BusinessMirror March 06, 2023

Transport strike’s a go despite extension

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

COME hell or high water, transport groups are determined to paralyze public transportation starting today (March 6) to sustain their opposition to the government’s modernization program.

Jeepney group Manibela, whose chairman Mar Valbuena leads the week-long transport strike, said the protest involves some 40,000 transport workers from different sectors: jeepneys, UV Express, tricycles, and ride-hailing.

“ We are meeting with jeepney and UV organizations left and right and they understand the truth behind the modernization program,” Valbuena said. “We will continue with the transport strike as planned.”

T he Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is bent on

defusing the effect of the weeklong transport strike, which has already prompted several organizations, companies, and even schools to cancel in-person activities and rely on remote work and learning solutions to continue with their day-to-day business.

LTFRB Technical Division Chief Joel Bolano said the agency decided to issue special permits to other PUVs to ply routes that will be affected by the transport strike.

Special permits allow drivers and operators to operate routes outside of their franchises.

“All of our offices nationwide are ready to issue these special permits,” he said.

Propeople modernization

TRANSPORT group Piston is also joining the strike, saying it opposes current policies of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). Extensions are not enough. We cannot

allow the massacre of franchises of individual operators that results in the monopolization by big corporations. Our call is for the outright cancellation of the franchise consolidation, but we are for a propeople modernization,” Piston National President Mody Floranda said.

T he group, along with its supporters, Floranda said are “demanding” that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  “immediately issue an executive order junking” the Department of Transportation (DOTr) order on the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) and its implementing memorandum circulars issued by the LTFRB.

F loranda said modernization can be implemented in the form of rehabilitation of traditional jeepneys. The group also called for “more subsidy and support for PUV drivers and small operators.”

BusinessMirror

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 18 pages |

GFI SUBSIDIES CUT, BUT

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

Treasury data showed that total government subsidies to state-owned and -run agencies was P15.643 billion higher than the P184.767 billion recorded in 2021.

T he overall increase was driven by the higher subsidies to other government corporations, which offset the 70-percent year-on-year decline in subsidies to government financial institutions.

Total subsidies extended to other government corporations reached P122.458 billion, almost 15 percent over the P106.586 billion allocated in 2021, based on Treasury data.

T he other government corporations accounted for 61 percent of the total subsidies spent by the national government last year.

P hilippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) topped the list of government corporations with the biggest subsidy last year at P80.048 billion, followed by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) at P40.622 billion.

T he national government’s subsidies to PhilHealth last year, however, fell by 1.15 percent from P80.979 in 2021 while subsidies to NIA grew by 6.14 percent from P38.311 billion, according to Treasury data.

T he total amount of subsidies received by major nongovernment financial institutions last year slightly increased to P77.514 billion from P76.709 billion, based on Treasury data.

Subsidies received by power-related agencies such as those of National Electrification Administration and the National Power Corp.—at P3.613 billion and P6.587 billion, respectively—rose last year.

NTMs STILL A ‘MAJOR HURDLE’ FOR EXPORTERS IN REGION

By Andrea E. San Juan

countries, according to a joint report by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Eco -

nomic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

A ccording to the report published in February 2023, two-thirds (66 percent) of the reported nontechnical measures are rules of origin (ROO) requirements.

Exporters find ROO reg -

Crying bias, labor wants Neda to skip pay hike talks

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

ALABOR group wants the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board representative in the regional wage board in the National Capital Region (NCR) to skip deliberations of the pending P100 wage hike petition, citing bias by the Neda chief. K apatiran ng mga Unyon at Samahang Manggagawa (Kapatiran) questioned the objectivity of the representative after Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, also Neda director general, warned Congress last week of the “harmful” effects of a legislated wage hike to the country’s economy. Balisacan said wage hikes should be based on labor productivity and worker demand instead.  BusinessMirror sought out the country’s chief economist for his response to the labor group’s call for recusation on account of Neda’s alleged bias, but no response was obtained from him as of press time.

ulations burdensome largely due to associated procedural obstacles such as having to present many documents, high fees, delays, and informal payments while obtaining the required certificates of origin,” the report stated.  For instance, garmentexporting countries with

“less vertically developed value chains” find it difficult to comply with local content requirements. Meanwhile, in the case of the Philippines, the report traced the hardship largely to the increased local use of imported textiles in their markets.

See “NTMS,” A2

Neda Director General Arsenio Balisacan has already prejudged the wage hike petition by his declaration that a salary increase is detrimental to the economy,” Kapatiran president Rey Almendras said in a statement.

“The Neda NCR Director who is vice chair of the NCR regional wage board cannot be expected to be impartial on the P100 wage hike petition given the very public opposition by his or her boss,” he added.

THE total amount of subsidies extended to state-run firms by the national government rose by 8.5 percent on an annual basis to P200.41 billion in 2022, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

THE Department of Agriculture and Nestlé Philippines have embarked on a five-year partnership to grow the local coffee industry. They signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly undertake the Mindanao Robusta Coffee Project, where they will work to boost coffee yield to 1000kg/ha, make farmers more resilient to climate change and coffee farming more profitable through training on regenerative agriculture and agripreneurship. In photo are Domingo F. Panganiban, Senior Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture; and Kais Marzouki, Chairman and CEO, Nestlé Philippines. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

‘CLASS PICTURE’ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Speaker Martin Romualdez grace the 23rd International Cable TV and Telecommunications Congress at the Manila Hotel on Friday (March 3). The event was organized by the Federation of International Cable Television and Telecommunications Association of the Philippines (FICTAP). Here, they pose for an end-conference photo with exhibitors that included Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, led by its chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon (below stage, first row, sixth from left), and Aliw23, the newest digital TV channel in the Philippines. RUDY ESPERAS

DOT drops masks, vaxx proof for tourism entities

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

of Tourism

O n Sunday, the agency released Memorandum Circular 2023-0002, which allows tourism enterprises to lift the requirement for guests and clients to show proof of full vaccination,  and the wearing of face masks.

T hrough MC 2003-0002, the DOT also said it no longer requires

A ccording to the joint report of ITC and ESCAP, non-tariff measures are “policy measures, other than custom tariffs, that can potentially have an economic effect on international trade in goods, changing quantities traded, or prices or both.”

Meanwhile, the report also noted that other NTMs such as charges, taxes and price control; quantity

tourism establishments to install plastic, acrylic barriers and dividers in designated areas. The memo likewise ordered the removal of signages, visual cues, and other installations on mandatory protocols, which have since been liberalized by the national government.

“ This latest issuance on the

control; and finance measures together make up 18 percent of the reported non-technical measures. It said most of these measures are “intra-regional.”

I n the Philippines, importer clearance certificates (ICCs) are required by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to start operations but are often delayed by up to a month subject to additional

relaxed health and safety guidelines for tourism establishments reinforces the [DOT’s] commitment towards addressing the economic hardships of the tourism industry brought about by the lockdowns and restrictions of the pandemic,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco in a news statement.

“

It sends the important message across that, under the Marcos administration, our country is open for tourism, and that we are keeping up with global practices on tourism operations that have already opened up worldwide,” she added.

A s the national government has shifted its policy to maintaining minimum public health standards, the DOT will no longer issue the PH Safety Seal, under a program jointly implemented with the Department

documentary requirements and need to be renewed yearly. These lead to procedural obstacles (POs) such as delays, additional costs and paperwork, the report stated.

F urther, the report divulged that a common measure includes customs valuations, which it said is prone to “bribe-seeking” behavior.

“ Customs valuation irregularities are a common issue with customs agencies, with exporters

of Trade and Industry. Also, the agency said it will no  issue the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp, under a program initiated by the international private sector-led organization, that showed destinations have adopted global health and safety standards. (See, “2 NCR hotels awarded WTTC ‘safe travels’ stamp from the DOT,” in the BusinessMirror , January 26, 2021.)

I n the same memorandum circular, DOT-accredited hotels and resorts no longer have to report the number, nature of work, and length of stay of permitted guests, as well as names of companies or businesses with employees that are booked with their respective establishments, in their monthly reports to the agency’s regional offices.

complaining about the arbitrary imposition of import tariffs on goods,” the report noted.

For instance, the report said, “In the Philippines, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) uses a three-month rolling period methodology that overvalues the product by up to a hundred times the original price, significantly increasing import duties.”

“ Other regulations relate to charges, taxes and para-tariffs, as well as quantity control measures that are more prevalent in agri-food sectors,” the report added.

M eanwhile, the report stressed that the lack of capacity of authorities to properly enforce trade regulations in some countries has led to “informal payments” becoming a standard operating procedure for both importers and exporters.

Cultures of patronage, coupled with complex and often outdated regulations and customs clearance mechanisms, have reinforced this behavior,” the report said.

F or instance, it said, in the Philippines, a law requires the use of a customs broker to mediate transactions between exporters and customs agents, implying that there will always be an “extra administrative layer of possible corruption and bureaucracy for all trade procedures,” the report pointed out.

Continued from A1

T he National Food Authority also received a substantial subsidy last year at P7 billion. Meanwhile, subsidies received by the National Housing Authority fell by 33.4 percent to P17.125 billion from P25.713 billion, according to the Treasury data.

Subsidies received by the Philippine National Railway also declined by 47.68 percent yearon-year to P1.016 billion.

T hose extended to the Local Water Utilities Administration likewise plunged, by a whopping 70 percent on annual basis to P218 million.

T he subsidies received by GFIs declined by 70 percent to P438 million from P1.472 billion in 2021, as the Land Bank of the Philippines’ (LBP) subsidies were slashed by 99 percent. Treasury data showed that the subsidy extended to LandBank last year was only at P5 million versus the P476 billion in 2021. Likewise, subsidies received by the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. declined by 56 percent year-on-year to P433 million.

A lmendras called out Neda for continuing to link productivity with wage increases even though there have been scant pay hikes in previous years.

From 2001 to 2016, real wages stagnated while labor productivity increased by 50 percent and the economy grew by 100 percent,” Almendras ppointed out.

Capitalists are profit-maximizing actors. They will not automatically adjust wages in line with productivity,” he added.

I bon Foundation Executive Director Sonny Africa also lamented the stance made by Balisacan at the House of Representatives regarding the minimum wage.

B alisacan’s position on the wage hike was also made on the sidelines of the Makati Business Club’s recent forum. Balisacan said increasing wages because of the availability of more jobs and/or an increase in productivity, however, would not lead to higher inflation. (Full story here: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/02/24/wagehikes-may-only-fan-inflation/)

Ibon said worker wages have not kept up with their productivity which has increased. NCR worker productivity increased 42 percent between 2012 and 2021 based on gross regional domestic product divided by employment.

But, Ibon said, the minimum wage only increased 18 percent. This has “bloated corporate profits” which, for the top 1,000 firms, surged 68 percent during the period.

I bon added that the minimum wage has also not kept up with inflation. Based on their estimates, real wages fell 5 percent using 2018 prices.

It is perplexing for the economic team to speak about workers and their wages as if they’re burdens to the economy,” Africa said in a statement.

It’s people who most of all create value in the economy and whom the economy should benefit. To speak of ‘the economy’ as something different from their conditions and welfare is insensitive and unfair,” he added.

K apatiran filed its P100 wage petition before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity BoardNCR (RTWPB-NCR) in December to help workers in the region cope with high inflation.

T he petition is currently still pending.

I n an SMS, DOLE-NCR Regional Director and RTWPB-NCR chairperson Sarah S. Mirasol told BusinessMirror they cannot compel  any of their members to inhibit themselves from a wage petition deliberation.

S he said it will be up to their member to decide if he or she will vote during the said deliberation.

“ The [RTWPB] rules are silent on the inhibition of a member from acting on wage petition. The member may vote yes, no or abstain from acting or make reservations,” Mirasol said.

With reports from Cai Ordinario

O fficially introduced in 2017, the PUVMP is a 10-point program that ultimately involves the phaseout of the old PUVs to make way for more modern and environmentally-friendly vehicles.

A crucial step toward this vision is the consolidation of individual franchises into transport cooperatives or corporations, to provide groups access to business financing to bankroll the acquisition of modern vehicles.

S enators on Thursday called for the indefinite suspension of the program, noting lapses in the framework of the initiative.

L awmakers chided the LTFRB and the DOTr for supposedly forcing jeepney drivers to acquire new vehicles that cost between P2.4 million and P2.8 million per unit while they make P650 per day.

T hey also cited the “poor” implementation of the program, which to date, has a 4.5 percent success rate, with only 6,814 modern jeepneys deployed versus the universe of 158,000 PUVs with franchises.

PUV operators and drivers have until end-December to consolidate their franchises into cooperatives or transport corporations. This target has been moved several times since it 2018.

L atest data from the LTFRB showed about 62.4 percent or about 98,000 jeepneys have consolidated nationwide, while 71.7 percent or about 14,000 of the roughly 19,000 UV Express have consolidated.

T his means that about 65,000 drivers are at risk of losing their livelihoods if they fail to consolidate by December 31.

Let government pay MEANWHILE , transport economist Jedd Ugay said the government’s initiative should not force ordinary jeepney drivers to shoulder the cost of acquiring new units. Instead, the government can explore allocating a feasible budget of P15 billion to jumpstart its modernization plans.

T his, he said, is only fair, given that the government spends billions of public funds to finance several modern infrastructure, including the P102-billion Subway, the P152-billion NorthSouth Commuter Railway, and the P17.5-billion Mactan-Cebu

International Airport.

“

Imagine if government can allocate P15 billion for PUV Modernization: That’s only equivalent to 14.7 percent of the budget for Mega Manila Subway, which is expected to carry 370,000 passengers per day. It is also just equivalent to 9.8 percent of the budget for North-South Commuter Railway, which is expected to carry 400,000 passengers per day.

And also less than the budget for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which is expected to have a 22,000 passenger capacity per day,” he said.

Ugay said P15 billion can buy 5,357 units of modern jeepneys at a cost price of P2.8 million.  If each modernized jeepney can carry 20 people, that’s 107,140 passengers per trip. If a jeepney can do an average of 10 trips per day, then that means 1.071 million passengers per day. These are still conservative estimates; and it can be argued that they can carry more,” he said.

T he transport economist also noted that if the government can take on the burden of vehicle procurement and financing costs, it may also enable lower fares which can benefit commuters. This also means that it can also speed up the timeline for modernization, enabling the Philippines to reap the benefits of cleaner air and better road safety more immediately.

If government can provide a large budget to railways, roadways, and airports, why can’t we provide a similar budget to jeepneys, which already currently carry so much more passengers and have a wider-reaching network?” Ugay asked.

More than just contractors, Ugay said the government should treat jeepney drivers and operators as “partners toward common goals.”

If government can provide substantial financial incentives and subsidies to large companies — e.g. energy sector to become cleaner/modern/renewable—then we should also be able to provide the same level of support to our public transport sector,” he said. “If we help them, then ultimately we help commuters and the whole public in general.”

THE Department

(DOT) has eased up on earlier directives to tourism establishments meant to halt the spread of Covid-19.

DOT drops masks, vaxx proof for tourism entities

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

of Tourism

O n Sunday, the agency released Memorandum Circular 2023-0002, which allows tourism enterprises to lift the requirement for guests and clients to show proof of full vaccination,  and the wearing of face masks.

T hrough MC 2003-0002, the DOT also said it no longer requires

A ccording to the joint report of ITC and ESCAP, non-tariff measures are “policy measures, other than custom tariffs, that can potentially have an economic effect on international trade in goods, changing quantities traded, or prices or both.”

Meanwhile, the report also noted that other NTMs such as charges, taxes and price control; quantity

tourism establishments to install plastic, acrylic barriers and dividers in designated areas. The memo likewise ordered the removal of signages, visual cues, and other installations on mandatory protocols, which have since been liberalized by the national government.

“ This latest issuance on the

control; and finance measures together make up 18 percent of the reported non-technical measures. It said most of these measures are “intra-regional.”

I n the Philippines, importer clearance certificates (ICCs) are required by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to start operations but are often delayed by up to a month subject to additional

relaxed health and safety guidelines for tourism establishments reinforces the [DOT’s] commitment towards addressing the economic hardships of the tourism industry brought about by the lockdowns and restrictions of the pandemic,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco in a news statement.

“

It sends the important message across that, under the Marcos administration, our country is open for tourism, and that we are keeping up with global practices on tourism operations that have already opened up worldwide,” she added.

A s the national government has shifted its policy to maintaining minimum public health standards, the DOT will no longer issue the PH Safety Seal, under a program jointly implemented with the Department

documentary requirements and need to be renewed yearly. These lead to procedural obstacles (POs) such as delays, additional costs and paperwork, the report stated.

F urther, the report divulged that a common measure includes customs valuations, which it said is prone to “bribe-seeking” behavior.

“ Customs valuation irregularities are a common issue with customs agencies, with exporters

of Trade and Industry. Also, the agency said it will no  issue the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp, under a program initiated by the international private sector-led organization, that showed destinations have adopted global health and safety standards. (See, “2 NCR hotels awarded WTTC ‘safe travels’ stamp from the DOT,” in the BusinessMirror , January 26, 2021.)

I n the same memorandum circular, DOT-accredited hotels and resorts no longer have to report the number, nature of work, and length of stay of permitted guests, as well as names of companies or businesses with employees that are booked with their respective establishments, in their monthly reports to the agency’s regional offices.

complaining about the arbitrary imposition of import tariffs on goods,” the report noted.

For instance, the report said, “In the Philippines, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) uses a three-month rolling period methodology that overvalues the product by up to a hundred times the original price, significantly increasing import duties.”

“ Other regulations relate to charges, taxes and para-tariffs, as well as quantity control measures that are more prevalent in agri-food sectors,” the report added.

M eanwhile, the report stressed that the lack of capacity of authorities to properly enforce trade regulations in some countries has led to “informal payments” becoming a standard operating procedure for both importers and exporters.

Cultures of patronage, coupled with complex and often outdated regulations and customs clearance mechanisms, have reinforced this behavior,” the report said.

F or instance, it said, in the Philippines, a law requires the use of a customs broker to mediate transactions between exporters and customs agents, implying that there will always be an “extra administrative layer of possible corruption and bureaucracy for all trade procedures,” the report pointed out.

Continued from A1

T he National Food Authority also received a substantial subsidy last year at P7 billion. Meanwhile, subsidies received by the National Housing Authority fell by 33.4 percent to P17.125 billion from P25.713 billion, according to the Treasury data.

Subsidies received by the Philippine National Railway also declined by 47.68 percent yearon-year to P1.016 billion.

T hose extended to the Local Water Utilities Administration likewise plunged, by a whopping 70 percent on annual basis to P218 million.

T he subsidies received by GFIs declined by 70 percent to P438 million from P1.472 billion in 2021, as the Land Bank of the Philippines’ (LBP) subsidies were slashed by 99 percent. Treasury data showed that the subsidy extended to LandBank last year was only at P5 million versus the P476 billion in 2021. Likewise, subsidies received by the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. declined by 56 percent year-on-year to P433 million.

A lmendras called out Neda for continuing to link productivity with wage increases even though there have been scant pay hikes in previous years.

From 2001 to 2016, real wages stagnated while labor productivity increased by 50 percent and the economy grew by 100 percent,” Almendras ppointed out.

Capitalists are profit-maximizing actors. They will not automatically adjust wages in line with productivity,” he added.

I bon Foundation Executive Director Sonny Africa also lamented the stance made by Balisacan at the House of Representatives regarding the minimum wage.

B alisacan’s position on the wage hike was also made on the sidelines of the Makati Business Club’s recent forum. Balisacan said increasing wages because of the availability of more jobs and/or an increase in productivity, however, would not lead to higher inflation. (Full story here: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/02/24/wagehikes-may-only-fan-inflation/)

Ibon said worker wages have not kept up with their productivity which has increased. NCR worker productivity increased 42 percent between 2012 and 2021 based on gross regional domestic product divided by employment.

But, Ibon said, the minimum wage only increased 18 percent. This has “bloated corporate profits” which, for the top 1,000 firms, surged 68 percent during the period.

I bon added that the minimum wage has also not kept up with inflation. Based on their estimates, real wages fell 5 percent using 2018 prices.

It is perplexing for the economic team to speak about workers and their wages as if they’re burdens to the economy,” Africa said in a statement.

It’s people who most of all create value in the economy and whom the economy should benefit. To speak of ‘the economy’ as something different from their conditions and welfare is insensitive and unfair,” he added.

K apatiran filed its P100 wage petition before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity BoardNCR (RTWPB-NCR) in December to help workers in the region cope with high inflation.

T he petition is currently still pending.

I n an SMS, DOLE-NCR Regional Director and RTWPB-NCR chairperson Sarah S. Mirasol told BusinessMirror they cannot compel  any of their members to inhibit themselves from a wage petition deliberation.

S he said it will be up to their member to decide if he or she will vote during the said deliberation.

“ The [RTWPB] rules are silent on the inhibition of a member from acting on wage petition. The member may vote yes, no or abstain from acting or make reservations,” Mirasol said.

With reports from Cai Ordinario

O fficially introduced in 2017, the PUVMP is a 10-point program that ultimately involves the phaseout of the old PUVs to make way for more modern and environmentally-friendly vehicles.

A crucial step toward this vision is the consolidation of individual franchises into transport cooperatives or corporations, to provide groups access to business financing to bankroll the acquisition of modern vehicles.

S enators on Thursday called for the indefinite suspension of the program, noting lapses in the framework of the initiative.

L awmakers chided the LTFRB and the DOTr for supposedly forcing jeepney drivers to acquire new vehicles that cost between P2.4 million and P2.8 million per unit while they make P650 per day.

T hey also cited the “poor” implementation of the program, which to date, has a 4.5 percent success rate, with only 6,814 modern jeepneys deployed versus the universe of 158,000 PUVs with franchises.

PUV operators and drivers have until end-December to consolidate their franchises into cooperatives or transport corporations. This target has been moved several times since it 2018.

L atest data from the LTFRB showed about 62.4 percent or about 98,000 jeepneys have consolidated nationwide, while 71.7 percent or about 14,000 of the roughly 19,000 UV Express have consolidated.

T his means that about 65,000 drivers are at risk of losing their livelihoods if they fail to consolidate by December 31.

Let government pay MEANWHILE , transport economist Jedd Ugay said the government’s initiative should not force ordinary jeepney drivers to shoulder the cost of acquiring new units. Instead, the government can explore allocating a feasible budget of P15 billion to jumpstart its modernization plans.

T his, he said, is only fair, given that the government spends billions of public funds to finance several modern infrastructure, including the P102-billion Subway, the P152-billion NorthSouth Commuter Railway, and the P17.5-billion Mactan-Cebu

International Airport.

“

Imagine if government can allocate P15 billion for PUV Modernization: That’s only equivalent to 14.7 percent of the budget for Mega Manila Subway, which is expected to carry 370,000 passengers per day. It is also just equivalent to 9.8 percent of the budget for North-South Commuter Railway, which is expected to carry 400,000 passengers per day.

And also less than the budget for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which is expected to have a 22,000 passenger capacity per day,” he said.

Ugay said P15 billion can buy 5,357 units of modern jeepneys at a cost price of P2.8 million.  If each modernized jeepney can carry 20 people, that’s 107,140 passengers per trip. If a jeepney can do an average of 10 trips per day, then that means 1.071 million passengers per day. These are still conservative estimates; and it can be argued that they can carry more,” he said.

T he transport economist also noted that if the government can take on the burden of vehicle procurement and financing costs, it may also enable lower fares which can benefit commuters. This also means that it can also speed up the timeline for modernization, enabling the Philippines to reap the benefits of cleaner air and better road safety more immediately.

If government can provide a large budget to railways, roadways, and airports, why can’t we provide a similar budget to jeepneys, which already currently carry so much more passengers and have a wider-reaching network?” Ugay asked.

More than just contractors, Ugay said the government should treat jeepney drivers and operators as “partners toward common goals.”

If government can provide substantial financial incentives and subsidies to large companies — e.g. energy sector to become cleaner/modern/renewable—then we should also be able to provide the same level of support to our public transport sector,” he said. “If we help them, then ultimately we help commuters and the whole public in general.”

THE Department

(DOT) has eased up on earlier directives to tourism establishments meant to halt the spread of Covid-19.

BusinessMirror Economy

Solved ROW issue allows early completion of Calax section

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is gunning to complete the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange section of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) as early as May after it secured a critical portion of the right of way (ROW) for the said segment.

I n a chance interview, Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said the agency expects the MPCALA

Lawmakers

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

AS commuters gird for a week-

long transportation strike, lawmakers offered proposals to address the cause of jeepney drivers’ grumblings: the phase out of traditional Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) under the government’s PUV modernization program, or “PUVMP.” House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said while an extension of the jeepney phaseout—from June to December this year—is a welcome news, “it will not solve the underlying problem: the

Holdings Inc. (MHI) to complete the segment “in two to three months,” as the government already secured the writ of possession on the remaining 15,650 square meters of land needed to finish the tolled highway project.

According to an order signed by Presiding Judge Michael C. Maranan of Branch 134 of Tagaytay City, Regional Trial Court dated February 23, the court decided to implement the writ of passion on March 4.

“As prayed for and as agreed upon by the parties, the defendant [Uneco

Land Corp.] is given a period of 10 days before the actual implementation of the writ to remove, transfer or relocate the horses, farm tools and equipment and other things not otherwise considered as part of the building or structure that may found in the subject property,” Maranan said in a document obtained by the BusinessMirror M HI initially targeted to complete this segment last December but had to push it back to the first quarter of 2023 due to delays

brought about by the ROW acquisition. To date, only 64.8 percent of the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange segment has been finished.

T his fifth of the eight segments of the 45-kilometer expressway spans at 3.9-km, with 2x2 lane expressway from Silang East Interchange to Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite. Upon completion, this will serve more motorists, including the 298,000 residents of Silang, given the reduced traffic situation. They can now continue the con-

struction,” Bonoan said.

T he public works chief also vowed to hasten the delivery of the easement for the remaining segment of the Calax this year. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), he said, has allotted P2 billion for the acquisition of ROW for Calax this year.

“I was able to talk to DBM and they assured me that they will be releasing the funds necessary for the acquisition of the right-of-way for Calax,” he said.

To date, Calax’s operational segment spans 14.24-km with interchanges at Greenfield-Mamplasan, Laguna Technopark, Laguna Boulevard, Santa Rosa-Tagaytay and Silang East. Other interchanges of Calax, namely, Open Canal, Governor’s Drive and Kawit, are targeted to be completed by 2023. Upon completion of the entire public-private partnership (PPP) project of the DPWH and MHI, it will connect to the ManilaCavite Expressway (Cavitex) in Kawit, Cavite.

appeal, offer proposals as PHL prepares for transport strike

subsidy is not enough.”

With this, Salceda proposes that government consider a “trade-in” scheme, where the state buys out old jeepneys for P100,000 per unit (about $1,801.15 at current exchange rates) to 150,000 ($2,701.73) per unit, with no other condition.

You don’t have to modernize; you don’t [even] have to join a cooperative,” he said. “You can just shift out of the jeepney sector altogether if you want to. You get an outright P150,000 for trading your jeepney in.”

Salceda referred to the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), colloquially known as “cash for clunk-

ers,” which is a part of the US global financial crisis recovery program, “as a model that we can modify.” Only that instead of actually having to buy a new car or jeep, you are paid to retire your old jeep,” he said. “There are some jeepney operators who see buying the new jeeps on loan as too expensive. This helps them get out of the old system without the burden of new loans,” Salceda added.

‘Unnecessary, premature’ MEANWHILE, Quezon City Rep. Ralph Wendel P. Tulfo appealed to operators of Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) to suspend

surge pricing this week. He called on operators and drivers of modern jeepneys, Edsa carousel buses and TNVS to make sure their vehicles are plying the roads this week. A ccording to Tulfo, all bicycle lanes and motorcycle lanes should be fully accessible to workers and students who would opt to ride bicycles and motorcycles to get to and from their destinations.

On the other hand, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Rep. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles appealed to jeepney drivers and operators to consider the long-term benefits of the PUVMP.

Nograles said the Department of Transportation (DOTr ) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB ) have also announced that the consolidation requirements under the PUVMP have been moved from June 30, 2023, to December 31 this year.

However, Salceda said that at the end of the extension, transport groups will try to ask for another one, “and they won’t be necessarily unjustified.”

Still, Nograles believes the call for a nationwide transport strike “is unnecessary and premature.”

The president has already made a commitment to hold more consulta-

tions with our stakeholders so I appeal to our drivers and operators to reject this plan to disrupt our public transport,” she added.

Nograles said transport groups and the government should find a middle ground that would allow the modernization program while ensuring the protection of drivers and operators.

‘Doesn’t cut it’

SALCEDA said he will manifest his proposal once the House Committee on Transportation conducts hearings based on his earlier resolution to evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of the PUVMP.

The Nation

Monday, March 6, 2023

• Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

‘Workers displaced by oil spill to get emergency jobs’

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

WORKERS, who were displaced by the oil spill caused by the sinking of M/T (motor tanker) Princess Empress off the coast of Oriental Mindoro may soon also get emergency employment from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Labor and Employment Secretary

Bienvido E. Laguesma said through a mobile messaging app they are now coordinating the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on what tasks can be assigned for the DOLE’s “Tupad” program in Mindoro.

Laguesma added they have yet to get the total number of workers who were affected by the oil spill from the capsized tanker.

“I still have no details or estimate

of the affected workers. Our regional office is still being conducted by the DOLE Regional Office in coordination with DENR,” Laguesma said.

“Tupad” beneficiaries are usually given light public works like street sweeping, debris cleaning and declogging works, which lasts from ten days to 90 days.

The intervention from the DOLE will be on top of assistance to be provided by the Department

Suspect in Degamo slay shot, 3 arrested–PNP

By Rene Acosta

of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) food packs and cash-for-work, according to the government agency.

The DSWD has noted there are over 7,000 families from six municipalities who are affected by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.

MT Princess Empress, which carried 800,000 liters of fuel, sank near the Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro last week.

MMDA suspends coding scheme, to deploy buses, vans during strike Group, PLCPD hope DTI stay on track on vapes

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

(MMDA) announced that the expanded number coding scheme for vehicles in Metro Manila is lifted on Monday, March 6, due to the transport strike.

T he agency also vowed it is ready to deploy 25 vehicles to provide free rides to commuters.

“The UVVRP [unified vehicular volume reduction program] suspension is for Monday only. We will assess if there is a need to suspend the number coding scheme on the succeeding days, depending on the gravity of the transport strike,” said MMDA General Manager Procopio G. Lipana, who also heads the InterAgency Task Force Monitoring Team secretariat.

Also, MMDA Acting Chairman Romando S. Artes said that contingency measures were already in place to ensure that the commuting public will not be inconvenienced and transportation operations will not be paralyzed during the 7-day

transport strike.

A total of 25 vehicles are ready to be deployed, including four airconditioned buses, two non-airconditioned buses and 13 commuter vans

“These ‘libreng sakay’ [free ride] vehicles that we will deploy starting Monday can carry around 1,200 passengers per trip,” Artes said. Artes said these vehicles would offer free rides to commuters who will be affected during the duration of the transport strike.

“We assure the public that we are ready and our assets and resources are readily available for dispatch to areas where there are reported stranded commuters to not compete against those transport groups who will not be joining the strike,” he added.

However, the MMDA has yet to determine and finalize the routes where these vehicles and other assets will be prepositioned.

“We also encourage the public to remain in their homes, especially on Monday, if there are no important matters which they have to attend to,” Artes advised.

THE Child Rights Network (CRN), the Parents against Vape (PAV) and the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) expressed hope that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will continue to intensify its enforcement activities to ensure vape products sold in the market comply with the provisions of the Republic Act (RA) 11900 (Vaporized Nicotine and NonNicotine Products Regulation Act).

O fficials of these groups also expressed “high expectations” on the government body to pursue a child-friendly interpretation of the law and that the DTI ensure strict enforcement of the law to protect children from the marketing tactics of the tobacco and vape industry.

The enforcement must include banning youth-centric marketing strategies as well as restricting flavors of e-cigarettes and vapes to conventional tobacco and menthol.

The groups noted that the implementing rules and regulations of RA 11900 took effect on December 28, 2022, giving vape manufacturers

and importers an 18-month transitory period or until June 5, 2024, to comply with product registration and certification requirements.

“We distinctly note DTI’s emphasis on monitoring the sale of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) that violate the restrictions on flavor descriptors and marketing strategies that directly cater to the youth and children. This is a step in the right direction in the journey toward ending the epidemic of e-cigarette use among younger generations,” the organizations’ statement read.

Welcomes commitment

THE organizations continued that they “welcome DTI’s commitment to implement stricter regulation of vape products.”

Nonetheless, they “must emphasize that much is needed to strictly regulate this industry that has long enjoyed loopholes in the country’s rules and regulations. The [IRR] of RA 11900 may contain acceptable standards, but these may be all for naught if not fully implemented,” they added.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that its personnel shot and killed last Saturday night a person believed to be among those behind the brazen killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo.

A statement issued last Sunday by the PNP though Col. Redrico “Red” A. Maranan, its public information office chief, said the suspect, who remained unidentified, was shot by policemen and soldiers after he allegedly fired at the operating forces.

At around 9:00 in the evening of March 4, 2023, joint elements of PRO 7 (Police Regional Office 7), 62nd SAC (Special Action Company) and Philippine Army, while on pursuit operations against the remaining suspects, neutralized one suspect who fired at the operating elements in Sitio Punong, Barangay Cansumalig, Bayawan City,” the statement read.

“During the exchange of fire, the unidentified suspect incurred fatal gunshot wounds resulting in his death. Right now, continuous efforts are made to identify the dead suspect and to arrest the remaining perpetrators,” it added.

Suspects nabbed

GUNMEN clad in camouflage clothes and armed with assault rifles broke into the compound of Degamo at Barangay Nuebe, Pamplona, Negros Oriental, and shot him at around 9:40 a.m. Some said he was presiding over the distribution of the government’s cash assistance program that time. Eight others were killed during the attack while more than 40 were reportedly wounded.

T he attackers, said to be numbering six, escaped onboard three vehicles. Maranan said these vehicles were recovered at Barangay Cansumalig in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, where they were apparently abandoned.

T he recovery of the getaway

CJ optimistic of strong Shari’ah justice system Theft cases at airport irk solon, calls for urgent talks with DOTr

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

CHIEF Justice Alexander G.

Gesmundo led the opening of the first National Shari’ah Summit, which is aimed to integrate the “Islamic way of life” into the country’s judicial system.

I n his speech last Sunday, CJ

Gesmundo told delegates that the 2-day summit was held in line with the Supreme Court justices’ commitment during their visit in Marawi City in September last year to address the issues of Filipino Muslims.

Part of the objectives of the summit, according to the Chief Justice, is to conduct a review of the overall performance of the Shari’ah justice system, identify the strengths and weakness in the various aspects of the Shariah justice system that promote or impede their efficiency, examine the societal and cultural contexts and identify the opportunities and threats that affect func -

tioning of a sound Shari’ah justice system and define the implication for strengthening the Shari’ah justice system and identify the appropriate comprehensive and longterm reform direction.

In order to achieve the summit’s objectives, Gesmundo said a study in the creation of additional Shari’ah courts outside of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and its implications on the current Shari’ah courts will have to be conducted.

‘Sure, optimistic’

THE Committee on Shari’ah Justice led by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen as chairman and Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao as vice chairman will also assess the possibility of expanding the jurisdiction of the Shari’ah courts, to include both criminal and commercial cases.

A feasibility study will also be conducted on the formal organization of the Shari’ah High Court.

“We are sure and optimistic that this Shari’ah Summit will achieve its goal of strengthening the Shari’ah justice system,” the Chief Justice said. “Truly, this day will usher a new beginning not just for the Shari’ah justice system but also for our judicial system in general.”

Gesmundo also raised the possibility of amending the Shari’ah Rules of Court in order to make court proceedings and processes “more user-friendly, more understandable to ordinary court users, and thereby more transparent.”

In line with this, he proposed the establishment of a helpdesk per court stations to assist lawyers and litigants needing Shari-ah court-related information and services.

Around 300 300 members of the legal profession, including justices, judges, prosecutors, and lawyers from all branches of government have committed their participation in the historic event held at Limketkai Luxe Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City.

Govt

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G.

Romualdez asked for an urgent meeting with officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) following the embarrassing and alarming stealing from tourists at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

R omualdez said the recent incident of stealing from a Thai tourist at the Naia by erring personnel of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) is very embarrassing and alarming.

W ith this, the lawmaker recommended the firing of all OTS personnel.

R omualdez said he asked for a meeting this week at the House of Representatives with officials of the DOTr to discuss the incident at the Naia.

“Attracting tourists should be

vehicles led to the arrest of three suspects at around 4:20 p.m. at Sitio Punong, also in Cansumalig, by combined forces from the Bayawan Municipal Police Station, PNP-SAF and the Army.

R eports reaching the PNP Command Center identified those arrested as: Joric Labrador, 50, of Cagayan de Oro City; Joven Aber, 42, of Barangay Robles, La Castellana, Negros Oriental; and, Benjie Rodriguez, 45, of Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental. Labrador and Aber were former soldiers.

Police recovered a Springfield .45 caliber pistol, ammunition and ID cards from the arrested suspects. Maranan said revelations from the arrested suspects resulted in the recovery of the following: five M-16 rifles; two B-40 ( RPG) with five ammunition; four fully loaded bandolier with plates; a rifle case; two combat uniforms; a grey sweatshirt; three pairs of combat shoes; magazines for .45 caliber pistol; cartridges for M-16 rifles; and, two bullet-proof vests.

‘Worrying escalation’

THE Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) has condemned Degamo’s murder and called on authorities to arrest all the suspects, including those behind three attacks against local officials last month. These brutalities and senseless attacks mark a worrying escalation of violence that no cause can ever justify. The deplorable and cowardly acts targeting local officials is an affront to our democracy and rule of law and must stop immediately,” Ulap said in a statement.

“ We call for all perpetrators to be held accountable the soonest possible time,” it added.

ULAP President and Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo E. Cua expressed regret at Degamo’s murder. Cua said he “worked closely” with the slain official and “witnessed firsthand his efforts to serve not only his province, but the whole country.”

Former war-torn Davao de Oro villages get P19 million aid

a priority, and an incident such as this doesn’t help us in encouraging visitors to our country,” he added.

The Speaker said he would recommend to Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista the replacement of all OTS personnel.

“It sounds a bit extreme but circumstances call for extreme measures. If a government personnel commits criminal acts against foreign visitors the minute they landed at the airport, it says a lot about our country,” he said. “It needs to be addressed sternly.”

Romualdez also proposes that the DoTR allow OTS personnel with good records to re-apply for their posts.

When re-applying, he said, the qualifications of OTS personnel should be subjected to the highest standards of public service and, if necessary, subject them to a lie detector test and re-training as new recruits.

steps up efforts to curb impact of Mindoro’s oil

on its operations on site and the joint efforts on shoreline cleanup operations, site assessments, surveillance to determine the exact location of the sunken tanker, and protection of marine ecosystems among others. Meanwhile, the DENR Environmental Management Bureau MIMAROPA continues its cleanup operations using locally available oil-absorbent materials. The DENR-EMB is currently installing provisional spill booms made of cogon and sawali.

T hese barriers are precautions to prevent the oil spill from reaching the beach and mangrove areas of Pola,

Oriental Mindoro.

T he DENR is also coordinating with Semirara Mining and Power Corporation to help and assist in the cleanup operations in Caluya, Antique.

T he DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau, will conduct a concurrent site assessment of the 53-ha mangrove area in Pola, Oriental Mindoro that may be potentially affected by the oil slick.

Petron joins in PETRON Corporation has started helping out in the oil spill incident.

T hrough Waterborne Industry Oil Spill Equipment (WISE) Philippines,

whose members also include other oil companies in the country, Petron facilitated the deployment of oil spill equipment needed to contain the product. The WISE vessel reached the incident site last March 1, and is working with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Petron clarified that MT Princess Empress was not carrying products from the Petron Bataan Refinery nor does it own the fuel oil cargo the tanker was carrying when it capsized in Oriental Mindoro early morning of February 28.

“ With major investments for the enhancement of our Refinery, Petron has stopped producing fuel oil since

DAVAO CITY—The regional Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD-XI) granted P19-million worth of financial assistance to 66 people’s organizations based in villages of Davao de Oro province that were former battlegrounds between government troops and New People’s Army guerrillas.

T he DSWD XI said the money was intended to improve the socioeconomic status of former conflict-affected communities of the province, formerly called Compostela Valley.

W ilfredo R. Planas, provincial coordinator of the DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), said each peoples’ organization received P300,000 as start-up capital for their chosen project or business.

“ We conducted constant monthly monitoring of our identified SLP associations in the province to ensure there would be development,” Planas said. Manuel T. Cayon

2016. Nonetheless, the company is one with the industry in extending assistance in the oil spill incident, heeding the call of DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla,” Petron said in a statement.

T he Petron Bataan Refinery and Petron Mabini Terminal have also helped the oil spill response team headed by the PCG and DENR by making available the oil firm’s oil spill teams and equipment to further aid in containment and clearing operations.  Petron’s refinery and operations personnel are adequately trained in operational safety, disaster preparedness, and emergency response including handling oil spills, the oil firm said.

spill

‘Agricultural goods are protected under RCEP’

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

subject to tariff when we export to the 14 countries.”

T he RCEP is unlike the free trade agreement between Korea and the Philippines which was completed in August 2021 but has yet to be ratified by the Senate.

T he bilateral trade agreement allows the tariff free export of the country’s top agriculture exports namely, mangoes, pineapples, and bananas to South Korea.

Patalinghug said.

T he level playing field that is afforded to RCEP members was also cited by former University of the Philippines Diliman School of Economics Dean Ramon L. Clarete.

Clarete said the trade deal will allow the Philippines to have “legal access” to the markets of RCEP members at “better rates than non-members.”

University of the Philippines Prof. Emeritus Epictetus Patalinghug told BusinessMirror that agriculture remains protected under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

W hile this prevents farm imports from flooding the local market, the protection also works in reverse, preventing the Philippines from increasing its agriculture ex-

ports to RCEP countries.

“Agriculture products are still protected under RCEP. This means the 14 other RCEP members cannot flood the Philippine market with their agricultural exports to protect our farmers and fisherfolks,” Patalinghug said in an email to this newspaper.

“

But the reverse also holds. Our agricultural exports to the 14 other members of RCEP will be

T his tariff-free entry in the Korean market will be reciprocated by Manila via lower tariffs on Korean vehicles and parts entering the Philippine market.

The long run benefit of RCEP is to put us on equal footing with fellow Asean members competing to export to China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand tariff free. RCEP membership puts us on the same level playing field,”

But, Clarete said, supply chain issues that continue to be a bane on global trade will plague efforts to maximize the benefits of RCEP for members, including the Philippines. Its benefits will not be immediate for the same reason why global trade has slowed down. Supply chain problems could not be undone with our accession to RCEP,” Clarete told the BusinessMirror

Nonetheless, former Tariff Commissioner George B. Manzano said the trade deal could help the coun-

try’s manufacturing sector through better access to production networks.

Manzano said accessing global production networks means the country can gain access to electronics and machinery needed to boost the performance of the country’s manufacturing sector.

He added being an RCEP member will make the Philippines an attractive market for investments compared to non-members of the trade deal.

Membership in the RCEP can bolster the attractiveness of the Philippines in attracting investments in these product clusters relative to other Asean countries that have already ratified the RCEP. Of course, investments will take more time, but the Philippines will have a more pronounced presence in the investment radar,” Manzano told the BusinessMirror

Earlier, the Standard & Poor’s

(S&P) Global Market Intelligence said the Philippine Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) slipped to 52.7 in February from January’s seven-month high of 53.5.

T he think tank reported that the country’s manufacturing sector was saddled by port congestion which weighed on vendor performance.

W hile the S&P Global noted that “solid demand” continues to drive growth across the Philippine manufacturing sector, it said February data did reveal some “areas of concerns.”

Maryam Baluch, Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence said ongoing supply chain concerns “continued to remain a drag on the sector,” adding that “supplier performance worsened further, and to a greater extent, as material scarcity, port congestion and difficult transportation conditions resulted in a further lengthening of average lead times.”

Cotabato City farmers get livestock support from Bangsamoro govt

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Farmers from Cotabato City received livestock support worth P2.135 million from the Bangsamoro Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (Mafar).

Mafar Senior Agriculturist See-

ham Pangol said 675 heads of freerange native chicken worth P337,500 were given to 43 farmers and one farmers’ association.

T hree hundred native goats worth P1.8 million were also distributed to 95 farmers and seven associations from 37 barangays in Cotabato City.

T he Cotabato City Agriculture Office assisted the Mafar in the distribution of the farm animals.

Disumimba Rasheed, assistant to the Provincial Director for Special Geographical Area and Cotabato City, said the animals should increase farmers’ profit through chicken and goat production.

For the first time, Mafar and the Cotabato City government engaged in these collaborative efforts and initiatives which aim to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihood

Base to build sustainable homes for Davao-based banana workers

man Clemente. “We’ve been planning for the past three to four years, and our dream is now a reality.”

A OFF’s affiliate company, TADECO, has a huge bamboo production that is being utilized for a banana plantation and for housing development purposes. Prior to starting the housing project, Base built a treatment facility for AOFF in 2020 to elevate the quality of the bamboo material as structural grade for construction purposes with an eye to building the two-storey homes for AOFF’s banana workers and other structures of hospitality purposes. Mindanao is home to different species of bamboo that can be used for structures.

of our partner farmers in the city,” Disumimba said.

Guianodin Abdilah, the secretary to Mayor Mohammad Ali D. Matabalao, expressed gratitude for the assistance from the Mafar and hoped that “every beneficiary should consider the support as everyone’s religious obligation in taking care of it.”

“ Your utmost care for this project is crucial, and hopefully, it will bring

positive outcomes to be the source of your additional income in the future,” Abdilah said.

Both Aragon Lauban Sanday of Kalanganan II and Noraisa Amirol of Tamontaka said the assistance was “a blessing for them wherein they could soon support their grandchildren in their studies.”

Rayhana Aguiao of the Al-Sef Farmers and Fisherfolks Association in Ka-

langanan II assured the Bangsamoro government of “our commitment to take good care of this livestock.”

Cotabato City Supervising Agriculturist Officer Roy Jesus Fiesta urged all the beneficiaries to take good care of the animals and to multiply them.

“We will closely monitor this project and let us see if we will provide rewards to those who perform well in taking care of their respective animals.”

BASE Bahay Foundation (Base) has partnered with the Don Antonio O. Floirendo Sr. Foundation Inc. (AOFF), the CSR arm of the ANFLO Group of Companies, to provide sustainable housing for banana workers and their families in Davao.

T he housing project leverages

Base’s expertise and innovations to realize AOFF’s vision of uplifting the local community.

T hrough the partnership to provide affordable and disaster-resilient housing, Base is constructing twostorey duplex houses that are sturdy and made of high-quality bamboo. Designed to maximize space, the duplex house has one bedroom, a restroom, and a shower on the ground floor, and two rooms on the second floor, with the total floor area of each housing unit at 41.7 sqm and 83.4 sqm for the whole duplex housing.

At the heart of each home is Base’s Cement Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT). Certified by the Accreditation of Innovative Technologies for Housing, Base’s CBFT can resist typhoons with wind speeds of up to 250 kph, as well as earthquakes, based on the values in the National Structural Code of the Philippines. The bamboo is also treated for termites, making it as durable as other conventional housing materials.

“ This project started with a vision—a vision to build sustainable houses for our employees and their families. One of the most unique features of this house is the use of bamboo in the construction of the houses making it environmentfriendly,” said Maria Cristina Brias, AOFF President, at the groundbreaking ceremony.

This project involves resiliency,” adds AOFF Executive Director Nor-

A ccording to the World Risk Report of 2022, the Philippines ranked first among other countries on the disaster risk index. Utilizing alternative materials for construction projects, which provide structural integrity, safety, and reliability with no negative impacts to the environment, is a practical way forward for many communities to address the housing needs of their peoples. “ Our partnership with AOFF demonstrates what is possible when the right technology is combined with materials that are abundant in the area,” said Pablo Jorillo, Base Bahay Foundation General Manager.

“Our work with AOFF, providing durable and permanent housing, is just the first step toward realizing the community’s goals of providing for education, healthcare, economic upliftment, and preservation of culture. We’re proud to be helping make a significant impact in the lives of banana workers and their families through the AOFF and TADECO.”

Base is a non-profit organization that provides alternative building technologies and the pioneer in bamboo construction in the Philippines. Through its network of partners, the organization has worked to build over 1,200 comfortable, affordable, disaster-resilient, and environmentfriendly houses all over the country with some 5,000 individuals sheltered in 14 communities.

THE regional free trade agreement recently ratified by the Senate will not necessarily lead to an increase in agricultural exports, according to local economists.

The World

China sets 2023’s economic growth target at ‘around 5%’

By Joe Mcdonald The Associated Press

Premier Li Keqiang, the top economic official, set this year’s growth target at “around 5%” following the end of anti-virus controls that kept millions of people a t home and triggered protests.

Last year’s growth in the world’s second-largest economy fell to 3%, the second-weakest level since at least the 1970s.

“We should give priority to the recovery and expansion of consumption,” Li said in a speech on go vernment plans before the ceremonial National People’s Congress i n the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

The full meeting of the 2,977 members of the NPC is the year’s highest-profile event but its work is limited to endorsing decisions made by the ruling Communist Party and showcasing official initiatives.

This month, the NPC is due to endorse the appointment of a government of Xi loyalists including a new premier after the 69-yearold president expanded his status as China’s most powerful figure in decades by awarding himself a third five-year term as party general secretary in October, possibly p reparing to become leader for life.

Li, an advocate of free enterprise, was forced out as the No. 2 party leader in October.

Xi’s new leadership team will face challenges ranging from weak global demand for exports and lingering US tariff hikes in a feud over technology and security to curbs on access to Western processor chips due to security fears.

S eparately, the Ministry of Finance announced a 7.2 percent b udget increase for the ruling party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, to 1.55 trillion yuan ($224 billion), the 29th straight annual increase. China’s military spending is the world’s second highest after the United States. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute s ays the two countries together account for half of global military

Biden seen tightening rules on US investment in China

By Aamer Madhani & Fatima Hussein The Associated Press

WILMINGTON, Del.—The

outlays.

Li’s report called for boosting consumer spending by increasing household incomes but gave n o details in his unusually brief, 53-minute speech. It was less than half the length of work reports in some previous years.

The premier called for “building up our country’s strength a nd self-reliance in science and technology,” an area in which Beijing’s state-led efforts to create competitors in electric cars, c lean energy, telecoms and other fields have strained relations with Washington and other trading partners. They complain China steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology a nd improperly subsidizes and shields its fledgling competitors in violation of its market-opening commitments.

Xi earlier singled out encouraging jittery consumers and entrepreneurs to spend and invest a s a priority at the ruling party’s economic planning meeting in December.

Beijing needs to “fully release consumption potential,” Xi said, according to a text released last month.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has promoted an even more dominant role for the ruling party. He h as called for the party to return to its “original mission” as China’s economic, social and cultural leader and carry out the “rejuvenation o f the great Chinese nation.”

Xi has crushed dissent, stepped up censorship and control over information, and tightened control o ver Hong Kong.

Xi’s government has tightened control over e-commerce and other tech companies with anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns t hat wiped billions of dollars off their stock market value.

Beijing is pressing them to pay for social welfare and official initiatives to develop processor chips and other technology. That has prompted warnings economic

growth will suffer.

Li’s report Sunday reinforced the importance of state industry. It promised to support entrepreneurs who generate jobs a nd wealth but also said the government will “enhance the core c ompetitiveness” of state-owned companies that dominate industries from banking and energy to t elecoms and steel.

Li also called for “resolute steps” to oppose formal independence for Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing as part of its territory. He called for “peaceful reunification” between China and Taiwan, which split in 1949 after a civil war, but announced no initiatives.

Taiwan never has been part of the People’s Republic of China, but Beijing says it is obligated to unite with the mainland, by force if necessary. Xi’s government has stepped up efforts to intimidate the island by flying fighter jets and bombers nearby and firing missiles into the ocean.

Chinese economic growth has struggled since mid-2021, when tighter controls on debt that Beijing worries is dangerously high t riggered a slump in the vast real estate industry, which supports millions of jobs. Smaller developers were forced into bankruptcy a nd some defaulted on bonds, causing alarm in global financial markets.

Longer term, the workforce has been shrinking for a decade, putting pressure on plans to increase China’s wealth and global i nfluence.

Consumer spending is gradually recovering, but the International Monetary Fund and some p rivate sector forecasters expect economic growth this year as low as 4.4%, well below the official target.

A measure of factory activity rose to a nine-year high in February. Other measures of activity i ncluding the number of subway

Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 19; 3 still missing

By Tatan Syuflana & Niniek Karmini

Press

Associated

The

JAKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesian rescuers and firefighters on Sunday searched for three people who were still missing after a large fire spread from a fuel storage depot in the capital and killed at least 19 people.

The Plumpang fuel storage station, operated by state-run oil and gas company Pertamina, is near a densely populated area in the Tanah Merah neighborhood in North Jakarta. It supplies 25% of Indonesia’s fuel needs.

At least 260 firefighters and 52 fire engines extinguished the blaze just before midnight on Friday after it tore through the neighborhood for more than two hours, fire officials said.

Footage showed hundreds of people running in panic as thick plumes of black smoke and orange flames filled the sky.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the fire-hit areas on Sunday morning to reassure people that the government would help those in need.

Widodo said he has ordered the minister of state-owned enterprises and the Jakarta governor to immediately find a way to relocate residents away from the fuel storage area or to move the depot away from the neighborhood.

“Not only in here, but all stateowned vital objects must be audited and re-evaluated to determine a safe buffer zone for the community, because this involves human life,” Widodo told reporters after visiting a temporary shelter for displaced people in North Jakarta’s Koja neighborhood. National police chief Gen. Listyo

passengers and express deliveries rose.

A c entral bank official said Friday real estate activity is recovering and lending for construction a nd home purchases is rising.

A recovery based on consumer spending is likely to be more gradual than one driven by government s timulus or a boom in real estate investment. But Chinese leaders are trying to avoid reigniting a rise in debt and want to nurture self-sustaining growth based on consumption instead of exports and investment.

The official in line to become premier is Li Qiang, a former party secretary of Shanghai who is close to Xi but has no government experience at the national l evel. Li Qiang was named No. 2 party leader in October.

That reflects Xi’s emphasis on promoting officials with whom he has personal history and bypassing party tradition that leadership candidates need experience a s Cabinet ministers or in other national-level posts.

If achieved, the official growth target would be an improvement over last year but down sharply from 2021’s 8.1%.

Last year’s slump had global repercussions, depressing Chinese sales of autos and consumer goods and demand for oil, food and other imports. Even after the end of a nti-virus curbs, auto sales fell by double digits in January and retail sales contracted.

Entrepreneurs and foreign companies have been rattled by tighter p olitical controls.

Foreign business groups said last year global companies were shifting investment plans away from China because travel curbs blocked executives from visiting the country.

Li, the premier, tried to reassure foreign investors by promising to open Chinese markets wider a nd repeating official pledges of equal treatment with domestic enterprises.

“China is sure to provide even greater business opportunities for foreign companies,” he said.

The party has indicated its tech crackdown is winding down but has given no sign it is backing off a campaign to tighten political control over the industry.

Entrepreneurs were shaken anew in mid-February when a star banker, Bao Fan, who was involved in some of the biggest tech d eals, disappeared. His company announced last week Bao was “cooperating in an investigation” but g ave no details.

said the fire began to spread about 20 minutes later, causing panic.

Biden administration is close to tightening rules on some overseas investments by US companies in an effort to limit China’s ability to acquire technologies that could improve its military prowess, according to a US official familiar with the deliberations.

The soon-to-be-issued executive order from President Joe Biden will limit American investment in advanced technologies that have national security applications—such as next-generation military capabilities that could help China improve the speed and accuracy of military decision making, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The expected action is the latest effort by the White House to target China’s military and technology sectors at a time of increasingly fraught relations between the world’s two biggest economies.

In October, the Biden administration imposed export controls to limit China’s ability to access advanced chips, which it says can be used to make weapons, commit human rights abuses and improve the speed and accuracy of its military logistics.

The complicated relationship has become further strained in recent weeks after the US shot down a Chinese spy balloon last month that traversed the country. The Biden administration has also publicized US intelligence findings that raise concern Beijing is weighing providing Russia weaponry for its ongoing war on Ukraine.

The tensions were on display as top diplomats from the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations ended a contentious meeting in New Delhi on Thursday with no consensus on the Ukraine war and concerns about China’s widening global influence dominating much of the talks.

Meanwhile, China this past week blasted the new House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party after it held its first hearing on countering Beijing’s influence. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning demanded its members “discard their ideological bias and zero-sum Cold War mentality.” Administration officials have been consulting with allies as they’ve worked on formulating the new regulations on US investment, according to the official.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Saturday that the Treasury and Commerce departments delivered reports to lawmakers on Friday detailing plans for the new regulatory system to address US overseas investment in advanced technologies. The agencies said they expected to seek additional money for the investment-screening program in the White House budget, which is set to be released on March 9, according to the Journal.

A White House National Security Council spokesperson declined to comment on the Treasury and Commerce reports, but noted that administration officials have kept Congress apprised on its progress in crafting an approach to overseas investment. The expected action is certain to face pushback from US firms. Administration officials have sought to signal to the business community that even as they look to examine rules on US investment in China, they are mindful of not overreaching.

“One of the most important things we can do, from my perspective, is make sure that we draw clear lines between what is competition and what is national security because, fundamentally, my view is that the United States does well when we’re competing on a level playing field with any country in the world,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said at recent Council on Foreign Relations event. “But we also want, in the narrow spaces where we see national security risk, be able to use the tools at our disposal to protect the national security of the United States of America.”

A bipartisan group of lawmakers last year urged Biden to establish a tougher screening system for investments in foreign adversaries with China being top of mind.

China seeks ‘peaceful reunification’ with Taiwan in Li Keqiang report

CHINA largely kept its language regarding Taiwan the same in an annual report to the nation’s legislature, suggesting that President Xi Jinping is maintaining its policy toward the self-ruled island even as global tensions increase.

Sigit Prabowo said a preliminary investigation showed the fire was caused by a technical problem involving excess pressure as the depot received fuel from Pertamina’s Balongan Refinery in West Java province.

“It was found that a fire occurred during a filling of Pertamax fuel,” Listyo told a news conference late Saturday, referring to a type of fuel oil produced by Pertamina.

He didn’t elaborate as investigators from Pertamina and the police were still working to confirm the cause of the fire, including by questioning dozens of witnesses and examining video recordings from surveillance cameras.

Residents living near the depot said they smelled a strong odor of gasoline, causing some people to vomit, after which thunder rumbled twice, followed by a huge explosion.

Sri Haryati, a mother of three,

“I was crying and immediately grabbed our valuable documents and ran with my husband and children,” Haryati said, adding that she heard smaller blasts that echoed across the neighborhood as orange flames jumped from the depot. Rescuers were still searching for three people who were reported missing. About 35 people were receiving treatment in five hospitals, some of them in critical condition.

Listyo said more than 1,300 people were displaced and taking shelter in 10 government offices, a Red Cross command post and a sport stadium.

Pertamina’s head Nicke Widyawati apologized and said the company would provide help to the community and cooperate in the investigation.

“We will carry out a thorough evaluation and reflection internally to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” Widyawati said in a statement, adding that the company ensured the safe supply of fuel oil.

“We should promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the process of China’s peaceful reunification,” Premier Li Keqiang said in a work report to the National People’s Congress, which kicked off in Beijing on Sunday.  China should “adhere to the one China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and take resolute steps to oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ and promote reunification,” he added. The consensus refers to an informal compromise with Taipei that stipulates that Taiwan is part of China but doesn’t specify what “China” means, allowing each side to retain its own definition.

Beijing has long considered the democratically ruled Taiwan as its territory, and has framed any support for the island’s leaders as a violation of sovereignty. The government in Taipei says that it is already a de facto nation in need of more recognition on the world stage.

The US’s top uniformed officer, General Mark Milley, told Congress last year that President Xi Jinping wanted the ability to overrun Taiwan by 2027. While Xi has pushed for military modernization efforts to ensure his forces are capable of overtaking the island if necessary, China’s now-Foreign Minister Qin Gang said last year that speculation Beijing had moved up the timeline for an attack was “baseless.”

“As we Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family bound by blood, we should advance economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait and improve the systems and policies that contribute to the wellbeing of our Taiwan compatriots,” Li said on Sunday. “We should encourage people on both sides of the Strait to jointly promote Chinese culture and advance China’s rejuvenation.”

China’s parliament — the National People’s Congress — kicked off Sunday in Beijing and will end on March 13. Lawmakers will hear how the country’s top leaders plan to restart the economic growth engine and rejig the government to strengthen the party’s control. Bloomberg News

BEIJING—China’s government announced plans for a consumer-led revival of the struggling economy as its legislature opened a session Sunday that will tighten President Xi Jinping’s control over business and society.

President Joe Biden speaks as he meets with German Chancellor Olaf scholz in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Friday, March 3, 2023. the Biden administration is close to finalizing new regulations that would tighten rules on certain overseas Us investment, a move aimed at limiting Beijing’s ability to acquire advanced technologies. that’s according to a Us of ficial familiar with deliberations that was not authorized to comment. AP Photo/Su SA n WA l S h

CHinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks during the opening session of China’s national People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on sunday, March 5, 2023. AP Photo/ng hAn guAn

Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms

By Mstyslav Chernov The Associated Press

China expands defense budget 7.2%, marking slight increase

China on Sunday announced a 7.2 percent increase in its defense budget for the coming year, up slightly from last year’s 7.1 percent rate of increase.

That marks the eighth consecutive year of single-digit percentage point increases in what is now the world’s second-largest military budget. The 2023 figure was given as 1.55 trillion yuan ($224 billion), roughly double the figure from 2013.

a l ong with the world’s biggest standing army, China has the world’s largest navy and recently launched its third aircraft carrier. a c cording to the US, it also has the largest aviation force in the i nd o-Pacific, with more than half of its fighter planes consisting of fourth or fifth generation models.

China also boasts a massive stockpile of missiles, along with stealth aircraft, bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons, advanced surface ships and nuclear powered submarines.

a woman was killed and two m en were badly wounded by shelling while trying to cross a makeshift bridge out of the city in Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian troops who were assisting them.

a U krainian army representative who asked not to be n amed for operational reasons told The a s sociated Press that it was now too dangerous for civilians to leave Bakhmut by vehicle and that people had to flee on foot instead.

Bakhmut has for months

been a prime target of Moscow’s grinding eastern offensive in the war, with Russian troops, including forces from the private Wagner Group, inching e ver closer.

a n a P t eam near Bakhmut on Saturday saw a pontoon bridge set up by Ukrainian soldiers to help the few remaining residents reach the nearby village o f Khromove. Later they saw at least five houses on fire as a result of attacks in Khromove.

Ukrainian units over the past 36 hours destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to the nearby town of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to U.K. military intelligence officials and other Western analysts.

T he U.K. defense ministry said in the latest of its regular Twitter updates that the destruction of the bridges came a s Russian fighters made further inroads into Bakhmut’s n orthern suburbs.

The i n stitute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think

tank, assessed late on Friday that Kyiv’s actions may point to a looming pullout from parts of the city. i t s aid Ukrainian troops may “conduct a limited and controlled withdrawal from particularly difficult sections of eastern Bakhmut,” while seeking to inhibit Russian movement there and limit exit routes to the west.

Capturing Bakhmut would not only give Russian fighters a rare battlefield gain after months of setbacks, but it

m ight rupture Ukraine’s supply lines and allow the Kremlin’s forces to press toward other Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region.

Civilians spoke about daily struggles as the fighting raged on nearly nonstop, reducing much of Bakhmut to rubble.

h u sband and wife h e nnadiy Mazepa and n a talia i s hkova, who chose to remain in the city, said they lack food and basic utilities.

hu manitarian (aid) is given to us only once a month. There is no electricity, no water, no gas,”

i s hkova told a P on S aturday.

“ i pray to God that all who remain here will survive,” she added.

a t t he United n a tions on Friday, deputy spokesman Farhan h a q said U n humanitarian staff reported “intensive h ostilities” near Bakhmut and the few humanitarian partners on the ground were focusing on evacuating the most vulnerable.

a l so Saturday, Russia’s defense chief traveled to eastern U kraine to inspect troops and award them with state decorations, the Defense Ministry

s aid.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited a command post where he was briefed by regional commander Rustam Muradov, according to a video published by the ministry. i t did not disclose the command post’s location.

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s emergency services reported in the m orning that the death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit a five-story apartment building in southern Ukraine on Thursday rose to 11.

Emergency services said in an online statement that rescuers pulled three more bodies f rom the wreckage overnight, some 36 hours after a Russian missile tore through four floors of the building in the riverside city of Zaporizhzhia. a child was among those reported killed, and the rescue effort was ongoing.

Russian shelling on Saturday also killed two residents o f front-line communities in the surrounding Zaporizhzhia region, the local military administration reported.

a 57-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man also died in n i kopol, a town farther west near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as Russian forces fired artillery shells and rockets at Ukrainian-held territory across the Dnieper River, r egional Gov. Serhiy Lysak reported.

i n t he western city of Lviv, hundreds of kilometers from the front lines, Ukrainian Pres -

ident Volodymyr Zelenskyy met S aturday with the head of the European Union parliament. h o urs earlier, Zelenskyy held talks with US a t torney General Merrick Garland and top European legal officials on how to h old Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine.

i n a j oint press briefing with Zelenskyy, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said that “all those responsible” for suspected Russian war cr imes in Ukraine, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, must be brought to justice before a durable peace is a chieved.

Metsola voiced support for the EU’s announcement Thursday that an international center f or the prosecution of the crime of aggression—the act of invading another country—would be s et up in The h a gue. She also called for Ukraine to start negotiations on joining the 27-nation bloc as early a s this year and urged Western nations to keep arming Kyiv as it battles Russian forces in the east and south.

The EU agreed in June to put Ukraine on a path toward membership, setting in motion a process that could take years or even decades. ho wever, Moscow’s invasion and Ukraine’s r equest for fast-track consideration have lent urgency to the ne gotiations. “Ukraine’s future is in the European Union. We will walk all the way with you,” Metsola said on Twitter late Friday.

UN nuclear head says iran pledges more access for iAEA inspectors

By Stephanie Liechtenstein & Joseph Krauss

The Associated Press

Vi E n na The head of the U n s nuclear agency said

Saturday that i r an pledged to restore cameras and other monitoring equipment at its nuclear sites and to allow more inspections at a facility where particles of uranium enriched to near weaponsgrade were recently detected.

But a joint statement issued by the i nternational a t omic Energy a g ency and i r an’s nuclear body only gave vague assurances that Tehran would address longstanding complaints about the access it gives the watchdog’s inspectors to its disputed nuclear program.

i a E a Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi met with i r anian President Ebrahim Raisi and other top officials in Tehran earlier Saturday.

“Over the past few months, there was a reduction in some of the monitoring activities” related to cameras and other equipment “which were not operating,” Grossi

told reporters upon his return to Vienna. “We have agreed that those will be operating again.” h e d id not provide details about which equipment would be restored or how soon it would happen, but appeared to be referring to i r an’s removal of surveillance cameras from its nuclear sites in June 2022, during an earlier standoff with the ia E a “ These are not words. This is very concrete,” Grossi said of the assurances he received in Tehran.

h i s first visit to i r an in a year came days after the ia E a reported that uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 percent—just short of weapons-grade—were found in i r an’s underground Fordo nuclear site.

The confidential quarterly report by the nuclear watchdog, which was distributed to member nations Tuesday, came as tensions were already high amid months of anti-government protests in i r an and Western anger at its export of attack drones to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine. The ia E a report said inspectors

in January found that two cascades of i R -6 centrifuges at Fordo were configured in a way “substantially different” to what i r an had previously declared. That raised concerns that i r an was speeding up its enrichment.

Grossi said the i r anians had agreed to boost inspections at the facility by 50 percent. h e a lso confirmed the agency’s findings that there has not been any “production or accumulation” of uranium at the higher enrichment level, “which is a very high level.”

i r an has sought to portray any highly enriched uranium particles as a minor byproduct of enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, which it has been doing openly for some time.

The chief of i r an’s nuclear program, Mohammad Eslami, acknowledged the findings of the i a E a report at a news conference with Grossi in Tehran but said their “ambiguity” had been resolved.

n o nproliferation experts say Tehran has no civilian use for uranium enriched to even 60%. a s tockpile of material enriched to

90%, the level needed for weapons, could quickly be used to produce an atomic bomb, if i r an chooses.

i r an’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers limited Tehran’s uranium stockpile and capped enrichment at 3.67 percent—enough to fuel a nuclear power plant. it also barred nuclear enrichment at Fordo, which was built deep inside a mountain in order to withstand aerial attacks.

The US unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018, reimposing crushing sanctions on i r an, which then began openly breaching the deal’s restrictions. Efforts by the Biden administration, European countries and i r an to negotiate a return to the deal reached an impasse last summer. The joint statement issued Saturday said i r an “expressed its readiness to continue its cooperation and provide further information and access to address the outstanding safeguards issues.”

That was a reference to a separate set of issues from the highly enriched particles. Krauss reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

China spent 1.7 percent of GDP on its military in 2021, according to the World Bank, while the US, with its massive overseas obligations, spent a relatively high 3.5 percent.

a l though no longer increasing at the double-digit annual percentage rates of past decades, China’s defense spending has remained relatively high despite skyrocketing levels of government debt and an economy that grew last year at its second-lowest level in at least four decades.

Li set a growth target of “around 5%” in his address, as he announced plans for a consumer-led revival of the economy still struggling to shake off the effects of “zero-Covid.”

While the government says most of the spending increases will go toward improving welfare for troops, the PL a has greatly expanded its overseas presence in recent years.

The 2 million-member People’s Liberation a r my is the military wing of the ruling Communist Party, commanded by a party commission led by president and party leader Xi Jinping.

i n h is report Sunday to the annual session of China’s rubber-stamp parliament, Premier Li Keqiang said that over the past year, “We remained committed to the Party’s absolute leadership over the people’s armed forces.”

“The people’s armed forces intensified efforts to enhance their political loyalty, to strengthen themselves through reform, scientific and technological advances, and personnel training, and to practice lawbased governance,” Li said.

Li touched on what he called a number of “major achievements” in national defense and military development that have made the PL a a “more modernized and capable fighting force.” h e o ffered no details but cited the armed forces’ contributions to border defense, maritime rights protection, counterterrorism and stability maintenance, disaster rescue and relief, the escorting of merchant ships and China’s draconian “zero-Covid” strategy that entailed lockdowns, quarantines and other coercive measures.

“We should consolidate and enhance integration of national strategies and strategic capabilities and step up capacity building in science, technology and industries related to national defense.” That includes promoting “mutual support between civilian sectors and the military,” he said.

China has already established one foreign military base in the h o rn of a f rica nation of Djibouti and is refurbishing Cambodia’s Ream n av al Base that could give it at least a semi-permanent presence on the Gulf of Thailand facing the disputed South China Sea.

The modernization effort has prompted concerns among the US and its allies, particularly over Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that China claims as its territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

That has prompted a steady flow of weapons sales to the island from the US, including ground systems, air defense missiles and F-16 fighters. Taiwan itself recently extended mandatory military service from four months to one year and has been revitalizing its own defense industries, including building submarines for the first time.

i n his remarks on Taiwan, Li said the government had followed the party’s “overall policy for the new era on resolving the Taiwan question and resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference.”

a l ong with Taiwan, tensions have been rising with the US over China’s militarization of islands in the South China Sea, which it claims virtually in its entirety, and most recently, the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the US east coast.

The huge capacity of China’s defense industry and Russia’s massive expenditures of artillery shells and other materiel in its war on Ukraine have raised concerns in the US and elsewhere that Beijing may provide Moscow with military assistance. AP

Crisis over suspected iran schoolgirl poisonings grows

By Jon Gambrell | The Associated Press

DUB a i , U nited a r ab Emirates— a c risis over suspected poisonings targeting i r anian schoolgirls escalated Sunday as authorities acknowledged over 50 schools were struck in a wave of possible cases. The poisonings have spread further fear among parents as Tehran has faced months of unrest.

it remains unclear who or what is responsible since the alleged poisonings began in november in the Shiite holy city of Qom. Reports now suggest schools across 21 of i ran’s 30 provinces have seen suspected cases, with girls’ schools the site of nearly all the incidents.

The attacks have raised fears that other girls could be poisoned apparently just for going to school. Education for girls has never been challenged in the over 40 years since the 1979 i s lamic Revolution. i r an has been calling on the Taliban in neighboring a f ghanistan to have girls and women return to school.

i nterior Minister a h mad Vahidi on Saturday said without elaborating that investigators had recovered “suspicious samples” in the course of their investigations into the incidents, according to the state-run i R n a n ews agency. h e c alled for calm among the public, while also accusing the “enemy’s media terrorism” of inciting more panic over the alleged poisonings.

h o wever, it wasn’t until the poisonings received international media attention that hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi announced an investigation into the incidents on Wednesday. Vahidi said at least 52 schools had been affected by suspected poisonings. i r anian media reports have put the number of schools at over 60. a t l east one boy’s school reportedly has been affected.

Videos of upset parents and schoolgirls in emergency rooms with i Vs in their arms have flooded social media. Making sense of the crisis remains challenging, given that

nearly 100 journalists have been detained by i r an since the start of protests in September over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa a m ini. She had been detained by the country’s morality police and later died.

The security force crackdown on those protests has seen at least 530 people killed and 19,700 others detained, according to hu man Rights a c tivists in i r an. a t tacks on women have happened in the past in i r an, most recently with a wave of acid attacks in 2014 around i s fahan, at the time believed to have been carried out by hardliners targeting women for how they dressed.

Speculation in i r an’s tightly controlled state media has focused on the possibility of exile groups or foreign powers being behind the poisonings. That was also repeatedly alleged during the recent protests without evidence. i n r ecent days, Germany’s foreign minister, a White h o use official and others have called on i r an to do more to protect schoolgirls—a concern i r an’s Foreign Ministry has dismissed as “crocodile tears.” h o wever, the US Commission on i nternational Religious Freedom noted that i r an has “continued to tolerate attacks against women and girls for months” amid the recent protests.

“These poisonings are occurring in an environment where i r anian officials have impunity for the harassment, assault, rape, torture and execution of women peacefully asserting their freedom of religion or belief,”

Sharon Kleinbaum of the commission said in a statement.

Suspicion in i r an has fallen on possible hard-liners for carrying out the suspected poisonings. i r anian journalists, including Jamileh Kadivar, a prominent former reformist lawmaker at Tehran’s Ettelaat newsp aper,

KHROMOVE, Ukraine— Pressure from Russian forces mounted Saturday on Ukrainians hunkered down in Bakhmut, as residents attempted to flee with help from troops who Western analysts say may be preparing to withdraw from the key eastern stronghold.

have cited a supposed communique from a group calling itself Fidayeen Velayat that purportedly said that girls’ education “is considered forbidden” and threatened to “spread the poisoning of girls throughout i r an” if girls’ schools remain open.

Te T iana Hurieieva, the mother of volodymyr Hurieiev, a ukrainian soldier killed in the Bakhmut area, receives the flag that draped his coffin, during the funeral in Boryspil, ukraine on Saturday, March 4, 2023. Pressure from russian forces mounted Saturday on ukrainians hunkered down in Bakhmut, as residents attempted to flee with help from troops who Western analysts say may be preparing to withdraw from the key eastern stronghold. AP Photo/VA dim GhirdA

Inflation: Any solutions?

editorial A

T 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, the government through the Philippine Statistics Authority will release the inflation numbers for February 2023.

The previous month’s inflation came in at 8.7 percent and the forecast from international observers this time is that prices will have posted an 8.9 percent increase year-on-year. Month-on-month inflation, which saw prices increasing by 1.7 percent, is expected to slow to 1.2 percent.

The government, however, says that inflation in the Philippines may have accelerated yet again in February, with the month’s average expected to range between 8.5 percent and 9.3 percent, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The public, according to the surveys, thinks that the president is not doing enough to curtail price increases. Economists from the banks think that the BSP and its monetary policy is to blame for being “too little, too slow” with increasing interest rates. The local “progressive” think tanks believe that it is government’s fault and also “The System,” by which they mean the oligarchs in particular and capitalism in general.

For complicated and complex social and economic problems, we all want simple and quick solutions. Take illegal drug abuse. There are those that see the best response as “kill all the drug dealers” and the supply. Others see the way out as “rehabilitate all the drug users” stopping demand. The ultimate solution to another group is “legalize all drugs” and the free market?

Of course, all of them think they own the only answer and everyone else should just sit down and shut up. It would be great if the universe actually worked that way.

In a statement last week, the BSP said upward price pressures for February—expected to range from 8.5 percent to 9.3 percent—to be announced tomorrow were projected to have come from higher LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) prices as well as higher prices of key food items like pork, fish, egg, and sugar.

Capital Economics wrote this about Philippine inflation recently: “An important factor behind the further jump in the headline rate is higher food price inflation, which has been pushed up by a combination of avian flu [which has led to a leap in egg prices] and severe weather that has damaged crops [pushing up the prices of fruits and vegetables]. We think inflation should peak this month and then drop back steadily over the remainder of the year as energy price inflation eases, food prices drop back and economic growth slows.”

Let’s talk food. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Price Index went down for the 11th consecutive month in February but is still 30 percent higher than in January 2020. According to the latest biannual report from the USDA, the number of US cows has fallen to the lowest level since 1962. US beef prices have more than doubled since January 2020 and are projected to go higher.

At home we need to break the vicious and totally ineffective agricultural cycle of Import—No Import—Import—No Import. We need fresh expertise at the Department of Agriculture today rather than wait for May so that certain individuals will become eligible.

Crude oil prices are well below the mid-2022 high but the BSP cited LPG prices. The global price for liquefied petroleum gas is trading 80 percent higher than January 2020. Further, “Japan, the leading importer of liquefied natural gas, has said supplies of LNG are sold out for the next three years, setting the stage for battle royale between countries fighting to secure deliveries amid a global shortage.”

There are no easy and simple solutions. But we need to know that inflation control is a primary objective and not a “bullet wound requiring a band aid.”

New and upcoming events in publishing and literature

RISING SUN

‘The Written Property,” a new publication for freelance publishing professionals, was launched recently. Published by LitArt Publishing and produced by the Freelance Writers’ Guild of the Philippines (FWGP) under the Copyright Plus Program of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines-Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights (IPOPhL-BCRR), the book contains detailed information on intellectual property specifically written for freelance creators. The eBook version, now selling at P200, and the print version (for advanced orders) may be obtained by sending a message to fwgp2011@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, the Performatura Festival 2023 will be held from March 31 to April 2 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The 3-day performance literature festival starts at 10:30 a.m. and will feature performances, poetry readings, workshops, literary talks, spoken word sessions, a poetry contest, film screening, book launches, book and art fair,

and interviews with writers at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). Entrance to the festival is free but everyone is encouraged to donate a book to serve as an admission ticket to each segment. The collected books will go to CCP’s partner libraries. This year’s theme is “Performatura Goes Pop” and the festival’s director is poet and per-

Finally, a new public library just opened last February 24 in Valenzuela City. The Valenzuela City Academic Center for Excellence is a six-story library that carries good titles and has excellent facilities. There are computer stations, reading spaces, a study hall, a breastfeeding room, a seniors’ corner, and kid-friendly learning centers. Best of all, the library is open for free to the general public, not just to residents of Valenzuela City.

former Dr. Vim Nadera Jr.

On March 9, there will be a Coaching Program for Young and Future Writers and Publishers from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Novotel Araneta City. Participants may also choose to join via Zoom. This event is brought to you by the World Intellectual Property Organization in partnership with the IPOPHLBCRR. Local and international experts will share their knowledge and experience in starting a career

Economists see China ‘conservative’ GDP goal a cautious sign

ChInA’S economic growth target for 2023 is a conservative goal that suggests the government is wary of challenges that may weigh on the economy and wants to account for risks to a recovery that is steadily building momentum.

That’s according to economists who weighed in after Sunday’s announcement that Beijing will target gross domestic product expansion of around 5 percent for the year. The goal is somewhat more muted than expectations among economists that China would set a growth target that was higher than 5 percent. It’s also below the median estimate for an expansion of 5.3 percent this year, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

Here’s what economists are saying about China’s growth target and what it says about policy this year:

Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management Ltd.

“The number is on the conservative side,” Zhang said, adding that he would “take it as a lower bound.”

“In other words, economic growth is likely to be higher than 5 percent and close to 6 percent,” Zhang added.

“Because the Covid policy has been adjusted, there’s no urgency for them to run another round of big economic stimulus to boost the economy as the economic recovery is already on track,” he said. “The key

message here is that the fiscal policy is going to be more or less stable, not a big stimulus compared to last year.”

Zhou Hao, chief economist at Guotai Junan International Holdings.

“While the official growth target has been lowered for the second consecutive year, which might be a disappointment to the market, we reckon investors to pay attention to the underlying growth momentum to gauge the recovery pace in the world’s second largest economy,” Zhou said.

Some investors may see the 5 percent target as reflecting a “pragmatic approach,” given the economy grew just 3 percent last year and fell far short of the 2022 growth target of 5.5 percent, Zhou said. Despite being a “notch lower” than last year’s goal, the new one “suggests that the Chinese authorities want to restore the credibility of the growth target.”

Other investors may see the goal as looking “very attainable,” Zhou said, adding the “seemingly unambitious growth target suggests that the authorities see the downside

The goal is somewhat more muted than expectations among economists that China would set a growth target that was higher than 5 percent. It’s also below the median estimate for an expansion of 5.3 percent this year, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

risks clearly existing for the Chinese economy.”

The urban job creation target of 12 million for 2023—up from over 11 million last year—“clearly illustrates the government pays more attention to growth quality,” he said. A higher target for this year “means that the Chinese authorities see the importance of consumption, which will help unleash long-term growth potential.”

Bruce Pang, chief economist for Greater China at Jones Lang Lasalle Inc.

This year’s target is “pragmatic” as it “leaves room for the multiple risks and uncertainties economic growth may face going forward,” Pang said.

Given the economy’s momentum so far and the effectiveness of policies used so far, the target “is highly likely to be achieved,” he added.

Pang, though, said the target “doesn’t necessarily mean fiscal stim-

in book writing and publishing. To register, access the registration link via the Facebook page of IPOPHLBCRR. Registered participants are subject to screening and approval by the bureau.

Finally, a new public library just opened last February 24 in Valenzuela City. The Valenzuela City Academic Center for Excellence is a six-story library that carries good titles and has excellent facilities. There are computer stations, reading spaces, a study hall, a breastfeeding room, a seniors’ corner, and kid-friendly learning centers. Best of all, the library is open for free to the general public, not just to residents of Valenzuela City. There are special collections, like the Xiao Chua Public History Collection, as well as training halls and conference rooms, special education facilities like an assessment room and transition room, and a roof deck that may be used for events. Opening at 9:00 a.m., the library is located along MacArthur Highway, Malinta, Valenzuela City. Guests are advised to bring a valid ID.

ulus won’t be beefed up.” He cited the higher deficit ratio goal—Beijing is targeting a fiscal deficit of 3 percent as a percentage of GDP, compared to last year’s goal of 2.8 percent—in part as suggesting that fiscal policy may be further strengthened.

Iris Pang, chief economist for Greater China at ING Groep NV.

The “relatively conservative” target “might reflect concerns over external growth,” Pang said, adding that trading partners such as the US and Europe “may all become quite weak in the second half of this year.”

She also said the 3.8 trillion yuan ($550 billion) quota for special local bonds—used mainly to finance infrastructure projects—“is a bit low.”

“This may mean that infrastructure growth won’t be very fast,” she said. “If infrastructure growth turns out to be slow, it might impact industries like steel and cement in other countries as well because China may import less commodities.”

Louis Kuijs, Asia Pacific chief economist at S&P Global Ratings.

“This kind of target makes sense to me,” Kuijs said. “It gives the message that growth is important but we also have other objectives such as developmental and financial stability considerations, and don’t want to just jack up growth for its own sake.”

Kuijs said he thinks fiscal policy See “Economists,”

Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

PBBM, the transport strike threat and the economy

LITO GAGNI

Giving back to my city

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

IT is called civic-mindedness. This is essentially showing concern and contributing to the public or society. After my retirement from my deanship at the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Business, I have decided that my act of civic-mindedness will be giving back and offering my services to the city where I have been a long-time resident.

The threat of a transport strike today, which organizers said has the potential to cripple the economy by way of “removing” from the roads the jeepneys that most commuters rely on, could provide President Bongbong Marcos Jr. the opportunity to craft strategies in line with his push to strengthen the economy given the huge challenges he faces such as the pandemic-induced debt. I am referring to Quezon City. My family and I have been living in this city for over 50 years in our ancestral house that my parents built. I have experienced both merriment and frustration throughout these years. I have seen the good and bad performances of the various city mayors who governed Quezon City for all these decades.

Now on his ninth month in office after his landslide victory with 31 million votes, PBBM continues to pitch for unity, his theme in the campaign, and is walking his talk by appointing a son of a so-called “pinklawan” as Department of Natural Resources undersecretary.

PBBM has also been very much visible in wooing foreign investors to come to the country. “Coming back [from Japan], we have carried with us over $13 billion in contributions and pledges to benefit our people and create approximately 24,000 jobs and further solidify our economic environment,” the President said upon his return at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

To convert the pledges to actual investments means PBBM should face up to the challenge of the socalled EODB or Ease in Doing Business in the Philippines as investors find it difficult to go through the rigmarole of securing permits to start their businesses. Even the locals are not spared the cumbersome permitting process.

What comes to mind with today’s threat of a transport strike is the need to beef up the Transport Network Vehicle Services, vehicles that commuters can turn to via a ridehailing app such as Grab. There are now just 20,000 vehicles serving the millions of commuters and there is a need to beef this up, a fact that is not lost on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, which has just opened 100,000 slots. That means 100,000 new jobs immediately created.

However, the process for getting a TNVS franchise remains a big hurdle and should PBBM try to micromanage and look-see into the LTFRB model, he will find that it takes 16 stops before one can be part of the ride-hailing community. It used to be 17 until last Friday when the LTFRB issued Board Resolution No. 005 that removed the requirement for the submittal of a Certificate of Conformity, a document that says that the bank allows a mortgaged car to be a TNVS, which the board said is needed to “reduce red tape.”

The COC, which was a prerequisite before a TNVS franchise filing is heard by the quasi-judicial regulatory body, was seen as a “frequent cause of delay or dismissal of applications” for certificates of public convenience (CPCs). The LTFRB board, headed by lawyer Teofilo Guadiz, found out

Economists

continued from A8

this year will be “relatively constructive” and “growth-supportive.”

“Fiscal policy is set at the beginning of the year—there’s room to tinker with that later on, but a lot of that is said now,” he said, adding that monetary policy may shift later in the year depending on issues like inflation or rapid credit growth.

Wei Yao, head of research for APAC and chief economist for APAC and China at Societe Generale SA.

The GDP target “continued China’s tradition of setting a rather conservative goal—it prefers to beat the target rather than missing it,” she said, adding that “the effectiveness of fiscal policy will definitely be stronger than last year even if the actual

In economics, mobility is a strong driver for an economy to either grow or shrink. By addressing the transport needs of its populace, the Philippines will be on a steady trajectory for economic growth. This major development, however, should be complemented by sound policies and regulations.

that the COC requirement’s removal “will reduce red tape and expedite business and non-business transactions in government after a thorough reevaluation.”

This is a good sign that the regulatory body is now moving towards sounder policies for the sector and is actually supporting the PBBM administration’s initiatives to further streamline government processes by reducing bureaucratic red tape.

Hopefully, with this requirement put to the back burner, the LTFRB can now hasten the processing of more TNVS franchises that have yet to be heard. And while the transport regulator has effectively improved its process for TNVS franchise applications, there are still more regulations governing this relatively new public transport option to be reviewed and amended.

Prospective operators are still required to submit 16 more documents before they could secure slots for hearing. That means a jeepney driver switching to a ride-hailing cab due to a family member who invested in a car to be used as TNVS still has to go through 16 stops before getting a slot to be heard for his franchise application.

The new slots, 100,000 that cover not just four-wheel vehicles but also two-wheel ones, the regulator explained recently, will not only help address the growing demand for alternative modes of transportation but will also result in the creation of new livelihood for many drivers.

In economics, mobility is a strong driver for an economy to either grow or shrink. By addressing the transport needs of its populace, the Philippines will be on a steady trajectory for economic growth. This major development, however, should be complemented by sound policies and regulations.

And that means a review of the TNVS franchise process and also more LTFRB employees to process documents.

deficit narrows. That’s because a lot of money was spent in Covid controls, but this year it’s all going to be put into boosting the economy.”

Jacqueline Rong, deputy chief China economist at BNP Paribas SA.

China’s contribution to global growth this year will increase sharply as expansion in the US and Europe is set to weaken, Rong said. “However, the positive spillover effect, compared with China’s rebound cycles in the past, will somewhat decline.”

“That’s because this round of recovery will be driven by domestic consumption, particularly that in the service sector,” she added—unlike in prior cycles when rebounds were led by exports or investment.

Now, the commodity-intensive sectors of property, exports and cars are all facing short-term headwinds, she said. Bloomberg

I can firmly say that our present Mayor Joy Belmonte is one of the better, if not the best, chief executives of the city.

Mayor Joy, as she is fondly known, has accomplished a lot in her administration going back to 2019. She was re-elected by a wide margin in the May 2022 election and is continuing her good efforts in her second term with her 14-point agenda. I came across her “On the Road to Resilience” report and was impressed by the narration of her accomplishments. These included such diverse results as education and scholarship, social welfare projects, support to business, infrastructure developments, environmental pursuits, and a host of other activities. I personally experienced her innovative projects with the payment of my real property taxes using the QC Eservices platform, availing of the Caravan Free Services and QC

Appreciating the many efforts that she has done for the benefit of the city and its constituents, called Qcitizens, I have recently written a letter to Mayor Joy presenting my ideas and offer of voluntary service to help further her cause. I indicated a number of areas in local government governance and administration where improvements can be made.

Vax benefits.

Appreciating the many efforts that she has done for the benefit of the city and its constituents, called Qcitizens, I have recently written a letter to Mayor Joy presenting my ideas and offer of voluntary service to help further her cause. I indicated a number of areas in local government governance and administration where improvements can be made. These recommendations were culled from my experience from my various involvement in my over 40 years of engagement and work in both the private and public sectors. My government work, aside from being Dean of the UP School of Business, includes my stint as Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Chairman of the Professional Board of Accountancy. In the private sector, I was a tax partner of SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. and Reyes Tacandong & Co., a member of the board of various business entities and NGOs, and an entrepreneur involved in several businesses. I have been a consultant in several international bodies, including the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund. I have regularly been consulted by our government agencies, including

the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Department of Finance, the National Economic and Development Authority, and others. I am now completing my Doctoral Program in Public Administration at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance.

I am presently engaged in the practice of my profession (I am a Certifed Public Accountant and a passionate learner). In my practice, I am able to help my clients address their challenges in the various areas of my competencies. These include, among others, Taxation, Audit, and Accounting, Governance, ESG and Sustainability, Communications, Learning, Technology, Digital Transformation, Data and Business Analytics, MSMEs, and Strategic Planning.

It is in this context that I offered to Mayor Joy my services as a Qcitizen. I volunteered to assist her administration in areas where I perceived may be improved and where I have the appropriate competencies.

In particular, I note and commend Mayor Joy for the accomplishment of Quezon City being named by the Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance as the top-performing city in the country in terms of local revenue generation with its collection of P22.9 billion in taxes in 2021. The city has consistently ranked first in tax

collection among all cities from 2018 to 2020.

Aside from offering to advise on further improvements in the tax and fee collection and arrears management of the city’s collecting offices, I also listed the following as areas of improvement where I can be of assistance:

1. Enhancing the internal audit services of her office.

2. A ssistance in the ESG and Sustainability efforts.

3. A ssessment of the curricular program offerings and procedures and practices of the City College.

4. Guidance in formulating an effective life-long learning and Continuing Professional Development for the local government’s officials and employees.

5. A dvice on developing programs for the MSMEs in the city.

6. Instituting an improved Public Finance Management system in the city and barangays.

7. Providing inputs to a more effective communications plan.

8. Supporting the recognition by global and local entities of the city’s and Mayor Joy’s accomplishments in the various initiatives.

Quite a long list, but all doable. I encourage other retirees and senior citizens to do their own acts of civic-mindedness. It will not keep you intellectually and physically active, but it will redound to the welfare of your community.

Any takers?

Joel L. Tan-Torres was the former Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. Previously, he was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, and partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He is now back to his tax practice with his firm JL2T Consulting. He can be contacted at joeltantorress@yahoo.com

Election conspiracies fuel dispute over voter fraud system

By Christina A. Cassidy | The Associated Press

ATLANTA—A bipartisan effort among states to combat voter fraud has found itself in the crosshairs of conspiracy theories fueled by Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 presidential election and now faces an uncertain future.

One state has dropped out, a second is in the process of doing so and a handful of other Republican-led states are deciding whether to stay.

The aim of the Electronic Registration Information Center, a voluntary system known as ERIC, has been to help member states maintain accurate lists of registered voters by sharing data that allows officials to identify and remove people who have died or moved to other states. Reports also help states identify and ultimately prosecute people who vote in multiple states.

In Maryland, state election officials have received reports through the system identifying some 66,000 potentially deceased voters and 778,000 people who may have moved out of state since 2013. In Georgia, the system is credited with providing data to remove nearly 100,000 voters no longer eligible to vote in the state.

Yet the effort to improve election integrity and thwart voter fraud has become a target of suspicion among some Republicans after a series of online posts early last year questioning its funding and purpose.

Shortly after, Louisiana left the group, citing concerns raised by the posts. A day after being sworn in last month, Alabama’s new secretary of state, Wes Allen, sent a letter informing the center of the state’s exit after criticizing the program during his campaign.

Other Republican-led states could follow, according to a survey of state election offices by The Associated Press. Officials in Florida and Missouri said they are evaluating their participation, while legislation in Texas could force the state to leave.

West Virginia election officials declined to weigh in, saying they are “closely monitoring the situation

The effort to improve election integrity and thwart voter fraud has become a target of suspicion among some Republicans after a series of online posts early last year questioning its funding and purpose.

with ERIC’s membership.”

The departures and potential for additional ones have frustrated state election officials involved in the effort and have demonstrated how deeply election conspiracies have spread throughout the Republican Party.

“The idea that any state would leave, and we know many are leaving or considering leaving, based solely on misinformation that in most cases they know is not accurate —it’s bizarre to me,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat. “Their leaving directly harms the security and integrity of their own state voter rolls and their ability to keep them up to date and accurate.”

Not all Republican-led states are reevaluating their participation in the program. Of those surveyed by AP, election offices in 23 states and the District of Columbia said they had no intention of leaving, including eight led or controlled by Republicans. Four state offices did not respond: Alaska, Colorado, Delaware and Washington.

Republican officials who said they had no intention to leave signaled strong support for the effort. Iowa’s chief election official said the program, in less than a year, had helped the state identify more than 1,300 deceased voters not included in state data.

“ERIC is an effective tool for ensuring the integrity of Iowa’s voter rolls,” said Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican in his third term.

The program was started in 2012 by seven states and was bipartisan from the beginning, with four of the founding states led by Republicans.

Today, 32 states and the District of

Columbia are members.

In April, that will drop to 31 when Alabama officially leaves the group. Allen made various claims during his 2022 campaign about the group that prompted a rebuke from then-Secretary of State John Merrill. Merrill, a Republican, noted that ERIC had identified more than 19,000 records of potentially deceased Alabama voters since 2016.

A chief complaint about the program is that it was funded by George Soros, the billionaire investor and philanthropist who has long been the subject of conspiracy theories.

While ERIC received initial funding from the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, that money was separate from the money provided to Pew by a Soros-affiliated organization that went to an unrelated effort, said ERIC’s executive director, Shane Hamlin.

The effort has since been funded through annual dues by member states. Hamlin said the current discussions among member states have been “robust” and decisions are expected soon on potential changes.

“Is the mission of ERIC still relevant? Yes,” Hamlin said. “But are the ways in which members use ERIC to achieve that mission still relevant? Still effective? That is what we are talking about internally.”

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Republican, is among those pushing for changes. In an interview, Ashcroft said he wants the system to drop a requirement for member states to send mailings to eligible but unregistered voters.

“It needs to be focused on cleaning rolls,” Ashcroft said. “It is not the job

of the secretary of state to add voters to the rolls. It’s our job to make sure there is a good, simple process for people who meet the requirements to be registered.”

Ashcroft also is weighing the value that taxpayers receive from the program, arguing the state misses out on data for voters who leave Missouri because several surrounding states don’t participate. Time is running out, he said, for changes to be made.

“I have raised them with ERIC, and so far I am not satisfied with their response,” Ashcroft said. “The clock is ticking.”

A fellow Republican, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, said he was aware of concerns about the program but remained confident in the effort.

“Like any human endeavor, there are imperfections to that organization and, you know, some of the people involved have caused concern for others,” LaRose told reporters last month. “But I can tell you that it is one of the best fraud-fighting tools that we have—when it comes to actually catching people who try to vote in multiple states, when it comes to maintaining the accuracy of our voter rolls by removing those that move out of state.”

Lawmakers in Texas have introduced legislation that, if passed and signed into law, would require the state to leave the system. In Oklahoma, proposed legislation would prohibit the state from joining.

In California, Kansas and New Hampshire, lawmakers have introduced bills that would enable their states to join it, according to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks voting legislation in the states. New York is another high population state that is not currently a member.

Gabriel Sterling, a top official in the Georgia secretary of state’s office, said he recently appealed to representatives from three other Republicanled states to join the system. Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

B1

Monday, March 6, 2023

INC asks ARTA to compel local govt to issue permit

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

Brooke’s Point, business permits are valid until renewal within the first 20 days of January each year.

Moreover, the municipal council extended the deadline for business renewal until January 31, 2023. according to ipilan nickel, the local chief executive does not have the power to stop an activity contracted out by the national government.

o n January 3, the Business Processing and licensing of fice of Brooke’s Point advised inC to submit the same requirements transmitted for its business permit the previous year.

inC said it has already filed a complaint against Mayor Cesareo r Benedito Jr. and Municipal env ironment and natural resources of ficer (Menro) remie Mostiero, accusing the two officials of “excessive demands” and “intentionally delaying” the renewal of its 2023 business permit.

t h e company claimed that Benedito and Mostiero have not issued certification and the business permit, respectively, almost two months since it submitted the complete and necessary documents for business permit renewal.

t he said delay in the renewal of the business permits, caused disadvantage to the company, the community of Brooke’s Point, Palawan, indigenous Cultural Communities/ indigenous Peoples, the Province of

Palawan, and the national government, inC said.

“We have already submitted much more than the law requires to renew our business permit. We are respectfully requesting the help of a rta Director General hon. Secretary er nesto V. Perez to step in and order its immediate release,” a lex a rabis, resident Mine Manager of inC , said in a statement.

to recall, on January 3, Benedito issued Memorandum order no 2023-06 informing i nC that its business permit had expired on December 31, 2022, and ordering the immediate stoppage of its mining operations.

t he company argued that based on Section 167 of the l ocal Government Code and Section 3a 05 of ord inance no. 2020-34 or the revised revenue Code of the Municipality of

t he requirements, which are also mentioned on the municipality’s official website, include a Barangay Clearance and the basis for computing the tax charges.

in compliance, inC said it submitted the complete requirements on January 10, 2023 which included an accomplished business permit renewal form, certificate of gross revenue for 2022, Barangay Maasin, Brooke’s Point Clearance dated January 6, 2023, and Mineral Production Sharing a g reement no. 017-93-i V, as amended.

t he company said it also submitted the national Commission on indigenous Peoples’ exemption letter dated March 31, 2006; environmental Compliance Certificate no 10060017 dated october 8, 2001; SeP Clearance no. MoDP-122110001; Provisional Mla no. 045306001; and ePeP and FMr DP Certifi-

ICTSI: Berth to expand MICT capacity

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

International Container

te rminal Services i n c. ( i C t S i )

s aid on Sunday it is adding another berth to the Manila i nt ernational Container te rminal (M i C t )

Berth 8, currently under phase two development, has a design depth of 15 meters that will allow the terminal to handle “ultra large container vessels” with capacities of up to 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units ( t eUs).

Currently, MiCt is capable of handling neo-Panamax ships through Berths 6 and 7, which are operated by five quay cranes.

Berth 8 will operate with a mini-

MGreen plants to start operations this month

cate of approval no. 195-2021-20.

inC said it paid P10,739,065.50 on January 13, for the ecosystems Services as mandated by the local government unit.

Unfortunately, inC said in separate letters dated January 20 and 23 that Benedito and Menro Mostiero asked for another set of documentary requirements, including the latest endorsements from various offices and clearances from which the inC is exempt. Despite submitting what is “reasonably required,” inC said its business renewal application has remained pending. t he company alleged that Benedito has refused its offer to pay the local business tax.

a c cording to i nC , more than 2,500 residents of Brooke’s Point, including hundreds of members of the Palawan i ndigenous People’s community, had voiced their appeal during the appreciation and Stakeholders’ Day organized by inC on February 24 and 25, supporting the continued operations of i nC and their all-out-support for responsible mining.

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

MGen renewable energy inc. (MGreen), a whollyowned renewable unit of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), announced the start of the commercial operations of its two solar power projects this month.

Mgreen is currently constructing a 75 MW solar plant in Baras, r i zal through Ph renewables inc. (Phri), a joint venture with Mitsui’s local unit Mit-renewables Philippine Corporation; and a 68 MW solar plant in i locos norte of MGreen in partnership with Vena energy.

“ t hese two projects are set to commence operations within the first quarter of 2023,” the Manila electric Co. (Meralco) said in a report last week. MGen is the power generation arm of Meralco.

MGreen said that the switch-on ceremony for the 68MW solar plant in Currimao, i locos norte is set on March 30.

“We are pleased to announce the energization of the nuevo Solar energy Corp. t he whole MGreen and Vena team is excited to bring this state-ofthe-art facility to the community of Currimao,” it said last week.

Meanwhile, Phri s solar plant is scheduled to commence commercial operations “within the first quarter of 2023” to supply renewable energy to MPower, the local retail electricity supply arm of Meralco.

MGreen and Mit-renewables are also jointly developing a 45MW solar project in Cordon, isabela.

MGen has declared a target capacity of 1,500MW of renewable energy in the next seven years.

MGen contributed P5.5 billion to Meralco’s core net income in 2022, significantly higher than the previous year’s P1.2 billion, largely driven by the earnings of Singapore-based Pacificlight Power Pte. ltd. (Pacificlight).

MGen currently has a total power generation capacity of 2,251 MW in the Philippines and in Singapore.

mum of four quay cranes—two of which will be delivered in 2025.

“We are optimistic of the prospect of welcoming ultra large container vessels at the Port of Manila and are preparing to accommodate the added volume that these more efficient ships will bring. With these developments, our goal is to outpace demand and ensure the efficient flow of trade from the port to the local supply chain,” iC tSi eV P Christian r Gonzalez said.

t he expansion will also increase MiC t s capacity by 200,000 t eUs to 3.5 million t eUs, which will be “key in addressing the increase in cargo volume as the country’s economy fully reopens,” he added.

Berth 8 will also add 400 meters of quay along with 12 hectares of

yard space that will be constructed in phases.

Port-to-door services in another development, iC tSi announced that Contecon Guayaquil (CGSa), its ecuadorian business unit, has started its port-to-door services. a new service of Puerto libertador Simón Bolívar, Port to Door is an automated cross-docking service that allows customers to receive their cargo directly at their doorsteps. it eliminates the need for customers to go to the terminal to retrieve their shipment. t he service can be requested and tracked online, making the process efficient and hassle-free. CGSa is the first terminal to offer automated cross-docking services in ecuador.

SEC extends deadline for submission of AFS

The Securities and exchange Commission (SeC) has extended the deadline for the submission of the annual financial statements (a FS) of corporations in 2023.

t he agency, through Memorandum Circular (MC) no. 1, Series of 2023, said the extension seeks to provide external auditors more time to complete their statutory audits of the financial statements of corporations.

Under MC 1, all corporations, including branch offices, representative offices, regional headquarters and regional operating headquarters of foreign corporations whose fiscal years ended on December 31, 2022 should file their financial statements based on the last digit of the SeC registration or license number.

t hese schedules are: 1 and 2 on May 29 to June 2; 3 and 4 on June 5 to 9; 5 and

on June 13 to 16; 7 and

19 to 23; and 9 and 0 on

on

June 26 to 30.

t he SeC extension offices will also implement the coding schedule. Corporations may submit their reports on or before their respective filing dates.

t he SeC will accept late filings starting July 3, which will be subject to penalties computed from the last day for filing.

t he deadline extension does not apply to corporations whose fiscal year ends on a date other than December 31, 2022, those whose securities are listed on the Philippine Stock exchange (PSe), those whose securities are registered but not listed on the PSe , public companies and other entities covered under Sec 17.2 of republic act 8799, or the Securities regulation Code (SrC). Corporations whose financial statements are being audited by the Commission on audit (Coa ) are also not covered by the deadline ex-

tension. Such corporations should provide an affidavit signed by the president and treasurer or chief finance officer attesting to the fact that the company timely provided Coa with the financial statements and supporting documents and that the audit of the Coa has just been concluded as well as a letter from the Coa confirming the information on the affidavit are attached to their a FS.

ot her provisions of SeC Memorandum Circular no. 9, Series of 2022, which provided the original schedule for a FS filing, remain in effect, the agency said.

a l l stock and non-stock corporations are still required to submit their annual reports online through the SeC electronic Filing and Submission tool (eFa St ) Submissions over the counter and through courier will not be accepted. VG Cabuag

IpIlan nickel Corp. (InC), a subsidiary of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., said it has filed a complaint with the anti-Red Tape authority (aRTa) to compel the local government of Brooke’s point, palawan to act on its application for a business permit.

Perspectives Redefining wealth in business families

MANY business families are facing a new reality in terms of how they create wealth and allocate their capital. After a lifetime of having the family’s wealth almost entirely bound up in their business, business families are recognizing that they need to de-risk and diversify their wealth in today’s more volatile and unpredictable environment.

How might families and their businesses define their future wealth?

n A new era of asset allocation

The concept of capital and how it is allocated in family businesses are evolving. It not only includes the tangible assets of the business but the family’s human and social capital as well.

n Protecting financial capital

With the recent economic headwinds, financial capital strategies are being driven by the need to de-risk the family’s wealth.

n Growing human capital

Transferring the knowledge and experience of current generations and encouraging the innovations of next-generation family members are vital for maintaining and growing the family’s human capital.

n Recognizing the power of social capital assets

Family-owned companies understand that they often have a strong public presence and an important social responsibility, making the careful management of their social capital assets a reputational and competitive priority.

The same trends in family businesses are also relevant in the Philippines. The Filipino culture highly values family and its shared traditions. Hence, matters regarding family businesses and decision-making as one household can be a challenging process.

KPMG in the Philippines

Private Enterprise Sector Head

Jerome Andrew H. Garcia further shares: “As with any other sector, the pandemic and its adverse effects on businesses became an important driving force for family businesses in the Philippines to push forward new and innovative practices to ensure survival in an unstable economic environment.” Family businesses were forced to revisit obsolete business operations, invest in technology, and adapt to a dramatically changed operating environment.

Moreover, Garcia highlights that “leaders of family businesses in the country have acknowledged the importance of diversifying and implementing changes in the business landscape to cope with the current demands of society. This includes adopting technology, implementing new ways to deliver products and services, and championing a compelling ESG framework.”

Building and passing on multi-generational wealth

CURRENT family business leaders are increasingly recognizing and accepting that not all upcoming generations of their family will necessarily have an interest in being directly involved in the legacy business. Many next-generation family members are seeking ways to create their own independent wealth—and, in some business families, this is being viewed as a new strategic financial diversification opportunity. Families are prioritizing

funding new ideas and ventures of the next generation, which assist with the diversification strategy.

Leveraging human capital

THE family itself, and its purpose and values, is one of the largest and most influential human capital assets. It represents the socioemotional wealth that is associated with being part of a family in business. And continuing to build and leverage the family’s intellectual capital contributes directly to the preservation of the family’s entrepreneurial spirit and the founder’s legacy.

As Millennial and GenZ family members enter the workforce, it’s possible that the family business may not always be their right fit. However, it is still possible and important to pass along the entrepreneurial spirit of the family to each successive generation, without necessarily transferring the control and management of the business.

Brand and reputation— powerful social capital assets

LARGE, publicly prominent family businesses have always taken great care to maintain a positive profile with all their key stakeholders, including relevant tax authorities. As good corporate citizens, business families would never take advantage of opportunistic tax opportunities if their actions could be construed as inappropriate or questionable in the eyes of their customers, employees or community members.

They aren’t willing to risk the impact that such actions may have on their reputation and the potential damage to the trust in their brand if people began to view their family and company in a different—and potentially negative—light.

As good corporate citizens, family businesses have an opportunity to achieve an aboveaverage rate of return on all their long-term investments by reviewing how they allocate their financial, human and social capital.

Will the next generation of families in business redefine the meaning of wealth?

Even though not all family members will want to work in the family business, it doesn’t mean that family members who are not in the business will disengage from the business. The family is the glue that binds, and family members will continue to care about what matters most to the family and measure their wealth in that way. This includes the legacy they have inherited, and the need to allocate all of their available financial, human and social capital carefully to deliver value to the family as well as its customers, employees, communities and society at large.

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG Thought Leadership publication: https://kpmg. com/xx/en/home/insights/2023/01/redefining-wealth-in-business-families.html.

© 2023 KPMG Intl Ltd., a private English company limited by guarantee, has Philippine partnership R.G. Manabat & Co. as a memberfirm. 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.

LandBank widens loan portfolio for PUV modernization to ₧10B

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

ernment’s transport modernization agenda,” LandBank President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo was quoted in a statement issued a day before PUV drivers and operators would hold a transport strike.

“We remain committed to the improvement of the country’s public transport system for the benefit of both transport operators and the riding public.”

Up to 95%

A statement from the Landbank issued last Sunday read the lender widened the loan pool under a “Special Package for EnvironmentFriendly and Efficiently-Driven PUVs,” or “Speed-PUVs,” program to P10 billion from only P1.5 billion in 2017.

LandBank officials said the decision was made as they seek to “ac-

commodate more transport cooperatives and corporations” that would partake in the government’s PUV modernization program following its third budget allocation hike for Speed-PUVs.

We continue “to extend muchneeded financial support to assist drivers and operators upgrade their fleet, in line with the National Gov-

PDIC to auction off VisMin properties of closed banks

THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) is set to dispose through public bidding a total of 86 properties of closed banks located in various provinces of Visayas and Mindanao on March 31, 2023.

The PDIC’s Real and Other Properties Acquired (Ropa) Disposal Committee announced that it will accept sealed bids from direct buyers only on March 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Unit 80, 8th Floor Landco Corporate Center, Pryce Business Park, J.P. Laurel Ave., Barangay Bajada, Davao City. Bids will be opened at 10 a.m. on March 31.

For disposal on “as is, where is” basis are residential and agricultural lots with aggregate minimum disposal price of P95.6 million involving 35 residential lots with improvements, 29 vacant residential lots, 13 vacant agricultural lots and nine agricultural lots with improvements, four of which will be sold as one. These properties are located in Antique, Cebu, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Iloilo, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Misamis Oriental, Negros Oriental, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. Property sizes range from 94 to 50,462 square meters with minimum disposal prices between P24,320 and P9.4 million.

The complete list and description of the properties, requirements, e-

Govt

THE Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) announced it has officially launched its online payment system during its 4th Founding Anniversary last February 14.

The system called “UPay” is a partnership between HSAC and Union Bank of the Philippines to provide alternative channel of payment of legal fees and other collections, in addition to the usual manual channels of the Commission.

HSAC clients who opt to pay their legal fees through UPay are advised to visit the HSAC Fees Calculator

bidding process and Conditions of Bid are posted on the PDIC e-bidding portal at https://assetsforsale.pdic.gov. ph/. Bidders may also access the site through PDIC’s website, www.pdic. gov.ph, by clicking the e-bidding portal icon on its homepage. Bidders are reminded of their responsibility to determine the actual condition, status, ownership and other circumstances of the properties they wish to acquire.

For agricultural lots, bidders must also submit a Certification issued by the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) of the Department of Agrarian Reform where the property is located, that the property subject of the bid is not covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and that no Emancipation Patent or Certificate of Land Ownership Awards has been issued for the said property. For said lots, bidders are also required to submit an Affidavit of Aggregate Landholdings, which states that the person’s collective landholdings—including the property/ies to be acquired during the bidding—do not exceed the 5-hectare limit set by law. The standard format for this Affidavit can be downloaded from the e-bidding portal.

For participants bidding on behalf of another individual or an organization, a Pro-forma Special Power of Attorney and Secretary’s Certificate, respectively, can likewise be downloaded from the e-bidding portal.

SINCE 2017, the state-run lender approved P6.9 billion in loans to 144 transport co-operatives and corporations nationwide for the purchase of around 3,120 modern jeepneys as of January 31. Deducing from the data, a co-operative or corporation would be P2.21 million in debt—excluding the annual interest rate of six percent—to replace one traditional PUV.

Under LandBank’s “Speed-PUVs” program, transport co-operatives and corporations could borrow up to 95 percent of the total acquisition cost of their modern jeepneys. The loan, which carries about 0.5 percent

monthly interest rate, will be payable up to a maximum of seven years.

The LandBank said the loan comes with a subsidy of P160,000 per vehicle from the National Government for units classified under Class-1, -2, -3 and -4 category models.

According to the lender, a “modern” jeepney is equipped with air-conditioning, a closed-circuit television system, Wi-Fi connectivity and global positioning system. The LandBank added that the “modern” jeepney is compliant with the European emission standards for globally-accepted vehicle exhaust emission limits.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board earlier gave in to the appeal of the transport sector to further extend the deadline for jeepney operators to form cooperatives. The new deadline is now on December 31.

Last week, the Department of Transportation clarified that the “phase out” of old jeepneys is not slated any time soon. However, the DOTr emphasized that the deadline set is for the consolidation of jeepney operators into cooperatives.

Govt suspension of tariffs seen to boost EV industry

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

THE early passage of an enabling law mandating shortterm tariff suspension on electric vehicles is needed to boost the development of a budding industry, said Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian.

As principal author of the proposed Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), Gatchalian projects the short-term tariff suspension on electric vehicles (EVs) is needed to boost the development of the budding industry.

He recalled the President signing Executive Order 12 that removed tariffs on EVs in a bid to lower prices and make these vehicles more affordable to local consumers.

However, the senator noted that the tariff suspension—set to last for five years—was intended to increase the adoption of EV usage and reduce carbon emissions.

Gatchalian said that “the shortterm protection will give time for local manufacturers to transition to e-vehicles,” reminding that “we expect that tariff exemption of EVs will lead the country to usher in an EV ecosystem that is vibrant, responsive, and dynamic.”

However, the senator clarified through a statement that the tariff suspension will not cover 2-wheeled electric motorcycles in a bid to pro-

tect local manufacturers of tricycles.

“Specifically, only kick scooters, self-balancing cycles, bicycles, and pocket motorcycles with auxiliary motors not exceeding 250 watts and with a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour have zero percent import duties while electric motorcycles are still subject to a 30 percent tariff rate,” he added.

Gatchalian admits he understood the reason behind the exemption from tariff suspension of 2-wheel motorcycles, noting “this would protect local manufacturers of tricycles and enable the local manufacturing industry to develop.”

The senator said he’s confident that the exemption on 2-wheel motorcycles will provide appropriate support for local manufacturers of tricycles, acknowledging that tricycles continue to be a popular mode of transportation for many Filipinos across the country.

Recalling that it was enacted into law last year, he asserted that Republic Act 11697 (EV Industry Development Act) is aimed at setting up the country to become a regional hub for EV production and assembly, incentivizing manufacturers, suppliers as well as buyers of EVs.

Gatchalian adds that the law likewise provided for the establishment of the National EV Development Plan, that outlines the goals and strategies of the Philippines’ EV industry development.

online payment system now live

at https://hsac.gov.pg/calculator and choose the Office or Regional Adjudication Branch where the pleading or request will be filed and complete the online form.

Upon proceeding to pay, clients will be redirected to the UPay whitelabel page where they can conveniently choose from three payment facilities: UnionBank Online, Bank or E-Wallet Transfer via Instapay and Bank Transfer via PCHC PayGate (PesoNet), subject to a convenience fee and transaction limits.

UPay is one of HSAC’s digital transformation program. Through

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) by virtue of Republic Act 11201, as a

purely quasi-judicial agency. It is mandated to adjudicate, among others, disputes relating to real estate development, homeowners association, and appeals from decisions of local and regional planning and zoning bodies.

THE Land Bank of the Philippines Inc. (LandBank) announced the state-run lender increased its loan portfolio for cooperatives seeking to modernize their jeepney fleets to a total of P10 billion as the government pursues plans to phase out traditional public utility vehicles (PUVs).

agency’s ‘UPay’

By Stan Choe AP Business Writer

The Senate voted Wednesday to overturn a Labor Department rule allowing retirement plans to consider environmental, social and governance factors when making investment decisions, following a similar vote by House Republicans on Tuesday. It sets the stage for a potential first veto by President Joe Biden.

Critics say ESG investments allocate money based on political agendas, such as a drive against climate change, rather than on earning the best returns for savers. They say ESG is just the latest example of the world trying to get “woke.”

The ESG industry, meanwhile, says it helps highlight companies that may be riskier than traditional investing guidelines alone might suggest. That could lead to more stable, safer returns for savers. It also says using an ESG lens could help investors find better, more profitable opportunities.

ESG has become popular across a wide range of investors, from smaller-pocketed regular people to pension funds responsible for the retirements of millions of workers.

What is Esg?

I T S a n acronym, with each of the letters describing an additional lens that some investors use to decide whether a particular stock or bond looks like a good buy.

Before risking their money, all investors including both traditional and ESG ones look at how much revenue a company is bringing in, how much profit it’s making and what the prospects are for the future.

ESG investors then layer on a few more specific considerations.

What is E?

Env I R o nm E n T It can pay to avoid companies with poor records on the environment, the thinking goes, because they may be at greater risk of big fines from regulators. o r

their businesses could be at particular risk of getting upended by future government attempts to protect the environment.

Such risks may not be as appreciated by those using just traditional investment analysis, which could lead to too-high stock prices, ESG advocates say. That in turn would mean too-high risk.

o n t he flip side, measuring a company’s environmental awareness could also unearth companies that could be better positioned for the future. Companies that care about climate change may be better prepared for its repercussions, whether that means potential flooding damage at factory sites or the risks of increased wildfires.

What is s?

So C I a L This is a wide-ranging category that focuses on a company’s relationships with people, both within it and outside.

Investors measuring a company’s social impact often look at whether pay is fair and working conditions are good through the rank and file, for example, because that can lead to better retention of employees, lower turnover costs and ultimately better profits.

o t hers consider a company’s record on data protection and privacy, where lax protocols could lead to leaks that drive customers away.

Increasingly, companies are also getting called upon to take positions on big social issues, such as abortion or the Black Lives m a tter movement. Some ESG investors encourage this, saying companies’ employees and customers want to hear it. not every ESG investor considers all these factors, but they all get lumped in together under the “S” umbrella.

What is g?

,

hich essentially means

the company is running itself well.

That includes tying executives’ pay to the company’s performance, whether that’s defined by the stock price, profits or something else, and having strong, independent directors on the board to act as a powerful check on CE o s

How big of a deal is Esg?

Inv EST o R S who use one or more ESG criteria or push companies on such issues as a group controlled $8.4 trillion in U.S.domiciled assets in 2022. That's according to the most recent count by US SIF, a trade group representing the sustainable and responsible investing industry.

That's enough money to buy Tesla, one of the most valuable US stocks, more than 11 times over. It also means ESG accounted for $1 of every $8 in all US assets under professional management.

With stock and bond markets tumbling last year, the flow of dollars into ESG funds has slowed since setting a peak in early 2021. US sustainable funds pulled in a net $3 billion over the course of 2022, according to m o rningstar.

n o t only have sharp drops for all kinds of investment prices raised worries, so has the increased political backlash. During

the final three months of 2022, which was a particularly tough period for financial markets, investors pulled nearly $6.2 billion more out of sustainable funds than they put in, according to m o rningstar.

Still, despite the slowdown, demand is still higher for sustainable funds than for their traditional peers.

Is it just millennials doing it?

n o, t he vast majority of money in ESG investments comes from huge investors like pension funds, insurance companies, endowments at universities and foundations and other big institutional investors.

What impact is it having?

ESG investors are pushing for more engagement with companies, discussing their concerns about the environment, social issues and governance. They’re also casting their votes at annual shareholder meetings with ESG issues more in mind.

In 2021 a relatively small fund known as Engine n o . 1 shocked corporate a m erica after it convinced some of Wall Street’s biggest investment firms to approve its proposal to replace three directors on Exxon m ob il’s board, citing a decarbonizing world. Investors are also pushing executives

across corporate a m erica to give more details about their carbon emissions, measurements about their impacts on human rights and audits for racial equity.

It’s all an evolution from the industry’s early days, when “socially responsible” investing was quite simplistic. Early funds would just promise not to own stocks of tobacco companies, gun makers, or other companies seen as distasteful.

And the backlash?

Som E politicians have denounced ESG as a politicization of investing.

Some in the business world also have been particularly critical of rating agencies that try to boil complex issues down to simple ESG scores.

Tesla CE o Elon m u sk last year called ESG a scam that “has been weaponized by phony social justice warriors," for example. His criticism came shortly after Tesla got kicked out of the S&P 500 ESG index.

The index tries to hold only companies with better ESG scores within each industry, while holding similar amounts of energy stocks, tech stocks and other sectors as the broader S&P 500 index. That means Exxon m o bil could remain in the S&P 500 ESG index, even if it’s pulling fossil fuels from the ground to burn, because it rates better than peer energy companies.

Are those the only controversies?

n o a n y boom brings in opportunists, and regulators have warned of some potentially misleading statements.

That could include firms claiming to be ESG-driven but owning shares in companies with low ESG scores. It’s reminiscent of how products along supermarket aisles get accused of “greenwashing,” or pitching their wares as “green” even if they’re not.

Part of that could be how big the ESG industry has become, with some players taking a lighter touch.

Some funds pledge not to own stocks of any companies seen as dangerous, for example. o t hers will try to own only companies that get the highest ratings from scorekeepers on ESG issues. Still others try to buy only companies that score the best within their specific industry, even if the score is very low overall.

Such nuance can make for confusion among investors trying to find the right ESG fund for them.

NEW YORK—After sweeping through battles in statehouses across the country, the war against ESG investing is heating up in Congress.

Style

If the Oscars were clad in Pinoy couture

AFTER 95 years, Filipinos finally thought that we had a shot at Oscar glory through the trailblazing Dolly de Leon, who gave an unforgettable performance in Triangle of Sadness. After all, she garnered nominations for best supporting actress at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) and the Golden Globe Awards, and winning at the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards.

But Dolly sadly didn’t make the cut at the Oscars. Here’s hoping that she still gets to strut the red carpet on March 12 in Los Angeles.

British Vogue included her among “30 of the world’s most famous stars,” maybe because she is also fearless in her fashion choices.

At the BAFTAs, Dolly chose to wear the “Alon” abaca and nylon silk gown by Rajo Laurel, inspired by “her love of the ocean and how she finds peace near the water.” At the Globes, she wore a bespoke faux-leather gown with built-in corset made from sustainable fabrics entirely created by hand in the Parisian in-house atelier of AZ Factory, whose design and image director is the proudly Pinoy Norman René de Vera.

Perhaps AZ Factory can instead dress up Jamie Lee Curtis, best-supporting actress nominee for Everything Everywhere All at Once? Having Hollywood legends as parents, Jamie will deliver a self-deprecating speech should she win, being an unapologetic “Nepo Baby.” She’s a woman “who can #buythemselvesflowers, and will “feel elegant and empowered” in the AZ Factory with Lutz Huelle #flowerpower dress.

In Tár, Cate Blanchett plays Lydia Tár. The Australian powerhouse is aiming for her third Oscar, after her supporting win in The Aviator (2004) and lead actress trophy for Blue Jasmine (2013). If she wins, she will tie with Ingrid Bergman, Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep with two lead wins and one supporting win. She can collect her trophy in a creation by Hollywood-based designer Oliver Tolentino—“an eco canary yellow satin silk organza ball gown embellished with hand-sewn ribbons made of piña, abaca, and silk.”

World-class couturier Michael Cinco has met Cuban beauty Ana de Armas at a Golden Globes afterparty in 2020. Nominated for lead actress in Blonde Ana will look amazing in one of Cinco’s stupendous designs from his “The Impalpable Dream of Duomo Milano” shown recently at Milan Fashion Week FallWinter 2023. I hope she takes the starring role in the movie version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

BY the time this column is published, I should be in vacation in Bohol. Unfortunately, I am still recovering from rotavirus. I am always so proud to say that I never got Covid-19 but now I have contracted a disease that usually affects only toddlers and young children.

Trigger warning: TMI ahead. Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea. I was lucky not to get hit by one that causes severe diarrhea or vomiting, but I did get abdominal pains and fever. You’re supposed to ride out the diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain because your small intestine is swollen. The only medication allowed is a fever reducer like paracetamol but the doctor said it’s best to drink only when really necessary.

For around four days, I stayed mostly in bed covered by a blanket and a comforter. I barely ate and survived on water, crackers, and Oolong tea from Starbucks.

But I still showered and did my skin care. I met all my editorial deadlines. But I failed to meet Bretman Rock in person again. I was also unable to attend an event that I really wanted to go to.

So, yes, it hasn’t been a very good week but I do want to look forward to going back to The Farm at San Benito again. I went there late last year and I really felt like a new person afterward. The resort, which was awarded the Best Wellness Resort in the Philippines by the prestigious World Luxury Hotel Awards, also has programs for those who are perimenopausal and post-menopausal.

Of course we know that during these phases of their lives, women experience a decline in the levels of estrogen and progesterone, which can lead to a wide range of symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances. The changes in hormone levels can also increase the risk of developing health conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease and stroke.

Will the great and ageless Angela Bassett finally get her due for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? After her breakthrough turn as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), Angela has remained a torch bearer for Black Girl Magic in Hollywood. She will look regal and imperious in a gown with gorgeous cape by Dubai-based designer and creative director Ryan Pacioles, from the “Lily of the Valley” collection for Atelier Zuhra shown during London Fashion Week 2023.

Since her surprise best-actress nomination for To Leslie, the English Andrea Riseborough has received severe backlash. She is unfairly targeted as having

“stolen” nominations from either Viola Davis (The Woman King) or Danielle Deadwyler (Till). Because too much unwanted hate is directed towards her, Andrea should wear a showstopping dress with a positive message: a neon-green glam trumpet dress with “love” emblazoned on the cape, created by Ezra Santos for Ezra Couture. Even with our Dolly de Leon being snubbed, “Asian Excellence” reigns supreme at this year’s Oscars with nominations for the Vietnamese-American Hong Chau for The Whale; and the Chinese-American Stephanie Hsu, the Vietnamese-American Ke Huy Quan and the Malaysian Michelle Yeoh, all for

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Michelle will look marvelous in an avant-garde design by Jan Garcia, like the multicolored dress worn by supermodel-beauty queen Marina Benipayo from the “Doon Po Sa Amin” Pre-Fall 2023 collection. Incidentally, Marina represented the country at Miss World 1992 while Michelle competed as Miss Malaysia in 1983. n

EMErgINg fASHION dESIgNErS LAUNcH INNOVATIVE dEBUT cOLLEcTIONS

AFTER years of virtual galleries and digital showcases, the sorely-missed and highly-anticipated Sinulid is back on the physical stage. The runway will be filled by over 50 creations of fashion innovators that explore history and tradition, heritage and culture, sensibilities and social and environmental issues.

Sinulid is the annual blockbuster culminating fashion show which exhibits the talent, knowledge, skills and craftsmanship of the graduating students from the Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Environment and Design.

Themed “Renascence,” this year’s installment unveils its nostalgic homecoming at the Benilde Design + Arts Campus as the home of the debut collections of 11 emerging creators whose diverse artistic identities have developed during the lockdowns.

Sinulid 2023 promises a retrospective of varying creative processes and design possibilities. It will feature ensembles that capture the spirit of nature, from the breathtaking charm of butterfly wings coloration and pattern formation, to the intriguing beauty of frozen methane in lieu of climate change.

Collections that challenge the norms will be presented, to include secondhand fabrics upcycled as countermovement against fast fashion and unconventional bridal series that champions the art of body ink.

Legacy and birthright will take center stage through designs that aim to revive the faltering capiz shell industry of Samal, Bataan, while modern retelling will reign in the glamorized interpretation of Lenten season-inspired vestments.

It will likewise delve on Japanese flair with animéinspired casuals for the Filipino otaku, as well as garments that depict the intense work culture of their salarymen.

To elevate the traditional show into a multi-faceted experience, Sinulid 2023 partnered with the Benilde Multimedia Arts Program to curate a specialized augmented reality gallery. Using the special Sinulid app on smartphones, viewers may scan the interactive posters provided to be taken into a digital tour of the collection in action.

On view from March 24 to April 5 at the eighth of Benilde Design + Arts Campus, Sinulid 2023 is partnered with the Mark of Designers Alliance, the official organization of Benilde FDM, the Stage Productions Operating Team of the Culture and Arts Unit, as well as fellow student-artists from the college’s design and arts programs.

More information is available at www.facebook.com/ sinulid.benilde.

VEGAN meals and drinks are part of the programs at The Farm at San Benito.

PHOTO BY JULIANA MAXINE VASQUEZ

At The Farm at San Benito, a world-renowned health and wellness resort in the Philippines, they really have a holistic approach to menopausal health. The program includes vegan meals and nutritional juices. The meals are low glycemic but high in nutrients, so the body’s natural defenses are boosted. It all starts with a consultation with a nutritionist and this will assess the individual’s food intake and lifestyle history in order to formulate a sustainable meal plan that suits her individual needs.

The retreat includes a holistic health consultation, which explores the individual’s state of well-being. Cellular health screening is also integrated in the program and the results of this can show manifestations of oxidative stress and internal organ imbalance, providing valuable insights into possible nutritional deficiencies and toxicities. The retreat also includes several colon hydrotherapy treatments, which help to detoxify the body and improve digestive health. The Farm’s diagnostics are supported by certified fitness coaches with a complimentary fitness consultation and assessment.

The program includes a test for heavy metals, minerals and vitamins, a 60-minute Personalized Kidney Cleansing, a

restore balance and harmony to the body. The retreat offers several activities and workshops, including yoga, meditation, nature walks, organic farm tours, sound healing, interactive wellness workshops, and functional fitness activities. This provides guests with an opportunity to connect with their bodies and minds, and to learn new skills that will help them cope with the changes that come with menopause.

options and the resort’s villas offer luxurious and comfortable

Luxury villas also have private pools and outdoor showers. Our villa had an outdoor shower and tub, and it was quite an experience. The four-day Menopause Retreat at The Farm at San Benito costs $1,200++ for one person while the six-night retreat is at $2,400++ exclusive of accommodations.

More information is available at www.thefarmatsanbenito. com or via info@thefarm.com.ph.

Badly-needed: A holistic health retreat

CLOCKWISE: Oliver Tolentino for Cate Blanchett (photo from Oliver Tolentino), Jan Garcia for Michelle Yeoh (photo by Don Davies), Michael Cinco for Ana De Armas (photo from Michael Cinco), Ryan Pacioles for Angela Bassett (Thirdy Ado), Ezra Santos for Andrea Riseborough (photo by @eam999), and AZ Factory for Jamie Lee Curtis (azfactory. com)

Artifract beefs up NFT portfolio with new artists, fresh pieces

Elon Musk’s Starlink at Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club: A First in Southeast Asia!

ELON Musk’s Starlink was launched at Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club (PDLBCC) recently, the first in Southeast Asia!

Owned by Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls, and more making it perfect for critical business operations. Leveraging advanced satellites and user hardware coupled with deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations, it delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. The Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to use this technology.

Pico de Loro’s guests will be the first in Southeast Asia to enjoy and benefit from Starlink's premium connection and reliability. With Starlink in the property’s arsenal, peak demand can be addressed with extra bandwidth. Aside from enhanced speeds, connection quality and security are improved. As such, users experience uninterrupted connections when they browse, stream media, make video calls, and play online games. Conferences and individuals with high cyber security requirements now have the option of routing their traffic through Starlink. This is particularly useful for diplomatic or corporate guests whose needs are more complex in nature.

ARTIFRACT.IO, the country’s first non-fungible token (NFT) platform, beefed up its portfolio with the latest collection of celebrated artists Juvenal Sansó, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, and National Artist for Sculpture Abdulmari Asia Imao in a public launch held recently at the Unionbank Plaza in Pasig City.

Art collectors, influential entrepreneurs, and estate partners who were in attendance were able to clinch the premium NFT tiles of Sansó’s Euphoric Abundance, Imao’s Sarimanok Series, and Aguilar Alcuaz’s Manila Bay Sunset in a private auction during the event. Aside from illustrious personalities in the art industry, Artifract also received a warm welcome from some of the country’s most influential entrepreneurs.

“It is actually our second time to partner with Artifract. We are so happy that through Artifract and this NFT project, we are able to democratize the artworks of Mr. Sanso and more people get to own part of his work. At the same time, these people help us serve the Filipino public better by ensuring that we continue with the work that we do. We are thankful, and we are so excited,” Fundacion Sansó Museum Director and Curator Ricky Francisco said.

Artifract democratizes art ownership

by fractionalizing them as NFTs, empowering collectors and enthusiasts, and even ordinary individuals, to participate in the market by making art more accessible. Through the platform, artists can showcase their artworks and fractionalize them as NFTs so that individuals can own pieces of their artworks at more affordable prices.

Using the proprietary token factory technology, a system wherein realworld or digital assets are represented by “tokens’’ on the blockchain, Artifract breaks down artworks into smaller pieces or digital grids, which are then sold to the public.

Old artworks are resurrected into new masterpieces, expanding the reach of art by inviting more members into the community and providing a more stable income for artists.

“On behalf of the family, we are really excited to partner with Artifract for this event. To see my lolo’s work in a very digital space, I think it’s something that he would have been excited about, having dabbled in different mediums. He is a National Artist for Sculpture, but he also did a lot of paintings, ceramic work, and photography. Knowing that there is this entire medium out there, a new way to experience art that showcases Mindanao culture, I’m sure he would

have been excited to see it,” said David Imao, grandson of National Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao

Last year, Artifract also ventured into the fractionalization of Pinoy Rock Icon Ely Buendia’s music to allow fans and music lovers to immerse themselves in his works. Users, under their avatar personas, were able to explore his music and discover a newfound appreciation for his works in the metaverse.

Artifract is a partnership between Unit 256 Ventures Inc. and UBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines. Under this strategic alliance, UBX provides the necessary technologies for optimal user experience and advances the project’s business and marketing development. Unit 256 spearheads the conceptualization to branding, from scouting to the recruitment of artists and art enthusiasts alike.

“All else considered, Artifract owes its success to the local art community. From the start, we have received nothing short of a warm welcome and much enthusiasm from art collectors and artists alike. We are determined to live up to everyone’s expectations and we are looking forward to partnering with more Philippine Masters in the art industry,” Rico Dela Cruz, the product owner of Artifract, said.

SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation

Vice President for Technical Support and

Services Eric Uy said, “Having fast and dependable internet services is nonnegotiable for today’s travelers who wish to remain connected throughout their stay. We are committed to surpassing expectations by being first to adopt relevant technologies that quietly enhance guest experience in addition to the hospitality we here at Pico de Loro are known for. Unlike other wireless technologies deployed in the past, we realized that Starlink’s presence is a game-changer for us as a resort and we are proud to be the first to offer this service to our guests.”

Philippines’ Top Architects to showcase world class masterpieces at WORLDBEX 2023

PDP Architects

PDP Architects’ work center around 3 aspects, people, design, and places. Their peoplecentered designs aim to elevate the value of places and keep the design cycle going.

Edward Co Tan + Architects

EDWARD Co Tan + Architects aims to utilize structure as architecture. They use all parts of the building to create a system that values space, efficiency, and operations.

Arch. Jonathan O. Gan & Associates INTEGRATING environment, culture, and technology to their designs, Arch. Jonathan O. Gan & Associates have been proving themselves in the world of architecture. With awards from BCI Asia as one of the Top Ten Market Leaders in architecture, the firm has impressed many different clients with their design services.

PALAFOX Architecture Group, Inc

Go

Thyme Bank partners with Go Rewards, Cebu Pacific for boosted reward points when every Juan flies

again,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, who took part in the unveiling of the partnership at Palacio De Memoria in Parañaque on February 9.

“With GoTyme Bank’s rewards booster, Filipinos can get more travel experiences! Every Juan can get a free GoTyme Bank Visa Debit Card in Robinsons Supermarket and Department Store, and download the Go Rewards app,” Cesca Silvestre-Cruz, Growth Marketing Director of Go Rewards, added.

THE Philippines has proved again and again that Filipino architects can go head to head against international ones. From design competitions to award-winning buildings, different architectural firms have showcased their different fortes in architecture and design. Filipino architects have shown the best in Filipino design with many employing classic Filipino aesthetics to the international audience and showcasing innovative and practical building designs.

From March 16 to 19, 2023 the top Philippine architects will meet, not for competition but to share and spread new architectural ideas. Since it started, WORLDBEX has been connecting architects with their peers along with different companies. WORLDBEX has also continuously supported local and upcoming firms through its Architect’s Gallery. The gallery allows architects to feature their latest designs that visitors, new architects, and architecture students can learn from.

Some of the architectural firms you will get to know at WORLDBEX are:

GOTYME Bank, a Gokongwei Group Bank, has partnered with Cebu Pacific and Go Rewards to enable more Juans to reach their dream destinations by boosting reward points earned from flights. These can then be redeemed to pay for flights and flight add-ons!

With the all-new “Rewards Boosted” feature, Cebu Pacific customers paying for their flights can boost the Go Rewards points they can earn, and get even more bonus points, by using a GoTyme Bank Visa Debit or Virtual Card.

Once a customer’s Go Rewards points stack up, they can use their points to even book flights at Cebu Pacific for free, something Filipinos with upcoming travel plans can benefit from!

“Partnering with Cebu Pacific was our natural next step,” shared Raymund Villanueva, GoTyme Bank’s Head of Marketing. “This partnership brings together three key features of the

Gokongwei Group - Cebu Pacific’s mission to fly every Juan, Go Rewards’ meaningful rewards and experiences, and GoTyme Bank’s aim to unlock the Filipinos’ financial potential through next-level banking.”

Villanueva continued, “Our GoTyme Bank Visa Debit Card is fast becoming the preferred method of payment within the Gokongwei Group of retail stores. We want to continue solidifying that reputation by boosting the Go Rewards points earned if you use your GoTyme Bank Visa Debit Card - both physical and virtual as the method of payment in Cebu Pacific. We’re also working on additional promos and rewards that will give our customers more ways to enjoy this partnership and our GoTyme Bank Virtual Visa Card”.

“Go Rewards is Cebu Pacific’s loyalty program, and with GoTyme Bank boosting the rewards points our customers get, we’ll be able to boost everyJuan’s confidence that they can start creating travel memories

Launched in October 2022, GoTyme Bank has been offering Filipinos nextlevel banking in a rapidly turning digital world, with its simple and user-friendly interface and kiosks where customers can create an account and get their free debit cards within five minutes. It also boasts an attractive Rewards points system through its partnership with Go Rewards—the Gokongwei Group’s loyalty program, offering members rewards & personalized deals for retail, travel, fuel, and ecommerce.

Don’t miss out on your chance to fly to your dream destinations! Open a GoTyme Bank account online or at any of its kiosks nationwide, and take advantage of its convenience and unlimited rewards. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @gotymebank to get updates on the latest news and promos. #GoTymeBank #RewardsBooster #PreferredMOPforGG #GokongweiGroup #GoRewards #CebuPacific

WTA Architecture and Design Studios

KNOWN for their aesthetically pleasing but practical designs, WTA has won various awards in international competitions such as WAFX Awards at 2021’s World Architecture Festival.

ASYA Designs

ASYA Design is known for designing City of Dreams. They provide innovative architecture best known for balanced blend of aesthetic and it’s pedestrian practicality that takes into consideration scale and market segments.

ARC LICO International Services Corp

ARC LICO is an architectural firm famous for addition of Filipino flair in their designs along with usage of Filipino architectural knowledge. They have designed the Museo ni Dr. Pio Valenzuela and a Spanish-era Inspired Shopping Mall.

Fulgar Architects

FOCUSING on mainly commercial properties, Fulgar Architects create unique and goodlooking designs to transform condos, hotel and resorts into eye-catching meta-modern works.

FROM La Mesa Ecopark to Clark Freeport Zone, PALAFOX Architecture Group has shown itself as multidisciplinary juggernaut in the field of architecture. They are committed in upholding their values in conserving natural environment along with economic growth, culture, history, and interfaith spirituality. Angeles Architectural Studio AN up-and-coming architectural studio in the scene. Angeles Architectural Studio focuses on user experiences with its thoughtful designs that is immerse in creative narratives.

Primea Design Group Co.

PRIMEA Design Group Co. offers design concepts and master planning. With a specialty in urban concepts and design, they create practical design solutions to their loyal clienteles.

LPPA Design Group LPPA Design Group brings its innovative solutions and global standards to clients. With a proven track record, LPPA Design Group has cemented itself as a firm that is focused on delivering high-performance designs, on budget and on time.

Deqa Design Collaborative PROVIDING transformative work and design, Deqa Design Collaborative approaches projects through a user-centric, research-drive, and sustainable perspective. They provide innovative solutions through their constant engagement in critiques and dialogues.

At WORLDBEX, you will be able to gain valuable insights with the different architectural firms along with their design process as principal architects of these firms showcase their latest works. You can find these architectural groups and firms only at the Architect’s Gallery at WORLDBEX 2023.

The WORLDBEX Legacy Continues from March 16-19, 2023 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila and SMX Convention Center Manila. Register now at www.worldbex.com

The coronavirus chronicles: The wriTe sTuff 2023

FO r communicators, it’s always best to start things write. That means finding new ways to write better, as for us this will always be a work in progress.

In an article in prnewsonline.com, Luka Ladan, CEO of Zenica Public r e lations says that “writing is like golf: you’ll never be perfect. The fun [or frustration] lies in the pursuit of perfection that never comes.”

To quote novelist Margaret Atwood, “if I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”

Therefore, “the first step is recognizing you should improve. We all should—there are no exceptions, no matter how many paragraphs and pages you have written.”

PR Matters

By Millie F. Dizon

Here, Ladan shares with us Tips That Will Improve Your Writing in 2023.

n r ea d, read, and read more “It’s impossible to improve as a content creator if you don’t expose yourself to other writers,” says Ladan. “ r e ading others lets you decide what works, what doesn’t and what you can adopt into your work.”

All the best writers were influenced by those who came before. They learned from the past to find their voice. As Stephen King put it, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: r e ad a lot and write a lot.”

n u s e what you read

W H ILE reading is important, it is best to allow reading to inform your writing. “Pick up unique fragments here and there, and make them yours,” says Ladan.

o t her tips from l ad an:

1. Discover synonyms to replace words that you overuse.

2. Figure out how others use tools like em dashes. Then, use the occasional em dash to replace redundant commas.

3. Go back through your grammar or spelling mistakes and figure out how others avoid them.

n a n e xercise

TrY t his morning exercise: r e ad an editorial from The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times. With that, identify one sentence that resonated with you from a prose perspective. Then add it to your arsenal—in

women and girls can go unnoticed.

n HersHey launcHes tHe

soutHe ast a sia version of international Women’s Day limiteD packaging MANILA, PHILIPPINES—In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 08, The Hershey Company launched its monthlong #HerShe campaign through a unique packaging design celebrating “SHEroes,” additional support of its nonprofit partnership and a new global mentorship program designed to celebrate and empower women and girls around the world and help create the next generation of diverse leaders.

This year’s theme, “Celebrate #HerSHE,” inspires consumers to celebrate the limitless potential and impact of women and girls. The Hershey Company is committed to advancing gender equity, investing in both girls and women, and driving global female-focused storytelling.

“Elevating women and championing their power each and every day is in our DNA at Hershey,” said Ahmad Nasser, Marketing Director—AEMEA at The Hershey Company. “Far too often, the impact of

This year’s theme aims to celebrate Sheroes among us by leveraging our platform to showcase how women can reach their limitless potential when recognized and empowered. Hershey is excited to take part in this year’s global activations while reinforcing our commitment to uplifting women each and every day.”

Driving Woman-focused storytelling through HersHe campaign

T HI S y ear, The Hershey Company’s award-winning #HerSHE campaign will come to life in four countries across Southeast Asia: the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. The goal of #HerSHE is to make invisible women visible and the company will transform its iconic 40 grams Hershey’s milk chocolate bar wrapper, as well as that of other popular flavors, into a celebration of women, their accomplishments, and the impact they have made in their respective countries.

Among these women are Meggie Ochoa from the Philippines, a SEA Games gold medalist in Jiu-Jitsu and founder of Fight to Protect, Nor Fadilah Mohamed Nizar of Malaysia, founder of social enterprise Johor Empowerment of Intellectual Women Association (JEIWA), Kawiporn Winichthaoprathom from Thailand, founder of Fairy House of Stray Animals which shelters over

your words, of course.

n Don’t obsess, write!

L ADAN t ells more advice from King: r e ad and write. Put pen to paper, even if it means throwing ink at the wall. Content creators often stumble into writer’s block because they don’t transfer their thoughts into a cold, hard draft soon enough. Even if it’s a very, very rough draft, use the word vomit to your advantage. After all, it’s much easier to turn something into something good than it is to turn nothing into something. You can overcome writer’s block by entering the editing phase sooner—that is, avoiding a delay before creating your initial draft.

2,000 strays, and Yeok Yong Ling from Singapore, chairperson of Beautiful People, a non-profit skill-based advocacy for teen girls.

The campaign will also come to life through an online community with curated templates and personalized messaging that consumers can use to celebrate, recognize, share on social media, and honor the stories of Sheroes who have inspired them. reflecting on Hershey’s Woman-forward legacy T HE H ershey Company has long been a champion for women, with gender equity and gender representation throughout the company’s leadership and around the world serving as a key element of the company’s enterprise diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy. Over the past two years, the company has consecutively been named to Forbes’ list of the World’s Top Female Friendly Companies, notably taking first place in 2021.

To further extend womenforward storytelling, Hershey, as well as its regions including India, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, and Canada, are again partnering with Girl Up, a nonprofit committed to advancing girls’ skills, rights, and opportunities to be leaders, to amplify the voices of girls and women who are making a difference around the world on digital and social platforms. Founded by the United Na -

All in all, the key is not obsessing over the outcome; learn to trust (if not love) the drafting and editing processes. The outcome will take care of itself.

John Steinbeck put it like this: “Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page a day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.”

n Write now!

D ON T w ait to write!

Ladan suggests to make it a habit to start writing within five seconds of clicking the Compose button. Get all your thoughts down, then hone each into a cohesive final product. Once the substance is cohesive, take pleasure in fine-tuning the style. Surprise

tions Foundation in 2010, Girl Up’s leadership development programs have impacted more than 125,000 girls through 5,000 Clubs in 130 countries and all 50 US states, inspiring a generation of girls to be a force for gender equality and social change. In addition, The Hershey Company and Girl Up will launch a global mentorship cohort, pairing 10 young women with international leaders for ongoing personal and career development.

n fooDpanDa joins WeekenD festivities at WanDerlanD’s mucH-aWaiteD comeback

WitH exciting activities

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Get ready to #WanderLikeAPanda as foodpanda joins the comeback of the Wanderland Festival happening on March 04-05, 2023, at the Filinvest City Events Grounds in Alabang.

The online quick commerce digital platform will be one of the co-presenters at the return of Manila’s premiere homegrown festival, which promises to bring another unforgettable celebration of art and music. The exciting collaboration comes on the heels of foodpanda’s recent brand philosophy launch, encouraging people to “live like a panda” and free up their time and energy to pursue what matters to them.

With this partnership, foodpanda wants to inspire festival attendees to

yourself like à la Steinbeck.

In 2023, read, write, rinse, repeat. Step by step, the results will speak for themselves.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdombased International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

wander like a panda and to dive into a fun-filled day of awe and excitement. Here’s what you can expect from the collaboration:

#Wanderlikeapanda

Pr EPA r E t o be transported into a world of nostalgia as Wanderland and foodpanda treat wanderers like champs with an unforgettable experience that’s one for the books. After a three-year hiatus, wanderers can finally taste the unparalleled joy of reveling in music and fun.

Much like what “Live Like a Panda” teaches, it is living in the precious moment while having a good time with your friends, meeting new people, or just feeling the beat of the music.

Wander like a Panda and create memories that will last a lifetime! enjoy the fun games and activities

A S IDE f rom the music and bright lights, wanderers will have unique experiences brimming with awesome surprises and engaging activities brought by foodpanda.

Led by foodpanda’s cute mascot, Pau-Pau, the Wander Like a Panda booth gathers festival-goers in an action-packed league that features sports-themed activities. Aside from the incredible prizes and freebies, each activity will provide them with a leveled-up festival experience by encouraging them to celebrate the small wins and play the games.

Witness live performances from your fave artists

A NY festival will not be complete without heart-stopping performances from the most talented artists in the music industry. This year’s Wanderland festival will feature an electrifying lineup of international and local artists, iconic rock stars, Asian acts, as well as local up-andcoming bands. Art lovers will also have a fantastic time as the featured Wandeartists perform their respective live arts.

Festival goers can also enjoy complimentary snacks and Instagramworthy areas courtesy of foodpanda and pandapro.

“Our participation in this year’s Wanderland Music and Arts Festival is completely in line with our brand philosophy that encourages people to go after what matters to them the most—and for wanderers and music-lovers, it’s the adrenaline of witnessing and feeling live music once again,” said Lorelei Olalia, foodpanda Philippines Head of Integrated Marketing Communications.

Everyone attending the Wanderland Music and Arts Festival can get their game on, win and Wander Like a Panda by joining and enjoying the activities and booths available on the festival grounds. Follow foodpanda and Wanderland on their socials for the latest scoop and updates.

Sports BusinessMirror

B8 Monday, March 6, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

HIDILYN DIAZ-NARANJO AGAIN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

QUEEN ONCE MORE

HIDILYN DIAZ-NARANJO and dozens other champions and heroes in the previous year step on centerstage for the 2022 San Miguel Corp.-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night Monday at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

The country’s first Olympic gold medalist DiazNaranjo will be the star of the night as she lifts the prestigious Athlete of the Year trophy for the second straight time in the Awards Night staged annually by the oldest media organization in the Philippines headed by its president, Tempo sports editor Rey Lachica.

D iaz, 31, leads the honor roll made up of close to 100 awardees with the late athletics great Lydia De Vega posthumously receiving a well-deserved nook in the PSA Hall of Fame and her fellow track and field queen Elma Muros-Posadas receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Former Project: Gintong Alay executive director Michael Keon, current mayor of Laoag City, will be one of the special guests as he personally reminisces the glory days when De Vega and Muros-Posadas were the toast of Philippine, Southeast Asian and Asian athletics.

O ther bigwigs led by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino will grace the formal

By Josef Ramos

CARLOS “CALOY” YULO didn’t disappoint in Doha by adding a silver medal in parallel bars and bronze in vault to go with his gold medal in floor exercise that boost his bid to make this Septmeber’s world championships where berths to the Paris 2024 Olympics are at stake. Yulo vowed to do better in the International Gymnastics Federation

Santiago returns to power PHL bid in IM Davao

TOP local triathletes priming up for the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao look to whip up the chase for individual honors in various age groups when the premier endurance race powered by Petron is held March 26 at Azuela Cove.

I nes Santiago, champion of the women’s Ironman 70.3 Cebu last year, tries to bring her winning act to Davao in the 40-44 division of the multi-age category 1.9- km swim/90km bike/21-km run event.

The Negrense unleashed a strong finishing kick for a come-from-behind victory in the Ironman 70.3 Cebu last August in the event dubbed as the “comeback race” after being deferred for nearly three years by the pandemic. A nd the 40-year-old ace sets out for another title crack via the same fashion in the event marking Davao’s third hosting of the blue-ribbon race after being postponed in 2020-22.

Santiago also ruled the Century Tuna Ironman Philippines, a full distance race last year and the first to be held after a two-year hiatus.

Orchard tops Founders; Alta Vista double champ

Cignal TV and ably backed by the POC, Tagaytay City Mayor Tolentino, Milo, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association, OKBet, International Container Terminal Services Inc. and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

T he other special awards are the Executive of the Year (Tolentino), National Sports Association of the Year (Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas), Mr. Basketball (Scottie Thompson), Ms. Football (Sarina Bolden) and the Milo Champion of Grit and Glory award (Diaz).

C itations will also be handed out to the gold medal winners in the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games, Tony Siddayao Awards, PSA Special Awards and the Lifetime Award in sports journalism.

A t ribute for De Vega and a host of other athletes, officials and personalities who passed away last year will also be honored in a tribute.

affair that will also honor rising tennis star Alex

Eala with the President’s Award and Olympians

EJ Obiena, Carlos Yulo and Carlo Paalam and the Philippine women’s football team and 11 others with Major Awards in their respective sports.

Veteran sportscaster Sev Sarmenta and lovely sports journalist and host Rizza Diaz will anchor the gala night presented by the PSC and

T he Athlete of the Year award is the fourth in the last seven years for Diaz since she clinched a weightlifting silver medal in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics.

D iaz-Naranjo owns the most number of Athletes of the Year Award. Legendary athletes Manny Pacquiao, Luisito Espinosa, Nonito Donaire Jr in boxing, Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno and Olivia “Bong” Coo in bowling, De Vega and Efren “Bata’ Reyes in billiards won the award at least thrice.

GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE FOR YULO

Artistic World Cup series after settling for a bronze medal in bars in the first leg the other week in Cottbus, Germany.

Do better he did at the Aspire Dome in the Qatari capital starting Saturday as he dominated his favorite floor exercise—the event that made him world champion in 2019 that came with a qualifying slot to the Tokyo Games—and made the podium in each of the other two events.

Yulo registered 14.933 points for the silver in the men’s parallel bars behind gold medalist Illia Kovtun (14,966) of Ukraine and Arican

WORLD boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao comes out of retirement with a June 3 fight against Britain’s Conor Nigel Benn in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

I nternational matchmaker Sean Gibbons confirmed the former senator’s return to the ring to BusinessMirror on Sunday.

Put it out there, he [Pacquiao] loves to fight Conor Benn and that’s true,” Gibbons said. “We’re trying to make it happen on June third and that will be in the Middle East somewhere in Abu Dhabi.”

De La Salle-Lipa wields broom

Ferhat (14.733) of Turkey. He got 14.833 points in vault— the event he dominated in the 2021 Kitakyushu worlds—for the bronze behind Armenia’s Artur Davtyan (15.083) and Ukraine’s Igor Radivilov (14.899).

The 23-year-old Yulo garnered 14. 8 33 points to beat Japan’s Kazuki Minami (14.200) and Britain’s Luke Whitehouse (13.966) in the floor exercise final.

It’s really good to have all kinds of medals. I’m very happy,” Gymnastic Association of the Philippines President Cynthia Carrion-Norton told

BusinessMirror through internet call. “Caloy is taking this seriously after what happened to Cottbus.”

Juancho Miguel Besana is campaigning in the series alongside Yulo but he has yet to make the podium.

Yulo flew to Baku in Azerbaijan Sunday for the third leg from March 9 to 12 together with Japanese coach Munehiro Kugiyama. His last stop is the Cairo fourth leg from April 27 to 30.

The series will determine who qualifies for the world championships—a Paris 2024 qualifier—in Antwerp, Belgium, from September 30 to October 8.

PACQUIAO FIGHTS IN JUNE

Gibbons, president of the former eight-division world champion’s MP Promotions, didn’t reveal the fight’s details.

Pacquiao, 44, continues to train in General Santos City. He lost to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas in his last professional fight in August 21 last yeart in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He announced his retirement in September 30 also last year to focus on his presidential bid.

Pacquiao (62-8-2 win-loss-draw

DE LA SALLE-LIPA completed a sweet sweep of its girls’ Pool A weekend matches on Sunday with a 25-13, 2511 victory over Junction Youth Organization of Los Baños (Laguna) in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Under-18 Championships at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Sixteen-year-old

Raizah Nicole Mamailao took care of defense at the net for De La SalleLipa which went 3-0 in the third weekend of the

calling for the FIA, motorsport’s worldwide governing body not to “sportswash the blood-soaked images” of the races held in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

A nd to think that FIA’s new president Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently introduced a rule in December of 2022 that banned drivers from making political, religious and personal statements.

Th at has been clarified to “making statements before and after races.”

Th is comes months after many groups also accused FIFA of the same during the recent Qatar World Cup.

Do I think that the FIA and FIFA are sportswashing the abuses and state crimes by allowing the staging of world class sporting events on the soil of countries accused of malfeasance?

Yes, I do.

But that extends to many many sporting events—big and small—around the world. China alone has much to answer for their repression of the Uyghurs, Tibet, and

THE Orchard Golf and Country Club turned to its pair of junior golfers to take the fight out of its closest pursuers and capture the Founders division in the 74th Philippine Airlines Men’s Interclub golf team championships on Saturday in Cebu.

Just two points ahead of Alabang and Riviera with two more teams within six points before the start of the final round, the Orchard drew a tournament-best 40 points from Zachary Castro and 33 from Tristan Jefferson Padilla to shut the door.   Castro went four-under at the back where he started before adding two more against two bogeys coming home.

W ith Hongzheng Lu and Beejay Chua adding 32 and 25, the Orchard amassed 130 points at the Cebu Country Club to cruise to a sevenpoint victory.

R iviera Golf Club struck through Eric Gozo’s 35 and Michael Mendoza’s 34 to take second place with 463 points. Other scorers were King Stehmeier and Richard Salcedo with 28 apiece.

Forest Hills settled for third with 455, drawing a pair of 32s from Augusto Pacheco and Jose Inigo

Raymundo, a 31 from Joshua Nicolas Buenaventura and 26 from James Bryan Gosiaco.

It was also a close fight in the

third-tier Aviator class with Alta Vista emerging on top with 425 points after closing with 103 points at Club Filipino de Cebu.   Cebu Country Club Team 2 came in second with 421 while Zamboanga took third with 417.

In the Sportswriters bracket, Club Filipino de Cebu posted a runaway 22-point win over South Cotabato, totaling 386 points. Third place went to San Juanico Golf Park with 357 points.

A lta Vista made it two in a row after its second team ruled the Friendship class with 326 points, 27 points ahead of Liloan Golf Club. Apo Golf Orogold Club placed third with 298.

The annual event, held with the theme “Back to Ignite,” was supported by platinum sponsors ABS-CBN Global, Asian Journal, Airbus and NUSTAR Resort and Casino.

G old sponsors include Radio Mindanao Network, Mastercard, MemoRieS FM 89.9 Cebu, University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network, PLDT/Smart and Konsulta MD.

Joining the event as silver sponsors were Philippine National Bank, Biocostech and VISA and the minor sponsors were Bollore Logistics, Tanduay Brands International, and Asia Brewery while donors are the Department of Tourism, Ogawa, Newport World Resorts, Rolls Royce and Boeing.

Canino leads DLSU past Ateneo

DE LA SALLE extended its head-to-head mastery over Ateneo to 11 matched via a 25-16, 25-20, 25-12 victory for the the solo lead in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 women’s volleyball action Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

A ngel Canino starred for De La Salle with a match-best 23 points on 21 attacks, an ace and a block to go along with nine digs and five receptions for the Lady Spikers, who improved to 3-0 won-lost.

with 39 knockouts) is fighting a 26-year-old  Benn, a dangerous boxer who’s unbeaten in 21 fights with 14 knockouts.

B enn’s latest knockout win was against South African Chris Van Heerden last April 16 in England. He also knocked out American Chris Algieri in December 2021 in Liverpool, but failed a drug test after that. He was eventually cleared by the World Boxing Council. Josef Ramos

tournament organized by the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara and supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT, Rebisco and Akari.    I reminded the girls not to be sele c tive and follow the game plan,” De La Salle-Lipa’s coach of 19 tears Imee Mendoza said.

O pposite hitter Maezen De Silva, the youngest played for the Batangas squad at 12, provided instant offense in the second set along with libero Reika Kaizerine Amaya. We just have to work hard, our job is not done as we’re heading now to the quarterfinals,” the seventhgrader De Silva said.

One game at a time,” De La Salle head coach Noel Orcullo said. “And I keep reminding the girls not to be overconfident.”

Ateneo last beat De La Salle, 12-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19, in the second round of the Season 79 eliminations on April 8, 2017.

O n Sunday, the Lady Eagles still couldn’t solve the Lady Spikers puzzle before 10,754 fans in the one-hour and 28-minute match at the Pasay City venue.

Jolina Dela Cruz chipped in 13 points on 10 attacks and three blocks with 11 excellent receptions and Thea Gagate added 10 points for De La Salle.

Faith Nisperos had 11 points with 11 excellent digs for Ateneo which slid to 1-2 won-lost in a tie with Far Eastern University (FEU) and University of the Philippines, which leaned heavily on Nina Ytang in beating stubborn University of the East, 22-25, 2518, 25-19, 25-20, for its first win of the season earlier Sunday.

Ytang had 20 points on 12 attacks, seven blocks and an ace against UE, which fell to 0-3.

bullying other countries, and yet, I have always wondered why many sporting events are held there.

The answer is simple—they pay loads of money to host.

L et’s take a look at local sports. How many sports federations have local government officials on their board? And yet, they use their patronage to further their political ambitions that it is so sickening.

A ll you have to look at is when athletes who compete on the international level bring glory, what follows is the ubiquitous photo op with all these self-serving government officials.

Of course, they can be fans too. But come on, we were not born yesterday. And where do they get all this fund to fund anyway? Is it theirs or are these from the taxes and pork barrel allocations? Why do they act like they have so much money?

Even this mall conglomerate that has all sorts of antilabor practices has learned the art of using sports and entertainment to deflect any blame or accusations hurled their way.

H aving said this—and this is merely the tip of the

UE, however, bucked a slow start to deal UP its third consecutive loss, 1925, 25-17, 25-21, 25-22, in men’s action.

K enneth Culabat finished with a team-high 19 points on 19 attacks with 19 excellent receptions for UE, now tied with FEU and University of Santo Tomas with a 2-1 card.

“ It’s the team’s first win and we’re very thankful about it,” said Shaq delos Santos of his first victory as head coach of the UP Lady Maroons. There’re more things we need to improve on but we appreciate how the girls moved the ball in this match.”

Stephanie Bustrillo had 16 points on 10 attacks, three blocks and three aces and Alyssa Bertolano had an all-around outing of 10 points, 11 excellent receptions, and six digs for

ANGEL CANINO waxes hot

iceberg that will sink democratic principles—this has been going on for centuries.

D idn’t the Roman Emperors use the Colosseum to distract the masses?

Unfortunately, everything runs on money. And oil. So sports governing bodies have no choice but to accept the patronage.

A s I have said and written many times over, this is the result of playing politics and accepting money. The moment you play that game—and here I will crib that line from the Eagles’ classic “Hotel California”—you can check out any time you like but you can never leave.

So no, the Grand Prix races will continue to be held in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The World Cup, the Olympics and these other huge sporting events will go on in China, Russia (well at least not recently), and other countries with all the human rights, exploitation, or even terrorist acts committed.  It is the blindness men wish for. And that is a shame.

THE Philippine Sportswriters Association is again bestowing Olympic and world champion Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo as the country’s best athlete in 2022.

MEMBERS of the The Orchard Golf and Country Club receive their trophy as Founders division champion from Philippine Airlines Vice President for Security Gen. Caesar Ronnie Ordoyo (left) and Senior Assistant Vice President Genaro “Bong” Velasquez (right) during the awards night on Saturday.

YULO

DE LA SALLE-LIPA heads into the quarterfinals in high spirits.