BusinessMirror May 20, 2023

spearheads pilot test of relatively new method to extract minerals from ores sans environmental damage GOLDEN

By Manuel T. Cayon

DAVAO CITY—The outcome of a government-initiated gold processing method in the mining industry is churning out a promising future for mineral extraction among small-scale operators: No more mercury and cyanide scare to blight people’s lives, the river systems and the environment as a whole.

Eight years after the project

“Integrated Gold-copper Mineral Processing Pilot Plant in the Regions” was field-tested in October 2015 in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reported increased earnings for small-

scale miners and the absence of severe environmental pollution associated with small-scale mining in the past.

“The latest performance of the facility has shown that it can increase the earnings of small-scale miners up to 86.5 percent, with

opportunities for further improvement,” the DOST told the BusinessMirror

With non-pollutive efficiency to extract gold from the ore and lesser risk of an environmental damage, the new processing method may likely ease the negative impression against small-scale mining and a future gold rush, and offer a better income outlook for people seeking their fortune from small-scale mining operations.

Critical assistance

DOST Region XI Director Anthony

Sales said small-scale mining operations continue to thrive alongside corporate mining operations, which are mostly found in mineralrich Davao de Oro province, formerly called Compostela Valley. He said the small-scale mining operations still needed critical assistance to avoid polluting the environment because of their reliance on the poisonous mercury and

cyanide to extract gold. “The problem with small-scale mining operations is that these are unregulated or non-regulated. And they cause pollution to the environment, aside from also endangering [the miners’] health,” Sales added.

This, he added, is one reason the DOST is embarking on a program called Community-led Non-Cyanide Non-Mercury Mining Technology. The initiative was pilot-tested in Davao de Oro.

Focus on small-scale miners

THE unresolved plight of smallscale miners and the persistent challenge in mass transportation systems are on the spotlight in this year’s regional scientific meeting in Mindanao, one of three legs of meetings before the annual national gathering of scientists, researchers and academicians in Manila.

Experts from the Department of Mining of the University of the

GOLDEN PROMISE

Philippines-Diliman said the initiative would apply the new ore processing method “since this technology extracts double amount of gold than the usual method.”

This also extracts copper from the same ores in a single process,” the provincial information office said, quoting UP experts.

New processing

THE Integrated Gold-Copper Mineral Processing Pilot Plant (IGCMPPP) facility in Nabunturan houses a new technology called CLINN-GEM (Community-Led Integrated Non-Cyanide Non-Mercury Gold Extraction Method), which was developed by UP-Diliman and funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD).

The technology uses various processes, including gravity concentration, flotation and leaching, in addition to the typical crushing and grinding processes.

The gravity concentration process uses a gravity concentrator and shaking table to recover free gold, which is not associated with other minerals, by taking advantage of the differences in densities between minerals and metals,” the DOST said.

In contrast, the flotation process utilizes flotation cells to recover gold associated with sulfide

minerals by altering their surface properties with the help of flotation reagents such as frothers, collectors and pH adjusters, which increase its hydrophobicity.

Th is produces a gold concentrate that is fed into the next process, which is leaching. Chlorination leaching is used to recover the gold from the concentrate through the dissolution and eventual precipitation of gold particles.

Finally, these particles are refined in a furnace to obtain the highest possible purity of gold,” it added.

The IGCMPPP facility is composed of six sets of mineral processing packages and 10 laboratory services, all of which are already enrolled in the Provincial Local Revenue Code of Davao de Oro. The team that manages the facility is currently addressing risks and opportunities, including but not limited to increasing inventory buffer of supplies and equipment, adding technical personnel, and other measures to ensure consistent quality of service for the public, the DOST said.

Remaining lab

THE Davao de Oro province wanted the pilot testing of the processing plant to produce positive results “to help small-scale mining communities through the new technologically innovative and pro-environment mineral processing and extractive methods.”

This is a safer method on goldprocessing for it uses no harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide,” it said.

Th e technology was also tested in Benguet, Bicol and the Caraga Region. However, only the Davao de Oro facility has remained operational. “This could be attributed to our different implementation strategy, which involves the active participation of the Provincial Local Government of Davao de Oro (PLGU-DdO) led by Gov. Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga,” the DOST said.

PLGU-DdO has been supporting the project since 2018 through the Green Mining Program implemented by its Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office. The IGCMPPP is managed jointly by DOST XI and PLGUDdO, “and both agencies have invested in designating a full-time workforce that reports to the facility,” the DOST added.

Corporate help

THE facility has not been totally adopted yet by any of the smallscale mining operations existing in Davao de Oro. However, one positive note is that “starting this year, the IGCMPPP has secured the support of Apex Mining Co. Inc. through the initiative of Governor Gonzaga,” the DOST said.

The support would be in the form of laboratory supplies to enhance and expand the services of the IGCMPPP laboratory, and immersion and training of smallscale miners: to encourage them and build their capacity in adopting the green mining technology.

D espite the improved outlook—earnings of small-scale miners to rise by up to 86.5 percent—the DOST cautioned, “This level of performance cannot be guaranteed for all types of ores mined in Davao de Oro.” To address this issue, the IGCMPPP Laboratory will be equipped with P9.65 million worth of equipment, including an X-ray diffractometer and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, through the DOST OneLab for TED project.

These two pieces of equipment will be used to thoroughly characterize the ores to be processed in the facility and ensure their profitability,” the DOST said.

The IGCMPPP is also involved in researching other green mining strategies and currently has an active collaboration with Mapua Malayan College of Mindanao through a DOST-PCIEERD-funded project entitled “Innovative technology for refractory gold extraction using deep eutectic solvent (DES) and hypochlorite solution.”

Issue of concern

ORGANIZERS of the Mindanao Regional Scientific Meeting in April at the Acacia Hotel here identified the small-scale mining as Minahang Bayan, and topped the issues of concern in the region. It has been logged as one of the top five pressing issues in the country that could be addressed through the application of science and technology.

Small-scale mining became a national concern in the 1990s amid the gold rush in the Diwalwal mountain mining village in Davao de Oro, formerly Compostela Valley, which gathered as many as 100,000 gold hunters and fortune seekers.

The massive influx of people turned the village, 25 kilometers upland from the town of Monkayo, into a ticking time bomb of lawlessness in shantytowns, with violence frequenting the crisscrossing tunnels. Reports of mine tunnel collapse were regular fare. Meanwhile, in the lowlands, farmers and residents complained of rivers poisoned by mercury and cyanide. Mercury contamination of the rivers was also detected as far as the Davao del Norte portion of the Davao Gulf, 70 kilometers south of Monkayo. This was further aggravated by the operation of crude rock ore processing plants, called ball mills and cyanide plants, outside the población of Tagum. A University of the Philippines study on the extent of mercury contamination has found the underground waters unfit for drinking.

Th e Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said 13 Minahang Bayan currently operate in the Davao Region and 15 others have filed their petition to be declared as such. Aside from these Minahang Bayan, the MGB granted small-scale mining contracts to six operations.

A Minahang Bayan is the government intervention into the unregulated, often destructive, operations of small-scale miners.

Some Minahang Bayan independently operating as smallscale miners could be seen around corporate mines, mostly in Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental. The MGB said there are 18 operations granted with the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement, and one with Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement, 51 applications for exploration permits, eight with exploration permits already and three others granted with mineral processing permit.

Our objective is to balance the effect to the economy and the benefits that we get for sustaining society as well as the environment,” Sales said.

Sales said the DOST will continue to explore ways to alleviate the plight of small-scale miners through this technology.

I believe this is one way of democratizing science and technology and bringing the technology closer to the people, and to address the pressing problem of the mining industry,” Sales said.

THE entire CLINN-GEM (Community-Led Integrated Non-Mercury Non-Cyanide Gold Extraction Method) pilot facility assembled at the UP Department of Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering building, where the entire process takes place, from gold extraction to waste treatment. CELESTE LLANETA, UP MPRO (UP.EDU.PH/A-BETTER-KIND-OF-ALCHEMY)

• Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

PSAC: Marcos gives nod to 5-yr extension of CARS

By Andrea E. San Juan

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved the 5-year extension of the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS), which is aimed at expanding the Philippine automotive industry, the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) said.

In a sta tement on Friday, PSAC said “the extension of CARS for 5 years will continue to provide incentives and support for manufacturers that meet specific requirements in terms of

investment, production, and technology development.”

“CARS will also continue to provide significant employment opportunities as well as the foundation for the future development of the economy,” it added.

The CARS program, introduced through the issuance of Executive Order No. 182 in 2015, gave participating automakers six years to reach the minimum volume target sales of 200,000 domestically produced automobiles for each of the enrolled car types in order to qualify for incentives.

Mitsubishi enrolled the Mirage G4, while Toyota enrolled its Vios model in the incentives program, which is set to expire in 2024.

T he Board of Investments (BOI) said in December 2022 that Mitsubishi started its production in February 2018, while Toyota started in July 2018.

CARS has demonstrated its effectiveness and value as a high-end manufacturing operation which has greatly helped in the creation of jobs, transfer technology, and boost global competitiveness by supporting domestic

auto manufacturing and stimulating investment,” PSAC said.

In fac t, BOI noted in December 2022 that Mitsubishi employed 35,696 people, while Toyota created 74,353 jobs, including those in parts making and the provision of ancillary services.

T he agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) earlier said investments in the CARS program have reached P9.6 billion. It has also resulted in $1.01-billion foreign exchange savings. Net government revenues amounted

Biz groups: Wage hike bid may discourage investors

By Andrea E. San Juan

MAJOR business groups in the Philippines said the proposal for a wage hike becomes a “sure threat” against efforts of the country to attract more investors.

Eight major business groups penned a letter dated May 17, 2023 to Senator Jinggoy E. Estrada who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources to express their concern on the wage hike proposal.

The signatories of the said letter are: George T. Barcelon, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI); Edgardo G. Lacson, Chairman of Employers of Confederation of the Philippines; Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., President of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport); Cecilio

K. Pedro, President of Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCII); Jack Madrid, President of IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP); Arthur M. Lopez, President of Philippine Hotel Owners (PHOA); Robert M. Young, President of Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP) and Nelson M. Mendoza, President of United Portusers Confederation of the Phils. Inc.

The groups noted that the Philippines already has one of the highest minimum wages among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

In fact, they said the matrix published by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) of the Department of

Labor and Employment (DOLE) indicated that as of August 31, 2022, the Philippines’s $10.14 daily minimum wage rate is second to Malaysia’s $11.16.

“That prices of goods in the Philippines are higher compared with these counterpart economies may in fact already be a direct effect of the higher minimum wages in our country,” they said.

“This proposal then becomes a sure threat against efforts to invite more investors when the [Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises] CREATE and other investment-related laws were passed,” the letter read.

The business groups said they share the concern of Estrada, who heads the labor committee in the Senate as well as the authors of the bills on how the effects of inflation “have continued to dampen the purchasing capacity of Filipinos.”

However, they said in the letter, “Only a small percentage of the total work force—16 percent of about 8 million in the formal sector out of the 50 million in total number of Filipino workers—will be able to benefit from this proposal.”

If greenlit, the business groups said this wage hike may appear to provide “short-term relief to a ‘happy’ few.” But, they noted, “We also should not ignore that the rising inflation has also negatively impacted businesses.”

For one, 98 percent of local businessses are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that bore the brunt of the pandemic and most of which may still be closed to this day, the groups said.

“It is likewise worthwhile noting that these MSMEs are also the employers of

the same Filipinos whom these bills are aiming to help. If the proposal for increased wages is approved, these employers may have to further increase the prices of their products, reduce the number of their workers, or simply close down,” they said.

The groups also noted that large firms, which are capable of paying the wage increase, only make up less than 2 percent of all Philippine companies. Describing it as an “even grimmer scenario,” the business groups said a “staggering” 84 percent, who are workers in the informal sector, will see this as an “unhappy” bill, as they are not expected to feel any gain because most of them work on their own with no employer.

“This 84 percent represents around 42 million workers that include farmers, fishermen, market vendors, jeepney drivers, tricycle drivers, and home-based small entrepreneurs that comprise the silent majority whose situation will worsen with the bill’s passage, as they have to pay higher for their purchases once businesses start to increase prices,” the joint statement of the business groups read.

Moreover, the groups said that these people are the ones who will then start “trooping” to government offices to ask for “ayuda” when this burden becomes unbearable already.

With this, the business groups pointed out that “it will then be relevant for them to also be invited and heard in the wage hike hearings as among the stakeholders.”

The business groups also laid out their recommendations, among which is for the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment

and Human Resources to consider tapping the assistance of government agencies, particularly those in the Economic Cluster such as the Departments of Trade and Industry and Labor and Employment and the National Economic and Development Authority who, they said, “can handle the pencil pushing.”

Further, the business community prodded the regional tripartite wage board as its mandate in this area “becomes even stronger and credible.”

“For this reason, the business community feels more comfortable that they continue playing this role backed up by years of relevant and on-theground information,” the business groups said.

“Needless to say, such an issue truly needs more time and accurate information to help ensure that efforts are truly responsive to the common good. Towards this end, we welcome the creation of the TWG where the informal sector and agencies mentioned above can also provide inputs,” they added.

Currently, two bills filed by senators propose a P150 daily across-the-board wage increase.

to P18.77 billion based on a 6-year model life, according to the agency.

W hen talks on the extension of CARS program were still ongoing, the BOI said the program generated “new capabilities” in big volume parts particularly in the body shell and in large plastics, which the agency said is a “key contributor” to the high import logistics cost of complete knock-down (CKD) manufacturing.

Toyota Motor Philippines First Vice President and Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) President Rommel R. Gutierrez

said in August 2022 that the CARS program has to be extended until 2027 so it can achieve the objectives of the program. Meanwhile, PSAC said it introduced a new recommendation, which further supports MSME development, the Motorcycle Micro Business Program. W hile waiting for the passage of the law, PSAC said it is seeking for a nationwide expansion via an executive order which aims to create over 2 million jobs for “habal-habal” riders and provide access to transform their livelihoods, becoming a platform for self-entrepreneurs.

DOF vows govt support for Mindanao economy

FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno assured leaders of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) of government support by facilitating investments in infrastructure.

“[T]he Department of Finance (DOF) stands ready to support the [MinDA] by strengthening its relationship with bilateral and multilateral development partners,” Diokno said during the Mindanao Development Forum 2023 on Thursday.

“We are continuously working with international development partners on priority programs and projects in key sectors in Mindanao,” he added. Diokno said the government is determined to “turn the ‘Land of Promise’ into an economic powerhouse” by boosting infrastructure and transportation on the island, which are crucial to increasing connectivity with surrounding regions.

“The idea is to link and integrate markets,

connect urban centers to rural areas, and facilitate the movement of people and goods to expand access to more opportunities for local industries. Ultimately, this will boost productivity,” the Finance secretary said. Moreover, the government has committed to sustaining annual infrastructure spending at 5 percent to 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), aligned with the National Economic and Development Authority’s (Neda) Public Investment Program (PIP) 2023 to 2028.

Of the total 3,770 infrastructure priority programs and projects in the PIP and to be implemented within the medium-term, 1,310 are located in Mindanao amounting to P1.2 trillion.

Furthermore, 30 out of 194 high-impact Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs) approved by the Neda Board are intended to directly support investments in Mindanao. Raadee S. Sausa

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Rep. Macapagal-Arroyo denies ‘coup’ plot vs House Speaker Romualdez

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

FORMER President now Pampanga

2nd District Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo has denied any coup plan against House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

“ When I learned that there were reports that I was suspected of plotting a ‘coup’ against Speaker Romualdez, I decided I must speak out to clarify my political position. Indeed, some of my actions may have been misconstrued, such as my recent trip with a delegation of congressmen to Korea for some official meetings,” said Arroyo in a statement issued late Thursday.

On the 17th of May 2023, I received news that Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales was elected Senior Deputy Speaker in my place. My first reaction was that it is always the prerogative of the House to make changes in its leadership structure. Thus, I congratulate Dong, and I hope his new position will help him fulfill his mandate to represent our fellow Kapampangans,” she added.

On further reflection, Arroyo said she now feels it necessary to explain her thoughts on the matter.

According to Arroyo, her political objectives are clear: to represent the 2nd district of Pampanga, to support the legislative agenda of Romualdez and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and to use whatever experience

she has as a former President to help out when she called upon to do so.

“Outside of my role as congresswoman, my public interest going forward is to help reduce tensions between the United States and China, given that I was strongly allied to both countries when I was President,” she said.

As I have learned during my three decades as a politician, such events are part and parcel of Philippine politics. Still, I do not want it to precipitate or intensify any tendencies towards early politicking. We are just barely a year into the administration of President Marcos Jr., and it would be unfortunate if early politicking resulted in any dilution of the tremendous mandate that the UniTeam, led by our President, earned in the 2022 elections.

After all, the President ran on the platform of unity,” she added.

When President Marcos won, Arroyo admitted that she wanted to aspire for the Speakership of the House.

But it soon became appar ent that Marcos was most comfortable with his cousin, Romualdez, as Speaker, she said after realizing the wisdom embedded in that sentiment.

In the Philippines, Arroyo said the House leadership has traditionally been closely associated with the sitting President, and this relationship of deep trust between

Speaker and President has been beneficial in smoothly enacting the legislative agenda of the President.

“I think this is acceptable, because in the Philippines, the check and balance needed in any democracy has traditionally been well provided by the Senate,” she said.

Arroyo said it also should be noted, “being Speaker once more is no longer part of my political objectives.”

“This has been my position ever since Speaker Romualdez was elected in the 19th Congress, and I continue to urge my Lakas-CMD partymates to support our party President in that role,” she said.

“Am I firm in this position? Some may recall that in December 2002, I publicly declared that I would not run for President in 2004. But I had responsibilities of a sitting President then, so later events with serious national security and political implications convinced me to change my mind. I refer to such matters as our war on terrorism following 9-11 and the continuing attempts at destabilization at that time,” she said.

T his time, Arroyo said, she is a mere congresswoman, “so issues of national importance no longer depend on my role in Congress. Thus, I have no compelling reasons to change my mind about foregoing my ambitions for the Speakership.”

By this disavowal, the former president said she hopes that we can preempt any needless politicking so that the House and our President can focus on the job at hand with minimum distraction.

Support AMID coup issues, political parties and groups reiterated their support for President Marcos and Speaker Romualdez after the leadership decision demoting Arroyo from Senior Deputy Speaker position to a Deputy Speaker.

The House of Representatives has elected Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. as Senior Deputy Speaker to “unburden” his “cabalen,” Arroyo, of the “heavy load” required from the position, said Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe.

Ask ing for her comment, Arroyo only said, “It’s the prerogative of the House.”

For his part, Gonzales, who is PDP-Laban national treasurer, said his party expressed

its full support for the administration and the leadership of Romualdez in the House of Representatives.

“Our party reiterates its unwavering support for both the President and Speaker Romualdez. Together, they have accomplished much for our country and our people,” said Gonzales.

Our Speaker is a valuable ally and helping hand to the President in terms of shepherding the administration’s legislative priorities in Congress,” he said.

He added PDP-Laban is thankful to the House and Romualdez for choosing and electing him as senior deputy speaker.

“As in the past, as a loyal member of the majority, I will always support the Speaker and will continue to work for the benefit of my constituents in the 3rd district of Pampanga and of my kabalen in the province,” Gonzales added.

Deputy Speaker and Nacionalista Party Spokesperson Camille Villar also expressed the party’s unequivocal support to the leadership, as “we remain fully committed to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to its vision of a united and prosperous nation.”

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers said Gonzales is one of their reliable and diligent partners in the House of Representatives and a great addition to the working force of Romualdez.

“We reiterate the party’s strong support to the leadership of Speaker Romualdez who is deeply committed to the well-being and progress of our nation,” he said.

“At the same time, we also reiterate our full support to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., whose 8-point Socio-Economic Agenda guides our work as legislators,” he said.

H ouse Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan reiterated the minority bloc’s full support to Romualdez, “who has ably steered the House in delivering unprecedented accomplishments less than a year in our terms.”

“The minority is absolutely committed to our partnership with Speaker Romualdez and the entire House leadership, as we seek common ground to swiftly create more jobs and livelihood opportunities, lift a greater number of households from poverty, and move the country forward,” he said.

Manila and Canberra hold negotiations on work and holiday visas for youth

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

SOON, young people from the Philippines and Australia can work while they are on holiday in each other’s countries.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo of the Philippines and Minister Penny Wong of Australia announced this Thursday during the latter’s visit to Manila.

“Both looked forward to further strengthening people-to-people connections through the Work and Holiday Visa Arrangement being negotiated between the two countries,” the foreign ministries said in a joint press statement released after Manalo and Wong’s bilateral meeting.

Australia has been issuing visas to foreigners from selected countries that allow them to work while on holiday. Work and Holiday Visas are also extended to Australians by partner countries where they have agreement.

If the deal pushes through, Filipinos

aged 18 to 30 years can travel in Australia for extended periods and to support themselves during their stay with short-term employment in any industry.

There were 160,000 Filipino tourists who came to Australia in 2019. Around 31 percent came for holiday vacation, while 43 percent came to visit their relatives and friends.

There are around 400,000 Filipinos in Australia.

Australia is keen on tapping the Philippine growing high net worth tourism market.

Meanwhile, Australians can come to the Philippines without visas and stay for a maximum of 30 days.

In 2022, A ustralia is the fourth top tourist source in the Philippines with less than 500,000 arrivals. This is a more than 50 percent increase from the pre-pandemic level of 286,000 in 2019.

More than 30 direct flights are offered by Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Qantas from the Philippines to Australia.

VP Sara resigns from Lakas-CMD

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

VICE President Sara Duterte announced her Irrevocable resignation as member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) effective Friday, May 19, 2023.

Duterte said where she is now is because of the trust of the Filipino people “in me to lead and serve them and the country, and this cannot be poisoned by political toxicity or undermined by execrable political powerplay.”

“Nothing is more important to me than being able to meaningfully serve our fellow Filipinos and the Philippines—with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leading the way. Trust that my word, my commitment will be immutable,” Duterte said in a statement.

Duterte said that she is grateful to all the party members for the support that also once demonstrated “unity is possible to advance our shared dreams for our fellow Filipinos and our beloved country.”

PBBM highlights need to boost trade, security ties with Australia

By Samuel P. Medenilla

CONCERNED over existing geopolitical tension in the Asia-Pacific region, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is pushing to strengthen the country’s security and defense pact with Australia.

D uring his courtesy call with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Malacañang on Thursday, he noted that such partnership with Australia and the country’s neighboring nations will help prevent the eruption of international conflict.

“Now we have a situation where partnerships have become extremely important and it might be the key to maintaining the peace not only in the Asia Pacific but the Indo-Pacific region,” Marcos said.

W hile participating at the 42nd Asean Summit last week, the President announced the country would seek a similar security partnership with Vietnam.

This as the country continues to deal with territorial disputes with China. Marcos said he also wants to further develop trade cooperation with Australia to help with the country’s “economic transformation.”

“

The very important partner in the transformation of our economy is the private sector. And therefore, we welcome any contact with the private sector because we feel that it is impossible for the government to do it all alone,” Marcos said.

For her part, Wong said Australia is interested in coming out with such strategic partnership with the Philippines. “ We want to work with you for our mutual benefit recognizing the importance of economic strength,” Wong told the President.

The President said he is eyeing to further discuss such partnerships in another bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese by September.

ST Telemedia building data center in Fairview

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC)-Philippines said Thursday it is expanding its footprint in Asia, as it develops what it claims to be its “largest and most interconnected carrier-neutral data center” in the Philippines.

A joint venture between Globe Telecom Inc., Ayala Corp. and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Singapore), the company is building a data center in Fairview, Quezon City.

The new data center campus, STT Fairview, will comprise over 83,000 square meters of gross floor area across four buildings, offering a development potential of 124 megawatts of IT load capacity once fully built out. It is strategically positioned within Quezon City with access to nearby substations, as well as critical telecommunications, transportation links and logistics, business and industry hubs.

With the Philippine digital industry set to grow at a projected compounded annual growth rate [CAGR] of 20 percent through 2030, we are seeing rapidly growing demand for high-quality colocation services in the Philippines as both cloud service providers and enterprises alike continually expand their business platforms to meet consumers’ evolving demand for low-latency digital services,” STT GDC Philippines CEO Carlomagno E. Malana said.

Given this, the company is bullish that it can capture the fresh demand for such services.

“We are confident that we will be able

to capture new demand while helping our customers meet their own sustainability ambitions with this new and differentiated data center capacity. This also presents an opportunity to nurture local talent in digital and green skills that will be much needed in the future,” Malana said.

Sustained growth is projected across Asean, and the Philippines’ digital economy is seen to be a forerunner, with e-commerce expected to propel the country’s gross merchandise value (GMV) to $35 billion in 2025. The Philippine digital economy is also expected to grow twice as fast as GDP through 2030.

“ With the Philippines’s digital transformation gaining headway, STT GDC’s new facility will be an important addition in the data center space in the country, where the market is underserved. This will provide crucial support for the growing digital industry not just in the country but also in the region and will set a new standard of sustainability-driven data centers in the Philippines,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest L. Cu.

The new data center campus will cater to both hyperscalers and enterprises, providing flexible and scalable low latency colocation options that are also sustainably built and operated.

STT GDC Philippines already operates five data centers with a total IT capacity of 22MW, with more than 95 percent of its power coming from renewable energy sources. Lorenz

S. Marasigan

China jails

78-year-old American for life on spying

CHINA has sentenced a 78-yearold American passport holder to life in prison on spying charges, as the world’s No. 2 economy prioritizes eliminating national security risks.

John Leung, who is also a Hong Kong permanent resident, was sentenced in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou on Monday, according to the court’s official WeChat page. In addition, some 500,000 yuan ($71,808) of Leung’s property was confiscated, the report added.

L eung was arrested on suspicion of espionage in April 2021, according to the statement. No details of his crime were provided.

The US Embassy in Beijing didn’t respond immediately to a request for comment.

Given the opacity of the charges, and evidence against the defendant, the verdict further erodes the foreign business community’s confidence in the environment,” said James Zimmerman, a Beijing-based lawyer with law firm Perkins Coie. “This is not a welcomed development.”

Perkins Coie, which has its headquarters in Seattle, also provides legal services to Bloomberg LP.

Last month, China passed new counter-espionage legislation expanding the list of activities that can be considered spying, as President Xi Jinping increasingly puts security concerns over development. The expanded law bans the possession of state secrets including all documents, data, materials and articles concerning national security.

Beijing has also launched a nationwide anti-espionage crackdown targeting consulting firms. One global expert network, Capvision, has been accused of leaking state secrets and having ties with foreign intelligence agencies. The company has since vowed to follow China’s national security laws and set up a committee to manage compliance issues.

The US has similarly announced efforts to crack down on Chinese spying and harassment of dissidents in the US.  With assistance from Phila

Zamboanga City quarterly allots ₧100M for elderly social amelioration program

By Teofilo Garcia Jr.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The city government is allocating P100 million per quarter for the social amelioration program (SAP) of bonafide senior citizens here.

U ldarico Fabian, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) assistant chief, said Tuesday the social amelioration payment for senior citizens is a new program of the city government and will take effect in the second quarter of this year.

Fabian said there are 100,000 identified beneficiaries and each will receive P1,000 per quarter. The beneficiaries are all registered with the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and are members of the local Federation of Senior Citizens’ Association of the Philippines.

“All senior citizens with or without social pension and other types of

remuneration are entitled to receive the SAP,” Fabian said. “A senior citizen may still be employed at the age of 60 and above, yet he or she remains covered under the program.”

T he mode of payment is through a direct cash distribution scheme every quarter, to be facilitated by the city treasurer’s office. The CSWDO will schedule the payout per barangay in coordination with the city mayor’s office.

Fabian said the city government’s SAP is in line with the government’s fulfillment of its obligation to look after the welfare of the most vulnerable sector of society through social protection. PNA

NCSC ready with its expanded role distributing centenarians’ cash gifts

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

MANILA—The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) has expressed its readiness to implement a measure granting additional benefits for Filipino centenarians once it is enacted into law.

I n a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday, NCSC Chairperson Franklin Quijano said the commission has been beefing up its capacity by hiring more employees in the event that the bill increasing the cash gift for Filipino centenarians who reach 101 years old from P100,000 to P1 million becomes a law.

House Bill (HB) No. 7535, which was approved on the third and final reading on Monday, seeks to mandate the NCSC to

Smallness can be our strength

distribute the centenarian cash gifts.

C urrently, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is in charge of the distribution of cash gift to centenarians as mandated by Republic Act (RA) No. 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016.

“

Yeah. You know, by then, we are ready. This year, we are still trying to fill up positions for the regular employees. And there are 206 items provided by the Department of Budget and Management to us. So, if this is the task that will be transferred from the DSWD to us, then we could manage it,” Quijano said.

Quijano said the NCSC is also preparing to take the lead in distributing the social pension for senior citizens.

puts it: Singilan na (It’s payback time).

How each of us will fare in this developing storm depends on the kind of boat we had built for ourselves in our previous years.

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

fer the physical, mental and emotional agony and pain of someone afflicted with cancer.

A s the self-publishing author and life coach Cara Alwill Leyba says: “No one is coming to save you. You must love yourself so fiercely and fully that you have no choice but to be strong for yourself.”

T here’s this line in a movie I watched some time ago: “We are in the same storm, but we’re not in the same boat.”

We can commiserate with each other, but the truth is each of us is an island, alone in his pain or struggle, for the breaking down process of the aged body is not exactly the same for everyone. It now all depends who is at the helm, the one steering the boat.

One cautionary tale is about a former officemate named J. He was already warned about his elevated vital signs, but he arrogantly scoffed at them. He still kept on smoking heavily. When well-meaning friends called him out, he said his elevated blood pressure levels were normal for him.

Custodio of Barangay Dadiangas South holds the P100,000 cash given by the city government on April 13, 2023 as cash incentives for seniors reaching 100 years old. The National Commission of Senior Citizens on May 11, 2023 said it is ready to implement a measure granting additional benefits for Filipino centenarians once it is enacted into law. PHOTO COURTESY OF GENSAN CIO

skillful juggling of so many affairs finally came crashing down when he fell unconscious while directing an event and was rushed to the ER. Dead on arrival.

T hese are two “captains” of their own boats, who stubbornly headed towards dangerous waters, ignoring the warning signs, or the hollering voices of concerned people in nearby boats.

How do we keep our individual leaking boats afloat a little longer?

T he only way is to lighten and unload the stuff we don’t need to carry anymore. Time to throw away unwanted baggage: resentments, simmering hatreds, emotional wounds without closures, neglected obligations, and so on.

“ So a lot of things are actually being prepared by NCSC. And I am grateful that the public understands that we are just new in this job doing our mandate but we are more than capable,” he said.

Budgetary requirement

QUIJANO said the required funds for the implementation of the proposed law is estimated at P13 billion.

So if the requirement is P13 billion, they said it is doable. So it’s really a choice that is going to be made by this government,” he said.

Under the House bill, all Filipinos who reach the age of 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with a letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines and a

go out as much as before because of an aching back, arthritic knees, failing eyesight or poor hearing, we don’t have a choice but to go in—into ourselves.

Are we comfortable hanging out alone with ourselves? How’s our relationship with our family?

Do we have that serenity, that peace of mind?

A s the aging captain of your own boat, you need to be more self-dependent and self-trusting.

You must focus on taking care of yourself instead of depending on others. Be your own helper.

Find the light inside of you.

All of us have a light inside of ourselves. Our duty is to find it. Listen to the voice inside of you.

“centenarian gift” in the amount of P100,000.

F urthermore, all Filipinos who reach the age of 80, 85, 90 and 95 years old shall also receive a letter of felicitation from the President “and a cash gift of P25,000 each,” the bill said.

“ With this legislation, the House of Representatives would like to honor our countrymen for their years of service to the country and for their discipline in ensuring that they live a long, healthy and fruitful life,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said.

Of course, we also want our octogenarians and nonagenarians to enjoy this benefit while they still can without having to wait until 101 years old so we also provided a cash gift for them,” he added. PNA

start a journal, do contemplative photography and share it online, write songs, paint landscapes, portraits or still lifes. How about upcycling old stuff? Give gardening a try. Why not be creative in the kitchen and put a new twist to old traditional recipes?

Shirley MacLaine, the famous actress and a spiritual seeker, said: “In the end we all know that our best friend is ourselves. We are born alone and we die alone. That’s the journey.”

JUST a few days ago, my wife and I learned about a distant relative who has just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Of course, his close-knit family vowed to help him fight it. But the sad truth is that it is he alone who will have to go through this excruciating ordeal. No one will be able take his place and suf -

Now in our 60s or 70s, each of us is piloting a boat that is leaking. We find ourselves facing a perfect storm of ailments, diseases and health problems that are common to people in our age bracket. Heart disease. Kidney problem. Arthritis. Diabetes. Dementia. Cancer. There’s no escape from this dreaded checklist. As one colleague

T hen I learned he suffered a stroke. Half paralyzed, he can no longer drive, which makes it all the more agonizing for him since the love of his life are his two cars which, he used to tell us flippantly, he cares more about than his wife.

T he same thing happened to P., an event producer, although more tragic. A heavy smoker and drinker, separated from his legal wife, he had another family. His

W hat we need is quality time for ourselves now. Consider unloading so-called friends who have been hitching a ride on our respective boats for years. To be able to do that, “you have to excuse yourself from the presence of shallow and callow minded individuals,” as suggested by author and poet Michael Bassey Johnson. The great African-American educator Booker T. Washington agrees: “It is better to be alone than in bad company.”

H ow about our “psychological boats?” Now that we cannot

Trust your intuition.

T he time has come to bring to fore those boats we’ve failed to put out to sea. With the time you are still given, perhaps, you can steer your boat in the direction of your past dream or desire.

You don’t need permission from anyone to live fearlessly and start living your dream.

Stop calling on others to give you a big contract or big project. Instead of waiting, create your own opportunities. Develop content for your own digital channel, write a blog, or a movie script,

At the same time, look around. Not everyone has a boat. Make sure to throw a life buoy to others when you can. While it’s true we are in separate boats, we need to stay connected to our basic humanity through our sense of compassion and empathy. When you do, you will not only become a better captain of your own life but also some others will follow.

One man. One boat. In the middle of the sea. That’s the image I have in my mind about “The Old Man and the Sea,” one of Hemingway’s most enduring works, which was made into a classic film, featuring Spencer Tracy. Its simple message is that in our aloneness, each of us must battle through struggles in life with perseverance and dignity.

THE Zamboanga City Hall PNA FILE PHOTO

GENERAL Santos City centenarian Cecilia

4Ps beneficiaries in Mimaropa, C. Visayas among new engineers

nic University of the Philippines.

Upon learning that she hurdled the licensure examinations, the DSWD commended Mabunga and her family for their contribution to the realization of one of the program’s goals of improving the lives of poor Filipinos via education.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) made the announcement of the passers from Mimaropa and Central Visayas early this month.

Engr. Jiazel C. Mabunga—a 23-year-old daughter of a carpenter from Romblon—was a former 4Ps monitored child and had to live away from her family while studying in Manila. Due to their poverty and limited resources, she and her four siblings cannot attend school

at the same time. Mabunga narrated that when their household was not yet a beneficiary of 4Ps, it was extremely impossible for her and other siblings to study at the same time, and that someone had to stop and sacrifice.

Through the financial assistance from 4Ps, including the small earnings of her father and her mother who worked as a house helper, the Rombloanon was able to finish her studies at the Polytech -

In response to the agency’s congratulatory note, she acknowledged the DSWD’s 4Ps for continuously helping those in need, especially young people who aspire to obtain education, and wished that the program will continue to expand and benefit more people.

Mabunga advised 4Ps recipients to properly use the financial assistance from the government, and to study hard to achieve their dreams.

The DSWD Field Office in Central Visayas also named the 4Ps beneficiaries who successfully passed the licensure examinations.

They are Engrs. Dannice Clue P.

Quijano and Kimberly N. Salpocial from Bohol, Negros Oriental’s Engr. Vianne Kaye H. Rodriguez, and Engr. Kenneth M. Regodo from Lapu-Lapu City.

4Ps is a flagship program of the national government on poverty reduction that provides conditional cash grants to the “poorest of the poor” to help improve the health, nutrition and education of children. To qualify for the program, identified poor and near-poor households or families must be willing to comply with the conditions and meet the following criteria: with a family member zero- to 18-years old, and/or with a pregnant family member at the time of registration.

As of December 2022 the 4Ps program covers a total of 3,798,151 active household-beneficiaries across 41,676 barangays nationwide. PNA/Zaldy De Layola

CCA Manila inaugurates new B. Global City campus

THE Center for Culinary Arts (CCA

Manila) proudly announces the opening of its newest campus located in one of the prime business districts in Metro Manila: Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

Home to hundreds of chefs, culinary enthusiasts and entrepreneurs whose culinary dreams became a reality with the school’s rigorous, hands-on, and world-class curriculum, incoming CCA Manila students will benefit from the new BGC campus, which features individual kitchen stations fitted with top kitchen and appliance brands.

“We are very excited to welcome students [in our new BGC campus],” said Chef Philip John Golding, the center’s culinary director. “Part of this dynamic district will be CCA Manila, which will give passionate individuals who have a dream [of becoming] a professional chef, baker or even an all-around ‘home cook’ the chance to truly learn from the best chef instructors and industryleading curriculum.”

CCA Manila shapes its curriculum to

meet the demand of real-world kitchens in hotels, resorts, restaurants, cruise ships and commissaries, among others. Students would not only be able to prepare food, but also create innovative dishes, master various techniques, operate the kitchen effectively, learn ways to do sustainable sourcing and of course, be proud of elevating Filipino cuisine.

“CCA Manila aims to remain competitive in the culinary education field.

Aside from individual kitchen stations, each student will be provided with access to online tools and references, plus quality ingredients and mentorship,” added Golding.

Culinary education is not for the faint of heart, but it is all worth it if one is pursuing a passion for cooking. There will be long hours in the kitchen, intensive instructions, and culinary challenges, but CCA Manila

will be there to equip learners with necessary skills to conquer the culinary foodscape and at the same time, help provide a deeper appreciation for food as culture, art and health.

For those looking to become a professional chef, planning to open a foodrelated enterprise, even just to pursue cooking as a serious weekend hobby, or want a break from all the stress of office work, CCA Manila’s central location in BGC should be their next destination. Visit http://www.cca-manila. edu.ph , e-mail talktous@cca-manila.edu. ph or @ccamanila on Facebook and Instagram for queries.

The story of CCA Manila began with a vision of heightening the quality of culinary education in the country, and in the process elevating Filipino cuisine, talent and ingenuity on the world stage. Since opening its doors more than 25 years ago, it is constantly innovating, adapting to the times and setting trends, while continuously producing the best culinarians and “chef-preneurs.”

Laguna public school wins big in Nestlé Wellness Campus tilt

DESPITE its humongous size— with a population of more than 8,000 students—Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School (PGMNHS) succeeded with its innovative health program that earned it the national championship in the recently concluded Nestlé Wellness Campus (NWC) competition.

This nutrition education-advocacy effort of Nestlé Phils., in partnership with the Department of Education, involves collaborative participation of students, their parents and other stakeholders to practice healthy habits in their daily lives. Now in its 10th year, NWC still focuses on health and wellness education among millions of Grade 1 to 10 public-school students to help address malnutrition in the Philippines.

According to data from the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute’s Expanded National Nutrition Survey 2018-2019, one in four, or 24.9 percent of school-aged kids, is stunted. Even if the pervasiveness of underweight children at this age group significantly dropped from 31.2 percent in 2015 to 25.5 percent in the latest ENNS, the number of overweight children increased from 8.5 percent to 10.4 percent during the same period in review.

“We recognize the importance of instilling the value of proper nutrition among students, especially at a young age,” Nestlé Phils. senior vice president and Corporate Affairs head Jose Uy III said, as he cited that

PGMNHS’s triumph inspires them even more to be “a strong force for good.”

It is important that we teach them these habits at an early age…to develop a good foundation [that they can bring with them until they grow up],” Uy added.

Backed by the Sta. Cruz, Laguna local government, PGMNHS has developed the “Healthy Buddy: Your Best Pal to Wellness” mobile application. This school-initiated project provides constant reminders to the students to help track their adoption of the “Seven Healthy Habits,” namely: Choose Nutritious and Varied Options, Manage Portions, Drink Water and Milk, Play Actively, Enjoy Meals Together, Keep Good Hygiene and Care for the Planet. In return, students were able to submit screenshots of their habits and reflections using the app to their teachers.

“The Healthy Buddy mobile app is inline with our overall LIGHT [Let’s Ignite to Get Healthier and Tranquil] school objective in PGMNHS,” Dr. Reynaldo D. Villaluz, principal of PGMNHS, said of their entry that bested those of other 735 schools that joined in the contest from the seven participating regions.

Dr. Villaluz strongly believes that their students’ health the foundation of their success: “With the help of NWC’s Seven Healthy Habits, our students are guided and educated on health and wellness best practices that they can easily follow and live out both in school and at home.”

its “Project

(Reduce),

(Reuse),

and Go (Recycle)” campaign to teach and impart to students the proper ways of handling solid wastes at home, school or anywhere. With this initiative, they not only collected waste materials in the community, but also converted tetra packs as pots for vegetable seedlings and other plants. The creativity of some was also put into good use to come up with artificial decorative ornaments for their classrooms.

According to the principal, the food and beverage giant was impressed by ways the PGMNHS has been able to turn the Seven Healthy Habits of the NWC into creative yet practical efforts that can encourage other learning institutions to come together and help address the issue of malnutrition among students.

“As your ‘Kasambuhay’ for good, Nestlé Phils. will continue [enhancing and expanding the program…thus en -

abling] more children and their families to lead healthier, happier lives,” Uy III said.

To date the NWC has already reached out to more than 11 million students in 20,000-plus public schools nationwide. In addition to a library of modules, teacher lesson guides, student worksheets and other materials, interschool and interregional contests are held each academic year for the students to showcase their efforts in practicing the Seven Healthy Habits. For this year’s competition, PGMNHS also emerged as the division champion in poster-making, cook off, and dancercise. Apart from being declared the division champion on NWC’s “Best Implementing School” competition, it subsequently emerged victorious at the Region 4A (Calabarzon) level for the high-school category and the national stage, respectively. Roderick L. Abad

DELEGATES from the University for Administration and Finance of Ludwigsburg, Germany recently visited the Philippines to learn more a bout local public governance and education in the country.

Facilitated by Friedrich-EbertStiftung (FES) Phils., a foundation committed to the values of social democracy, the study tour was hosted by the School of Diplomacy and Governance (SDG) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

To start their official immersion, SDG Dean Gary Ador D ionisio DPA guided them on a comprehensive campus tour. The dean likewise provided an overview of the diverse learning opportunities offered in the c ollege: from mentorship under a roster of seasoned Philippine ambassadors in diplomatic posts abroad, to veteran public administrators and distinguished lawyers. They were also introduced t o international exposures, such as student mobilities and Model United Nations.

Governance and Public Affairs (GPA) faculty member Atty. Gio Tingson walked them through the current Philippine political climate. Fellow professors Macel Fernandez and Shiela Mae Sabalburo invited them to observe t heir Project Management and Development and Public Policy and Development classes, where the guests earned insights on ways SDG students develop their understanding through lectures and interactions from each other.

“It was very enriching to see the efforts with which they train their young talents. Sustainability plays a major role, but also re search,” the delegates shared.

They also noted that “there are many motivated students, and they were all interested in gaining new knowledge and broadening

their perspective. It was an atmosphere of mutual respect [where go od exchanges] developed. It is not just a frontal instruction, but there is an atmosphere of participatory learning.”

T he German team likewise expressed that the Benildean “willingness to work in a practiceoriented, disciplined and proactive manner” was an aspect they w ished to impart with their friends and classmates in Germany.

The foreign visitors, composed of professors Timo Jung and Franziska Katharina Freihart, as well as public management students Mareike Juliane Brenner, L isa Sommer, Lara Eliza Wend and Alicia Karina Lesch, were welcomed with a special dinner and accommodation at the Hotel Benilde Maison de La Salle.

To further realize the dynamics of Philippine administration, t he team traveled to Cavite and the City of Valenzuela. Respective public administrators and select department heads expounded on the demographics, challenges, and opportunities of the respective local government units, particularly within the context of the p andemic recovery phase.

They likewise visited the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela, a s well as the Museo ni Dr. Pio Valenzuela , and immersed themselves in the city’s rich history.

It was interesting to see how a country with over 7,000 islands is governed,” the delegates expressed. “We have learned a lot a bout the political system and the interaction of the individual units.”

“[As first timers in the Philippines,] we were overwhelmed by t he great hospitality,” they added.

“This open and warm atmosphere accompanied us throughout the week, and we are very thankful for it.”

THE PLDT and Smart-backed Central Visayan Institute Foundation-Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP) provided a huge lift to Sophia School in Meycauayan, Bulacan in overcoming the challenges caused by the pandemic.

“The CVIF-DLP is designed to complement the teaching strategy of the Department of Education [DepEd]. This learning delivery method helps develop independent learners,” said Stephanie Orlino, AVP and head of Stakeholder M anagement at PLDT and Smart.

Orlino shared that Sophia School had a rousing headstart. It began implementing the pandemic-tested teaching pedagogy back in 2010 for Grades 7 and 10.

In 2020, when the health crisis forced schools to switch to alternative methods of teaching, the school had an existing platform that students and teachers were already familiar with.

“The program helped teachers to multitask, since our students can study independently or with little teacher intervention.

It gave me more time to improve my CVIF-DLP Learning Activity Sheets [LAS] and prepare for the next lesson. I was able to teach two classes simultaneously,” said

Lorna Darilag who is a teacher of 26 years at Sophia School.

“Our students say they’re more focused on their lessons because of CVIF-DLP. They also credit the program for helping them develop time management skills,” added Eleonor Dela Vega who is the school’s CVIF-DLP lead coordinator.

Meanwhile, Grade-10 student

Loraine Angelica Natividad cited the program’s benefits: “The CVIF-DLP LAS sharpened my reading comprehension skills. Accomplishing [them] before lectures helped me understand the topics better.”

Kristen Claire Labuday, also a Grade-10 pupil, concurred with Natividad: “Copying the CVIF-DLP LAS help me retain information better, since they talk about one specific topic at a time. I also use [them] as exam reviewers.”

The program has reached more than 1,000 schools around the nation through workshops, and has trained more than 15,000 teachers since PLDT and Smart started supporting such in 2010. CVIF-DLP highlights PLDT and Smart’s efforts in providing access to inclusive quality education for all to help build a “MATATAG” or “strong” nation, as advocated by the DepEd. Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

RECIPIENTS of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Regions 4B and 7 were among successful board passers of the 2023 Civil Engineers Licensure Exams.

THE German delegation from Ludwigsburg’s University for Administration and Finance (front row)

PROGRAM Manager Chef Kerwin Funtanilla (from left) teaches fundamental cooking techniques to celebrity couple Daniel Miranda and Sofia Andres.

PGMNHS was recently awarded as the Nestle Wellness Campus Advocacy’s National Champion.

Tourism&Entertainment

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

NAGOYA AND BEYOND ExplOriNG thE OthEr siDE Of JApAN

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

by Bim Mauricio/BM

There was one hitch though. The Nagoya trip was supposed to be from April 12 to 20, 2023. However, we got a call that the dates of our trip were moved from April 1 to 8, 2023, which happened to be Holy Week.

I had second thoughts of pushing through but after much convincing, I could not let this opportunity go to waste. Another deciding factor was that we would be catching cherry blossoms (or simply sakura in Japan) in full bloom.

Thanks to two of our more seasoned travelers, we were able to get our visas roughly a month before our April 1 departure. The most frequent flyer in our group was the one who booked our accommodation in Nagoya, planned our itinerary, advised us on how much we should be bringing and even arranging our need to

be connected while out and about and a one-day tour of Takayama and Shirakawa-go, a world heritage site. An invaluable assistant to our trip was Klook. Known as Asia’s leading travel and experiences platform, Klook’s mobile app did not just help us book our desired tours, it even provided us with our much needed wi-fi connection.

Super early check in

S IN C e our trip happened at the height of all the offloading controversy by airport immigration officials, we all agreed to be at Terminal 3 as early as 1 am for our 7:30 am trip on April 1. We had all our papers ready and we were ready to answer whatever questions the immigration officers had for us. The immigration was a breeze. We were off to have an early breakfast,

get some sleep in the waiting lounge and wait for the Klook booth to open at 6 am to get hold of the wi-fi units.

After a four-hour flight, we arrived in Chubu Airport. We had a quick tour of the airport while lugging around our luggage, had lunch at the airport’s food court and proceeded to take the train to Nagoya proper.

Hotel Prizm, a new hotel, served as our home for the week. Most of the time we were out and about and probably the highlight of our stay was the one-day tour of Takayama and Shirakawa-go which was scheduled on April 3 and arranged through Klook.

We left the hotel early as we were not familiar with the location of the bus stop. It was a short taxi ride from the hotel and we all managed to get there before the 8 am departure time.

Klook tour

S IN C e we were a relatively big group, we were seated at the back of the bus. Takayama, which is almost a threehour bus ride from Nagoya, is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Takayama gained importance as a source of high-quality timber and highly skilled carpenters during the feudal ages. For those important resources, the city was put under direct control of the shogun and was quite prosperous considering its remote mountain location. We were told to bundle up because of its cooler weather and we were glad

Fiesta-hopping in Quezon

Story

by Bernard L. Supetran

TH e m erry month of May is the most fiesta-riddled season with religious feasts happening daily, with the pomp and pageantry of the Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan adding vibrance to the annual traditions. The province of Quezon gives travelers and culture vultures the unique opportunity to go through a fiesta-hopping circuit which will take you to a consummate experience of faith, food, fun and everything in between.

The adjoining Tayabas City, Lucban and Gumaca take pride in some of the few authentic centuriesold festivals which are deeply-rooted in the people’s way of life, with their shared devotion to San Isidro Labrador. e v ery May 15, these towns celebrate their own variant of the feast which pays homage to the patron saint of farmers for a bountiful harvest for the previous year.

Foremost among these festivals is Pahiyas of Lucban, arguably the most sought-after because of the houses and buildings which are jazzed up with the colorful kiping rice flakes and agricultural produce. This iconic feast has graced countless tourism posters, calendars and postcards which have been passed around long

before the advent of the internet and social media.

On top of the kaleidoscopic street displays, the town’s bucolic allure, Old World charm, and the warm people will keep you coming back even without the ornate adornments. Dubbed as Quezon’s “summer capital”, it boasts of a relatively cool weather because of its altitude and lush vegetation being at the foot of the majestic Mt. Banahaw.

The town is also dotted with spring resorts, heritage and religious structures, and farm tourism sites, most notably Bukid Amara which is known for its flower gardens, greenhouses where they raise new varieties of melons, and fish ponds where families can go fishing and grill their catch.

Tayabas, the colonial-era capital of the province which also had the same name, has the Mayohan Festival whose highlight is the “hagisan ng suman” where thousands of the sticky rice cake are thrown out of the windows for the local folks and guests to catch in the spirit of community fun.

In the recent fest held last May 15, the city government literally threw away some 12,000 pieces of the suman to the throng which is just overjoyed to see the events return to normalcy. This year’s Mayohan is also spe -

cial as it hosted the Traveling Museum series of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) where some 150 artifacts of the cultural theme park are displayed at the Casa Comunidad de Tayabas, the city’s heritage house and socio-civic center. The exhibit which runs until June 15, dubbed as “Masaganang Ani” showcases the country’s bountiful harvest by presenting agricultural artifacts from various ethnolinguistic groups under the care of the NPF.

Declared a component city of Quezon in 2007, it blends modern comforts and vestiges of a checkered past. On a typical day, tourists visit the St. Michael the Archangel Minor Basilica which has one of the longest church aisles in the country, and Malagonlong Bridge, the longest existing Spanish-era bridge with a 136-meter length, and 10-meters height.

Tayabas also takes pride in being the epicenter of an uprising in the mid-1800s led by Apolinario dela Cruz of Hermanong Pule who founded a religious fraternity to counter the discrimination by Spaniards on Filipino lay people.

The city is also gaining popularity as a gastronomy hub with its quaint home-grown dining outlets which serve regional food and beverage, and take-aways such as the sweet

we did. While it is called a city, the designs of the buildings and houses are traditional. It was also recommended that we try the local cuisine. However, we preferred to do that at the morning market located near the riverbank. There were a lot of stalls that sold local produce, cooked food and souvenir items.

After a two-hour stopover, we proceeded to our next destination, Shirakawa-go. Shirakawa-go is one of the areas in Japan that’s known for experiencing particularly heavy snowfall. About two meters of snow can fall during winter. If it was cold in Takayama, it was even colder in Shirakawa-go.

World Heritage Site

T OG e T H er with Gokayama in Nanto Toyama, it is one of UN e S CO’s World Heritage Sites. The area around Shirakawa was part of the traditional Hida Province. During the post-Meiji restoration casdastral reforms, the area was organized into Ono District, Gifu. The area was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time and the village learned to be self-sufficient.

It is a village worth visiting. You will see the roofs that are rather steep to allow the snow to fall off. The interior of the houses include a space that is used as a workroom for breeding silkworks. There is also a fireplace to prevent mold from form -

ing on the hatch. There’s a museum made of several houses and also features shops, shrines, restaurants and so much more.

We managed to get back to Nagoya at around 6 pm and we decided to look for a place to have dinner while walking back to the hotel. We did find a nice place that served really good ramen and gyoza. After filling ourselves up, we tiredly walked back to the hotel to call it a night.

Shopping galore

T H e remainder of our stay was spent shopping and buying pasalubong.

The team decided to go to Osaka the following day. I decided to stay behind because of my very poor knee and to meet my deadlines. Due to a miscommunication at the train station, the team decided to make use of their train pass and spend the night in Osaka and return to Nagoya the following day.

I did manage to meet my deadlines, do my laundry, and did a little shopping on my own. The rest arrived a little past midnight the following day and I heard that some of them decided to stay in Osaka and do more sightseeing and shopping while the rest decided to go to Kyoto.

April 6 was spent in Osu Shopping Street, the largest commercial shopping street in Nagoya. All kinds of shops can be found here which sell a products like kimonos, second hand

stores, duty free stores for appliances, and trendy stores. Of course, there are also a lot of food stores. We went back to the hotel with many bags in our hands and ready to spend the second to the last day packing.

Outlet shopping

O N our second to the last day, those w ho love to shop in our group went to Mitsui Outlet Park where they snagged great deals at Coach, Nike and Doc Martens. The problem now was how they would fit everything in their luggage. Because of all the walking at Osaka and Kyoto, two of the ladies spent the day resting at the hotel while two of us went to a Don Quijote outlet, the biggest discount store in Japan, near the hotel. When it was time to go home, we decided to leave the hotel early for our 1:50 pm flight. We enjoyed a last cup of the hotel’s unlimited coffee and our last taste of their daily breakfast fare of sausages, soft bread rolls and croissant. We did some last-minute shopping at the Duty Free outlet. I enjoyed my last bowl of ramen in Japan. If I had the opportunity again, I would love to go back to Japan. It’s clean, safe and has an efficient transportation system. As I personally experienced, going to Japan as a group makes the trip even doubly happy and worth all the hassle! When and where is our next trip, guys?

cultural produce. The most-awaited moment is the “agawan” portion after the Fiesta Mass and procession of the image of San Isidro Labrador, where the crowd try to grab the hanging fruits and vegetables as they are lowered, which is similar to the good old “pabitin” in a children’s party.

A bustling roadside town along the Maharlika Highway, its allure often slips the sight of travelers en route to the Bicol region, the Visayas or Mindanao, or simply made a meal stop at best.

But if you got time to spare, take a quick swing around the heritage lane to get a feel of Gumaca’s checkered past—the San Diego de Alcala Cathedral, the castillo or Spanish coastal fortress, the scenic baywalk promenade, and the municipal museum which houses art works and memorabilia of the community’s gentry.

The first post-pandemic festivities since 2020, Pahiyas, Mayohan and Araña’t Baluarte relived the vibe which locals and tourists have missed in the past three years: trade booths of local crafts and souvenirs, food stalls of native delicacies, the hospitable townsfolk welcoming visitors and strangers in their homes, and the religious rituals which mirror the faith and devotion of the locals.

yema cake and the lambanog coconut palm liquor. One of the lesser-known but equally festivals is Araña’t Baluarte

of Gumaca, which is inspired by the araña (chandelier) of fruits and vegetables and the baluarte or native arch, which is also adorned by agri -

With the huge turnout in all festivals, the people of Quezon can only look forward to more exciting days for the tourism industry beyond the fiestas.

Photos

When nine people in the office including this writer managed to get Cebu Pacific tickets to nagoya, Japan, it was unimaginable. For all of us, this meant that we had to start preparing the paperwork for the visa.

& photos

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

Google is giving its dominant search engine an artificialintelligence makeover

BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California—Google on Wednesday disclosed plans to infuse its dominant search engine with more advanced artificial-intelligence technology, a drive that’s in response to one of the biggest threats to its long-established position as the Internet’s main gateway.

The gradual shift in how Google’s search engine runs is rolling out three months after Microsoft’s Bing search engine started to tap into technology similar to that which powers the artificially intelligent chatbot ChatGPT, which has created one of Silicon Valley’s biggest buzzes since Apple released the first iPhone 16 years ago.

Google, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., already has been testing its own conversational chatbot called Bard. That product, powered by technology called generative AI that also fuels ChatGPT, has only been available to people accepted from a waitlist. But Google announced on Wednesday that Bard will be available to all comers in more than 180 countries and more languages beyond English.

Bard’s multilingual expansion will begin with Japanese and Korean before adding about 40 more languages.

Now Google is ready to test the AI waters with its search engine, which has been synonymous with finding things on the Internet for the past 20 years and serves as the pillar of a digital advertising empire that generated more than $220 billion in revenue last year.

“We are at an exciting inflection point,” Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai told a packed developers conference in a speech peppered with one AI reference after another. “We are reimagining all our products, including search.”

More AI technology will be coming to Google’s Gmail with a “Help Me Write” option that will produce lengthy replies to emails in seconds, and a tool for photos called “Magic Editor” that will automatically doctor pictures.

The AI transition will begin cautiously with the search engine that serves as Google’s crown jewel.

The deliberate approach reflects the balancing act that Google must negotiate as it tries to remain on the cutting edge while also preserving its reputation for delivering reliable search results—a mantle that could be undercut by artificial intelligence’s penchant

for

fabricating information that sounds authoritative.

The tendency to produce deceptively convincing answers to questions—a phenomenon euphemistically described as “hallucinations”—has already been cropping up during the early testing of Bard, which like ChatGPT, relies on still-evolving generative AI technology.

Google will take its next AI steps through a newly formed search lab where people in the US can join a waitlist to test how generative AI will be incorporated in search results. The tests also include the more traditional links to external web sites where users can read more extensive information about queried topics. It may take several weeks before Google starts sending invitations to those accepted from the waitlist to test the AI-injected search engine.

The AI results will be clearly tagged as an experimental form of technology and Google is pledging the AI-generated summaries will sound more factual than conversational—a distinct contrast from Bard and ChatGPT, which are programmed to convey more human-like personas. Google is building in guardrails that will prevent the AI baked into the

The anatomy of a queen

Second, the fans were really emotionally invested in the pageant. Third, a star was born in social media personality Angelique Manto, who represented Pampanga in the pageant. Perhaps one observation that concerned me was the online vitriol directed toward Michelle Dee. There were even derogatory hashtags pertaining to her victory. A lot of people mocked her pasarela and the dramatic faces she made while doing her catwalk.

search engine from responding to sensitive questions about health—such as, “Should I give Tylenol to a three-year-old?”—and finance matters. In those instances, Google will continue to steer people to authoritative web sites.

Google isn’t predicting how long it will be before its search engine will include generative AI results for all comers. The Mountain View, California, company has been under intensifying pressure to demonstrate how its search engine will maintain its leadership since Microsoft began to load AI into Bing, which remains a distant second to Google.

The potential threat caused Alphabet’s stock price to initially plunge, although it has recently bounced back to where it stood when Bing announced its AI plans to great fanfare.

More recently, The New York Times reported Samsung is considering dropping Google as the default search engine on its widely used smartphones, raising the specter that Apple might adopt a similar tactic with the iPhone unless Google can show its search engine can evolve with what appears to be a forthcoming AI-driven revolution. ■

ATIN launched to attain inclusive digital growth in PHL

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor

DIFFERENT stakeholders of the tech industry in the Philippines have banded together to leverage on the power of technology to promote inclusive growth and development. Recently, the Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation (ATIN) was formally launched to bring together government, businesses and communities to form an enabling environment for innovation in the digital economy.

This public-private partnership was initiated to help achieve the projected economic growth of the country. The Philippines is the fastest-growing digital economy among major Southeast Asian nations in 2021. It is projected to create P5 trillion in economic value by 2030, according to a 2022 study released by Singapore-based economic consultancy firm AlphaBeta. The coalition has identified three actions that need to be taken to improve the lives of everyday Filipinos in the online economy: enhance digital skills training and education, accelerate digital adoption and innovation, and promote digital trade opportunities.

“Digitalization will foster inclusive growth where financial services become more accessible to the majority. A collaborative effort between the public sector, business stakeholders and MSMEs [micro, small and medium enterprises] will help to create a digital ecosystem that drives development, long-term employment, and inclusive growth in the country,” Monchito Ibrahim, lead convenor of ATIN and former undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, said during the organization’s debut held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

The kick-off event was the group’s first step to raise awareness on the state of the country’s digital economy, and the vital role of multistakeholder initiatives for its growth.

ATIN aims to foster alignment between the public and private sectors to coordinate efforts to drive greater digital economy participation among Filipinos, and to create an enabling policy and regulatory environment. It is also planning to host the ATIN Digital Economy Summit to sustain talks and bring nascent issues, policies and initiatives for the Philippine digital economy at the forefront of public discussions by reconvening thought leaders in tech, and policy and decision makers in government.

“ATIN aims to contribute its expertise in the tech space to shape regulations and legislation for inclusive digital growth and development. Following our launch event, the ATIN Digital Economy Summit 2023 will be a crucial next step to sustain multistakeholder dialogue to improve our digital infrastructure, assist MSMEs in adopting digital technology, and promote ease of doing business through technology, so we can build sustainable growth that will reach our communities,” Ibrahim added.

pressure, which is the mark of a true queen. She knew she was being bashed online but she had her eye on the prize. There may have been more beautiful girls in the Top 18 but when it came to the Top 5, Dee made sure everyone knew she deserved to win.

WHEN Melanie Marquez was crowned Miss International, I was 16 years old. I will never forget how lovely she looked on her coronation night, with that crown made of Mikimoto pearls on her head tied to a ribbon around her chin. Only a truly beautiful woman could get away with something tied around her chin.

Last Saturday, I got to witness the coronation of Marquez’s daughter Michelle Dee as Miss Universe Philippines at the Mall of Asia Arena, thanks to PLDT Home, the official broadband partner of the pageant. I’m not as keen of a pageant enthusiast as my friend and colleague Charlize Mendez Legaspi, who is an expert, but I have my observations about this year’s edition of Miss Universe Philippines.

The competition this year was really heated. First off, the contestants were really gorgeous and represented the diverse beauty of Filipino women.

As someone who was 16 when Dee’s mother became Miss International, let me tell you that our  new Miss Universe Philippines definitely got it from her momma. Dee in 2023 walked just like Marquez during the latter’s peak as a supermodel. Even the way Dee bends her body backward with the stomach jutting out is a signature Melanie Marquez move.

I read an article in Preview magazine where pageant coach Ian Mendajar, who worked with Dee, said that the daughter’s walk was indeed inspired by her mom. Marquez’s signature S walk, which was widely criticized on social media when Dee did it, was what made Melanie a supermodel. This is something I don’t understand. Dee is a beautiful and striking woman. She looks like her mom, except that she isn’t as tall. She has a great body. So why is she being attacked for paying homage to her mother’s famous walk?

I’ll be honest—I went to MOA Arena rooting for Angelique Manto and left with much respect for Michelle Dee. She showed grace and dignity under

After her victory, the bashing did not stop, even when pageant analysts said that, yes, Dee deserved to win. She nailed the question-and-answer portion and her answer “I am Pinoy,” in my opinion, sealed her victory.

This is not to diminish the efforts of the other women. I actually felt sorry for the judges because this year’s field of contestants was amazing so it must have been difficult to make their choices. The five finalists were all winners. It was not a matter of the best girl winning the crown but being the one who would represent her country well this year.

I feel for Dee. It must be tough reading through tweets and comments that are negative, but I admire her fortitude to come out every day and still look like a queen. Speaking of which, I believe that not every queen looks the same but a queen is still a queen even if her looks don’t conform to what people define as attractive.

A few days after her victory, Dee tweeted: “This is definitely the reason why beauty queens should use their platform to lead by example (as we always say proudly onstage). Grateful that #mmdverse knows that I do not tolerate cyber bullying or hate speech of any kind. Proud of us.”

Phil-

Michelle Dee

GLOBE GROUP PARTNERS WITH AKLAN LGU TO ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

GLOBE recently partnered with the local government of Malay, Aklan, in its move to encourage sustainable tourism, through the highly-anticipated return of Love Boracay (formerly known as LaBoracay) held on April 28 to May 1.

The telco giant has been supportive of Boracay’s environmental conservation efforts through conducting offshore clean-up drives, coral reef rehabilitation, community support for prevention of untreated effluents from entering the sea, and raising awareness among the youth and the community on how they can contribute to environmental conservation.

“Globe fully supports the local government of Malay, Aklan, in its efforts to advance responsible tourism in Boracay. At this year’s Love Boracay, we carried out activities to encourage customers to adopt sustainable practices. We hope this event raises awareness for responsible tourism throughout our country,” said Pia Gonzalez-Colby, Globe chief marketing officer.

To encourage Boracay visitors to “Go Lang Nang Go” and discover how they can responsibly enjoy the island’s beauty, Globe held various activities at the Globe Eco Station located at the picturesque beachfront in Boracay’s Station 1.

■ PLASTICS FOR A PRIZE. Here, tourists got the chance to spin and win prizes by turning over single-use plastic bottles, plastic cups, cans, or plastic bags and presenting their GlobeOne app and proof of SIM registration. They also got a shot for the prize by donating at least P10 to Save Philippine Seas via the GlobeOne app or GCash.

■ GFOREST SIGNUP. There was a GCash booth for customers to sign up to GForest, where actual trees are planted through points collected via various activities.

■ GLOBE AT HOME CASH GIVEAWAY. Globe At Home gave away P5,000 in GCash credits to customers who took a photo at the Globe At Home photo wall and shared it on social media. Customers also received P50 GCash credits for turning over plastic bottles at the Globe At Home booth.

■ GLOBE AND KONSULTAMD ESSENTIALS. Globe also had booths at D’Mall and Lake Town where customers got the chance to win beach kit essentials for downloading the GlobeOne app, registering their SIM, or registering to Go+99 via GCash. KonsultaMD also offered medicine vouchers, vitamin packs and other freebies to those who registered and downloaded the app.

At the GCash booth, customers also got a kit with beach essentials for every proof of payment with GCash at partner establishments.

“GCash has been powering the Globe Group’s goal of promoting a digital ecosystem in the country. For example in Boracay, you can now pay for your e-trike rides, food trip, activities, and other local shopping via the GCash app. This is our way of not only promoting local tourism but also making sure that businesses in Boracay benefit from the growing digital economy,” said Neil Trinidad, GCash chief marketing officer.

Dell Technologies new lineup puts focus on the needs of the hybrid work force

philosophy, driving innovations across its commercial portfolio. From the device, to software and solutions, to the ecosystem, all are designed to bring an elevated sense of connection and collaboration.

intelligence from the PC to the rest of the ecosystem— adding intelligent audio, privacy, connectivity and collaboration that learn and respond to the way people work.

LAST week, American tech giant Dell Technologies unveiled its latest commercial client and ecosystem portfolio during a media briefing held in Penang, Malaysia.

With a focus on innovation, Dell showcased an array of new designs, collaboration features, and performance enhancements that are set to redefine the PC landscape. The showcase demonstrated why investing in the right tools and technology are essentials for organizations to enable a productive and happy work force. It also highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability, security, manageability, and service offerings aimed at helping businesses achieve their

to security, and objectives. for

In this post-pandemic era, hybrid work has become a common concept for most people. However, there are still obstacles that impede optimal work experiences.

Addressing these challenges is a fundamental aspect of Dell’s design

Speaking at the event, Paul Carter, Dell Technologies vice president, Client Solutions Group, Asia Pacific and Japan, pointed out that technology has, and will, continue to shape the way people work and how they define it. “In a hybrid, digitalfirst world, organizations must not only shift their mindset but also ensure their workforce is equipped with secure and intelligent technologies so they can be at their best.”

Organizations around the world have gone through unprecedented shifts in the workplace, and this stride of change will continue to be fast paced. Rather than focusing on providing standalone hardware to employees, the focus becomes providing a full PC ecosystem experience coupled with secure and reliable technology solutions to allow collaboration and productive work in this hybrid era. Dell Technologies updated its commercial portfolio include;

■ A fully redesigned Latitude line-up, including the new Latitude 9440 that combines collaboration and beautiful design, and Latitude 7340/7440 Ultralight for productivity on-the-go

■ The Precision portfolio is refreshed with multiple form factors and options for mobility and performance, aimed at those needing a little more horsepower and graphics performance without compromising mobility.

■ Dell OptiPlex portfolio—celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, OptiPlex now comes with simplified options that will make it easy for customers to configure and buy systems that match their business needs.

■ The new set of advanced displays and peripherals was developed to boost users’ productivity and ease of collaboration for an improved overall PC experience.

■ To complete the PC experience in a modern work setup, the latest version of Dell Optimizer extends

Harnessing the power of digital technology toward self-improvement

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

DIGITAL technology is a great equalizer as it can enable an individual to move up the socioeconomic ladder.

This was the case of Michico “Chico” Oranga, the president and founder of web design company Citrus Fresh Solutions, and the digital media agency Lime Digital Asia. Among its clients are Krispy Kreme, Wendy’s, Conti’s, Shell, Castrol, and Megaworld.

As a non-achiever in his elementary and high school days, Oranga recalled he consistently got grades starting with a “palakol ” or in the line of seven.

Nevertheless, the Imus, Cavite native was determined to obtain a college degree. However, lady luck was not on his side as the pre-need company where his mother bought the educational plan had gone bankrupt. “I was devastated and turned to vices and became a bum,” he said.

Oranga, meanwhile, discovered he had a talent for repairing gadgets even without formal training. His “first”

break came when his drinking buddy asked him to fix his personal computer. “That’s when my survival instincts kicked in. I discovered that you can earn money even without a college degree,” Oranga recalled.

The turning point for Oranga came when he worked as a custodian of his friend’s internet shop. During his free time, Oranga educated himself by reading voraciously all information technology-related literature such as coding, Photoshop and web design. He also joined an internet community, called Hide Codes Galore, whose members exchanged ready-made web design templates and codes. “From that community, I made connections with young people like me who were also aspiring web designers,” he said. With his personal motto of “always striving for more,” Oranga developed new skills. From observing how the account managers presented to clients, he learned how to craft PowerPoint presentation decks and deliver pitches. From the personnel of the wedding photo studio that was next

door to his office, he became an excellent photographer. “My learning kept going. I invested in acquiring new knowledge. My boss was supportive of that undertaking,” Oranga explained. With a modest capital of P15,000, he bought a server and a domain to put up Citrus Fresh Solutions. That was the start of his journey toward entrepreneurship.

When the e-commerce site Multiply announced its closure in 2013, Citrus Fresh Solutions saw it as an opportunity to help the account users who would be left without a platform to sell their merchandise. It also offered them a discounted rate to help them start their own e-commerce websites. “That was the start of the growth and one referral led to another,” he said. After five years, Citrus Fresh Solutions bagged a Philippine Best Brand Award in the web design category. It was a surreal moment for him as seated among the big guns in the industry such as Max’s and Potato Corner.

Although social media advertising and marketing remain as their core business. Oranga doesn’t want to stop there.

Beyond hardware, Dell customers are increasing their focus on sustainability and are turning to the tech giant to help them reach their sustainability goals. Dell is expanding innovative use of sustainable materials using circular design principles.

“Dell continues to drive circular innovation in our product design, packaging, manufacturing, materials and services,” said Anothai Wettayakorn, vice president, Asia Emerging Markets and South Asia Consumer and Small Business, Dell Technologies.

“We are expanding the use of low-carbon emissions aluminum to include more recycled content and extending this material to more of our portfolio, including the Latitude 9440 and Precision 5680, and to the Latitude 7000 series later this year.”

Dell also announced that it increased the percentage of post-consumer recycled materials to reduce the environmental impact further in its most sustainable Latitude laptop series, Precision 3000 Series workstations, and the latest commercial monitors. Meanwhile, the “Quiet Mode” within the thermal management settings of Dell Optimizer can help end users save power up to 18 percent.

One non-PC product that generated a lot of interest was the Dell Ecoloop Backpack, which features a weatherproof coating on the fabric made from recycled PVB film recovered from used car windshields. According to the Dell website, EcoLoop designated items represent their conscious effort to preserve natural resources and reduce their carbon footprint through sustainable practices such as embracing reclaimed materials and improved dyeing processes.

The Dell EcoLoop label identifies products that are manufactured with select materials and/or processes that help reduce our environmental impact. The Dell EcoLoop Pro Slim Series has diverted 44 metric tons of recycled plastic, equivalent to 5 million plastic bottles, and is sustainable right down to the packaging that’s made from 100 percent recycled content. ■

“Right now, I am learning automations. I am learning AI. I am learning new trends on how to maximize TikTok,” he said. Oranga said his companies will remain customer-centric because clients want a customized solution.

He believes that learning is a continuous process to enable himself to grow by seeking new knowledge and skills that he can apply to his work. “I’m constantly pushing myself to be better, and that mindset has helped me achieve balance and fulfillment,” he said.

As an entrepreneur, Oranga said one must learn to sacrifice, work hard, and have a willingness to take risks.

“You have to be willing to put in the work, even when it seems like you’re not making progress. But if you’re committed to your goals and willing to persevere, success is within reach,” Oranga explained.

“Keep pushing yourself, keep learning, and keep growing. And remember, success is not just about achieving your goals. It’s about the journey you take to get there, and the person you become along the way,” he added.

World leaders gather for G7 meetings, ready to pile fresh round of sanctions on Russia

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies gathered Thursday for Group of Seven meetings in Hiroshima, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine high on the agenda for a summit convened in the shadow of the world’s first atomic bomb attack.

The G7 nations, which officials said have reached new levels of cooperation more than a year into Russia’s brutal war, were set to unveil a new round of sanctions against Moscow when the summit officially opens on Friday, as well as announce that they would redouble their efforts to enforce existing sanctions meant to stifle Russia’s war effort and punish those behind it, a US official said.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview the announcement, said the US component of the actions would blacklist about 70 Russian and third-country entities involved in Russia’s defense production, and sanction more than 300 individuals, entities, aircraft and vessels.

The official added that the other nations in the group would undertake similar steps to further isolate Russia and to undermine its ability to wage war in Ukraine. Details were to come out over the course of the weekend summit.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is hosting the summit in his hometown, opened the global diplomacy with a sit down with US President Joe Biden after Biden’s arrival at a nearby military base. Kishida also held talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before the three-day gathering of leaders opens.

The Japan-US alliance is the “very foundation of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” Kishida told Biden in opening remarks.

“We very much welcome that the cooperation has evolved in leaps and bounds,” he said.

Biden, who greeted US and Japanese troops at nearby Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni before his meeting with Kishida, said: “When our countries stand together, we stand stronger, and I believe the whole world is safer when we do.”

As G7 attendees made their way to Hiroshima, Moscow unleashed yet another aerial attack on the Ukrainian capital. Loud explosions thundered through Kyiv during the early hours, marking the ninth time this month that Russian air raids have targeted the city after weeks of relative quiet.

“The crisis in Ukraine: I’m sure that’s what the conversation is going to start with,” said Matthew P. Goodman, senior vice president for economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said there will be “discussions about the battlefield” in Ukraine and on the “state of play on sanctions and the steps that the G7 will collectively commit to on enforcement in particular.”

Russia is now the most-sanctioned country in the world, but there are questions about the effectiveness of the financial penalties despite their breadth.

The US, for example, has frozen Russian Central Bank funds, restricted banks’ access to SWIFT—the dominant system for global financial transactions—and sanctioned thousands of Russian firms, government officials, oligarchs and their families.

The Group of Seven nations collectively imposed a $60 per-barrel price cap on Russian oil and diesel last year, which the US Treasury Department on Thursday defended in a new progress report, stating that the cap has been successful in suppressing Russian oil revenues. Treasury cites Russian Ministry of Finance data showing that the Kremlin’s oil revenues from January to March this year were more than 40 percent lower than last year.

The economic impact of sanctions depends largely on the extent to which a targeted country is able to circumvent them, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. So for the past month, US Treasury officials have traveled across Europe and Central Asia to press countries that still do business with the Kremlin to cut their financial ties.

G7 leaders and invited guests from several other counties are also expected to discuss how to deal with China’s growing assertiveness and military buildup as concerns rise that it could try to seize Taiwan by force, sparking a wider conflict. China claims the self-governing island as its own and its ships and warplanes regularly patrol near it.

Security was tight in Hiroshima, with thousands of police deployed throughout the city. A small group of protesters was considerably outnumbered by police as they gathered Wednesday evening beside the ruins of the Atomic Peace Dome memorial, holding signs including one which read “No G7 Imperialist Summit!”

In a bit of dueling diplomacy, Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting the leaders of the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for a two-day summit in the Chinese city of Xi’an starting Thursday. AP

Xi commits to boost Central Asia security ties as war weakens Putin

PRESIDENT Xi Jinping said China is ready to help Central Asian nations bolster their security and defense capabilities as he wrapped a summit of the region’s leaders, underscoring Beijing’s efforts to deepen its influence there as an expansionist Russia raises fresh security issues.

China can help the region improve its “law enforcement, security, and defense capability construction,” Xi said during a keynote speech at the inaugural in-person China-Central Asia Summit, according to a report published by the official Xinhua News Agency. He also said China would provide 26 billion yuan ($3.7 billion) in financing support and “free assistance” to the countries.

The event assembled the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for two days in the Chinese city of Xi’an, where they discussed ways to deepen ties on everything from defense to finance, trade and energy.

T he summit came as President Joe Biden joined the other leaders of the Group of Seven nations in Japan this week to discuss, among other things, measures to counter perceived Chinese threats to global economic security. The simultaneous meetings symbolized an increasingly multipolar world, as China tries to challenge the US-led system.

While Russia and China are united in that mission to counter Washington, Xi’s decision to assemble five former Soviet states without President Vladimir Putin demonstrated Beijing’s increasingly senior position in their “no limits” relationship.

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has become reliant on China to provide both economic cover from Western sanctions and much-needed diplomatic support. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will next week lead a delegation to a Shanghai business forum that has also invited sanctioned tycoons, exemplifying how China can shelter Moscow from Western economic sanctions. Bloomberg News

SEAG STARS FAVORED FOR HANGZHOU

GOLD and silver medalists in the just-concluded 32nd Southeast Asia Games in Cambodia are potential shoo-in for Team Philippines to the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

Bragging rights up for grabs in inaugural LPGT PHL Masters

MORE than the crown are the bragging rights that will be on the line when the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) stages the inaugural International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Villamor Philippine Masters from May 24 to 26 at the Villamor Golf Club in Pasay City.

Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy headline the compact field in the three-day duel featuring a competition on ball control and putting in pursuit of the championship in an esteemed event that used to serve as one of the

Chihiro Ikeda, Pamela Mariano and Korean Kim Seoyun, while the likes of Gretchen Villacencio, Kristine Fleetwood, Florence Bisera, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Minoza, Apple Fudolin, Rev Alcantara, Majorie Pulumbarit, Monica Mandario and Korean Yan Juyoung are all ready for a big surprise at the long, tight Villamor layout.

Spicing up the title chase are national team mainstay Mafy Singson and fellow amateur Nam Eunhua and Lee Jiwon of Korea.

The other criterion, Tolentino said, will be based on Asian and world rankings which are essential as the Asian Games are a qualifier for Paris 2024 and the Hangzhou results fall within the Olympic qualifying window which starts June 1 and lasts for a year.

That’s a parameter, gold and silver medalists in Cambodia will be strongly considered for the national team to

Hangzhou,” Tolentino said on Friday.

“They’ll be funded under Group A classification. The rest will be in Group B, but they need to be evaluated.”

T he POC has set a Group A classification for athletes who will be funded by the Philippine Sports Commission and Group B for those whose participation will be shouldered by their national sports associations.

The Philippines clinched 58 golds, 85 silvers and 117 bronzes for a total of 260 medals—a harvest that merited a fifth-place finish overall— in the SEA Games Cambodia hosted for the first time from May 5 to 17.

But not all gold and silver medalists in Cambodia are eligible for Hangzhou because they were won in sports that

Ando thanks HD for SEAG success

By Josef Ramos

ELREEN ANN ANDO has

Olympic and world champion Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo to thank for her record-breaking success at the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games that sort of made up for her dismal performance at the Asian ndo, a Tokyo Olympian like Diaz-Naranjo, had a “no lift” across her name at the Asian weightlifting championships in Jinju, South Korea, just days before the SEA Games.

Scribes

regulation and nail her fifth victory in a three-year pro career.

Hopefully, I’ll play another good round at Villamor,” Constantino said.

B ut while she is ready for another title crack on a course she calls home, Uy and the rest of the 21-player cast are going all-out to stop the former national champion from reigning again at the quaint military layout kept in championship form year-round.

Constantino also ruled the first ICTSI Villamor Match Play Invitational last year, also via playoff over top amateur Rianne Malixi, making her the marked player in the upcoming P1 million event serving as fifth leg of this year’s LPGT organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Marvi Monsalve, for one, is back in the hunt, upbeat of her chances for a breakthrough following a stint in the Thailand Ladies Professional Golfers Association Tour while Sarah Ababa is likewise pleased of her ever-improving game with top five finishes in the first four tournaments, including a runner-up finish in Bacolod last March and a third place effort at Caliraya Springs.

Meanwhile, a slew of others are keen on bouncing back, including Uy, reigning Order of Merit winner

NU-NS gals eye playoffs berth

NATIONAL UniversityNazareth School (NU-NS) try to complete a group sweep to formalize its entry to the playoffs in the last elimination play date of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (GVIL) Saturday at the San Andres Gym in Malate, Manila.

N U-NS, the reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines juniors champion, is 2-0 won-lost in Group A, the same record held by Bacolod Tay Tung High School, California Academy and Naga College Foundation in Groups B, C and D, respectively. They are heavily favored to advance to the crossover quarterfinals starting with NU-NS’ bid against Gracel Christian College Foundation (1-1) at 9 a.m.

C alifornia Academy battles Arellano University (1-1) at 12 p.m., Naga tests the mettle of Emilio Aguinaldo College-Immaculate Conception Academy (0-2) at 3:30 p.m. and Bacolod clashes with Kings’ Montessori School (1-1) at 5 p.m.

The matches pitting La Salle Zobel (1-1) against University of Santo Tomas (1-1) at 10:30 a.m. in Group D and La Salle Lipa (1-1) against University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (0-2) at 2 p.m. in Group A are also scheduled on Saturday.

O nly the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals of the 16-team tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as government cooperation partner.

are not in the Asian Games program.

C hina is hosting the Asia Games for the third time—after Beijing 1990 and Guangzhou 2010—from September 3 to October 8.

The Philippines won four gold, two silver and 15 bronze medals at the 2018 18th Asia Games in Jakarta and Palembang. Olympic and world weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz won one, Yuka Saso had two in golf’s women’s individual and team play and Margielyn Didal one in women’s street of skateboarding.

B ut the 24-year-old Cebuano fumed with redemption in Phnom Penh and lifted games records of 98 kgs in snatch, 118 kgs in clean and jerk and 216 kgs in total lift to win gold in the women’s 59-kg class.

Ate Hidilyn [Diaz-Naranjo] is really amazing in helping me,” Ando, who failed in the clean and jerk in Jinju, told BusinessMirror on Friday. “I didn’t finish my lift in the Asian championships but she told me not to give up.”

A ndo said that qualifying in the Paris Olympics remains her

honor champion coaches

HE top collegiate league coaches get their turn to be under the spotlight during the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night on Monday. Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Bonnie Tan, Ateneo de Manila University’s Tab Baldwin and the University of the Philippines’ Goldwin Monteverde will be feted as Coaches of the Year in the awards ceremony presented by Robinsons

Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances and Handyman.

They coached their teams to championships in the past three seasons of their respective leagues.  T he Collegiate Press Corps awards were shelved from 2020 to 2022 because of the pandemic. The event—presented by San Miguel Corp. and the Philippine Sports Commission, will be held at The Hummingbird Rooftop Bar in Quezon City.

Tan steered the Knights to three straight championships in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in a 4413 win-loss record. He recently left the Letran men’s basketball program to focus

goal despite the fact that she has to compete for the slot against DiazNaranjo.

My goal is to qualify for the Olympics again. I have to work hard and I am very happy that Hidilyn is inspiring me to work hard for it,” she said. “My weightlifting campaign is dedicated to my late father, Lupito, who died last year.”

O lympic weightlifting allows only one qualifier for each country, thus putting Ando in an uncompromising situation with Diaz-Naranjo.

D iaz-Naranjo won her Olympic gold at 55 kgs, a weight class that’s not in the Paris program.

on NorthPort in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Monteverde will be hailed as the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Coach of the Year for 2021 and 2022 for having guided the Fighting Maroons to the Season 84 championship that ended a close to four decades title drought.

B aldwin, on the other hand, will be honored as UAAP Coach of the Year for 2019-20 and 2022-23. He steered the Blue Eagles to a perfect 16-0 campaign in Season 82 and orchestrated their return to the throne in Season 85.

A lso to be feted in the awards night also supported by MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival and Jockey are the Mythical Teams in collegiate basketball as well as the players of the year in basketball and volleyball.

Murray helps propel Nuggets to 2-0 lead vs Lakers

ENVER—After Nikola Jokic’s monster game in the opener, his pick-and-roll partner Jamal Murray took the spotlight in the Western Conference finals Thursday night. Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter,

propelling the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 come-from-behind win over the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2-0 lead in the series.

He was special,” Jokic said. “He won us the game basically.”

Murray missed 12 of his 17 shots through three quarters but found his touch in the fourth, going 6 for 7, including four 3-pointers, and fueling a 15-1 run that gave Denver a 96-84 lead.

He made shots at the end of the clock,” LeBron James lamented. “We guard for 24 seconds and he made two big-time shots, one over [Anthony Davis] and one over me. He had his three-point shot going in the fourth. It’s no surprise to me, he’s done it before. Sometimes it’s a never-miss league.”

I n all, Denver sank seven 3s in the fourth quarter after hitting seven all night.

It would have been a lot easier if I had made them in the first half,” said Murray, who is still playing through an earache he hasn’t been able to shake since Round 2.

Jokic added 23 points, 17 rebounds and a dozen assists a day after ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters handed the Nuggets the no-respect card by acknowledging that she’d never seen the two-time MVP play before Game 1, when he had 34 points, 21 boards and 14 assists.

“ For those that don’t know him, he’s got 13 playoff tripledoubles now,” Malone sneered after Game 2. “It’s just incredible what he continues to do on a nightly basis on the biggest stage in the world.”

A s for Jokic, he brushed off the slights on him and his teammates, saying, “It’s nothing new for us.”

Malone was plenty miffed by the Lakers getting all the pub.

You win Game 1 and all everybody talked about was the Lakers,” Malone said. “Let’s be honest, the national narrative was, ‘Hey, the Lakers are fine. They’re down 1-0, but they figured something out.’ No one talked about how Nikola just had an historic performance. He’s got 13 (playoff) triple-doubles now, third all-time. What he’s doing is just incredible. AP

Bravo Zulu bags CGFI Invitational Regular golf title

BRAVO Zulu Security became the inaugural champion of the Cordillera Golfers Foundation Inc. Invitational Tournament following a runaway finish in Regular Class A on Friday at the  Pinewoods Golf and Country Club in Baguio City.

Bravo Sulu stared at a measly four-point lead after the first day of tournament at Camp John Hay, but uncorked a flight best 109 points at the longer Pinewoods layout to finish with 232 for a 31-point victory over second placer Immipugo.

R anz Balay-odao was the team’s best scorer with 30 points. Ramir Badua came in with 29 points, while first round topnotcher Mars Mudon had 26 and Henry Rosito chipped in 24 for Bravo Zulu, which became the first unofficial champion in the sevenflight tournament aimed to help indigent Cordillera learners.

I mmipugo found the longer layout that is always shrouded by fog a tough nut to crack as it tallied only 82 points and a 201 total to salvage second place.

Noel Beleran and Harry Paltongan, who both had even par for 36 at John Hay, managed 25 and 21 points, respectively, to tow the team which gained 19 and 17 points from Ruben Guinolbay and Francis Cuyop, respectively.

Grumpy Joe went even par capped by the 36 points of Jose Ravinar Austria for a second-best 101 for third place finish. RUA Construction limped home with a 68. R avinar, who had a one under for 37 at John Hay, was ably assisted by Von Vargas (24), Jamil Ramirez (21) and Ethan Co (20) for a 191 total that was good for third place.

O wner and former Philippine Basketball Association player Benedict Fernandez did not play after a harrowing first day effort.

Rua, which was one down on the eventual champion after the first round, could only muster 68 points on the 19 of owner Rommy Aquino, 18s from former top Baguio City amateur golfer Chester Calpotura and Rudy Lockey and 13 from retired police general Clyde Cabreros.

RUA finished with 190, just one off Grumpy Joe.

Grumpy Joe’s Austria was the runaway individual Class A champion with his one under 73—a 12-shot victory over Balay-odao of team champion Bravo Sulu and Beleran of Immipugo.

A aron Cadiogan opened with 23 points to lead Buy Bust to a two-point lead in Regular C at John Hay. Willy Cayat had 22 points, Baguio City Councilor Michael Lawana 19 and Jeff Balangitan 18 for the team. Warren Dagupon made 23 points for Pines Kumpadres which scored 80 points. Ramon Baloy-odao and Michael Atolba had a pair of 21s and Vincent Balaodan chipped in 15 for the team.

JAMAL MURRAY takes charge in Game 2. AP

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino says Asian and world rankings will also be considered for the selection of athletes to the Asian Games.

HARMIE CONSTANTINO and Daniella Uy are headed to a heated duel.

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