BusinessMirror May 13, 2023

SUB ‘KILLERS’ UNLEASHED

By Rex Anthony Naval

Th is, after an AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) AW-159 “Wildcat” anti-submarine helicopter successfully landed on the flight deck of BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) off Corregidor Island in late April.

On the morning of 27 April 2023, the PN achieved another significant milestone in its development of anti-submarine warfare capability as the PN AW-159 Mk220 ‘Wildcat’ helicopter, with tail number NH-441, successfully conducted its first deck landing aboard BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), an ASW (anti-submarine warfare) guided missile frigate, while underway at vicinity 30 nautical miles southwest of Corregidor Island,” the Philippine Navy posted on its Facebook page on May 4.

It noted that this achievement demonstrated the growing capability and readiness of the PN’s crews and platforms as a team for ASW operations.

“ Both the JRCFs (Jose Rizalclass frigates) and the PN Wildcats were products of the 1st Horizon Projects under the Revised AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Modernization Program, which were delivered and commissioned into service in 2020/2021 and 2019, respectively. The JRCFs were built by Hyun -

dai Heavy Industries of South Korea, while the PN Wildcats were built by Leonardo Helicopter Limited UK (LHUK),” the post further said.

Th e flight deck landings are part of the contracted in-country training with LHUK, which aims to see Wildcat pilots and aircrew proficient with their aircraft and its systems along with tactics for shipboard missions.

I ncluded in the training are the proper use or “dipping” of the AW-159s’ flash sonar and other sensors used for submarine detection.

D ipping of flash sonar signifies that the helicopter is attempting to detect a submerged submarine or is in search for a submarine contact.

“

The PN through the Naval Air Wing and Offshore Combat Force are taking steps to complete the integration of these game-changer assets in order to be deployed together in securing our maritime domain,” the post said.

It added these initiatives would contribute to fulfilling the PN’s vision of becoming a modern, multi-capable naval force responsive to our maritime nation’s defense and development.

The BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the Navy’s first guided missile frigate, and its sister ship BRP Antonio

Luna are modern warships capable of surface, subsurface, air and electronic warfare using state-of-theart electronic sensors, long-range missiles, acoustic-guided torpedoes and embarked anti-submarine helicopters.

Th e BRP Jose Rizal was delivered to the Philippines in May 2020 and commissioned in July that year, while the BRP Antonio Luna was commissioned on March 19, 2021.

Th e contract for the two ships was placed at P16 billion, with another P2 billion for weapons systems and munitions.

Also for AW-159 landings

MEANWHILE, BRP Jose Rizal is also qualified to land and receive on its flight deck the AW-159 helicopter, which is the ship’s partner in locating and hunting down hostile submarines.

Traversing the path of fleet interoperability, Team FF-150 held deck landing qualification (DLQ) together with the ASW

Wildcat helicopter AW-159 (NH441) last 09 August 2022,” the PN said on its Facebook page.

Th e DLQ is a part of a series of flight deck operations to further test and improve existing procedures, check connectivity, system integration, and leveling of officers, pilots, sailors and aircrew on flight operations.

B efore the actual deck landing, the ship’s crew and flight crew of the anti-submarine helicopter squadron had a series of lectures and workshops to ensure the preparedness and safety of personnel and flight deck equipment.

This activity marks the beginning of warfare interoperability operations between our air and surface assets, which complements the detection and engagement capability of both units,” it added.

Th e activity concluded safely with no casualties and any faults from both platforms.

WITHIN the next few months, commanders of the Philippine Navy (PN)’s two brandnew missile frigates will now have the airborne capability to deal with unknown submarines running submerged beneath the waves and intruding into the country’s vast maritime domain.

‘Wildcats’ airborne, now ready to attack

A PHILIPPINE Navy AgustaWestland AW-159 Wildcat antisubmarine helicopter is seen here about to land on the flight deck of missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna as it sails within the vicinity of Corregidor Island on April 27. The event marks the first time that a modern antisubmarine helicopter landed aboard a Filipino warship. PHILIPPINE NAVY

How Europe is building artificial intelligence guardrails

By Kelvin Chan AP Business Writer

A Eu ropean Parliament committee is set to vote on the proposed rules, part of a yearslong effort to draw up guardrails for AI. Those efforts have taken on more urgency as the rapid advance of ChatGPT highlights benefits the emerging technology can bring— and the new perils it poses. Here’s a look at the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act:

HOW DO THE RULES WORK?

THE AI Act, first proposed in 2021, will govern any product or service that uses an AI system. The act will classify AI systems according to four levels of risk, from minimal to unacceptable. Riskier applications will face tougher requirements, including being more transparent and using accurate data. Think about it as a “risk management system for AI,” said Johann Laux, an expert at the Oxford Internet Institute.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

ONE of the EU’s main goals is to guard against any AI threats to health and safety and protect fundamental rights and values.

Th at means some AI uses are an absolute no-no, such as “social scoring” systems that judge people based on their behavior or interactive talking toys that encourage dangerous behavior.

Predictive policing tools, which crunch data to forecast where crimes will happen and who will commit them, are expected to be banned.

So is remote facial recognition, except for some narrow exceptions like preventing a specific terrorist threat. The technology scans passers-by and uses AI to match their faces to a database. Thursday’s vote is set to decide how extensive the prohibition will be. Th e aim is “to avoid a controlled society based on AI,” Brando Benifei, the Italian lawmaker helping lead the European Parliament’s AI efforts, told reporters Wednesday. “We think that these technologies could be used instead of the good also for the bad, and we consider the risks to be too high.”

A I systems used in high-risk categories like employment and education, which would affect the

course of a person’s life, face tough requirements such as being transparent with users and putting in place risk assessment and mitigation measures.

The EU’s executive arm says most AI systems, such as video games or spam filters, fall into the low- or no-risk category.

WHAT ABOUT CHATGPT?

THE original 108-page proposal barely mentioned chatbots, merely requiring them to be labeled so users know they’re interacting with a machine.

Negotiators later added provisions to cover general-purpose AI like ChatGPT, subjecting them to some of the same requirements as high-risk systems.

One key addition is a requirement to thoroughly document any copyright material used to teach AI systems how to generate text, images, video or music that resembles human work. That would let content creators know if their blog posts, digital books, scientific articles or pop songs have been used to train algorithms that power systems like ChatGPT.

Then they could decide whether their work has been copied and seek redress.

WHY ARE THE EU RULES SO IMPORTANT?

THE European Union isn’t a big player in cutting-edge AI development. That role is taken by the US and China. But Brussels often plays a trendsetting role with regulations that tend to become de facto global standards.

Europeans are, globally speaking, fairly wealthy and there’s

a lot of them,” so companies and organizations often decide that the sheer size of the bloc’s single market with 450 million consumers makes it easier to comply than develop different products for different regions, Laux said.

But it’s not just a matter of cracking down. By laying down common rules for AI, Brussels is also trying to develop the market by instilling confidence among users, Laux said.

“ The thinking behind it is if you can induce people to place trust in AI and in applications,

they will also use it more,” Laux said. “And when they use it more, they will unlock the economic and social potential of AI.”

WHAT IF YOU BREAK THE RULES?

VIOLATIONS will draw fines of up to €30 million ($33 million) or 6 percent of a company’s annual global revenue, which in the case of tech companies like Google and Microsoft could amount to billions.

WHAT’S NEXT?

IT could be years before the rules

fully take effect. The flagship legislative proposal faces a joint European Parliament committee vote on Thursday. The draft legislation then moves into three-way negotiations involving the bloc’s 27 member states, the Parliament and the executive Commission, where it faces further wrangling over the details. Final approval is expected by the end of the year, or early 2024 at the latest, followed by a grace period for companies and organizations to adapt, often around two years.

SUB ‘KILLERS’ UNLEASHED

Continued from A1

As our Navy gears towards development and modernization, we ensure that our personnel [are] aligned with this innovation to sustain and adapt to the fast and growing naval warfare technology and optimize our assets to their full capability,” it added.

W ith the BRP Jose Rizal qualified for AW-159 operations, it is only a matter of time before the frigate will have a Wildcat land on its flight deck.

‘Wildcats’ delivered in 2019

THE PN’s two AW-159 anti-submarine helicopters were delivered on May 7, 2019, and commissioned on June 17 of the same year.

The aircraft were acquired for P5.4 billion, including its munitions, mission-essential equipment, and integrated logistic support.

W ildcats can be armed with rockets, machine guns, missiles, torpedoes and depth charges, and fitted with modern sonar systems for tracking down submarines.

Th e AW-159s were acquired to complement the JRCF’s ASW capabilities.

Missile, torpedo countermeasures

AS this developed, the PN announced that the two JRCFs are now equipped with countermeasures as protection for hostile missile and torpedo attacks.

Th is was after both frigates were equipped with the Rheinmetall Denel Munitions “Bullfighter” chaff decoys which are capable of misleading or misdirecting antiship missiles aimed at these vessels in the event of a conflict.

Th e PN on March 24 demonstrated its capability to decoy anti-ship missiles when its latest frigates fired their chaff in the waters off Zambales.

The ‘Bullfighter’ is a new generation of 130mm decoys for super rapid blooming off-board chaff (SRBOC) and other 130mm launcher systems to protect naval

vessels up to the size of frigates against anti-ship missiles,” PN spokesperson Captain Benjo Negranza said in a statement.

C haff works by distracting radar-guided missiles from their targets by dispensing a small cloud of aluminum, metalized glass fiber or plastic which appears as a multiple cluster of targets in radar screens of the launching platforms.

The payload of the chaff is effective against missiles with modern and sophisticated seekers and electronic protection measures,” Negranza pointed out.

Th e PN spokesperson said the acquisition of chaff countermeasure capability is part of the PN’s 2nd Horizon modernization program that aims to provide these ships the capability to defend themselves against “modern naval warfare threats.”

Th ese capabilities are part of all incoming brand-new ship assets of the PN, including the two corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels now being built by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.

I n a Facebook post, the Navy said BRP Antonio Luna had the distinction of being the first ship to fire anti-ship missile decoys successfully.

“As insights, one of the unique identities of chaff and decoys as countermeasures against modern naval warfare threats is to confuse radar-guided or infrared-guided missiles fired so that they could be diverted. BRP Antonio Luna , as a guided missile frigate, has launchers with each tube set at slightly different angles, so at least one is covering every position of the ship. Once fired, they create a new fake ‘ship’ for the incoming missile, confusing it, and improving the defender’s odds of survival,” it added.

O n the other hand, these two frigates are also reported to have received their anti-torpedo

countermeasures from France’s Naval Group.

The system is based on the company’s “Canto/Contralto” antitorpedo defensive system and will be installed into the two ships’ “CGuard” launching system.

Th e PN is still to make an official announcement about this delivery but sources said these anti-torpedo countermeasures work by “generating a high-level acoustic signal over a 360-degree arc, covering the full frequency of the attacking torpedo.”

Th ey also expressed confidence that the Navy will make public the installations of these defensive capabilities once it has successfully hurdled operational testing like the Bullfighter chaff decoy system.

Senator wants sub plan on hold MEANWHILE , as the PN is making steady progress on beefing up its capabilities against the threat posed by hostile submersibles, Sen. Francis Escudero advised the Navy to “shelve its plan” to buy submarines and focus more on acquiring ships for “disaster and relief” missions.

Before it borrows money to buy submarines, the Philippines should first acquire locally made ships, like floating hospitals and rescue boats,” he added.

Th e PN needs around P80 billion to P100 billion to acquire two state-of-the art diesel electric submarines to jumpstart its undersea fleet.

E scudero also said these naval assets will “aid people and towns hit by typhoons, which are getting frequent and stronger.”

A nd while supportive of calls for a stronger Navy, the lawmaker said this couldn’t be done on a shoestring budget.

E scudero also expressed hope that only when the country’s economy improves can they give the PN submarines and other modern assets it needs.

LONDON—Authorities around the world are racing to draw up rules for artificial intelligence (AI), including in the European Union, where draft legislation faces a pivotal moment on Thursday.

THE OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen displaying output from ChatGPT, on March 21, 2023, in Boston. AP

Muntinlupa RTC acquits de Lima in 1 of 2 remaining drug cases

By Joel R. San Juan

THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Muntinlupa City Branch 204 on Friday acquitted former senator Leila de Lima of the conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City on the ground of “reasonable doubt.”

T he acquittal leaves de Lima with one remaining drug case before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256, which earlier deferred its ruling on the latter’s petition for bail.

Also acquitted by the court is de Lima’s co-accused bodyguard Ronnie Dayan, who is also a co-accused in the remaining drug case.

De Lima was immediately brought back to her detention cell at the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Custodial Center following the promulgation.

“ Glorious day, beginning of my vindication,” de Lima told reporters while she was being whisked away from the courtroom back to the PNP detention facility.

“I ha ve no doubt from the very beginning that I will be acquitted in all cases the Duterte regime has fabricated against me based on the merits and the strength of my innocence,” she said in a separate statement.

D e Lima also asked her supporters to continue praying for her while she is still awaiting the result of her petition for bail in the third and remaining drug case.

“Humihingi pa rin po ako ng maraming dasalparasaisapangkaso [I am asking you for more prayers for my other case],” the former senator said.

It can be recalled that there were three drug cases filed against de Lima during the term of her political nemesis, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which she maintained were all “fabricated.”

In 2021, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 dismissed the first drug case after granting her demurrer to evidence on the ground that the evidence presented by the prosecutors was insufficient to warrant the continuation of the trial.

That’s already two cases down, and one more to go. I am of course happy that with this second acquittal in the three cases filed against me, my release from more than six years of persecution draws nearer. I am extremely grateful to all those who stood by and prayed for me all these years,” de Lima said.

Reacting to de Lima’s second acquittal, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said: “The rule of law has prevailed and it just points out to us that the independence of the judiciary is a basic foundation of our democratic system. So it’s good, it’s good for us.”

Recantation leads to de Lima’s acquittal

Branch 204 Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara gave weight to the recantation of prosecution’s main witness, former officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Rafael Ragos in junking the drug case.

R agos executed an affidavit on September 5, 2016 claiming that in November 2012, as BuCor OIC and together with aide Jovencio Ablen, they delivered a black bag containing P5 million to de Lima and her bodyguard Ronnie Dayan at the former’s residence in Parañaque. He added that they made another delivery of the amount of P5 million contained in a plastic bag in December 2012 to de Lima and Dayan.

T he money, according to Ragos, came from the proceeds of the drug operations of several high-profile inmates inside the NBP.

However, Ragos recanted his statements against de Lima in his affidavit executed in May 2022.

R agos accused then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre of coercing him to execute an affidavit implicating de Lima in the NBP drug trade.

W hile recantations are usually viewed with suspicion and reservation, the trial court said, retractions could be considered and upheld in special circumstances.

The general rule is that recantations are hardly given much weight in the determination of a case and in the granting of a new trial. The rare exception is when there is no evidence sustaining the judgment of conviction other than the testimony of a witness or witnesses who are shown to have made contradictory statements as to material facts under which circumstances the court may be led to a different conclusion,” the trial court pointed out.

In this case, the court said, Ragos’ testimony is necessary to secure a conviction.

Without his testimony, the crucial link to establish conspiracy is shrouded with reasonable doubt. Hence, this Court is constrained to consider the subsequent retraction of witness Ragos. Ultimately, the retraction created reasonable doubt, which warrants the acquittal of both accused,” the court declared.

T he trial court also stressed that while the courts support the government’s all-out effort to combat the proliferation of illegal drugs, this “cannot come at the expense of disregarding the rule of law, evidence and established jurisprudence.”

THE European Union (EU) and Germany lauded the acquittal of de Lima on the second charge filed against her.

“This is a very important step and I wish her to recover her liberty very soon,” EU Ambassador to Manila Luc Véron said.

German Ambassador to the Philippines

Anke Reiffenstuel also welcomed the “progress” with the local court decision to acquit her.

“The rule of law is essential for a functioning democracy and important for further strengthening Philippine— German relations. Germany will continue to follow the remaining case in which Leila de Lima filed a petition for bail,” Ambassador Reiffenstuel said.

Germany is also a member of the EU.

The United States Embassy in Manila, for its part, said it will not issue any statement on de Lima’s acquittal.

‘Real crime was her arrest’

SAYING “the real crime has always been her arrest,” Senate Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros led those who welcomed Friday’s acquittal of former senator de Lima, who has been detained for six years.

Hontiveros said she expects de Lima’s “full vindication and eventual liberty” as the courts continue with her trial on other charges related to the original drugs case she was accused of in early 2017 after a longrunning war with then-President Duterte.

“The false narrative and web of lies that led to her imprisonment is finally being undone. The real crime has always been her arrest. She is owed a speedy acquittal from the final false charge against her after enduring so much for six long years.”

Hontiveros said in a statement.

For his part, former Senate President Franklin Drilon said in a radio interview that the acquittal on one case is significant but noted that de Lima has a pending petition for bail on another charge. Still, said the former justice secretary, there is no way the case for which she was acquitted can be regurgitated, as such would constitute “double jeopardy.”

Told that the focus of the last case is alleged drug money, Drilon said he is not familiar with the last case. However, he said, “The witnesses across the cases are mostly the same,” adding that the “principal witness has recanted.”

He stressed that de Lima deserves to be granted bail “without prejudice to the trial continuing.”

Drilon said the de Lima case provides yet another illustration of the need for judicial reforms so that people accused unjustly do

not languish in jail for so long even while their guilt has not been established.

This is why, he stressed, bail “is a matter of right” under the Constitution, “except in capital offenses where life imprisonment angpenalty, where the evidence of guilt is strong.”

The rights advocacy group LILAK also lauded the acquittal of de Lima on one of two remaining charges filed against her. “The acquittal of senator Leila proves her innocence from the made-up and fabricated cases,” it said, noting that “in 2022, witnesses have already retracted their statements and admitted that they were threatened to stand against senator Leila.”

It concluded: “The accusations against Sen. Leila are nothing but lies aimed at destroying her reputation as a human rights defender. Six years of detention is unjust, and her release has been long overdue. While real perpetrators and human rights violators are walking scratch free without accountability.”

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, a church-based group led by bishops from the Catholic Church and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente as well as Protestant churches urged the court to dismiss the last case against her.

“We underscore the blatant misogyny and demagoguery that led to her political frame-up and detention under fabricated charges. Such underhanded and despicable machinations have no place in a democratic society,” said the statements, signed by Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D. Apostolic Vicar of Taytay, Palawan; Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, D.D., of the Diocese of San Carlos, Roman Catholic Church; Minnie Ann MataCalub, Acting General Secretary, National Council of Churches in the Philippines; Bishop Rhee M. Timbang of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Bishop Emergencio Padillo of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP); Right Revd. Dindo C. Ranojo, IFI, General Secretary, Ecumenical Bishops Forum; Rev. Dr. Federico Villanueva, Faith and Bayan Sr. Rowena Pineda, MMS, Chairperson, Sisters Association of Mindanao (SAMIN) Sr. Ma. Lisa Ruedas, DC, Daughters of Charity, Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation. With Malou Talosig-Bartolome

NGCP calls for holistic approach to power planning after Luzon, Panay brownouts

By Lenie Lectura

THE National Grid Cor -

poration of the Philippines (NGCP) on Friday assured that it would complete several large transmission projects within the next few months to help strengthen the transmission system and better support the power system.

“It should be finished. President Anthony Almeda will not accept further excuses of delays. We will make sure that these will be finished this year,” said NGCP spokesperson Atty. Cynthia Alabanza during an online news conference.

Among these transmission line projects include the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), Cebu-Negros-Panay, and Hermosa-San Jose.

The grid operator also stressed the importance for a holistic approach to power planning. “Development in all sectors involved in the power industry must be coordinated, with due attention given to each. We support the Department of Energy in all its efforts, and we are confident of its continued support to all sectors,” the company said in a statement.

It assured the public and its stakeholders that the grid operator

is exerting all efforts to implement all necessary solutions to prevent any similar grid incident.

A system disturbance and widespread power outages occurred in Panay Island between April 27 and 29. Last May 8, NGCP’s Bolo-Masinloc 230kV transmission line 2 tripped, which led to the tripping of Masinloc Units 1&2. Thereafter, a red alert warning was raised in the Luzon grid.

NGCP said that while there were grid incidents monitored in both the Luzon red alert last May 8, as well as the Panay Island outages, “These incidents by themselves, ought not to have caused the effects seen.”

“In the case of Panay Island, NGCP’s protection systems, which were communicated and coordinated with its grid connected customers from both the generation and distribution sides, functioned as intended,” the company explained.

“As we explained to Congress yesterday, only the consumers connected to the line that tripped should have been disengaged from the grid. It was unfortunate that a power plant disengaged from the transmission system unexpectedly. This response from the generating unit is both

unexpected and undesirable. The resulting undervoltage and underfrequency was severe and unrecoverable, and was the direct cause of the tripping of other power plants connected to the system, and ultimately, the Panay sub-grid collapse,” NGCP said.

With regard to the Luzon red alert, the NGCP said the BoloMasinloc 230kV Line 2 operates with a redundancy. The load carried by Line 2 when it tripped was automatically transferred to Line 1. Each of Lines 1 or 2 is more than capable to singularly carry the entire loading of the Bolo-Masinloc 230kV facility at any time. “It should have ended there. Similarly, there was an unexpected and undesired response from a generating plant which tipped the balance of supply and demand, and a red alert was raised,” NGCP said.

The NGCP stressed that prior to the occurrence of the faults, unplanned outages of plants and the deration of other plants contributed to the situation. “These unplanned outages are outside of the Grid Operating and Maintenance Program planned well ahead and coordinated by NGCP with the power plants and approved by the Department of Energy,” it added.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Farmers’ alliance: No basis for onion prices to rise anew, we can’t have a repeat of crisis

THE biggest alliance of farm groups in the country on Friday called out the government for the resurgent spike in onion prices, noting that all developments indicate this should not be the case.

Taposnayung bulk ng harvest, except Occidental Mindoro and a few areas sa

Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan [The bulk

of the harvest is over, except Occidental Mindoro and a few areas in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan],” said SINAG, or the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura.

Currently, according to SINAG executive director Jayson Cainglet, farm-gate prices hover between P100 and P120; hence, he stressed, maximum retail price should not

exceed P200 per kilo.

“By June, all onions in the market would be coming from traders/cold storage owners and importers,” he added.

Cainglet recalled that, “at peak harvest this first quarter, farmers sold their onions to traders between P50-100/kilo [farm gate]; landed cost of imported onions is only

between P25-P40/kilo,” and added, “at no point must retail prices exceed P200/kilo.”

Per SINAG’s reports from the field, stocks of white onions will last until August-September.

“This early, DA must already plan the importation of white onions, but they must have the right information

regarding stocks at the cold storages and inventory of where the onion imports went. Unfortunately, [harvest is over]; but the Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Plant Industry [BPI] have neither information.”

Cainglet pointed out that “as early as July last year, we advised BPI to import

7,500 MT [metric tons] of white onions; unfortunately, ibaangkanilangpinakinggan [they listened to other parties].”

It is inexcusable (for DA-BPI), said the SINAG officer, if the country sees “a repeat of the artificial shortage of red onions and apparent hoarding that resulted in the spike of onion prices late last year up to early this year.”

MAY 15: DEADLINE FOR FILING BIR FORM 1701Q, AVAILMENT OF 8-PERCENT INCOME TAX RATE OPTION

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reminds the taxpaying public that the filing of the Quarterly Income Tax Return for Individuals, Estates and Trusts (BIR Form No. 1701Q) is on or before May 15, 2023. The said deadline is also the last day for availment of the 8-percent income tax rate option by self-employed individuals and professionals whose gross sales/receipts do not exceed P3,000,000.00 this taxable year.

The said deadlines are specified in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, which was implemented since 2018.

Availment of the 8percent Income Tax Rate Option GENERALLY, the income of self-employed

individuals, which include Single Proprietors, Professionals and Mixed Income Earners, is subject to the graduated Income Tax rates provided under the Tax Code. After the enactment of the TRAIN Law, selfemployed individuals/professionals were given the option to avail of the Graduated Income Tax Rates or the 8-percent Income Tax Rates.

To qualify for the availment of the 8-percent Income Tax Rate Option, the following criteria should all be satisfied by the taxpayer:

n Taxpayer is a self-employed individual and/or professional whose gross sales/receipts and other non-operating income did not

exceed P3,000,000.00 during the taxable year;

n Taxpayers earning both compensation income and income from business or practice of profession (mixed income earners) whose gross sales/receipts from business or practice of profession and other non-operating income do not exceed P3,000,000.00 during the taxable year; and

n Taxpayer must have signified his/her intention to elect the 8-percent Income Tax rate through any of the following:

1. For New Business Registrant

a. Upon registration using BIR Form 1901; or

b. On the initial quarter return, i.e., BIR Form No. 2551Q and/or 1701Q of the taxable year after the commencement of a new business/ practice of profession.

2. For Existing Individual Business Taxpayers a. Filing of BIR Form No. 1905 at the beginning of the taxable year; or

b. 1st Quarterly Percentage Tax Return; and/or

c. 1st Quarterly Income Tax Return.

O nce the Income Tax rate option is elected, it shall be irrevocable and no amendment of option is allowed to be

made during the current taxable year.

Meanwhile, for Quarterly Income Tax Return, individual business taxpayers (Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) and non-eFPS filers are required to file their BIR Form No. 1701Q using the Offline eBIRForms Package Version 7.9.4 downloadable from the BIR web site ( www. bir.gov.ph) and pay the corresponding taxes due thereon in their respective Authorized Agent Banks (AABs) or the ePayment channels of these AABs.

As to the required attachments, any of the following or all of the documents shall be submitted via eSubmission or Electronic Audited Financial Statement (eAFS),

whichever is applicable, i.e. Certificate of Tax Withheld at Source (BIR Form No. 2307); duly approved Tax Debit Memo; and/or Summary Alphalist of Withholding Agents of Income Payments Subjected to Withholding Tax at Source (SAWT). Penalties, including surcharges and interests, shall be mandatorily imposed to taxpayers who will fail to file the required returns and pay the corresponding taxes due thereon within the prescribed deadline. For further clarifications and inquiries, taxpayers may call the BIR hotline number 8538-3200 or send an e-mail to contact_ us@bir.gov.ph.

Atienza lauds passage of bill granting P1 million to 101 years old

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

FORMER Deputy Speaker and Buhay Party-list

Representative Lito Atienza

Filipino family values of caring for the elderly.

on

Tuesday said the passage of a bill granting additional benefits to Filipino centenarians, granting P1 million to those reaching 101 years old, would encourage and give the families of our senior citizens the means to continue taking care of their beloved lolos and lolas A tienza said this proposal would strengthen traditional

“ We welcome the passing on third reading of House Bill No. 7535, which includes our pet bill, ‘Pilipino Milyonaryo’ that we introduced in the 18th Congress—to grant P1 million to centenarians reaching 101 years old,” he said.

“Our Filipino culture is distinct in our respect and care for the elderly. While in other cultures, senior citizens are sent off to nursing homes instead of being cared for by their own families, we take care of our elderly

Explorers find WWII ship sunk with over 1,000 Allied POWs

and give them the respect, love and attention they deserve. Our seniors have worked hard and have given their contribution to our community and to our country, that’s why they should be given the importance they rightfully deserve,” Atienza said.

I also thank the present members of Congress for following through what we have initiated and started. We shall continue working with them, together with the Senate and if necessary President Bongbong Marcos, to make it a reality,” Atienza added. W ith an overwhelming 257 votes, the chamber approved HB

2 Cavite centenarians receive

By Dennis Abrina

GENERAL TRIAS CITY—

The city’s new centenarian was given recognition and a cash incentive in a simple ceremony held on May 8, 2023 at the GenTri Park Pavillion in Barangay San Juan here.

THIS photo provided by the Australian War Memorial shows the Montevideo Maru. A team of explorers announced it found the sunken Japanese ship that was transporting Allied prisoners of war when it was torpedoed off the coast of the Philippines in 1942, resulting in Australia’s largest maritime wartime loss with a total of 1,080 lives.

SYDNEY—A team of explorers announced it found a sunken Japanese ship that was transporting Allied prisoners of war when it was torpedoed off the coast of the Philippines in 1942, resulting in Australia’s largest maritime wartime loss with a total of 1,080 lives.

T he wreck of the Montevideo Maru was located after a 12-day search at a depth of over 4,000 meters (13,120 feet)—deeper than the Titanic—off Luzon island in the South China Sea, using an autonomous underwater vehicle with inbuilt sonar.

T here will be no efforts to remove artifacts or human remains out of respect for the families of those who died, said a statement Saturday from the Sydney-based Silentworld Foundation, a not-for-profit dedicated to maritime archaeology and history.

It took part in the mission together with Dutch deep-sea survey specialists Fugro and Australia’s Defense Department.

The extraordinary effort behind this discovery speaks for the enduring truth of Australia’s solemn national promise to always remember and honor those who served our country,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “This is the heart and the spirit of Lest We Forget.”

T he Montevideo Maru was transporting prisoners and civilians who were captured after the fall of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. The ship was not marked as carrying POWs, and on July 1, 1942, the American submarine Sturgeon, after stalking the ship through the night, fired four torpedoes, which found their target, sinking the vessel in less than 10 minutes. AP

Smallness can be our strength

Mayor Luis “Jon Jon” Ferrer IV personally presented the check worth P100,000 to Nanay Victoria Mascardo from Barangay Santiago, together with Vice Mayor Jonas Labuguen, Councilor Jowie Carampot, Chair of the committee on senior citizen affairs, and Ms. Gigie Ferrer, Office of Senior Citizen Affairs Office (OSCA).

Mayor Ferrer also oversaw the distribution of P5,000 one-time cash incentive to Gentriseño senior citizens who recently reached the age of 80-89.

A t the same time, Gentriseño senior citizens who reached the age of 90-99 recently received a P10,000 one-time cash incentive.

This is in accordance with City Ordinance No. 19-19 and City Ordinance No. 16-13.

It is the city government’s goal to value and recognize the important role of our senior citizens in promoting our society,” Ferrer said.

Mother Victoria Mascardo celebrated her 100th birthday on February 14, 2023. She is the 14th centenarian to be recognized by the said city. Meanwhile, in Imus City, the local government led by Mayor

Mahayana Borobudur Temple.

sai, a tree grown in a tiny pot.

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

ing written on an old postcard: Doing little things well enables one to do BIG things better.

With the downscaling of my attitude and my approach to living, I felt more Pinoy in spirit.

Did our pre-colonial Rajahs and Datus ever build a magnificent fort in Manila? What we have in Manila are ruins of a Spanish fort that can’t even be considered awesome. Our big stone churches were built at the initiative of Spanish friars in emulation of the towering cathedrals in the mother country they left behind.

True we have the Banawe rice terraces. But their basic awesomeness was courtesy of nature. Our ethnic ancestors just carved the existing natural terrain using their hands to level the land for rice planting.

7535, which seeks to grant P1 million to Filipinos who reach 101 years old, whether living here or abroad, and P25,000 to Filipinos who reach the age of 80 and 85 (octogenarians), and 90 and 95 (nonagenarians). All of them will also receive a letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines.

T he bill mandates the National Commission of Senior Citizens to implement the measure once passed into law.

It also seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarians

Act of 2016, which entitles all Filipinos who reach 100 years old and above with a cash gift of P100,000. Two in every 100,000 Filipinos are centenarians as of 2020, and majority of them are women, according to a BusinessMirror report, citing data from a UK-based care home marketplace.  I n a House committee hearing last year, then Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo reported that there are 662 Filipino centenarians in the country.

cash gift from LGUs

ICONFESS that I used to follow the school of thought that proclaims:

Dream BIG. Do it in a BIG way.

Puff up yourself as a BIG shot. Size matters. Think small and you’ll get trampled upon.

I tried to do it the big way. I even courted foreigners just to be in their league. Then I found myself floundering. I felt out of my depth. I realized: this is not who I am.

T hat’s when I enrolled in another school of thought that was more suited to my personality. As I matured, I found myself subscribing to the think-

W hy? Because we are a culture with a “Heritage of Smallness” as pointed out truthfully by Nick Joaquin in his controversial essay. It is, he contends, already a part of our way of life as Filipinos. We like doing and excelling in small things, shunning the hard and big projects. Konti-konti. Tingi-tingi Sachet size lang

Come to think of it. We were never grandiose in our vision. We don’t have a monumental perspective. We can’t speak of a Filipino version of the Great Pyramid of Giza, Great Sphinx, Parthenon, Persepolis, nor Colosseum. We have no equivalent of Mexico’s Mayan and Aztec pyramids, Peru’s Machu Picchu, China’s Great Wall and Forbidden City, Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, or Java’s

But instead of harboring an inferiority complex about it, why not embrace the reality that we are a culture of smallness and look for its hidden power.

A fter all, we’re not unique. The Japanese tend to value small things over big. Japan’s economic miracle came about by its ability to miniaturize designs, such as the pocketsize transistor radio. They pioneered small compact cars to reduce urban crowding. Japanese offices, houses and restaurants are awfully tiny. They even have capsule hotels and container van motels. For Japanese young women, small face (kogao) is considered attractive. There’s a Japanese form of poetry that consist of only 3 lines. They even have mini poems called “haiku.” Then they have bon-

W hat really helped solidify my positive belief in smallness was the “Small Is Beautiful” principle espoused in the book by E.F. Schumacher and published in 1973.

To him bigger is not necessarily better, because bigness—in particular, large industries and large cities—would lead to the depletion of our natural resources. He says that we need to focus more on small, simple and sustainable appropriate technologies, because “people matter.”

Just the other day, I was watching an old documentary on air disasters. The take away lesson is “the devil is in the small details.”

According to dictionary.com, this idiomatic phrase means “even the grandest project depends on the success of the smallest components.” If not closely paid attention to, the wrong bolt size, or a bolt not screwed properly, can spell the difference between life and death.

Don’t underestimate or disregard the power of the small print. This is where contracts can hide fees and costly terms, yet only 1 in 1,000 of us bother to read it. Companies are hoping you won’t bother reading the terms in small print, because those are what they’re using to rip you off.

Sending money or text online?

Proofread it over and over again. The news archive is filled with reports of big banks transferring several mil-

House of Hope Bonded. The Office for Senior Citizen Affairs and the Imus Municipal Senior Citizen Association Incorporated

lion dollars by mistake. All because of a tiny typographical error.

But then “God is in the details” too. This is a quote by American Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This means that when attention is paid to the small things it can have the biggest rewards and that the details matter. Take a piece of artwork. Seeing the beauty in attention to detail by a painter like Van Eyck can enrich one’s experience. No wonder in India there is a God of small things, which by the way is the title of an awardwinning book by Arundhati Roy.

Instead of bemoaning our culture of smallness, Filipinos should look to the future where smallness is going to be the big picture.

I f you haven’t noticed, unmanned flying vehicles called drones have been miniaturized. They are now small enough to fit in one hand and weigh only 18 grams even with batteries. Aside from surveillance, the possible uses include search and rescue, wildlife monitoring, communications relay, healthcare and agriculture.

Remember the movie “Fantastic Voyage” where a team of scientists are minimized to get into the body and repair diseased parts or something?

We’re almost there, thanks to Nano Technology.

Nano means “very small, minute”. They say this is the small solution to the world’s big problems.

(IMUSCAI) also donated groceries for Nanay Alejandra, who turned 100 years old on April 25, 2023.

It involves harnessing matter as small as atoms to produce new structures, materials and devices. Using nano particles and devices, we can kill cancer tumors in a more focused way, produce faster microprocessors that consume less energy as well as batteries that last 10 times longer or solar panels that yield twice as much energy. Nanomaterials are now being developed to reduce environmental pollution and contamination.

To be able to ride on the crest of this future technology, we need to cultivate a culture that highly values excellence and meticulousness vis-a-vis small details. Let’s inculcate mindfulness early in our kids so it becomes second nature to them. Let’s empower them to acquire the skills, patience, perseverance and the laser focus to work on minute particles.

Miniature technology is not something new to us. It was a Filipino who is said to have designed and created the PC chipset and the Windows Graphics accelerator chip, which can be found in every personal computer today. In our industrial zones, we have Filipino workers making microchips in some of the most reputable and highly ranked semiconductor companies in the world. So let us just build on this solid foundation.

Just as creativity is our soft power as a people, smallness can be our strength.

Mike Policarpio

Jinggoy bats for ‘digital’ textbooks in public elementary, high schools

By Butch Fernandez

This, as Senator Jinggoy Estrada is moving to realize the ideal 1:1 textbookstudent ratio in public-learning institutions, which for him is facing major delays.

Estrada said in Filipino that having digital copies accessible via the Internet is the only way to address the dearth in printed books.

He earlier pushed for the approval of his proposed Senate Bill (SB) 2075, or the “Philippine Online Library Act,” aimed to establish a web-based portal that will “serve as the repository of all digitized copies of textbooks and reference materials being used by students” in public elementary and secondary levels. “Making them available online will

not only complement the existing physical libraries in schools and local government units around the country, but will also aid both teachers and students—especially those who have utilized various learning modalities,” Estrada explained.

Still, the lawmaker laments that “the insufficient number of textbooks in public schools remains a serious concern; and with the sheer number of students, the achievement of the ideal textbookto-student ratio is far from realization.”

As such, Estrada notes that the Philippine Online Library can “supplement the required books, especially for students who have Internet connectivity.”

He also reminded that “apart from serving the needs of the students and teach -

ers, this reliable database will be useful [for] present and future generations.”

As provided in Estrada’s SB 2075, the Department of Education (DepEd) is tasked to digitize copies of all textbooks and reference books of students in public elementary and secondary schools. Such copies, he explained, should be compiled in the proposed national online library, which shall be jointly managed by the DepEd and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

To ensure access, the DepEd will provide computers and laptops to all primary

and secondary public schools nationwide, while the DICT will enable “fast and reliable Internet [connections]” to ensure access to the digitized copies.

Recycling of computers, laptops and similar gadgets from all national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations and government financial institutions shall be required, Estrada added.

In procuring new computers, the DepEd will endorse their old units to the DICT for examination and if these are found to be still in good condition, these will be distributed to primary and secondary schools nationwide to offset the expenses that will be incurred in procuring the computers and laptops for students.

The DepEd and the National Library of the Philippines would have joint custody over the digitized copies of the textbooks.

An initial amount of P500 million, which will be jointly managed by the DepEd and DICT, is for appropriation by Congress to implement the undertaking.

The amount necessary for the succeeding years shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act or GAA, according to Estrada.

Metrobank, gt foundations formalize scholarships with 10 acad. institutions

SUSTAINING efforts in providing equitable access to quality education for successful student-applicants, Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI) and GT Foundation Inc. (GTFI) have just relaunched their scholarship programs.

A ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement with 10 academic institutions was held on April 13 at the Metrobank Plaza in Makati City. The ceremony and collaborative dialogue was led by MBFI president and GTFI executive director Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, together with MBFI executive vice president Philip “Boyet” Dy and Metrobank talent acquisition head Nicanor Esguerra Jr. Two scholarship programs were expanded by GTFI, while one was relaunched by MBFI. In all, the three scholarships will benefit 99 students for their college education.

“Over the years, whenever there is a government call for increased support to the education sector, we [would always have another scholarship] program,” said Sobrepeña.

“This time our aim is to [aid] graduating students who are affected by the postpandemic financial crisis. We hope to help launch their careers as well by providing them job opportunities within the Metrobank Group, [as we have tried to reach out to different colleges and…provinces as our response].”

Revitalized program

NOW on its fourth run, ACCESS (Assistance for the Completion of College Education for Superior Students) is MBFI’s primary scholarship program catering to college

learners pursuing courses in statistics, information technology, engineering and business administration, among others. To date the program has produced 514 graduates since 1995.

The scholarship will partially cover the tuition fees of students from first year until graduation. Sixty scholars will be chosen from the following: Saint Louis University in Baguio City; University of the PhilippinesDiliman’s (UPD) School of Statistics; Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas; Ateneo de Naga University; University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City; and University of Mindanao in Davao City.

Sustaining scholarship Programs

ON the other hand, GTFI’s scholarship programs continue to expand through the Reformation and Educational Assistance Program

(REAP) and Youth for Excellence and Service Program (YES).

REAP will provide scholarship support to third-year and fourth-year college students pursuing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics track, or STEM. Successful scholars will also be given opportunities for internship and employment within the Metrobank Group.

Said grants will be awarded to 29 students from the Manila Tytana Colleges, Adamson University and Technological Institute of the Philippines.

Likewise, GT YES, as a parallel effort to MBFI’s ACCESS IV, will particularly support 10 engineering students (geodetic, industrial, computer, and electronics and communications) from UPD which will cover their cost of living expenses from first year until graduation. Said initiative is a joint effort with the

UP College of Engineering—particularly its Research and Development Foundation Inc.

After the ceremonial signing Dy led a collaborative dialogue with the academic partners to discuss ways of enhancing support for the holistic growth of the chosen and soon-to-be-chosen scholars. Innovations in implementing scholarship programs, best practices in managing student learning, and other collaborations that will benefit the education system formed part of the talks.

Since 1995 MBFI’s various scholarship programs have produced more than 1,000 college graduates. On the other hand, aside from college students, GTFI’s scholarship programs also cater to supporting scholars taking up technical-vocational education, as it has produced 170 graduates to date. For more information, visit mbfoundation.org.ph.

By Roderick L. Abad

THE Philippines has a vast potential to become a leading blockchain and “Web3” hub—thanks to the initiative of Binance Academy which chose the country as the first stop of its recently concluded university rounds in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific Regions.

The learning platform of the world’s blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, Binance has visited 75 schools across 25 countries worldwide to spread global blockchain and digital-currency literacy, including its awareness.

From April 17 to 20 Binance Academy went to several higher education institutions: the Asian Institute of Management, the National University-Laguna (NUL), Enderun Colleges, University of Batangas and the Far Eastern University, where they met more than 1,000 students and faculty members. Binance Content and Partnerships Manager Adam Smurthwaite led the introductory training sessions on blockchain and cryptocurrency during the said visits.

At NUL, Binance Academy partnered with Yield Guild Games: a decentralized autonomous organization that invests in nonfungible token-gaming projects. It also shared more about Web3 gaming with the attendees. After which, 400 participants teamed up in groups to brainstorm and develop innovative ideas to gamify a learning platform, as the winning team received exclusive Binance merchandise.

The institution has likewise partnered with Enderun Colleges to expand the latter’s educational reach and increase crypto literacy among students and educators. For this visit, the Binance Academy team was joined by representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as well as the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center.

An alliance with Edukasyon.ph was also established to launch the “Binance Scholar Philippines Web3 Scholarship” program, aimed at increasing educational outreach in the market, and providing opportunities for Filipinos’ broader inclusion in the Web3 industry.

These are just some of Binance Academy’s initiatives for 2023. With its many undertakings, the Philippines has seen significant growth and interest in the Web3 ecosystem, with a proven Web3 and blockchain adoption track record.

“The Philippines is an obvious choice for the first stop of our Binance Academy Asia Tour, as we managed to get enthusiastic responses from our university-partners [through visits and holding] training sessions for their students,” Content and Partnerships Manager Adam Smurthwaite said. “Although nascent, blockchain technology is not foreign to many Filipinos due to the popularity of ‘GameFi’ in the country. By holding this tour, we hope to create a good entry point to Web3 for the younger minds.”

INSPIRING more Filipinos to read and easily comprehend, the free-to-download tech-publishing app “NABU: Multilingual Kids Books” has released its first batch of regional language books for Filipino learners from diverse backgrounds.

Globe has partnered with the New Yorkbased nonprofit organization NABU, which is focused on eradicating poverty through increased literacy and free access to mother tongue books through their proprietary app.

“We believe that everyone should have access to age-appropriate, culturally relevant, and accurate reading materials in their own language,” said Globe Group’s chief sustainability and corporate communications officer Yoly Crisanto. “This is an important step toward making literacy more accessible for everyone with the help of digital platforms such as NABU.”

The two organizations believe that confidence in children builds up when they can read in their local language first, which induces comprehension. As a result, literacy levels increase, which provides children the

ability to expand their learning skills and rise to their full potential.

Literacy is a prerequisite for eradicating poverty. However there is a dearth of local language books at the early-grade levels, resulting in children leaving school without the ability to read. The condition renders them extremely vulnerable to social and economic exploitation.

CEO Tanyella Allison shares NABU’s honor of “welcoming all Filipinos on our global journey to create a culture of reading, and hope that our app and content will inspire children to get back into the habit of reading.”

NABU Phils.’ country manager Mauro Daez added: “With the release of our regional bilingual books, we want to bring back the fun, curiosity and creativity gained from reading to the major regions of the country, while simultaneously having parents and teachers discover new stories that can equally get them excited to read alongside the children. With hundreds of languages being spoken in the Philippines, this is our

start to providing reading resources to those [who] may not be able to afford them.”

Since NABU’s October 2022 launch in the country, 50 regional language titles have been added within the app, includ -

ing stories written in Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicolano, Hiligaynon and Maranao, and illustrated by local Filipino artists. These complement the currently available 100plus original stories developed by NABU, which are provided to children across the Philippines in partnership with Globe and the E. Zobel Foundation.

Among available titles at www.nabu.org/ download on Android and iOS are “Magturugang Habang Buhay” ( Brothers for Life , in Bicolano), “So Alongan Ago So Olan” ( The Sun and the Moon , in Maranao), “Layo ang Gakaabtan sa Gugma ( Love Travels Further, in Cebuano), “Mas Maayo kun Updanay ang Tanan” ( Better Together, in Hiligaynon), and “Kabaelak Nga Aramiden” ( Dare to Try, in Ilocano).

The telco firm has always been a strong advocate of literacy and digital skills. It has the “Globe eLibrary” mobile app and web site ( globeelibrary.ph) containing hundreds of classic English titles, age-appropriate storybooks, e-Learning videos and other resource materials that can be viewed online, or downloaded for later use.

“By working together to build the Web3 infrastructure in the Philippines, we will be able to see more Web3 jobs being created and build a pipeline of local talents,” added General Manager Kenneth Stern of Binance in the Philippines. “This is [a good] time for young people to learn more about the technology, and the values…it can bring.”

The Binance Academy sessions gained positive feedback from university studentattendees. According to them, such learning efforts provide a strong platform for learning and developing knowledge in emerging technologies, as well as open networking opportunities with industry leaders and subject-matter experts. With this in mind, they expressed interest in continuing to join in similar initiatives and applying their newly acquired skills to create an impact on their communities.

“Education drives such as the ‘Binance Academy University Tour’ can help overcome preconceived notions and technological challenges for those who are just getting into blockchain and Web3,” said Timothy Shi, a student at Enderun Colleges.

ALAWMAKER is pushing to have all copies of textbooks and reference materials in public elementary and secondary schools digitized.

With bRight blockchain futuRe, binance PickS

Phl aS fiRSt StoP of univeRSit y touR

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

SIQUIJOR REDISCOVERED

HEalIng ISlanD CElEbR atES fIRSt-EVER Panambal fEStIVal

Story & photos by Arabelle Jimenez

The first-ever Panambal Festival was held in the sleepy town of Maria, Siquijor on April 7-9, 2023. This recent holy Week sojourn is an eye-opener to many who had notions that dark forces shrouded this mystical island. Suddenly, the Municipality of Maria is not sleepy anymore, rather, the event awakened its inner true calling and healing purpose.

Folklore in Siquijor

Located in c e ntral Visayas Region of the Philippines, Siquijor is the smallest province in the region, and the 3rd smallest province in the country.

t h e Philippines is composed of enchanting islands, all with their own stories and legends to tell. Folklore is merged with fairy tales that are being passed down to generations. But, it’s nothing as unique as the “scary” stories that we hear about Siquijor; from witchcraft to sorcery, from voodoo to “aswangs.”

Remnants of these mysteries still stand in many places in Siquijor. o n e example is the San Isidro Labrador c o nvent where it is believed to cure victims of witchcraft and sorcery many centuries ago. t h e building is still intact and is now open to the public as a museum in the Municipality of Lazi.

Sure, ghost stories about Siquijor may have scared away the gullible and the weak of faith, but, at the same time, it has actually increased the interest of the adventurous, and knowledge-seekers. t h is “negatively branded” island is making a comeback and has turned the grim, mystical image in their favor.

Love potions, et al.

Gayu M a” o r love potion is the most popular “magical” concoction, not only in the Philippines but to believers of its power from all over the world.

Witnessing how these are made with our own eyes, right on the island of its source, is truly a unique experience. e q ually worth discovering are the

various healing oils, the “palina” (ritual smoke), and the black wax that is believed to drive away everything that is bad in your body. From headaches to bad spirits (anti-kulam), and even diseases that just won't go away even after exhausting all means at the hospital.

t h e procedure starts the day after a s h Wednesday, where ingredients are collected for seven weeks until Holy t hursday. What are these ingredients? It varies from herbs to tree branches, flowers, and barks from the mountains. It also includes natural deposits from the sea; like seaweeds, coral stones, and shells washed away on shore. Now, it is noted that each healing oil has a particular ailment to “cure,” which makes the ingredients vary, according to the need.

Junel to maroy, president of the Siquijor Healers a s sociation points out that there are no negative ingredients in the mix, or what they call “landi”. t hese include plants that may attract the wrong kind, like revenge and jealousy that may break homes and destroy a person. So, if this is your kind of “attraction,” it is obviously not for healing in the general sense of the word.

Good Friday is the time when all these ingredients are stored, chopped, and prayed over in a ritual only legit “mananambals” or accredited Siquijodnon, a t is and Mumbaki healers can do. t h ese various chopped barks are believed to restore the body.

Black Saturday is the time they “cook” or burn these ingredients together in a huge “kawa” or cauldron.  t h e “minasa” or black wax is mainly candles that are added to the mix and

SHORT BUT SWEET 16 hours in Ilocos Sur

By Ardee P. de los Angeles

IL o co S S ur boasts its very own star city, Vigan. t h is town is famous for its 500-meter-long c a lle c r isologo, a street paved with cobblestones and lined with hotels, eateries, and souvenir shops. a visitor can truly fall in love with its history and that feeling of traveling back to the Spanish colonial era.

However, this historical city offers much more as you venture outside of this beautiful and centuries-old pedestrian-only strip. t h is weekend, we had the opportunity to visit and experience more of what Ilocos Sur has to offer.

Vigan by plane

We headed to the Platinum Skies av iation hangar in Pasay c ity for an afternoon flight with our host, League of Mayors of the Philippines President e m eritus Luis c h avit Singson. We boarded the d o rnier 328 turboproppowered airplane in just minutes after refueling at the hangar. t he flight took only less than an hour and we were

served food and cold drinks along the way. We arrived at the Vigan airport in the late afternoon and were picked up by a tour bus for a guided tour of the Safari Hotel and Villas as well as the Baluarte Zoo.

The southern giraffe in Baluarte Zoo o u R f irst stop was to feed the giraffes from South a f rica which is a great way to have an intimate picture taken with the beautiful animal.

t h ere are ostriches, geese, and deers that roam around the property.

What struck me most is the feeling of being in an actual a f rican savanna.

t h e trees and the landscape give that tropical grassland feel. t h e design and the layout of the property are perfectly executed and truly bring you to a f rica.

A close encounter photo with the white lion I d I d N t miss the chance to hold and have a picture taken with the white lion in the zoo. t h e wait time was quick and we were assured of our safety. a f ter a few snaps, we walked

poured with “lana” virgin coconut oil from coconuts that grew facing the e a st. o n a s ide note, I believe that this scenario is where the term witches' brew came from.

e a ster Sunday is the time they collect flowers from churches across Siquijor. t h ese various flowers, many dried up, are put together as a potpourri-like ensemble to be mixed with honey or perfume. t h e healing oil process produces “lumay” or love potion whose ingredients can only be derived during the “Salubong,” an e a ster Sunday c e remony.

“Lumay” or love potion is meant to bring positive vibes, not only on love but luck in business, career, marital, and family life. It is worthwhile to note that the healers practice for free, and only accept donations from visitors, and their patients. t h eir noble practice is to prevent fake healers who

take advantage of people and turn it into a business. t h e first Panambal Festival emphasizes the sacredness of traditional medicine that should be basically free for all.

t h ese activities of the Panambal Festival at o l ang a r ts Park in the Municipality of Maria mark the island of Siquijor as an alternative, and insightful destination during the Holy Week.

A healing island tHIS y ear’s Panambal Festival is a refreshing start to digging into Siquijor's unique heritage, traditions, and one could say, healing powers that surround the island. t h e event, conceptualized by veteran tourism consultant Nilo c a g ustin in partnership with Minnie c r ouse, owner of the o l ang a r ts Park, and supported by the good Mayor of the Municipality of Maria, Hon. Roselyn t a s ok,

the first Panambal Festival signals the global awareness of Siquijor as a Healing Island.

e x tensive research on traditional and alternative healing practices in Siquijor has brought some members of the academe to o l ang a r ts Park in Maria during the Holy Week, which also marked its opening as the c e nter for c u lture, Heritage, a r ts, Nature and to urism of Siquijor (c H a N t S ).

d r. Isidro Sia, the executive director of the Integrative Medicine for a lternative Healthcare Systems (IN a M ) Philippines, representative to the a S e a N te chnical and Scientific c ommittee on tr aditional Medicines/ Health Supplements, and convenor of a r alan ng Gamutang Pilipino (Philippine traditional medicine) was the distinguished guest of honor at the first Panambal Festival.

to s trengthen its cause, the o l ang

a r ts Park in the Municipality of Maria will be the center of healing on the island, where accredited “mananambals” or healers can use as a venue to conduct traditional healing, and at the same time, a space where visitors can enjoy the Mahogany woods, and feel nature's soul. a f ter all, science originates from nature.

t h e herbarium inside the park will also be an attraction to traditional medicine enthusiasts, where 377 kinds of herbs are recorded at the Siquijor State c o llege. In this regard, Siquijor is poised to be the Herbarium Island in a s ia.

t h e vision of the first Panambal Festival successfully made its debut, and most importantly, the event solidifies the positioning of the Municipality of Maria, Siquijor in the world map as a center for traditional medicine, and the island of healing.

over to the Safari gallery nearby. t h is area is Mr. c h avit Singson’s trophy room which includes a huge collection of wild animals that he has hunted through the years.

o u r next stop is to have merienda in the Safari Hotel which is close to Baluarte. t h e hotel provides guests the experience of staying in a villa with a dipping pool while they watch deers roam around the property. More than a glamping experience, guests will enjoy the peace and quiet in the area.

Food that is served here is also delicious. Highly recommended are their longganisa or bagnet pasta along with their pizzas. ta ke a bite while you view the deers outside. t h is Safari Hotel restaurant is also right by the swimming pool.

Dancing fountain in Plaza Salcedo aS t he evening approached, our tour bus and guide, Maritess, took us to Plaza Salcedo to watch the spectacular d a ncing Fountain.

t h e showcase of light and sound happens every night from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm. o n w eekends, it holds a second show from 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm. o u r group was led to a private viewing room at the center of the plaza. t h e show started on time and the extravaganza did not disappoint. Glimpses of the Bellagio fountain in Las Vegas came to mind but this light show in Vigan was more up close and personal. It is our very own and it makes you proud after all. t h e show was filled with laser lights, smoke and fire effects, and music that will make you feel the urge to dance.

d i nner was served later at Barte ch, a restobar and grill serving the first and only dinner buffet in Vigan. We enjoyed the bagnet kare-kare, beef kaldereta, poqui-poqui, pinakbet with bagnet and other Ilocano favorites.

Barte ch is also a favorite watering hole in Vigan. Located right at c a lle c r isologo, diners can enjoy the ambiance with their favorite drink and appetizers.

Sulvec at Narvacan

Su LV ec i s a barangay in the municipality of Narvacan, in the province of Ilocos Sur. It is also the current residence of Mr. c h avit Singson. t he beautiful 7-hectare property is our group’s home for the night. t h is coastal town of Narvacan is stunning and the huge home designed by Mr. c h avit Singson

sits by the beach and will give you a feel of Santorini in Greece.

Fishing is good in Sulvec Greece Narvacan Seaside. Mr. Singson at times feasts on snappers caught in the bay.

Less than a day in Ilocos Sur

I N a nutshell, after an afternoon flight from Manila, we arrived in Ilocos at 4 pm. We needed to get back to Manila at 8 in the morning the next day to keep up with other activities. Having said that, we didn’t really feel that we stayed for a short time. We still managed to visit all the attractions of Ilocos Sur. We are grateful to our host, LMP president emeritus Luis c h avit Singson, for a chance to explore this part of the north even for a short time.

BALUARTE Zoo’s white lion named King FEED IN g the giraffes at the Baluarte Zoo gOOD food and drinks at BarTech Vigan

A myS TI c AL artwork on display at the Olang Arts Park

S ALAg D OON g Beach located in Olang, maria, is popular for its crystal white sands, clear turquoise waters, and healthy corals where visitors can go snorkeling.

A LOVE potion charm to be worn as a necklace.

H E ALIN g oils target specific ailments.

m ANANA m BALS or traditional healers demonstrate the various ways of healing during the opening ceremony of the first Panambal Festival held at the Olang Arts Park in maria, Siquijor, on good Friday.

AT the first Panambal Festival ribbon-cutting ceremony, from left; councilor Alona Arcamo, municipality of maria mayor Roselyn T. Asok, councilor Betty Adlao, maria’s chief of Police Joy Jumuad and maria’s Tourism Officer Aldrin “Braxton” Daguman.

gREAT ocean views at Sulvec

Singapore’s 1st oat milk brand credits its good taste for market leadership

IF you take a look at Oatside’s web site (www. oatside.com), you’ll perceive it as a brand for Gen Z. The web site shows Oatside’s unique colorful and cartoony branding with the bear at the center of it. Another feature of the Oatside branding is what they call “Bearisms.”

One Bearism states: “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have, which is why I wear sweatpants to the office so they know I want to be a remote employee.”

But the Singaporean brand’s colorful persona, which extends to the packaging, is meant to speak to everyone, including children and older adults.

Oatside was launched in December 2021. It is not the first oat milk brand in the market but it’s currently the top oat milk brand in Asia, excluding China, a market it has just entered.

“We’ve really grown the category since the start of last year. We’ve launched across 15 countries and we started in China just three months ago,” said Lim at the sidelines of Oatside’s formal launch in the Philippines.

In September 2022, Oatside announced the closing of a $65.5m Series A funding round to expand its production output across Singapore and the greater Asia-Pacific region.  The funding was led by Temasek Holdings, GGV Capital, and Arabica International.

Video creator Erwan Heussaff, who was present at the launch, said Lim created not the best tasting non-dairy milk but “the best-tasting milk that you can have.”

“If you try it, you get a lot of the maltiness, the nuttiness, the creaminess that we as Filipinos absolutely adore. If you take a step further, the texture. Texture is very important. The texture is so strong. We’ve tried other plant-based milks and it’s watery, it separates. There’s always something, whereas with Oatside’s oat milk, you really feel that it’s a complete product that is really well-made,” said Heussaff, who has been drinking non-dairy milk for years and considers Oatside the best.

countries—from Sweden, from Finland, from Australia—and really testing these at home. I found that oats from Australia were a little bit nutty and the others were more grassy. Personally, I like the Australian oats because it’s nutty and well-rounded so we decided to go with that,” said Lim.

He explained that he chose oats because it is a grain that contains starch so it has more body and texture. The starch gives the product a natural creaminess.

Oatside is also sustainable across the entire supply chain. It has three times less carbon emissions, 11 times less land use, and 13 times less water consumption. Oatside also installed natural gas boilers instead of cheap gas boilers in its factory to

Going digital will benefit grassroots

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

PEOPLE at the grassroots level should harness digital technology by shifting to cashless transactions because it will bring several benefits to them, according to a pro-consumer rights advocacy group.

“The use of [digital technology] should be extended to market vendors, community shopkeepers, tricycle operators and drivers, farmers and small merchants,” said lawyer Christopher Belmonte, co-convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines.

“Convenience is just one thing. Aside from this,

EU LAWMAKERS WARN OF HUNGARY, POLAND SPYWARE ABUSES

BRUSSELS—European Union lawmakers investigating the use of Pegasus spyware against opposition politicians and journalists on Tuesday raised deep concern about abuses in Hungary and Poland, and lamented a lack of cooperation with their inquiry.

The spyware developed by developed by Israeli cyberintelligence company NSO has been used around the world to break into the phones and computers of political figures, human rights activists, reporters and even Catholic clergy. It was allegedly only made available to government agencies.

Cybersleuths have found traces of Pegasus or other spyware in Poland, Hungary, Spain and Greece. But after a year-long investigation, members of the European Parliament said they had been unable to come up with a smoking gun.

“Do we have evidence? No, because none of the authorities are cooperating,” said Dutch Liberal lawmaker Sophie In‘t Veld, who helped lead the probe.

In’t Veld said the lawmakers suspect, but cannot prove, that Greece exported Predator spyware to Cyprus, which then delivered it to Sudan, where more than 600 people have been killed since April 15 in fighting between the military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and a rival paramilitary group.

Dutch conservative lawmaker Jeroen Lenaers said the refusal of Poland’s right-wing government to cooperate appeared to be “part of a wider approach to silence any kind of dissent in Poland and it’s extremely concerning.”

In their final report, the lawmakers said that Poland’s use of Pegasus was part of “a system for the surveillance of the opposition and critics of the government—designed to keep the ruling majority and the government in power.”

They argued that the use of spyware in Hungary was “part of a calculated and strategic campaign to destroy media freedom and freedom of expression by the government.” Hungary’s justice minister refused repeated requests for talks. The lawmakers said they sent questionnaires to authorities in the EU’s 27 member countries but that very few came back with “relevant information.” Some, including the Netherlands, did not reply at all. Others refused to provide information due to what they said were national security grounds.

“The abuse of spyware has nothing to do with national security,” In’t Veld said. She also raised concern about where the victims might turn for help when the authorities are accused of doing the spying. “In not one single case has justice been done so far. Not one,” she said.

NSO has been subject to export limits by the US federal government, which has accused the firm of conducting “transnational repression.” Major technology companies, including Apple and Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, also have brought NSO to court. AP

the adoption of cashless payments like GCash would open up to other financial services like loans, savings, investments and others,” added Belmonte.

Although there is a significant amount of economic activity going on in markets, in public transportation, and in the fields, Belmonte noted majority of the transactions are still cash-based. Nevertheless, he is optimistic people will shift to cashless once they see the benefits and, more importantly, once they are shown how.

Belmonte also urged local executives to work with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government as it rolls out Paleng-QR Ph Plus, which aims to promote cashless payments in public markets and local transportation, particularly tricycles, across the country.

Paleng-QR was inspired by student policy competition finalists from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños in 2021.

The program targets to change the paradigm in markets and public transport, because these are basic components of an average Filipino’s typical payment pattern, said the Bangko Sentral on its web site.

“Until a market vendor and a tricycle driver can accept digital payments, transitioning to cashless transactions would be difficult for an average Filipino consumer,” the BSP added.

is produced in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Oatside control over every step of the manufacturing process, from the ingredient sourcing to production. Consumers like Oatside because of the taste. I, for one, have always thought that oat milk was for adding to coffee but Oatside can actually be enjoyed alone or even with cereal. You can also use oat milk for sauces that need milk, including béchamel sauce. One more thing that consumers like about Oatside is its affordability. It costs way less than other brands in the market.

Oatside, which comes in Barista Blend, Chocolate, and Chocolate Hazelnut, is available in the Philippines on Lazada and Shopee, and at Landers, Puregold, The Landmark, and Coop Grocer. ■

“Some stores are already using QR codes to facilitate cashless purchases. They can scan it with their smartphones and confirm payments in seconds. No more exchanges of cash and finding change. It’s so convenient,” Belmonte said.

“Also, important for both seller and buyer is the digital record of the transaction.”

It’s also safe, he added. “No more risks of cash being taken by thieves.”

“The pandemic-induced lockdowns introduced millions of Filipinos to the benefits of cashless payments,” said Belmonte. “Consumers learned to trust cashless transactions even after their initial hesitation. Eventually, many of us now prefer going cashless in our daily purchases.”

This experience does not have to be limited to those working in offices or bigger businesses, or to the younger generation who are digital natives. Vendors and drivers, once they experience going cashless, will likely prefer this over their usual ways, according to CitizenWatch.

“This is a great opportunity to introduce all Filipinos to the formal financial system, which can eventually provide them opportunities to start and grow their business,” Belmonte said.

“Digital payment platforms are an indispensable tool of the digital economy, and we want all Filipinos to participate in this thriving, promising economy.”

GCASH SIGNS UN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PRINCIPLES COMMITMENT

IN celebration of the United Nations Women International Girls in ICT Day, GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, signs the UN Women Empowerment Principles Commitment.

Under the agreement, GCash will further encourage and implement initiatives that provide opportunities for present and future tech leaders regardless of gender. Moreover, the agreement further establishes GCash’s long-standing commitment to the UN’s goal to promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

As a fintech company that values gender equality, diversity and inclusion as a strong and integral part of its work culture, GCash’s work force comprises 46 percent of women leaders including its CEO which is higher than the industry average of 28 percent.

This was the highlight of GCash’s GTalks, an event commemorating the UN Women International Girls in ICT Day, which put a spotlight on notable women leaders at the helm of the fintech industry.

The program opened with a talk by UN Women country coordinator Rosalyn “Lenlen” Mesina, and culminated with GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon, signing the company’s commitment to the UN Women Empowerment Principles.

With the theme “Empowering Women in Tech,” GTalks aims to inspire all women to make their mark in fintech by hearing different perspectives from various women leaders in the industry.

The event was graced by personalities from diverse tech businesses, namely, Connected Women co-founder Gina Romero, For the Women Foundation co-founder Michelle Alarcon, GCash chief technology operations officer Pebbles Sy, and GCash chief people officer Robert Gonzales.

“We at GCash are committed to ensure we uphold diversity, equality, and inclusivity in our everyday culture. We are proud to have created a space where women, or any gender, can thrive, and their success is normal and always celebrated,” Sazon said.

More than just providing safe and convenient services to Filipinos wherever they may be, GCash remains steadfast in its initiatives to become a leading advocate of safe, diverse, and inclusive work culture in pursuit of its vision of achieving “Finance for Al.”

Cool for the summer: Budget phones that won’t make you sweat bullets

an all-rounder smartphone.

The realme C55 comes with a 64MP flagship-grade camera, a MediaTek Helio chipset, and a 5000mAh battery. The phone runs on the latest version of Realme UI based on Android 13 and comes in two variants: the 6GB+128GB priced at P8,999 and an 8GB+256GB for P9,999. It initially launched with two colors: Sunshower and Rainy Night but recently added a TikTok exclusive Rainforest color.

testament as to why the brand continues to be the No. 1 smartphone company in the country for two years.

REDMI 12C: BIGGER SCREEN AND STORAGE

NOW if you are a Xiaomi fan, or looking for an even more affordable phone that wouldn’t cut into your summer budget, you might want to consider the Redmi 12C instead.

browsing various web sites without having to squint or zoom in to read the text.

To help you capture those summer memories, the Redmi 12C is equipped with 50MP f/1.8 main camera and a 5MP f/2.2 front camera. The main camera can capture decent photos with good colors and contrast.

WHEN the iPhone 14 Pro launched, one of its most hyped features was its Dynamic Island, which many hoped would put the oft-reviled notch to rest—well at least for the Pro models.

Six months later, the Dynamic Island turned out to be much like the emperor’s new bling, and felt more gimmicky than useful. It’s still a neat concept, but like all first versions of anything, I guess we’ll have to wait for the iPhone 15 to see if it would become more useful.

Still, it was a pretty fancy idea that was too good to pass on, and it was just a matter of time before we got an Android version of the “Island.”

Well, meet the realme C55, an entry-level device that introduces its own take on the concept and calls it the “Mini Capsule.” This nifty software feature is supposed to show three main functions: Charging and Battery Status, Data Usage, and Step Tracking.

So far, however, it can only display the charging and battery status with the other two coming via OTA update along with an Always-On function.

But more than just being the first to have this iPhone flagship feature, there are a lot of other things to like about the realme C55. It’s actually a good choice for those thinking of a gift for younger students or a Mother’s Day surprise for those who prefer a no-frills smartphone, or for budget hunters on the lookout for

APPLE POSTS QUARTERLY REVENUE DECLINE; IPHONE SALES SOLID

APPLE once again posted an, until now, rare revenue decline in its latest fiscal quarter, but said its overall business improved from the December quarter and sales of its iPhones were solid.

The results reported on Thursday were better than Wall Street’s muted expectations and Apple’s stock rose in after-hours trading.

The latest numbers come after the Cupertino, California, company in February posted its first quarterly revenue drop in nearly four years after pandemic-driven restrictions on its China factories curtailed sales of the latest iPhone during the holiday season.

Apple said it earned $24.16 billion, or $1.52 per share, in the three-month period that ended April 1. That was down slightly from $25.01 billion, also $1.52 per share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 3 percent to $94.84 billion from $97.28 billion. Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $1.43 per share on revenue of $92.91 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.

For the current, fiscal third quarter, Apple said it expects revenue performance to be “similar” to the second quarter. Analysts are forecasting $84.5 billion, which is well below what Apple is suggesting.

Apple said iPhone sales brought in $51.33 billion in revenue in the first quarter. Analysts expected a more modest $48.66 billion. Revenue in its key services division was $20.91 billion, slightly above Wall Street’s estimates of $20.66 billion.

CEO Tim Cook said in a conference call that Apple is seeing “ongoing challenges” related to the broader economic environment but the company continues to “manage for the long term.”

Unlike many of its tech industry peers, Apple hasn’t signaled any intention to resort to mass layoffs. Industry giants such as Google parent Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook parent Meta Platforms have announced plans to jettison tens of thousands of employees in recent months as they adjust to revenue slowdowns or downturns caused by people’s lessening dependence on the digital realm as pandemic restrictions have eased. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said Apple delivered a “LeBron-like March,” referring to the basketball star LeBron James. “The iPhone beat was front and center,” Ives said, adding that it’s a clear indication that the company is continuing to gain market share in China.

The company said its board also approved a $90 billion share buyback program and raised its regular quarterly dividend by 4 percent to 24 cents a share.

Apple’s shares climbed about 2 percent in after-hours trading. AP

Dubbed #TheStylishChampion, the realme C55 doesn’t look like your usual entry-level phone. I have the Sunshower variant and it looks great, actually better-looking than some of its pricier rivals. The brand draws inspiration from nature for this design as 50,000 light particles from a vertical microscope lens look like lines of rain and colors splitting like a rainbow. The back panel reflects different colors when under sunlight while the texture is kept on the matte side which leads to no smudges or fingerprints.

The smartphone has an ultra slim profile measuring 165.65mm x 75.98mm and just 7.89mm thick. It weighs just 189 grams with a squared off boxier design and rounded corners for easy grip, making it very comfortable to use.

For the display, the realme C55 has a 6.72-inch FHD+ resolution screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. This is the largest display on a C-Series phone and an improvement from its predecessors HD+ screens. It offers a screen-to-body ratio of 91.4 percent for added immersive viewing, and turning on that 90Hz Refresh Rate makes visuals noticeably sharper, smoother and easier on the eyes. The 680 nits maximum brightness also gives a decent output and makes it fairly useful even outdoors.

Moving on to the cameras, the realme C55 has a dual camera setup that includes a 64MP main shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. What’s interesting is that this 64MP sensor is said to be the same one used on the flagship realme GT Master Edition released in 2021. The photos captured by the realme C55 are excellent and I think one of the best for its price point. I sometimes forgot that I was actually using an entrylevel smartphone as it can even go head-to-head with realme’s number series phones. In well-lit situations, it captures great detail with superb dynamic range, and even shots taken at 2x digital zoom appeared sharp and crisp. I found this useful for taking product shots or photos of my toys when I need to zoom in on the details.

I prefer photos that “pop” and have been a fan of realme’s more “intense” color profile. I usually keep ChromaBoost on even though it takes a bit longer to process the shot. For day-to-day social media use, you’ll be quite satisfied with the shots taken by the realme C55 and it performs quite well even when indoors or in low-light conditions. It’s obviously still not at par with flagship cameras, but the AI does a good job of hiding the loss of details and noise by injecting more color.

Also worth mentioning is that realme included several camera features from its number series including Street Mode 3.0 and ProLight Imaging Technology to allow users to experiment more with the realme C55’s cameras. For selfies, the 8MP takes nice solo and group selfies with good edge detection that separates you from the background. The C55 can shoot videos up to a resolution of up to 1080p or FHD at frame rates of 30fps and 60fps, for both front and back, but the quality isn’t really something you can rave about. It has no stabilization so its best used mounted on a tripod as shooting while walking results in a very jittery, almost dizzying output.

Running everything for the realme C55 is a Mediatek Helio G88, a 12nm chipset that features an octa-core processor and Mali-G52 MC2 GPU. Our review unit has 8GB RAM plus 256GB of internal storage but with Dynamic RAM expansion you can further boost it to 8GB additional RAM, and add up to 1TB storage via microSD.

It’s a good enough midrange processor that’s been used by a lot of other brands and just right considering its price. I never encountered any lags or slowdown in everyday tasks, nor did it crash or hang even if there were a lot of open apps. realme has always done a fine job of optimizing its devices, and the realme C55 can handle casual games without any problems. As for the battery the device easily lasted through a day of use, and the 5000mAh battery can also be quickly topped up via 33W charging.

It’s exciting to see what realme does when it updates the “mini capsule” but even without the feature, the realme C55 is an overall solid device and a

The Redmi sub-brand caters to almost every incremental price point and offers the Redmi 12C in several budget-baiting options starting at P5,499 for a 3GB+32GB; P6,499 for the 4GB+64GB; and P7,499 for the 4GB+128GB variant. There is also a 6GB+128GB priced at P8,999 if you are getting it online.

So, what do you get for such prices? Starting off with the design, Redmi 12C has a unibody build, with flat edge and a curved back polycarbonate body with a diagonal striped design. This stylish striped and ribbed design makes the device more recognizable and slip-resistant while improving its overall aesthetics and grip feel. It comes in three colorways: Ocean Blue, Mint Green, Lavander Purple and Graphite Gray.

Also on its back is the square module that houses its rear camera and fingerprint sensor. The phone is relatively lightweight at 192 grams, and measures 168.76 x 76.41 x 8.77mm.

For those who want a big screen phone, its 6.71” HD+ display offers more screen real estate with thin enough side bezels and a water drop notch that houses the front camera.

This large screen is definitely one of its standout features and the 1650 x 720 resolution with a 20.6:9 aspect ratio is immersive enough for binge-watching your favorite series, YouTube videos, for infinite scrolling those reels and TikTok videos or even just

If you are going to shoot mainly outdoors, then the Redmi 12C can take nice photos for you to save and share. Indoors and in low light, the camera struggles quite a bit as you’d expect, so you might want to use extra lighting. The 5MP selfie camera is also decent enough for selfies but again be sure to have ample lighting for best results.

Powered by MediaTek Helio G85 processor, the Redmi 12C delivers reliable performance and smooth experience in gaming, imaging, or everyday use. With up to 6+5GB extended RAM, the Redmi 12C offers quick and responsive feedback when opening and switching between apps. The MIUI 13 interface gives you plenty of customization options, and apps open fast enough and even playing casual games wouldn’t be a problem. Just make sure you limit the number of open apps to avoid slowdown or sluggishness. For those concerned about security, both the Face Unlock and fingerprint scanners are fast and reliable. Keeping things going, the large 5,000mAh battery of Redmi 12C easily provides enough power to last a full day of calling, gaming and video playback. With a starting price of just P5,499, it’s easy to recommend the Redmi12C to those who need to adhere to a strict budget. It covers pretty much everything you need in a basic phone—large clear screen, decent camera, stable performance, plus all-day battery and with expandable storage of up to 1TB via micro SD. This phone will likely store more memories and outlast all your summer flings. ■

Thai military rules out putsch after polls as campaigning ends

THAILAND’S army chief said there was “zero chance” of the Southeast Asian nation returning to a military rule in the event of post-election turmoil as politicians were set to make a final push to woo voters ahead of the election on Sunday.

Narongpan Jittkaewtae, whose term as head of the Royal Thai Army ends in five months, guaranteed that there will be no coup under his watch and that the military will remain neutral.

“I can’t confirm whether the nation will be stable going forward. This is something that every party must work together for,” said Narongpan. “But what I can confirm for sure is that there’s no chance, or zero chance” of a repeat of what happened in the past, he said when asked if there would be another putsch.

Narongpan’s comments may ease concerns about the military stepping in once again in the event of a clear win for pro-democratic opposition parties campaigning on a platform of cash handouts as well as radical reform proposals that include ending conscription to reduce the influence of the generals in Thai politics.

Opposition parties, including Pheu Thai and Move Forward, have also pledged to rewrite the Constitution if they dominate the 500-member House of Representatives to curb the role of the military-appointed Senate. Pheu Thai, linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has also promised to introduce an anti-coup bill.

Thailand has had a troubled relationship with democracy. Elected and military governments take turns running the country, with occasional deadly clashes and protests. The country saw 12 successful military coups since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, the last one led by incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha against Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government in 2014.

On Friday, prime minister front-runners Paetongtarn Shinawatra of Pheu Thai, Prayuth, Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat and others will address supporters at rallies on the final day of campaigning.

T hailand’s election—which pits the military-led ruling coalition against the liberal opposition—has more than 6,600 candidates vying for 500 parliament seats. The elected members of the House of Representatives will decide alongside 250 senators handpicked during Prayuth’s military government who the next prime minister will be from more than 60 politicians in the fray.

Pheu Thai and its allies must win at least 376 seats in the lower house to counter the likely move of senators, with tenures until 2024, to keep the old guards in place and block the opposition’s candidates for premier.

Bloomberg News

LONDON—The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that the global outbreak of mpox, which initially baffled experts when the smallpoxrelated disease spread to more than 100 countries last year, is no longer an international emergency, after a dramatic drop in cases in recent months.

Last July, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared mpox, also known as monkeypox, to be an “extraordinary” situation that qualified as a global crisis. In doing so, he overruled WHO’s expert committee, which didn’t recommend the emergency designation.

Tedros said the novel way mpox was infecting people, via sexual contact in many countries that had never before identified cases, raised numerous concerns that warranted more attention; nearly all cases were in men who were gay, bisexual or had sex with other men. It was the biggest-ever outbreak of mpox.

He said at a media briefing on Thursday that his expert committee had concluded that the recent dramatic decline in cases, with about 90 percent fewer cases in the last three months, was no longer an acute concern.

“We now see steady progress in controlling the outbreak based on the lessons of HIV and working closely with the most affected communities,” Tedros said. “I’m pleased to declare that the mpox is no longer a global health emergency.” He added that the feared backlash against the communities most affected by the outbreak “has largely not materialized.”

The announcement Thursday comes after WHO downgraded Covid-19 last week, when it said the worst part of the pandemic was over and that the coronavirus should be managed like other respiratory diseases.

Mpox has been established in parts of central and west Africa for decades, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents. But the disease wasn’t known to spark big outbreaks beyond the continent or to spread easily among people until last May, when dozens of epidemics emerged in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

Mpox most often causes symptoms including a rash, fever, headache, muscle pain and swollen lymph nodes. The skin lesions can last up to a month and the disease is spread via close physical contact with an infected patient or their clothing or bedsheets. Most people don’t need medical treatment to recover.

Scientists ultimately concluded that the unprecedented outbreak was tied to sex among gay and bisexual men at raves in Spain and Belgium, marking a significant departure from the mpox’s typical pattern of spread in Africa, where outbreaks haven’t spilled across borders.

Shortly after Tedros classified monkeypox as a global emergency last year, the epidemics in Europe and North America declined, and there were no signs of widespread transmission beyond men who were gay, bisexual or had sex with other men.

European health authorities said that 98 percent of mpox patients are men and of those, 96 percent are men who have sex with men.

Mpox vaccines in rich countries were quickly rolled out and reports of severe illness were relatively rare. Cases have since slowed to a trickle in Europe and North America.

To date, WHO says there have been more than 87,000 cases and 140 deaths worldwide. Still, in the last week, WHO said cases spiked by 64 percent compared to the previous week, with most cases in the Americas and the Western Pacific.

The US has reported the biggest outbreak, with more than 30,000 cases. This week, the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control said that it was investigating a recent surge in cases around the country, including Chicago. Scientists have previously warned mpox could become entrenched as a new sexually transmitted disease, as authorities said its spread could continue indefinitely in certain populations. AP

Mpox no longer a global emergency, WHO says

PAALAM PETECIO

Paalam, Petecio lead 7 others in boxing finals

By Josef Ramos

PHNOM PENH—Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio lead seven other boxers fighting for gold medals this weekend at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

I n the nine boxers’ fists partially lie the country’s chances of squeezing into a finish better than its current sixth position in the medal standings dominated by Vietnam, host Cambodia and Thailand.

Paalam and Petecio are staking their reputations as silver medalists in the Tokyo Olympics.

For Paalam, he’s fighting as a bantamweight and not in flyweight where he finished second in Tokyo. Petecio, on the other hand, is looking for a fightback from his bronze finish last year in Hanoi.

I prepared myself wisely, physically and mentally,” Paalam, of Cagayan de Oro City, told BusinessMirror . “So far, I’m ready.”

Paalam fights Aldoms Siguru and Petecio takes on Ratna Sari Devi, both from Indonesia, on Sunday.

Two-time SEA Games champion Rogen Ladon and Tokyo Olympian Irish Magno, climb the ring Saturday at the Chroy Changvar Center Hall G.

L adon, who won gold medals in the 2019 Philippine and 2022 Vietnam Games, starts the country’s bid for a golden rush at 4 p.m. when he fights Tharanat Saengphet of Thailand in men’s flyweight.

M agno is up against familiar foe Jutamas Jitpong of Thailand in women’s lightweight, having prevailed in the 2019 final back home. But the Thai beat her during the round-of-16 in Tokyo.

A lso fighting Saturday are Ian Clark Bautista, who is also hoping to become a three-time SEA Games medalist, and Riza Pasuit, who battles Vietnamese Thi Linh Ha in the women’s lightweight finals.

I really have to give my all tomorrow [Saturday] to bring home the gold,” said Bautista, 28, of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, who is up against Indonesian Asri Udin in men’s featherweight.

A lso fighting Sunday are Paul Julyfer Bascon, Filipino-British John Marvin and Petecio’s younger brother, Norlan.

B ascon takes on Rujakran

Juntrong of Thailand in men’s light welterweight while Norlan, 21, takes on another Thai, Bunjong Sinsiri, in men’s lightweight.

M arvin, the 2017 SEA Games gold medalist, faces Weerapon Jongjoho of Thailand in men’s light heavyweight finals.

O f the 12 Pinoy boxers here, only light flyweight Mark Lester Durens and welterweight James Palicte will return home without a medal.

M arkus Cezar

Tongco, who lost to Manh Cuong Nguyen of Vietnam in the men’s heavyweight semifinals, bagged a bronze medal.

W ith nine finalists, the boxing team looks very capable of surpassing the country’s three-gold, one-silver and five-bronze medal finish last year in Vietnam.

Sports

QUEEN AGATHA EXTENDS REIGN

By Jun Lomibao

PHNOM PENH—Agatha Wong’s routine included a sword but it wasn’t how she handled the weapon that always catches the judges’ eyes—it’s her grace, poise and form.

Wong did what she does best in the Southeast Asian Games and won a wushu gold medal in women’s combined taijiquan and taijijian

Friday at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center. She amassed 19.263 points—9.580 in taijiquan and 9.683 in taijijian—to capture her fifth SEA Games gold medal.

Wong was back-to-back taijiquan champion in Malaysia 2017 and Philippines 2019 and bagged two consecutive taijijian crowns in 2019 and Vietnam 2021.

C ambodian organizers merged the

(19.160) after the taijiquan segment on Wednesday but surged ahead with a masterful showing in taijijian.

“ If you set your goal, there’s always a way,” she said. “But I really love my sport.”

Wushu also delivered bronze medals in taolu through Sandrex Gainsan (men’s jianshu + qiangshu) and in sanda behind Carlos Baylon (men’s 56kg), Russel Diaz (men’s 52kg) and Jenifer Kilapio (women’s 48kg).

CATANTAN HURT, SETTLES FOR FENCING SILVER

SAMANTHA CATANTAN injured her knee in the semifinals and settled for the silver medal when she could no longer fight on. C atantan fell on the mat, moments after securing a point that sent her into the women’s foil artilage seemed to have popped behind the back of her left knee when she moved after she lunged at semifinals foe Kemei Chung of Singapore.

A fter a short rest, Catantan still found the courage to continue as she took the last two points to beat Chung, 15-6, and set up a return showdown with her last year’s opponent Maxine Wong, also of Singapore.

Sadly, Catantan never got to play a rematch with Wong, who eventually won the gold medal after the country’s top Filipina fencer conceded on advice of her coach and medical personnel, who told her to not make her injury any worse.

Catantan, with her knee wrapped in bandage, followed the advice, and no longer engaged Wong in what could have been an exciting finals’ rematch.

C atantan, who flew from the United States days before her matches, was in good shape when she swept her five-game assignment in the pool stage.

Philippine Fencing Association president Richard Gomez, who was in the crowd with Philippine Sports Commission board member Walter Torres, also a former SEA Games fencing champion, felt heartbroken on Catantan’s situation.

C hristian Concepcion also fell out contention with Daniel Villanueva with his 1-4 slate in the men’s sabre group stage.

LOYZAGA

Loyzaga diligent CDM of Team PHL

PHNOM PENH—Team Philippines chef de mission Chito

Loyzaga is confident Filipino athletes would bounce back amid difficult adversities in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games that is winding down to the last four days of competitions. “ My trust and confidence are always there for our Filipino athletes. It’s still a long way to go and I believe they will give their best to win, to bring home glory for our country,” Loyzaga said Friday. “They will keep fighting for glory.”

A s chef de mission, Loyzaga has given priority to the welfare and safety of the Philippine delegation.

He is smoothly doing his job, making sure the athletes returning home, like the bets in jiu-jitsu and karate, are all accounted for while welcoming incoming athletes in weightlifting and taekwondo at the Athletes’ Village at the Morodok Techno National Park.

It’s the first time that Cambodia is hosting the SEA Games and everything won’t be perfect,” he said. “So although there are some glitches in hosting, we made sure everything is fine, that our athletes and coaches are secured and safe.”

We made sure the support system of the athletes is okay,” he added. Loyzaga added he’s not focusing on the current performance of the athletes because Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Dicky Bachmann are monitoring their performances.

Gilas Pilipinas redemption bid resumes against Singaporeans

PHNOM PENH—The redemption campaign was supposed to be about the gold medal at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games but after Thursday night’s lopsided loss to a Cambodian side that looked more than a Team USA reinforced by locals, the fightback has been momentarily reduced to the pool play for Gilas Pilipinas.

Gilas Pilipinas tries to bounce back for a semifinals berth when it faces Singapore Saturday at the resumption of men’s basketball action at the Morodok Techo Elephant Hall 2.

The Philippines enters the match at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. in Manila) hoping for a fightback from its 7968 loss to Cambodia two nights ago.

H ead coach Chot Reyes said the team needs to play better after shooting just 36 percent against Cambodia amid the sweltering heat inside the venue.

Naturalized player Justin Brownlee suffered from cramps and dehydration and scored just 10 points.

It was just a terrible first half for us,” Reyes said.

“You saw what happened. Justin couldn’t move, severely dehydrated. The heat really got to him. But later on, he played better but then he was cramping up already because he lost too much fluids.”

“It’s something that we can learn on and move on,” he said. “We go to the next game and then, prepare for the knockout semifinals.”

Tension flared when Cambodia coach Marcus Savaya called a timeout with 20.7 seconds remaining in the contest and the result already settled.

I just want to be very polite. You all saw what happened. That’s just an unwritten rule, that’s just culture. And it’s not even coaching ethics, it’s just ethics,” Reyes said. “Just ethics, right? So, you know, if he wants to—if the other coach wants to make a fool of

himself, then that’s on him. That’s not our problem.”

Singapore tries to play the spoilers’ role but it will be a difficult task, having lost to Cambodia, 8560, and Malaysia, 93-70, in their previous contests.

Josef Ramos

Oranza bags 2nd bronze medal in strength-sapping road event

IEM REAP—Ronald Oranza raced for the second straight but still settled for his second bronze medal in men’s individual road race of cycling on Friday in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. ith Oranza’s bronze in criterium the other day, Filipino cyclists now has four medals the others a silver and a bronze in mountain bike.

Just like yesterday [Thursday, criterium], today’s race was just as tough but again, my medal is the result of teamwork with my fellow Filipino riders,” said Oranza,

who was also third in criterium on Thursday. “ We followed what our coaches told us and it again worked,” he added. Oranza was on the wheels of gold medalist Mur Amirull Mazuki of Malaysia and silver medalist Aiman Cahyadi of Indonesia in the sprint finish after the 150.60-km event raced six laps over a 25.10-km flat circuit.

A ll three submitted identical clocking of three hours, 22 minutes and 50 seconds.

Thank God, answered prayers,” said an emotional national team coach Reinhard Gorantes. “This is perhaps the best assembled team in years in terms of the riders’ teamwork

and adherence to the game plan.”

The men and women road teams as well as the coaching staff were revamped by the PhilCycling in February. Gorantes was retained and added to the coaching staff were Virgilio Espiritu, Alfie Catalan, Marita Lucas and Gerald Valdez.

The team and the coaches are grateful to Cong. Bambol Tolentino for trusting us,” he added.

Tolentino is the president of PhilCycling and the Philippine Olympic Committee which, along with the Philippine Sports Commission, is supporting Team Philippines’ participation in the games. The revamped yielded results—

from last year’s zero-medal performance in Vietnam, the national road cycling team now has two medals with the women’s road team still racing on Saturday.

Oranza, who’s riding out of the Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance team, drew support from Marcelo Felipe, Rench Michael Bondoc, former SEA Games champion Mark Lexer Galedo and Nichol Pareja—all from 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines.

Oranza, Marcelo and Bondoc were in the 12-rider lead pack that endured for all six laps until the final lap when only Oranza was left to fight for a medal after Marcelo suffered a rear tire flat inside the final 1.5 kms. Jun Lomibao

My main concern now is to make sure the athletes’ transportation services are all doing well and making sure their everyday meals are given to them. So far, the host country hjas been assisting us and they are doing well in the operation,” added Loyzaga, the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association president.

Speaking of athletes’ meals, Loyzaga said delegation chef Bruce Lim is preparing an adobo meal for the athletes not billeted in the Athletes Village in the coming days.

“We will schedule the athletes to go to the village to taste how delicious chef Bruce’s adobo meal is,” he said, winking.

Josef Ramos

Reign in women’s basketball ends

PHNOM PENH—Tha national team lost to Indonesia, 68-89, on Friday at the Morodok Techo Elephant Hall 2, dampening the country’s bid for a third straight women’s basketball gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

T he Gilas Pilipinas women had no answer to Indonesia’s attack in the third quarter where they trailed easily recovered from a 37-35 lead and wrest a 63-49 advantage at the end of period.

I ndonesia improved to 4-0 wonlost and needs to only beat bottom teams Singapore and Cambodia to capture the gold medal.

The tournament has a round-robin format with the first placer winning the gold medal outright.

The Gilas women dropped to third place with a 2-1 record behind Malaysia (3-1) with three games remaining against Vietnam on Saturday, Thailand on Sunday, and Malaysia on Monday.

It’s a hard loss,” Gilas women coach Pat Aquino said. “[Indonesia] is a tough team. They’ve been together for almost three years.”

I told them [Gilas] to never give up. We still have three more games,” he said. “We’ll never know what will happen.”

Yuni Anggraeni had 24 points, while Kimberley Pierre Louis had 20 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks for Indonesia.

Janine Pontejos and Chack Cabinbin finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the defeat. Josef

Ramos

AGATHA WONG is now a sixtime Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. ROY DOMINGO

THE recognized poomsae team—(from left) Maria Anne Nicole Labayne, Jocelyn Ortiz Ninobla and Aidaine Krisha Laxa—captures the gold medal on Friday at Chroy Changvar Convention Center Phnom Penh. Malaysia clinched silver and Thailand bronze. ROY DOMINGO

GILAS Pilipinas’s Filipino-German player Christian Stanhardinger is confronted by three Cambodian passport-bearing Americans Darrinray Dorsey, Dwayne Morgan and Brandon Peterson during their game on Thursday night. ROY DOMINGO

cruise director will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin chief officer, and familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company. Demonstrable experience in developing a strategic business plan. Salary

Basic Qualification:

Proven experience as a Mandarin cruise director, and familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company. Demonstrable experience in developing a strategic business plan. Salary

Basic Qualification:

Proven experience as a Mandarin cruise director, and familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company. Demonstrable experience in developing a strategic business plan. Salary Range:

62.

•Implementing a marketing strategy according to objectives and budget.

WU, CHUNG-YEN Marketing Consultant (Mandarin Speaking Clients)

Brief Job Description:

•Studying company profile and operations to understand its marketing needs.

•Implementing a marketing strategy according to objectives and budget.

Basic Qualification: •Preferably 6 months experience with the above position. •Can multi-task and keen to details. •Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification:

•Preferably 6