and economic lifeline.

Thursday’s missile firings were North Korea’s first rocket activity since May 31, when a long-range rocket carrying the country’s first spy satellite crashed off the Korean Peninsula’s west coast.

Saudi’s top envoy in Iran as part of restoration of diplomatic ties

By Amir Vahdat The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran—Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister arrived in Iran’s capital on Saturday, the latest step in the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two Mideast rivals, Iranian state media reported.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan was officially welcomed by his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran TV said. He carried a message from the Saudi king to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the two were due to meet later Saturday, Iran TV said.

Later, Prince Faisal said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Salman officially invited Raisi to visit Saudi Arabia, according to the state TV broadcast of a joint news conference. The visit comes after US Secre -

tary of State Antony Blinken visited Saudi Arabia earlier in June.

In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions. The move sent shock waves through the Middle East, especially Israel, Iran’s archenemy.

Prince Faisal was expected to officially inaugurate the kingdom’s embassy in Tehran later Saturday.

Until the mission is completed, employees were working from a Tehran hotel, Iran TV said.

Both nations reopened their diplomatic missions in recent weeks.

The agreement to reestablish diplomatic relations was a major breakthrough brokered by China that lowered the chances of further conflict between Riyadh and Tehran—both directly and in proxy conflicts around the region.

Soon after exploding in 2014, Ye -

men’s conflict turned into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia, which led a military coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government, and Iran, which has aided the country’s Houthi rebels.

Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks in recent years following the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

One of those targeted the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry in 2019, temporarily halving the kingdom’s crude production.

Relations between the predominately Shiite Iran and the majority Sunni Saudi Arabia have long been tense. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic posts there. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shiite cleric along with 46 others days earlier, triggering the demonstrations.

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

NIA eyes climate-resilient irrigation solutions

calendar year 2024 dry crop is 1.21 million for both National Irrigation Systems [NIS] and Communal Irrigation Systems [CIS],” Guillen said during the meeting on Mitigating the Effects El Niño Phenomenon.

The NIA also said it has identified areas that will be prioritized for irrigation, and will implement the alternate wetting and drying technique to address the threats posed by El Niño on the country’s water supply.

The NIA recently signed a memorandum of understanding on food security, disaster prevention, and climate change response with the state-run Korea Rural Community Corp. (KRC).

NIA Acting Administrator Eddie Guillen and KRC Chief Executive Officer Lee Byung Ho signed the MOU.

MOU aims to “foster cooperation in the development and implementation of projects related to water resource development and management, irrigation and drainage facilities improvement, and other related initiatives through multilateral development bank, and

Korean government’s grants and loans, among others.”

Guillen has expressed his gratitude to the Korean government and KRC for being an active partner of the agency in irrigation development.

“For more than seven decades, Korea has been an ally and a partner of the Philippines in socio-economic development. Some of NIA’s projects were funded by the Korean Government, either through a grant or loan agreement,” he said.

“Today, we will witness this partnership again as NIA and KRC sign this MOU to foster cooperation on

Ayala’s ACTIVE fund invests in UK-based biotech company

ROSLIN Technologies raised a multimillion-dollar investment from the Ayala Corporate Technology Innovation Venture Fund (ACTIVE Fund), managed by Kickstart Ventures, a corporate venture capital (CVC) firm wholly-owned by Globe Telecom.

This investment follows Roslin Technologies’ successful Series A round of £11.5 million in late 2022.

“Roslin Technologies, with their scalable, IP-rich approach and innovative technology, offers a compelling and commercially attractive solution. Together, we strive to create a sustainable future for food to alleviate hunger and food insecurity,” Kickstart Ventures Vice President of Investments Michael Maté said in a statement.

Based in Scotland, Roslin Technologies spun out from Roslin Institute, known for its groundbreaking invention of Dolly the Sheep in the mid-1990s.

The company specializes in stem cell technology for cultivated meat, which is meat grown directly from animal cells without raising animals. Roslin Technologies is the first and leading company to provide animal stem cells to cultivated meat producers across the world.

In the Philippines, 12 percent of the population faces involuntary hunger while the overall population and dependence on food imports continue to grow, according to Kickstart Ventures.

Roslin Technologies currently ships its cells to customers across North America, Europe and Asia. In line with its thesis of “A World of Plenty,” which invests in the future of resource availability, Kickstart Ventures’ investment will help “solidify” Roslin Technologies’ footprint in Asia.

It will also further strengthen Rosin Technologies’ international shareholder base, which includes the University of Edinburgh, Future Planet Capital, Novo Holdings, Kairos Capital Group, and Nutreco, and other international investors.

Kickstart Ventures President Minette Navarrete noted that Roslin Technologies offers a solution that augments the world’s limited capacity to feed a growing population at scale and with speed.

“The persistent complex issue of food insecurity demands multiple transformative solutions, and this investment is meaningful for future food security globally, especially in emerging markets like the Philippines.”

Apart from the investment, Kickstart Ventures will also provide an observer on the board so the biotechnology company can benefit from the CVC’s expertise.

various areas related to climateresilient irrigation, infrastructure development, and food security.”

The areas of cooperation also include the exchange of experiences and technology in the fields of water

resources, irrigation and drainage, and smart water management system.

A Joint Steering Committee, composed of one co-chairperson from NIA and KRC with up to four member and one secretary for each party, shall be

created to oversee the cooperation projects in the designated fields.

In May, NIA expressed optimism that it will surpass its previous achievements.

“Projected Programmed Area for

Guillen said these are the agency’s “short-term solutions” to mitigate the impacts of El Niño, which can deplete water supplies and cause significant losses in agricultural production.

He added that hybrid varieties of rice and high value crops would be planted in affected areas. According to the NIA official, parts of Luzon and Visayas will be mostly affected by El Niño.

NIA is a government-owned and -controlled corporation primarily responsible for irrigation development and management in the country. Raadee S. Sausa

DAR, Bangsamoro’s MAFAR bolster partnership

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) held a workshop in Quezon City to strengthen their partnership.

MAFAR is the DAR’s counterpart in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Amihilda Sangcopan, DAR Undersecretary for Mindanao Affairs Office, led the

conduct of the “Workshop on Strengthening Coordination between the DAR and the MAFAR”

The partnership is vital for spurring rural development and sustaining the gains of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella stressed the readiness of his agency to extend assistance to MAFAR, considering that it is still in its infancy when it comes to implementing various agrarian reform programs and harnessing its agriculture-based industry.

“We, in the DAR, are excited to work closely with MAFAR to address the enormous challenges it is facing to attain stability and sustainability in the management of the land our fellow Bangsamoro farmers are tilling,” he said in a statement.

DAR Undersecretaries Luis Meinrado Pangulayan of the Planning, Policy and Research Office, Jeffrey Galan of the Finance Management and Administration Office, and 18 representatives fr om MAFAR, led by MAFAR Bangsamoro Director-General for Agrarian Reform Services Taugan

S. Kikay, attended the said workshop, which also intended to produce the draft Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies.

For his part, Kikay expressed his gratitude to the DAR “for its readiness to work with us in pursuit of the sustainable and fruitful development of the Bangsamoro farmers.” The partnership gained ground during the workshop, highlighted by the impending implementation of a “big-ticket” project: The Acceleration Support Program for ARC Development in the Bangsamoro.

FAO: Global food import bill to hit new record this year

THE United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the world’s food import bill will reach a new record this year, but it will grow at a much slower pace compared to last year.

FAO said in its latest report that rising world prices, driven by higher quotations for fruits, vegetables, sugar and dairy products, will dampen demand, especially in the most economically vulnerable countries.

Its Food Outlook estimates that the global food bill will rise to $1.98 trillion in 2023, up 1.5 percent from 2022. It rose by 11 percent in 2022 and 18 percent in 2021.

While food imports by advanced economies continue to expand, the import bill for the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is predicted to decline by 1.5 percent this year and that for net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs) to decline by 4.9 percent, according to FAO.

“The decline in food import volumes is a concerning development in both groups, suggesting a decline in purchasing capacity,” the biannual report from FAO’s Markets and Trade Division read.

“These concerns are amplified by the fact that lower international prices for a number

of primary food items have not, or at least not fully, translated into lower prices at the domestic retail level, suggesting that cost-ofliving pressures could persist in 2023.”

The new edition of Food Outlook has a special chapter examining recent changes in the food component of the consumer price index for NFIDCs, and how currency movements, especially in relation to the US dollar in which most agrifood trade is invoiced, impact food price inflation in these countries.

While the US dollar’s depreciation during the 2007-08 global food crisis helped food importers offset the increase in food prices, the reverse effect has marked recent years. For example, world maize prices declined by 10.2 percent between April 2022 and September 2022, but by only 4.8 percent on average when calculated in real local currencies of NFIDCs.

That underscores the importance of welltailored interventions to combat inflation, said FAO Senior Economist El Mamoun Amrouk, author of the chapter. Otherwise, he warned, “rising food prices can lead to social unrest and increased financial challenges, undermining efforts to fight poverty and food insecurity

Cooking pizza in Italy is costlier as olive oil price jumps

THE cost of making a classic Pizza Margherita rose more than twice as fast as overall inflation in Italy last month, driven by the surging price of olive oil and mozzarella cheese.

The total amount spent on ingredients and energy to cook the quintessential Naples dish rose 18.4 percent in May from a year earlier, according to Bloomberg calculations based on Istat and Economy Ministry data.

The monthly gauge continues to far outstrip the overall inflation rate, which stood at 8 percent last month. Still, the pace of price increases eased from April and compares with a November peak of more than 30 percent.

The cost of buying a prepared pizza rose only 7.7 percent year-on-year, increasing the appeal of going out to eat.

Bloomberg’s Pizza index crunches data on

flour, tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil and the electricity consumption needed to power an oven. The biggest month-on-month increase was for tomatoes, which were 7.5 percent more expensive than in April. Energy was the only item that fell, down 1.4 percent.

Here is a breakdown of the change in the price of ingredients in May:

n Flour rose 9.4 percent Y/y and 0.3 percent M/m

n Mozzarella rose 22.1 percent Y/y and 0.3 percent M/m

n Tomatoes rose 18.2 percent Y/y and 7.5 percent M/m

n Olive oil rose 24.6 percent Y/y and 1.0 percent M/m

n Electricity rose 13.5 percent Y/y but fell 1.4 percent M/m

The cost of pasta also rose again in May, according to Istat data. Consumer advocate group Assoutenti has called for a national pasta boycott from June 22 after the government in Rome decided not to act to counter higher prices at a meeting last month.

River Rhine

THE German summer may officially be just two weeks old but the Rhine river—a vital artery for the country and other parts of inland Europe—is already seeing water levels low enough to restrict trade.

The measured water-level at Kaub, a key chokepoint, stood at 1.43 meters on Friday afternoon, government data show.

It’s forecast to slump 16 centimeters more by early Tuesday morning. That’s well below the seasonal norm, although far

from the low-point of last August, when the measure hit about 30 centimeters and brought widespread disruption.

Even so, any barges planning on hauling diesel-type fuel past Kaub have been limited to loading just 60 percent of their maximum carrying capacity, according to Mitchell van der Hoeven, a broker at Riverlake, which organizes shipments up the river. That’s potentially restricting supply to upriver importers, including Switzerland.

Winding hundreds of miles from the Alps to the North Sea, the Rhine is used to transport millions of tons of oil products and other vital commodities across Europe, including gravel, coal and iron ore. Last year, the water got so low that trade was severely disrupted, affecting oil refining, power generation and more.

and wiping out any progress achieved so far.”

Commodity trends

FAO’s latest release of the Food Outlook, containing forecasts of the production, trade, utilization and stock levels across the world’s major basic foodstuffs, point to likely increases in production across most categories, including rice, coarse grains, oilcrops, milk, sugar, meat and fish and fishery products. However, global wheat output could fall from last season’s all-time high.

Notwithstanding this generally positive outlook, the global agrifood production systems remain vulnerable to shocks, stemming from extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions, policy changes and developments in other commodity markets, with the potential to tip the delicate demandsupply balances and impacting prices and world food security.

Global production of coarse grains is forecast to rise by 3 percent buoyed by an expected significant increase in maize output in the United States of America and a record harvest in Brazil, leading to higher overall supplies and lower prices.

World rice production is forecast to rise by 1.3 percent in 2023/24 to 523.5 million tons, while international trade is expected to drop by 4.3 percent in volume terms to 53.6 million tons.

The anticipated output increase mostly reflects positive incentives provided by generally higher producer prices, easing fertilizer costs and continuing government assistance measures.

By contrast, world wheat production in 2023 is expected to decline by 3 percent from its all-time high of 777 million tons in 2022, due mainly to expected decreases in the Russian Federation and Australia, both of which registered record outputs last year. The declines mostly reflect the likely impacts of extreme weather events, seen leading to lower planted areas.

Global outputs of oil crops, milk and sugar are all expected to expand, as is that for meat, although pig and bovine meat volumes could drop slightly in 2023.

Global production of aquatic animals is also expected to grow in 2023, although that is due to an anticipated increase in aquaculture production as capture fisheries are seen contracting.

“I expect this August onwards to be worse than last year,” van der Hoeven said.

Already this year, the euro-per-ton price for shipping fuel on the river by barge has soared, with the current cost of transporting between Karlsruhe in southwest Germany and the Netherlands close to double the five-year average.

“For the last week in June, we expect some rainfall which probably could stop

the downward trend of the water-levels, at least temporarily,” said Dennis Meissner, a forecaster at the German Federal Institute of Hydrology. He doesn’t expect to see “critical flow conditions” until at least the end of July.

The Rhine is typically at its lowest in the August-November period, he said, adding that the outlook is uncertain and dependent on rainfall and temperature levels in summer. Bloomberg News

THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has set its sights on climateresilient irrigation systems to help the government achieve its goal of ensuring the country’s food security.

THIS BusinessMirror file photo shows the Babalak Communal Irrigation System in Benguet.

A PIZZA Margherita BLOOMBERG

editorial

What erodes teaching quality in public schools

Education is the most important function of the state because it promotes employment and national economic development, among others. Poor children denied the opportunity of going to school would face insurmountable obstacles to succeed in life. that’s why education has been recognized as a basic human right in a number of international conventions. it works to save the needy and underprivileged members of the community from utter penury by leveling inequalities.

Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte said in her Basic Education Report 2023: “The lack of school infrastructure and resources to support the ideal teaching process is the most pressing issue pounding the Philippine basic education. Our latest inventory shows we have 327,851 school buildings in the country. Out of these school buildings, only 104,536 are in good condition.”

Stressing the need for an immediate review of the current setup in public schools, Duterte cited the heavy workload that teachers have to bear. “This is a system that burdens them with backbreaking and time-consuming administrative tasks, a system that robs them of the opportunity to professionally grow and professionally teach, assist, and guide our learners,” she said.

A 2019 study of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), Pressures on public school teachers and implications on quality, described how chronically overworked our public school teachers are. The study said under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, every public school teacher has a regular full-time teaching load and is mandated to devote a maximum of six hours of actual classroom instruction a day.

“In reality, several additional administrative or student support roles are assigned to each teacher. These include paperwork on seminars and trainings they are tasked to attend and additional designations in line with student guidance, budget, disaster response, and health. Teachers are likewise expected to participate in the implementation of various government programs, such as mass immunizations, community mapping, conditional cash transfer, deworming, feeding, population census, anti-drug, election, among others,” the study said.

The PIDS study added: “While private schools employ administrative staff to do enrollment, registration, records, daily operations, and janitorial services, among others, there is insufficient support and administrative staff, if any, for the teachers in public schools. This means that the teachers are doing the administrative work—a situation that while hidden from view of the normal metrics can erode teaching quality.”

Recognizing the zeal and passion of Filipino teachers, and vowing to champion their welfare and professional development as part of her MATATAG: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa agenda, Duterte said “teachers are critical to the success of education. When they are supported, education quality improves.” (Read, “VP vows to hone teachers’ skills,” in the BusinessMirror, May 26, 2023).

“We will give support to teachers to teach better. We will continuously provide professional development programs, including graduate degree scholarship programs to teachers focusing on their learning area specialization and graduate certificate programs for nonmajors. We will provide support in terms of innovative, responsive, and inclusive teaching approaches following the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers,” she said.

The Department of Education is taking steps toward education reforms, guided by its mandate and the renewed hope under the Marcos administration, Duterte said. “The current state of basic education behooves us all to take a courageous stand and calls us to work together with the intention and commitment to resolve the challenges in basic education. We fail and we fail our children,” Duterte added.

The DepEd’s focus on giving public school teachers the support they need so they can teach better is a step in the right direction. As children’s author Michael Morpurgo said, “It’s the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom.” That’s because a good teacher can awaken interest and energize learning among students, which are essential to academic success.

While it is true that good teachers hold the key to successful learning, it would do well for the government to give due premium to education. There’s an urgent need of quick action to build more classrooms and address the nationwide shortage of teachers. It is no longer uncommon to see teachers handling classes with 60 to 80 students. Studies have shown that an oversized class is one of the main causes of the marked decline in the quality of education provided by the country’s public schools.

Hotter and hotter

RISING SUN

HoW are we supposed to prepare for the hottest years that are about to come? this year, the natural climate phenomenon El niño is expected, but even without it, it is already very hot. We do experience unnatural heat even when there is a typhoon raging nearby or even when the weather bureau has declared the start of the rainy season. Something strange is, indeed, happening.

Recently, an American scientist tweeted that something “unbelievable and weird” is happening with the rising ocean and air temperatures. Other scientists agreed and said that the next five years will be the hottest on record. We already know this, in a way, since experts have been warning us about it for years. But what is probably unexpected is the speed at which things are unfolding and that few people expected it to happen so soon.

Jennifer Marlon, a research scientist at Yale School of the Envi-

Recently, an American scientist tweeted that something “unbelievable and weird” is happening with the rising ocean and air temperatures. Other scientists agreed and said that the next five years will be the hottest on record. We already know this, in a way, since experts have been warning us about it for years. But what is probably unexpected is the speed at which things are unfolding and that few people expected it to happen so soon.

ronment, said: “These changes are deeply disturbing because of what they mean for people this coming summer, and every summer after, until we cut our carbon emissions at a much faster pace than we’re currently doing.”

I have written about this topic many times in this column and have called on people, agencies, and groups to try harder because, in fact, we all have to do something about this. No one can say for sure if it is already too late. In the news recently, charts have

shown how record-breaking 2023 has been, and we are just in the middle of it.

For example, global data shows that temperatures in many places all over the globe have been unusually high—Europe, Canada, the United States, Siberia, and Southeast Asia. Heat waves have been killing animals and crops, starting wildfires, and threatening food security across many places.

Our oceans are heating up and the numbers are off the charts.

The false narrative about Ukraine

ally happening in the world and in Ukraine.

In the first episode of his new program, Tucker Carlson called the strikes on the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam an act of terrorism. According to Carlson, blowing up the dam at the Kakhovka reservoir is a “bad event for Ukraine,” but also does more harm to Russia.

tHEr E is an inconvenient truth that is making the rounds in Western media that provides a false narrative about ukraine. and an analysis of the ongoing ukraine crisis provides a backdrop to the fakery that can be likened to the then “truth” about the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMd) in iraq that was broadcast far and wide by the united States and united Kingdom.

Well, the WMD was nowhere to be found but Iraq was reduced to rubbles and this dimmed the greatness of the late Colin Powell who was so well loved until the fake secret document about the WMD went pfft.

A radio talk show host and political analyst, Garland Nixon, has provided a clear backdrop to the ongoing Ukraine crisis and here one can see clearly the biting sarcasm that he spewed. He said the Western and, above all, American media have accused the Russians of sabotaging their own infrastructure.

In a brief analysis of Western journalism, Nixon said: “According to the mainstream media, Russia: 1. Attacked its own pipelines. 2. Blew up its own Crime-

an bridge. 3. Attacked its own nuclear power plant. 4. Attacked its own Crimean bridge again. 5. Blown up its own dam. 6. Attacked their own Kremlin with drones.”

And their rationale was simple: “Putin is evil. And evil people do evil things simply because they take grim pleasure in knowing that they are evil. In this particular case, Putin attacked himself, and that is the most evil thing one can do.”

But what is really going on? Recently, more and more ordinary people and politicians around the world understand the destructive role of the United States. It is noteworthy that in the United States, not only Tucker Carlson, who was kicked out of Fox News for telling the truth, understand what is re-

“The Ukrainian government was considering destroying the facility. Last December, The Washington Post cited an interview with a Ukrainian general who said that the dam had been shelled by American-made rockets. And when these facts come out, what happened already looks less of a mystery.”

According to Tucker Carlson, an adequately minded person would conclude that it was probably the Ukrainians who blew up the hydroelectric plant.

Of particular importance in these circumstances are the words of Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. For Kennedy, while deploring Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine he, however, recognized the fact that the United States played a large role in instigating it since the 1990s.

Washington’s actions have led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy

Even the scientists are asking why. May 2023 was the hottest May on record as far as the world’s ocean temperature is concerned. This is data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Ocean warming would lead to coral bleaching, rising sea levels, the death of marine life, and stronger hurricanes.

Additionally, Antarctica’s ice level is at a record low and “on a very steep downward trend.” Scientists are linking it to the warm ocean waters, which makes it all “truly exceptional and alarming.” This will harm species on the continent, like penguins, seals, and other animals.

And, of course, the world continues to burn fossil fuels, leading to very high carbon dioxide levels in the air. According to scientists, the level of carbon pollution is now more than 50 percent higher than pre-Industrial Revolution times. May 2023, again, was record-breaking in this regard. It keeps climbing every year, despite our “best efforts.” Based on facts, data, and scientific evidence, climate change is in full swing and it looks like it’s not going to slow down anytime soon.

Jr. told reporter Jordan Peterson on June 6. “What we’re doing now in Ukraine is just mass violence against Ukrainians. They are being devoured by these geopolitical machinations of the neocons in the White House.”

Now, more and more people are waking up and not believing the silly news media and politicians’ words. There have been thousands of protests in Europe against the support of the Kyiv regime, according to Nixon. He even cited protests that were made against the support for the war.

In early June, a crowd of Germans booed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a festival of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in Falkensee. This was reported by the newspaper Bild, noting that the protesters accused the head of state of inciting war.

It is noted that Scholz tried to convey to the audience justifications about the need to help Ukraine, but his speech was accompanied by indignant cries of citizens. The published footage shows that about a hundred people during the politician’s speech call him a “warmonger,” a “liar” and a “bandit.”

For Nixon, it is high time that smart politicians who will come to power will stop the war and not serve the interests of the arms corporations.

Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

Drawing battle plans for the unexpectedly expected Rodolfo Biazon: Not a PMA goat but the PMA GOAT (greatest of all time)

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

AS the pandemic has ended or is about to end in some countries, there’s so much to learn in hindsight. No amount of planning can prevent the catastrophic consequences brought about by the coronavirus given that it was unexpected if not unforeseen. If only that global phenomenon came announced, medical professionals would likely be more prepared and minimize deaths in the process. No one could have predicted the arrival of such a killer virus.

In similar fashion, the Army taught me to plan way ahead—coordinating efforts, aligning resources, and anticipating contingencies in all operations. During my lieutenant days in an infantry company, I usually spend a few hours mapping out different tactical routes towards accomplishing the mission. Aside from bringing the basic combat load of ammunition, we carry “extra” weapons, food rations, and gears in all of our counterinsurgency operations. In the process, my troops were aware in case of unexpected events, which, fortunately, hardly happen in well-planned Army operations. Of course, responding to an ambush is a different specie that demands less planning but more training. Typically, since those who are ambushed are fearful of the unknown, they call on God for assistance and place more trust in His will. After all, the Bible tells us in Psalms 27:3 “Though an army besiege me, My heart will not fear; Though war break out against me, Even then I will be confident.” Such is the default attitude whenever we face unscheduled events.

In contrast, some life events can be planned whenever these are anticipated—weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries, to name a few. Since these milestones are often scheduled and planned, we can really prepare for them with creative ideas coming from professional event planners. However, one life event, though a definite certainty, usually comes unannounced, hence responses are rarely unplanned similar to military ambushes. For instance, I suppose those who died during the pandemic did not imagine how death would suddenly come like a thief in the night or a military ambush. For those left behind, the virus denied them the opportunity to grieve the loss. I encountered countless of stories where friends and relatives were prevented from organizing a wake and a funeral since government restrictions did not allow them.

I recently learned of a family relative who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, stage four. The news shocked everyone, myself included. Sadness crept in and lingered until, upon deeper reflection, family members realized that such tragic news can be seen as a blessing from a different perspective. For one, family members have the opportunity to “catch up,” mend fences should there be any unresolved conflict, and spend more quality moments to make up for lost time. Another insight to this oxymoron of a

tragic blessing is that loved ones can prepare for the inevitable. As the day of death comes predictably, both the cancer patient and the family left behind are given the benefit of preparation, a sort of luxury to deliberately complete some unfinished business. As to the patient himself, he was given options for managing the ravaging disease, either surgery and consequent chemotherapy or palliative care to allow the cancer to run its natural course. After doctors and family members explained to him the risks and rewards of both options, he chose to simply say—“I will leave my fate to the hands of God,” in keeping to what the Bible tells us in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Such a decision to defer to God’s loving mercies translated to minimal medical intervention and maximum reliance on our Almighty God who has conquered the world.

As to the loved ones of this cancer patient, they can draw battle plans to face a trial that we all face—planning for the expected, a luxury that were not afforded to those who lost some relatives during the pandemic. From this perspective, cancer allows us to manifest our belief in the gracious acts of God. Whether in the Army or life in general, we should plan ahead and be armed with enough resources to expect the unexpected. Fear is expected and anxiety is a normal human response. But if believers would take refuge in what John 16:33 tells us, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world,” then fear is replaced with confidence: anxiety with peace.

In our daily lives, let’s stay in faith in God’s plans for us. Just as fathers usually know what’s best for their children, I know my Father God does, all the time!

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

By Eric Ramos

Below is a condensed version and update of the epilogue from the author’s book, “Rodolfo Biazon: Soldier, Solon, Statesman.” The three-time senator and two-time congressman, who was chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1991, passed away at age 88 on June 12, Independence Day.

YeAr after year, it’s not the class valedictorian that receives the loudest cheers in every graduation ceremony at the Philippine Military Academy. It’s the goat—the cadet who is last in the order of merit, the bottom-dweller of the batch.

As in most of the academy’s rituals, this curious tradition originated from West Point. However, things got curiouser in the case of Class ‘61, one of the smaller ones in PMA history with only 56 graduates. A quarter century into their military careers, someone else got tagged as their goat. And it stuck.

As Lt. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos was divvying up the spoils of the EDSA Revolution in the evening of February 25, 1986, and was questioning Biazon’s fitness for promotion, he blurted out that the Marine colonel was the goat of his class.

Ramos, the future President, had been misinformed, most likely by the same Marcos sycophants in the military who spread the rumor that Biazon had been campaigning for Cory Aquino. They nearly got him sacked from his post as the commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade in Davao City one month before the uprising.

To this day, any Google search on this subject will end up naming Biazon as the goat of Class ‘61. Even his bio on the Senate’s website says so, which suggests that even his own

staff had been misled.

It was true that his grade point average at the academy was nothing to write home about. He ranked 48th. That means seven others had done worse.

“In general,” Biazon quipped with his trademark modesty, “my PMA years were uneventful. My academic performance was mostly mediocre. You could even say it was dismal. I was number eight from the bottom. Of course, I did not receive any award. But I got the one prize I wanted the most: my wife, Monserrat.”

Biazon met his life partner at the academy and married her in civil rites nine days after his PMA graduation.

The real goat of Class ‘61 was a cadet named Eduardo Domingo. This man didn’t do so bad for himself after leaving Fort Del Pilar because he concluded a distinguished career in the Philippine Navy with the rank of commodore—equivalent to a brigadier general in the army and air force.

Incredibly, Biazon himself was to blame for allowing the falsehood to follow him to the very end of his ca-

reer and beyond. He figured it made for an endearing underdog story that would inspire young Filipinos and it probably helped him get elected as senator in 1992. So, he didn’t bother to correct it anymore.

Most people, not just politicians, tend to inflate their achievements.

Ordinary con artists fake it till they make it. Gifted sociopaths like Marcos Sr. spin a web of lies to rise to power and milk it. Did Biazon mean to deceive by riding on his fake goat status? He shrugged off a put-down and just ran away with it. This spawn of Batac was a different breed.

Immediately after he died on Monday morning after an almostyearlong battle with lung cancer, most news outlets once again trumpeted the canard that Biazon was the goat of his class. This decades-old fake news refuses to die. Let’s not allow this lie to lie with him at Libingan ng mga Bayani, where he will be laid to rest on Tuesday.

While Biazon largely underachieved as a cadet, he certainly

Justice delayed is justice denied

Alfredo J. Non

DEBIT CREDIT

Conclusion

NewS reports in the past few years show that the Manila electric Co. (Meralco ) apparently has been overbilling its consumers. In response to the allegations, Meralco officers, Joe Zaldarriaga and Atty. ronald Valles, have been appearing on TV denying this, and categorically saying there were no overbillings. This declaration, however, is inconsistent with the following:

In the footnotes to Meralco financial statements, it was stated that—with the provisional rates allowed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Meralco recognized provisions for any resulting over-recoveries. The disclosure did not indicate any specific amount except to say that the movements in and the balance of the other noncurrent liabilities account in the financial statements substantially

The path to #DigitalBangsamoro

By Dr. Selva Ramachandran

AS we move on and recover from the years impacted by the pandemic, we recognize the need for governments to deliver digitalized services, enable access to information and social protection, and function in transparent, accountable and effective ways.

The world is faced with the era of hyper-digitalization and it is imperative that we find ways to ensure that those at the fringes of society, those most vulnerable, those in far-flung and hard-toreach areas, are able to keep up with the times. Now more than ever, we need to use the digital tools that we have at our fingertips to better the lives of the people we serve. And we need to make these digital tools inclusive and accessible to all. Digital for development. Digital that leaves no one behind. In the southern part of the

Philippines, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government, through its Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), has taken major steps in realizing its vision for a #DigitalBangsamoro—an aspiration that Interior and Local Government Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo considers as a major step for the region to “bridge the current gap in development.”

The MILG forged a partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the Localizing e-Governance for

Accelerated Provision of Services (LeAPS) Program—a flagship program of the MILG, which will support the Office of the Chief Minister, all BARMM ministries, and local government units in using ICT solutions to simplify business processes, improving the quality and speed of local public services, and making these more accessible to the Bangsamoro people.

LeAPS is informed by experiential learning and insights from the Government of Bangladesh’s Access to Information (a2i) program, but adapted to the specific socio-cultural and economic context of BARMM. Bangladesh’s a2i had similar starting challenges like BARMM’s poor connectivity and local governance in remote, rural locations. A2i has already achieved a recognized status as a leading global program that has dramatically improved citizens access to services and informa-

represent these provisions. As of December 31, 2021, the liability account had a net cumulative balance of P92 billion. This indicates the knowledge by Meralco of the existence, or a high probability, of an over-recovery considering the provisions made to reduce the annual revenues and create a liability for over-recoveries.

Over the past two years when the ERC issued orders for Meralco to settle cash refunds aggregating

In the southern part of the Philippines, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao government, through its Ministry of the Interior and Local Government, has taken major steps in realizing its vision for a #DigitalBangsamoro—an aspiration that Interior and Local Government Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo considers as a major step for the region to “bridge the current gap in development.”

tion, and expanded opportunities for community participation at the local level. It is with the inspirational example of Bangladesh that we designed the initiative in BARMM.

Recently, MILG and UNDP jointly launched the very first strategically-located #Digital-

overachieved as a soldier, initially as a Navy ensign with exceptional initiative and then, for the rest of his military life, as a fighting Marine possessed of keen intuition, inspiring leadership, and uncommon valor. He amassed a total of 26 medals while in uniform, including the Distinguished Conduct Star for his defense of Camp Aguinaldo against military putschists in December 1989.

After he retired from the military at the top of the chain of command, the only Marine to ever become AFP chief of staff, he continued overachieving as a legislator, eventually retiring from public service in 2016 at the age of 80.

Which is why his biography— which he and this author launched in his cherished alma mater during his last public appearance in late January—would rather offer a twist on his fake goat status.

For his outstanding combat record, his valiant defense of Philippine democracy during the chaos of the coup d’etat era after EDSA, his prolific and principled achievements as a senator and congressman who proved worthy of Solon’s name, his prodigious and historic stewardship of our national patrimony as the OG of the West Philippine Sea, and most importantly, his exemplary embodiment of the PMA’s bedrock principle of civilian supremacy over the military, “Rodolfo Biazon: Soldier, Solon, Statesman” submits the proposition that this hero, this Filipino patriot for the ages, stands tall as the PMA GOAT. Yes, the greatest of all time.

P48 billion, Meralco did not issue any denial or refusal to pay nor file any motion for reconsideration. As of March 2023, the amount has been fully settled by way of deduction from monthly bills.

All this time, the annual audits of the financial statements of Meralco did not indicate any comment by the external auditors on the rationale of Meralco’s recognition of a liability for over-recoveries that they claim did not occur. There were also no comments on errors that have already been known earlier. Is this an indication that the auditors rely only on the decisions of the ERC without any validation? Is it also possible that Philippine Standard on Auditing (PSA) 250 was not considered in the performance of the audit? This PSA deals with the auditor’s responsibility to consider laws and regulations or the legal and regulatory framework when performing the audit for the benefit of the public. If this PSA was considered by the external auditors, the observations that I mentioned above should have been noted and considered in their assessment of

Bangsamoro Center in Piagapo— a municipality that boasts of its strong record in good local governance and citizen-centric public services. This pilot digital center features an interactive call center and a web portal, which will serve as the lighthouse for the serviceseekers and for the BARMM citizens to have access to e-services efficiently, reliably, and securely.

The Digital Center, which will be launched gradually across the region, is a one-stop shop where people can easily access public information or transact through provision of various frontline services—such as passport application, birth certificate registration, labor registration, mobile banking, utility service, bus/ airline ticketing, school admission application, job application, among others. This will not only bring the government closer to the communities but it will hopefully

the appropriateness of the disclosures and reporting in the financial statements of Meralco. Since the over-recovery resulted from the erroneous calculation of the return on capital, the only way to handle it is for the regulator to adjust the error and complete the validation and true-up process to facilitate the decision for a refund to the customers of Meralco. On their part as external auditors, an evaluation may be in order whether a prospective or retroactive treatment of the error is in order. Maybe it is about time the ERC and the external auditors seriously focus on these matters to put the regulatory and financial environment in order and do justice to consumers by returning funds over-recovered back to them. Remember the maxim, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Alfredo Non is a CPA by profession and a former Partner at SGV & Co. He served as Commissioner of the Energy Regulatory Commission till he completed his term in 2018. He also served as Director and Executive Officer of several private companies and was a former professor in Financial Management at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

identify the gaps in the delivery of public services and build an equitable society.

While the #DigitalBangsamoro Center in Piagapo is the first in the region, it certainly will not be the last. Most recently, a second one was opened in Butig—another small municipality in Lanao del Sur. The long-term plan is to improve local service delivery for all the 116 municipal LGUs and two city local government units in BARMM.

The mission of LeAPS is an ambitious one. And at the core of the initiative, the goal is clear: to improve citizens’ access to services and information and to expand opportunities for community participation at the local level in the whole of the Bangsamoro so that no one is left behind.

Dr. Selva Ramachandran

BIAZON

45th CATHOLIC MASS MEDIA AWARDS

WHO CAN NOMINATE?

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL :

Entries may be submitted by any person or organization wishing to direct the attention of the CMMA to a meritorious program, series, article, material and the like. A person or a company may submit more than one entry in each category. Entries need not be Christian and nominees need not be Catholics. All entries must be those media works released from May 2022 to April 2023.

STUDENT LEVEL:

All bona fide students enrolled in any of the participating schools, colleges and universities within the school year 2022-2023.

ADVERTISING

Best TV Ad-Branded

Best TV Ad-Public Service

Best Digital Ad-Branded

Best Digital Ad-Public Service

MUSIC

Best Inspirational Song-Religious

Best Inspirational Song-Secular

Best Music Video

PRINT / E-PUB

Best Children’s Magazine

Best Editorial Cartoon

Best Investigative Report

Best Local Community / Parish Newspaper

Best News Coverage

Best News Photograph

Best Opinion Column

Best Short Story

Best Special Feature

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Best Youth Magazine

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RADIO (AM OR FM) / PODCAST

Best Business News

Best Counseling Program

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Best Drama Program (Episodic or Serial)

Best Educational Program

Best Entertainment Program

Best News Commentary

Best News Program

Best News Feature

TELEVISION

Best Adult Educational / Cultural Program

Best Children and Youth Program

Best Comedy Program

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Best Entertainment Program

Best News Magazine

Best News Program

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Best Special Event Coverage

Best Talk Show

Best Tv Special (One-Time feature)

Best Station ID

FOR INQUIRIES PLEASE WRITE OR CALL:

THE CMMA Secretariat Office: 5/f Dominga Building III , 2113 Chino Roces Ave. corner Dela Rosa Street, Makati City 0922-8568220  0922-8356147

thecatholicmassmediaawards@yahoo.com www.facebook.com/Official CMMA

SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES FOR CMMA:

 Student—April 24–June 23, 2023

 Professional—April 24–June 30, 2023

SOCIAL MEDIA

Best Website

Best Vlog

STUDENT CMMA

Best Student Organ-Grade School

Best Student Organ-High School

Best Student Organ-College

Best Short Film (Documentary or Narrative)

Best TV Production (Documentary or Narrative)

Best Student Public Service-Radio Ad

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Best Student Public Service-TV Ad

Best Literary Publication

SERVIAM AWARD

Individual

Corporate / Institutional

ST. JOHN PAUL II AWARD

Companies

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Monday, June 19, 2023

Exec: North Star, Alfamart seal logistics services deal

By VG Cabuag @villygc

North Star founder and CEO Anthony Ng said the company has clinched a deal with Alfamart, which is part of the SM Group, to become one of its last-mile delivery firms.

Initially, North Star will be servicing all of Alfamart’s stores north of Metro Manila as the retailer still has existing contracts with other logistics providers.

Alfamart has a total of 1,500 stores nationwide with a large concentration of stores in Cavite.

He said providing logistics services to third parties allows the company to maximize its existing cold storage facilities and distribution capacity.

“We already have the cold storage facilities, the refrigerated delivery vans, and the software so we just need to add the items of our new logistics customers to our existing routes,” Ng said.

The items include meat products that they supply to these retailers,

mainly the SM Group, as well as other frozen products that their customers buy from other suppliers which are delivered to North Star for distribution to their retail outlets.

Ng said North Star already has a nationwide distribution network, from as far north as Aparri in Cagayan to Zambonga in the south, as its biggest customer for meat products is SM Retail’s supermarket chains.

He said North Star’s meat business performed well in the first quarter and that he hopes that the company will sustain the strong sales it recorded during the pandemic.

People cooked at home and bought meat from nearby grocery stores due mainly to mobility restrictions. Sales were strong for North Star during those periods, he said.

Ng said the reopening of the economy has also meant that people are dining out more often.

Also, the North Star chief said margins are not as good as in previous years because of inflation and

supply issues created by African swine fever, a disease fatal to hogs.

The Philippine Stock Exchange approved North Star’s P4.5-billion IPO plan consisting of up to 392 million common shares broken down to 360 million primary shares and up to 32 million common shares with an over-allotment option of up to 58 million secondary shares at an offer price of up to P10 per share.

North Star had planned to use the capital raised from its IPO to expand its cold chain infrastructure, improve its operating cycle efficiencies and expand its product lines and research and development work.

With the IPO on hold, Ng said the company has been gained “strong interest” from local and foreign investors. However, the company he said the company will continue to wait for the right time to launch the IPO.

In the meantime, the banks have been very supportive of the company’s funding requirements for its existing operations, he said.

EV charging stations open in Subic

Subic Bay Freeport—This

premier economic zone and popular tourist destination is gearing up for the growing number of owners of electric cars and other environment-friendly vehicles visiting the pristine beaches, forests and other natural attractions here.

On Thursday, two electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) opened here at the Unioil Subic gasoline station, the second establishment to put up electric charging stations here this year.

The Unioil Subic EVCS is a part-

nership between Delta Electronics International (SG) Pte. Ltd. and Unioil Petroleum Phils. Inc., with the Delta EV Chargers produced by Edgetech and Delta. A charging demonstration was also held during the EVCS launch using the electric vehicles Hyundai IONIQ5 from Hyundai Motors Philippines, and Nissan Leaf from Nissan Philippines.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Jonathan D. Tan, who graced the Unioil Subic EVCS opening, said this

was another milestone for Subic Bay.

“We are gearing up to attract more tourists while maintaining a healthy environment as part of my administration’s thrusts. Not only are we expecting tourists with conventionally-powered vehicles, we are now ready for those on electric vehicles and e-cars.”

Tan recalled that another EVCS was installed at the Acea Subic Beach Resorts early this year, pointing out that both Acea and Unioil EVCSs will encourage visits to Subic among the growing number of elec-

tric vehicle owners.

“Accessibility to electric vehicle charging stations is the key to making Subic Bay Freeport a tourist haven for electric vehicle owners.”

The Department of Energy (DOE) last year estimated that there around 9,000 electric vehicles, mostly electric tricycles and motorcycles, and about 300 charging stations in the country.

The DOE said it targets to roll out more than 2.45 million electric vehicles and 65,000 EV charging stations between 2023 and 2028. Henry Empeño

Kia PH, Prime Legacy Motors Inc. unveil Kia Batangas City

KIA Batangas City, the latest addition to the thriving Kia dealership network managed by Prime Legacy Motors Inc., officially held its inauguration on Thursday, June 15, 2023. The event marks the opening of the third Kia dealership in the province of Batangas, solidifying Kia’s strong presence in the region with a total of 45 outlets across the country to date. Strategically positioned to serve the residents of Batangas and neighboring provinces, the dealership aims to provide exceptional automotive experiences to the market.

The occasion commenced with a holy Mass, followed by the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and the blessing of the establishment.

In his address, Prime Legacy Motors Inc. Chairman and CEO D. Edward A. Cabangon extended his gratitude to Kia Philippines President Manny A. Aligada for entrusting Prime Legacy with this significant endeavor. He assured Kia Philippines and the local community that the dealership would do its best to surpass expectations and fulfill its commitments in every possible way.

Kia Philippines President Manny A. Aligada shared the inspiring story behind the realization of their vision to establish a dealership in Batangas City. He acknowledged the partnership with the Cabangon family as the driving force behind Kia Batangas City’s establishment, completing the Southern corridor

of Kia’s dealership network. Aligada said that Kia Batangas City is the 45th Kia outlet in the Philippines and the 10th to showcase the full new Corporate Identity of Kia. He emphasized the significance of the dealership’s adherence to the Corporate Identity (CI) standards, stating, “If you are a CI-compliant, anywhere you go in the world, when you see a Kia dealership, it looks like this.”

In his message, Jose Antonio V. Rivera, the President of Prime Legacy Motors, Inc., expressed his gratitude to Kia Philippines, “Thank you Kia Philippines for giving us all the support we need. In return, we will do our very best to serve our clients the best way possible,” he stated.

An emblematic seal of partnership was then conducted, symbolizing the collaboration between Kia

Philippines and Prime Legacy Motors, Inc. Kia Philippines presented a miniature model of the cuttingedge EV6 to Prime Legacy, a perfect symbol for their shared vision and the promising future ahead.

Welcoming Kia Philippines to Batangas City, Mayor Beverley Rose A. Dimacuha, represented by City Councilor Karlos Emmanuel A. Buted, praised the company’s decision to establish its presence in the city. Acknowledging Batangas City as one of the Philippines’s most progressive cities and a business-friendly community, Mayor Dimacuha expressed confidence that Kia’s investment would contribute to the city’s further growth and development.

In his speech, 5th District Representative Mario Vittorio “Marvey” A. Mariño reminisced about the

early days when the Batangas City Grand Terminal, where Kia Batangas City is billeted, was merely a dream. He expressed his gratitude to Amb. Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, founder of the ALC Group, and the Cabangon family, for believing in his vision. Mariño expressed his joy at witnessing the realization of those dreams, adding more color to it as Kia Batangas City now stands at the terminal, a vibrant testament to the city’s growth and prosperity.

Kia Batangas City marks an exciting chapter in Kia Philippines’ expansion efforts. It brings the dynamic and new look of Kia’s Corporate Identity to the forefront. The showroom has been thoughtfully designed and constructed by the RDB Tecson Architects & Associates led by Prime Legacy Director Ar. Rafael D.B. Tecson, to provide a captivating experience for visitors. The dealership features a cozy customer lounge and manned by skilled staff and technicians.

Leading the charge at Kia Batangas City is Prime Legacy Motors, Inc., a member of the ALC Group of Companies founded by the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, and currently chaired by D. Edgard A. Cabangon. The conglomerate is renowned for its exceptional brands across various industries, including transportation, insurance, banking and finance, pre-need, memorial care, hotels, and media,

B1

Ex-BSP chief is new SMIC chair

FORMER Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. has been appointed as chairman and independent director of SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), the holding firm of the Sy family.

Tetangco, 70, will replace SM veteran and one of the Sy family’s most trusted man, Jose T. Sio,

who retired from his post effective Friday.

Sio, 83, is now the chairman emeritus of the company, a post held by the Sy’s patriarch Henry Sy Sr. until his death in 2019. Tetangco, 70, was a career central banker for over four decades.

Continued on B2

among others.

Kia Batangas City opens its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on

Broker sees forex, metals remain on traders’ radar

EXECUTIVES of FBS Inc. sees sustained growth in the number of Filipino traders and their trading volume as they said these traders “continue to seek alternative or additional sources for financial support.”

The online forex brokerage firm saw exponential increase in terms of trading volume in the Philippines recently, putting the country in FBS’s top-five territories in terms of user activity.

According to FBS Strategic Marketing Director Ksenia Molodkina, they “have been witnessing a rising interest in trading among the users based in Southeast Asia.”

Molodkina cited as example that trading volume of traders with the Filipino Internet Protocol address had a 2.6-times increase since 2020.

She said the firm is “committed to providing our users with the most relevant educational resources and tools to enhance their trading skills.”

“By promoting financial literacy and education, FBS aims to empower every individual as they achieve their financial goals,” Molodkina added.

According to the firm, Philippine traders have been “showing growing interest in diversified investment opportunities” with “strong preference” for trading in forex

and metals.

Based on its estimates, contracts for differences (CFDs) on metals that FBS offers constitute the second-most popular trading instrument in the region. Forex takes the first place, and the ratio between forex and metal CFDs is around 2:1, it added.

“We associate it with the relative accessibility and liquidity of metals as trading instruments,” a document issued by the firm read.

“They are often chosen as a longterm investment to mitigate trading risks and diversify a trader’s portfolio, as metals remain comparatively stable in the context of volatility of the market.”

The FBS noted that the Covid-19 pandemic helped in making more Filipinos aware of the financial opportunities through forex trading.

“Over the past twelve months, the Philippines has made it to the top five territories in terms of user activity and trading volume,” the firm noted adding it expects this trend to continue.

According to FBS, its app is the 6th-most downloaded investment app in the Philippines with at least 110,000 downloads on Google Play. FBS added it has over 27 million clients with presence in at least 150 countries globally.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

DOF: GSIS to invest monthly premium for MUP pensions

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

finance department said recently.

“The economic team assured stakeholders of the GSIS’ capability and expertise in growing the fund. Furthermore, proper representation will be given to MUPs in the oversight committee which will help determine where the fund will be invested in,” it added.

Furthermore, the DOF said the final computations for the proposed contributions of MUPs will be based on the updated actuarial study of GSIS, “which will be released soon.”

Luwalhati C. Dorotan Tiuseco said the reforms to the MUP pension program would create a fiscal space that can “possibly” provide additional budget “for more benefits for” security and defense officers in active service.

A statement issued by the Department of Finance (DOF) read that the investment plan would help in “achieving” the “required return of 85 percent to 90 percent of pension upon retirement” of these personnel.

The DOF earlier pointed to the GSIS as the entity that would managed the pension fund of MUPs, citing the state-run agency’s track record in handling the pension fund of government workers. This arrangement, however, has been met with skepticism from military and uniformed personnel.

NG subsidies to state-run firms up 75%

THE total amount of subsidies extended by the national government to state-run institutions and firms in April rose by 75 percent year-on-year to P8.958 billion, latest government data showed. Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) data showed that April subsidies were P3.841 billion higher than the P5.117 billion that the national government extended in the same month of last year.

Treasury data showed that subsidies across major non-financial governments and other government corporations during the reference month expanded by double-digit growth rates.

Subsidies by the national government to major non-financial governments in April rose by 87.48 percent

to P6.877 billion from P3.668 billion last year, based on the Treasury data. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) received the bulk of the subsidies to major non-financial governments at P3.878 billion, followed by the National Food Authority (NFA), P2.017 billion.

Subsidies to the NIA tripled during the reference month from P1.303 billion last year while subsidies received by the NFA fell slightly by almost 2 percent from P2.055 billion

Treasury data showed that subsidies to other government corporations rose by 43.61 percent to P2.081 billion from P1.449 billion last year.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) cornered a huge chunk of the subsidies for other government corporations in April at P429

Perspectives

The latest came from some personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) who “voiced their reservations” regarding the proposed management of the MUP pension fund by the GSIS.

The DOF said its officials met with BJMP personnel last week as part of its series of dialogues with security and defense officials.

“The monthly premium will then be invested by the GSIS, allowing the fund to grow in order to achieve the required return of 85 to 90 percent of pension upon retirement,” the

“Under the current proposal, for the first three years, a 5-percent contribution of the MUPs in active service will be supplemented by the government with a 16-percent share, to fulfill the 21 percent total monthly premium for the trust fund,” the DOF said.

“This sharing scheme shall be adjusted until a nine-percent to 12-percent contribution ratio is reached in the seventh year,” the DOF added.

The DOF added that new MUP entrants will be mandated to contribute 9 percent of their base and longevity pay with a corresponding 12-percent contribution from the government.

Finance Undersecretary Maria

Nonetheless, the DOF statement quoted acting BJMP Chief Jail Chief Superintendent Ruel S. Rivera as expressing support to the economic managers’ consultation regarding the proposed MUP pension reforms. Unawain naman natin ang sitwasyon ng government natin ngayon. Because kung wala ang gobyerno, wala tayo. Kung wala tayo, wala rin ang gobyerno…so kailangan may konsultasyon—at heto na nga ginagawa natin,” Rivera said.

[We have to understand our government’s situation now. Without the government, there is no us. If there is no us, there is also no government… so there is a need for consultations— and this is what we are doing now.]

“We must strive hard to have a balance. As members of MUP, we have to accept that we have to balance everything—the economy side and the peace strategy of the government,” he added.

Solon seeks to curb courier firms’ ‘restrictive’ policy

million. It was followed by Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) at P321 million and Philippine Children’s Medical Center at P266 million, Treasury data showed.

However, overall subsidies extended to state-run institutions and firms from January to April period declined by 3.58 percent to P30.266 billion from P31.391 billion.

During the four-month period, total subsidies to major non-financial governments stood at P19.614 billion while subsidies to other government corporations was at P10.508 billion, according to the Treasury data.

Meanwhile, government financial institutions received P144 million from January to April. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Voices on 2030: Digitalizing government

THE year is 2030. People and technology live in harmony. Trust is embedded into data.

Interactions are cognitive. And government services are seamless, customer-centric and intuitive.

It is less than eight years away, but expectations for 2030 are already sky-high. Across many spheres—technological, social, political, economic and others— transformation is underway and huge goals are being set. So, what will the world look like in 2030? And what can public sector organizations be doing to help ensure they can meet these expectations?

To shed further light on the challenges and opportunities of digitalizing governments, we spoke with leaders and disruptors from around the world, across the public and private sectors to illustrate how the digital landscape will shape governments and the public sector in 2030.

The decentralization of data: The power shifts to the individual NOT so long ago, NFTs were considered a novelty. By the mid-2020s, however, people had realized they could use NFTs to hold and manage their own personal data. Smart contracts could be created to unlock certain bits of data, to certain users,

for very specific uses. Data started to become decentralized and selfsovereign.

In part, this was driven by the introduction of Web 3.0 which, itself, is based on a very decentralized data and management architecture. Web 3.0 architectures gave people the tools they needed to take ownership of their data. Security breaches into the big cloud data lakes raised concerns about how personal data was being managed. And that catalyzed a movement of citizens and businesses eager to take their data back from the centralized and opaque data lakes they had resided in before.

The evolution from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 was not only driven by companies or governments—it was also driven by citizen demand for a different way to organize data.

The citizen developer: Coding is democratized

IN 2030, when an individual is tasked with something mundane, they are likely to just automate it. And it’s easy. With low-code/nocode platforms, almost every citizen has the tools and capabilities they need to create or customize an app. Drag-and-drop user interfaces and pre-built components have almost eliminated line-byline coding. Citizen developers are

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ALAWMAKER has taken up t he cudgels of consumers receiving packages bought online and delivered by courier companies.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Partylist Rep. Margarita B. Nograles has expressed concern over the potential implications on consumer rights and safety because of restrictive policies of courier companies that prohibit recipients from opening their packages to verify the content.

Last Sunday, Nograles called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) “to intervene and address this issue promptly.”

The lawmaker said courier companies and delivery-service operators should be obligated by the DTI to allow shipping recipients to inspect the contents of their packages upon delivery.

Nograles added that consumers should have the right to verify the contents of the packages they bought online to ensure accuracy, prevent fraud and protect their interests.

By imposing arbitrary restrictions, the lawmaker said courier companies impede the ability of consumers to exercise their rights, leading to dissatisfaction and potential disputes.

Nograles, however, noted the importance of a balanced approach that considers both security and

consumer rights.

She suggested that the DTI should collaborate with courier companies to draw up guidelines that strike a fair balance between security measures and allowing recipients to inspect their packages without compromising safety.

“We understand the need for security measures to protect packages during transit, but it is equally vital to uphold the rights of consumers. By restricting individuals from verifying the contents of their packages, we inadvertently undermine their trust and satisfaction,” she said.

“We must find a solution that ensures both security and consumer protection,” Nograles added.

everywhere.

The adoption of low-code/nocode has allowed a much broader, non-technical audience to start rapidly building solutions. That, in turn, has helped reduce the skills gap that had been slowing the pace of digital transformation. It has given workers the power to customize solutions to meet their actual needs and realities, thereby driving enhanced productivity and efficiency. It has allowed organizations, public and private, to become much more agile and customercentric.

In the public sector, low-code/ no-code has allowed employees to design, test and fully deliver bespoke apps in days. Many government employees use their skills to customize massive enterprise solutions to suit their unique needs or circumstances.

Sustainable growth enabled: Digitalization helps achieve ESG goals

WEB 3.0 architecture has allowed sensors and IoT devices to be linked together in unprecedented ways, providing citizens and decisionmakers with detailed data on their actions and activities in 2030. Also, city planners and asset developers use digital twins and virtual worlds to simulate everything from the de-

velopment of new transit systems to the design of tiny individual components. As a result, government investments are much more efficient, effective and environmentally sustainable.

There have been heavy investments in space infrastructure to help measure and manage environmental change on Earth. And there’s a combination of different sources of data to help us understand human impacts and risks in a much deeper way.

Government investment has also helped spawn several growth industries and service areas that are helping contribute to more sustainable economic growth. Governments have helped foster massive AI ecosystems and have invested in public sector solutions for the metaverse. In each case, new industries and innovations have emerged that serve the wider population, create new jobs, attract talent from overseas and drive further investment.

Based on these predictions, what tangible steps can government and public sector organizations start taking today? Here are six ideas.

1. Start fresh with a bold, holistic vision.

2. Learn about Web 3.0 technologies and trends.

3. Prepare your future talent and workforce models.

4. Reassess your governance models.

5. Picture yourself in the metaverse.

6. Form your ecosystem.

To turn these ideas into reality, leaders from both the public and private sector must come together and create a plan in integrating innovation solutions to the ever-evolving needs of their stakeholders.

Let us make it happen in this year’s KPMG in the Philippines’s Innovation Summit! Sharing the same vision of creating smart and sustainable cities through publicprivate partnerships, KPMG in the Philippines will hold its annual Innovation Summit on 20 July 2023, that champions digital transformation and innovation in the country.

In our first-ever hybrid event, we will feature game-changers in government, automation, environment, social and governance (ESG) tech, and disruptors in various industries. KPMG in the Philippines will also launch its Digital Government Center, a one-stop shop for national government agencies, local government units, and GOCCs to help them with their digital transformation journeys from crafting a strategic plan and road map to automating services and processes to harnessing emerging technology

to provide citizen-centric solutions to upskilling civil servants through training and certifications.

KPMG in the Philippines Vice Chairman and COO and Head of Advisory Emmanuel P. Bonoan shares, “digitization is crucial for the Philippine government as it enhances efficiency and service delivery, promotes transparency and accountability, enables citizen engagement, improves access to government services, facilitates data-driven decision making and drives economic growth and innovation. By embracing digitization, the government can become more inclusive, efficient and responsive to the needs of its citizens.”

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG Thought Leadership publication: https://kpmg. com/xx/en/home/insights/2022/07/voices-on2030-digitalizing-government.html.

© 2023 KPMG Intl Ltd., a private English company limited by guarantee, has Philippine partnership R.G. Manabat & Co. as a member firm. All rights reserved. For more information, e-mail ph-kpmgmla@kpmg.com or visit www.home.kpmg/ph. This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the BusinessMirror, KPMG International or KPMG in the Philippines. E-mail ph-kpmgmla@kpmg.com

FINANCE officials announced that the monthly premium for the pension of military and uniformed personnel would be invested by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) “to allow the fund to grow.”

Race to the White House 2024: A closer look at the contenders

By Meg Kinnard The Associated Press

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have dominated the early Republican race as the other candidates look for an opening to take them on. President Joe Biden faces a couple of Democratic challengers but is expected to secure his party's nomination.

Here's a look at the candidates competing for the Republican and Democratic nominations:

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FIELD

Donald Trump T H e former president announced his third campaign for the White House on Nov. 15 at his Mar-a-Lago resort, forcing the party to again decide whether to embrace a candidate whose refusal to accept defeat in 2020 sparked the US Capitol attack and still dominates his speeches. The GOP front-runner remains hugely popular in the Republican Party, despite making history as the first president to be impeached twice and inciting the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. Referring to himself as America's “most pro-life president," Trump's three nominations of conservative judges to the Supreme Court paved the way for the reversal of Roe v. Wade, which had legalized abor -

tion nationwide for nearly 50 years. Sweeping criminal justice reforms he signed into law in 2019 eased mandatory minimum sentences and gave judges more discretion in sentencing.

In March, Trump became the first former US president to be criminally charged, facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of a hush money scheme. He is now under indictment on dozens of charges related to alleged mishandling and retention of classified documents.

Ron Desantis

T H e Florida governor officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign on May 24 in a glitchmarred Twitter announcement, casting himself as Trump’s only legitimate Republican rival. Heralding his state as a place “where woke goes to die,” DeSantis has framed his campaign around a desire to bring the conservative policies he championed in Florida to the national stage. He has made a name for himself battling with Disney over the entertainment giant's opposition to a bill dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans instruction or classroom discussion of LGBTQ issues in Florida public schools for all grades.

Under his governorship, the state has also banned abortions

after six weeks of pregnancy and blocked public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs.

Mike Pence

T H e former vice president opened his White House bid on June 7 in Iowa with forceful criticism of Trump, accusing his onetime boss of abandoning conservative principles and arguing Trump's Jan. 6 action and inaction amounted to a dereliction of duty.

While lauding the accomplishments of the “Trump-Pence administration,” Pence has said Trump endangered the vice president's family and the lives of everyone at the US Capitol by falsely insisting that Pence had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

He faces an uphill battle in a party in which Trump remains the most dominant figure.

Tim Scott T H e South Carolina senator launched his campaign May 22 in his hometown of North Charleston with what he's casting as an optimistic and compassionate message that can serve as a contrast with the rest of the field.

The Senate’s sole Black Republican, Scott has rejected the notion that the country is inherently racist and repudiated the teaching of critical race theory. He has said his party and the country are at a crossroads and must choose between “victimhood or victory.”

Nikki Haley

T H e former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor became the first major GOP challenger to Trump when she kicked off her campaign on Feb. 15 in Charleston. She is the

only woman in the GOP field. The former Trump Cabinet official once said she wouldn’t challenge her former boss for the White House in 2024. But she changed her mind, citing the country’s economic troubles and the need for “generational change,” a nod to the 77-yearold Trump’s age.

Vivek Ramaswamy

T H e wealthy biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.” kicked off his presidential campaign on February 21 with a video and op-ed. The son of Indian immigrants, he has gained stature in conservative circles for his criticism of the environmental, social and corporate governance movement that aims to promote socially responsible investing. He has largely self-funded his campaign so far.

Chris Christie T H e f ormer two-term New Jersey governor went after Trump when announcing his presidential campaign on June 6 in New Hampshire, calling the former president a “lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog” and arguing that he’s the only one who can stop him.

Christie, a 2016 presidential candidate and former Trump adviser, has said that others may be afraid to challenge the former president, but he has no such qualms. “The reason I’m going after Trump is twofold,” Christie said. “One, he deserves it. And two, it’s the way to win.”

Asa Hutchinson T H e former two-term Arkansas governor launched his presidential campaign on April 26 in Bentonville, pledging to “bring out the best of America” and to

reform federal law enforcement agencies.

He announced his campaign shortly after Trump was indicted by a grand jury in New York and has called for the former president to drop out of the race, saying, “The office is more important than any individual person.”

Doug Burgum

T H e two-term North Dakota governor announced his candidacy on June 7 in Fargo. A former computer software entrepreneur, he is known to few outside his home state but portrays himself as a commonsense, rural-state conservative experienced in energy policy.

Larry Elder

T H e conservative talk radio host announced his campaign on April 20 on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight." He made his first bid for public office in 2021 in a failed effort to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a recall election.

Francis Suarez

T H e M iami mayor announced his presidential bid on June 15 on ABC's “Good Morning America.” Suarez, a two-term mayor first elected in 2017, is also president of the US Conference of Mayors. He is the only Hispanic candidate in the race.

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FIELD

Joe Biden

PR e S ID e N T J oe Biden formally announced his reelection campaign on April 25 in a video, asking voters for time to “finish this job.” Biden, the oldest president in American history, would be 86 at the end of a second term, and

his age has prompted some of his critics to question whether he can serve effectively. A notable swath of Democratic voters has indicated they would prefer he not run, though he is expected to easily win the Democratic nomination.

Biden, who has vowed to “restore the soul of America,” plans to run on his record. He spent his first two years as president combating the coronavirus pandemic and pushing through major bills such as the bipartisan infrastructure package and legislation to promote high-tech manufacturing and climate measures.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. T H e bestselling author and environmental lawyer launched a long-shot bid to challenge Biden on April 19 in Boston.

A nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, he has emerged as one of the leading voices of the anti-vaccine movement, with public health experts and even members of his own family describing his work as misleading and dangerous. He has also been linked to far-right figures in recent years.

Marianne Williamson

SeLF-HeLP aut hor Marianne Williamson entered the Democratic primary on March 4 in Washington, calling for “a vision of justice and love that is so powerful that it will override the forces of hatred and injustice and fear.”

During her unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign, she proposed the creation of a Department of Peace and argued the federal government should pay large financial reparations to Black Americans as atonement for centuries of slavery and discrimination.

With roughly a year and a half until the 2024 presidential contest, the field of candidates is largely set.

ALE model of the White House and figurines of all US Presidents, part of the exposition of the New York Historical Society, in New York, March 13, 2021. Ark.Neym AN Dre A m stime.com

Casual and comfortable all-weather and inner wear

HOW FAST FASHION DESTROYS THE ENVIRONMENT

By Roxoanne Bagano-Dizon

THE fashion industry has seen an unprecedented boom in recent decades, and the fast fashion phenomenon has gained traction.

Fast fashion pertains to mass-produced clothing manufactured in a short period and is designed to be disposable. The industry is known for its low-cost, trendy clothing that are constructed at a high volume.

It likewise involves the use of synthetic, low-quality materials that are manufactured rapidly with little attention to sustainability. They use synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon, which are used extensively because they are cheaper and have a longer lifespan than natural fibers. This results in environmental and social damage.

These artificial materials take hundreds of years to decompose and release microplastics into the ocean, thereby polluting the water and harming marine life. With clothes that are worn only a few times before being discarded, fast fashion produces a significant amount of waste.

Fast fashion is the second most polluting industry globally, with its refuse accounting for 10 percent of global carbon emissions. This consumption culture contributes to landfills and generates greenhouse gas emissions that affect the environment. It consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping combined. The fast fashion model of production exploits human labor, degrades local economies, and pollutes the environment. In contrast, the traditional model involves clothing production from raw materials to finished products.

In conclusion, the fast fashion industry is damaging the environment at an unprecedented rate, and it is crucial we start making sustainable fashion choices. Sustainable fashion is a growing trend in today’s world, and it involves designing, producing, and distributing clothing sustainably with the environment, society, and business ethics in mind. Adopting a sustainable approach to clothing production and consumption can assist to reduce our environmental footprint and lessen our impact on society. By shopping smarter, embracing minimalism, thrift shopping, renting clothes, and caring for our clothing, we can create a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.

n The author is a fashion designer, entrepreneur, and educator. She started Roxoanne Bagano Couture, a wedding atelier in 2011. She is a full-time faculty in the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Environment and Design. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in International Business under Benilde School of Management and Information Technology.

TO bolster its resurgence in the clothing market, Uniqlo is directing its strategy toward empowered women and the athletically inclined. The Japanese retail giant has introduced its dedicated LifeWear for Her range and reinforced the AIRism, UV and Dry-EX Collection and their unique technology.

You can get up close and personal with the lifestyle label at its first-ever Uniqlo Pop-Up Event which started on June 16 and is happening until June 21, 2023 at the C1 Park, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City (in front of Central Square Mall Entrance) in Taguig City.

LIFEWEAR FOR HER

DURING International Women’s Month in March, the brand launched LifeWear for Her, its “initiative that focuses on supporting and uplifting women through comfortable innerwear fit for any age, size and lifestyle.”

The line celebrates women’s dynamism, flexibility and dependability with a special selection of stylish innerwear pieces to make them comfortable in their everyday lives.

The pieces include the Wireless Bra (3D Hold), the original 3D cup structure which offers a flattering neckline and a perfect fit for every figure (P1,290); the Wireless Bra (Relax) (Plunging Lace), with an unrestrictive fit that gives a natural outline and with adjusters to the straps made for comfort, complemented by soft and stretchy lace (P1,290).

The other products are the AIRism Ultra Seamless Shorts (Hiphugger), with a hip-hugging design to accentuates the figure of the wearer made with smooth AIRism fabric with quick-drying technology for all-day comfort (P390); AIRism Body Shaper NonLined Half Shorts (Smooth), which gently shapes the waist and flatters the curves (P590); and the AIRism Absorbent Sanitary Shorts (Hiphugger), which are lightweight, comfortable, and can absorb up to 20 ml of moisture quickly (P790).

The intimate launch, held at the Uniqlo Manila Global Flagship Store in Makati City, was hosted by Patty Laurel-Filart with a panel of high-achieving women as speakers such as Reiny Vergara, senior manager for marketing communications, Uniqlo Philippines; Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez, CEO and co-

The best sunscreens for Philippine weather

ULTIMATE COMFORT IN ANY WEATHER

AS expected, the weather this time of the year is becoming more erratic. It’s hot. It’s humid. It’s cool. It’s damp. With Uniqlo’s innovative AIRism, UV Protection and Dry-Ex collection, your wardrobe can easily adapt to the ever-changing weather.

Last June 16, the apparel’s versatility was demonstrated by our gold medal-winning 32nd Southeast Asian Games athletes such as Sakura Alforte, who won gold at the women’s individual kata; medical student Agatha Wong, who won five gold medals in wushu; and wrestler Ronil Tubog, who ruled the men’s freestyle 61kg category. The brand’s first pop-up event was hosted by former athlete and certified fitness instructor Sam Corrales, who posted on her Instagram: “Romanticizing my morning routine. Finding joy in simple moments like heading out for some sunlight and coffee, while getting those steps in.

“All these are made comfortable with Uniqlo’s high-quality, everyday pieces. I’m wearing AIRism which wicks away moisture and heat from skin, for brand’s AIRism Cotton shirt, her staple LifeWear item:

“I use it in many activities but most especially during my trainings because it feels fresh and comfortable no matter how hard and long the drills are. To condition myself for tournaments, I undergo tedious cardio and strength exercises and excessive sweating is inevitable.

“That’s why my go-to workout clothes are @uniqlophofficial’s DRY-EX shirt and jogger pants plus the DRY-EX UV Protection Hoodie. They’re functional and made with breathable fabric which allows me to stay fresh and cool during these rigorous activities.”

For her part, Agatha Wong, who was also featured in Vogue Philippines, wrote: “Outdoor training is very essential in wushu. A quick run and meditation under the sun would make so much improvement in my endurance and mental stability. But to make sure I’m protected from any harmful rays, I use @uniqlophofficial’s UV Protection Pocketable Parka.

“And for my tournaments, the AIRism Bra Camisole is my top choice as an innerwear as it has a sleek fit and it is made with soft material for a comfortable feel, keeping me confident all throughout.” n

application but that isn’t a big deal. This would be ideal for those who have drier skin, I think. The finish is not dewy but it’s not as matte as the original one.

n ANESSA PERFECT UV SUNSCREEN SKINCARE SPRAY N: This is a spray version of the original spray and I use this on my hair and scalp. I find that it’s too oily for my face. It also has Auto Booster Technology and doesn’t leave a white cast.

SEA Games Gold Medalists Agatha Wong, Sakura Alforte and Ronil Tubog with host and former athlete Sam Corrales share their warm-up exercises during the launch of the Uniqlo Pop-Up Event at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, on June 16, 2023.

WE all know that sunscreen is the best skin-care product. Broad spectrum sunscreens, which protect your skin from harmful UVA (ultraviolet A radiation) and UVB (ultraviolet B radiation) rays, prevent skin cancer, early aging, and sunburn. It also promotes healthy skin.

The thing is that while all broad spectrum sunscreens work the same way, they aren’t really created equal. Some are matte while others have a dewy finish. Some are waterproof and don’t hurt your eyes when it’s hot and sweat drips down from your forehead.

So here’s a rundown of what sunscreens I think are the best for Philippine weather. Please note that these are my opinions as a creature of habit and a fan of Japanese sunscreens. I have very limited experience with Korean sunscreens and as a rule, I’m not a big fan of sunscreen sticks.

n ANESSA PERFECT UV SKINCARE MILK: I’ve been a fan of Anessa even before it reformulated. This sunscreen contains soluble collagen, glycerin, sodium acetylated hyaluronate (moisturizing), potentilla erecta root extract, green tea extract, isomerized sugar, and glycerin. The Japanese brand claims that every bottle contains 50 percent skin-care ingredients.

coming in contact with sweat, water, heat or moisture in the air to create a uniform, stronger UV rayblocking film. Anessa Milk is very liquidy and easy to spread. There is a slight white cast upon application but that’s gone in seconds. It really offers maximum protection with SPF50+/PA++++. If you have oily skin, this is the perfect sunscreen for you.

hypoallergenic formula and has a smooth texture and can used safely by all ages, from babies (except newborns) to adults. I used this when the sun is not shining very bright or on cloudy or rainy days. I love its liquidy texture and like the original Anessa Milk, it is very easy to apply. I find that the white cast in this lasts a few seconds longer than the original upon

n SKIN AQUA SUPER MOISTURE GEL: I really love this sunscreen because it feels very light on the skin and is almost refreshing. Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel (50+/PA+++) is also inexpensive and is good for mature skin as it contains  three kinds of hyaluronic acid to protect the skin from dryness. It’s not exactly waterproof but if you’re not sweaty, that isn’t really a dealbreaker.

n NIVEA UV SUPER WATER GEL: This is  a non-sticky, water-light sunscreen with powerful UV protection (50+/PA+++). It also applies smoothly on the skin and contains 75 percent of skin-care ingredients including double hyaluronic acid. This applies like the famous Hado Labo Lotion.

n SHISEIDO FUTURE SOLUTION LX UNIVERSAL DEFENSE BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 50+ SUNSCREEN: This is probably my most expensive sunscreen right now and I love it because it is a moisturizer and sunscreen that offers protection from environmental stressors. It has Aggressor Control Technology for defense against environmental stressors such as air pollution and changes in temperature and humidity throughout the day. It applies smoothly but has a slight white cast that goes away in seconds.

n BIORE UV AQUA RICH PROTECT MIST SPF 50 PA++++: I have just purchased this mist when I went to Japan and so far, I have only used this once for retouching. I’ve been looking for a non-oily mist for this purpose and this seems to be okay.

EVERY bottle of Anessa Perfect UV Skincare Milk contains 50 percent skin-care ingredients. PHOTO FROM ANESSA

PHOTO BY HANNAH MORGAN ON UNSPLASH

Enjoy these Father’s Day offers from Taco Bell for the most Spec-TACO-lar dads until June 30

Best Dads Deserve the Best Break not only on Father’s Day but everyday

IT is the time of the year again when we recognize the hard work and honor the sacrifices of dads and father figures in everyone’s life. Some arrange special trips, while others prepare simple yet memorable meals in their homes to commemorate the occasion. However, honoring your dads and father figures should not be limited to Father’s Day; this should be done everyday.

If you plan to travel to treat and celebrate your dad, Prestone®, a proven and trusted quality brand of Auto Care fluids since 1927, shares a couple of road trip destinations you can choose from to satisfy different kinds of fathers. Whether they are nature lovers, history buffs, young at heart, and so on, you can easily help them take a breather from the hustle and bustle of their everyday work with these travel spots.

Satisfy their inner child with rides, attractions in Santa Rosa, Laguna SANTA Rosa City in Laguna houses the country’s famous theme park, Enchanted Kingdom, which is packed with different kinds of rides and attractions that can cater to children and those who are young at heart. If your dad exhibits a vibrant and youthful energy, this is the perfect destination.

With just one to two hours of travel time from the Metro, your dad and the whole family can have fun with its seven themed areas that showcase child-friendly up to extreme and thrilling rides.

Please their fondness in nature in Tanay, Rizal LOCATED at the base of the Sierra Madre Mountain, Tanay is the ideal destination for nature-loving dads. With up to two hours of travel time from the National Capital Region (NCR), your dad and the whole family can relax and unwind with nature as you can enjoy various natural attractions that await.

The family can explore Daranak Falls, a 14-meter-high waterfall located at the bottom of the Tanay mountains; Calinawan Cave, a historical cave with remarkable chambers and various levels;

Masungi Georeserve, a destination famous

for its breathtaking view; Nagpatong Rock Formation, an attraction that features two rock formations that appear to be stacked up, and more.

Re-discover Intramuros

WITH its well-preserved Spanish-era vibe, architectural structures, and attractions, Intramuros is the perfect place to visit for dads who love history, as it will never fail to transport anyone back in time to get a glimpse of the past.

Your dad will surely enjoy wandering around different spots rich in history, such as Casa Manila, a museum that showcases the upper classes’ lifestyle during the Spanish era, and San Agustin Church and Museum, which exhibits Spanish religious sculptures, paintings, and other artifacts. Your family can also visit Fort Santiago, a prominent fortress in Intramuros, and Manila Cathedral, one of the famous cathedrals in the country, among others.

Make your road trip safe this Father’s Day with Prestone

AFTER you figure out where to take your dad and the whole family to celebrate his special day, do not forget to ensure your vehicle is prepared for the journey. Whether the trip is long or short, make sure to inspect your automobile’s vital parts and fluids to avoid road mishaps. And, of course, use only your trusted vehicle partner, Prestone, which

delivers superior protection for your vehicle to help guarantee that your family is safe down the road.

Prestone offers a wide range of car products that you can utilize to guarantee your vehicle’s reliable performance. For instance, it has Prestone DOT 3 or DOT 4 Brake Fluid, which provides exceptional braking power for your brake systems. Other than that, there is also Prestone Asian Coolant to maintain your automobile’s engine temperature, iwas overheat. It is available in RED/PINK, BLUE, and GREEN variants.

BLUE: For all Honda® & Acura®, Nissan® 2009 and newer, Infiniti® 2009 and newer, and Subaru® 2009 and newer.

RED/PINK: For all Toyota®, Lexus®, and Scion® vehicles; makes, models, years & fluid colors.

GREEN: For all Hyundai®, Kia®, Mazda® & Mitsubishi®; Suzuki® older than 2010; Nissan® older than 2009; Infiniti® older than 2009; and Subaru® older than 2009. Make sure you only purchase genuine Prestone products! Head out and shop at True Value, Handyman, Ace Hardware, Blade, or any auto supply in your area. You can also visit and check out via its Official Stores on Lazada and Shopee.

To learn more about Prestone and its products, visit its website at  https://www. prestone.com.ph/.

Omron data review indicates that home blood pressure monitoring reduces risk of stroke

ANEW data review, conducted by OMRON Healthcare Singapore, has revealed that monitoring blood pressure at home can help in reducing risk of brain stroke. According to the review, people who monitor their blood pressure at home are more likely to detect and manage hypertension - one of the leading causes of stroke.

The review is based on an active user base of around 340 people, and more than 43,000 blood pressure readings across Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam over the period from November 2021 to October 2022.This base consists of users who are regularly using OMRON Bluetoothconnected digital BP monitoring device and tracking their blood pressure with the OMRON connect app, as well as OMRON’s Health Gift program within the app.

The monitoring and analysis of their readings over the pre- and postregistration period (three months before, and the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12th month) reveals average Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) improvement of 10mmHg among hypertensive people with a baseline SBP of 135mmHg and above, within 12 months. The study also shows that 80 percent of this group of users were able to control their blood pressure, with 55 percent achieving normal SBP by the 12th month of tracking.

Various international trials on blood pressure lowering and stroke prevention state that for every 5 mm Hg decrease in SBP, the expected risk reduction of stroke and heart attack incidence and mortality was 18 percent (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 12 to 24 percent)

CONSTANT home blood pressure monitoring is vital for preventing the risks of hypertension and stroke

in individuals younger than 55 years, 9% (512%) in those aged 55-74 years, nine percent (four to 13 precent) in those aged 75 to 84 years, and one percent (-13; +12) in those aged 85 years and older.

Thus, the data review reiterates that home blood pressure monitoring and tracking with the help of an app help in identifying abnormal changes in blood pressure. If the changes are addressed and managed with the help of physicians, before they become severe, it can be an effective support for stroke prevention, especially among people who have a family history of hypertension or stroke.

“I believe that monitoring of blood pressure at home is an essential aspect of controlling hypertension and managing co-morbidities like stroke, heart attack, and dementia. Regular monitoring aided by accurate digital devices allows for early detection of potential health issues and empowers patients to take control of their own health by making informed decisions under the guidance of their physicians. It’s important to incorporate monitoring in your daily regime to achieve optimal health and prevent potential complications in the long run,” said Valery Feigin, Professor of Neurology

DADS are basically modern-day superheroes. Many of us look up to ours as figures of guidance and protection, considering them as one of the factors that have shaped who we are today. That is why on Father’s Day, our spectacular dads deserve only the beefiest, most flavorful Tex-Mex feast in town!

For this, you’ll never go wrong with Taco Bell’s “You’re A Spec-TACO-lar Dad! Father’s Day Promo,” featuring the Fantas-Taco Pack, good for four!

Starting at just P679, you will get two servings of Tacos (Crunchy or Soft, it’s up to you), two servings of Beef Burritos, two sides of crunchy Nachos Sprinkles, two sides of Cinnamon Twists, and two 12oz servings of Pepsi and two 12oz servings of Mountain Dew, all in one fantastic set!

Get the party started with Taco Bell’s all-time classic Taco, made with your choice of crunchy or soft taco shell that is warmed to toasty perfection, generously filled with well-seasoned ground beef and then topped with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, and a special sauce.

And then, take it up a notch with Taco Bell’s hearty Beef Burrito, made with well-seasoned ground beef, chopped onions and tomatoes, grated cheese, and a special sauce, all wrapped in a delectably warm and toasty flour tortilla.

Add a little bit of crunch in between every bite with your side of Nachos Sprinkle, and then refresh your palate with a sip of the ice

cold, fizzy Pepsi or Mountain Dew, before ending your meal on a sweet note with the Cinnamon Twists.

This Father’s Day offer from Taco Bell will be available until June 30, 2023 only, so make sure to order today if you don’t want to miss out on this flavorful offer!

Enjoy it together with your other favorites from Taco Bell by visiting your nearest branch for dine-in and take-out. Or, you can have it delivered straight to your doorstep by calling the 8911-1111 hotline. You can also order through Taco Bell’s official delivery partners GrabFood, foodpanda, and Pick.a.roo (prices may vary).

opportunities

& Epidemiology and Director of NISAN.

OMRON Healthcare, one of the leading players in home healthcare monitoring, has been at the forefront of promoting the importance of home blood pressure monitoring. The company has been developing innovative, connected, and affordable digital blood pressure monitoring devices that are being used by people across Asia Pacific to monitor their blood pressure at home.

This year, the company celebrated the 50th anniversary of the launch of blood pressure monitors, and will continue to work towards its vision of contributing towards “zero cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease (zero events)” around the world.

Digital home blood pressure monitoring is a game-changer in the fight against stroke. It starts with managing hypertension — stroke’s biggest risk factor,” says Yusuke Kato, General Manager, OMRON Healthcare Philippines. “Our devices are connected, accurate, and user-friendly, making it easy for people to monitor their blood pressure regularly and also keep their physicians and caregivers easily informed with the help of the OMRON connect app. This enables them to take more effective and timely decisions, rendering better management of their health and leading to fewer unexpected health events. Thus, helping us to drive our vision of “Going for Zero” events,” he added. The added rewards to users via OMRON Health Gift program are recognized by the company as an effective tool to motivate users in building and keeping up a healthy habit of regular blood pressure monitoring.

FOUNDEVER™, a global leader in the customer experience (CX) industry, has entered into a partnership with non-profit organization Tuloy Foundation to provide alternative learning systems and vocational training programs that will equip the foundation’s program recipients in Muntinlupa with key competencies needed for entry-level positions for working in customer experience in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

Signed on April 24, the memorandum of agreement begins a five-year partnership which includes a reading program for 200 in-house children and 600 non-residential beneficiaries and volunteer opportunities for English tutoring for Foundever employees. For beneficiaries of legal age, it will also provide a mobile learning program that will open employment opportunities and a language academy for the foundation.

Fr. Marciano “Rocky” G. Evangelista,

founder of Tuloy Foundation, expressed his gratitude for the partnership, acknowledging that it will assist the foundation in achieving its objectives and to better serve the community. The foundation, established in 1993, provides a safe haven for abandoned, homeless children. The partnership between Foundever and the Tuloy Foundation marks a significant step in supporting the needs of underprivileged children and ensuring the communities are receiving the resources they need to establish successful educational programs. Both parties have pledged to create a durable and productive partnership that will benefit not just the children but also the community as a whole and contribute to the country’s development. Foundever, through its language academy (formerly Sitel Academy), has once again demonstrated its commitment to giving back to the community and creating sustainable initiatives that open equal employment opportunities for every Filipino.

Smart partners with TGP for SIM registration in Davao

SMART Communications, Inc. (Smart) recently joined hands with TGP (The Generics Pharmacy) to strengthen its push for SIM registration in Davao City.

Joining TGP’s recent Kaibigan sa Kalusugan Medical Caravan at the Matina Crossing and Matina Aplaya Gymnasium, Smart set up SIM registration booths to provide assistance to Smart and TNT customers in the area.

“Our commitment to bring our SIM registration efforts closer to our customers remains strong. We are grateful for partners like TGP for enabling us to deploy SIM registration booths during their own events. This kind of partnership allows us to reach our customers and assist them in registering their Smart and TNT SIMs, especially senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and those using non-data phones,” said Alex O. Caeg, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Sales Group at PLDT and Smart.

“We are glad to be of help to our partner Smart in their initiative to assist Filipinos in SIM registration nationwide. We understand that SIM registration can help our customers keep their connectivity active, allowing them to access the necessary platforms for their

A SMART subscriber successfully registers her SIM.

health and well-being. This TGP Medical Caravan which reached hundreds and hundreds of patients and customers is a good platform to reach out to our kababayans,” said Joanne Dawn S. Arceo, General Manager at TGP.  Smart has rolled out thousands of assisted SIM registration booths across the country, extending priority assistance to senior citizens and persons with disabilities, in collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), LGUs, malls, schools, and other community partners.

Foundever™, Tuloy Foundation partner to support recipients with reading program, job

THE partnership was recently announced at the Tuloy sa Don Bosco Street Children Village. From left are Foundever Director of Talent Acquisition for Recruitment Operations Katrina Ramos, Foundever Vice President of Talent Acquisition Willy Lim, Tuloy Foundation founder Fr. Marciano “Rocky” G. Evangelista, Foundever Director of Talent Acquisition for Strategic People Program Rowel Villalobos, and Foundever University Manager of University and Community Partnership Anthony Fernandez

AI PArt 2: How ProfessIonAls regArd ArtIfIcIAl IntellIgence

can go from remembering things/ concepts, understanding them, to application of those same things, going up to analysis, then evaluation, and finally, creating something.

a I w ould be best at the remembering level because it can easily pull up data. But for the others, a I can probably appear like it is able to understand/analyze/evaluate/create things that you ask about or ask for, but the truth is, it just parrots out what others have done before and what is on the internet.

development.

human lexicon and language logic faster, more accurate than even the sharpest human sensory outlets can provide, but not the full gamut of human functionalities or quotients. Here’s why not…

3. Human Quotients Neuroscience and Psychology has labeled quotients as Proactive behavior divided by Reactive behavior and classified

4 distinct intelligence quotients as:

Iasked the readers for feedback to my recent article “a no ther Look at a r tificial Intelligence The Pros and Cons for Communicators” published in this column on May 29, 2023 and I was quite happy to receive not one but five well-thought out replies, two from the creative industry, one from the medical profession, one from a close friend and astute businesswoman and the longest one from a retired former marketing executive who is now an active member of a brotherhood of international businessmen and professionals.

Let’s take an even closer look at how five active-minded individuals regard and respond to a I a nd the ChatGPT. From interesing creative, scientific, intellectual and spiritual points of view—take your pick:

miss. It is said that it has the capability to predict patterns, to reason, plan and even make decisions mimicking the human mind. What it will take the human mind many years to study, most a I programs can figure out in a matter of seconds. Powered by a I , many aspects of life can be further improved. While a I c an do a lot of good, there is also a big danger of forgetting that nothing can replace human creativity, reasoning, and critical thinking. With the amount of data being collected, security and protection should be diligently looked into. s a feguards must be in place to avoid abuse and misuse. We must exercise prudence in using it. We must not forget the purpose in which this breakthrough came about. To help make life better and to aid man achieve his full potential.

JUN DE LEON

Respected and Outstanding veteran

Celebrity photographer

“It should not replace human intelligence. The scary part is it would mean that we will think less. We all know what would be the effect of that.”

I’m sharing here a photo taken by Jun which he posted on Instagram.

Therefore, a I is useful to get quick info on a subject. In Medicine, it may be a good researcher for articles and literature if pointed to the right direction, but for a comprehensive understanding/analysis/evaluation of a subject, especially a life-affecting one, I don’t see how a I c an decide whether the evidence on a subject needs further research or not anymore unless another doctor has done the analysis/evaluation and wrote on it already and made it available in the internet that the a I c an pull out.

s i milarly, I don’t see how a I c an make recommendations on a subject, such as a treatment recommendation for a patient with a condition that is not black and white, that considers patient values, physician values, much less policymaker values when the need for that arises.

In short, a I m ay be on point in clear cut cases (whether in Medicine or other fields), but it will naturally fall short in difficult cases or situations. It may have a role in answering Fa Q s or frequently answered questions but it cannot be expected to answer the more difficult and gray area questions or problems that come up in real life.

a I m ay be a useful tool. But we still need to do the work.

Intelligence quotient, social quotient, emotional quotient, adversity quotient coupled with 6 different sensory faculties serving as inlets of data flow: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, intuition.

Granting that this a I p rogramming can replicate these 5 physical external sensors or even the 5 proactive and reactive factors of the quotients into a quantum computer or a humanoid robot, internal intuition, the 6th sense or extra sensory perception ( e s P), can only be of a live human functioning as intuition conglomerates, expands and synergizes the sum total of all data from physical sensors. Loosely, this expanded working is akin to 2+3 sensors =7, intuition being the 7th.

Moreover, as the flipside or alter ego of intuition, conscience can only be produced with the sum total of all intuitions or “feelings.” The big question that needs to be fathomed is: Is conscience spiritual or meta physical? If it is spiritual, then humanoids could not possibly produce human conscience.

Will there ever be a thing called a I /robot conscience?

4. Godlike Robots? By the term itself, a machine is physical while God is spiritual. In between, there’s metaphysical or quasi-spiritual. In the realm of fantasy, Godlike Robots can be imaginable but simply incomprehensible, and surely it cannot be absolute.

5. Humans vs. Machines—My 12 year old grandson Cody interjects for a quick solution to prevent machines from overpowering or threatening the safely of humans by either pulling the socket plug behind the energy source of the machine, or put a self destruct cum auto switch implant into the brain circuitry of the prerobotic machine creation. Now it’s movie time for The Transformers!

Retired Corporate Executive, Multinational Fast Moving Consumer Goods Companies

“Not a I ” “I will always enjoy the romance with my brain and the joy of realizing my vision physically. Photography is the hardest language to articulate.”

Thank you Jun for allowing me to use this incredible photo and he also thanks his subject Bianca Gonzalez with these words: “Thank you @iamsuperbianca for keeping me true to my vision.”

TET DOMINGUEZ

a I i s a tool and should remain a tool to assist us in some tasks. But it should be used properly, taking into account its strengths and limitations. a c alculator is useful because it can be used by professionals to compute quickly. However, students shouldn’t be allowed to use it early in their training. Towards the end of their schooling, they should probably learn how to use it so that they will also learn how to use it in the correct and efficient manner in preparation for their professional life.

Five points:

Problem Solving and Decision Making: a r chitects often encounter complex design challenges that require creative problem-solving. Chat GPT can be used as a tool for brainstorming and generating innovative solutions. a r chitects can pose questions or describe the problem, and Chat GPT can provide suggestions, alternative approaches, or even evaluate the feasibility of certain design decisions.

Knowledge and Expertise: a s an a I l anguage model, Chat GPT has access to a vast amount of architectural knowledge and expertise. It can provide information on architectural styles, building materials, construction techniques, and best practices. This enables architects to access a wealth of information quickly, saving time and effort in research and referencing.

Collaboration and Communication: Chat GPT can facilitate communication and collaboration between architects, clients, and other stakeholders. It can help in explaining design concepts, addressing client queries, or discussing architectural ideas with colleagues. The model can act as a virtual assistant, providing real-time responses and clarifications, thereby enhancing the overall communication process.

Accessibility and Efficiency: With Chat GPT, architects can access architectural information and expertise at any time and from any location with an internet connection. This accessibility allows architects to work more efficiently, even when they don’t have immediate access to traditional resources or colleagues.

Inspiration and Creativity: Chat GPT can serve as a source of inspiration for architects. By engaging in conversations with the model, architects can expose themselves to new ideas, architectural trends, or historical references that may spark their creativity and lead to unique design solutions.

I t is important to note that while Chat GPT can provide valuable assistance, it should not replace the expertise and experience of professional architects. It is best used as a tool to augment and enhance their skills, enabling them to make more informed decisions and explore a wider range of possibilities in their architectural practice.

I thank our five expert professionals for their contributed replies. It seems they all agree that a I C hatGPT is a tool that could be useful but there are still many areas where it will fall short especially in difficult medical situations or in composing photographs that reflect the photographer’s own vision.

Businesswoman,

Wife, Mother, Family and Church advocate and Counselor

a I i s a fascinating breakthrough that is bringing a lot of excitement as it promises to transform many aspects of our lives. It has the ability to process and analyze massive amounts of data and even identify patterns that the human mind can

It’s exactly the same with a I . It may help assist people in certain ways but it cannot replace a comprehensive human analysis because the truth is, at the moment, a I j ust parrots out available data that it gets somewhere in the internet. a n d so students, should not be allowed to use it early in their education.

I remember seeing an article that a I f ailed a gastroenterology medical exam. How come? I didn’t really go into the details of the study, but I am not surprised. In the process of learning, there are levels, from lower order thinking that progresses through a spectrum ending with higher order thinking. From lowest to highest, one

1. Morality can only be Human. Right conduct & Good Behavior can only stem from “homo sapiens”; no quantum computers can possibly replace it. The extra sensory sense of Right or Wrong can only occur in the space called Conscience. I submit that until and unless these super computers can produce a complete 3 d of a live human brain and reproduce live copies thereof and its human physical extensions or sensors, machines can never become as live as human beings with its trademark in extra sensory faculty.

2. a I i s better in Cursory Human brain functionality—Yes, in some parts of the human intellectual processes, a I is now more advantageous in scalability/super huge volume of data gathering beyond any one human brain activity; its gigantic storage and instantaneous retrieval of stored data or memory capacity unmatched by any one human; as quick as a human brain, a I c an prognosticate or do better advance judgments due to larger on-site data presence. e v entually, it could replay

Jason Buensalido

Principal architect and chief design ambassador of Buensalido Architects and Barchan Architecture

I asked Chat GPT this question and it gave the following answer.

Why is Chat GPT an advantage to architecture? Chat GPT can provide several advantages to the architectural profession. Here are a few reasons why:

Design Exploration and Visualization: Chat GPT can assist architects in exploring different design options and visualizing them. By describing architectural concepts and asking for specific design features, architects can receive generated descriptions or even visual representations of their ideas. This allows for quick iterations and helps in the early stages of design

Nothing can replace human creativity, reasoning, and critical thinking.

a n d one question that is worth thinking about is: can there ever be an a I / robot conscience?

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premiere association for senior communications professionals around the world. Joy Lumawig-Buensalido is the President and CEO of Buensalido PR and Communications. She was past Chairman of the IPRA Philippine chapter for two terms.

PR Matters is devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to  askipraphil@gmail.com.

DR JOSEPH ADRIAN L. BUENSALIDO Infectious Diseases Specialist at Makati Medical Center and Asian Hospital

JIMMY P. CASTRO (Not a Robot) Board Director, Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen & Professionals International Foundation

3-time SEAG champ Bautista ready to fight for berth to Hangzhou Asiad

BEING a three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist doesn’t guarantee Ian Clark Bautista a slot in the national boxing team to this September’s Hangzhou Asian Games, a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Association of Boxing

Alliances in the Philippines repeatedly emphasized that no one in the national team is a sacred cow for Hangzhou, including Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and bronze medalist

Eumir Felix Marcial.

A box off would determine who goes to Hangzhou and go after that ticket to Paris.

It all boils down to Hangzhou, everybody’s aspiring for an Olympic berth because it’s every boxer’s dream to fight in the stage,” the 28-year-old veteran from Binalbagan in Negros Occidental told BusinessMirror on

Sunday after training at the Teachers camp in Baguio City.  I’ll wait for the recommendation of my coaches and my superiors. I have no any idea about their plan for the Asian Games,” he said. “But I want to be there. If given a chance, I will fight for my spot there.”

B autista’s lucky for now because he has no rival at featherweight in the national team, unlike Paalam whose bid to return to the Olympics looks headed to a box off with Rogen Ladon.

B autista said nothing is cast in stone yet about Hangzho.

“ I still have no idea on who I’ll be facing in a box off,” he said. “The coaches have the final say.”

He acknowledged how tough the competition will be at the Asian Games with boxers from China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea and Tajikistan also going after the same Paris ambition.

Josef Ramos

Cruz posts 2 victories in Brunei

KHEITH RHYNNE CRUZ  ruled the girls’ under-17 and teamed up Chrishien Mae Santillan in winning the girls’ doubles event to give the Philippines two gold medals in the Southeast Asia Youth Table Tennis Championships in Brunei over the weekend.

C ruz beat Wirakarn Tayapitak of Thailand, 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-3, in under-17 final and with S Santillan defeated Wirakarn and Wanwisa Aueawiriyayothin of Thailand, 11-2, 11-9, 11-7, for the country’s second gold medal.

The 16-year-old Cruz earlier got silver in the Southeast Asian Table Tennis Association-organized competition along with Santillan, Althea Jade Gudes, Jelaine Monteclaro and Zachi Chua in the girls’ 19U team event.

Santillan also claimed a bronze medal in the U19 girls singles event.

The Philippine Table Tennis Federation Inc. thanked the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Huaching Foundation Bill Yap, Topcoms Marketing, Astiga PilipinasBrian Alva and Ian Villacuel, Volunteer Team Managers in Brunei—Steffy Chua and Esguerra for supporting the team.

These remarkable victories, coupled with the unwavering support of our coaches, staff and the PTTF showcase the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines our athletes,” said PTTF president Ting Ledesma.

“This momentous achievement not only etches a golden chapter

Sports

B8 Monday, June 19, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

YULO SCOOPS 3 GOLD MEDALS IN ASIAN MEET

By Josef Ramos

CARLOS YULO won gold medals in vault and parallel bars to punctuate his dominant form on the last day of competitions Sunday in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.

Yulo won the vault competition with 14.299 score he highlighted with a 5.600 degree of difficulty in two attempts to remind the field that he’s the 2021 world championship champion in the apparatus.

Uzbekistan’s Abdulaziz Mirvaliev (14.083) clinched the silver medal and South Korea’s Kim Jaeho (13.766) settled for the bronze.

A n hour later, the 23-year-old Tokyo Olympian flashed a similarly dominant form in the parallel bars to capture his second gold medal.

He scored 15.266 to send Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka (15.133) to the silver

and China’s (15.100) to the bronze slots on the podium.

It’s so unbelievable,” an ecstatic Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) President Cynthia Carrion-Norton told BusinessMirror in a phone interview while Yulo was being awarded his vault gold medal. “Carlos [Yulo] is really fantastic and phenomenal. He is really focused on his performances.”

Yulo also made sure he won the floor exercise on Saturday to also emphasize that he’s the world champion in the event in 2019.

B esides the three gold medals, Yulo also clinched silver in the men’s individual all-around to qualify for the event in the world championships in Antwerp in September.

He also clinched his first medal in horizontal bars—bronze—with 14.033. China’s Tian Hao won gold with 14.533 and Oka got the silver with 14.366.

Yulo also topped the floor exer-

cise, vault and parallel bars in last year’s Asian championships in Doha. It’s the first time that Carlos clinched a bronze in the horizontal bars. We are all thankful and proud of him,” said Carrion-Norton said, who also praised Emma Malabuyo and Aleah Finnegan for racking up medals in the women’s contest.

M alabuyo tallied 13.166 for a silver medal in women’s floor exercise behind gold medalist Zhang Qingying (13.233) of China and ahead of bronze medalist Solyi Shin (13.066) of South Korea.

Finnegan, the Hanoi 2021 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist in team and vault, claimed her second bronze medal in beam with 12.833.

China’s Zhang Qingying and Zhang Xinyi finished 1-2 finish with 14.200 and 13.133, respectively.  Finnegan also had a bronze medal in vault last Saturday.

“My girls Emma and Aleah are doing so well and amazing,” Carrion-Norton said.

Yulo garnered 85.930 points to finish behind Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka (86.065) in the men’s all around on Friday. Another Japanese, Takeru Kitazono, clinched the bronze medal with 85.431.

in Philippine table tennis history but also propels our nation to new heights on the global stage.”

C linching bronze medals for the Philippines were Jigsaya Cabrido and Joanna Isabelle Esguerra in cadet girls doubles, Khevine Khieth Cruz and Carl Benjamin De Los Reyes in cadet boys doubles and Ray Joshua Lawrence Manlapaz in U17 boys singles.

A nnabelle Commendador, Lauro Crisostomo and Johann Remaneses coached the team.

Fowler, Clark share US Open lead

LOS ANGELES—Rickie Fowler only had three-and-a-half feet left for par on what should have been his last shot Saturday in a US Open round filled with far bigger moments. At stake was his first 54-hole lead in a major. Shockingly, he missed and slipped into a tie with Wyndham Clark.

Fowler wasn’t the least bit bothered.

He knows what to expect by looking ahead at a final round on a Los Angeles Country Club course getting tougher by the minute, and by looking behind at some of the players chasing them—Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson.

It would be nice for that one to go in,” Fowler said. “Really doesn’t matter—having the lead, being one back, two back—you’re going to have to play good golf tomorrow. Bummer to have that one slip away, but tomorrow is a whole new day.

That’s kind of when the tournament really starts.”

Fowler brought the buzz to the US Open with a 70-foot birdie putt only to lose the lead with a three-putt bogey on the 18th hole, which turned into a share of a two-shot lead when Clark boldly took on a tight pin he could barely see for a closing birdie.

C lark’s birdie put him—and not

Lascuña tries to wield old magic at ICTSI Forest Hills golf classic

THE six-year interval since he scored back-to-back victories at Forest Hills could be too big a gap to spur another title drive but Tony Lascuña still feels good about his chances in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Forest Hills Classic which gets going Tuesday at the Nicklaus course.

The mere thought of heading back to one of the country’s top championship courses in Cogeo in Antipolo City conjures up memories of his huge 11-shot romp over Zanieboy Gialon and Orlan Sumcad

McIlroy—in the final group. And he knew it.

I wanted to be in the final group. Every shot matters out here,” Clark said.

For all the drama over the final hour—big putts, Scheffler’s eaglebirdie finish, Xander Schauffele going from a crash to a recovery to another crash—McIlroy played a steady hand

Hypocrisy in sports

I WAS reading this article on CNN Sports about how these Russian fighters are allowed to continue in the UFC despite being identified with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Well, so what?

Do we all agree with the other fighters also in the UFC?

In world football?

W hy don’t we ban American athletes from participating in international sporting events after their invasion of Iraq?

The pretext was weapons of mass destruction. So where are they? And that invasion of Iraq began so much of the world’s problems today. You must know of ISIS, right? That is just one. Want me to list some more?

Oh, because America holds sway in most international sports associations. Because of the almighty dollar.

So did FIFA allow the World Cup in Russia when this took place four years after their illegal annexation of Crimea?

W hy is it one-sided when Israeli athletes are allowed to compete after their illegal occupation of Palestine? What they are doing there is highly controversial, brutal and totally anti-human.

W hy don’t they ban Chinese athletes after what they are doing to their own people?

W hy don’t they ban athletes from South America which produces much of the illegal drugs in the world? Those

in 2016 and three, over Gialon again, the following year.

A nd the multi-titled Lascuña is thrilled, like everybody else, over the return of Forest Hills in the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) calendar.

Forest Hills has always been a tough course and the recent renovation on some holes only adds up to the challenge,” said Lascuña, who has racked up five victories since, including in the PGT Caliraya Springs Championship last April.

“ It’s been a long time [since we last played Forest Hills] but I always make it a point to be ready in

every tournament, on every course. I practice and train a lot, so my confidence is always high,” added the holder of a record four PGT Order of Merit titles.

Though he never really seriously challenged for another crown after beating Lloyd Go and Angelo Que by three at Caliraya, the durable Lascuña, who finished tied for seventh at Luisita last month and joint sixth at Valley two weeks ago, has kept a winning mindset tournament-in, tournament-out.

“ I know that I always have a chance [to win],” he said.

Asian aquatics championships put New Clark City back on global stage

THE 11th Asian Age Group Championships set from December 3 to 14 will again put New Clark City’s world-class sports facilities on the spotlight in the global map as a prime venue for sporting events.

During a recent press conference in Tagaytay City, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Senior Vice President for Corporate Services Arrey Perez said the Asian championships will give the Philippines a chance to showcase the New Clark City sports complex and promote the facilities to the 45 members of the Asia Swimming Federation (AASF).

“Hosting the Asian championships will help us market New Clark City to the 45 member countries of the AASF. Our hosting of this swimming championships will help us in marketing to the 45 national federations that are members of the Asia Swimming Federation,” AASF said. “So this includes [AASF’s] assistance in marketing [our facilities].”

drugs are just as harmful as these land wars.

A ccording to Perez, AASF

Secretary General Taha Al Kishry expressed his intention to continue promoting New Clark City and entice more federations to hold their swimming meets here.

They would like to keep on promoting New Clark City because it’s one of the best facilities in the world,

Oh, wasn’t the Philippines involved in this brutal, controversial and even fake war on drugs? The international community was in uproar over this so why are Filipino athletes allowed to compete?

L ook. I am against the invasion of Ukraine. I am not for Russian aggression. I am not for the Chinese and their expansionist plans. I am not for what happens in Myanmar. I have never taken drugs all my life—I don’t even bleeping smoke—and am against them. I believe they must be stamped for good, but in the correct manner. I am against transgenders competing in women’s sports—I am not against them but give them their own sports categories for Chrissakes.

Having said that, it is a slippery slope when you ban athletes. And it is a bit one-sided.

So it is only right that they compete in the UFC. I am glad they allow Russian athletes to compete in the National Hockey League and that Wimbledon has lifted the ban on Russian and Belarusian tennis players.

TONY LASCUÑA is thrilled over the return of Forest Hills in the Philippine Golf Tour calendar.

among [those] that they’ve seen,” Perez said. “They are really promoting here in Asia because they want to have more competitions, particularly in Southeast Asia as there aren’t a lot of competitions held here.”

Perez said the championships could also serve as a trial to determine if New Clark City is also capable of hosting the World Aquatics Championships.

“If we can do this, I think with more experience, we’re not just dreaming of Asian championships, but the world championships,” he said.

Jojit Alcazar, president and chief executive officer of the Organizing Committee of the championships, echoed Perez’s statement, noting that representatives from World Aquatics will grace the event for the AASF elections.

The president of World Aquatics will be invited to attend. So all stakeholders will be here in December,” Alcazar said. “It’s time for us to showcase the venue in the hopes of hosting bigger events in the future.”

The championships features competitions in swimming, diving, water polo and artistic swimming. It will also serve as a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

But look at the hypocrisy.

The golf associations bristle at the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV. Sportswashing they say. I have a question—why are these rich Arabs allowed to buy football clubs across Europe? Why are Chinese entrepreneurs or State-backed or sponsored fronts allowed to buy property and businesses?

D idn’t it occur to the world at large that some of these Russian and Belarusian athletes have no choice because of their repressive governments trying to control the narrative? Yes, maybe some of them have been brainwashed as well. Maybe some of them genuinely support that dictator Vladimir Putin and Belarusian president Alexsandr Lukashenko.

It is annoying when people turn a blind eye to some, but not all.

Th at is why I am not for any of these political statements in sports. There should be a blanket order and ban that must be enforced. Now it is when that is violated, then ban them. Fine them and kick them out. But make sure that all get their just desserts. But more importantly, be fair to all.

KHEITH RHYNNE CRUZ (center) and Chrishien Mae Santillan (right) with coach Annabelle Commendador.

RICKIE FOWLER isn’t least bit bothered with one round remaining. AP

CARLOS YULO remains a force in Asian gymnastics.

ARREY PEREZ says the continental competition will market New Clark City as an international swimming hub.