BusinessMirror March 18, 2023

VIP UNDER SIEGE

Oil spill seriously imperils one of the ‘most productive’ marine ecosystems in the world

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

According to Conservation International, the VIP is “one of the most productive ecosystems in the world.” From fishing to shipping, the VIP provides food, livelihoods and other benefits to over 2 million people. It is also home to “charismatic species such as whale sharks, sea turtles, nudibranchs, and an impressive array of corals.”

More importantly, Conservation International declared that the strait is “the backbone of the local economy, thriving upon coastal tourism, fisheries, and as a shipping route to the international ports of Batangas, Manila and Subic Bay.”

Further damage feared

SPEAKING during a recent Senate inquiry following the disastrous Mindoro oil spill, Dr. Cesar L. Villanoy of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute said it is imperative to stop the seepage from the sunken vessel to prevent further damage to marine and coastal environments.

He said it is also imperative to do it before the amihan season ends, which also signifies the onset of the summer season, which, he also estimates, will start to happen before the Holy Week or a week from now.

C iting trajectory models used by the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the ocean current and strong wind brought about by amihan is bringing the oil seep -

ing from the sunken vessel to the shores of Naujan and Pola, Oriental Mindoro.

However, he warned that without the wind, the trajectory model indicates it will move to the direction of the VIP in the next few weeks.

Villanoy said the oil that is severely affecting the nine coastal towns of Oriental Mindoro and the islands of Semirara and Antique province is just a fraction of the oil seepage.

He explained that when Bunker C oil is released in the water, 9 percent evaporates, while 70 percent breaks up into smaller spills. What remains is 22 percent, which is now spreading in various areas.

So far, he said, the spill is going south, mostly to Semirara and Caluya Island and eventually to Cuyo. However, in the next few days, it will reach the Taytay area in Palawan.

The currents are starting to move to the west—towards the Verde Passage, sometime next week, it will start to affect Verde Island Passage,” says Villanoy.

He added various government agencies working to contain the spill have until, at the latest, Monday, 19th of March, or the oil will start going in the direction of the VIP without the amihan that continues to push oil towards the direction of Nauhan and Pola towns.

Without the wind, with currents only, the oil will spill towards Calapan and then VIP,” he said.

“ We need to contain the seepage before the amihan stops, otherwise, other areas will be affected,” he said.

We need to stop the seepage from the sunken vessel,” he said.

Government response

DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said together with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other responders from the local governments, ground remediation is being conducted in affected areas in Oriental Mindoro, which is hardest hit by the oil slick, and Seminara Island and Cuyo, in Antique.

She said the operation is being conducted with the assumption that the seepage will not be stopped, hence, anticipating the worst-case scenario.

Undersecretary Peter Tiangco of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the central mapping agency of the government, has pinpointed the location of the ill-fated vessel some 7.49 nautical miles northeast of Balingawan, Pola, Oriental Mindoro.

The distance of the vessel from the last known position is 264 miles (about 424 kilometers) southeast.

The shallowest depth in the area is 389.10 meters or 1,000 feet deep, making it hard for divers to work to stop the seepage, he said.

Meanwhile, a rapid assessment conducted by the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) from March 6 to 10, says Assistant Secretary Marcial Amaro, revealed that 10 hectares of mangrove areas in Pola town are now affected by the oil slick.

In the eight other towns of Oriental Mindoro, it was estimated that over 2,000 hectares of coral and 1,600 mangroves and 1,000 hectares of seagrass were also affected.

Secretary Carlito Galvez of the Office of Civil Defense said all in all, a total of 162,000 persons in 118 barangays were affected in Oriental Mindoro and Palawan. A total of 13,588 fisherfolk were also affected by the oil spill. He said that so far, cleanup operations in various affected areas resulted in the recovery of 4,128 liters of oily water, along with tons of oil-soaked waste or debris, collected. A total of 8,300 families or 32,000 persons in Caluya, Antique, were affected, together with close to 70 fisherfolk.

International ocean conservation advocacy group Oceana said with the testimonies made by national government agencies during the Senate hearing, it is clear that government agencies still have to learn to closely coordinate with one another, including with local authorities and stakeholders for disaster prevention, effective disaster risk communication, and disaster response, as aptly pointed out by Sen. Loren Legarda.

Potential disaster of ‘epic proportions’

DESPITE similar occurrences in the past and present, the country does not have implementation plans for contingencies, such as the oil pollution now ravaging our seas and coastal communities, Oceana Philippines vice president Gloria

Estenzo Ramos pointed out.

According to Ramos, despite several disasters hitting the country, largely human-inflicted, Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Act of 2010, still has to be fully implemented and appreciated by key decision-makers.

The oil spill is a disaster of epic proportions to our biodiversity and ecosystems, including the iconic Verde Island Passage, as the center of the world’s marine biodiversity, and the seafood-eating Filipino people who are largely dependent on a healthy ocean for sustenance and nutrition,” she lamented.

According to Ramos, it was appalling to hear of the lapses in procedure that regulatory agencies have allowed to take place, noting that Sen. Cynthia Villar and further questioning from Senators Risa Hontiveros and Chiz Escudero revealed that MT Princess Empress had no permit to operate.

So why was it cleared by the

Philippine Coast Guard for nine voyages from ports in Bataan and Manila?” she asked.

According to Ramos, an environmental lawyer, the Anti-Red Tape Act must be made applicable to the operations of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as well—as it should apply to all government agencies—because they don’t seem to be aware of the services and timeline required of them, especially when disasters occur.

In addition, it is high time that we seriously implemented the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, RA 9513. Without a definite push away from fossil fuel and towards renewable energy, we will remain sitting ducks to oil spills, pollution, and climate change impacts and become extremely vulnerable to the dire consequences they bring, Ramos said.

We cannot be flirting with disasters forever while anybody is free to spill oil in our ocean, without accountability,” she ended.

and nutrition.”

THE industrial oil from the sunken MT Princess Empress is threatening to affect the Verde Island Passage (VIP), a region described by scientists as the center of marine biodiversity in the world.

AERIAL view of the low-lying Bonito Island in the foreground and the larger Maricaban Island in the center, located in the Verde Island Passage. In the background is Mabini, Batangas. CHERYLRAMALHO DREAMSTIME.COM

How a landmark biodiversity treaty will change life on the high seas

By Todd Woody Bloomberg News

If the accord is ratified as expected, what was once an essentially lawless ocean will be managed to protect ecosystems that maintain life on Earth at a time when climate impacts are intensifying.

The high seas biodiversity treaty is the most far-ranging ocean agreement since the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), which regulates activities in international waters, including seabed mining. While Unclos doesn’t mention the word “biodiversity,” the new treaty specifies 21st-century threats to marine life that include plastic pollution and

climate-caused ocean acidification and deoxygenation.

The treaty also creates institutions for implementation, including a secretariat to manage dayto-day affairs and a Scientific and Technical Body that will review environmental impact assessments and proposals to create marine protected areas (MPAs) and advise on other matters.

Final decisions will be made by member-states meeting periodically as a Conference of the Parties (COP). (The treaty does not regulate fishing on the high seas, which is managed by other international organizations.)

The product of nearly five years of negotiations that often deadlocked over differences between rich and poor nations, the treaty also reflects compromises, some of which were hammered out in a final nonstop 36-hour negotiating session on March 4.

Sixty nations must ratify the marine biodiversity treaty for it to come into force, and that timeline depends on each country’s process for approval of international agreements. If and when the accord is ratified, here’s how its major provisions will change life and commerce on the high seas.

Marine Protected Areas

FOR the first time, nations will be able to propose the establishment of marine sanctuaries in international waters to “conserve and sustainably use areas requiring protections,” according to the treaty.

A bid to create an MPA must include data on the area’s biological uniqueness, threats to species and a management and monitoring plan. After the Scientific and Technical Body reviews and comments on the proposal, it will be released for consultation with other nations, scientists, indigenous communities and the general public.

Other UN treaty organizations require consensus before action can be taken. Such a condition in the Antarctic Treaty, for instance, has allowed one or two nations to repeatedly stymie efforts to expand protected areas on the continent. The high seas biodiversity treaty, on the other hand, allows approval of an MPA with a three-quarters vote by the COP if consensus can’t be reached.

“ That is definitely a huge step forward and can make this treaty workable,” says Kristina Gjerde, senior high seas advisor at the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Duncan Currie, an international environmental lawyer who specializes in ocean issues, says he’s already working with organizations in Chile on a proposal to establish an MPA off the west coast of South America. “Boats are going to be out in the water this year” to collect scientific data for the proposal, he says. “There will be other efforts to develop MPAs that are a priority as ratification of the treaty proceeds.”

The creation of high seas preserves could come into conflict

with the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a UN-affiliated organization established under UNCLOS in 1994 to regulate mining of the ocean floor. A memo the ISA secretariat recently submitted to high seas treaty negotiators asserted the ISA’s authority over the seabed and stated it has the expertise to develop MPAs.

The biodiversity treaty requires the COP to not undermine other international organizations’ jurisdictions. But Pradeep Singh, an ocean governance scholar at the University of Bremen in Germany, noted the conundrum of establishing high seas marine sanctuaries when industrial activity on the seabed below could pollute them.

“It doesn’t make sense from an ecological perspective if we’re going to have high seas protected areas but then the ISA allows mining to happen on the seabed,” he says.

The treaty authorizes the COP to take emergency measures if a natural or human-triggered disaster threatens serious or irreparable harm to marine biodiversity on the high seas. Rutgers Law School associate professor Cymie Payne, an expert on international ocean governance, says such measures could be invoked if there’s an oil spill or other industrial incident. “You might completely close the area for a period of time until it’s possible to either to clean up the spill or natural degradation has addressed the pollution problem,” she says.

Environmental impact assessments

THE treaty’s requirement that environmental impact assessments (EIAs) be conducted for activities that could have a harmful or an unknown impact on the high seas comes amid growing interest in using the ocean to absorb and store carbon dioxide.

Under the treaty, national governments will be responsible for determining if a proposed action by an entity under their authority requires an EIA. If so, the government must conduct the assessment and submit the report to the Scientific and Technical Body for review. (If a government decides an EIA is not warranted, it still must notify the organization.)

W hile the Scientific and Technical Body and other nations and organizations can comment on the EIA, the COP can’t stop an activity on the high seas it deems potentially harmful. That remains the

decision of the national government. “That was one of the controversial issues and compromises made at the last minute during negotiations,” says Gjerde.

Some observers have questioned whether companies will “forum shop” for countries with less stringent environmental-review requirements or that lack the resources to conduct comprehensive evaluations. Payne says that while most nations have environmental review laws, those procedures may need to be amended to require EIAs for activities proposed for the high seas. That’s something that the treaty tries to deal with by setting out basic standards and guidelines for EIAs as well as transparency measures,” says Payne. She notes that another provision, called “capacity building” in UN argot, requires developed nations to provide resources and assistance to developing countries so they can institute procedures to enforce the treaty.

Marine genetic resources COMPANIES and countries have long eyed the ocean as a potential source of riches from bioprospecting marine organisms to make novel pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other products. Under the treaty, marine genetic resources— which include marine molecules, bacteria and algae—are designated as the common heritage of humankind whose bounty is to be shared among nations.

At least six months before the launch of an expedition to collect marine genetic resources, organizers must submit their destination, what they intend to gather and other details of the mission to a publicly accessible clearinghouse established by the treaty. The location of stored specimens and their genetic sequencing data must also be provided to the clearinghouse, along with information on patents and sales for any products derived from marine genetic resources. How those financial benefits will be divided among nations will be later determined by the COP. This treaty has a very strong institutional framework,” says Currie, the international lawyer. “Until now there has been no regular place for ocean biodiversity matters to be considered.”

AN agreement reached this month on the language of a landmark United Nations treaty to preserve marine biodiversity will transform how countries, corporations and scientific organizations do business on the high seas, the 60 percent of the ocean beyond any nation’s jurisdiction.

A SEA turtle swims over corals on Moore Reef in Gunggandji Sea Country off the coast of Queensland in eastern Australia on November 13, 2022. For the first time, United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty on Saturday, March 4, 2023, to protect biodiversity on the high seas—nearly half the planet’s surface. AP/SAM MCNEIL

THE Commission on Appointments (CA) marked the annual celebration of National Women’s Month and National Women’s Day with the adoption of a resolution recognizing Filipino women’s indispensable contributions to nation-building.

CA Resolution No. 19-2023-001 was adopted last March 15 in a plenary session as an expression of CA’s commitment to support the observance of the National Women’s Month and the National Women’s Day on March 8 in recognition of the role and indispensable contributions of Filipino women in the country and around the world.

“The Commission on Appointments recognizes the significant and historical contributions of women from all ranks, religion, ethnicity, and regions in nation-building and the role they have played in the promotion and development of our nation’s economic, cultural, political, and social arena,” read the resolution introduced by women’s rights advocate Senator Risa Hontiveros.

In her sponsorship speech, Hontiveros praised all the “great women” of the country, including women in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the country’s diplomatic corps who presented themselves before the commission.

She likewise cited female Secretaries and heads of agencies for exemplifying “good leadership” and the CA women employees, led by CA Secretary Myra Marie D. Villarica, for working tirelessly to ensure the commission’s steady operation and function.

“These women’s commitment to service and dedication to our nation’s interest is a source of inspiration for everyone,” Hontiveros said.

Cavite 2nd District Rep. Lani MercadoRevilla, who co-sponsored the resolution, noted that Filipino women have always been at the forefront of nation-building. She challenged all Filipino women to rise above challenges just like Esther in the Bible, a Jewish woman in a male-dominated Persian empire who chose to act amidst her fears, and courageously prevented the genocide of her people.

“Because we have been born for such a time as this, and placed in this position of

By Geraldine Bulaon-Ducusin S&T Media Service

RICE , vegetables, and meat were the top three most wasted foods among Filipino households, based on the study “Does plate waste matter?: A two-stage cluster survey to assess the household plate waste in the Philippines” of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).

The factors attributed to rice, vegetables, and meat plate wastage are larger household meal portion size, greater number of household members, and higher wealth status.

This study, which used the data from 20,151 Filipino households who participated in the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS), also found that households with the highest rice consumption were more likely to have rice wastage compared to households with the lowest consumption. It appears that there are more foods wasted in households with five or more members, and those residing in rural areas. Rice wastage is also more common in households with a household head whose age ranges from 50–69 years old, than those with a younger household head.

On the other hand, households with the highest vegetable consumption were more likely to waste vegetables compared to those with the lowest consumption. This implies that households incur more wastes when higher quantities are purchased, which most probably are not consumed and ends up being thrown away due to spoilage.

Households composed of five or less members were found to have greater chances of wasting vegetables, which mirrors the results of a previous study which found that larger households were more efficient in meal consumption.

On the contrary, fish, meat, and poultry plate waste was less likely in households with less than or equal to five members than in households with more than five members.

influence. Woman, your voice matters. You matter and never let anyone tell you any different,” the chairperson of the CA Committee on Transportation said.

Mercado-Revilla recognized the crucial role of 1.1 million women Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who kept the country’s economy afloat at the height of the pandemic.

“A Filipina imprint is marked and scattered all over the world. Indeed, a modern Filipina is confident, empowered, and makes a lasting impact wherever in the world she goes,” she said.

In 2021, women OFWs accounted for 60.2 percent of OFWs, or about 1.1 million, Mercado-Revilla said.

Senate President and CA chairman Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, who presided over the plenary session Wednesday afternoon, declared the adoption of the resolution.

The adoption of the first Gender and Development (GAD) measure is considered as historic.

Under CA Resolution No. 19-2023-001, the CA, an independent and constitutional body, expressed all-out support to government’s mandate to pursue and promote gender equality, civil liberties, and equal rights, protection, and opportunities for Filipino women as enshrined in Article II, Section 14 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

“The Commission on Appointments upholds gender-mainstreaming activities and the implementation of gender-responsive policies to ensure the promotion of gender equality, women empowerment, social inclusivity in all its programs and services in the pursuit of its constitutional mandate,” added CA Resolution No. 19-2023-001

P roclamation No. 227, series of 1988, declared the month of March as the National Women’s Month to pay tribute to the historical c ontributions of Filipino women. While Republic Act No. 6949 established March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day in commemoration of the struggle of Filipino women for national freedom, civil liberty, equality, and human rights.

The CA is composed of the Senate President as ex officio Chairman, 12 Senators, and 12 members of the House of Representatives.

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

FOR the first time in nine months, the national government (NG) posted a budget surplus of P45.75 billion in January as revenues outpaced government spending for the month.

Citing latest Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) data, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said the NG reversed the P23.382-billion budget deficit it posted in January of last year.

“This favorable outcome was a result of revenues outgrowing government spending: revenues grew by 25.2 percent, while spending rose by

PLDT Inc. agreed to sell a portfolio of telecommunications towers to a firm backed by KKR & Co. for over P12.1 billion, as part of a program to divest digital infrastructure assets.

Smar t Communications Inc. and Digitel Mobile Phils. Inc., two subsidiaries of the Philippines-based telecom and digital services provider, will sell 1,012 towers and associated infrastructure to Frontier

By Jennifer Mcdermott & Joeal Calupitan

The Associated Press

MARILENE CAPENTES pushes a cart along the streets of Malabon City just north of Manila every morning except Sundays, collecting bags of segregated garbage.

She places the food waste in a designated container so it can be turned to compost at the local recycling facility. The rest of the waste goes into separate containers and the recyclables are later sold.

0.3 percent,” Diokno told reporters on Friday.

“Net of interest payments, the NG’s primary surplus for January was P92.7 billion, more than double the P42.2 billion primary surplus posted in the same month last year,” Diokno added.

The last time that the NG registered a budget surplus was in April 2022 at P4.936 billion.

The January budget surplus was also the biggest in more than three years or since the P86.872-billion surplus recorded in April 2019, based on historical Treasury data.

Treasury data showed that total NG revenues in January reached

Tower Associates Philippines Inc., according to a statement Friday confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report.

“This transaction cements our relationship with one of the largest independent tower companies in the country, providing the group with another important partner to support our expansion, while unlocking additional value,” PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a statement.

P348.167 billion, P70.092 billion higher than the P278.075 billion it earned in the same month of last year.

Meanwhile, the NG’s total spending in January rose by P961 million to P302.418 billion from P310.457 billion a year ago.

Both the revenue collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) rose by a double-digit rate on an annual basis in January.

The BIR’s tax revenue rose by a fifth to P234.819 billion from P195.775 billion last year. The BOC, meanwhile, collected P70.591 billion in January, 21 percent higher

The deal adds to PLDT’s program to shed digital infrastructure. The company divested two portfolios of towers in April for about $1.3 billion to units of Edotco Group Sdn. and EdgePoint Infrastructure.

PLDT was considering selling an additional 2,000 towers, Bloomberg News reported in October.

The company, which has a market value of about $5.1 billion, is backed by Japan’s

than the P58.346 billion it recorded last year.

The Philippines’s budget deficit last year fell by 3.35 percent to P1.614 trillion from P1.67 trillion as total revenues of the national government outpaced its expenditures, according to the Treasury.

With the decline, the national government’s budget deficit last year narrowed to 7.3 percent of the country’s GDP from 8.6 percent in 2021, according to the Treasury.

Despite the decline, the country’s budget deficit last year exceeded the P1.502 trillion ceiling set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee.

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. and Hong Kong-based investment firm First Pacific Co., according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The transaction would be Frontier’s second telecom towers deal in the Philippines in less than a year. Globe Telecom Inc. in August announced a deal to sell two portfolios of towers to Frontier and a Stonepeak Partners joint venture for about $1.3 billion. Bloomberg News

for years on the northeast coast in Bahia, an area popular with tourists. Waste pickers there developed a system themselves to collect organic waste from hotels and restaurants, but few other waste pickers collect food waste.

Jeane dos Santos in Salvador said she started working as a waste picker at the age of 7. She’s now 41 and part of the National Movement of Waste Pickers of Brazil. She collects and sells recyclable waste, though a lot of it turns out to be either non-recyclable plastic or contaminated by food waste.

Households belonging to the richest quintile were found to have greater plate waste compared to the poorest quintile. Past studies exhibited the same, where higher income households were found to waste more food than lower-income households. This may be explained that higher-income households consume diets that tend to include more perishable items. Some of the waste can be explained by food spoiling before the household had a chance to eat it.

In the Philippines, plate waste is closely linked to hunger incidence and threatened food security. The Global Hunger Index of 2018 scored the Philippines 69 of 119 countries, with a serious level of hunger incidence.

“Millions of Filipinos under poverty and experiencing food insecurity are struggling to be fed, and the food that is simply thrown away or discarded might actually be enough to feed them,” Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, lead researcher, Director IV and Scientist IV of DOST-FNRI, said.

Plate waste also generally emits a portion of the total global greenhouse gas emissions that impact on global warming. Dr. Adgeppa cited that the results reinforce the need for new strategies to focus on reducing plate waste, which is beneficial from a nutritional, economic, and environmental point of view.

The study suggests that a more effective strategy for reducing food waste may be to train people to prepare and select less food (portion and meal size reduction) and to formulate more policies tackling wastereduction programs.

Dr. Agdeppa emphasized that both public and private sectors have a role to play to address global food shortages and food wastes considering that more people are getting hungry globally despite the availability of food sufficient for everyone.

The ENNS is a cross-sectional, populationbased survey that characterizes the health and nutritional status of the Filipino population which was conducted by the

from February-zDecember 2018.

Capentes, who is 47, said the trash used to be all mixed together—and heavy—until a local environmental nonprofit started asking residents to separate it a few years ago. The Mother Earth Foundation in the Philippines, as a member of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), is trying to prevent food waste from going to landfills, where it emits methane as it breaks down and rots. Methane is an extraordinarily powerful greenhouse gas responsible for about 30 percent of today’s global warming.

Along Capentes’ route, 50-year-old resident Vilma Mendoza now understands the importance of diverting organic waste from landfills to reduce methane emissions to try to limit future warming.

“If you mixed biodegradable to the nonbiodegradable and throw it in the landfill, our environment will suffer,” she said.

Preventing waste from going into landfills, incinerators or the environment is a proven, affordable climate solution, according to GAIA.

The international environmental organization, which advocates for waste reduction, is supporting its members, including waste picker groups around the world that are working with government officials to set up systems to segregate and collect organic waste and establish facilities to compost it.

This is happening mainly in the Global South where waste pickers are already working in many communities and cities. Millions of people worldwide make a living as waste pickers, collecting, sorting, recycling and selling materials such as plastics, paper, copper and steel.

The world needs better systems in dealing with waste because existing ways are contributing to climate change, said Kait Siegel, the waste sector manager on the methane pollution prevention team at the environmental nonprofit Clean Air Task Force. She said organics diversion and treatment is “absolutely” an important way to reduce methane emissions.

“We’ve seen these solutions make a difference in countries around the world,” she said. “We’re all creating organic waste in our day-to-day lives. And that’s something that we can be engaging with, in working towards slowing the pace of climate change.”

There’s more interest in this strategy now because the Global Methane Pledge, launched in November 2021, has pushed countries to take a hard look at their sources of methane. More than 100 countries, including the US, have agreed to reduce methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030, though other major methane emitters refused.

Methane is more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, but doesn’t stay in the atmosphere nearly as long—around 12 years compared with centuries. Many see bringing down methane emissions as a crucial, quick way to curb further warming.

The largest anthropogenic source is agriculture, closely followed by the energy sector, which includes emissions from coal, oil, natural gas and biofuels, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The waste sector is the third largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions worldwide, accounting for about 20 percent of the total.

About 60 percent of waste in Global South communities is organic, according to GAIA. That’s 130 tons of waste per day in just Malabon City, population 380,000.

At a materials recycling facility in Malabon, organic waste collected from households is turned into compost that goes into a community garden to grow vegetables. Some of the food waste goes into a biodigester that breaks it down to turn it into biogas, which is then used to cook vegetables for waste workers to eat. It’s a complete cycle, said Froilan Grate, executive director of GAIA Asia Pacific. Workers typically each have a route of about 200 households, Grate added.

Grate, who is based in Manila, said there are challenges in establishing these systems in new places. It costs money upfront to set up a facility for composting, residents and local officials have to be educated on the importance of separating waste, bins have to be provided for households that can’t afford more than one, and sometimes it’s just not a priority.

Also, unlike recyclables and metals, there

isn’t a large market for organic materials so waste workers must be paid for the service they are providing for the system to work.

But Grate is confident these challenges can be overcome. More people are making the connection between reducing methane and addressing climate change, so there is more interest from cities and philanthropic groups that could help with start-up costs, he said. And cities are seeing the benefits of sound waste management because it reduces vermin that cause disease, helps ensure cleaner drinking water, gives waste workers a sustainable livelihood and helps the planet, he added.

In the Philippines, cities pay waste workers with the money they save in tipping fees by sending fewer truckloads to landfills.

In Brazil, one of the world’s five largest methane emitters, there is now interest in supporting waste pickers, investing in waste recycling and fighting climate change since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in January, said Victor Hugo Argentino de Morais Vieira, a zero waste adviser and researcher at Instituto Pólis.

A large composting site has been operating

Dos Santos is part of a co-operative of waste pickers whose income derives solely from the recyclables they sell. She said she’s interested in collecting organic waste if it could be segregated, because then the recyclable items won’t be contaminated and the waste pickers could earn money if the state supports these efforts.

“I earn enough to survive. However, I would like to earn more if we had the proper state support,” she said. “Currently, we provide a public service and we are not rewarded by that.”

Local waste pickers could educate households, and society, about how to properly separate their waste, dos Santos added. In South Africa, it’s also not common to separate organic waste. But for the past two years its been tested out at a large market in the port city of Durban.

“It can be a game changer for the continent,” said Niven Reddy, the African regional coordinator for GAIA. “It can be tested and tried. If it works in Africa in one place, it’s likely to work someplace else—400,000 people go through that market a day.”

GAIA leaders like Reddy are looking to the systems established in the Philippines as a model.

“I do feel like it demonstrates the Global South’s leadership on issues like this of methane reduction,” he said. “I think it’s really impressive. And I feel like it’s highly implementable.”

As Jan revenues outgrow spending, NG posts ₧45.75-B budget surplus

₧12.1-B deal: PLDT agrees to sell telco towers to KKR-backed Frontier

CA adopts reso feting Filipino women’s role in nation-building

Rice, vegetables, meat, are top three ‘most wasted’ foods in PHL–study

Saturday, March 18, 2023

D.O.E. INKS PARTNERSHIP WITH SHELL FOR ADOPTION OF R.E.-POWERED EVS

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has signed a tripartite agreement with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC) and Shell Energy Philippines (SEPH) for a pilot program meant to accelerate renewable energy (RE)-powered

electric vehicle (EV) adoption to help achieve the goals of the Philippine Energy Plan 2020-2040 for the transition towards clean fuels and technologies.

E nergy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla, PSPC President and CEO Lorelie Quiambao-Osial and SEPH General Manager and President Bernd Krukenberg inked the memorandum of agreement (MOA), wherein the oil giant will roll out

more Shell Recharge EV charging stations powered with RE from SEPH.

The partnership will provide support infrastructure for the 10 percent target penetration rate of EVs for road transport by 2040, and support the implementation of the government’s Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, which establishes the national development plan to

hasten the development, commercialization, and utilization of EVs nationwide.

“I commend PSPC and SEPH for collaborating with the DOE for this laudable undertaking—a sound testament of their resoluteness in maximizing value creation, while contributing to global climate change mitigation,” the DOE chief said during the MOA signing.

“Reimagining the future requires working together to realize the shared vision of an inclusive and more sustainable Philippines. Pilipinas Shell and Shell Energy Philippines are happy to work with the Department of Energy in taking a concrete step in the country’s energy transition, and we look forward to more opportunities where we can support the government as we continue to power progress for Filipinos in the years to come,” Osial added.

The pact’s main objective is to conduct a pilot study of EVCs supplied by RE like solar. Key components of the pilot project include supply, installation, operation, and maintenance of EVCs; monitoring, and verification of energy efficiency, performance, and savings through the utilization

of RE; and optimization of cleaner energy use.

Generated data will then serve as a benchmark for PSPC and SEPH to develop and deploy the Shell Recharge EV charging network in its present and future mobility stations, as well as a chance for Shell to give recommendations to DOE for the EV industry development and use of RE for EV.

These alternative opportunities could help position Shell at the forefront of their quest for sustainable and inclusive growth by adding a more compelling long-term vision for clean technologies and renewable energy investment into their portfolio,” Lotilla said.

Pilipinas Shell launched its first EV charging station in Shell Mamplasan located at South Luzon Expressway, Biñan, Laguna. This is 100 percent powered by RE from SEPH through a mix of solar and hydro energies. With their new collaboration, Shell will install RE-powered EVCs in more locations—a significant step in its effort to create sustainable mobility solutions and broaden its push to expedite the shift to a net-zero emissions future.

DICT bags global award for cybersecurity education

GENEVA , Switzerland—The Philippine delegation, led by ICT Secretary Ivan John E. Uy, received major global awards during the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2023 from International Telecommunications Union for its Cybersecurity education program and two other ICT projects, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

The project dubbed “Cybersecurity Education in the Philippines in the Face of New Normal Adversities” of DICT Region IX and Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi (Basulta) was lauded among the 18 winners, out of 900 competing entries for this year’s run.

The said winning project has equipped over 70,000 plus Filipinos on Cybersafety, Data Privacy, and other related topics through onsite, online, and on-demand modalities.

“The CyberSecurity program conducted various advocacy activities and training on CyberSecurity to ensure the safety of Filipinos online, especially during the pandemic when most people relied on the Internet for entertainment, education, work, business, health, and even social activities,” shared Assistant Secretary for Regional Development and

concurrent Officer-in-charge of DICT IX Basulta Maria Teresa M. Camba.

This win marks the fourth consecutive year that DICT IX and Basulta takes home the award from the worldwide competition. The projects recognized from the previous years were “Zamboanga Digital Hub” in 2020, “Enabling Educators in Remote Teaching and Learning Training Program” in 2021, and “Free WiFi for All in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas in Western Mindanao” in 2022.

“This recognition is a testament to our commitment to promoting and advancing ICT innovation and excellence in the government sector. We accept the challenge that this award presents and we will continue to strive for excellence in our work,” said during his acceptance speech.

He also thanked DICT’s partners and colleagues for their commitment and efforts to advance ICT for the benefit of the country and the global community.

The WSIS Prizes is a global contest where exceptional ICT projects are recognized for their support in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

NWRB orders Bohol town to explain water extraction activity in neighboring municipality

THE National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has ordered the municipality of Balilihan in Bohol to explain the validity of its conditional water permit to extract water from its neighboring town of Sevilla.

The order was in response to Sevilla town’s petition dated January 18, 2023 asking NWRB to restrain the municipality of Balilihan from extracting water from Bugwak Spring located in Barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla.

In its petition, the local government unit (LGU) of Sevilla stressed that Balilihan town “does not have a valid water permit issued by NWRB to appropriate water from the Bugwak Spring at Barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol.”

Based on the NWRB order, the Balilihan LGU , was directed to file an answer, not a motion to dismiss, to the said petition within 10 days from receipt. The order was signed by NWRB Litigation and Adjudication Section lawyer, Rebyanne Giselle Diaz.

Aside from lacking proper permits, LGU Sevilla stressed “the requirements of Posting and Sending of Notice under Sec. 9 of the Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Water Code were not complied with.”

Last year, on June 6, 2022, NWRB received a letter from Sevilla town opposing the conditional water permit issued to Balilihan “on the ground, among others, that LGU Balilihan failed to secure the necessary legal permit from Brgy. Magsaysay

and LGU Sevilla.”

The case started in May 2022 when residents of Barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla complained to their mayor, Juliet Dano, about the ongoing construction in their community, including the installation of water lines.

In a related development, a private lot owner has sued LGU Balilihan for building a P95-million water facility on its property.

In a petition filed before the Court of Appeals, Richli Corporation, represented by lawyer Eldrige Marvin Aceron, said the water permit that LGU Balilihan secured from NWRB contained “inaccurate” information on the location of Bugwak Spring’s diversion point.

“[NWRB] gave credence to [LGU Balilihan’s] submission that [LGU Balilihan] will utilize an unclassified dry land, which forms part of public land... to install the pipelines from the end of the barangay road down to Bugwak Spring. [NWRB] supported [LGU Balilihan] submission that construction of new water supply system will not pass through Richli’s properties,” Richli said in its petition.

But as proof that the company owns the property on which the project was built, Richli presented the deeds of absolute sale on three lots surrounding Bugwak Spring. The company’s Court of Appeals petition also support earlier petitions of LGU Sevilla, which insists that the project is located in Sevilla and not in Balilihan.

Former PNAers: Where are they now?

By Severino Samonte

MANILA—In connection with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Philippine News Agency this month, I was requested by its newly appointed executive editor, Demetrio “Jun” B. Pisco, to write an article about the former PNA staff members, specifically on the subject “where are they now?”

I said “yes” without much ado. I was then thinking that it would be a very easy task since I served as the first PNA national news editor when it was organized on March 1, 1973 as the government’s official newswire service arm. Although I retired as its executive editor in 2004, I continue to visit its editorial offices in Quezon City every now and then.

A s I sat in front of the laptop to begin the article, I found out it was not that easy. For one thing,

I had to recall hundreds of names of people who had worked at the PNA editorial offices in Manila or Quezon City, as well as at its various branches across the country in the past five decades, either as editors, deskmen, reporters, photographers, editorial assistants, researchers, teletypists, messengers, copy boys and other related tasks.

For another thing, it was difficult to find the whereabouts of all those people now: What they have been doing or have done, or where they have settled. Many of them might have gone into retirement, and worst,

some might have departed from the journalism field forever.

I decided to do three things: (1) Search my disarrayed files; (2) Communicate with some of the former PNAers via Facebook through the Group Ex-PNAers; and (3) Go over the pages of some of the daily newspapers I could find in our place in Novaliches.

Luckily, I found a list of former PNAers handed to me by former editorial assistant-reporter Ma.

Lourdes C. Casimiro shortly before she retired a few years back. It contained more than 300 names of those who have worked at PNA in various capacities from 1973 to 2008.

I noticed it was incomplete, so I added some names I can recall and placed the cross sign after the names of those I know have gone beyond the journalism field.

Heading the list were eight PNA general managers from 1973 to 2008: Jose L. Pavia, Vicente Maliwanag, Vergel O. Santos, German C. Galian, Gil H. Santos, Ernesto Banawis, Jorge S. Reyes and Casiano Navarro. Among them, only Vergel O. Santos

and Galian are still around.

L isted as executive editors were Severino C. Samonte and Iluminado M. Varela Jr. (RIP), followed by managing editors Renato B. Tiangco (RIP), Gene Ramos and Jake Espino (RIP).

A s the list did not indicate “where the former PNAers are now,” I resorted to scanning the pages of some newspapers and communicating with the Ex-PNAers’ Group in FB.

Prior to the February 22 to 25, 1986 People Power Revolution at Edsa, it was very easy to find where the former PNAers were connected. One only needed to look at the pages of the national newspapers and their names could be found either in the editorial box or before their bylined stories in the national and local news pages or business, features and sports sections.

T his was because during the 19741988 period, a number of PNA editors, deskmen and reporters transferred to other media outfits on account of higher salaries and better opportunities. They included Ramon Tulfo, Leo Deocadiz, Angel Sambo, Rey Panaligan, Fred Gabot, Fred Mabalot, Sammy Gabot, Teresa Tunay, Malou L. Sayson, Macon Ramos Araneta, Marlyn Arquinez, Benjie Ayllon, Jaime Panesa, Jose Garcia, Alito Malinao, Aurora V. Alambra, Tony Nieva, Cip Roxas, Tito Tagle, Jorge Reyes, Fel Margay, Joem Macaspac III, Arthur Gallego, Larry Molina, Olaf Giron, Teddy Ramos, Bert Corvera, Ely Amoroso, Abel Ulanday, Raul O. Marcelo, Adlai Noel Velasco, Rene Alviar, Cesar Bilowan, Rudy Brul, Joseph Lariosa, Gloria Hernandez-Grejalde, Diana Mendoza, Ma. Theresa Cura, Lolit Rivera Acosta, Nick Legazpi, Danilo Junco, Edgar Mahilum, Gabriel Mabutas, Johnny Nuñez, Rolando Espina, Roman Flo -

resca, Lito Tacujan, Percival Della, Gerry Carpio, Eddie Alinea, Jimmy Cantor and several others.

From the Business section of the Manila Bulletin, I read that former PNA senior news editor Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat is now that paper’s assistant business editor. With her in the same newspaper as reporters are former PNAers Myrna M. Velasco and Jean M. Fernando, who is also a director of the National Press Club (NPC) of the Philippines.

In the BusinessMirror , there are at least two former PNAers. They are former News and Information Bureau Director III-PNA General Manager Vittorio “Vot” Vitug and Angel R. Calso, Opinion and World News editor. The former executive editor of the same paper, Virgilio “Jun” Vallecera, was also a former PNA senior reporter.

In the Philippine Daily Inquirer, there are three former PNA staff members, namely: Raul O. Marcelo, associate editor; Adlai A. Noel Velasco, World News editor; and Abel S. Ulanday, Online editor.

In the Manila Standard, appearing as the Opinion editor is Honor Blanco Cabie, former PNA Foreign News and Features editor. With him as reporter in the same paper is former PNAer Vito Barcelo.

Now writing a column at the Manila Times is former PNAer Marlen V. Ronquillo.

Sherrie Ann Torres, a former PNA senior reporter, is now a broadcast journalist at ABS-CBN. She is among the recipients of the outstanding alumni award from the Novalichesbased Metro Manila College in connection with that institution’s celebration of its 75th anniversary last March 4.

S ome former PNAers became lawyers while connected with the

agency or after they transferred to other media outfits. They included George Dee, erstwhile public information officer of the Department of Justice and now retired Senior Laguna provincial prosecutor; Leo Reyes, provincial prosecutor of Cagayan before he died; Soc Maranan, former city editor of Balita; Norbi Eding, a former town mayor in Zamboanga del Norte; Redentor Viaje; and Commission on Elections provincial election supervisor Salud Milagros Villanueva.

Carol E. Espiritu, chief of businesseconomics reporters of PNA before the Edsa revolt, became a director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). She is now connected with the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City.

Former senior reporter Lulu R. Principe is operating an Alternative Learning System-Literacy Reform Program (ALS-LRP) in Los Baños, Laguna, where she was also once a municipal councilor.

Purita S. Licas, former PNA Bureau chief in Tuguegarao City, is now the regional director of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Region 2.

Former senior reporter Luzi Ann Javier is connected with the United States-based business-economic newswire service Bloomberg.

Gene Ramos, former managing editor, is in New York where he retired from the business-economics wire service Reuters in 2014.

Ruben B. Cal, who was once an acting executive editor, is a book writer and continues to contribute feature stories to PNA.

At present, Leo A. Deocadiz is in Hong Kong and is publishing the newspaper “The Sun Hong Kong,” which is edited by his wife, Daisy Catherine L. Mandap.

Joel C. Atencio is teaching at the Batasan National High School in Quezon City.

Cerge Remonde, a former staff member of PNA-Cebu bureau, became a press secretary during the second half of the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol used to be a PNA editor and sports writer before he transferred to Tempo in the second half of the 1970s and later on became vice governor and governor of his native North Cotabato province.

L eonardo V. Micua, retired PNA bureau chief in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, continues to write in the weekly Sunday Punch.

T hrough the years, a number of PNAers have retired from the government service, migrated to other countries, joined other professions, or gone forever, meaning writing “30” in the journalism field.

Former PNA editors who have written “30” include Danilo C. Taguibao, Diosdado Beltran, Cesar Bilowan, Lynda Valencia, Roque Calicdan, Teddy Cecilio, Fred Rosario, Alfonso Labita, Henry Redula, Delfin Perez, Benny Luzentales, Fred Roxas, Satur Apoyon, Roberto Capco and Nene Bondoc Ocampo.

A mong those who have gone abroad are former business editor Rufino O. Rogel in San Francisco, California, senior reporter Raul A. Zamuco in Australia, and provincial bureau chief Roberto Galicia in Canada.

T hose who have retired after being part of the PNA English-Filipino Broadcast Desk include Ver C. Sagun and Doming M. Panganiban.

A lthough most of the names in the list have not been mentioned in this article, this writer assures them they have not been forgotten as their names remain in the heart. PNA

Jinggoy wants special polling places for elderly, PWDs institutionalized

SEN Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a bill mandating the establishment of precincts exclusively for senior citizens and accessible for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Although a law already exists ensuring such to PWDs and senior citizens, Estrada said there is a need for “clearer language” in RA 10366 regarding the necessary infrastruc-

ture, additional features, and special venues of precincts to address their mobility, convenience, and general accessibility concerns.

E strada has proposed to specifically state in Section 2 (j) of RA 10366 otherwise known as “An Act

Authorizing the Comelec to Establish Precincts Assigned to Accessible Polling Places Exclusively for PWDs

and Senior Citizens” that the special polling places should be readily accessible to public transportation, free of any physical barriers and provided with necessary infrastructure and services such as “ramps, railings, sidewalks, adequate lighting, ventilation and other features for PWDs and senior citizens.”

He wants the special polling pre-

Gratitude towards things that serve us well

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

SOMETIME in 2004, the twin exploration rovers named “Spirit” and “Opportunity” were sent to Mars to search for evidence of water and life on Mars. Both rovers lived well beyond their planned 90-day missions. “Spirit” lasted 20 times longer than its original design. “Opportunity” worked nearly 15 years on Mars. They faithfully sent images that gave scientists the story of that planet’s watery past. So it’s not surprising that those vehicles were considered as “family” by their NASA operators and played “wake-up” songs to the two rovers as they went on with their tasks. Even the public got invested in their success and developed an affection for them. Sad to learn that they are no longer roaming around Mars.

Family” and “affection” were probably the two reasons why both my wife and I felt quite emotional that morning

when I drove our old car for the last time to bring it to its new owner.

We had that car for more than 20 years. It was a member of our household and witnessed our family’s happy and sad moments, including our family’s ordeal during Typhoon Ondoy, when our house was flooded up to our neck.

I silently thanked the car with a tender pat on the steering wheel, then told the new owner again to take care of it. I was consoled by knowing that he was our long-time mechanic and he knew that car’s history first hand.

I did the same silent gesture of thanks to our 5-year-old electric fan when I finally gave up having repaired time and again and handed it over to a junk man. It had cooled our household very well for years, especially during the hot summer days.

Just a month ago, I had to bid adieu to some favorite shirts and pants be -

cause I couldn’t hold on to them as they no longer fitted my expanding body frame. We donated them, together with other used stuff to Caritas Manila. I whispered my thanks to them with a little prayer they would be passed on to be of use to others.

W hy do I speak and show affection to inanimate things? Do they have feelings? Am I being overly sentimental? Maybe you find it weird of me but I believe that the useful things that are part of our domestic and personal lives for quite a while deserve some recognition and gratitude for their service.

Gratitude and recognition here might have an odd meaning, or might not be the proper terms, especially when given to an object. But just the same, knowing that they have served us well, don’t we owe them this much? We don’t know what these objects are thinking. They are, after all, inanimate, non-living things. But after watching the Toy Story film series, who knows?

T his is not to promote animism, anthropomorphism or veneration of inanimate objects. All I’m asking is to be grateful. It doesn’t hurt. They also serve who only stand

cincts put up in public schools, town halls or plazas, civic centers, community centers, or other similarly designated special venues or areas and preferably those designed with special features to ensure their safety and comfort.

Notwithstanding the existence of the said law, Estrada pointed out that many senior citizens continue to be disenfranchised from casting

and wait” is the closing line of a sonnet by the 17th-century poet John Milton. These objects are deemed inanimate and cannot move on their own. But like all of us, living and non-living creatures, they also have a place in this world and they perform a service.

If we can make the effort to ask a priest to bless our new house or our new car, if we can ask a blessing for the food we are about to eat, why can’t we say thank you shoes, thank you clothes, thank you table, thank you chair, thank you broom, and so on? Why can’t I utter words like “I am grateful for your help, thank you for such a wonderful contribution?”

One other thing you may not know. Not only do they serve us well, but these non-living things also contain a piece of us.

Everything contains energy. Photographs, jewelry and any sentimental objects or personal items hold the energy of the owner. The Japanese believe that when a master potter creates a pitcher or jar, part of his expertise then lives in that object. I’m sure a careful examination of our old car will reveal that minute traces of my dried perspiration may still be in the driver’s seat; many of my fingerprints can still be found on the car keys and the surface of the steering wheel, the levers and even the sun visor.

their votes.

In the 2019 elections, Estrada said only 3 percent or 200,000 of the 8 million senior citizen-registered voters actually voted.

The unfortunate low turnout for the sector underscores the importance and the urgency to strengthen the law ensuring accessibility of our polling places,” he said.

W hy not treat them like old friends who have stayed with you all these years like dependable sidekicks in your life’s journey. After all, without their help, without their useful assistance, you would not have achieved what you have achieved at this point.

The truth is we need them and we depend on them to make our life not only more convenient and more comfortable, but to extend the boundaries of human knowledge.

If we start respecting the value and recognizing the service provided by non-living objects, then shouldn’t we value all the more the help extended by friends, partners, colleagues and subordinates in our everyday lives?

T he world would be a better place if we all develop a more grateful attitude to everything in life, for life is a gift to be grateful for, not a right to be claimed.

W hen you value something, it is only natural that you act more responsibly in maintaining its upkeep, making sure it is always in good functioning condition. My cycling enthusiast son spends a lot of time cleaning each part of his bike after his morning rounds every Saturday.

A s much as possible you want to maximize their use, and not discard or dispose of them so easily on a whim, in favor of new objects

Ultimately, this legislation aims to protect every voter’s constitutional right to suffrage and to promote a more inclusive participation in the important democratic exercise,” Estrada said, adding that the intent of the law is to ensure that those in the vulnerable sector will be able to exercise their right to political participation without discrimination or restrictions.

of our heart’s desire.

O ur piano was almost a total wreck after Ondoy. But while it was more practical to just sell it as junk, we made a decision to get it repaired by an expert piano restorer, take out the parts that needed to be replaced piece by piece. It was quite an investment but our decision gave our piano a new lease on life. It was our way of showing it respect and gratitude as a valued treasure of our family. The investment has paid off because our spirits are uplifted by the melodious notes of Chopin, Schumann and Liszt when my wife and grandchild take turns playing the piano when the mood gets them.

T he other day, my wife was aghast when I told her I would be bringing my old shoes for repair. She said I should buy a new pair instead. But I love wearing those shoes and they’ve been my faithful walking companions through thick and thin. Now after being given new soles, they’re as good as new. I am happy with them.

A s someone wisely said “it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.”

In conclusion, for helping me craft this think piece, I like to acknowledge my ever reliable writing assistant. Thank you, Mac mini.

Mike Policarpio

Solon wants alternative learning for teen moms

digenous peoples, to develop basic and functional literacy, as well as life skills, as means to pursue an equivalent pathway to complete basic education.

Lasallian is candidate for ACEEU’s 2023 entrepreneurship educator

NORBY ROQUE SA -

Gatchalian made this call amid the celebration of the National Women’s Month this March. Apart from sustaining efforts to curb teenage pregnancy through effective reproductive health education, he stressed the need to support adolescent mothers, since they tend to drop or terminate their education after giving birth.

The solon cited the role of the alternative learning system (ALS) to

continue the provision of educational opportunities to adolescent mothers.

Under Republic Act 11510 or the ALS Act authored and sponsored by Gatchalian, the system was institutionalized and strengthened to provide increased opportunities for out-ofschool children in special cases and adult learners, including in -

According to the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, there has been a dramatic decline in the number of female youths aged 15 to 19 who had ever been pregnant. From 14.4 percent in 2013, the percentage of female youth aged 15 to 19 who underwent early childbearing in 2021 was 7.2 percent.

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), however, remains concerned that pregnancies among adolescents aged 10 to 14 remain

high. In 2021, 2,299 young Filipinas aged 10 to 14 gave birth, just slightly lower than the 2,534 from the same age group who bore children in 2020. Under the 2023 national budget, P10 million was allocated for the Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children, or SPPAMC. It will include strategies and interventions developed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, POPCOM and other relevant agencies. As chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education. Gatchalian bared that one of the effects of early pregnancy on young women is that they stop studying. They also lack opportunities to have proper jobs.

notre Dame U’s autonomous status for extension until 2025

By Manuel T. Cayon

DAVAO CITY—The autonomous status of Notre Dame University (NDU) has been extended to 2025, the Bangsamoro Region’s education ministry announced.

The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) has prolonged until July 31, 2025 the longest-operating university in the region’s autonomous status.

ALEADING multimedia arts school in the country has launched two new courses for the coming school year tailor-made for the “TikTok Generation” of business innovators and technology entrepreneurs.

This audience is wired to be creators themselves, so our programs will resonate well with them because the knowledge and skills they will acquire…will make their ideas come to life efficiently,” CIIT College of Arts and Technology president Sherwin O stated.

O said, however, that CIIT’s new programs offerings—Bachelor of Science in E ntrepreneurship and Senior High SchoolAccounting, Business, and Management (ABM) Strand—will more than enrich the knowledge and skills of those “between the ages of 16 and 34, and those who consider themselves as ‘early adopters.’”

The courses, according to him, now complete the educational ecosystem of the technology-driven school as envisioned by CIIT founder and board chair Elson Niel S. Dagondon who opened the school in 2008.

O said CIIT, guided by its core value of integrity, remained steadfast with its two competencies instead of introducing “profitable college degrees.”

CIIT now has an ecosystem of innovators and creators who can make the ideas of its students a reality, much like how Silicon Valley fosters great talents,” he explained.

During the pandemic—when new business owners seized opportunities as almost e verything moved online—CIIT was inspired “to go full circle and give the students t he chance to turn their business ideas into reality,” O shared. “[We have always been into arts and tech, but our] unique entrepreneurship and ABM programs…will revolutionize the way a business is run using different technologies in its daily operations, l ike [the school] itself ties things together.”

O said that “unlike most entrepreneurship and business-management programs, C IIT goes beyond the usual expectation of discussing classroom concepts and creating traditional business models.”

He pointed out that “CIIT transforms the experience by also adding digital platforms and business-level tools, [allowing] our students to turn their ideas into real tech startups.”

Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal said the extension was in-line with the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Memorandum 07, Series of 2023 which extends the validity period of Autonomous and Deregulated Status Granted to Private Higher Education Institutions.

This is also aligned, according to Iqbal, with Memorandum 46, Series of 2012 or the “Policy-Standard to Enhance Quality Assurance in Philippine Higher Education through an Outcomes-based and Typology-Based QA.”

He said the university has set the bar higher for other educational institutions to follow: “Accordingly, apart from occupying a part of history in Central Mindanao, NDU had also produced many exemplary professionals.”

During the university’s 75th founding anniversary celebration last month in Cotabato City, Iqbal was certain that “many of our public schools can learn from [NDU] on school management, especially in the area of education coordination.”

The MBHTE described the higher education institution as “focusing on the learners’ transition from elementary up to college levels in one indivisible education continuum—an integrated system of education as provided in Republic Act 11054 and the Bangsamoro Education Code.”

“Educators in all sectors have crucial roles in shaping the future of the Bangsamoro, and we hope that the NDU family will remain a critical partner of the MBHTE in

implementing significant reforms in the Bangsamoro education system through moral governance,” Iqbal affirmed.

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Information Office said the MBHTE signed an agreement with Cotabato State University “focusing on the rehabilitation of the latter’s sports facilities… for educational and other related activities.”

The ministry is allocating a total of P7,370,410 for the rehabilitation of sports facilities, which include a grandstand, 400-meter track-andfield, 25-meter x 10-meter swimming pool, four comfort rooms, and fencing of the area.

“The purpose…is to improve the sports facilities, which shall serve as venues for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Athletic Association Meet, training of teacher-coaches and learner-athletes of BARMM in their sports activities, and other… activities of MBHTE and BARMM government,” Iqbal said.

APO-La Salle marks 51st year of servant leadership

IN the Philippines, Alpha Phi Omega (APO)-La Salle was founded on February 27, 1972. Over the years it has taken pride in nurturing well-rounded and successful members of the organization belonging not only in the business community, but in other sectors and industries such as the academe, military and the government.

In celebration of its 51st founding anniversary, the chapter celebrates its legacy not only by looking back on half-a-century of molding exemplary men and women out of Green Archers, but also by further strengthening its present foothold in society and forging the future through its cardinal principles of leadership, friendship and service.

More than its individual members, APO-La Salle said it revels in its collective achievements. Its ubiquitous presence representing all strata of life is dedicated to the development and uplifting of impoverished communities here and abroad. Services conducted by the organization include community development and rehabilitation, calamity drives, medical-dental missions, and tutoring, among others.

For its “50+1 Anniversary,” APO-La Salle spearheaded a slew of humanitarian projects last month aimed at effecting positive changes in communities in Morong, Bataan. Over a hundred

of its members graced the event, who came from different parts of the globe such as the United States, Canada, Middle East and Australia.

Morong mayor Cynthia Estanislao was also present in all of the events, as she demonstrated her support for the LGU’s collaboration with APO-La Salle in the “Pawikan Conservation” project that will protect and boost the dwindling population of endangered sea turtles.

T heir “Artesian Wells Project” was primed to provide a sustainable water-supply system for the municipality’s communities. This was done in conjunction with a

LONGA was named as one of the five finalists for “Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year” under the Triple E Awards of the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU).

The award category recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding performance in the design and delivery of an entrepreneurship course.

Passionate about entrepreneurship, Salonga has inspired students to pursue an entrepreneurial career and shape the future by creating innovative solutions. He teaches social entrepreneurship at De La Salle University, and is the founding director of the award-winning Lasallian Social Enterprise for Economic Development Center, which is also a finalist for the “Sustainable Development Goals Initiative of the Year” category.

Salonga is also the founding president of YOUTeacH Philippines—the first-ever network of young teachers in the country, and a professional fellow of the Young Southeast Asian

By Roderick L. Abad

TIMELY to this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day, Binance has renewed its vow to empower more members of Eve’s tribe here and abroad to become active and employed in “Web3.”

The technology, according to Wikipedia , “is an idea for a new iteration of the World Wide Web which incorporates concepts such as decentralization, blockchain technologies, and token-based economics.”

Through education and mentorship initiatives, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, through Binance Charity, has so far invested more than $2 million to support women in more than 10 countries around the world. The donated amount has funded 36,000-plus dedicated Web3 scholarships for women in 2022. The grant for the study of blockchain and crypto-related courses at universities, schools and nonprofit organizations were awarded to women in Germany, Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, France, South Africa, Australia, and Ukraine.

Binance Charity has also made an additional donation of $100,000 to Georgia’s Innovation & Technology Agency to bankroll Web3 education and training for women, with Binance Academy providing educational content for its courses.

Leaders Initiative or YSEALI, under the American Council of International Education and the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Meanwhile, the Triple E Awards are a global recognition of efforts toward the quest for entrepreneurship and engagement in higher education. Implemented regionally, they aim to foster change in universities and emphasize their role in their communities and ecosystems. Awarding ceremony will be held in Barcelona, Spain in June 2023.

ACEEU is a Germany-based accreditation council composed of world-leading experts in the fields of entrepreneurship and engagement.

tual classes.

Application for the Binance Scholar Philippines Web 3.0 Scholarship is still open. Interested Filipinas can find out more details at https:// www.edukasyon.ph/information/AaGF5TuZ.

Considering that women account for only 37 percent of crypto owners, the charity unit of Binance believes that education will empower more to join the industry. Hence, it plans to continue financing courses, programs and scholarships in 2023, focusing not only on women but also underrepresented communities.

More female representation IN 2017 Binance was jointly established by Yi He, making the company one of the few femalefounded crypto firms worldwide. Approximately less than 5 percent of founders of top crypto companies are women. As of last year their number has reached 292 out of more than 10,000 firms.

To address further the gender gap, Binance has created its first formal internship and graduate programs, which open more doors to careers in crypto for diverse talent, including women. The company likewise guides and gives career advice to women through female mentorship programs, talent workshops, educational courses and lectures to share industry experience and insights on how to land a job in Web3.

feeding program and slipper-donation drive.

According to its members, the organization is consistently driven toward philanthropic work in order to serve and give back to communities. It hopes to continue sharing the APO way of life and Lasallian altruism in the country for decades to come.

Founded in December 16, 1925 in the US, and with over half-amillion alumni members across the globe, APO is one of the largest premier service-oriented organizations in the world which seeks “to develop leadership, promote friendship, and provide service to humanity.”

Domestically, the academic arm has partnered with Edukasyon.ph to introduce the Binance Scholar Philippines Web 3.0 Scholarship. Beneficiaries can attend the courses that serve as entry-level educational programs with a focus on Web3 concepts that can be further supplemented with advanced technical courses.

The country’s largest education technology platform will be hosting in Filipino these courses online to ensure adequate access for all participants nationwide. With the help of live instructors, scholars will also be given access to in-depth instructions and chances to raise queries during their vir -

“As one of the few female leaders in the industry, I believe that we have a mission, through Binance Charity and Binance Academy, to help more women understand Web3 and blockchain technology—our education and internship programs aim to empower young women with knowledge and skills ready for industry disruption,” said Yi, Binance cofounder and chief marketing officer.

“We believe that anyone with ideas can change the world, regardless of gender. We hope these commitments will result in more women on the front line of innovation, and bring change to our industry,” she added.

Binance invests over $2M, plans more for Web3 female scholars

ThE chapter’s Artesian wells project provided a sustainable water-supply system for communities in Morong, bataan.

FORSenator Sherwin Gatchalian, it is important for the government to support the reintegration of adolescent mothers into the mainstream education system.

Tourism&Entertainment

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

A glimpse of Petite France and more in Alsace

Story & photos by Joshua Berida

European and non-European institutions and organizations.

Strasbourg is 2000 years old, with vestiges of its past scattered throughout the historic center. The latter has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the late 1980s.

The city straddles French and German cultures as its history shifted f rom France to Germany and back to France because of wars and conquests over the centuries. Fast forward to today, and it’s also home to

T he most noticeable attraction and landmark in Strasbourg is the towering cathedral. The Cathedrale Notre-Dame is a fine example of Gothic architecture. The distinctive reddish façade of the cathedral i s due to the red Vosges sandstone used as its building material. If you try hard enough (that’s squinting for people with poor eyesight l ike myself), you’ll see sculptures depicting Christian figures and events. Another distinctive feature of the cathedral is its centuries old stained-glass windows. Sourg has many architectural wonders that grab your attention. One such example is the Maisotrasbn Kammerzell, an old bur -

gher’s home and an example of Alsatian architecture. This old house d ates to the 15th century, when merchants used it to sell all sorts of items. The r e formation took hold of Strasbourg in the 16th century. The Eglise de Saint-Thomas was at the center of this shift. I made my way to Quartier des Tanneurs or La Petite France (much easier to pronounce and remember). A walk around this charming p art of the historic center will take you back in time as you weave in and out of the narrow streets and canals with the half-timbered houses as your background. Leather tanners and fishermen used to populate this picturesque neighborhood in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Amidst all the history, I found

a modern city that managed to connect the old with the new. The restored and maintained historic buildings and museums provide visitors a glimpse of what life was like centuries ago. Some of the old buildings are now cafes, restaurants, or hotels that cater to all s orts of visitors. However, Strasbourg still felt like a place of nostalgia where you could reminisce about a time you were never born in.

Fairytale-like Colmar

C OL MA r w as a convenient destination from Strasbourg because it w as only about 30 minutes away. I took the train and waited until our arrival at Colmar’s station. As soon as I walked into Colmar’s preserved old town, I felt like I had

Phl tourism industry recovering

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

AFTEr experiencing a rough ride for two years, the country’s tourism industry is poised for a rebound.

Peter Vazan, chief executive officer of the International Travel Network, part of Trevolution Group, told the BusinessMirror that in 2021, when there was a gradual reopening of borders and lifting of travel restrictions, a lot of passengers delayed purchasing their tickets for the last few weeks.

Based on January 2023, Vazan pointed out that more passengers are returning to pre-pandemic booking patterns. “Last year, the proportion of passengers who booked their flights less than a month in advance, decreased by nearly 20 percent,” he said.

Even if conditions have changed, Vazan said it has created a lasting trend. Further, he said there is more to gain for travelers who book their

travel months in advance, as it often enables them to secure the best deals.

With an expected boom in the tourism sector enhanced by revenge travel, Vazan said they plan to expand in the Philippines through huge hiring plans for Manila and Cebu—and building another office in Cebu City.

He urged both foreign and local tourists to visit the country, especially those located outside Metro Manila.

“The Philippines is a fascinating

country with plenty of sites to explore—with around 7,640 islands and six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the country definitely has what to offer. Over the years, tourists from all over the world came to visit the Philippines—it has already been one of the top destination spots for travelers during pre-Covid. 2023 is the first full year since the Philippines reopened,” he explained.

Vazan said the growing demand for

travel indicates the travel confidence for Filipinos is back. Meanwhile, he said the country seems to accommodate the growing demand, too. The government aims to double tourist arrivals and target 5 million tourists this year, slightly more than double the 2.6 million tourists in 2022.

At the same time, their group, which belongs to the Dyninno group, wants to pursue a sustainable agenda in the local tourism industry. It has

entered a storybook. The wooden houses were in pastel colors of yellow, red, blue, brown, and all their s hades in between. I couldn’t help but feel like a child again. The town itself is small and easy to explore on foot. It doesn’t have the grand churches, palaces, buildings, statues, and streets that showcased t he imperial power and influence of France’s past compared to what I saw in Paris. Colmar was the perfect break from the big cities I’ve been to.

During the medieval ages, Colmar was a booming marketplace a nd a melting pot of different religious orders, from Protestants t o Dominicans to Catholics. The Eglise Saint-Mathieu (Protestant), Eglise des Dominicans (Domini -

can), and St. Martin’s Church (Catholic) are visible representations of t hese orders. I walked in and out of the little squares and plazas and along the cobblestone streets. Each area used to be bustling grounds for locals to ply their trade as locksmiths, bakers, tanners, and fishermen centuries ago. Nowadays, Colmar is a popular tourist d estination, with boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and hotels dotting the old town.

I bid farewell to Colmar after a few hours spent getting lost in its old town. I would’ve loved to spend more time in Alsace, but for now, I’d settle for a glimpse of it. A visit to this region was the break I needed from the hustle and bustle of Paris.

teamed up with Lufthansa and made it an internal company policy to offset its emission levels by investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). “By doing so, we want to set an example for ourselves and others to adopt sustainability as a way of life,” he said.

Citing data from the Department of Tourism (DOT), Colliers Philippines noted that foreign arrivals as of November 14, 2022, reached 2.0 million, already exceeding the full year target of 1.7 million arrivals. The United States, South Korea, and

Australia were the top source markets during the period.

Meanwhile, hotel occupancies in the capital region as of H1 2022 reached 47 percent, up from 44 percent in H2 2021, as we saw the return of business travel and the resumption of MICE activities.

The DOT also reported that visitor arrivals from February to September 2022 generated P100.7 billion (USD1.7 billion) in visitor spending, higher than the P4.94 billion ($8.4 million) a year ago.

The train slowed and then stopped at Strasbourg station. I left the platform and followed the signs that directed me toward the city center. The moment

I saw the historic center, I knew that I would like this city more than Paris.

Str A Sbourg is the capital city of the Alsace region.

Str A Sbourg Cathedral is the second most-visited cathedralin France after Notre-Dame de Paris. t h ere are many quaint cafes and restaurants in Strasbourg.

SC eN e n Colmar is like a storybook setting. ViSi t pastel-colored houses and establishments in Colmar.

Colm Ar is one of the most beautiful towns in the Alsace region.

WAN D er into the narrow lanes while exploring Strasbourg. Str A Sbourg Cathedral is enchanting at night.

h ouSe S in Strasbourg are known for their timber frame panels. S C eN i C Strasbourg is a walkable city.

Subterr AN e AN underground river, Palawan b o r ACAy island, Aklan

iN o r basilica of San lorenzo ruiz

Here’s how you can avoid falling for online scams

ACCORDING to the Philippine National Police (PNP), there are many types of Internet scams. This means that those who shop online and use their credit and debit cards and e-wallet apps to pay should always be alert to these scams. Actually, even if you use the cashon-delivery method, you are still vulnerable.

One of the most common online scams is “boiler room,” which refers to an outbound call center selling over the phone questionable investments such a foreign currency or even crypto currency. The PNP has warned that if “the offer seems to good to be true, it probably is.”

Card skimming, meanwhile, is the illegal copying of information from the magnetic strip of a credit or ATM card. Once these nefarious groups or individuals get your details, they can access your accounts and create a fake or cloned card with your details. They can then run up charges on your account.

Another fairly common method is called the romance scam, wherein a person who claims to live in the United States or Europe will woo a woman via a dating website or some other platform and, once a relationship has been established, will suggest the intended victim move the relationship from the website to a phone, e-mail and/or Facebook Messenger. Once trust has been gained, the scammer will tell sob stories of financial difficulties or illness in the family, so the victim will then send cash or expensive gifts.

On a smaller scale, there are a lot of scammers on stan Twitter, where young and innocent K-pop fans are sometimes fooled into paying for albums and merchandise that never arrive. I know of people who paid for photo cards and when they parcels came, what they got were drawings and fake photo cards.

Perhaps the most common online scam these days is phishing, wherein scammers create e-mail messages and web pages that are replicas of existing legitimate sites and businesses. These fake sites, e-mails and even text messages often have links that trick users into submitting personal, financial, or password data. These emails also often ask for information such as credit card numbers, bank account information, and passwords. Armed with these information, the scammers will find it easier to commit fraud. Fake web sites, which are duplicates of those of real brands, can also be created to fool customers into ordering and paying.

Last June 6, 2022, IKEA’s Pasay City store received a report from a consumer who saw a Facebook ad with the Swedish furnishing brand’s name, likeness and trademark. The customer thought it was a legitimate website and so they placed an order and never got the item.

IKEA Pasay has taken immediate action against these scammers and continues to urge customers to remain vigilant and only purchase on official and verified IKEA web sites. As of March 1, 2023, a total of 64 fake web sites have been reported by consumers to IKEA Pasay. This information has been turned over to the global headquarters in the Netherlands for assistance in going after these fraudulent “sellers.”

IKEA has also gone beyond its internal measures by having its Product Requirement and Compliance team file a formal report with the cyber crime division of the PNP.

IKEA is also currently supported by the cyber crime division of the Department of Justice  to help crack down on these scammers, and the company has invested in promotional efforts to inform the public about the fake websites.

IKEA web sites only use three URLs: www.ikea. ph www.ikea.com, and family.IKEA.com.ph. The public can report fake websites to the company, or they can also go directly to the authorities for proper support and concrete next steps. For social media platforms, simply look for the verified badge or the check mark next to the account name to ensure security.  When purchasing items, it is always best to transact through the official IKEA website or the Ikea Shopping app, which can be downloaded from Google Play or the Apple Store. Meanwhile, for IKEA Family members, access the dedicated IKEA Family web site. ■

Study shows mobile loans bring financial ease to unbanked Filipinos

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor

GLOBAL digital lending platform Tala reported that the lives of its customers in the Philippines have improved after availing of its services.

Based on its “Lender’s 2022 Impact Report” released during the company’s webinar last March 9, 81 percent of 250 Filipino Tala borrowers interviewed shared that their quality of life improved due to the loans it provides.

Fifty-five percent of them touted having improved access to finance, with 31 percent being able to better afford household expenses, and 17 percent in a better position to face emergency expenses.

“We’re happy to see that our services have granted our customers confidence where they didn’t before, giving them the ability to better withstand emergencies, and providing them the avenue to pursue their dreams. Tala has definitely made a big impact in the Philippines,” Tala marketing manager Missy Santos said of the results of their survey prepared and conducted by 60 Decibels between October and

November 2022.

Since 2014, Tala has given the unbanked and marginalized access to basic financial services. This is apparent in the study, revealing that an average Filipino client is a 37-year-old who has been a member for about 32 months, and 56 percent of them avail loans every two months.

“Tala continues to provide a unique microloan service to the underserved market in the Philippines. Many of our kababayans’ challenges include paying off their bills, having the confidence to avail a loan, and being able to have financial independence,” Tala Philippines General Manager Donald Evangelista said.

The respondents also bared how they managed their finances well. With Tala’s microloans, 45 percent increased their savings, 69 percent reduced financial stress, and 89 percent improved financial management skills.

Gender-wise, 70 percent of female borrowers cited that financial access increased their household decision-making power, according to Tala senior director and global customer experience operations Iona Iñigo-Mayo.

“For these women, their financial independence (56

at De La Salle Lipa

GLOBE Business recently showcased how 5G technology can revolutionize learning during a Demo Day held at the De La Salle Lipa (DLSL), the first Philippine school to have its own 5G tower and experience its capabilities.

Students, faculty and staff from DLSL graced the event, where the company showcased 5G applications. It was the culmination of an eight-month Intelligent Campus Program that aimed to show the benefits of 5G for education.

Three 5G use cases were presented during the activity, including the Interactive Board, Desktop Virtualization and Multiview Broadcast.

The Interactive Board, developed in partnership with ESCO PTE LTD, is a classroom tool that provides an intuitive and interactive teaching method, enabling DLSL to conduct classes simultaneously for physically present and remote students.

The demo received positive feedback, with participants saying, “It’s like writing on a real whiteboard.” Another user said, “The Interactive Board will be very helpful especially in classes that require computations as it serves as physical proof of how education can be pushed to its full potential.”

Students also tried out the use of 5G in virtualization. The demo involved Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), implemented in partnership with Microsoft Philippines and Crayon. Azure Virtual Desktop is a desktop and app virtualization service powered by Microsoft Azure. It allows storage or hosting of an application in the cloud, streaming the virtual environment, or transmitting the visual output on any screen such as a smartphone, smart TV or computer.

percent), capability to pay for household bills/expenses (53 percent), and money for education (15 percent) improved the most because of Tala. Moreover, the self-confidence of 86 percent of Tala’s female borrowers increased while another 78 percent experienced a rise in respect from their household,” she added.

Customers’ satisfaction was also rated highly as interviewees agreed to efficient loan approval process and reliable and easy-to-use Tala application. About 98 percent bared their understanding of the loan terms and conditions, as 99 percent trust Tala with their personal information. Around 70 percent said they did not have a similar service elsewhere, and 84 percent could not find a good alternative to Tala’s digital loans.

“The Philippines is a key market for Tala as it provides opportunities for growth. All the figures and statistics we’ve shown today showcase the love, dedication and care we have for our Filipino customers which, in turn, is returned by them in full. We strive to continue to be a trustworthy, transparent and life-changing service to all Filipinos,” said Tala chief risk and strategy officer Kunal Kaul.

Belgium bans TikTok from government phones after US, EU

BRUSSELS—Belgium is banning TikTok from government phones over worries about cybersecurity, privacy and misinformation, the country’s prime minister said Friday, mirroring recent action by other authorities in Europe and the US.

The Chinese-owned video sharing app will be temporarily prohibited from devices owned or paid for by the Belgium’s federal government for at least six months, according to a post on Alexander de Croo’s website.

TikTok said it is “disappointed at this suspension, which is based on basic misinformation about our company.” The company said it’s “readily available to meet with officials to address any concerns and set the record straight on misconceptions.”

TikTok is owned by China’s ByteDance, which moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020. The company sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots, saying its parent company is incorporated outside of China and it’s majority owned by global

institutional investors.

But the European Union’s three main institutions and Denmark’s defense ministry have already ordered employees to remove the app from devices used for official business. Similar bans have been imposed in Canada and the US.

The tussle over TikTok is part of a wider global rivalry between China and the US and its Western allies over technological and economic supremacy. De Croo said Belgium’s ban was based

on warnings from the state security service and its cybersecurity center, which said the app could harvest user data and tweak algorithms to manipulate its news feed and content. They also warned that TikTok could be compelled to carry out spying for Beijing, he said, without being more specific.

“We are in a new geopolitical context where influence and surveillance between states have shifted to the digital world,” de Croo said in an online statement. “We must not be naive: TikTok is a Chinese company

Also tested during the demo was Multiview Broadcast, developed in partnership with SMS Global Technologies Inc. Multiview Broadcast is a technology that can be used for live streaming or broadcasting of sports events or school programs using the 4K, 8K, and 360 types of cameras over Globe’s 5G network for a more immersive viewing experience. It can also be tapped for remote learning, so students can watch live streaming of classes from anywhere.

“This program is a prime example of how Globe Business is working toward bringing the benefits of 5G technology to various industries, including education. Our partnership with DLSL demonstrates how 5G can enhance the learning experience for students and faculty, as well as improve the overall efficiency of the school administration. We are proud to play a part in establishing DLSL as a 5G Center of Excellence in the Academe, and we are excited to collaborate with new partners to bring the power of 5G to more communities and industries,” said KD Dizon, head of MSME Group, Globe Business.

Globe is committed to delivering improved customer service and reliable, consistent data services to its customers. 5G technology is capable of delivering internet speeds up to 100 times faster, making it suitable for video streaming and gaming.

which today is obliged to cooperate with the intelligence services. This is the reality. Prohibiting its use on federal service devices is common sense.”

TikTok said user data is stored in the US and Singapore and pointed to new measures to ease European concerns by storing user data in European data centers.

“The Chinese government cannot compel another sovereign nation to provide data stored in that nation’s territory,” the company said in a statement. AP

Will Xiaomi’s Master-Level partnership with Leica make it the �lagship to beat?

and this is actually the next phase of their evolving ecosystem.

“We’re trying to excel in six areas which we call our Ecosphere: smartphones, smart homes, smart wearables, the smart factory. We just showcased our CyberDog, our robot CyberOne, and we’re now at a substantial phase of developing our EV business and hopefully, in the words of our founder, we’re making it available by 2024.”

BY MATTHEW BARAKAT

The Associated Press

FALLS CHURCH, Virginia—A judge has rejected a request from Google to transfer a federal antitrust lawsuit against it from Virginia to New York.

The ruling on Friday from US District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, is a victory for the Justice Department and several states, including Virginia, that sued Google earlier this year and wanted to keep the case in the commonwealth.

The lawsuit alleges that Google holds a virtual monopoly in online advertising that works to the detriment of consumers. The complaint alleged that Google “corrupted legitimate competition in the ad tech industry by engaging in a systematic campaign to seize control of the wide swath of high-tech tools used by publishers, advertisers and brokers, to facilitate digital advertising.”

Google said that similar lawsuits, including one filed by the Texas attorney general, have been consolidated into a single case that’s being now being heard in New York. Google’s lawyers said consolidating the Virginia case as well would improve judicial efficiency and reduce the risk that courts would produce conflicting rulings.

Justice Department lawyers, though, argued that the case should remain in Virginia. They said that federal antitrust cases are exempt from the law that encourages consolidation of similar lawsuits filed in multiple jurisdictions. They also argued that their lawsuit would be bogged down if it were bunched in with all the consolidated cases.

The suit seeks to force Google to divest itself of the businesses controlling the technical tools that manage the buying, selling and auctioning of digital display advertising, remaining with search—its core business—and other products and services including YouTube, Gmail and cloud services.

Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, said previously that the suit “doubles down on a flawed argument that would slow innovation, raise advertising fees, and make it harder for thousands of small businesses and publishers to grow.”

Digital ads currently account for about 80 percent of Google’s revenue, and by and large support its other, less lucrative endeavors.

FEW weeks before the launch of the Xiaomi 13 flagship series, we had the chance to do an exclusive interview with KM Leong, Xiaomi Southeast Asia General Manager who was in the country for a quick visit.

And while he was tight-lipped about upcoming flagship devices, he was gracious enough to share with us their prospects and priorities this 2023 such as bolstering the Xiaomi Ecosphere as well as upcoming products and areas Xiaomi PH wants to be

Xiaomi has been one of the most revered brands in its home country of China, but it has also established a very strong presence in Western Europe, Indonesia and Indian markets as well. Here in Southeast Asia, Leong said they’ve also had significant growth becoming the No. 1 smartphone brand in Malaysia and a consistent top 5 brand in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

As the competition in the smartphone market intensifies, I asked him what sets Xiaomi apart from its rivals. He responded by stating that their dedication to the smartphone x AIoT strategy gives them an advantage.

This strategy, he adds, focuses on integrating smartphones with other smart devices, creating a seamless and intelligent ecosystem of devices that can work together to improve people’s lives. Through its use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the user experience, Xiaomi’s AIoT devices can learn from user behavior and adapt to their preferences, making them more intuitive and easier to use over time.

Xiaomi has been called the “Apple of China” because of the diverse products you can buy—from pens, sunglasses, bags, batteries, to household items like electric fans, air fryers and TVs, to smartphones and wearables—in a Xiaomi store.  They are known for affordable yet high-quality products which have helped the company gain a strong following in markets around the world and build a loyal customer base and continue to innovate in the smartphone and smart device space.

“We’re happy that Xiaomi has become a household name. As a company, we want to be known for offering high quality products at an honest price point. We’re also trying to develop more products to build on our Ecosphere and other areas we want to expand,” Leong said.

“We’re making our products available to more consumers by opening up retail stores. I’m sure you’ll agree that the competition in the smartphone space here in the Philippines is very stiff. But seldom would you have a brand that has both smartphones and AioT, and would do better at both.”

He mentioned the term “Ecosphere” a few times

“By investing in the EV market, we are demonstrating our dedication to sustainable and ecofriendly transportation solutions and making them more accessible to everyone. It is a key step in our quest to diversify our business and offer a wide range of innovative products and services to our customers,” he explained.

For 2023, Leong says they want to further strengthen their position in the smartphone x AIoT by opening more retail and experiential stores. “We now have a total of 55 Xiaomi authorized stores in the Philippines, plus partner retailers nationwide. We’ll also be aggressive in keeping our leading position in e-commerce with monthly campaigns. We’ll also look at other e-commerce opportunities. For example, the TikTok shop that we just opened last year. If there are other opportunities to reach our consumers and make our products more available to them, we will take steps to be involved.”

MASTER-LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY WITH LEICA

GOING back to smartphones, now that the Xiaomi 13 series has been officially released, we can finally talk about how this collaboration with Leica could change the smartphone photography game once again. He said that based on research, cameras remain one of the most important features users want in a smartphone followed by battery and memory.

“We’re happy to have the first brainchild of this partnership with Leica made available to consumers globally including the Philippines. Our partnership with them has allowed us to bring to market a smartphone camera with the image quality and performance usually found only in standalone digital cameras.”

How does the partnership improve Xiaomi smartphone performance?

Based on the feedback, one is the color accuracy. At the same time, it also gives users the Leica experience, not just the gimmick like the watermark, or the Leica shutter sound, but really the colors of Leica.

The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro have a MasterLevel photography system with Leica co-engineered cameras. The camera system’s hardware and image quality to UI/UX design have been created in collaboration with Leica to deliver a pro-grade smartphone photography experience. Both models feature triple cameras equipped with Leica optical lenses.

The Xiaomi 13 Pro features a Leica VarioSummicron camera system that offers a range of focal lengths from 14mm to 75mm. Its primary camera is a 23mm wide-angle lens equipped with a 1 inch IMX989 sensor. Additionally, it has a 75mm telephoto camera with a floating lens design that employs DSLR-level internal focusing technology and a 14mm ultrawide-angle camera. The IMX989 sensor used in the primary camera is the largest sensor ever used in a smartphone, while the 75mm telephoto lens allows for

A 2nd wave of layoffs at Meta; 10,000 jobs are cut

FACEBOOK parent Meta is slashing 10,000 jobs, about as many as the social-media company announced late last year in its first round of cuts, as uncertainly about the global economy hits the technology sector particularly hard.

The company announced 11,000 job cuts in November, about 13 percent of its workforce at the time. In addition to the layoffs, Meta said on Tuesday that it would not fill 5,000 open positions.

“This will be tough and there’s no way around that,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Meta and other tech companies have been hiring aggressively for at least two years and in recent

months have begun to let some of those workers go. Hiring in the US is still strong, but layoffs have hit hard in some sectors.

Early last month, Meta posted falling profits and its third consecutive quarter of declining revenue. On the same day, the company said that it would buy back as much as $40 billion of its own stock.

The Menlo Park, company said Tuesday it will reduce the size of its recruiting team and make further cuts in its tech groups in late April, and then its business groups in late May.

Zuckerberg has invested tens of billions of dollars building out its metaverse, its virutal reality concept,

and renamed the company Meta, signaling a new focus for Facebook.

“As I’ve talked about efficiency this year, I’ve said that part of our work will involve removing jobs— and that will be in service of both building a leaner, more technical company and improving our business performance to enable our long term vision,” said Zuckerberg. The biggest tech companies in the US are cutting costs elsewhere, too.

This month, Amazon paused construction on its second headquarters in Virginia following the biggest round of layoffs in the company’s history and its

The Master-Lens System incorporated in Xiaomi 13 Pro is specifically designed to capture impeccable portraits by providing the optimal focal length and depth of field. Users can select between two photographic styles—Leica Authentic Look and Leica Vibrant Look—that offer moderate saturation while maintaining accuracy. Additionally, Xiaomi 13 Pro supports 10-Bit RAW DNG Camera and Color Profiles designed by Adobe, providing professionals greater flexibility in post-editing with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform, which provides a substantial improvement in graphics by 42 percent and 49 percent and CPU by 37 percent and 47 percent, respectively, compared to the previous generation. Furthermore, both devices support Wi-Fi 7 with Qualcomm FastConnectTM 7800, allowing for lightning-fast speeds. Both devices offer excellent image optimization and manual adjustment of shooting parameters in pro-mode.

The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro are equipped with Surge battery management systems, featuring 4,500mAh and 4,820mAh batteries, respectively. Xiaomi 13 supports 67W wired and 50W wireless turbo charging, while Xiaomi 13 Pro can be charged to 100 percent in 19 minutes with 120W HyperCharge technology.

The Xiaomi 13 (8+256GB) retails for P44,999 with a free Xiaomi Watch S1 Active (worth P8,999) while the Xiaomi 13 Pro (12+256GB) is available at P59,999 and also comes with the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active. ■

shifting plans around remote work.

Global inflation has remained stubborn and its made for more difficult decisions for both households and businesses in the US.

Fast growth companies, including many in the technology sector, are hunkering down for what may be an extended period of adverse economic conditions.

“At this point, I think we should prepare ourselves for the possibility that this new economic reality will continue for many years,” Zuckerberg said in a message to employees. Meta shares rose nearly 7 percent on Tuesday. AP

KM Leong, Xiaomi Southeast Asia general manager

case to move ahead in Virginia

Yellen declares US bank system sound, as new rescues ordered

Fed lent $300B in emergency funds to banks in past week

WASHINGTON—Cash-

short banks have borrowed about $300 billion from the Federal Reserve in the past week, the central bank announced Thursday.

Nearly half the money—$143 billion—went to holding companies for two major banks that failed over the past week, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, triggering widespread alarm in financial markets.

The Fed did not identify the banks that received the other half of the funding or say how many of them did so.

borrowed through this program.

The Fed has lent an additional $11.9 billion from a new lending facility it announced on Sunday.

The new program enables banks to raise cash and pay any depositors who withdraw money.

Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan Chase, said in research note that the Fed’s assistance is, so far, about half what it was during the financial crisis 15 years ago.

Questioned closely, sometimes aggressively, Yellen told senators at a Capitol hearing that the US banking system “remains sound” and Americans “can feel confident” about the safety of their deposits.

Her remarks, against the backdrop of deepening concerns about the health of the global financial system, were an effort to signal to markets that there would be no broader contagion from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in California and Signature Bank in New York.

By the time her testimony was over, another major institution, First Republic Bank, received an emergency infusion of $30 billion in deposits from 11 banks, according to Treasury. And in Europe hours earlier, Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second-largest lender, got a promise from the Swiss central bank of a loan of up to 50 billion francs ($54 billion).

Wall Street rallied on the rescue news.

Republican senators laid a big part of the blame for the problems on Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.

“The reckless tax and spend agenda that was forced through Congress” contributed to record high inflation that the Federal Reserve is having to compensate for through increasing interest rates, said Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho. And those surging rates have caused banks—as well as regular citizens—problems.

The Republicans also questioned Biden’s assurances that taxpayers won’t bear the brunt of the commitment to make depositors whole.

Yellen resisted that scenario, though she said, “We certainly need to analyze carefully what happened to trigger these bank failures and examine our rules and supervision” to prevent them from happening again. She defended the government’s argument that taxpayers will not end up paying the cost of protecting uninsured money at Silicon Valley and Signature.

The Treasury secretary was the first administration official

to face lawmakers over the decision to protect uninsured money at the two failed regional banks, a move some have criticized as a bank “bailout.”

“The government took decisive and forceful actions to strengthen public confidence” in the US banking system, Yellen testified. “I can reassure the members of the committee that our banking system remains sound, and that Americans can feel confident that their deposits will be there when they need them.”

The week has been a whirlwind for markets globally on worries about banks that may be bending under the weight of the fastest hikes to interest rates in decades, increasures intended to quell rising inflation on consumer goods.

In less than a week, Silicon Valley Bank, based in Santa Clara, California, failed after depositors rushed to withdraw money amid anxiety over the bank’s health.

Then, regulators convened over the weekend and announced that New York-based Signature Bank also failed. They said that all depositors, including those holding uninsured funds exceeding $250,000, would be protected by federal deposit insurance.

The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have since launched investigations into the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and President Joe Biden has called on Congress to strengthen rules on regional banks.

White House press secretary

Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday, “There are things that we can do in the administration, but in order to really deal with this issue we have to act. Congress needs to act.”

Thursday’s hearing, originally scheduled to address Biden’s budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning next October, came after the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley, the nation’s 16th-biggest bank and a go-to financial institution for tech entrepreneurs.

While lawmakers questioned Yellen on the federal deficit and

upcoming debt ceiling negotiations, many focused instead on the bank failures and who was to blame.

The Biden administration’s “handling of the economy contributed to this,” insisted Sen. Tim Scott, Repulican-South Carolina “I plan to hold the regulators accountable.”

Sen. Mark Warner, DemocratVirginia, asked, “Where were the regulators in all of this?”

“Nerves are certainly frayed at this moment,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, Democrat-Oregon., who chairs the committee. “One of the most important steps the Congress can take now is make sure there are no questions about the full faith and credit of the United States,” he said, referring to raising the federal debt ceiling.

Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, the committee’s top Republican, said, “I’m concerned about the precedent of guaranteeing all deposits,” calling the federal rescue action a “moral hazard.”

Yellen said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” last Sunday that a banks bailout was not on the table.

“We’re not going to do that again,” she said, referring to the government’s response to the 2008 financial crisis, which led to massive government rescues for large US banks.

Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair and past president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve during the 2008 financial crisis, was a leading figure in the resolution this past weekend, which was engineered to prevent a wider systemic banking problem.

“This week’s actions demonstrate our resolute commitment to ensure that depositors’ savings remain safe,” she said.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, Democrat-Ohio, compared the banks’ collapse to rail industry deregulation lobbying that Democrats say contributed to the East Palestine train derailment that rocked an

Ohio community. “We see aggressive lobbying like this from banks as well,” he said.

In Europe, troubles at Credit Suisse deepened concerns about the global financial system.

The Swiss giant was having issues long before the US banks collapsed, but the news Wednesday that the bank’s biggest shareholder would not inject more money led shares of European banks to plunge. On Thursday, they rose after the Swiss Central Bank’s action.

Regulators in the US and abroad are trying to reassure depositors that their money is safe. They “don’t want anybody to be the person who sits in a darkened room or darkened cinema and shouts fire, because that’s what prompts a rush for the exits,” said Russ Mould, investment director at the online investment platform AJ Bell.

Despite the banking turmoil, the European Central Bank (ECB) hiked interest rates by a half percentage point in its latest effort to curb stubbornly high inflation, saying Europe’s banking sector is “resilient,” with strong finances and plenty of available cash.

ECB President Christine Lagarde said the central bank would provide additional support to the banking system if necessary. She said banks “are in a completely different position from 2008” because of safeguards added after the financial crisis.

ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos also said Europe’s exposure to Credit Suisse, which is outside the European Union’s banking supervision structure, was “quite limited.”

The Swiss bank, which has seen its stock decline for years, has been pushing to raise money from investors and roll out a new strategy to overcome an array of troubles, including bad bets on hedge funds, repeated shake-ups of its top management and a spying scandal involving Zurich rival UBS. AP

Oil set for worst week this year as traders watch for OPEC+ move

OIL appears to be headed for the biggest weekly loss this year after banking turmoil rippled across global markets, with investors watching for a potential response to the rout from OPEC and its allies.

West Texas Intermediate futures rose above $69 a barrel on Friday, but are still down about 10 percent for the week.

OPEC+ chiefs from Saudi Arabia and Russia met in Riyadh on Thursday, and discussed efforts by the group to “promote market balance and stability.”

The cartel’s monitoring committee, which can recommend a change in production, is scheduled to meet on April 3.

OPEC+ will likely sit tight and monitor the market unless Brent drops below $70 a barrel for a sustained period, according to industry consultant FGE,

while Energy Aspects Ltd. said the producer group will probably wait for financial markets to calm before deciding whether to react.

Troubles at Credit Suisse Group AG combined with options covering to drive oil to its lowest level in 15 months this week. While markets are starting to see some stability, investors will also be watching to see if the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates again next week following the turmoil.

“External factors continue to dictate price action for oil,” said Warren Patterson, head

The holding companies for the two failed banks were set up by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which has taken over both banks. The money they borrowed was used to pay their uninsured depositors, with bonds owned by both banks posted as collateral.

The FDIC has guaranteed the repayment of the loans, the Fed said.

The figures provide a first glimpse of the scale of the Fed’s assistance to the financial sector after the two banks collapsed this past weekend.

The rest of the money was borrowed by banks seeking to raise cash—likely, at least in part, to pay off depositors who tried to withdraw their money.

Many mega banks, such as Bank of America, have reported receiving inflows of funds from smaller banks since the bank failures last weekend.

An additional $153 billion in borrowing from the Fed over the past week came through a longstanding program called the “discount window”; it amounted to a record level for that program.

Banks can borrow from the discount window for up to 90 days. Typically in a given week, only about $4 billion to $5 billion is

“But it is still a big number,” he said. “The glass half-empty view is that banks need a lot of money. The glass half-full take is that the system is working as intended.”

The past week’s emergency lending from the Fed seeks to address a leading cause of the collapse of the two banks: Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank owned billions of dollars of seemingly safe Treasury and other bonds that paid low interest rates.

Over the past year, as the Fed steadily raised its benchmark interest rate, yields on longer-term Treasurys and other bonds rose. That, in turn, reduced the value of the lower-yielding Treasurys that the banks held.

As a result, the banks couldn’t raise enough cash from the sale of their Treasurys to pay the many depositors who were trying to withdraw their money from the banks. It amounted to a classic bank run.

The Fed’s lending programs, particularly the new facility it unveiled Sunday, enable financial institutions to post bonds as collateral and borrow against them, rather than having to sell them.

For its new lending facility, the Fed said it has received $15.9 billion in collateral, more than the $11.9 billion it has lent. Banks sometimes provide the Fed collateral before borrowing. That suggests that additional lending is underway. AP

Argentines struggle to make ends meet amid 100% inflation

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—

Jesica Fernández used to join seven family members every weekend for a large beef barbeque. Beef is no longer on the menu, and now they’re more likely to eat spaghetti or chicken wings.

I n beef-loving Argentina, barbeques nowadays happen only on birthdays or special occasions, Fernández said.

Fernández, 31, is among millions of Argentines struggling to make ends meet as the country’s annual inflation rate clocked in at an annual rate of 102.5 percent in February, the first time it has reached triple digits since 1991.

She was shopping at a market sponsored by the Lomas de Zamora municipality, some 25 kilometers from the capital, where businesses offer basic goods at cheaper prices in exchange for the free retail space.

to buy enough food for herself, her husband and six children.

“The money isn’t enough for anything,” Espinosa said. “Barbeques? Forget about it.”

President Alberto Fernández has been struggling to put the brakes on the country’s soaring inflation rate that will undoubtedly be a key issue in the presidential campaign ahead of October elections.

Argentines have long suffered large bouts of rising prices, worse than elsewhere, because of the government’s penchant for printing money to finance spending. That trend accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic while a sharp depreciation of the local currency also pushed prices higher.

President Alberto Fernández’s center-left administration has tried to rein in the spiraling prices through price controls that have largely failed.

of commodities strategy for ING Groep NV. “The scale of the selloff in oil will likely be a concern for OPEC+, but they are unlikely to take quick action, instead they will probably wait for the dust to settle.”

Oil may struggle to make robust gains in the near term, with OPEC this week forecasting a modest surplus in the second quarter, a typical period of soft demand before the summer. The International Energy Agency also said that the market was already in surplus on stubborn Russian output. Bloomberg News

“We buy less beef and we buy fewer things. In reality, you can’t give yourself the luxuries that you could before,” Fernández said, The country’s Indec statistics agency said this week that consumer prices increased 6.6 percent in February from the previous month, a higher number than expected, on top of years of double-digit annual inflation over the past decade. Food was among items that increased the most in February, rising 9.8 percent from January, in part due to a punishing drought that has pushed prices of meat and other goods higher.

“The situation is very difficult, and every day it gets worse,” said Daisy Choque Guevara, 42.

Mabel Espinosa, 37, was walking around the market with her 10-day old baby, Gael, hoping to find deals

Much of the opposition says Argentina needs a broader stabilization plan that includes a sharp decrease in spending.

“We obviously think the inflation data is bad, very bad, plus it was unexpected,” presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti said Thursday.

“The government remains firmly committed to controlling prices, controlling inflation, reducing inflation, and not allowing prices to continue increasing.”

Espinosa, however, is not convinced things will improve, at least in the short term.

“I call it resignation, nothing will change…Why get angry?” she said.

“Today you get something at one price and tomorrow it will be another price, but it doesn’t matter, you have to pay for it because you need it.” AP

WASHINGTON—Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen offered firm, upbeat reassurances to rattled bank depositors and investors Thursday, even as American financial institutions and European agencies ordered fresh rescue efforts following the second-largest bank collapse in US history.

TREASURY Secretary Janet Yellen testifies before the Senate Finance Committee about President Joe Biden’s proposed budget request for the fiscal year 2024, Thursday, March 16, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. AP

The World

14-year-old boy arrested in Mexico for murder of 8

MEXICO CITY—Mexican authorities have arrested a 14-year-old boy nicknamed “El Chapito” for the drug-related killing of eight people near Mexico City, the federal Public Safety Department said Thursday.

The boy allegedly rode up on a motorcycle and opened fire on a family in the low-income Mexico City suburb of Chimalhuacan.

Another man was also arrested in the January z22 killings, and seven other members of the gang were arrested on drug charges.

The victims were holding a party at their house at the time of the attack, which also left five The boy’s name was not released, but his nickname—“Little Chapo”—is an apparent reference to imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

The motive in the killings has not been made public, but drug gangs in Mexico frequently dabble in kidnapping and contract killing. They also kill rivals selling drugs on their territory, or people who owe them money.

Mexico is no stranger to child killers.

In 2010, soldiers detained a 14-year-old boy nicknamed “El Ponchis” who claimed he was kidnapped at age 11 and forced to work for the Cartel of the South Pacific, a branch of the splintered Beltran Leyva gang. He said he had participated in at least four decapitations.

After his arrest, the boy, who authorities identified only by his first name, Edgar, told reporters that he was drugged and threatened into committing the crimes. AP

Military moves to cut suicides, but defers action on firearms

An independent committee in late February recommended that the Defense Department implement a series of gun safety measures, including waiting periods for the purchase of firearms and ammunition by service members on military property and raising the minimum age for service members to buy guns and ammunition to 25.

military, despite more than a decade of programs and other efforts to prevent them and spur greater intervention by commanders, friends and family members.

sure that mental health care is available through service members’ primary care as well.

in military barracks and dorms.

THIS photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says is an intercontinental ballistic missile in a launching drill at the Sunan international airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, March 16, 2023. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency.

North Korea says ICBM launch was response to rivals’ drills

SEOUL, South Korea—North

Korea said Friday it fired an intercontinental ballistic missile to “strike fear into the enemies” as South Korea and Japan agreed at a summit to work closely on regional security with the United States and staged military exercises around the region.

The missile was launched Thursday morning hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Japanese Prime Minster Fumio Kishida at a summit partly aimed at rebuilding security ties between the US allies in the face of North Korean nuclear threats.

With four missile displays in about a week, North Korea has ratcheted up its tit-for-tat response to ongoing US-South Korean military drills that are the biggest of their kind in years.

The Biden administration wants better South Korea-Japan ties, which declined over historical issues in recent years, as it pushes to strengthen its alliance network in Asia to counter the North Korean nuclear threat and China’s rising influence.

Aside from their combined exercises that began Monday and run through March 23, the United States and South Korea are also participating in anti-submarine warfare drills, along with Japan, Canada and India, that began Wednesday.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said leader Kim Jong Un supervised the testfiring of the Hwasong-17 missile and stressed the need to “strike fear into the enemies” over what it called the “open hostility” shown to the North by the USSouth Korea exercises.

Launched at a high angle to avoid the territory of North Korea’s neighbors, the missile

reached a maximum altitude of 6,045 kilometers (3,756 miles) and traveled 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) before landing in waters off the country’s eastern coast, KCNA said.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries assessed the flight similarly, indicating the US mainland is within the missile’s range. It remains unclear whether North Korea has developed nuclear bombs small enough to fit on its longrange rockets or the technology to ensure its warheads survive atmospheric reentry when fired at a normal trajectory.

North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published photos of Kim watching from afar as the missile blasted off from a launch vehicle parked on an airport runway.

Kim was accompanied by a girl who appeared to be his daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and about 10 years old. She has accompanied him to several military events since she was publicly revealed for the first time during another ICBM launch in November.

Analysts say the intent of her public appearances at military events is to tie the Kim family’s dynastic rule of North Korea to the nuclear arsenal Kim sees as the strongest guarantee of his survival.

Rodong Sinmun also published photos implied to have been taken by a camera on the missile as it soared into space. They showed a rounded view of the Earth, with clouds scattered over what appeared to be the Korean Peninsula and Asian coastline.

The photos were apparently intended as proof the missile would be capable of accurately striking its target, said Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior analyst at South Korea’s private Sejong Institute.

In a memo released Thursday, Austin called for the establishment of a suicide prevention working group to “assess the advisability and feasibility” of recommendations made by the initial study committee—which would include the gun measures. He also asked for cost estimates and a description of any “barriers” to implementing other changes, and set a deadline of June 2 for that report. At no point did he specifically refer to the gun proposals or mention gun safety.

His orders reflect increasing concerns about suicides in the

But his omission of any gun safety and control measures underscores the likelihood that they would face staunch resistance, particularly in Congress, where such legislation has struggled in recent years.

The more immediate changes address broader access to care.

To more quickly provide help for troops who may be struggling, Austin directed the Pentagon to hire more behavioral health specialists and implement a scheduling system for appointments where patients receive multiple health care visits weekly when they first seek care.

He also ordered military primary care health clinics to screen for unhealthy levels of alcohol use, make unhealthy alcohol use treatment easier to receive and make

“The mental health support available for our teammates must be comprehensive and easy to access,” Austin said in the memo.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters in a briefing Thursday that Austin’s orders involved areas where the department already has the authority to take immediate steps.

“While we recognize that suicide has no single cause, and that no single preventative action, treatment or cure will eliminate suicide altogether, we will exhaust every effort to promote the wellness, health and morale of our total force,” Ryder said.

The initial study committee recommended that the department require anyone living in military housing to register all privately owned firearms. In addition, the panel said the department should restrict the possession and storage of privately owned firearms

Confirming findings in annual suicide reports, the panel noted that about 66 percent of all active-duty military suicides—and more than 70 percent of those by National Guard and Reserve members—are done with firearms. It said reducing access to guns could prevent some deaths.

Craig Bryan, a clinical psychologist and member of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee, said the department should slow down troops’ access to guns—specifically those bought in stores on bases—so people under stress can survive periods of high risk.

He likened the expanded gun safety measures to requirements that the department puts on motorcycle usage—such as mandated helmets—that are often more strict than some state laws.

Asked how likely such changes would be, Bryan said he believes troops are more receptive to such limits than civilians may be.

New Zealand lawmakers banned from TikTok amid data use fears

WELLINGTON, New Zealand— New Zealand lawmakers and other workers inside the nation’s Parliament will be banned from having the TikTok app on their government phones, officials said Friday.

The ban, which takes effect at the end of the month, follows similar moves in many other countries.

However, New Zealand’s ban will apply only to about 500 people in the parliamentary complex, not to all government workers like bans in the US. and Britain. Other New

Zealand agencies could decide later to impose their own bans.

Global concern about the app comes after warnings by the FBI and other agencies that TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance could share TikTok user data—such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers—with China’s authoritarian government.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he didn’t have TikTok on his phone “I’m not that hip and trendy,” he told reporters.

The New Zealand move came on the advice of government cybersecurity experts, said Parliamentary Service Chief Executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.

He said the app would be removed from all devices with access to the parliamentary network, although officials could make special arrangements for anybody who needed TikTok to perform their democratic duties.

“This decision has been made based on our own experts’ analysis and following discussion with our colleagues

across government and internationally,” Gonzalez-Montero said in a statement.

“Based on this information, the service has determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand parliamentary environment.”

Hipkins said cybersecurity advice came from New Zealand’s intelligence agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau. He said New Zealand didn’t take a blanket approach to all government workers, and it would be up to each department or agency to make cybersecurity decisions. AP

Pentagon video shows Russian jet dumping fuel on US drone

KYIV, Ukraine—The Biden administration released video Thursday of a Russian fighter jet dumping fuel on a US Air Force surveillance drone as the US sought to hold Russia responsible for the collision that led to the drone’s crash into the Black Sea without escalating already fraught tensions with the Kremlin.

Poland, meanwhile, said it’s giving Ukraine a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets, becoming the first Nato member to fulfill Kyiv’s increasingly urgent requests for warplanes.

The US military’s declassified 42-second color footage shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 Reaper drone and releasing fuel as it passes, the Pentagon said. Dumping the fuel appeared to be aimed at blinding the drone’s optical instruments to drive it from the area.

On a second approach, either the same jet or another Russian Su-27 that had been shadowing the MQ-9 struck the drone’s propeller, damaging a blade, according to the US military, which said it then ditched the aircraft in the sea.

The video excerpt does not show the collision, although it does show the damage to the propeller.

Russia said its fighters didn’t strike the

drone and claimed the unmanned aerial vehicle went down after making a sharp maneuver.

While calling out Russia for “reckless” action, the White House tried to strike a balance to avoid exacerbating tensions.

US officials said they have not been able to determine whether the Russian pilot intentionally struck the American drone and stressed that lines of communication with Moscow remain open.

“I can’t point to that video and say this is a deliberate attempt to escalate or ... tangibly bring about Putin’s false claim that this is about the West versus Russia,”White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

“We have made clear on many occasions, we do not seek a conflict with Russia.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin argues that by providing weapons to Ukraine and sharing intelligence information with Kyiv, the US and its allies have effectively become

engaged in the war, now in its 13th month.

Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said Wednesday that an attempt would be made to recover the drone debris.

US officials have expressed confidence that nothing of military value would remain from the drone even if Russia retrieved the wreckage. They left open the possibility of trying to recover portions of the downed $32 million aircraft, which they said crashed into waters that were 4,000 to 5,000 feet (1,200 to 1,500 meters) deep, although the US does not have any ships in the area.

Russia and Nato member countries routinely intercept each other’s warplanes, but Tuesday’s incident marked the first time since the Cold War that a US aircraft went down during such a confrontation, raising concerns it could bring the United States and Russia closer to a direct conflict.

Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern about US intelligence flights near the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 and illegally annexed.

The top US and Russian defense and military leaders spoke Wednesday about the destruction of the drone, underscoring the event’s seriousness. AP

WASHINGTON—Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a number of improvements in access to mental health care on Thursday to reduce suicides in the military, but held off on endorsing more controversial recommendations to restrict gun and ammunition purchases by young troops, sending them to another panel for study.

SECRETARY of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaks during a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. AP

THIS photo taken from video released on Thursday, March 16, 2023, shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, over the Black Sea, the Pentagon said. The Pentagon has released footage of what it says is a Russian aircraft conducting an unsafe intercept of a US Air Force surveillance drone in international airspace over the Black Sea. US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE VIA AP

PVL

TOP seed Creamline mixes it up with No. 4 F2 Logistics while second-ranked Petro Gazz slugs it out with No. 3 PLDT in a pair of semifinal matches in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All Filipino Conference angled on settling old scores. The grudge best-of-three series among the best teams to have come out of the eliminations grind aren’t only about gaining a head-start but also reasserting will, guaranteeing a pair of slam-bang duels expected to go down to the last serve, quick attack or combination play, or simply kill.

It’s also about gaining confidence and momentum needed in a short series for cracks at the most coveted championship in each PVL season.

The Cool Smashers—boasting of talents like Tots Carlos, Ced Domingo, Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga and Jema Galanza—and the Myla Pablo-Kim Dy-led Cargo Movers face-off at 4 p.m. Saturday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City with the defending champions raring to get back at the very team that scuttled their sweep bid for their lone loss in five-set fashion in the eliminations last February 18.

But F2 Logistics—backstopped by Aby Maraño, Ara Galang and Ivy Lacsina—is more than ready to prove its real worth and the Cargo Movers are so dogged to go all the way to the championship coming off their first foray in post-season play of the country’s premier league organized by Sports Vision.

L ike F2 Logistics, PLDT sets out for its 6:30 p.m. encounter with Petro Gazz enjoying the so-called psychological edge after the High Speed Hitters tripped the Angels, also in five, last February 23.

But it isn’t all about mental but cohesion and the Cool Smashers and the Angels both appear to have blended well despite their slips to their respective Final Four rivals.

W hile F2 Logistics and PLDT flashed poise in pulling off those escape wins, Creamline and Petro Gazz still pack the firepower and experience observers note could spell the difference in these kind of battles.

Still, PLDT and F2 Logistics have shown winning big games is also about rising to the challenge and both are more than motivated to do a reprise and fuel their respective title drive.

“ We know they’re after revenge,” PLDT coach Rald Ricafort said. “But we’re ready—despite our tight schedule.” We’re the only team [semifinalist] which played just before the semifinals, one-day preparation, but let’s see what happens,” he added.

“ We need to maximize the oneday break—to recover and plan—we need to adopt,” said PLDT’s top middle Mika Reyes, who also expects to get solid support from Jovie Prado, Michelle Morente, Dell Palomata and the vastly-improved Mean Mendrez.

Fans also can’t wait to see how Ricafort would fare against the team he steered to the Reinforced Conference crown last year.

I’ll pick the Angels over our bad game against Creamline,” said Ricafort, whose wards turned back Choco Mucho in four sets the other night to clinch No. 3 and avoid facing the powerhouse Cool Smashers, who swept them last March 7.

But Petro Gazz coach Oliver Almadro is also one master motivator, whose ploys, ideas and style could easily startle the opposing team’s play-patterns.

T he former Ateneo coach is confident that he would draw the kind of games he expects from Grethcel Soltones, Aiza Pontillas, Remy Palma, MJ Phillips and Jonah Sabete given their performances in the run-up to the semis.

Tickets for Game 2 on Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena can be purchased through online (www.ticketmax. ph) and at all SM Tickets outlets nationwide with maximum of two tickets per person or e-mail address.

Games are telecast live on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play and SMART Live Stream and on pvl.ph.

IT’S NOTCHANELLE, SARAH IN MARAPARA

CHANELLE AVARICIO finds herself kissing the champion’s trophy despite setting a modest goal of finishing in second place. In men’s action, Frankie Miñoza finds it’s crowded at the top. PHOTOS BY NONIE REYES par-putt from 12 feet on the 18th to salvage an even par 70 for a 221 worth P105,000. Back in the final group, Ababa hung on to the lead despite a frontside 40 marred by a double bogey on No. 4. The two-day leader failed to check her skid and bogeyed four of the last five holes, missing forcing a playoff from just

CHANELLE AVARICIO pulled off one of the most stirring comebacks in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) history by rallying from eight strokes down and edging Sarah Ababa by one to snatch the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Negros Occidental Golf Classic crown at the Marapara course

in Bacolod City on Friday.

W ith Ababa too far ahead of the field after 36 holes, Avaricio focused on fighting for runner-up honors against a horde of contenders. But she found herself back right in the title hunt with a two-under card after 10 holes in the third-to-last flight.  S he bogeyed two of the next seven holes but banged in a clutch

up second at 222 and settled for P75,250.

“

I didn’t expect it. It [Ababa’s 8-shot lead] was pretty big, so my mindset was just to play well, play my best,” said Avaricio, who racked up three victories in a prolific campaign on the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments

Inc.-organized circuit last year. “Since I didn’t see the scores, I was just trying to go for second place.”

save par on the last.”

I n contrast, Ababa cracked under mounting pressure, missing shots in the last two holes which she bogeyed, enabling Avaricio to snare the championship that in a long stretch had looked like in the bag for the Davaoeña.

GUIDO VAN DER VALK and Zanieboy Gialon battled from seven strokes down with 66s in the wind while Tony Lascuña mounted his own fightback with a 68 as they forced a four-way tie with Frankie Miñoza to set up a wild and frantic finish in the International Container Terminal Services Inc.

(ICTSI) Negros Occidental Golf Classic presented by MORE Power in Bacolod City on Friday.

Miñoza, who surged ahead by three after 36 holes on 68-69 cards, actually threatened to blow the field away with birdies in the first two holes for a huge five-shot lead. But he failed to sustain his charge at the tricky Marapara layout, which bit back and the multi-titled campaigner hobbled with four bogeys and a double bogey against one more birdie for a 73.

That enabled Van der Valk, Gialon and Lascuña to crowd Miñoza at 210 with Jay Bayron and Rupert Zaragosa, who matched 71s, and Albin Engino, who carded a second straight 72, lurking at 212; Jhonnel Ababa closing in at 213 despite a 72; and Clyde Mondilla likewise staying within striking distance at 214 after a 72 marred by three bogeys in the last six holes.

You really have to play extra cautious here because it’s tough, especially with the wind,” said Miñoza, who fought back from miscues on Nos. 3 and 5 and a double bogey on No. 11 with a birdie on the 13th to regain control.

But he stumbled with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17, and Van der Valk and Lascuña pounced in on those miscues in separate flights with steady finishes to earn clear shots at the crown worth P405,000 in this kickoff leg of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour put up by ICTSI.

Gialon actually wrested solo control from seven shots down with a blistering six-under card after 13 holes. But while Van der Valk spiked his four-under feat with an eagle on No. 12, Gialon marred his 32-34 round with closing back-to-back bogeys, denying the runaway winner at Caliraya Springs last year the solo lead and a cushion needed in an expected furious final round skirmish at the challenging par-70 layout.

“ It was going all right until I bo-

geyed the last two holes,” said Gialon, who needed to drill in a bogey putt from 24 feet out on the 18th to cap an impressive 25-putt performance and make it a crowded leaderboard of aces of varying form and styles.

But it’s still a good round. I still feel confident about my chances,” said Gialon.

Lascuña, winner of the inaugural Match Play Invitational at Villamor last year, also brimmed with confidence after rebounding from a bogey on No. 4 with three bogeys for a 68 that put him back in the title hunt after a 70-72.

It’s all about ball control. I think it will go down to a backside battle. Iron play and putting will play a big role, as well as stamina,” said the many-time PGT Order of Merit champion.

Li ke Lascuña, Miñoza feels a closing two-under card under such tough conditions would be enough to merit a championship. And while Gialon would opt for conservative play to fuel his title drive at the tight layout, Van der Valk said: “You have to play this course aggressively, given its conditions.”

The Manila-based Dutchman did go on an attack mode after a three-putt miscue on the first hole, shooting three birdies then spiking his big fightback from way back with an eagle on the reachable par-4 No. 12.

M iñoza, who edged Miguel Tabuena in sudden death to annex his last career win in 2016 here, won’t be in the featured threesome as he joins Bayron and Zaragosa instead in the second-to-last group at 7:50 a.m.

Th at leaves Lascuña, Van der Valk and Gialon to fight it out in an expected shootout and a battle of wits and poise at 8 a.m.

The course is short but difficult. You also have to be precise on your shots to avoid getting into trouble,” said Van der Valk, on course for another title romp after winning two legs last year and dominating

“I played well at the front [oneunder] and from there I was hitting good shots. But it was only on No. 16 when I saw the scores,” added Avaricio, who moved to within one with two holes to play in hot, windy conditions.

“I just tried to keep myself composed and play through the round,” she said. “I got nervous in the last two holes. But while I bogeyed the 17th, I was able to

A baba opened a four-shot lead over Avaricio with a superb 69 Wednesday and padded her lead to six over Pamela Mariano despite a second round 74, moving her 18 holes away from finally scoring a follow-up to her first and only victory in LPGT’s Sherwood Hills leg in 2015.

R ianne Malixi took the amateur honors with a second straight 73 as she tied Mariano, who carded a 75, at third at 224, while Daniella Uy also wavered with a 75 for fifth at 225, followed by Chihiro Ikeda, who pooled a 227 after a 76, Harmie Constantino, who assembled a 230 after a 78, and amateur Laurea Duque, who shot a 79 for joint ninth at 233 with Florence Bisea, who made an 82.

YULO VOWS NOT TO COOL HEELS IN CAIRO

vault (2021) world champion is in town for a few weeks rest before flying to Cairo for the fourth and last leg from April 27 to 30.

H e’ll be targeting the gold medals in floor exercise, parallel bars and vault and also aims to improve in rings in Cairo.

A fter three legs, Yulo ranked No. 2 in parallel bars with 75 points and No. 3 in floor exercise (30 points) and vault (55 points).

Once you qualified in one apparatus, you’re already qualified in all events in the world championships,” Yulo said. “I just have to learn more how to focus.”

Yulo thanked his long-time Japanese coach, Munehiro Kugiyama, and GAP president Cynthia CarrionNorton—who joined him during a formal turnover ceremony of first-class gymnastics equipment worth P7 million from the Japanese government for the GAP Grassroots Training Center.

By Josef Ramos

CARLOS “CALOY” YULO vowed to still strive for gold medals in Cairo despite having qualified for this year’s world championships—a Paris Olympics qualifier Antwerp is hosting in September.

“ I‘ll try to win them all,” Yulo told BusinessMirror Friday at the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) Grassroots Training Center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

WELFRED ESPORMA ruled the men’s race and April Rose Diaz topped the women’s contest of the 21-km category of the recent Watsons Race for Wellness at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

Esporma won in one hour, 14 minutes and 51 seconds, while Diaz prevailed in 1:36:20 in the race that gathered more than 6,000 serious and casual runners and stressed Watsons’ commitment to becoming Filipinos’ ultimate health and beauty partner.

A lfrene Braza won the 5-km race in 34:20 while Mark Angelo Biagtan was the fastest in the 5-km event in 17:08 both in the men’s division of the event where runners were energized by drum beaters and cheerers as they go through Pinoythemed and wellness zone obstacles.

Saltanat Simbina (48:27) and Princess Valerie (25:38) ruled the women’s 10-km and 5-km events, respectively, in the race that also included cancer survivors from the

It’s hard, but I managed to adjust and I hope to win again,” he added.

Yulo collected gold medals in vault, parallel bars and floor exercise in the first three legs of the International Gymnastics Federation World Cup Series in Cottbus (Germany), Doha (Qatar) and Baku (Azerbaijan).

T hose victories were enough for Yulo to become world champion again in Antwerp which is hosting the competitions from September 29 to October 8.

T he floor exercise (2019) and

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa also led the turnover ceremony.

We, Filipino gymnasts, are very thankful to the Japanese government for donating these apparatus to the GAP developmental center,” Yulo, 23, said. “All young gymnasts will have the opportunity to hone their skills with these new equipment.”

Yulo will return to Tokyo on March 27 to resume his training.

Esporma, Diaz top Watsons run

Director for Customer Division.

Philippine General Hospital.

The fun run is one of Watsons’ many ways to wellness, with the ultimate goal of encouraging everyone toward a healthy journey of always looking and feeling their best,” said Jared De Guzman, Watsons

The Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, Philippine Physical Therapy Association and Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations supported the event to amplify the call for health and wellness.

All Filipino semifinals mean more than just gaining 1-0 lead

CARLOS “CALOY” YULO (second from left) with (from left) Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion-Norton, Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko and Japanese coach Munehiro Kugiyama.

3 top guns gang up on Miñoza heading into final rd in Bacolod

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