BusinessMirror May 30, 2023.pdf

BSP sees inflation within target range by Sept

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the country’s headline inflation to be within its target range as early as September, as the increase in prices of goods and services continues to ease.

“Our forecast is that by September or October, the headline inflation on a year-on-year basis will be below 4 percent unless there are new developments,” BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla told reporters in an interview on Monday in Taguig City.

T he national government’s inflation target is between 2 and 4 percent.

Medalla explained that the BSP has observed that headline inflation, on a month-on-month basis,

has been stagnant or near zero since January.

“At least from one month to the next, inflation is now moving that much. Of course, that will be the temporary effect of already high prices, but once that is gone, it will normalize,” he said Medalla said the government’s anti-inflation measures, which involved monetary and non-monetary actions, are already working, as exemplified by the downward trend in the country’s inflation rate.

Medalla added that the BSP sees no more lingering supply shocks that could impact the prices of goods in the country.

The decision of the government to relax the importation of

goods with short supply contributed to that plus the fact that our higher policy rates also began to work,” he said.

W ithout disclosing exact figures or range, the Central Bank governor said the inflation rate for May would be “significantly” lower on a year-onyear basis because of base effects. The country’s headline inflation in May 2022 was at 5.4 percent.

T he country’s inflation rate in April was at 6.6 percent, the lowest in four months and the third consecutive month that inflation was on a downward trend since the 8.7 percent in January. Medalla also disclosed that the BSP foresees headline inflation in January next year to be below 2 per -

cent because of base effects.

T he country’s improving inflation situation encouraged the BSP last month to pause its aggressive monetary policy tightening campaign.

(Related story: https://businessmirror .com.ph/2023/05/19/ bsp-pauses-interest-rate-hikesas-inflation-cools-and-consumerdemand-eases/)

T he BSP earlier said it expects inflation to average 5.5 percent this year, lower than the February estimate of 6.1 percent.

T he increase in commodity prices is also expected to average 2.8 percent in 2024, slower than the 3.1 percent estimate made in the last monetary policy report.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

BusinessMirror

P66.8-B BUDGET SURPLUS IN APR HIGHEST IN 4 YRS

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

M.A.P. FLAGS MALNUTRITION’S THREAT TO DIGITAL-AGE LABOR

By Andrea San Juan

Think tank flags PHL risks despite good Q1 growth

T he Bureau of the Treasury said the budget surplus during the reference month was P61.9 billion higher than the P4.9 billion recorded surplus in April of last year. The national government’s budget surplus in April was the highest in four years, or since the P86.872 billion recorded in April 2019, historical BTr data showed.

T he budget surplus allowed the national government to trim its overall budget deficit on a year-to-date basis.  The national

government’s budget deficit in January to April was at P204.1 billion, about 35 percent lower than the P311.9-billion recorded deficit in the same period last year.

R izal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael Ricafort attributed the surge in government earnings in April to the “seasonal peak” of revenue collections, which government officials describe as the tax season.

THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has underscored the need to address malnutrition and child stunting, saying the workforce in the decades ahead will be in a “tech-driven” environment given the Digital Age and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Economic and Development Authority (Neda) chief Cielito Habito said during MAP’s recent multisectoral meeting with various stakeholders to operationalize the MAP “Campaign Against Malnutrition and Child Stunting” (CAMACS). Habito is Governor-in-Charge of the MAP Cluster on Resilience and Recovery.

WHILE gross domestic product (GDP) data from the Philippines beat Oxford Economic’s expectations in the first quarter of 2023, the think tank said its tracker continues to soften, pointing to a significant weakening in growth due to poor export performance and delayed impact of a sharp monetary tightening.

in the past few quarters, likely because it doesn’t fully account for the outsized importance of tourism.”  I n contrast, the UK-based think tank said, “Elsewhere the story is less upbeat” when it comes to the growth of the Philippines.

We cannot afford to have a major segment of our abundant workforce ill-equipped to meet the demands of the future AI-driven economy, by having lower mental capacities due to impaired brain development stemming from stunting at an early stage,” former National

For her part, MAP President Benedicta Du-Baladad stressed in the same meeting that, “Child stunting affects cognitive development, and this can later on have an impact on their capacity to be productive, resulting in lower economic output and poorer quality of life.”  See

T he UK-based think tank described growth within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region as “some steady, some softening.” For one, it said the “brighter spots” of the region are Indonesia and Thailand. In Indonesia, Oxford said activity looks to be growing steadily, around the usual prepandemic pace of 5 percent.

I n Thailand, Oxford said its model has “underestimated growth

In Oxford Economics’ forecast last February 2023, the UK-based think tank said the country’s economic growth will only reach 4.1 percent this year and 4.5 percent in 2024 on the back of sticky inflation which is expected to dampen demand.  Our tracker continues to soften pointing to a significant weakening in growth. That’s consistent with the headwinds faced from a poor export performance and the delayed impact of a sharp monetary tightening,” Oxford Economics said.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD! From May 26-28, food enthusiasts and manufacturers came together at the World Trade Center to participate in this year’s IFEX Philippines event. Serving as a comprehensive business-to-business platform, it offered a convenient opportunity for individuals seeking new flavors, suppliers and partnerships. The main ballroom, captured in the accompanying photo, was transformed into a bustling one-stop shop and a 2-story hub for manufacturers and local food

chain suppliers. BERNARD TESTA

THE national government posted a budget surplus of P66.8 billion in April, over 1,250 percent higher from last year, as revenue collections outmatched spending during the period.

After 20 yrs, can reform bill on immigration finally pass?

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE House of Representatives on Monday endorsed for Senate approval the proposed new legislation enabling the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to embark on an aggressive plan to modernize its systems and professionalize its staff.

T his, after the House—voting 287 affirmative and 0 negative— approved on third and final reading House Bill 8203, or the proposed BI Modernization Act, which was among the priority measures earlier adopted by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac).

This bill’s importance cannot be overstated, being one of the listed Ledac bills. It is two-pronged in that it will improve travel experience and at the same time tighten up our border security,” House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said.

This measure is also a long time

Even the Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund, the “gold standard” of SFWs, suffered $164-billion losses in 2022, Pimentel pointed out.

BSP capitalization

EARLIER , Senator Sherwin Gatch -

coming, as it has been filed and re-filed for around 20 years. A lot of technologies have changed in that span of time and this bill ushers the BI into the digital age,” Romualdez said.

T he bill authorizes the BI to retain in a trust fund “no more than P1.2 billion” of its annual income from fees, fines, and penalties.

T he money would then be used to bankroll the BI’s information technology (IT) projects, among other modernization plans, and build up the capabilities of immigration officers.

T he bill bumps up by two notches the salary grades assigned to junior immigration officers to allow the

alian clarified he has yet to decide whether to vote for the MIF, owing mainly to his concern over the impact of having the Central Bank contribute to the MIF seed fund, at the expense of its capitalization buildup program.

BI to attract qualified staff.

At present, due to low pay, 742 of the BI’s 2,795 authorized permanent positions remain unfilled, translating to a 26-percent vacancy rate.

Attached to the Department of Justice, the BI enforces the country’s immigration, citizenship, and alien admission and registration laws.

“ We are counting on the full automation and digitization of the BI’s processes and services to reinforce border security and improve travel experience,” House Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan, one of the bill’s principal authors, said.

L ibanan served as BI Commissioner for three years during the Arroyo administration.

T he reforms that Libanan introduced during his stint at the BI became the subject of an Asian Institute of Management (AIM) graduate program case study, entitled “Transforming the Bureau of Immigration.”

T he study recognized Libanan’s

I n a radio interview at the weekend, Gatchalian recalled the point he raised at last week’s debate, about the New Central Bank Act’s mandating a capitalization program of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas from P50 billion to P200 billion. “The argument of BSP officials at that time, this is 2016 to 2019, is that the economy has

Budget surplus...

R icafort added that the reopening of the economy as well as the better-than-anticipated economic performance in the first quarter contributed to the government’s improved tax revenue collections.

innovations at the BI that “resulted in unprecedented revenue collection, enhancement of the country’s climate for investment and employment generation, improved service due to procedures simplification and systems computerization and capability enhancement and moral transformation of BI personnel.”

A person appointed to the position of immigration officer must meet the qualification standards set by the BI and approved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) under the bill.

T he BI is attached to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and implements local immigration, citizenship, and alien admission and registration laws.

I n addition to international airports and seaports, the bill establishes border control checkpoints to be manned  by immigration officers appointed as border control officers by the BI commissioner. The border control checkpoints shall be placed in specific areas.

grown, and the banking sector as well. The BSP has not kept pace with such growth and there’s an urgent need to boost its capitalization so it can better respond to shocks that may imperil the banking and financial system,” said Gatchalian, partly in Filipino.

Given the MIF bill’s requirement for BSP to contribute to the MIF’s seed fund, it would take an unduly long 14 years before BSP reaches the P200-billion capitalization. In case anything happens in between, the BSP won’t have the meanss to respond, Gatchalian said.

Continued from A16

A ccording to an earlier statement of DTI, the DCTS targets to lower or remove tariffs on additional 156 products for developing countries, including the Philippines, in addition to more than 6,000 tariff lines covered by the European Union Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (EU GSP+).

M eanwhile, another priority area of the two countries is promoting ease of doing business.

We will sustain our strong partnership on improving the ease of doing business in the Philippines,” the two countries said, adding that this will focus on supporting the Philippines in achieving its regulatory reform objectives, building robust links in promoting the digital economy while recognizing the need to protect intellectual property rights and foster a more competitive, green, and open investment climate which can “further stimulate” capital investment flows into the country.

“ We, the Philippines and the United Kingdom, recognize the critical role that bilateral and regional trade, investment, and economic cooperation play in driving inclusive growth and mutual prosperity,” the two nations said in a partnership statement released to the media on Wednesday, May 24.

For UK’s part, Ambassador Laure Beaufils said, “The bilateral trade between the UK and the Philippines is the highest it has ever been—and it continues to grow alongside British investment and economic cooperation. This year we will launch the Developing Country Trading Scheme to further boost bilateral trade between our two countries.”

S peaking for the Philippines, Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo underscored the importance of DCTS and BIP, calling these “solid frameworks that will ensure our economic relations will remain still strong as ever.”

More disciplined spending by the government, together with reduced need for costly Covidrelated spending/programs with no more large-scale lockdowns since 2022 and as a policy priority, going forward, also helped improve the country’s fiscal performance recently, thereby partly adding to the latest budget surplus,” he said.

F urthermore, Ricafort said there is “still a chance” for a “narrower” budget deficit in the coming months as the economy moves toward “greater normalcy,” thereby lifting employment, incomes and livelihoods that leads to higher tax collections.

Nonetheless, the economist noted hat the lower individual income tax rates could still lower the revenue collections of the tax bureau.

R icafort stressed the “urgency” of pushing for more tax reforms and fiscal reform measures to boost the national government’s tax revenue collections. He said this could be done by implementing new or higher taxes, more intensified tax collections from existing tax laws, and “more disciplined” government spending that includes rightsizing the government.

Revenue performance

THE Treasury said the national government earned P440.7 billion in April, more than a quarter over the P92.7 billion a year ago because of better collections of the tax and customs bureaus.

T he 26.66-percent increase in April collections lifted the national government’s earnings in the January-to-April period to P1.259 trillion.

T he amount was 11.22 percent higher than the P1.132 trillion collected by the national government in the same fourmonth period last year.

T he Treasury explained that the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) April collections expanded by 40.24 percent to P336 billion from P96.4 billion because of the TRAIN law provision mandating

M.A.P. flags...

D u-Baladad emphasized this becomes a “major impediment to competitiveness and national development.”

M eanwhile, United Kingdombased think tank Oxford Economics said last week that Artificial Intelligence has the potential to fix the world’s productivity problems, “just as previous general purpose technologies such as steam power, electricity, and

THink tank...

T he UK-based think tank mentioned that Bangko Sentral Pilipinas “is likely to be finished” after pausing its rate hikes for the first time recently.

T he BSP decided to pause its aggressive monetary policy tightening campaign last May 18 as it believes that inflation is now “firmly on track” to hit the government’s target.

A ccording to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Inflation slowed to 6.6 percent in April 2023, the slowest in eight months and the third consecutive decline for the year.

“ A late reopening in Asia, with tourism rebounding, supply chains easing, and pent-up

the filing of quarterly VAT returns.

From January to April, the BIR raked in P841.2 billion, 13.31 percent over the P742.4 billion it collected in the same period last year.

Collections from the Bureau of Customs [BOC] registered modest growth of 2.87 percent, increasing by P1.9 billion in April 2023 to P67.6 billion from P65.7 billion in the previous year,” the Treasury said.

BOC’s [year-to-date] collection reached P281.4 billion, 10.68 percent or P27.2 billion better [year-on-year],” it added.

Expenditures

THE national government’s disbursements in April grew by 9 percent to P373.9 billion from P343 billion last year due to the subsidy released to a state-run firm and larger capital expenditures for infrastructure.

T he Treasury noted that the national government’s expenditure last month grew because of subsidy release to Philippine Health Insurance Corp., “larger” capital expenditures of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Transportation, as well as higher interest payments. The spending growth was tempered by the decline in transfers to Local Government Units due to lower National Tax Allotment shares,” it said.

“ Total expenditures for the 4-month period reached P1.5 trillion, inching up by 1.33 percent or P19.2 billion on a [yearto-date] basis.”

T he Treasury said primary expenditures accounted for 87.63 percent or P327.6 billion of total expenditures in April, about 7.18 percent higher than the P305.7 billion last year.

Cumulative primary expenditures of P1.3 trillion from January to April reflected a slight growth of 1.40 percent or P17.7 billion compared to last year, according to the Treasury. I nterest payments, meanwhile, reached P46.3 billion in April, growing by nearly 24 percent on an annual basis.

A s of end-April, the national government’s total interest payments reached P188.2 billion, 1.6 percent higher than the P186.6 billion recorded in the fourmonth period of last year.

Continued from A1

computers have, in our view.”  A s to the jobs it will create, Oxford Economics said, “AI will displace jobs while creating new ones.” However, it noted, “A big question is whether the jobs that are displaced will be those that mainly involve routine work, such as in manufacturing.”  “ For jobs where human contact is essential, AI may be more of a tool than a threat,” the UK-based think tank said.

Continued from A1

demand being released, has coincided with a sharp tightening in monetary policy, both at home and abroad, and a tight reversal in external goods demand,” Oxford Economics said.

“ This confluence of push and pull factors makes gauging economic momentum a difficult task,” the UK-based think tank added.

F

urther, Oxford Economics said, “With our model suggesting economic data will disappoint any hopes of a turnaround off the back of the Q1 GDP figures, policymakers are likely to remain in wait-andsee mode, rather than carrying on or resuming their hiking cycles.”

The Nation

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

House panel readies ‘stiffer disciplinary action’ against suspended Rep. Teves Jr.

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

The house Committee on et hics and Privileges on Monday recommended stiffer disciplinary action against suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.

In an interview, house et hics and Privileges Committee Chairman Rep. Felimon e s pares, however, said they could not disclose the details on the “stiffer disciplinary actions” pending the submission of the committee report to the plenary.

“We cannot divulge the committee’s action during the executive meeting that we conducted. [But] for

your information after our meeting, again we would like to announce with you right now that the committee on ethics and privilege unanimously decided to recommend to the plenary the imposition of a stiffer disciplinary action against our colleague Cong. Teves for violation of the Rules of the h o use of Representatives, particularly Rule 26 on the Code of Conduct and Disorderly Behavior,” he said.

“If we can do this by tomorrow [Tuesday], probably, we can submit it [to the plenary the same day]. It depends on how the committee secretary is able to come up with [the committee report].

And it was really approved by the committee authorizing the secretariat and

the chairman to present our report to the committee on rules,” espares added.

For his part, house ethics panel Vice Chairman Jil Bongalon said, “We’re not saying that expulsion will be recommended by the committee. This is just entirely [a] different [matter] because it started with an expired travel clearance, and the controversy that he [Rep. Teves] is facing.”

Teves was suspended by the house of Representatives for 60 days in late March for failure to return to the country and face the ethics committee despite the expiration of his travel authority.

But the committee said the maximum allowed days for a suspension to a lawmaker is limited to 60 days.

Bill mandates mandatory installation of CCTVs in business establishments

Based on rules of the lower chamber, a penalty stiffer than suspension is expulsion.

“We really need to come up with a decision coming from members. We exhausted our discussions on this because this is not an easy decision for the committee. We need to ensure appropriate protection of our colleagues in the house,” e s pares added.

On Monday, Teves said the recantations of the suspect-witnesses in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo might not be enough to prompt him to return to the country.

“With or without recantations, there is still a threat to my life and there is still no semblance of fairness,” Teves said.

PHL, US, Japan Coast Guards to hold first joint exercise

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

The Coast Guards of the Philippines, US and Japan will hold a weeklong joint maritime exercise in the waters of Luzon beginning Thursday.

The trilateral maritime exercise among the three countries, which will be conducted in the waters of Mariveles, Bataan, is the first ever for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Japan Coast Guard (JCG) amid China’s sweeping territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The exercise followed the government’s installation of five additional navigational buoys in the WPS as it asserted its sovereignty over its waters, but which Beijing also responded by installing its own buoys in the territory that it disputes.

The BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV9702), BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), BRP Boracay (FPB-2401) and one 44-meter multi-role response vessel will conduct the exercise with USCG’s Stratton (WMSL752) and JCG’s Akitsushima (PL h - 32).

According to the PCG, the trilateral maritime exercise would strengthen interoperability through communication

exercises, maneuvering drills, photo exercises, maritime law enforcement training, search and rescue (SAR) and passing exercises.

“Participating Coast Guard personnel will demonstrate a scenario involving a suspected vessel involved in piracy. The joint law enforcement team from the three Coast Guards will conduct a boarding inspection followed by a SAR operation,” it said.

On behalf of PCG commandant Admiral Artemio Abu, PCG Officer-in-Charge Vice Admiral Rolando Lizor Punzalan Jr. said the PCG-USCG-JCG maritime exercise would also improve maritime cooperation

and understanding.

“The US Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard have been assisting us in our human resource development program, particularly in law enforcement training. This is a good opportunity to thank and show them what our personnel learned from their programs,” Punzalan said. The weeklong engagement will also involve a sporting event to strengthen the three Coast Guards’ camaraderie, a special interest exchange for women in maritime law enforcement, and an expert exchange for PCG personnel professional development.

LAWMA k e R S pre ssed Congress to swiftly pass a measure requiring business establishments to install and maintain CCTV cameras in their workplaces to deter crimes and aid post-incident investigation by law enforcers.

Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, Benguet Rep. er ic Yap and ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. ed vic Yap filed h o use Bill (h B) 8068 mandating all businesses employing more than 20 workers and with work premises of not less than 50 meters to install CCTV or surveillance cameras, and maintain these in good working condition.

L awmakers said business establishments employing less than 20 workers or whose work premises are less than 50 meters but with transactions amounting to at least P50,000 per day are also required to install and maintain CCTV cameras.

“ We should use technology to our advantage to help keep our citizens safe. Installing CCTV cameras in strategic areas is an effective crime prevention measure, and can be a useful tool to help police investigators solve crime,” Duterte said.

U nder h B 8068, business establishments covered by the measure shall install and maintain CCTV cameras in all their entrances and exits, within the premises of their work areas, the perimeter of their work areas and other places in their business premises, except in restrooms, toilers, showers, bathrooms, changing rooms, and other similar spaces.

T he bill also makes the installation of CCTV cameras a prerequisite for the issuance of business permits or permits to operate commercial establishments, including, but not limited to, restaurants, hospitals, malls, shopping centers, movie houses, theaters, supermarkets, groceries, entertainment centers, office buildings, warehouses and cockpit arenas.

These business establishments shall en -

sure that their surveillance/CCTV cameras are turned on and recording for twenty-four [24] hours each day and for 7 seven [days] e ach week. They shall keep a deposit of video recordings from their surveillance/CCTV cameras for a period of not less than sixty [60] days from the date of recording,” the bill states.

B usiness establishments shall also inform the public about the installation and use of CCTV cameras in their premises through written notices prominently displaced at their entrances.

T he owners or managers of business establishments are required under the bill to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the video feeds and recordings obtained as a result of the use of their CCTV cameras.

T hus, they shall prohibit the use, viewing, copying, disclosure, or publication of said video feeds, except in circumstances outlined under the measure.

T hese allowable circumstances are the use, viewing, copying and disclosure to a member or officer of a law enforcement agency in connection with and limited to the investigation or prosecution of an offense punishable by law or regulation, or in connection with any pending criminal proceeding.

V iewing, copying and disclosure of CCTV feeds are also allowed under the bill to determine whether or no t an offense was committed against a person or property; to ascertain the identity of a criminal perpetrator; and to find out the manner by which the offense was perpetrated.

T he measure penalizes business establishments violating its provisions with imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding P10,000, or both, “without prejudice to other civil or criminal liabilities that may arise from such violations.” Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

SRP on basic goods issued in Feb remains ‘valid and in force’—DTI

By Andrea San Juan

The prices of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) listed in the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) Bulletin as of February 8, 2023 remains “valid and in force” until a new bulletin is published by the agency, the Department of Trade and Industry said on Monday.

Following the request of some manufacturers for price hikes citing “various reasons,” Trade Secretary Alfredo e . Pascual said the DTI continues to study these requests for validation and comparison with international prices.

Pascual also noted that “we need to balance the interest of different sectors, we must ensure that Filipino

families will have access to affordable BNPCs.”

For her part, DTI Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said the agency “carefully” reviews the documents provided by the manufacturers as “we have our own study and reliable references on the global prices of raw materials that allows us to determine the reasonableness of the requests.”

The head of DTI’s consumer protection arm also noted that DTI is in “constant communication” with BNPC manufacturers to ensure reasonable prices and stable supply of commodities.

Two weeks ago, Castelo bared that manufacturers of canned sardines, milk and salt were seeking

an increase in the prices of their products. She added the reasons cited for the price increase include “the packaging, importation, foreign exchange and, of course, logistics [and] distribution costs.”

Prior to the issuance of the SRP bulletin in February, manufacturers had been requesting for the adjustments in the SRP for months. The latest bulletin, however, reflected tempered price increases.

In an interview with reporters last February, Castelo said the DTI issued an updated SRP bulletin that month as the DTI believed some manufacturers were already in a “danger zone,” even after the DTI issued an updated SRP bulletin in August last year.

If they didn’t allow price increases, Castelo said, manufacturers could have

Powerful analytics needed in integrated compliance management

objectives that become tangible to compliance officers with integrated compliance management and robust data analytics:

suffered losses, forcing some of them to close down or streamline production ultimately impacting the economy.

Castelo said that last February, the DTI allowed an increase in the price of canned sardines by P1.50, half of the P3 being sought by canned sardines makers. Meanwhile, one brand of luncheon meat increased by P3.50 to P39 from P35.50.

Based on the latest price list, the SRP for canned sardines ranges from P13.25 to as much as P19.58. (Related story: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2023/05/22/no-needto-update-srp-bulletin-dti/) The DTI, as mandated by Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act, as amended, issues the SRP Bulletin of BNPCs under its jurisdiction for the information and guidance of manufacturers, distributors, and consumers.

DOE creates research team to address energy policy gaps

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

tH e Department of e nergy (D o e ) i s creating a research team to craft energy policies that will address policy gaps, issues and concerns raised in the energy sector. un der Department o r der No. 2023-05-14, a D o e research team comprising of a steering

committee and its technical working group ( t WG) will be created. Among others, the team shall spearhead the harmonization and coordination of efforts to advance the conduct of energy policy research.

“It is imperative to harmonize efforts and create synergies among D o e technical bureaus to advance energy policy research,” the D o e said.

t h e steering committee will be chaired by the director of the e nergy Policy and Planning Bureau ( e P PB). t h e t W G, meanwhile, will be led by the chief of the Policy f o rmulation and Research Division and the e P PB. t h e members of the committee and the t W G will include representatives from various D oe b ureaus.

t h e committee will be responsible for setting the priority and direction on the conduct of policy research, provide guidance on policy formulation, review and approve research proposals.

t h e t W G, for its part, will conduct joint policy research and related studies on areas of concern of the sector, collaborate with other government agencies, prepare research proposals, among others. t h e data to be collected shall be used

strictly for policy research and related studies within the D o e and shall not be used in any way for commercial purposes or legally against or to the disadvantage of the source of the data such as generation companies, independent power producer administrators, transmission system, operator, distribution utilities and their customers, among others. e nergy research is an important medium for addressing policy issues and concerns in the energy sector, provides empirical evidence for the crafting and implementation of sound policy guidelines and issuance, and addresses the need for updated energy data and parameters to establish facts or new conclusions,” the D o e order entitled Creation of the D o e Re search tea m for e n ergy Policy Research and Related Studies stated.

Better risk management

By Henry J. Schumacher

Let me start by stating why I am committed to compliance management: it is important because noncompliance may result in fines, security breaches, loss of certification, or other damage to your business. Staying on top of compliance changes and updates prevents disruption of your business processes and saves money.

t h e most significant risk for compliance officers is that they fail to understand what is happening in the organization. t hat o ccurs when compliance officers have an incomplete picture of activities: data from only half the operating divisions, key facts missing from a specific allegation of misconduct, and so on.

Integrated compliance management consolidates information in an accurate, useful way enabling compliance officers to contextualize that information into broader trends of compliance activity, which in turn will allow for a more methodological and analytical approach to managing compliance.

Without effective centralization and normalization of data, none of the powerful analytics is possible in the first place. Let’s take the example of whistleblower hotlines, a vital tool to collect reports of misconduct. Don’t assume that in your organization most reports of misconduct come from employees speaking to managers; they will be scared to do that.

An integrated platform can even connect your case management process to your conflicts of interest process. t h is connection would flag any conflicts related to specific cases, shedding additional light on the investigation, and allowing you to take appropriate corrective measures. Regulatory guidance has already highlighted the need for better data analytics, the criteria for which is also clearly laid out:

Adequate access of compliance officers to data (recall the earlier point on data centralization). Data consolidation to ensure timely and effective monitoring or testing controls and mitigation plans. Leveraging data to discern patterns, trends, relationships, and anomalies as real-time early warning systems.

So, let’s dive into a few of the compliance

Sm AR t Ly d esigned compliance processes (read: risk controls) are crucial components of an effective compliance program. However, these controls are bound to fail from time to time, which is why any robust compliance program must include reliable reporting and analytical functionalities. t h ese two components are the nervous system of a compliance program, bringing potential concerns about misconduct, changes in risk factors, and risky trends and patterns to the compliance officer’s attention.

Powering preventive compliance m e A S u R e S n eed to be in place for companies to show preventive compliance.Both the National Privacy Commission and the Philippine Competition Commission have been careful with fining so far. But their impact on the reputation of companies is clearly visible. Reactive compliance will no longer cut it today. a proactive approach to preventing misconduct must be taken if stopping global corruption is the goal.

Striving for impact

e ffe C t I v e compliance management rests on impactful measurement solutions. m easuring how your policies and procedures work in practice allows you to truly assess how well controls protect your business from violations, how well you deal with misconduct when it strikes, and how much damage you will be able to mitigate. If you lack effective monitoring and analytics functions, you will miss the critical part that will transform your program from process-oriented to impact-oriented.

Program evaluation

Com P LIANC e d epartments with advanced data analytics can rely on real-time data feeds to make the association between risk factors across the business to identify changes in risks and instantly bring the need to reassess control to the stakeholder’s attention. t h ese real-time insights differentiate reactive from proactive compliance. tr ansforming your program to be proactive can only be achieved with sound data analytics.

Process automation

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House OKs bill creating OFW Hospital under DMW control

lated concerns of OFWs.

and protection of our OFWs. The creation of this specialty hospital that will be open to the public but will primarily serve our OFWs and their dependents will ensure that they will get the quality, timely and efficient health-care services that they deserve,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

Some of the principal authors of the measure are former President-turned Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Reps. Ciriaco Gato Jr., LRay Villafuerte, and others.

If finally passed into law, Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron P. Salo, chairman of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, said the hospital would address the health and financial concerns of OFWs and their dependents.

of the OFWH, they can access affordable and comprehensive health care for themselves and their families,” Salo said.

HB 8325 mandates the OFWH to serve as a referral facility for repatriated OFWs needing medical assistance and support, while ensuring its participation in the provincial and inter-regional health-care provider networks to allow for a seamless and coordinated referral system for the medical repatriation program in accordance with Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act.

Measure defining crime of tax racketeering gets House approval

TWO hundred seventy six affirmative and 0 negative without abstention, the House of Representatives on Monday passed on third and final reading a bill defining the new crime of tax racketeering and imposing heavy penalties on offenders.

With an overwhelming 255 affirmative votes, the chamber approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 8325 or the proposed Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital Act, which seeks to create an

Maritime Zones bill for ‘clearer definition’ of PHL territorial waters hurdles 3rd reading

THE House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to declare the maritime zones of the Philippines under its jurisdiction in order to establish the legal bases by which social, economic, commercial, and other activities may be conducted in those areas.

Voting 284 affirmative, 0 negative without abstention, the chamber approved House Bill (HB) 7819 or the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

“ This bill will provide flexibility in enacting laws pertinent to the rights and obligations that the Philippines can exercise over its maritime zone,” House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said.

Aside from this, the bill also provides sovereign rights over these maritime zones, thus establishing the Philippines’ exclusive rights to explore and exploit living and nonliving resources found in these zones, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other existing laws and treaties,” Romualdez added.

Some of the principal authors of the bill are Reps. Rufus Rodriguez, Maria Rachael Arenas, Francisco Benitez, Francisco Paolo Ortega V, and others.

According to HB 7819, maritime zones of the Philippines comprise the internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and continental shelf.

T hese were defined in the bill, which also requires all territories of the Philippines to generate their respective maritime zones in accordance with international law.

T he bill also provides for the exercise of jurisdiction over these zones with regard to rights and duties provided for in the UNCLOS. It also states that the rights of the Philippines relative to its maritime zones and entitlements shall be exercised in accordance with the UNCLOS, and the awards rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal in Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Case 23 No. 2013-19, in the matter of the South China Sea Arbitration between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, handed down on July 12, 2016, at The Hague. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

THE Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), National Unity Party (NUP), Nacionalista Party (NP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI), Partido Navoteño, and Centrist Democratic Party of the Philippines (CDC) on Monday signed an agreement with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) reaffirming their solid political alliance and supporting the legislative agenda of the Marcos administration.

OFW Hospital (OFWH) under the direct supervision and control of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

“

This bill is a proof of our continuous support and commitment to the welfare

ARMY, NGO SPEARHEAD TARLAC GREENING PROGRAM

The Philippine Army, backed by the Tarlac Heritage Foundation, has launched a major reforestation project at an 8-hectare pilot project at Camp O’ Donnell in Tarlac. Giant bamboo seedlings are among the mainstays of the greening program.

Photo shows PA Armor Division Commander Maj. Gen. Facundo O. Palafox IV, Chief of Staff Col. Charlemagne Batayola, Commandant of the Armor School Lt. Col. Reynaldo Mina, Lt. Col. Ferdinand de la Cruz of the G7 Armor Division, Deputy G7 Armor Division Lt. Col. Romeo Gabor, Tarlac Heritage Foundation Co-Founder, Ms. Isa Cojuangco Suntay, Mr. Anthony Cortes of Corvill Agricom Inc., Col. Victor Llapitan of PA’s G7 and staff, Lt. Col. Erasto Gallardo, Lt. Col. Albert Beran, and Maj. Nilbert Dagpin during the recent planting of bamboo seedlings. NONIE REYES

“Our OFWs sacrifice so much working abroad to provide for their families and help our economy. They are faced with several challenges and risk their health in foreign lands. With the establishment

T he OFWH, once enacted into law, will provide 24/7 telehealth services to migrant workers and their families, provide pre-employment medical examination for OFWs, strengthen health surveillance through the provision of a post-employment or post-arrival medical examination for OFWs, and assist and support universities, research institutions, and other hospitals or medical facilities in their studies on health-re -

T he proposed legislation also requires the OFWH to promote, encourage, engage in, and publish scientific research on the prevention, care, and treatment of occupational diseases common to OFWs, and establish training programs for medical and allied medical professionals, which shall focus on strengthening occupational and migrant health services in the country and the creation of specialized services.

Under the bill, OWWA is mandated to ensure that existing health benefits and medical assistance programs are strengthened for OFWs and their qualified dependents. All other agencies, departments, bureaus, offices, or instrumentalities of the government, including government owned or controlled corporations are also mandated to render assistance to the OFWH for the effective implementation of the measure.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

BFAR lifts fishing ban in 3 oil spill hit towns in OrMin

THE Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) on Monday allowed fishing activities in three-oil spill hit towns in Oriental Mindoro.

In a statement, the DA-BFAR said the waters off the areas of Calapan, Bansud and Gloria are now well within the standards for fishing activities.

Moreover, the bureau’s analyses also showed that the fishing waters of Bongabong, Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Baco, Puerto Galera and San Teodoro also in Oriental Mindoro remained safe for fishing activities.

T he DA-BFAR, however, recommended keeping the fishing ban in

Pola, Pinamalayan and Naujan because of the risk of contamination from traces of oil spill in these areas. Furthermore, the agency will continue its time-series observation in the province, which will be the basis of its recommendations for concerned government agencies and local government offices.

To help the local fisherfolk, the bureau is also eyeing to provide over P117.8 million worth of emergency and relief assistance, early recovery efforts, and mid-to-long term recovery aid to oil spill-hit areas.

T he BFAR said that about P12 million was allocated for fuel assistance

to affected fisherfolk in Mimaropa, P4.4 million was already spent for post-harvest training for various fisherfolk associations and cooperatives, and over P1.5 million was utilized for food assistance to more than 5,000 fisherfolk in the region.

Moreover, the bureau said millions worth of funds was also allocated for the ongoing grant and capacity building efforts of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats with marine engines to affected fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro.

In addition, the BFAR has deployed monitoring, control and surveillance vessels, as well as PPE sets and other

materials for clean up activities.

Supplementary interventions are in the pipeline, including the grant of additional FRP boats, fish aggregating devices, aquaculture feed mill projects, bangus fry, tilapia fingerlings, and fish cages to areas affected by the oil spill.

T he bureau said that the latest analyses showed that traces of oil and grease in water samples slightly increased in all sampling sites in comparison to the baseline data.

T he trend indicated that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons amount present in seafood from Oriental Mindoro had stabilized to much lower concentrations. Raadee S. Sausa

Salt industry development bill now up for Senate deliberations

THE House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill revitalizing the salt industry and achieving salt self-sufficiency.

With 287 affirmative votes, 0 negative without abstentions, lawmakers approved the proposed Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, which seeks to make the country a net exporter of salt, and attain increased income for salt farmers, producers and investors.

T he bill will now be transferred to the Senate for its own deliberations. The measure is listed by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) as one of the priority legislation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“ The significance of the salt in-

dustry hasn’t been lost on our President and concurrent Department of Agriculture [DA] chief Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. He knows that we need to correct the sad irony that the country imports nearly 550,000 metric tons [MT] or 93 percent of its requirement for salt. This is indeed a sin,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said.

HB 8278 would provide industry players with support services, such as financial, production, technological, research and marketing assistance, among others.

T he bill calls for the creation of the Philippine Salt Industry Development Council charged with accelerating the modernization and industrialization

of the industry.

It seeks to strengthen market linkage and promotion of Philippine salt and conduct continuing research and development (R&D) on innovation and modernization of the salt industry.

It also aims to establish an agriinsurance program for salt producers, as well as parameters and guidelines when domestically produced salt may be subjected to mandatory salt iodization under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 8172, otherwise known as “An Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide (ASIN).”

A ccording to Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo, author of the bill, “the Philippine Salt Industry Development Bill reflects a paradigm shift in policy from being

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said House Bill 8144 aims to update the Tax Code “to deter schemes that defraud the government of billions of pesos in taxes that are the lifeblood of the nation and which could otherwise be used for the benefit of our people.”  “ These schemes are cleverly used by syndicates and bogus businesses. They may not be covered by the definition of tax evasion, which the tax law penalizes,” Romualdez said.

We have to plug loopholes in the law to arrest the hemorrhage of tax revenue that should accrue to government coffers, instead of going to the pockets of a few criminally-minded individuals,” he said.

A ccording to House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda, up to P100 billion in tax revenue is lost every year to tax evasion and tax racketeering activities involving the use of fake receipts and similar documents.

I n March 2023 alone, the Bureau of Internal Revenue announced the filing of charges for evasion of taxes worth P25.5 billion against corporations using fictitious receipts.

HB 8144 defines tax racketeering as a crime perpetrated by “any person who engages in any coordinated scheme or operation to evade or defeat any tax imposed under this Code through the fraudulent use of receipts, returns, and other records, with a minimum amount of P10 million in taxes evaded.”

In addition to other penalties provided by law, the offender shall suffer imprisonment of 17 years to 20 years. Conviction or acquittal would not be a bar to the filing of a civil suit for the collection of taxes.

I f the violator is a corporation, nongovernment organization, association, cooperative or single proprietorship, the penalty shall be imposed on its officers or employees and individuals without whose participation the violation could not have been committed.

Accomplices or persons who cooperate in the commission of the offense shall, in addition to other penalties provided by law, suffer imprisonment of 10 years to 17 years.

Persons, who, having knowledge of tax racketeering, take part subsequent to its commission, including profiting from it, shall suffer imprisonment of six years to 10 years.

A ny public officer who aids and abets the commission of tax racketeering shall face perpetual disqualification from public office.

primarily regulatory to being developmental. It establishes a Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap and the Philippine Salt Industry Development Council [PSIDC], an interagency body that will ensure the full implementation of the proposal.”

“ The shift from a regulatory to a developmental mindset is crucial in ensuring that the salt industry will be properly managed and developed, and that the interests of our salt farmers will be protected. By classifying salt as an agricultural product and transferring the administration of the salt industry to the DA, we can provide better support to our local salt farmers and producers,” Salo explained.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

T he bill also increases the penalties on any person who “willfully attempts in any manner to evade or defeat any tax imposed under this Code, of knowingly distributes, acquires, uses or aids in the use of unauthorized, fake or falsified revenue official receipts, sales invoices, commercial invoices, letters of authority, tax debit memoranda and other accountable forms.”

Such a person would face a fine of P5 million to P10 million (up from P50,000 to P100,000 under the present law) and imprisonment of six years to 10 years (increased from two years but not more than six years).

If the offender is a certified public accountant, his professional license shall be revoked upon conviction. If he is a foreigner, he shall be immediately deported after serving his sentence.  Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Political parties reaffirm solid alliance, support for PBBM’s legislative agenda

Political leaders signed the alliance agreement with the Lakas-CMD separately where they cited the shared vision of a strong republic through the sustainable growth and development of the regions in the country.

In view of the shared vision of Lakas-CMD and [PDP-Laban, NUP, NP, NPC, Partido Navoteño, and CDC], the parties have agreed to reiterate their alliance in the House of Representatives,” the agreement read. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Ro -

mualdez, Lakas-CMD President; Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales of PDP-Laban; Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, Secretary General of Lakas-CMD; House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” Velasco; and other House leaders witnessed the event.

T he separate agreements were signed by House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, Lakas-CMD executive vice president; Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, PDP-Laban

President; Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City 1st District Rep. Roberto Puno, NUP Vice Chairman for Internal Affairs; Romblon Lone District Rep. Eleandro Jesus F. “Budoy” Madrona of NP; Rizal 1st District Rep. Michael John R. Duavit, NPC President; Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, PCFI President; Navotas Lone District Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco, Partido Navoteño Chairman; and Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, CDC President.

T hey highlighted their history of working together as they vowed to continue doing the same to push for the legislative agenda of the Marcos administration.

T he alliance agreement shall remain in full force and in effect until the 19th Congress adjourns in 2025.

Both parties agree to give their full and unqualified support to the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.” and “to give their full support on the

legislative agenda of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.”

“Both parties agree to give their full and unqualified support to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 19th Congress, Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez,” it said. Meanwhile, Romualdez welcomed the signing of the alliance agreement, saying it is a clear signal of their unwavering commitment to work together for the passage of the pro-people legislative agenda of President Marcos.

THE House of Representatives approved on Monday the proposed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital Act, which will offer comprehensive health services to OFWs, their legal dependents, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) contributors, and the general public.

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Nighttime Russian drone attacks terrify citizens in Ukrainian capital

By Samya Kullab The Associated Press

perts and Ukrainian officials said.

The uptick was noticed after April 19, right after Ukraine announced it had received American-made Patriot missiles, a long-sought new shield against Russian airstrikes. Observers said the renewed intensity of Russian attacks appears to be aiming to overwhelm and target these new systems.

The May 16 attack caused “minor” damage to one Patriot air defense system near Kyiv, US officials said, adding that it was still operational.

China, Japan commerce ministers exchange protests at meeting in US

time there is an air raid, he carries her to the corridor and waits for the all clear.

With every bang, he tells her “Putin is making a racket again,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It’s better than to try to explain to her what is really going on, he said, watching her make sand castles in the family’s neighborhood playground. It’s not exactly a lie, he explained. “We are being subjected to a game of Russian roulette every night.”

THE trade ministers of China and Japan exchanged protests over chip export controls and the detention of Japanese citizens at a meeting in Detroit last week, according to statements from both governments.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao complained about Japan’s chip export curbs and a Group of Seven “attack” on China during a meeting with Japanese Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in Detroit on May 26, according to a ministry statement.

policies of its only formal security ally, the US.

China lodged a diplomatic complaint with Japan last week, after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted the G-7 summit, at which the group of wealthy democracies vowed to “foster resilience to economic coercion” from China. Japan is also set to expand restrictions on exports of some leading-edge chip technology, while denying that the move is aimed at any particular country.

In the recent escalation of Russian attacks, Olha Bukhno, 65, a cleaner, says a prayer every night. “Please,” she asks, closing her eyes and addressing the heavens, “Let it be quiet.”

By her bedside is a bag packed full of essentials: documents, dry foods and water. At the sound of the alarm, she dashes downstairs to her building’s basement and takes shelter. Nearly two weeks ago, debris from a shot-down missile landed on the roof of a building next to hers in Kyiv’s Darnytsia district, causing a large fire.

“Every night, we are afraid,” she said, tearing up.

When the alarm blares, some in the city are consumed by fear, imagining the worst-case scenarios that could unfold; displacement, being trapped under rubble, being killed. Others embrace apathy, lying awake in bed, as the sounds of explosions ricochet across the skies.

But in the past month, when Russian air attacks escalated to near-nightly raids, most people are complaining of sleeplessness. In the war-defying bustle of Kyiv’s cafes, restaurants and salons, business goes on despite the ongoing war, but everyone has a story about how tired they feel.

“What is there to say? Everyone is exhausted,” said Oleksandr Chubienko, a pharmacist in Darnytsia, describing the recent temper of his customers.

Russia launched another wave

TURKEY’S

By Suzan Fraser & Zeynep Bilginsoy

The Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey—Turkish President

Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection

Sunday, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake that leveled entire cities.

A third term gives Erdogan, a polarizing populist, an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond the capital of Ankara. Turkey stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and it plays a key role in Nato.

With more than 99 percent of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52 percent of the vote, compared with 48 percent for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The head of Turkey’s electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, the result was another term for Erdogan.

In two speeches—one in Istanbul and one in Ankara—Erdogan thanked the nation for entrusting him with the presidency for five more years.

“We hope to be worthy of your trust, as we have been for 21 years,” he told supporters on a campaign bus outside

of attacks on Kyiv in the early hours of Monday using a combination of drones and cruise missiles. More than 40 air targets were brought down in what was the 15th nighttime attack on the capital in May, the head of the Kyiv Military Administration Serhii Popko said in a Telegram update. Falling debris broke through the roof of a residential building in the Podlisk district but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

“One more difficult night for the capital,” said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Often the explosions are the sounds of Ukraine’s air defense systems successfully targeting the deadly cocktail of missiles and drones Russia has sent into Ukraine. On May 16, Russia launched an exceptionally intense bombardment, sending 18 missiles Ukraine’s way, 14 of which targeted Kyiv according to Ukraine’s air force spokesman. Ukraine said it shot down six hypersonic Kinzhal missiles that night, a capability it did not have last year.

On Saturday night, local officials in Kyiv said that Ukraine’s capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war. At least one person was killed. It came on the eve of Kyiv Day, which marks the anniversary of the city’s founding.

The increasingly regular series of strikes are part of a new Russian air campaign targeting Ukrainian counteroffensive capabilities, ex -

ERDOGAN

The latest string of attacks also come after a previous winter-time escalation in air raids this year targeted critical infrastructure, including power stations and military logistics facilities. Ukrainian forces have become more effective in shooting down Russian missiles compared to earlier in the year, with many crediting the American systems.

But the defense systems can’t shield civilians from every harm.

The debris from destroyed Russian missiles have rained down on civilians, causing fires and injuries.

For many in the city, the sound of the air raid alarm is accompanied by the constant ring of Telegram, the preferred app in Ukraine for sharing updates about the airstrikes. With every update— “Another coming from East,” “More launched from sea! Take cover!”—people respond with an emoji expressing expletives.

But the calculations that civilians make about what to do next is often very different across all walks of life, with some staying at home, resigned to their fate and others speeding toward safer spaces.

In Darnitsya, leftover debris from the fire was piled inside a large garbage can. Charred pieces of wood and insulation lie under the springtime sun, as parents stroll by with their children and neighbors exchange the latest gossip.

Pavlo Chervinskyi, 45, tells his 4-year-old daughter that it’s all a game when their apartment windows rattle with the distant boom of the nighttime explosions. Every

But still, it’s better to avoid telling his child the whole truth. “It’s better that it’s a joke between us,” he said. “Now she is used to it, and she isn’t afraid.”

She slept right through the weekend attacks, the businessman said. “At least someone is getting rest,” he added, with a weary smile.

Mariana Yavolina, a physical therapist, had the misfortune of moving to the residential compound in Darnitsya the day of the attack. She returned to her new apartment after midnight that night. The air raid alarm was blazing, but Yavolina had had enough.

She lay on her sofa and looked up at the ceiling; her first moment’s rest from the long day. In the distance, explosions resounded.

One, then another. She looked at her Telegram app for updates.

“I try not to take it so seriously,” Yavolina said. “It’s so annoying, and if you want to live yourself you can’t be consumed by it all the time.”

Bit by bit that night, she convinced herself that it was ok to sleep.

The next blast shook the entire apartment, jolting her awake. Outside, plumes of smoke clouded the view as flames raged from the roof of the building beside her. The stench of burning was overwhelming.

Soon firefighters and police arrived at the scene, forbidding anyone to take video of the wreckage. But Yavolina filmed anyway and sent the footage to a friend serving in the army. “Just flowers,” he responded—a local idiom meaning it could have been much worse.

For his part, Nishimura called on Wang to release an employee of Japanese pharmaceuticals firm Astellas Pharma Inc. who was detained in China in March, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said by e-mail.

The meeting came amid strained ties between the Asian neighbors. Japan is trying to maintain business relations with its biggest trade partner, China, while not straying too far from the

Wang told Nishimura that China is willing to work with Japan to promote cooperation on key economic and trade sectors. Ensuring the safety of Japanese company employees and maintaining a transparent business environment is important in pursuing economic cooperation, Nishimura told Wang.

The two ministers agreed to continue to stay in close touch, Japan’s METI said. Bloomberg News

Wuhan City govt names and shames hundreds of debtors amid fiscal woes

WUHAN , a city in central China, publicly named hundreds of debtors in a local newspaper article demanding payment, a rare move underscoring the fiscal problems facing provincial governments.

The city’s local finance bureau printed a list of 259 entities with outstanding payments dating back to December 2018 in the Yangtze River Daily—the official mouthpiece of the Wuhan government—on Friday. The debts listed totaled more than 300 million yuan ($42.4 million). While the Wuhan municipal government’s revenue hit 50.77 billion yuan in the first quarter of the year, that marked an 8.5 percent decline on the same period last year.

The Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Finance said in the page-long article that attempts to collect the money by writing to debtors had failed, and urged those named to “immediately perform the relevant statutory debt repayment obligations.”

The biggest debtor to the Wuhan finance bureau was a car manufacturer that owed the

government 23.5 million yuan. A number of district financial bureaus were also on the list.

Several state-affiliated publications, including the Securities Times, reported on the Wuhan government’s public notice over the weekend, and reprinted the list. The page in question wasn’t available on Yangtze River Daily’s official website.

China is facing a local government debt problem that threatens to drag on the world’s second-largest economy for years to come. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. estimates China’s total government debt is about $23 trillion, a figure that includes the hidden borrowing of thousands of financing companies set up by provinces and cities.

The majority of China’s 31 provincial authorities have already exceeded a threshold set by Beijing to signify disproportionately high debt risks. While it’s unlikely any of the regional governments will default, the high debt levels may force some to scale back spending. Bloomberg News

REELECTED, EXTENDS RULE INTO 3RD DECADE

his home in Istanbul in his first comments after the results emerged.

He ridiculed his challenger for his loss, saying “bye bye bye, Kemal,” as supporters booed. He said the divisions of the election are now over, but he continued to rail against his opponent as well as the former co-leader of the pro-Kurdish party who has been imprisoned for years over alleged links to terrorism.

“The only winner today is Turkey,” Erdogan said to hundreds of thousands gathered outside the presidential palace in Ankara, promising to work hard for Turkey’s second century, which he calls the “Turkish century.” The country marks its centennial this year.

Kilicdaroglu campaigned on promises to reverse Erdogan’s democratic backsliding, to restore the economy by reverting to more conventional policies and to improve ties with the West. He said the election was “the most unjust ever,” with all state resources mobilized for Erdogan.

“We will continue to be at the forefront of this struggle until real democracy comes to our country,” he said in Ankara. He thanked the more than 25 million people who voted for him and asked them to “remain upright.”

The people have shown their will “to change an authoritarian government despite all the pressures,” he said.

Supporters of Erdogan took to the streets to celebrate, waving Turkish or ruling party flags, honking car horns

and chanting his name. Celebratory gunfire was heard in several Istanbul neighborhoods.

Erdogan’s government vetoed Sweden’s bid to join Nato and purchased Russian missile-defense systems, which prompted the United States to oust Turkey from a US-led fighter-jet project. But Turkey also helped broker a crucial deal that allowed Ukrainian grain shipments and averted a global food crisis.

“No one can look down on our nation,” Erdogan said in Istanbul.

Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, said Turkey was likely to “move the goal post” on Sweden’s membership in Nato as it seeks demands from the United States.

He also said Erdogan, who has spoken about introducing a new constitution, was likely to make an even greater push for it to lock in changes overseen by his conservative and religious Justice and Development Party, or AKP.

Erdogan, who has been at Turkey’s helm for 20 years, came just short of victory in the first round of elections on May 14. It was the first time he failed to win an election outright, but he made up for it Sunday.

Congratulations poured in from world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose countries are at war in Ukraine.

Putin said Erdogan’s victory was “clear evidence” that the Turkish people support his efforts to “strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy.”

Zelenskyy said he was counting on building the partnership between the two countries and strengthening cooperation “for the security and stability of Europe.”

US President Joe Biden said he looked forward “to continuing to work together as Nato allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.”

The two candidates offered sharply different visions of the country’s future, and its recent past.

Critics blame Erdogan’s unconventional economic policies for skyrocketing inflation that has fueled a cost-of-living crisis. Many also faulted his government for a slow response to the earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey.

In his victory remarks, Erdogan said rebuilding the quake-struck cities would be his priority, and he said a million Syrian refugees would go back to Turkishcontrolled “safe zones” in Syria as part of a resettlement project being run with Qatar.

Erdogan has retained the backing of conservative voters who remain devoted to him for lifting Islam’s profile in Turkey, which was founded on secular principles, and for raising the country’s influence in world politics.

In Ankara, Erdogan voter Hacer Yalcin said Turkey’s future was great. “Of course

Erdogan is the winner...Who else? He has made everything for us,” Yalcin said. “God blesses us!”

Erdogan, a 69-year-old Muslim, is set to remain in power until 2028.

He transformed the presidency from a largely ceremonial role to a powerful office through a narrowly won 2017 referendum that scrapped Turkey’s parliamentary system of governance. He was the first directly elected president in 2014, and won the 2018 election that ushered in the executive presidency.

The first half of Erdogan’s tenure included reforms that allowed the country to begin talks to join the European Union, and economic growth that lifted many out of poverty. But he later moved to suppress freedoms and the media and concentrated more power in his own hands, especially after a failed coup attempt that Turkey says was orchestrated by the US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. The cleric denies involvement.

Erdogan’s rival was a soft-mannered former civil servant who has led the prosecular Republican People’s Party, or CHP, since 2010.

In a frantic effort to reach out to nationalist voters in the runoff, Kilicdaroglu vowed to send back refugees and ruled out peace negotiations with Kurdish militants if he is elected.

In Kurdish-majority Diyarbakir, 37-year-old metalworker Ahmet Koyun

said everyone would have to accept the results.

“It is sad on behalf of our people that a government with such corruption, such stains, has come into power again. Mr. Kemal would have been great for our country, at least for a change of scene,” he said.

Sunday also marked the 10th anniversary of the start of mass antigovernment protests that broke out over plans to uproot trees in Istanbul’s Gezi Park. The demonstrations became one of the most serious challenges to Erdogan’s government.

Erdogan’s response to the protests, in which eight people were convicted, was a harbinger of a crackdown on civil society and freedom of expression.

Erdogan and pro-government media portrayed Kilicdaroglu, who received the backing of the country’s pro-Kurdish party, as colluding with “terrorists” and of supporting what they described as “deviant” LGBTQ rights.

In his victory speech, he repeated those themes, saying LGBTQ people cannot “infiltrate” his ruling party or its nationalist allies.

B ilginsoy reported from Istanbul. Bela Szandelszky in Ankara, Turkey; Mucahit Ceylan in Diyarbakir, Turkey; and Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey, contributed to this report.

KYIV, Ukraine—The attacks come at night, when most in Kyiv are sound asleep. The sirens wail across the Ukrainian capital, rousing bleary-eyed residents, who, after 15 months of war, have customized individual routines to cope with Russia’s latest air campaign.

As rising oceans threaten New York City, study shows another risk: NYC is sinking

By Bobby Caina Calvan The Associated Press

New research estimates the city’s landmass is sinking at an average rate of 1 to 2 millimeters per year, something referred to as “subsidence.”

That natural process happens everywhere as ground is compressed, but the study published this month in the journal Earth’s Future sought to estimate how the massive weight of the city itself is hurrying things along.

More than 1 million buildings are spread across the city’s five boroughs. The research team calculated that all those structures add up to about 1.7 trillion tons (1.5

trillion metric tons) of concrete, metal and glass—about the mass of 4,700 Empire State buildings—pressing down on the Earth.

The rate of compression varies throughout the city. Midtown Manhattan’s skyscrapers are largely built on rock, which compresses very little, while some parts of Brooklyn, Queens and downtown Manhattan are on looser soil and sinking faster, the study revealed.

While the process is slow, lead researcher Tom Parsons of the US Geological Survey said parts of the city will eventually

UN talks on treaty to end global plastic pollution open in Paris

PARIS—A United Nations committee is meeting Monday in Paris to work on what is intended to be a landmark treaty to bring an end to global plastic pollution, but there is little agreement yet on what the outcome should be.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics is charged with developing the first international, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. This is the second of five meetings due to take place to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024.

At the first meeting, held six months ago in Uruguay, some countries pressed for global mandates, some for national solutions and others for both.

Humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic annually, twothirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, filling the ocean and, often, working their way into the human food chain, the United Nations Environment Program said in April. Plastic waste produced globally is set to almost triple by 2060, with about half ending up in landfill and under a fifth recycled, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Because it’s a short timeline for treaty negotiations, experts say its critical decisions are made about the objectives at this meeting.

The treaty could focus on human health and the environment, as desired by the self-named “high ambition coalition” of countries, led by Norway

and Rwanda, with limits on plastic production and restrictions on some of the chemicals used in plastics, for example. The coalition is committed to an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution by 2040. It says that this is necessary to protect human health and the environment while helping to restore biodiversity and curb climate change. Alternatively, the treaty could have a more limited scope to address plastic waste and scale up recycling, as some of the plastic producing and oil and gas exporters want. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Countries supporting this plan include the United States, Saudi Arabia and China. The US delegation in Uruguay said national plans would allow governments to prioritize the most important sources and types of plastic pollution. Many plastics and chemical companies want this approach, too, with a plastic waste treaty that prioritizes recycling.

The International Council of Chemical Associations, the World Plastics Council, the American Chemistry Council and other companies that make, use and recycle plastics say they want an agreement that eliminates plastic pollution while “retaining the societal benefits of plastics.” They’re calling themselves the “global partners for plastics circularity.” They say that modern plastic materials are used around the world to create essential and often life-saving products, many of

be under water.

“It’s inevitable. The ground is going down, and the water’s coming up. At some point, those two levels will meet,” said Parsons, whose job is to forecast hazardous events from earthquakes and tsunamis to incremental shifts of the ground below us.

But no need to invest in life preservers just yet, Parsons assured.

The study merely notes buildings themselves are contributing,

albeit incrementally, to the shifting landscape, he said. Parsons and his team of researchers reached their conclusions using satellite imaging, data modeling and a lot of mathematical assumptions.

It will take hundreds of years — precisely when is unclear — before New York becomes America’s version of Venice, which is famously sinking into the Adriatic Sea. But parts of the city are more at risk.

“There’s a lot of weight there, a lot of people there,” Parsons said, referring specifically to Manhattan. “The average elevation in the southern part of the island is only 1 or 2 meters (3.2 or 6.5 feet) above sea level—it is very close to the waterline, and so it is a deep concern.”

Because the ocean is rising at a similar rate as the land is sinking, the Earth’s changing climate could accelerate the timeline for parts of the city to disappear under water.

“It doesn’t mean that we should stop building buildings. It doesn’t mean that the buildings are themselves the sole cause of this. There are a lot of factors,” Parsons said. “The purpose was to point this out in advance before it becomes a bigger problem.”

Already, New York City is at risk of flooding because of massive storms that can cause the ocean to swell inland or inundate neighborhoods with torrential rain.

The resulting flooding could have destructive and deadly consequences, as demonstrated by Superstorm Sandy a decade ago and the still-potent remnants of Hurricane Ida two years ago.

“From a scientific perspective, this is an important study,” said

Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at Columbia University’s Climate School, who was not involved in the research. Its findings could help inform policy makers as they draft ongoing plans to combat, or at least forestall, the rising tides.

“We can’t sit around and wait for a critical threshold of sea level rise to occur,” he said, “because waiting could mean we would be missing out on taking anticipatory action and preparedness measures.”

New Yorkers such as Tracy Miles can be incredulous at first.

“I think it’s a made-up story,” Miles said. He thought again while looking at sailboats bobbing in the water edging downtown Manhattan. “We do have an excessive amount of skyscrapers, apartment buildings, corporate offices and retail spaces.”

New York City isn’t the only place sinking. San Francisco also is putting considerable pressure on the ground and the region’s active earthquake faults. In Indonesia, the government is preparing for a possible retreat from Jakarta, which is sinking into the Java Sea, for a new capital being constructed on the higher ground of an entirely different island.

UN agencies warn of starvation risk in Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali, call for urgent aid

ROME—Two UN agencies warned Monday of rising food emergencies including starvation in Sudan due to the outbreak of war and in Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali due to restricted movements of people and goods.

The four countries join Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen at the highest alert levels, with communities that are already facing or projected to face starvation or otherwise risk a slide “towards catastrophic conditions.”

The report by the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization calls for urgent attention to save both lives and jobs. Beyond the nine countries rating the highest level of concern, the agencies said 22 countries are identified as “hotspots’’ risking acute food insecurity.

“Business-as-usual pathways are no longer an option in today’s risk landscape if we want to

By Samy Magdy The Associated Press

CAIRO—The United States and Saudi Arabia called on warring sides in Sudan to extend a fragile cease-fire due to expire Monday, as weeks of fighting reached a stalemate in the capital and elsewhere in the African country.

The Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary force, battling for control of Sudan since midApril, had agreed last week to the weeklong truce, brokered by the US and the Saudis. However, the cease-fire, like others before it, did not stop the fighting in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.

In a joint statement early Sunday, the US and Saudi Arabia called for an extension of the current truce, which expires at 9:45 p.m. local time Monday.

“While imperfect, an extension nonetheless will facilitate the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people,” the statement said.

achieve global food security for all, ensuring that no one is left behind,” said Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General. He called for immediate action

in the agricultural sector “to pull people back from the brink of hunger, help them rebuild their lives and provide long-term solution to address the root causes of food

insecurities.”

The report cited a possible spillover of the conflict in Sudan, deepening economic crises in poor nations and rising fears that the El Nino climatic phenomenon forecast for mid-2023 could provoke climate extremes in vulnerable countries.

The report warns that 1 million people are expected to flee Sudan, while an additional 2.5 million inside Sudan face acute hunger in the coming months as supply routes through Port Sudan are disrupted by safety issues.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned of “catastrophic” consequences unless there is clear action to “help people adapt to a changing climate and ultimately prevent famine.”

“Not only are more people in more places around the world going hungry, but the severity of the hunger they face is worse than ever,” McCain said. AP

The statement also urged Sudan’s military government and the rival Rapid Support Forces to continue negotiations to reach an agreement on extending the cease-fire.

The fighting broke out in mid-April between the military and the powerful RSF. Both military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and RSF leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo led the 2021 coup that removed the Western-backed government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The conflict has killed hundreds of people, wounded thousands and pushed the country to near collapse. It has forced nearly 1.4 million people out of their homes to safer areas inside Sudan, or to neighboring nations, according to the U.N. migration agency. Residents reported renewed sporadic clashes Sunday in parts of the capital’s adjacent city, Omdurman, where the army’s aircraft were seen flying over the city. Fighting was also reported in al-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur.

In a separate statement, the US and Saudi Arabia accused both the military and the RSF of violating the cease-fire, saying that such violations “significantly impeded delivery of humanitarian assistance and restoration of essential services.”

The statement mentioned airstrikes by the military including one that reportedly killed at least two people Saturday in Khartoum. The RSF also continued to occupy civilian homes, private businesses, and public buildings, and loot some residences.

“Both parties have told facilitators their goal is de-escalation to facilitate humanitarian assistance and essential repairs, yet both parties are posturing for further escalation,” the statement said.

The conflict has come to a stalemate as neither side has been able to deliver a decisive blow to the other after six weeks of fighting.

In the first two weeks of the war, army airstrikes targeted RSF camps in and outside the capital, crippling the paramilitary force’s bases. That forced the RSF to deploy in densely

populated areas, where they seized people’s houses and other property, and are using them as cover against the military’s airstrikes.

The detention of Dr. Alaa Eldin Awad Nogoud, a prominent surgeon and prodemocracy activist, in Omdurman caused an uproar in the country, with medical and rights groups in and outside of Sudan demanding his release.

A group of armed men stormed Nogoud’s home Sunday and detained him, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate. He was taken to an unknown location, it said.

The Forces of Freedom and Change, the pro-democracy coalition, said the armed men claimed they were members of the military and the intelligence service. It said Nogoud’s detention was part of a campaign targeting pro-democracy activists, and urged his immediate release.

NEW YORK—If rising oceans aren’t worry enough, add this to the risks New York City faces: The metropolis is slowly sinking under the weight of its skyscrapers, homes, asphalt and humanity itself.

PEOPLE gather to collect water in Khartoum, Sudan on Sunday, May 28, 2023. The Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary force, battling for control of Sudan since mid-April, had agreed last week to the weeklong truce, brokered by the US and the Saudis. However, the cease-fire, like others before it, did not stop the fighting in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. AP/MARWAN ALI

US, Saudi Arabia call for warring sides in Sudan to extend ‘imperfect’ cease-fire

editorial

‘They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor’

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, support for Ukraine has poured in from around the world. That aid has reached a staggering $150 billion (144 billion euros) as of January 15, according to the Kiel institute for the World economy. The group is trying to keep up with all of the commitments in its Ukraine Support Tracker, which keeps tabs on government-to-government transfers of military, financial and humanitarian aid into Ukraine.

The majority of that support comes from the US, with $77 billion in aid. The European Union, EU member states, and European financial institutions also pledged €49 billion (about $52 billion).

Small countries are likewise making significant offerings of their own. Estonia and Latvia, for example, have each sent aid totaling more than 1 percent of their gross domestic product, according to the tracker. Lithuania, Poland and Bulgaria also stand out among the highest aid donors by share of GDP.

From the World Bank: “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the World Bank Group has been working with international partners to mobilize fastdisbursing funds that help the government of Ukraine sustain essential public service delivery to the Ukrainian people, including wages for hospital workers, pensions for the elderly, and social programs for the vulnerable. As of April 2, 2023, the World Bank has mobilized over $23 billion in emergency financing in support of the people of Ukraine, including commitments and pledges from donors to help blunt the widespread human and economic impacts of the war.”

Unfortunately, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contributed to the rise in hunger all over the world, particularly in vulnerable countries, including those in the Horn of Africa. According to the World Food Program, “Somalia is among the worst affected countries in the Horn of Africa. People are already dying of hunger in Somalia. In addition to the worsening drought, increased food prices and conflict, displacement is another major factor in pushing people into famine in Somalia.”

The United Nations and non-government organizations have issued warnings of catastrophic hunger levels for more than a year, but the warnings have been largely overlooked. The explosion in needs is outpacing the resources available. On November 7, 2022, UN agencies and partners issued a joint statement calling for immediate action to prevent famine in the Horn of Africa. The statement declared that a humanitarian catastrophe is occurring, and more funds are needed to save lives.

From the Associated Press: “A high-level UN conference on Wednesday raised less than $1 billion of the more than $5 billion organizers were hoping for to help over 30 million people in the Horn of Africa cope with a major climate crisis and mass displacement after years of conflict, a major disappointment to aid agencies.”

The UN appealed for $7 billion this year to provide food and other humanitarian assistance for the three Horn of Africa countries—Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya—and had only received $1.6 billion, the AP report said.

After pledges were tallied, the UN humanitarian office said the total funding for 2023 now stands at $2.4 billion. That means only $800 million in new funding was announced last week—over 60 percent from the United States, which made an additional donation of $524 million. That brought its total to more than $1.4 billion for the fiscal year ending September 30. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged donors to make an immediate and major injection of funding to prevent the crisis caused by the longest drought on record, massive displacement and skyrocketing food prices “from turning into catastrophe.” He said: “People in the Horn of Africa are paying an unconscionable price for a climate crisis they did nothing to cause. Without an immediate and major injection of funding, emergency operations will grind to a halt, and people will die.” US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who visited Mogadishu last year, said humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa are now greater than ever, “with over 23.5 million persons facing acute food insecurity.”

“Right now, the global community is simply not meeting the moment,” she said, warning that the threat of famine looms larger than ever. “In a world abundant with food, entire communities should never, never starve to death,” Thomas-Greenfield added.

The UN has said that the situation in the Horn of Africa is already an emergency. Global donors need to act immediately by increasing funding for lifesaving assistance.

Tupac Shakur’s observation was spot on: “They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.”

Infrastructure projects are more than a mantra

Manny B. Villar

THE EnTrEprEnEur

We often hear from every new administration about huge infrastructure projects that it will pursue to speed up the development of the Philippine economy and ultimately reduce poverty. Yes, we know that the benefits of infrastructure projects on the economy are enormous in terms of creating jobs and new business opportunities.

Yet, for a number of Filipino consumers, infrastructure projects are a pipe dream whose economic benefits will accrue beyond their lifetime. In reality, however, infrastructure projects are more than a mantra or sloganeering from the administration.

The construction of infrastructure projects brings immediate benefits to the economy because of the instant jobs they generate from the start to the end. Additional employments by the hundreds of thousands are created in-between. The additional jobs will feed the economy— consumer spending increases and more products are churned out from factories to meet rising demand.

The added employment and decelerating inflation combined during the initial phases of the construction period are expected to fuel consumer

spending more. The new ranks of consumers will shop in the malls, travel and boost the countryside, and dine in fast-food restaurants, a development that speeds up the economic cycle. The completion of the infrastructure projects—airports, railways, toll roads, seaports and bridges—will naturally provide long-term benefits to the economy.

Roads and airports, for one, will open new economic corridors and create additional business opportunities for property and mall developers. They will lead to the emergence of more small entrepreneurs like operators of sari-sari stores and smaller transportation modes. Infrastructure projects will also speed up the delivery of goods and services from the farms in the countryside to the urban centers.

But building infrastructure projects and funding them are a challenge, especially for a government that spent so much in fighting the pandemic. The state has other equally important sectors to fund like education, the military, welfare services, public works and mass housing.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spent a lot of time abroad to convince foreign governments and their businessmen to invest here and participate in the country’s infrastructure program. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista made a follow-up plea with European investors last week when he met with top officials of the European Union-Association of South East Asian Nations Council and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).

The budgetary constraints are prompting us to search for funding sources from foreign business groups as well as international financial institutions. The Philippines, per Mr. Bautista, has offered several infrastructure transport projects to international foreign institutions, private investors and professional associations and industry groups.

He cited the proposed privatization of the operations and management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as an option for private sector investment. Included in the offer are other regional airports in

Update from ChatGPT: You are replaced

John Mangun

OuTSIDE THE BOX

TWo weeks ago i asked chatGPT to “Analyze the text below for style, voice, and tone” for one of my columns on global market liquidity: “The ‘silent killer’ crisis.”

This was the response. “Style: The style of the text is informative, analytical, and persuasive. The author presents facts and statistics to support their arguments and uses metaphors and analogies to explain complex concepts. The writing is clear and straightforward, focusing on conveying facts and opinions concisely.”

“Voice: The voice of the author is authoritative and knowledgeable, as someone with expertise in financial matters, expressing opinions with confidence and using examples and statistics to support their points. The voice is objective, aiming to provide an objective analysis of the subject matter.”

“Tone: The tone of the text is serious and urgent. The author high-

lights the importance of liquidity in the financial system and emphasizes the potential consequences of its loss. The author discusses historical financial crises and their impact on economies. The tone is cautionary, emphasizing the need for attention and action.”

You can obviously see from that magnificently accurate analysis of my writing that the ChatGPT AI is not merely “Artificial Intelligence” but is in fact “Super Intelligence.” Or something.

I confess. I ran some articles from the local press through the ChatGPT washing machine.

From analyzing a story on the “lapses involving 990 kilos of shabu.” “The text appears to be written in a formal and journalistic style. It pro-

vides factual information and quotes from Senator Ronald dela Rosa. The author’s voice is detached and impersonal, presenting the information in a neutral manner. The author presents the information without showing bias or emotional involvement.”

On corporate developments at ABS-CBN. “The text is written in a formal and business-oriented style. It provides factual information about ABS-CBN’s plans to expand its content reach. The author’s voice is objective and professional, conveying the information in a straightforward manner. The author presents the information without expressing personal opinions or emotions.” So, what is all the uproar about ChatGPT and AI taking over the world?

A business friend that is an owner of a restaurant with 15 branches uses ChatGPT to prepare proposal letters as well as press releases and advertising copy. He also uses the AI to solve complicated—for him—formulas for menu price adjustments.

News reporters who write articles have expressed fears that they might

the pipeline for privatization.

President Marcos, through the Department of Transportation, has dangled other infrastructure projects in the transport sector, such as railways, maritime and road, including the Metro Manila Subway, North-South Commuter Railway, LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, MRT-7 and MRT-4.

The government’s businessfriendly policies, meanwhile, are bearing fruits. European investors gave their thumbs-up sign to the improving economic fundamentals and the Philippines’s open investment policy. ECCP President Lars Wittig cited the recent creation of a ‘green lane’ for strategic investments and the headway in facilitating ease of doing business here.

The recent business reforms passed by Congress and President Marcos’s resolve to go ahead with big infrastructure projects will certainly expand the economic base of the Philippines. These make me more bullish on the prospects of the economy this year and beyond.

With inflation in check and big infrastructure projects in the works, I don’t see any reason why the Philippines cannot sustain its rapid economic expansion.

For comments, send e-mail to mbv_secretariat@vistaland.com.ph or visit www.mannyvillar.com.ph

lose jobs to ChatGPT-style AI. They are correct. It is inevitable just like the robots on the automobile assembly line. Feed in the facts and the AI will write the story with the same “factual information and a voice that is objective and professional without showing bias or emotional involvement.”

The basic AI in ChatGPT, for all its “sophistication and mystery,” is basically a pattern recognition detector. If you watched my YouTube video two weeks ago—“To Perceive Patterns Is To Understand”—I showed how pattern recognition is applied to stock market trading.

Nearly all human behavior, including language, follows predictable patterns. Dr. Bruce Abramson of Informationism Inc. wrote: “Increasingly sophisticated recording mechanisms provide AI systems with a growing body of past data in which to find patterns.”

This is the instruction for a person working on the automobile assembly line. “Your job is to fasten four bolts and nuts to affix the part to the chassis with a torque value of no less than XX pounds and no more than XX pounds” and we can tell a machine to perform that exact task. For journalists. “Write an article of

Modi opponents boycott opening of new Indian Parliament bldg; PM says it breaks with colonial past

By Sheikh Saaliq | The Associated Press

NEW DELHI—India’s major opposition parties on Sunday boycotted the inauguration of a new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a rare show of unity against his Hindu nationalist ruling party, which has ruled for nine years and is seeking a third term in next year’s elections.

Modi inaugurated the new Parliament in the capital of New Delhi by offering prayers as Hindu priests chanted religious hymns. Opposition parties criticized the event saying Modi had sidelined President Droupadi Murmu, who has only ceremonial powers but is the head of state and highest constitutional authority.

Shortly after the inauguration, a visibly beaming Modi entered Parliament amid a rousing applause by his party lawmakers who chanted “Modi, Modi.” He delivered an almost 40-minute speech in which he hailed India’s parliamentary democracy and said the country had left behind its colonial past, referring to the old Parliament building that was built by the British when they ruled India.

“India is the mother of democracy,” Modi said, as lawmakers thumped their desks. “Several years of foreign rule stole our pride from us. Today, India has left behind that colonial mindset.”

The opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “Parliament is the voice of the people. The Prime Minister is considering the inauguration of the Parliament House as a coronation.”

Ripples of premature tax collection

Tax law for business

THE law creating the Court of Tax Appeals provides that no appeal taken to the CTA from the decision of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall suspend the payment, levy, distraint, and/or sale of any property of the taxpayer for the satisfaction of his tax liability as provided by existing law: Provided, however, that when in the opinion of the CTA the collection by the CIR may jeopardize the interest of the government and/or the taxpayer, the Court at any stage of the proceeding may suspend the said collection and require the taxpayer either to deposit the amount claimed or to file a surety bond for not more than double the amount with the Court.

loss of lives and livelihoods during the pandemic.

A year earlier, a group of 60 former civil servants wrote an open letter to Modi to highlight the architectural value of the old Parliament and said the new plan would “irrevocably” destroy the area’s cultural heritage.

Modi’s government has said the overhaul was necessary because the older building was “showing signs of distress and overutilization” and that the new design “combines the country’s heritage and traditions.”

The new building sits just across from India’s old Parliament, a circular structure designed by British architects in the early 20th century.

The new four-story building has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, almost 500 more than the previous one.

There are three important items that must be considered here: 1. No appeal taken to the CTA from the decision of the CIR shall suspend the payment of tax; 2. Only the CTA can stop the CIR from enforcing collection at any stage of the proceedings before the court; 3. What will be satisfied by the payment of tax is a liability as provided by existing law.

In the first item, it would appear that the CIR has an immense power that nobody can stop. If the taxpayer’s protest is denied and the CIR issues a Final Decision on Disputed Assessment, the amount of tax liability as found in the FDDA is already demandable. Even an appeal to the CTA cannot stop the CIR from enforcing collection.

I hope that the BIR will not abuse its power and exercise restraint. It must realize that behind the prematurely collected hundreds of millions or even billions of pesos are employees that have been terminated, families that are left with no source of living and micro economic shocks that will create ripples—and possible accountability.

CTA rules do not mandate that a hearing be conducted for the court to rule for or against the taxpayer.

the decision denying the request for reinvestigation or reconsideration; or c). Failure to file an appeal to the CTA within 30 days from receipt of the Decision of the CIR denying the taxpayer’s administrative appeal to the FDDA.

that the CTA orders the suspension of tax, it can also order the taxpayer to pay a bond that is not more than double the amount of the alleged tax due. But the bond may be waived if certain conditions are met.

Unfortunately, the interplay between these first two items, which are supposed to check and balance the rights of the government and the taxpayers, tilt in favor of the former.

The CTA may be convinced that a suspension order is warranted, by just examining the pleadings. I believe that it can also issue a temporary suspension order while it conducts hearings on the motion. If collection is premature, the more reason that it can unilaterally wield its immense power.

In the Central Luzon Drug case, the CTA En Banc reminded the CIR that the civil remedies for collection of taxes should not be used at will but only when the taxes sought to be collected have already become delinquent. The Court said that while it appreciates the passion by which the CIR is performing his mandated duty to collect the necessary funds for the operation of the government, the CIR is given a stern warning not to repeat the present grievous action lest the government appear to be abusive of its power rather than protective of the interests of its people.

At least 19 opposition parties skipped the event, which coincided with the birth anniversary of a Hindu nationalist ideologue.

Opposition parties said in a statement Wednesday that Modi’s decision to inaugurate the building was “a grave insult” to India’s democracy, because the government had “disqualified, suspended and muted” opposition lawmakers while passing “controversial legislation” with little debate.

“When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the parliament, we find no value in a new building,” the parties said.

India’s powerful Home Minister Amit Shah said the opposition had politicized the event. Other leaders from Modi’s party said the boycott was an insult to the prime minister.

The new triangular-shaped building—built at an estimated cost of $120 million—is part of a $2.8 billion revamp of British-era offices and residences in central New Delhi that will also include blocks of buildings to house government ministries and departments, and Modi’s new private residence. The entire project, called the “Central Vista,” is spread over 3.2 kilometers (1.9 miles).

The project was announced in 2019, and Modi laid the foundation in December 2020.

The plan has drawn intense criticism from opposition politicians, architects and heritage experts, many of whom called it environmentally irresponsible, a threat to cultural heritage and too expensive.

Outrage grew in 2021, when at least 12 opposition parties questioned the project’s timing, saying it was built as the country faced a devastating surge in coronavirus cases. They branded the revamp as Modi’s “vanity project” and said its construction was prioritized over the

The old Parliament will be converted into a museum.

During the televised ceremony Sunday, Modi prostrated himself before a royal golden scepter that his Bharatiya Janata Party says symbolized the transfer of power when it was gifted to the country’s first prime minister on the eve of India’s independence from Britain in 1947.

This power, however, is tamed by the second item. The CTA can order the suspension of the payment of tax. It is only at the CTA where taxpayers can seek redress. The Metropolitan Trial Court, Regional Trial Court and even the Court of Appeals are not blessed with this power. To avail of this remedy, taxpayers must file a motion for suspension of collection tax before the CTA. A hearing is usually set to hear the motion where taxpayers must convince the court that irreparable damage looms if the BIR is allowed to collect. In the event

I observe that recently, the CIR is not exercising restraint in enforcing collection. Even if an assessment is still disputed or appealed at the CTA and there is already a pending motion for suspension of collection of tax, warrants of garnishment are still being issued and worse, banks are ordered to transfer the money to the national treasury. When this happens, the motion for suspension of collection of tax becomes moot. The CTA may no longer act on it and rule that there is nothing more to suspend.

Taxpayers are in a race against time and sometimes they feel helpless. They can only pray that the CTA will act on their motion for suspension of collection of tax with the same haste and eagerness as the BIR’s efforts to collect. The CTA has the power to suspend the collection of tax anytime, as provided by its rules. Unlike the rules of court, the

The CTA need not use its power to suspend if the CIR recognizes the limitations of its power. The third item as provided above provides that what should be satisfied by the payment of tax is a liability as provided by existing law. The Tax Code provides that it is only upon failure of the person to pay the delinquent tax or delinquent revenue within the period prescribed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that a warrant of distraint of personal property may be issued. Delinquent tax is what is being referred to as the liability as provided by law.

A delinquent account as a tax due from a taxpayer arising from the audit of the BIR which had been issued Assessment Notices that have become final and executory due to the following instances: a). Failure to pay the tax due on the prescribed due date provided in the FAN/FLD and for which no valid Protest, whether a request for reconsideration or reinvestigation, has been filed within 30 days from receipt thereof; b). Failure to file an appeal to the CTA or an administrative appeal before the CIR within 30 days from receipt of

No less than the Supreme Court in the recent LRT case has ruled that a warrant of distraint and levy is premature and consequently void if the taxpayer filed a protest to the assessment that remains unresolved. In other words, the assessment is still disputed. The SC ruled that only delinquent tax may be collected by the BIR.

I hope that the BIR will not abuse its power and exercise restraint. It must realize that behind the prematurely collected hundreds of millions or even billions of pesos are employees that have been terminated, families that are left with no source of living and micro economic shocks that will create ripples—and possible accountability.

The author is a senior partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices, a member-firm of WTS Global.

Dozens of Hindu priests followed Modi inside Parliament, where he installed the scepter near the chair of the speaker.

Modi’s critics and opposition leaders have questioned the scepter’s historicity and said the emblem is appropriate for a monarchy, not a democracy.

Last year, Modi inaugurated a refurbished colonial-era avenue in the heart of New Delhi that is used for ceremonial military parades. The boulevard was earlier called Rajpath, or Kingsway, but Modi’s party changed it to Kartavya Path, or Road to Duty, arguing the old name was a “symbol of slavery” that had been “erased forever.”

The controversy over the new legislative building comes just months after opposition leaders protested Gandhi’s disqualification from Parliament in a defamation case over remarks he made about Modi’s surname.

Barely a mile away from the ceremony, a heavy police presence overpowered about 100 protesting Indian wrestlers and their supporters. They accuse their federation president of sexual misconduct and had planned to march to the new Parliament building. Some of the protesters scuffled with police and were taken away in a bus.

Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has denied the accusations, is a powerful lawmaker from Modi’s party.

North Korea notifies neighboring Japan it plans to launch satellite in coming days

By Mari Yamaguchi & Hyung-Jin Kim |

The Associated Press

TOKYO—North Korea on Monday notified neighboring Japan that it plans to launch a satellite in coming days, which may be an attempt to put Pyongyang’s first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit.

Japan’s coast guard said the notice it received from North Korean waterway authorities said the launch window was from May 31 to June 11, and that the launch may affect waters in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island.

The coast guard issued a safety warning for ships in the area on those dates because of the possible risks from falling debris. Japan’s coast guard coordinates and distributes maritime safety information in East Asia, which is likely the reason it was the recipient of North Korea’s notice.

To launch a satellite into space, North Korea would have to use longrange missile technology banned by UN Security Council resolutions. Its past launches of Earth observation satellites were seen as disguised missile tests.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the launch would violate UN resolutions and was a “threat to the peace and safety of Japan, the region and the international community.”

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada ordered Japan’s Self Defense Force to shoot down the satellite or debris, if any entered Japanese territory.

Matsuno said it was possible the satellite would enter or pass above Japan’s southwestern islands including Okinawa, where the United States has major military bases and

To launch a satellite into space, North Korea would have to use long-range missile technology banned by UN Security Council resolutions. Its past launches of Earth observation satellites were seen as disguised missile tests.

Korea argues its testing spree is meant to issue warning over expanded military drills between the US and South Korea, but observers say North Korea aims to modernize its weapons program then win greater concessions from its rivals in future dealings.

thousands of troops.

Japan has already been on standby for falling missile debris from North Korean launches earlier this year and has deployed missile defense systems such as PAC-3 and ship-to-air interceptors in southwestern Japan.

South Korea warned Monday that North Korea will face consequences if it goes ahead with its launch plan in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions that ban the North from conducting any launch using ballistic technology.

“Our government strongly warns North Korea against a provocation that threatens peace in the region and urges it to withdraw its illegal launch plan immediately,” a ministry statement said. It said South Korea will cooperate with the international community to resolutely cope with any North Korean provocation.

Earlier this month, North Korean state media reported leader Kim Jong Un had inspected a finished military spy satellite at his country’s aerospace center and approved the satellite’s launch plan. Monday’s launch notice did not specify the type of satellite.

Last week, rival South Korea launched its first commercial-grade satellite into space, which likely will provide it with technology and expertise to place its first military spy satellite into orbit later this year and build more powerful mis-

siles. Experts say Kim would want his country to launch a spy satellite before South Korea does.

North Korea placed Earth observation satellites in orbit in 2012 and 2016. Pyongyang does not notify neighboring countries of its missile firings in advance, but has issued notices ahead of satellite launches in the past.

While North Korea has demonstrated an ability to deliver a satellite into space, there are questions about the satellite’s capability. Foreign experts say the earlier satellites never transmitted imagery back to North Korea, and analysts say the new device displayed in state media appeared too small and crudely designed to support high-resolution imagery.

Spy satellites are among an array of high-tech weapons systems Kim has publicly vowed to develop.

Other weapons systems on his wish list include solid-propellant ICBMs, nuclear-powered submarines, hypersonic missiles and multi-warhead missiles.

The North’s satellite launch plan comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Since the start of 2022, North Korea has test-launched more than 100 missiles, some of them nuclearcapable weapons that place the US mainland, South Korea and Japan within striking distance. North

Last week, the South Korean and US militaries conducted large-scale live-fire drills near the border with North Korea as the first of five rounds of exercises marking 70 years since the establishment of their alliance. North Korea warned Monday that the US and South Korea will face unspecified consequences for their “war scenario for aggression on” North Korea.

“We’d like to ask them if they can cope with the consequences to be entailed by their reckless and dangerous war gambles that are being staged under the eyes of the armed forces of [North Korea],” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at rwin.c.nideajr@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 330. Mangun.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that he was ready to meet Kim Jong Un “any time without preconditions” and that he was making efforts to organize a summit as soon as possible. He was speaking at a conference dealing with the abductions of Japanese citizens to North Korea decades ago. The issue was only partially resolved and North Korea never provided a full account for those still believed held.

North Korea on Monday urged Japan to show its sincerity about resuming talks, saying it’s necessary to “cool-headedly recall” why past talks had failed to improve ties. Hyung-jin Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea.

The new building sits just across from India’s old Parliament, a circular structure designed by British architects in the early 20th century. The new four-story building has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, almost 500 more than the previous one.

atty. irwin C. nidea Jr.

Senators OK estate tax amnesty extension

VOTING unanimously, the Senate approved Monday on third and final reading the bill extending the estate tax amnesty, which lawmakers from both chambers and the Executive had championed.

S enate Bill No. 2219 (SBN 2219), extending the period of Availment of Estate Tax Amnesty, amends the Estate Tax Amnesty Act. It was seen as necessary in light of the findings that many ordinary people are unable to comply with estate tax payments in a timely manner in view of the numerous requirements that pose a burden to them.

A pproved on third reading in the Senate, the roll call vote was 24 yes votes, zero objections and zero abs tentions.

Narinig po natin ang panawagan ng ating mga taxpayers, at ito na po ang ating sagot sa kanila  [We heard the cry of our taxpayers, and this is our response to them],” said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who coauthored and cosponsored the bill, alongside the chief of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Sen. Win Gatchalian.

T he bill extends the period of availment of estate tax amnesty by two years, until June 14, 2025. This is the second extension of the amnesty, which was first extended from 2021 to 2023.

“ Owing to the challenges of the pandemic, there are still people who have not been able to avail of the amnesty even with the first extension. We passed this second extension for them,” the Senate President said, partly in Filipino.

But we are not only extending availment window,” the Senate leader added: “we are also expanding on the estates covered by the amnesty. By doing so, we hope that we can assuage the grief of the families of those who fell during the long pandemic night.”

W hile House Bill No. 7909 expands the amnesty coverage for the estates of individuals who died until December 31, 2021, the Senate version extends the coverage until May 31, 2022.

“Alongside the extension, the Senate bill also addresses issues with the ease of paying taxes, by giving a clear list of requirements to be submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, allowing for easier filing of tax returns, and allowing for an installment option for payments,” he added.

Electric or manual ELECTRIC or manual filing of estate tax amnesty returns, whichever is more convenient for the taxpayer, are allowed for under Senate Bill 2219, as well as the payment of taxes with any authorized agent bank, revenue district office, or authorized tax software provider.

T he bill also allows for payment by installment within two years from the statutory date, without civil penalty and interest.

Sa ganitong paraan, hindi na po masyadong mabigat sa ating mga kababayan ang pagbayad ng [This way, it won’t be as burdensome for our people to pay] estate taxes under the amnesty program,” he said.

“ We want to make tax payments as easy and painless as possible for our people, so we can see healthier tax collections, that will redound to the benefit of the country as well.”

Butch Fernandez

Senate minority mounts bid to stop Maharlika vote

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

H e and his colleague in the minority bloc, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, had earlier admitted they see themselves without the numbers needed to defeat the bill, but have nontheless stressed they will take every opportunity to expose the flaws of the measure that President Marcos Jr. certified last week—or at least delay a vote on the existing version.

M ajority Leader Joel Villanueva said the senators held a caucus on Monday to strategize on the passage of priority bills, including the MIF. He said the Senate may hold sessions until Thursday, instead of

just Wednesday.

O n Monday, Hontiveros interpellated at length the bill’s sponsors, Banking committee chairman Mark A. Villar, after Pimentel tried but failed to use a question of quorum.

A fter Hontiveros completed her interpellation, Pimentel questioned the legal basis of the Executive in certifying the MIF bill to allow its speedy passage, when the law lists an “emergency” or “public calamity” to justify such.

“ Truth is, this bill is unsalvageable and beyond repair,” Pimentel declared on Monday, a few days away from the final vote on the highly

contentious measure.

“After thorough analysis and careful review of Senate Bill No. 2020, I have come to the conclusion that the overall risk is too great that it outweighs whatever the potential benefits of the measure are, if there is any at all,” Pimentel stressed.

He aired concerns that creating an investment fund with a price tag of P500 billion—would require the government to divert resources away from more immediate priorities such as addressing poverty, hunger, education gaps, joblessness, healthcare deficiencies, and the country’s ballooning debt.

Pimentel said similar fund mechanisms, such as sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), were established and funded through budget surplus, trade surplus, and income from indemand commodities such as oil.

In the case of MIF, the country’s own version of a sovereign wealth fund, Pimentel III said there is no new source of fund as the Philippines has no surplus in trade nor budget.

T he country’s trade in goods deficit is around $40 billion to $60 billion a year, he noted.

Senate OKs Regional Specialty Ctrs bill

Per the Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO), the government has been in a perennial budget deficit.

“With no surplus from oil discovery or from trade activities and no windfall profit of any kind, the Philippines has no justifiable reason to form and enter into the world of SWFs and investment funds,” Pimentel III insisted.

Our national debt now stands at P13.75 trillion as of end-February 2023,” he added.

T he Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC), according to Pimentel, will be vested with the power to incur more debt.

The implications of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund Act are simply too grave for us not to do anything to stop it. These are difficult economic times,” the senator noted, pointing to the case of three US banks that failed recently: the First Republic Bank, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. And the contagion reached the banking safe-haven of Switzerland, leading to the collapse of Credit Suisse, he added.

See “Senate ,” A2

WITH all senators present, the Senate on Monday voted unanimously on third and final reading the bill creating Regional Specialty Centers in Department of Health (DOH)run hospitals, to allow Filipinos across the country access to badly needed specialized medical treatment and ease the congestion in such institutions as the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney Center and Lung Center of the Philippines.

S enator Bong Go, main sponsor of the measure, took the floor to thank all 24 senators who voted for it, saying it “shows that we work as one in the Senate to make health services accessible to all.”

H owever, he raised the possibility that its lofty motivation would go to naught if funding is not assured, so he made a special appeal to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to ensure funding for such regional specialty centers.

Z ubiri nodded quickly, saying the regional specialty centers had been “my dream since I came back to the Senate in 2016.”

W ith the passage of Senate Bill 2212, Go said it was the collective experiences and stories of Filipinos needing medical services that inspired them to make sure they have a “compassionate, accessible” health care system to “meet the needs of every Filipino.”

G o last week sponsored the Committee Report on SB 2212 or the proposed “Regional Specialty Centers Act,” with the version including the proposal of the Health committee vice chair, Sen. Pia Cayetano, which sites the specialty centers in existing tertiary medical institutions of the DOH. Cayetano argued that constructing new regional centers from scratch would be very costly and might go unfunded.

PHL rank as UK trade partner seen rising

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Philippines’s rank as the United Kingdom’s trading partner is seen to go up “significantly,” according to the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP).

“ Currently, the Philippines ranked 64th in terms of the trade it does with the UK. I can see that going up significantly,” BCCP Executive Director Chris Nelson said in a televised interview on Monday.  Nelson noted the Philippines’s 6.4-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth reported in the first quarter of 2023 is “very significant” in driving the country’s rank beyond 64th place as UK’s trading partner.

Moreover, the BCCP official said the Developing Country Trading Scheme (DCTS) will be launched on June 7 and will be notified to the public on June 19.

A s to how the Philippines will benefit from this UK trading scheme, he said, “I think what it’s gonna do particularly for the Philippines, is continue to grow trade that’s already doing extremely well.”  “ The DCTS will reduce significantly, it’s removing, I think, 150 of the tariff lines. It will cover an area, I think of over 3.3 billion people,” Nelson said.

A ccording to Nelson, total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Philippines was £2.4 billion in 2022. Nelson said the trade between the two nations “is very well balanced.”

L ast week, the Philippines and the UK forged a partnership statement on Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation.

A mong the commitments enclosed in the statement is to “Drive investment opportunities in priority sectors.”

U nder this commitment, the statement noted, the UK will work with the Philippines through the British Investment Partnerships (BIP) to “mobilize” private and public finance and technical expertise to support sustainable infrastructure projects and the transition to clean energy in the Philippines.

We are committed to continued and open dialogue to ascertain key priority projects and maximize opportunities under BIP,” the Philippines-United Kingdom partnership statement read.

T he two countries said renewable energy will be at the “forefront” of their engagement on the clean energy transition under the BIP.

I n infrastructure, the countries said UK’s expertise on rail and integrated transport systems can create the “enabling” environment for sourcing high quality investment in public transport.

C limate finance, the countries said, can help to “de-risk” investment opportunities and address the needs of most at-risk communities.

A part from driving investment opportunities in priority sectors, the two nations have agreed to keep growing economic relations by maximizing trade and investment opportunities.

“ This will include sustaining exchanges on trade and investment policy, identifying and promoting tangible opportunities in key growth sectors, and addressing market access concerns to promote a level playing field,” the partnership statement read.

Specifically, the two countries said, “We will jointly promote the Developing Countries Trading Scheme [DCTS] to exporters and work to eliminate barriers to trade and investment.”

“PHL

It is not difficult to recognize the need for specialty centers around the country. But the reality is, it will be very expensive to put up specialty centers on their own. So this bill, which provides for the specialty centers to be within the DOH hospitals, solves a big part of this problem. It will be much more economical precisely because it will be able to make use of the existing DOH facilities. It is clearly cost-efficient and practical,” Cayetano had said.

G o earlier explained  the bill aims to establish specialty centers in select DoH hospitals across the country, with mental health services among the specialties included. Zubiri said his heart bled for thousands of people from the countryside seeking help to gain admission to the Metro Manila-based specialty centers for heart, lung or kidney ailements.

Sen. Go, who is Health committee chairman, recalled that his passion to widen access to medical services had prompted him to push earlier for socalled Malasakit Centers—a one-stop shop of sorts within state hospitals, to allow people to deal with just one office, in order to avail of assistance. B utch Fernandez

THE Maharlika Investment Fund bill which the Senate is widely expected to pass before adjourning this week, is “unsalvageable” in its current version, according to Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who mounted an apparent last-ditch effort to delay a vote before the break.

PREPPING FOR ‘BETTY’ The DSWD National Resource Operations Center has become a hive of activity, as volunteer police and other personnel pack and distribute food packs and essential aid items for areas affected by Typhoon Betty (international name: Mawar) on Monday, May 29, 2023. NONIE REYES

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Lopez-led FPH allots ₧80B for capex program this year

By VG Cabuag @villygc

t his year’s capex is more than 50 percent higher than the previous year’s P51 billion.

Emmanuel Antonio P. singson, the company’s treasurer and cFo, said the bulk of this year’s capex will be for First Gen corp., which will get some P60 billion.

About P17 billion will be for its real estate assets, such as r o ckwell Land c o rp. and First Philippine i n dustrial Park and the rest will be for its manufacturing assets, such as First Balfour and t h erma Prime.

“Funding will be combination of debt and combination of internally generated funds,” singson said at the sidelines of the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting.

Francis Giles B. Puno, the com-

pany’s president and c Eo, said First Gen is committed to expanding its clean energy portfolio to lead the country’s clean energy transition by delivering up to 13 gigawatts of new clean and renewable power by 2030.

t h rough this endeavor, we will significantly contribute to the country’s decarbonization targets,” Puno said.

“First Gen continues to build on the infrastructure that will allow our country to import enough liquefied natural gas and to assure the continued operations of the Philippines’s natural gas plants in the midst of the impending depletion of gas supply from the Malampaya field.”

First Philec, its electrical manufacturing and energy solutions

provider platform, continues to deliver efficient transformers to the market as it continues to grow its order book. its recent innovation includes its super green transformers made of materials that are recyclable or biodegradable with the aim to reduce its environmental impact.

“We are also collaborating with our customers to pursue smarter digital solutions in their metering operations. FPH’s non-energy businesses are closely linked with the mission of regeneration, where enhancing the quality of life requires services that tap into various aspects of national development,” Puno said.

First Holdings, meanwhile, is expanding its healthcare business.

Last week, the company com-

Nlex puts up more weighbridge stations

NLEX corp. said on Monday it has set up more weighbridge stations for truckers entering its three expressways to help them comply with the government’s antioverloading policy.

t he company said motorists entering the north Luzon Expressway (nlex), the subic- clark-tarlac Expressway (sctex), and the n lex connector may now use the new weighbridge stations in sct E X Porac, Pampanga and concepcion, ta rlac.

pleted a transaction to purchase the local subsidiary of Medical services of America (MsA), a provider of a comprehensive range of cardio-pulmonary services and equipment for hospitals and home-care patients. it acquired the firm for P420.83 million.

“MsA is the newest addition to FPH’s healthcare push. t his group now consists of the Asian Eye institute, providing a comprehensive range of eye care services; Pi Health inc., providing clinical research services; and the distribution of optical products,” Puno said.

“With MsA’s addition, FPH now has a platform to deliver new products and services aimed at improving the country’s healthcare system and, ultimately, the health and wellness of Filipinos.”

DMCI order book hits ₧42B in Q1

Construction firm D.M.

c o nsunji i n c. (DM c i ) on Monday said its order book rose 20 percent to P42.4 billion in the first quarter from the P35.2 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022.

t he increase was largely due to the awarding of the south commuter r a ilway Project, contract package 2. t he project is a joint venture between DMc i and Acciona construction Philippines.

c o sting over P28 billion, the project involves the construction of railway tracks and stations along España, sta. Mesa and Paco, and will take roughly four and a half years to complete.

“DMci s participation in the joint

CEMEn t maker Holcim Philippines inc. on Monday said it has picked Gerardo c Ablaza Jr., an experienced executive who has successfully led some of the top companies in the Philippines, to become one of its independent directors.

“We are pleased to have Gerry as a member of the Holcim’s board of directors. His strong track record in leading a number of top corporations in the country will definitely strengthen the board’s ability to set direction in further strengthening Holcim Philippines’ business performance and positive impact,” Holcim chairman tomas i Alcantara said.

Ablaza already retired from full-time executive work in 2017, after performing various corporate executive roles for over 43 years in a variety of industries. His last executive assignment, from 2010 to 2017, was as president and cEo of Manila Water co., the East Zone concessionaire.

During his term, Ablaza took Manila Water beyond its singular presence in Metro Manila and led an expansion into new markets in the provincial areas of the Philippines, as well as in Vietnam. VG Cabuag

venture is around 35 percent. in addition to construction revenues, we also expect to generate collateral business for our ready-mix concrete, equipment rental and steel fabrication units,” DMci President and cEo Jorge A. consunji said.

Year-on-year, however, the DMci order book declined by 9 percent from the previous year’s P46.7 billion owing to the completion of several projects and the exclusion of north south c ommuter r a il ( n scr ) contract

package 1. t he said project is a joint venture with ta isei corp. of Japan. current obstructions prevented access, possession, and handover of the nscr construction site, which resulted in the exclusion of work valued at P7 billion from the project pipeline.

“We’re expecting equitable compensation for the descoping, which is a standard contract condition in construction projects. negotiations are underway, and a resolution should

be reached in the next few months,” consunji said.

t he said project will be up for bidding again once the right of way issues have been resolved.

Aside from s o uth c o mmuter r a ilway, contract package 2, other projects in the DMc i order book include the Dinapigue c auseway expansion, Xavier Junior High s c hool Building, Yco Manila site early works and dredging and hauling of lagoon in the La Mesa Water treatment plant.

For the first quarter, DMci reported a standalone net income of P263 million, a 26-percent drop from P355 million because of lower construction accomplishment and fewer projects in the pipeline. VG Cabuag

t he privately-owned Ac B tr uck scale services weighbridge in Dinalupihan, Bataan has also been opened to all trucks from Monday to sunday.

n lex is also eyeing to open more stations in the coming months to further promote safety and convenience. t hese locations will be in sctex Floridablanca and Dinalupihan, and n lex Marilao, Mindanao, and Karuhatan,” the company said in a statement.

According to the company, the new weighbridge stations aim to promote motorist safety and prevent the early deterioration of roads caused by overloading. republic Act 8794 prohibits overloading on motor vehicles. n lex corp. said it is “strictly enforcing” the law, implementing a 33-ton weight limit on the ca ndaba Viaduct southbound. Lorenz S. Marasigan

NEW GROUND International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is adding another berth – its eighth -- to its flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT). Photo shows groundbreaking ceremony for Berth 8 headed by Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (fourth from left), Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago (fifth from left), and ICTSI Executive Vice President Christian R. Gonzalez (third from left) against the backdrop of a completed Berth 8. They were joined by (from left): DOTr Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Reinier Paul Yebra; MICT Executive Director Phillip Marsham; and DOTr Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Francisco Sarmiento. Story on B2. Contributed photo

F

irst Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPH), the listed holding company of the Lopez Group, said it has allocated some P80 billion for capital expenditures (capex) for 2023.

Ablaza joins Holcim board of directors

Sale of low-rate debt papers bags ₧15B for NG

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE national government raised

P15 billion anew after the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) made a full-award of Treasury bills (T-bills) as rates continue to drop from previous auctions and remained well within secondary market benchmark level.

The Treasury made full awards across the three tenors of T-bills (91day, 182-day and 364-day) during its Monday auction with each raising P5 billion.

All of the tendered T-bills were oversubscribed with the overall auction a total offer of P48.7 billion, 3.2 times more than the programmed amount.

The 91-day T-bill fetched P13.68 billion in offers, while the 182-day and 364-day T-bills had bids amounting to P16.53 billion and P18.516 billion, respectively.

The average rates of the T-bills were within the secondary market levels and were even lower than last week’s tender.

The 91-day T-bill had an average rate of 5.783 percent (bids ranged from 5.688 percent to 5.799 percent), compared to its secondary market rate of 5.79 percent.

The 182-day T-bill fetched an average rate of 5.879 percent, slightly higher than the 5.863 percent secondary market rate for the said debt paper. Investors’ asking rate for the 182-day T-bill ranged from

a low of 5.748 percent to a high of 5.9 percent.

The 364-day T-bill had an average rate of 5.948 percent, slightly higher than its secondary benchmark rate of 5.896 percent. The government security fetched rates ranging from 5.813 percent to 5.975 percent.

Nonetheless, the rates for the T-bills on Monday’s auction were lower than the average rates sought by investors in last week’s tender: 5.777 percent for 91-day, 5.898 percent for 182-day and 5.945 percent

for 364-day.

Last week, National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon said the BTr foresees interest rates for both T-bills and Treasury bonds on a downward trend. De Leon pinned the decline to investors’ improved outlook on the Philippine economy and after monetary authorities put a brake on policy rate hikes as inflation slowed. (Related story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/05/23/improvedoutlook-to-lower-debt-paperrates/)

Cryptocurrency Chaos: Cautious consideration Pag-Ibig hits milestones as income, assets expand

Part 2

IN my last article, I discussed eight reasons why people should not put money into cryptocurrencies and how the current chaos should prompt people to cautious consideration. In the next articles starting with this one, I will discuss in-depth one by one the points I have made in the first article.

The first reason I gave why people should not put money into cryptocurrencies is because of its incredible volatility. The fact remains that despite their increasing popularity, cryptocurrencies are still a relatively new and highly volatile investment option—if ever this is even regarded as an investment option in the first place.

This particular article will explore more deeply the reasons why the volatility of cryptocurrencies makes them a risky and unreliable investment choice. Some of the points made here may be connected to the other points I made in the first article; but this is necessary as all of the reasons I gave is connected logically and by necessity.

Cryptocurrencies’ incredible volatility is the first reason I gave as to why people should not put money on it. So what makes cryptocurrency very volatile?

1. Lack of regulation. One of the main reasons for the high volatility of cryptocurrencies is their lack of regulation. Unlike traditional investments such as stocks, bonds and real estate, cryptocurrencies are not backed by a government or central authority. This means that there is no one to guarantee to the stability of the currency and no one to provide a regulatory framework for the market.

This lack of regulation makes it easier for market manipulation, which can result in significant price swings. Arguments may be made by proponents that there are countries where “regulation” is in place. The fact of the matter, however, is that there is still no uniform international law that regulates cryptocurrencies. And in a lot of countries, such has been even banned outright.

2. No mass adaptation. Another factor contributing to the volatility of cryptocurrencies is the limited number of people who use them. Unlike fiat currencies such as the Philippine peso or the US dollar, the latter especially as it’s widely used and accepted, cryptocurrencies have yet to gain widespread adoption. This means that their value is largely determined by a small group of early adopters and speculators, who are often more interested in quick profits than long-term stability. This leads to rapid price swings as these individuals buy and sell large amounts of the currency, creating a feedback loop that amplifies price fluctuations.

The crypto space has been touting that mass adaptation is improving in the past years. The country of El Salvador, in particular, has been branding itself as a “Bitcoin destination” since 2021. Recent reports, however, reveal that using Bitcoin in the country is not as easy as advertised.

3. Association with illegal activities. Another factor that makes cryptocurrencies a volatile investment is their association with crim-

inal activities. Because they can be used to anonymously transfer funds, cryptocurrencies are often used by individuals involved in illegal activities such as money laundering, fraud and cybercrime. This association with criminal activities gives the public the impression that cryptocurrencies are unreliable and untrustworthy, which will, in certain instances, negativelyimpact their value and contribute to increased volatility. Those who are familiar with investments will say that volatility is a necessary component of investing and will argue that, so what if cryptocurrencies are volatile? Take note that the argument I am making is that of “incredible volatility,” which results in the following:

1. Poor choice as an “investment.” The high volatility of cryptocurrencies makes them a poor investment choice if ever they are considered as an “investment” because it makes it difficult for investors to make decisions that are based on good judgment. With rapid and unpredictable price swings, it is difficult for investors to determine the true value of a cryptocurrency, making it difficult to make informed investment decisions. This unpredictability can also make it difficult for investors to plan for the future, as they cannot be sure of the value of their investment in the long term.

2. Results to possible huge financial losses. The volatility of cryptocurrencies can also possibly result to significant financial losses for investors. Because the prices of cryptocurrencies can change rapidly and unpredictably, investors who are not able to sell their investments quickly enough can end up losing substantial amounts of money. This makes cryptocurrencies a particularly risky investment option for individuals who are not familiar with the market and who do not have the financial resources to withstand large losses.

In conclusion, the volatility of cryptocurrencies makes them a risky and unreliable investment choice. With their lack of regulation, limited adoption, association with criminal activities, unpredictability and potential for significant financial losses, it is clear that putting money in cryptocurrencies is never a good idea. While the touted potential for high returns may be tempting, it is important to remember that the perceived rewards does not compensate for the risk one has to take.

In the next article we will discuss in depth the next argument as to why you should not put money in cryptocurrencies and that is because of issues with regards to regulation.

Zigfred Diaz is a Cebu-based registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. Aside from practicing law, he is a licensed environmental planner, realestate broker and appraiser. To learn more about personal-financial

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

THE Home Mutual Development Fund, commonly referred to as Pag-Ibig Fund, recorded several milestones in its 42 years of establishment.

Marilene C. Acosta, president and CEO of the Pag-Ibig (Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industriya at Gobyerno) Fund said that HMDF posted an annual net income of P44.5 in 2022, the highest in the organization’s history. Moreover, Acosta said Pag-Ibig Fund’s total assets grew to P82.24 billion, also the highest in its history.

“When Pag-Ibig performs well, it’s our members who benefit the most. Having achieved record-high numbers while maintaining a sound and sustainable fund, we are able to declare the highest dividend payout ratio of 97 percent and highest dividend amount worth P42.7 billion for our members’ savings,” Acosta said at the recently-concluded Pag-Ibig Fund Stakeholders’ Accomplishment Report in Manila last Friday.

Acosta also noted that Pag-Ibig

continues to provide a 3-percent interest rate for its minimum wage earner members and a 5.75-percent interest rate for the housing loan program. She described these rates as “affordable.” Savings of members, according to Acosta, is also on the rise to P27 billion from January to April this year. She said one of the growth drivers is the sustained growth of mandatory monthly contribution of the regular members. For the first three months of the year, savings totalled P13.62 billion.

MP2 program

ACOSTA said the Modified Pag-Ibig II (Pag-Ibig MP2) savings program posted a hefty 54-percent growth to P39.8 billion in 2022 from P25.95 billion in 2021. This is the highest increase recorded so far in the program, the Pag-Ibig chief added.

The Pag-Ibig MP2 program is a special voluntary savings facility with a 5-year maturity, designed for active Pag-Ibig Fund members to save more—for a minimum of P500 per remittance—and earn higher dividends, in addition to their Pag-Ibig regular savings. Dividends are tax-

free and can be withdrawn annually or after the 5-year maturity.

Acosta also emphasized that MP2 savings are government-guaranteed.

Aside from members, the MP2 is also open to former Pag-Ibig Fund members (pensioners and retirees) with other sources of monthly income, regardless of age, and with at least 24 monthly savings prior to retirement.

Natural Born Filipinos, who reacquired their Filipino Citizenship pursuant to Republic Act 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003), with at least 24-monthly savings prior to permanent migration to another country, are also allowed to park funds in the MP2.

Acosta reported the agency also released P117.85 billion for home loans, Moreover, she said total membership savings totaled P79.90 billion and loan payments amounting to P 127.42 billion.

Savings, loans

ACOSTA said the national savings program was able to assist 105,212 members to secure new homes from Pag-Ibig’s housing loan programs and

over 2.61 million aided through its short-term loans.

Loan repayments remain strong.

In 2022, the Fund totalled P 127.42 billion in short term loans and housing loan payments, the biggest in our history. Acosta said the program’s performing loan ratio (PLR) continues to rise, pointing out that it was able to bring it back above 90 percent, the highest since the pandemic.

“Based on the April 2023 data, PLR is now 92.17 percent,” she said.

“If we can reach 95 percent, I think we can relax,” the Pag-Ibig president said. She added that collection from loan payments this year so far totalled P44.91 billion, a 13-percent increase from the same 4-month period last year. Acosta said the program also granted P8.28-billion worth of loans for socialized housing that benefitted 18, 657 low income and minimum wage earners.

“We continue to [stick] to our goal in empowering the underserved,” she said. “We want to aim for new record-highs and highest new numbers because we understand behind these figures have transformed lives for the better.”

Insurer taps biz school to train agency salesforce

ALLIANZ SE, Singapore Branch, also known as Allianz Asia Pacific or “Azap,” announced it tapped the business school Institut Européen d’ Administration des Affaires (Insead) “to create a training and certification program aimed at transforming and upskilling the organization’s ‘life and health’ business agency salesforce.”

The insurer didn’t disclose the value of its contract with Insead.

According to the insurer, the 6-month program “is a performance-based qualification initiative that recognizes and rewards the top-performing agents across seven markets in Asia and is designed to upskill and revolutionize the learning experience of agents licensed in the ‘life and health’ business.”

“Specially designed and co-created by Allianz and Insead, the program follows a hybrid training model comprising of both online and face to face content,” the insurer’s statement read.

Allianz said it expects the curriculum to cover “a wide range of topics from organizational leadership and customer management to marketing, sales and business strategy, agents will also be able to engage with their peers across the region through proven educational pedagogies and expand their network while learning from one another.”

“This innovative approach aims to provide a holistic professional development experience for agents and accelerate the development of nextgeneration leaders in the industry.”

“Fully sponsored by [Azap], the program offers

briefs

➜ Boc seizes smuggled goods

THE Bureau of Customs announced its personnel seized on May 26 smuggled imported cigarettes and other general merchandise worth P900 million in Bulacan. A statement issued by the BOC last Monday said a quick inventory revealed the seized cigarettes already amounted to P50 million. The statement added that the BOC personnel who inspected the warehouses found the imported cigarettes, housewares, kitchenwares and other goods that allegedly violated intellectual property rights. The BOC said the owners of the goods would be asked to present importation documents or proof of payment. Raadee S. Sausa

➜ lender’s cSr unit rolls out program BPI Foundation, the social development arm of

agents the latest skills and knowledge to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry,” the firm said. “Top qualifiers will also have the chance to complete their training program at the Insead campus in France, exchanging learning experiences with their coun-

Bank of the Philippine Islands, recently launched the second year of its a program to “empower nano, micro and small enterprises as part of the Foundation’s thrust on financial wellness and inclusivity.”

“ This program falls under the foundation’s initiatives on enterprise development and livelihood, centered on financial inclusion for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through capacity development, network development and access to finance,” the organization said. A statement by the organization said they aim to expand the program “to include nano start-ups which are challenged to establish proof of concept, or producing pilot projects or products for their businesses.”

terparts for a truly global educational experience.”

The program, which is the first of its kind, will be carried out in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand, the insurer said.

➜ insurer taps Metaverse for hiring SUN Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc. announced last May 18 that it has created a Metaverse for its future employees. In a statement, the insurer said the Metaverse will mirror the actual facilities of the Sun Life-Asia Service Centre Philippine office through 3-dimensional (3D) technology.

T he Metaverse, according to the insurer, will allow candidates to create their own avatars and roam around, engage and interact with Sun Life’s recruiters and hiring managers ”just like how it was in real life.”

T he insurer said it also rolled out a chatbot— a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the Internet.

PerSonal finance

atty. Zigfred Diaz

This undated photo courtesy of Allianz sE, singapore Branch, shows institut Européen d’ Administration des Affaires (insead) Dean of Executive Education Professor sameer hasija and Allianz Asia Pacific Regional CEO Anusha Thavarajah during a signing of a program between the insurer and the business school. Photo courtesy of AlliAnz se s ngAPore BrAnch

NFTs of rare Manansala artworks auctioned

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY:

Jennifer Winget, 38; Rory Bushfield, 40; Idina Menzel, 52; Wynonna Judd, 59. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Stick to your plan and refuse to let anyone interfere. Your hard work will pay off and enhance your experience and ability to learn something that gives you a competitive edge this year. Spend more time socializing with people heading down a similar path. Change begins with you, and feeling good about your lot in life will attract people who recognize what you have to of fer. Your lucky numbers are 8, 14, 23, 30, 36, 44, 47.

Transparent Cubism in Asia. This privately-owned, artist-proof early work captures quiet moments in an otherwise busy European plaza or square. To avid collectors of the master’s works, Doves is considered a prelude to some of Manansala’s finest avian-themed compositions in the mid to late ‘70s.

n Banaklaot, 1977, watercolor on paper.

Manansala, in his younger years, was part of the labor force. When he and his family lived in Pampanga, he was entrenched in the fisherfolk communities of the province. He also took on work as a newsboy, caddy and shoe shine. It then comes as no surprise that scenes of local life and depictions of hard labor would become recurring themes in his body of work.

aARIES (March 21-April 19): Sort through your financial papers and see where you can cut costs or how you can bring in more cash. Exploring new ways to capitalize on your skills, experience and knowledge will help you collaborate with like-minded people. Mix business with pleasure. HHH

bTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do more and talk less. Your performance will make a difference to the outcome of whatever you pursue. Update your look, and you’ll attract attention and compliments that will lift your spirits. Don’t let what others do or say slow you down. HHH

ASPECIAL collection of artworks by National Artist Vicente Manansala converted into NFTs went under the hammer last week, featuring artist-proof, privately-owned pieces that “have never been put on exhibit or circulated commercially.”

The NFT silent auction took place on May 26 at Rockwell Center’s Manansala Building through the efforts of multi-channel creative platform Art House (@thearthouse_), in collaboration with Artifact, an Asian fine arts NFT pioneer. The Manansala pieces selected for NFT minting provide snapshots of the master’s life from different perspectives: Manansala as a friend, contemporary, grandfather, student and, finally, a prime mover of abstractionism and transparent cubism in the Philippine contemporary art scene.

“Through these NFTs, collectors get a chance to own a piece of these private artworks that would otherwise not be accessible to the public,” Art House CEO Juan Carlos Pineda said in a statement ahead of the auction.

There were four featured Manasala artworks, all of which were broken down into NFT tiles that came with free signed and authenticated limitededition Giclee prints. Each work also auctioned out five carefully selected premium tiles.

Here are the four Manansala artworks, with the descriptions provided by Art House: n El Viejo “Conquistador,” 1979, watercolor on paper. Every week, friends of Manansala would schedule weekly visits to the master’s

THE exuberant and wide-ranging works of Pacita Abad (US, b. Philippines, 1946 - 2004) are the subject of the first-ever retrospective spanning the artist’s 32-year career. Abad is best known for her trapuntos, a form of quilted painting made by stitching and stuffing her canvases as opposed to stretching them over a wood frame. During her lifetime, the prolific artist made a vast number of artworks that traverse a diversity of subjects, from colorful masks to intricately constructed underwater scenes to abstract compositions. The exhibition includes more than 100 works—most of which have never been on public view in the US—showcasing her experiments in different mediums, including textiles, works on paper, costumes, and ceramics. Organized by the Walker Art Center in collaboration with Abad’s estate, the presentation celebrates the multifaceted work of an artist whose vibrant visual, material and conceptual concerns are as urgent today as they were three decades ago.

home and studio in Binangonan, Rizal. On special occasions, he would give his friends a painting as a gift for arriving early or directly sell it to them. It was on one of the weekly visits of friends of Manansala that this privately-owned painting was acquired. Since it was sold by the artist in 1979, El Viejo has remained safe inside a private residence, never circulated or put on exhibit for public consumption.

El Viejo “Conquistador” is a brilliant and rare study of Manansala’s Transparent Cubism style, utilized to portray historic moments and faces in Philippine history. Depicting the image of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish conquistador who led an expedition to the Philippines in the mid16th century, the artwork is a clear departure from the artist’s more famous works that zoom in on rural and urban local scenes—its contrasts and similarities, all interacting in one canvas.

Manansala’s genius is reflected in this portrait as it brings together geometric forms and shifting planes, to create a moving image that preserves the integrity of his subjects’ figures and physical traits.

n Doves, 1971, watercolor on paper. Some of Manansala’s most iconic works—The Bird Seller or Birdman (1976) , Birds of Paradise (1965) and Sabongero (1977)—are themed around winged creatures set against local landscapes. Collectors of the modernist master’s works remark that birds were one of his favorite subject matters.

An early work done during his artist residency in Europe, Doves is a retelling of Manansala’s journey toward becoming a modernist master and father of

Abad moved to the US in 1970 to escape political persecution after leading a student demonstration against the authoritarian Marcos regime. Informed by this experience, she was determined to give visibility to political refugees and oppressed peoples through her art: “I have always believed that an artist has a special obligation to remind society of its social responsibility.” Works from her Immigrant Experience series (1983–1995) highlight the rising multiculturalism of the 1990s. These works call attention to the era’s contradictions and omissions, centering the sufferings and triumphs of people on the periphery of power. The multiplicity of stories referenced in the series include such events as the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the Haitian refugee crisis, and the detention of Mexican migrant workers at the US border, offering an intimate look at lives often obscured by the reductive, xenophobic headlines of the time. Presented in conjunction with Pacita Abad, the documentary

B anaklaot captures local fisherfolk at the break of dawn, setting out to sea. The master utilizes his signature geometric shapes and translucent planes to depict the raw, biting, hard-edge quality of manual labor in the Philippines. Although a master cubist, Manansala’s take on coastal life remains faithful to the human forms, nuances, expressions and movements of his subjects. In Banaklaot, Manansala immortalizes seemingly ordinary moments of life in Philippine coastal towns, infusing them with palpable energy and life force through his distinct Transparent Cubism style.

n Nude, Artist Study, 1960-1980. During the Martial Law years, a collective of visual artists called the Saturday Group emerged. Members congregated every Saturday at Taza de Oro in Malate to discuss art and sketch. There was a demand for nudes at around that time, which inspired many of the prominent artists including Vicente Manansala to draw figures of the female form on the spot during these weekend meets. This nude sketch, which is part of the Manansala family’s private collection, echoes the master’s “great obsession” with nude drawings and sketches. Throughout his career, Manansala took it upon himself to continuously develop and enhance technical proficiency. He believed that the ability to draw nudes was “the most important weapon a painter must possess.” In this rare, family-owned study, Manansala shows his mastery and magic in achieving transparency to depict the unique curvatures, shadows and depths when light hits the female form. Unlike his cubist works, Manansala’s nudes allude to another facet of a master—that of an artist faithful and dedicated to honing his craft.

Aside from the NFT auction, Art House celebrated the life and works of Manansala through an exhibit titled Alab. The showcase, which featured 15 artists who paid tribute to the master, ran from May 25 to 28 at the North Court of the Power Plant Mall in Makati City.

Wild at Art (1995) offers an intimate portrait of the artist in Washington, DC, sharing stories of her life and work with filmmaker Kavery Kaul, including her Immigrant Experience series and the installation of Masks from Six Continents at the Metro Center subway station. Recently restored by the Academy Film Archive in 2023, the film was directed by Kaul, produced by Riverfilms, and presented by Asian Women United.

T he exhibition is accompanied by the first major publication on Abad’s work, produced by the Walker Art Center. In addition to the most comprehensive documentation of the artist’s work to date, the volume includes texts by Victoria Sung, Julia BryanWilson, Nancy Lim, Ruba Katrib, Xiaoyu Weng and Matthew Villar Miranda, as well as oral histories conducted with artists, curators, family members, and others who knew Abad, edited by Pio Abad and Victoria Sung.

cGEMINI (May 21-June 20): Watch what’s trending, and you’ll discover something that interests you. A proactive approach will help you gain momentum, build friendships with informative peers and develop the confidence needed to go after your goals. A physical challenge will exhilarate you. HHHHH

dCANCER (June 21-July 22): Weigh the pros and cons before you start something new. Look for creative ways to cut corners. Don’t limit what you can do because you lack information. Do your homework and set your sights on what you want to achieve. Romance is favored. HH

eLEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Reach out to people you enjoy working alongside and pitch your latest thoughts and intentions. A group effort will make it easier to reach your goal by adding dimension to your original plan. Put your energy where it has a profound impact. HHHH

fVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Travel the information highway and discover how to make your dreams come true. Ask an expert, sign up for a class or broaden your horizons through hands-on experience. Set a reasonable target and use your intuitive intelligence to achieve your goal. HHH

gLIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If you open your heart and mind to alternative concepts, something good will transpire. Protect your reputation by not sharing emotional or personal issues. Put your time and energy into helping a cause or building your brand. Look for a way to use your attributes. HHH

hSCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll draw people who offer a unique or fresh opinion. A different approach to life, work and romance will point you in a new direction. The change will be eyeopening and help you use your talents constructively. Think outside the box. HHH

iSAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Slow down, do the math and figure out the best way forward. Don’t learn the hard way; talk to an expert before spending money or time. You can make a quick buck if you sell something you no longer need. HHHH

jCAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take a moment to figure out what you want to achieve. Heading down a path with few guidelines will confuse you. Engage in events that encourage you to connect with people who can offer advice. Resolve an emotional challenge before it’s too late. HH

kAQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to let someone step in and take over. Don’t head in a direction that doesn’t appeal to you. Do your own thing and make the most of your day. Make home improvements that complement what you are trying to achieve. HHHHH

lPISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Trust and believe in yourself. Take control of your finances and set up a plan that will help you build equity. Saving for something unique will give you the discipline to follow through until you reach your goal. Romance and creativity are favored. HHH

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are friendly, enthusiastic and positive. You are trendy and ambitious.

‘throw one back’ BY JEFFREY K. MARTINOVIC

Doves, Vicente Manansala, 1971, watercolor on paper

Pacita Abad exhibition on view until September 3 at Walker Art Center

A mega-fan’s appreciation for Tina Turner’s limitless energy and lessons of survival

By Adam Kealoha Causey The Associated Press

DALLAS—When Tina Turner died at age 83, I found myself drifting back to the fourth grade, to the day I truly discovered her voice.

I was on Thanksgiving break— bored—when I decided to rummage through my parents’ old cassette tapes in search of entertainment.

What I found was astonishing: an album called Private Dancer.

“I look up to the stars with my perfect memory. I look through it all and my future’s no shock to me.”

“ Who was this magnificent woman?” I thought as the lyrics of the song “I Might Have Been Queen (Soul Survivor),” flowed through the headphones of my Walkman. “What had she been through?”

I quickly consulted an expert on the matter: my mom, who as a teenager in the ‘60s, had been listening to Tina since she first made hits with her then-husband Ike.

Mom, like Tina, didn’t sugarcoat the superstar’s history: Off-stage, Ike was beating her. It was something she herself—and most others—didn’t know when she and Dad first went to see her live in the ‘70s.

It was shocking and sickening to hear. But Mom also shared Tina’s triumphs, how she continued to mesmerize and dazzle fans despite the hell she endured. She recalled seeing Tina and her backing vocalists and dancers, the Ikettes, go so hard onstage that the ribbon ties of Tina’s sandals, starting out near her calves, ended up around her ankles. The concert was wild. Rapturous.

I wanted to experience this. Five years later, I did.

In 1997, Mom and Dad loaded my siblings and me into our 1987 Chevy Suburban and made the five-hour drive from our home in Doyline, Louisiana, to The Woodlands, Texas, to catch Tina on her Wildest Dreams world tour.

I was hypnotized. The burst of sparkling, silver sequins onstage. The voice that could go from the deepest growl to a tender coo. The infectious smile and air kisses to the audience that made it seem like she really was happy we were all there. The kicks. The shimmies. The staccato steps as she worked the entire stage. As my uncle who had waited in line for hours to buy the tickets for our lawn seats would say after the show: “Kids, tonight you’ve been in the presence of greatness.”

That night was also a moment of personal awakening. It wasn’t just an incredible performance from a Grammy winner and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; it was the crowd of thousands of fans of all ages, bigger and more diverse than any a young teen from a small, Southern town had ever seen. The fans were Black, white and even hapa (mixed-race) Hawaiians like us. Some were gay. Some were straight. I bet there were also both Republicans and Democrats, singing and twirling together in harmony to “Proud Mary.”

The experience, I realized years later, was part of my parents’ design to broaden my worldview.

Tina helped them to do that.

In 2008, I was able to repay my parents for the gift they had given me: I got us tickets to a San Jose, California, stop on Tina’s farewell tour. Tina was nearing 70 at that point, but she still had the moves and the energy. Earlier this year, I took Mom and Dad to see Tina: The Musical in New Orleans during its post-Broadway run across the US.

As a mega-fan enamored by Tina the artist, I have also had to come to grips with the jolting reality of Tina the woman—a real flesh and blood person who had a violent upbringing in a home with fighting parents and later endured the physical abuse of her own husband.

I was awed by the story of this woman who was brave enough to talk, with grace, about domestic violence long before the rest of society did. How she snuck out of a Dallas hotel room one night in the late ‘70s while Ike Turner was sleeping, hurried across a nearby highway and checked herself into a Ramada Inn with a Mobil credit card. She had 36 cents to her name.

Watching the 2021 documentary that Tina called her goodbye to the public, I also understood how she was retraumatized over the decades by interviewers who asked her to describe, again and again, how she got away from Ike, while overlooking greater career accomplishments that were disconnected from her ex-husband. And that was on top of the racism and sexism she faced in the music industry.

As Angela Bassett, who played the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” in an Oscar-nominated turn in What’s Love Got to Do With It said in the documentary, “It’s hard when the worst parts of your life have been an inspiration.”

Bassett is right, and that’s complicated.

I live in Dallas. So, it felt not only right, but necessary, after I heard about Tina’s death, to make my way to the old Ramada Inn where she famously and

heroically reclaimed her life. I strolled into the lobby of what is now the boutique Lorenzo Hotel, said hi to a handful of other fans who were passing through, and approached the giant, arresting photo of Tina that hangs there, exuding all the confidence and attitude she’s earned: fishnet stockings, big hair and a look that says, “Don’t test me.”

I reflected on the many moments of my life when Tina had inspired me, including this year when I ran a marathon and cranked up “Proud Mary” on my phone as my energy was draining during the last 2 miles.

In my hand was an orange-and-yellow rose—

the shade that one of Queen Elizabeth II’s rose growers had famously named after Tina—that I had plucked from a bouquet a thoughtful friend bought me when Tina died.

I smiled and tucked the bloom into a cleft in the portrait’s ornate frame.

At 40, I had finally answered the burning question my 10-year-old self had asked and that Mom had tried to answer: I knew who that magnificent woman was, and what she had been through. And I knew that the lyrics to “I Might Have Been Queen” not only spoke to her ability to endure, but her belief in reincarnation. Beautiful, Tina. For me, you will always live on.

Sheer happiness as Nora Aunor celebrates 70

term of endearment to us ever since, which means younger brother in the Bicolano dialect), masayangmasaya!” she told us when we had a few minutes with her at the party.

Aunor’s children, except the very camera shy Kenneth, also took turns in giving impromptu messages and well wishes that made the celebrant tear up many times. Matet was with husband Mickey Estrada, Ian brought his wife Jen, and Lotlot came with husband Fadi El-Soury.

We also saw and spoke with Alfred Vargas, Aunor’s producer and coactor in the forthcoming movie Pieta. “ I am so richly blessed to be able to act with the one and only Nora Aunor. I cannot put words into what I feel, because it’s close to being in a marvel universe. She made sure I was comfortable in our scenes, she never made anyone feel that she was superior, that she is a National Artist, a superstar. She was grounded during days of filming and was humility personified.”

LEGENDARY multiawarded actress Nora Aunor with her family during her recent birthday celebration.

PHILIPPINE Superstar and National Artist for Film

Nora Aunor celebrated her big 70th birthday at an intimate ‘70s themed birthday party recently at the Seda Vertis North hotel in Quezon City.

All five children of Aunor were present: Lotlot, Ian, Matet, Kiko and Kenneth, quashing all rumors that all is still not well with the iconic superstar and her children. In fact, Aunor’s younger grandchildren were also present and the kids surprised her with heartfelt wishes in a video, titled “Mom’s Love.”

Salamat at nandito ang mga espesyal na tao sa buhay natin. Kumpleto ang mga anak ko, magkakasama tayong lahat na pamilya at mga tunay na kabigan. Kahit hinihingal nga ako, alam mo naman ang pinagdadaanan natin, espesyal ito kasi 70, matagal na panahon ding hindi tayo nakapag- celebrate , hindi ba? Masaya ako, Noy (her

LOS ANGELES—The Little Mermaid made moviegoers want to be under the sea on Memorial Day weekend.

Disney’s live-action remake of its 1989 animated classic easily outswam the competition, bringing in $95.5 million on 4,320 screens in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.

And Disney estimates the film starring Halle Bailey as the titular mermaid Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as her sea witch nemesis Ursula will reach $117.5 million by the time the holiday is over. It ranks as the fifth biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever.

It displaces Fast X in the top spot. The 10th installment in the Fast and Furious franchise starring Vin Diesel has lagged behind more recent releases in the series, bringing in $23 million domestically for a two-week total of $108 million for Universal Pictures.

The performance of The Little Mermaid represents something of a bounce-back for Disney’s animated-to-live-action remakes, and makes it likely they will keep coming indefinitely. Poor reception and the pandemic had some recent reboots

“I am just thankful that we are all here to celebrate Mama’s birthday. It’s not often that all of us siblings are complete. If I’m not mistaken, the last time was when Mama was in the hospital pa,” shared Lotlot.

Celebrities who took time out from their busy schedules to attend the special birthday bash included Aunor’s former leading men Ricky Davao, Bembol Roco and Dan Alvaro. GMA Network top executives Cheryl Ching-Sy, Helen Rose Sese and Joey Abacan also graced the event.

Rey Pumaloy and Ferdie Bernal hosted the fun program. Also spotted were Snooky Serna, directors Elwood Perez and Louie Ignacio, choreographer Geleen Eugenio, designer Nono Palmos, Marissa Delgado who brought along her daughter Avon Garcia, Deborah Sun, Liz Alindogan, Julia Clarete, Beverly Salviejo, and Sanya Lopez.

either performing poorly or skipping theatrical releases for Disney +, including Dumbo, Mulan and Pinocchio

“It works as long as the movies deliver,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “It’s great for Disney to be able to go to their archive by reviving these titles that started off as huge hits in the animated realm.”

The opening puts it in the top tier of Disney’s remakes, with a similar performance to 2019’s Aladdin , though it was well short of 2017’s Beauty and the Beast , which opened to more than $170 million, and 2019’s The Lion King , which brought in more than $190 million in its first weekend.

A udiences thought it delivered. The film had an A CinemaScore, and according to exit polling had more ticket buyers between ages 25 and 34 than children, suggesting nostalgic adults were essential.

“ The multi-generational component of this cannot be overstated,” Dergarabedian said.

Vargas added, “She continues to inspire me as an actor, and now that she has reached this milestone age, I wish her only the best of what her good heart desires, and to be blessed with health and continued recovery so she can still grace our big screens with her amazing presence.”

Staying low key that night was Aunor’s longtime companion, rapper and part-time actor John Rendez who was in the venue early but left when Aunor’s children started arriving, perhaps to veer away from any untoward incident that might ruin the happy occasion. He quietly came back after Aunor’s children left. Many are aware that almost all of Aunor’s children are not in peaceful coexistence with Rendez.

We wish Aunor only the best in the coming years and may her star continue to illuminate the world of Philippine entertainment.

C ritics were more lukewarm. The movie is currently at 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. In her review, Lindsey Bahr of The Associated Press called it “a somewhat drab undertaking with sparks of bioluminescence” that like too many of the Disney remakes “prioritized nostalgia and familiarity over compelling visual storytelling.”

D irected by Rob Marshall with a reported budget of $250 million before marketing, The Little Mermaid tells the story of a yearning, wayward daughter who cuts a devil’s deal to swap her fins for a pair of legs. It features the songs from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, including “Part of Your World” and “Under the Sea,” that helped the original film spark a Disney animation renaissance in the 1990s.

It ’s not clear whether The Little Mermaid will have legsor fins—going forward. Next week brings the release of animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse , with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts arriving the following week. AP

TINA TURNER with Elton John perform a duet during the VH1 Fashion & Music Awards show on December 3, 1995, in New York. AP

‘The Little Mermaid’ makes box office splash with $95.5 million opening

A Moment on the Lips: Creating Lips as unique as the stories told with Restylane

PhilHealth urges Pinoys to be alert vs hypertension

IN observance of Hypertension Awareness Month this May, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) enjoins all Filipinos to be informed about hypertension. Hypertension (high blood pressure) happens when the pressure of one’s blood vessels is too high or reaches 140/90 mmHg or higher. Risk factors include older age, genetics, obesity, physical inactivity, highsalt diet, and excessive alcohol intake.

Based on the Philippine Heart Association’s PRESYON 3 survey, 12 million Filipinos suffer from hypertension where 65 percent are aware of their condition, 37 percent are undergoing treatment while 13 percent already have reached their target blood pressure.

PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. stressed the importance of preventive care, encouraging Filipinos to register and avail themselves of the PhilHealth Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama or Konsulta Package.

“The goal of PhilHealth’s Konsulta is the early detection of any illness and to prevent the progression of diseases such as hypertension. This package includes consultation, health screening, laboratory and medicines,” Ledesma said.

“During the initial consultation, the patient undergoes a health risk assessment

where it will be diagnosed if a patient is hypertensive. He can be given medicines and his condition will be monitored. In this way, we can avoid the progression of the disease. Primary care is important because we can avoid costly treatment,” he pointed out further.

The PhilHealth Konsulta Package includes targeted health risk screening and assessment, initial and follow-up consultations, standard laboratory tests and 21 essential drugs and medicines including anti-hypertensives listed in the Philippine National Formulary such as enalapril, metoprolol, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide and losartan.

“Let’s use our PhilHealth Konsulta benefits so that we can avoid more expensive treatments that may be needed because of the worsening of the patient’s condition in diseases that can be prevented such as high blood pressure,” Ledesma added.

All PhilHealth members are encouraged to register and avail themselves of the Konsulta Package. Registration may be done through self-registration via the member portal at www.philhealth.gov.ph or at any PhilHealth Local Insurance Offices in their area.

PhilHealth Chief Ledesma also assures that PhilHealth pays P9,000 for confinements due to hypertension in accredited Levels 1 to 3 hospitals.

RESTYLANE, the world-renowned pioneer in Hyaluronic Acid dermal fillers, kicks off the launch of their new treatment approach: Kiss and Smile HIT™ (Holistic Individualized Treatment). This is a part of a series of innovative HIT™ strategies which focus on the lips and perioral area.

Regardless of age or gender, everyone is looking for their perfect lips and smile, which call for a truly personalized approach to meet a unique set of desires and empower patients to kiss and smile with confidence.

“Each patient has a unique lips story and a different definition of the perfect lips that calls for an individualized treatment,” says Dr. Stephanie Lam, an internationally renowned Plastic Surgeon.

“This is why a selection of complimentary Restylane products like Restylane Kysse™ and Restylane Refyne™ or Defyne™ can help fulfill your patients’ lip desires and enable them to kiss and smile with confidence.”

For some, this may be a desire to have fuller, more youthful and kissable lips.

“We have Restylane® Kysse™, which makes lips soft and plump and allows patients to have natural-looking lips. Data shows that 86 percent of patients feel more attractive after the treatment and 91 percent received positive comments from their partner after treatment.” says Christine Legaspi, Marketing and CET Manager, “Complement your treatment with Restylane® Defyne™ or Restylane® Refyne™ for perioral area correction for

higher patient satisfaction.”

Restylane Kysse™, Restylane® Defyne™, and Restylane® Refyne™ are available at select dermatology and aesthetic clinics throughout the Philippines.

The product is administered by a licensed healthcare professional, and the results are immediate. The treatment is minimally invasive with no downtime required.

Known for individualized treatment approach that is centered on your desires, Restylane Kiss and Smile will allow you to reach your unique set of desires and can now Kiss & Smile with confidence.

For more information on Restylane and to find a licensed healthcare professional near you, message https://www.facebook. com/GaldermaAestheticsPH/.

Leading solutions integrator Radenta offers 90-day free trial of Microsoft 365 for biz owners, schools

RADENTA Technologies, one of the country’s leading solutions integrators is offering a 90-day free trial of Microsoft 365 for businesses, schools, and organizations.

Radenta launched the promotion at the recent 13th Philippine SME Business Expo held at the SMX Convention Center. The company was one of the Medium Enterprise Exhibitors.

Radenta highlighted how Microsoft

365 optimizes hybrid work tools, improves productivity and collaboration. Figures show that 51 percent of customers who have consolidated to Microsoft 365 report that their employees can seamlessly collaborate in real time. Fifty-seven percent said that the technology enables employees to have the flexibility to choose where they get their jobs done. A huge 81 percent said that it improves their recruitment and retention. Another 50 percent believed that

Fly Emirates in First or Business Class to Dubai and enjoy a night‘s stay in a luxury hotel for free

EMIRATES has announced an exciting new offer for travelers planning to visit Dubai this summer. Starting from May 22, 2023 to June 11, 2023, people who purchase an Emirates return ticket in First Class or Business Class to or stopping over in Dubai, will be able to enjoy a complimentary two-night stay at 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central. While for those traveling in Premium Economy Class or Economy Class, can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay at Novotel World Trade Centre, Dubai.*

This special offer is valid for all return tickets to or stopping over in Dubai for more than 24 hours, for travel dates between May 26, 2023 and August 31, 2023. The offer is available on bookings made on emirates.com or Emirates call centre or ticket offices and via participating travel agents, made at least 96 hours in advance of passengers’ arrival.

Dubai. Relax by the pool and enjoy signature cocktails and light meals from Chills Pool Bar, and cap your adventure off with listening to a live music performance at the soul soothing Blue Bar. Whether traveling alone or as a family, make Novotel World Trade Centre, Dubai your place to stay.

employee technology experience helped keep users protected and data secure.   Microsoft 365 empowers users to do more with less. Its offerings reduce cost and administration overhead. It is a single, scalable solution that allows the user to easily manage collaboration, productivity, and security tools from a single administration center.   Microsoft 365 optimizes hybrid work tools. Solutions like Teams help people access, edit, and seamlessly share content from any device. People can connect using one-on-one conversations or group chats as well as access files, charts, and apps in one workspace. Workers can share, edit, and co-author Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. All this delivers what 94 percent of executives look for – that digital tools and applications employees use must seamlessly interact with each other.   Radenta used the latest Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 to demonstrate Microsoft 365.

To further help organizations, Radenta offers a Leasing Agreement Program in tandem with Officemoto Corporation, a provider of top-of-the-line IT hardware. Organizations can lease laptops, so they do not have to purchase units upfront. The lease period is flexible, and the devices are upgradeable every one to two years. Each unit comes with Microsoft Windows operating system while other programs are optional.

Use the latest digital tools to upgrade your organization. Ask Radenta how. Call 0999227-0946 or email  info@ radenta.com.

Based right next to Dubai’s iconic Museum of the Future, the five star 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central draws inspiration from traditional Bedouin culture and design, but with a modernized twist. Lose yourself in a culinary experience from North Indian Cuisines to Bavarian beer across the five amazing in-house restaurant and bars all over the hotel. If you’re looking to relax, travelers can unwind in the Extra Hour Spa, a unique, rooftop sauna that overlooks the stunning city of Dubai.

Located within the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DWTC), Novotel World Trade Centre, Dubai, gives off a luxurious yet homely vibe right in the heart of

Whether it’s cooling down in private pools or enjoying family fun at indoor theme parks and water parks, there is something for every traveler when visiting Dubai this summer. From sun-soaked beaches and cultural activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities, Dubai offers a variety of world-class experiences for every visitor:

My Emirates Pass: Customers flying to or through Dubai can simply show their boarding pass and a valid form of identification to hundreds of retail, leisure, and dining outlets, as well as famous attractions and luxury spas, to enjoy fantastic discounts throughout Dubai and the UAE. To see all My Emirates Pass offers, please visit https://www.emirates.com/ph/ english/experience/my-emirates-pass/.

Turkish Airlines unveils ambitious, strategic plan for the next decade for growth and sustainability

Dr. Ahmet Bola. “We are confident about becoming the world’s best airline company in the near future.”

The new plan includes expanding the fleet to 435 aircraft by 2023 and to over 800 aircraft by 2033, increasing the passenger network to 400 destinations, and servicing 170 million passengers by 2033. The airline also aims to double the transported cargo volume and establish its low-cost arm, AnadoluJet, as a separate subsidiary.

TURKISH Airlines has announced its strategic plan for the next decade, revealing ambitious goals for growth and sustainability. The national carrier’s strategic focus aims to generate significant value for stakeholders, including achieving consolidated revenue of over $50 billion by 2033, doubling passenger capacity, and positioning Turkish Cargo among the top three cargo carriers globally by 2033.

Turkish Airlines was established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, and today it has a fleet of 411 aircraft flying to 340 worldwide destinations, including the Philippines. The company will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2033 and has designed an ambitious road map for the next few years.

“We are happy to share our goals that will significantly contribute to our country’s economy and development in the next 10 years,” said Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Prof.

Turkish Airlines plans to improve efficiency and create new opportunities to generate additional revenues to sustain its strong financial performance. The airline’s goal is to contribute $140 billion of added value to the Turkish economy by 2033.

The carrier also aims to become a sustainable airline by increasing the number of new-generation aircraft in the fleet, expanding the consumption of sustainable aviation fuel, and becoming a carbon-neutral airline by 2050 through the implementation of carbon emission offsetting projects.

Turkish Airlines operates seven weekly flights from Manila. (www.turkishairlines. com) Turkish Airlines is a proud member of La Camara. As a member of La Camara (www.lacamaramanila.com and camara@ lacamaramanil.com) you can enjoy discounted prices.

TURKISH Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bola.

PRESENTING Restylane Kysse are, from left, Galderma’s General Manager Louie Roxas, Facial Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Henry John F. Claravall, Dermatologist Dr. Ma. Jennina Francisco-Diaz, Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stephanie Lam, Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Sidney G. Cu, and Galderma Aesthetics Business Unit Head Michelle de Jesus.

In Nigeria’s north, families demand justice as armed men seek control

By Chinedu Asadu Runji The Associated Press

“They left him on the ground beside his mother’s body,” said Joshua Jonathan, Christian’s father. “They thought the boy was dead.”

The late-night attack in April in Runji in Kaduna State left 33 people dead, most of them burned alive or shot dead. Many more have been killed since in the continuing clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farming communities in northwest and central regions of the West African nation, including more than 100 this month in Plateau state.

The decades long violence is becoming more deadly, killing at least 2,600 people in 2021, according to the most recent data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Once armed with sticks, the groups now fight with guns that have been smuggled into the country.

Both sides accuse the government of injustice and marginalization, but the clashes have also taken on a religious dimension, giving rise to militias that side with the herders, who are primarily Muslim,

or the farmers from Christian communities.

The growing security crisis presents a huge challenge for Nigeria’s incoming president, Bola Tinubu, who rose to power in Nigeria—Africa’s largest economy and among its top oil producers—promising to improve the lives of affected communities and address the root causes of the crisis by providing jobs and ensuring justice.

If the violence isn’t reined in, analysts say, it could further destabilize the country and drive more of its 216 million people into poverty. UN agencies say the violence affects mostly children, who are already threatened by malnutrition, and women, who are often abducted and forced into marriage.

The response of security forces can be slow and arrests are rare, prompting a growing number of communities to defend themselves when they come under siege.

“There is a substantial loss of confidence in the government as a protector of citizens,” said Nnamdi Obasi, the senior adviser

for Nigeria at the International Crisis Group. Obasi warned that the failure of the incoming administration to speedily resolve the conflict would lead to “more people seeking their own self-defense, more proliferation of weapons, more criminal groups and a rise in organized armed groups.”

In Runji, an agrarian village, The Associated Press spoke to some survivors in hospital beds and others touring a mass grave and their razed houses. They said they were under attack for hours and that the gunmen fled long before security forces arrived.

Every household bears a scar.

Christopher Dauda’s family was trying to escape when the gunmen caught up with his wife and four children, killing all five. Danjuma Joshua’s two daughters were shot in the back while they tried to flee. In the home of Asabe Philip, who survived but has burns all over her body, the assailants burned five children alive as they cowered in one room.

Christian’s aunt has tried to

fill the void left by the killing of his mother. His father said Christian cries a lot and barely sleeps, although his physical wounds are gradually healing.

“We try to manage with what we have left,” Joshua Jonathan said. On the other side of the conflict, the herders say they are also under attack. They complain of cattle rustling and extrajudicial killings by local security groups working as community vigilantes.

Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, the president of the national herders’ association, denied that anyone in the group was responsible for the violence. Most of the herders belong to the Fulanis, an ethnic group.

“Fulanis are not the killers. Any person carrying out killings is not our member. Sometimes, when communities accuse us of killings, 75 percent is not true; they have their own crisis but always blame Fulanis,” said Bodejo. Nigerian security forces say they have arrested dozens of gunmen and recovered their weapons.

But the assailants are estimated to number in the thousands and can easily recruit new members, according to Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, a conflict researcher.

“There is a limit to the kinetic (military) operations, as it doesn’t address the socioeconomic issue that gave rise to banditry in the region in the first place,” said Oluwole Ojewale of the Africafocused Institute of Security Studies. He said the incoming Tinubu administration must work with state governments to address unemployment, poverty and social injustice.

The recent violence has led to the formation of community, state and regional security outfits that experts say could create bigger problems for Nigeria’s security architecture if not properly monitored.

And their recruits are young.

Felix Sunday, a college student in Kaduna, said that he was 16 when he joined a local vigilante group in 2021, and that he struggles to combine the night watch with his studies.

Across much of West and Central Africa, porous national borders facilitate the smuggling of weapons. A survey-based report published in 2021 by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey in collaboration with the Nigerian government found that at least 6 million firearms may have been in the hands of civilians in the country at the time.

The military and police have recovered hundreds of firearms in Nigeria in the last year, but weapons dealers elsewhere are exacerbating the problem.

“Things have gotten considerably worse. Some are large military weapons imported from other countries,” said Confidence MacHarry with the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence security firm.

With sophisticated weapons, the gunmen have launched daring attacks in areas with a heavy security presence, including a military base and an airport in Kaduna, indicating that the problem may be the motivation of the security forces themselves.

Survivors of the attack in Plateau told the AP that the police didn’t arrive until the next day, echoing comments from people living in Runji, which has a security checkpoint nearby.

“When we call the soldiers, it is after the attackers have left that the soldiers come. Even if we hear they (the attackers) are coming and we report to the government, they don’t take proactive action,” said Simon Njam, a vigilante leader near Runji who uses bows, arrows and locally made guns to secure the area.

Part of the problem is that the security forces are disorganized and unprepared to respond to the attacks, according to Kabir Adamu, the founder of Beacon Consulting, a security firm based in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

“We don’t have a coordinated security sector that identifies and counters threats,” he said. “They need to work together to protect lives and currently, we are not seeing enough of that.”

The Nigerian military and police didn’t respond to written and phone inquiries seeking a response to the claims.

As more families mourn the loss of their loved ones, forced to replace farmland with graveyards, their priority is demanding justice.

“How can people just come and kill and nothing will happen?” asked Dauda in Runji, remembering his life with his wife and four children. “They cannot bring back my lost family, but the government can at least rebuild my home and ensure justice.”

Drought-struck Barcelona quenches thirst by running desalination plant

By Joseph Wilson

The Associated Press

EL PRAT DE LLOBREGAT, Spain—Where once the population of Barcelona drank mostly from its rivers and wells, Spain’s second city now relies upon a labyrinth-like mesh of green, blue and purple pipes inside an industrial plant to keep it from going thirsty amid a prolonged drought.

Water is pumped from two kilometers (1.2 miles) into the Mediterranean Sea to where the Llobregat desalination plant sits on an isolated stretch of beach.

After journeying through several cleaning and filtering systems it reaches its final stop: the twisting and turning multi-colored channels that squeeze every drop of water free of its salt.

Barely used after being built in 2009, Europe’s largest desalination plant for drinking water is running at full throttle to help the greater Barcelona area and some five million people adapt to the impact of climate change, which has contributed to the drying up of southern Europe’s fresh water reserves through heat waves and drought.

In April 2021, before the drought, rivers provided 63 percent of Barcelona’s drinking water, wells provided 34 percent and desalination just 3 percent. Two years later desalination makes up 33 percent of Bar -

celona’s drinking water, while wells provide 23 percent and its shrinking rivers just 19 percent, according to Barcelona’s municipal water company.

With the reservoirs fed by Catalonia’s northern river basins at just 25 percent capacity, limits have been placed on the amount of water available for agriculture, industry and some municipal uses. But authorities have not had to take drastic action like during the 2006-2008 drought when tanker vessels shipped in drinking water.

“We knew that sooner or later a drought would come,” Carlos Miguel, plant manager, told The Associated Press during a recent visit to the Llobregat plant.

“As long as the drought continues the plant will keep running. That is clear.”

While the building of the Llobregat plant is the result of authorities heeding warnings from climate experts and planning ahead, it comes at high economic and environmental costs.

In the desalination process at the Llobregat plant, for every 0.45 liters of fresh water, around 0.55 liters of extremely salty brine is produced as waste. The reverse osmosis process, where high pressure forces seawater through membranes which separates the salt, also requires a lot of energy that doesn’t yet come entirely from renewable energy sources.

The Mediterranean region is heating up at a faster rate than many other areas of the globe, leading to a record-hot 2022 in Spain and a widespread drought that is hurting agriculture. The lack of water is particularly acute in northeast Catalonia, whose water agency forecasts that its water resources will shrink by 18 percent before 2050.

Water authorities predict that the Barcelona area is heading for an official “drought emergency”, which will imply tighter restrictions, by September.

“We forecast that for the rest of May rainfall will be above average, but that does not make up for 32 months of drought,” Samuel Reyes, head of the Catalan Water Agency, said recently.

Desalination has formed a key part of Spain’s water policy for over half a century. The island of Lanzarote in Spain’s Canary Islands archipelago installed Europe’s first desalination plant back in 1964, and the industry has kept growing in the southern European country prone to long, dry summers. The development and spread of the reverse osmosis technique in the 1980s and 1990s, along with reduced costs, led to its buildout across many areas of mainland Spain.

Spain is now fourth in the world for its desalination capacity, about 5 percent of the global total, behind Saudi Arabia, the

United States and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Spanish Association of Desalination and Water Re-utilization. Desalination capacity has steadily gone up worldwide in the past decade, with the technology seeing a bigger uptick in Europe and Africa.

Spain has some 800 desalination plants that can produce 5 million cubic liters a day of water for drinking, agriculture, and industry. If that were dedicated solely for human consumption, it would quench the thirst of 34 million people—over 70 percent of Spain’s population.

As part of a 2.2-billion euro ($2.4-billion) drought response package, Spain’s national government said this week that it was setting aside 220 million euros ($238 million) to expand another desalination plant north of Barcelona, plus another 200 million euros ($216 million) for a plant on Spain’s southern coast. It also pledged to spend 224 million euros ($242 million) on improving water purification systems in southern Spain.

This small miracle of scientific innovation, however, includes even more costs.

According to the public company that runs the Llobregat plant, a thousand liters of desalinated water costs 0.70 euros to produce, compared to 0.20 euros for the same quantity of water pulled from the Llobregat

River and purified for drinking. That means a heavier tax burden and, possibly, higher water bills.

Xavier Sánchez-Vila, professor of civil engineering and groundwater expert for the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, said that while desalination plants like the one in Barcelona have provided a lifeline in a time of crisis, authorities should continue to diversify their strategies and focus on improving water purification and reuse.

“Of course, with climate change we know that droughts are going to be more frequent and therefore there is this need (for desalination),” he said. “But in economic terms, I am not completely sure whether it makes sense to keep building them. A few more maybe, but knowing that these are a really expensive solution.”

Instead, Sánchez-Vila applauds the boost in Barcelona’s use of treated sewage water in a separate treatment plant sitting next to the Llobregat desalination facility. This treated water that is reintroduced upstream and then available to be pulled back into the city’s supply now accounts for 25 percent of Barcelona’s water.

The more pressing problem for the planet is the energyintensive processes involved in desalination.

Spain generated 42 percent

of its electricity from renewable energy sources in 2022 and it hopes to reach 50 percent this year, but it still uses large amounts of planet-warming natural gas. The electricity generated by the solar panels on the Llobregat plant goes into the electrical grid, not directly to the site’s operations.

Julio Barea, water expert for Greenpeace in Spain, insists that desalination is not a panacea.

Barea cited the steady increase of water use in Spain over past decades to support two of the country’s economic pillars: agriculture and tourism. Some 80 percent of Spain’s water goes to agriculture, Greenpeace calculates, while coastal areas including Barcelona are huge tourist magnets, many offering hotels with swimming pools that need filling. Soon-to-be implemented water restrictions in Catalonia will prohibit the filling of private pools, while hotels will still be able to fill theirs.

And then there is the impact of dumping the brine waste product into the sea, where its super salty load can hurt the ecosystem.

“(Authorities) have to provide drinking water for people, but desalination plants have an impact because they are essentially water factories that need a lot of energy,” Barea said. “It should be a last resource, and we should ask ourselves how we have gotten into this situation.”

NIGERIA—Christian Jonathan’s mother was holding the 9-month-old boy in her arms when she was shot dead during an attack on their village in northwestern Nigeria. The assailants cut off one of Christian’s fingers and abandoned him by the side of the road with a bullet wound in his tiny leg.

JOSHUA JONATHAN carries his 9-month-old son Christian who is recovering inside a hospital in Kunji, Southern Kaduna, Nigeria on April 27, 2023. Christian was shot in the leg by unidentified gunmen who also cut his finger after killing his mother. AP/CHINEDU ASADU

LA inspires in SMC video, eyes return to PBA duty in October

LEWIS ALFRED “LA” TENORIO remains active in worthy projects outside of basketball amid his twice-a-month trip to Singapore for chemotherapy.

Just recently, Tenorio helmed the pilot episode of San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) newest vlog “Sa’n Si Miguel.”

The new vlog, which aims to engage the audience and provide information on SMC’s numerous projects in support of nation-building, provided him a rare chance to showcase to fans the many things SMC does, apart from beverage and food brands that are bywords in the PBA. “ I want to help San Miguel Corp. promote its worthy projects and

investments in the whole country, at least to the fans who follow me [on social media],” Tenorio said.

“SMC isn’t only food and beverages, the conglomerate is into tollways and airport [Bulacan] and agroindustrial complexes that aren’t only investments but provide livelihood to thousands of Filipinos.”

On top of providing Filipinos happiness in terms of basketball, there are so many important things that SMC and Boss RSA [Ramon S. Ang] are doing to make the lives of our countrymen better.”

L ike many other sports personalities, Tenorio became more active in the digital sphere during the pandemic when most people stayed at home and were glued to their phones and gadgets.

The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel guard maintains accounts on Facebook (190,000 followers), Instagram (268,392 followers), Twitter (156,136 followers) and Youtube (26,100 followers).

These numbers are enough to make him one of the most followed athletes in the country and also among players in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Tenorio said an athlete’s responsibility is not only to play his best every game, but also to constantly interact with fans.

“Social media plays a major role for us athletes to communicate and interact with them,” he said. “I get the opportunity to impart my insights and anything inside and outside of sports.”

Tenorio said that supporting “Sa’n Si Miguel” is one for him to express his gratitude to RSA for his support during his illness.

I am very grateful to Boss RSA for having me at Ginebra for more than a decade now,” he said. “That, for me, is the best thing that happened to my basketball career.”

From the start, Boss RSA’s there, and Boss Al Chua [Ginebra governor], too, who checks on me everynow and then and tell me to focus on my treatment,” said Tenorio, 38, who’s diagnosed with colon cancer. “For now, I help the team as one of the assistant coaches, giving pointers to the players.”

Sports BusinessMirror

B8 Tuesday, May 30, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

HEAT-CELTICS IN GAME 7: NO MORE TOMORROW

By Kyle Hightower

The Associated Press

BOSTON—Moments after Boston’s dramatic win at Miami on Saturday night, Jaylen Brown began thinking about the future.

He raised his hands, put up seven fingers and began yelling, “Game 7! Game 7!”

Game 7, indeed.

Brown and Boston are on the brink of history after Derrick White’s buzzer-beating putback lifted the Celtics to a 104-103 victory over the Heat in Game 6.

O ne of the league’s most storied franchises is trying to become the first team in National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a bestof-seven series.

Ne xt up is one more game in the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night in Boston. And it looks as if the back-and-forth series could be on its way to an epic conclusion.

The Celtics are the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a bestof-seven series and force a deciding game. The previous three teams—the 1951 New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, the 1994 Denver Nuggets in the second round and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers in the first

round—lost Game 7, all on the road.

We’ve got another chance, another opportunity,” said Jayson Tatum, who had 31 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in Game 6 to join Larry Bird as the only other Celtic with double-digit playoff games with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. “It’s far from over. Still an uphill battle. But it always feels good to give yourself another chance, another opportunity.”

B oston is looking to extend a wild postseason ride that already includes five wins when facing elimination— twice in the East semifinals after falling behind 3-2 to the 76ers, and now three straight times against the Heat.

The Celtics are 27-9 in Game 7s and have won their last four— including a 112-88 win against Philadelphia in the previous round that featured Tatum breaking out for 51 points, the most in a Game 7 in NBA history.

B oston also beat the Heat in Game 7 in Miami in last year’s East finals when Jimmy Butler missed what would have been a go-ahead threepointer with about 17 seconds left.

The Heat are 6-5 all-time in Game 7s, losing their last two. Miami is 0-2 when facing such a game on the road.

The winner of Sunday’s matchup will advance to face the Western

POC, Tolentino call on Yulo to join Team PHL in Hangzhou

By Josef Ramos

THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) wants Carlos Yulo and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) to prioritize the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games rather than the world championships in Belgium.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the Hangzhou Games gives Yulo more opportunities for gold medals in artistic gymnastics because most of his top Asian rivals will be in the world championships. “ It’s going to be win-win for Team Philippines in the Asian Games because all the gymnastics powerhouse countries will be competing in the world championships,” said Tolentino during last week’s POC general assembly in a restaurant in Parañaque City. “So Yulo has a strong opportunity of sweeping all the events in Hangzhou.”

The two competitions clash in schedule—the Asian Games which are not a qualifier for Paris

PHILIPPINE athletics is going modest on its goal in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games but is also keen on trekking the same path in qualifying athletes other than world No. 3 pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena to the Paris 2024 Olympics.

We’ll take the path of the Philippine Olympic Committee [POC],” said Terry Capistrano, president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA), referring to the POC policy announced by its president, Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, that only the gold and silver medalists in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games will be funded by the Philippine Sports Commission in Hangzhou.

2024 are from September 23 to October 8 while the Antwerp world championships are set September 30 to October 8.

G AP president Cynthia Carrion Norton announced early this year that Yulo, a former world champion in floor exercise and vault, will be in Antwerp to chase a slot for his return to the Olympics in Paris.

C arrion Norton was in the same general assembly and said the GAP will evaluate the suggestion of Tolentino, which was supported by the entire POC members.

Tolentino also said that Yulo will also reap a bounty in terms of financial incentives if he wins gold or a medal of less color in Hangzhou. The government’s incentive program gifts P2 million for gold, P1 million for silver and P.4 million for bronze in the Asian Games.

Yulo was already included in the

“entry by name” list consisting of 426 athletes that the POC sent to the Hangzhou organizers. He has also earned a berth to Antwerp by virtue of his strong performance in previous International Gymnastics Federation

world cup competitions.

“All the members of the POC general assembly are begging for gymnastics to consider playing in the Asian Games,” Tolentino said. “We have already asked them to look

Capistrano: PATAFA sets modest goal for

The bronze medalists in Cambodia, according to the POC policy, and those who approximate Asian and world standards, would have to be paid for by their respective national sports associations.

C apistrano said the PATAFA intends to cut in half its current 42-member national pool and is looking to most of them performing better in two major competitions ahead of the September 23 to October 8 Asian Games—the Asian championships in Pattaya from July 12 to 16 in and the World Athletics Championships in Budapest from August 19 to 27.

All three are Olympic qualifying tournaments

with the qualifying window for Paris starting this July 1 and ending June 30 next year.

We’re hoping to qualify athletes outright and not based on ranking points which is very complicated,” said Capistrano, adding that he expects Obiena to breeze to Paris.

Obiena only needs to clear 5.82 meters in any World Athleticssanctioned competition to make the Paris grade. He’s gone over the height

Baisa keeps on winning

BRICE BAISA kept his dominant run in the Palawan Pawnshop junior tennis circuit by sweeping the boys’ 16-under and 18-under crowns in the Zentro National Championships in Apalit, Pampanga, over the weekend for his sixth straight two-title romp. Sustaining his superb brand of play, the third-ranked Baisa, 16, toppled top seed Frank Dilao, 6-0, 6-3, to rule his

Conference champion Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.

Despite being denied a finals berth in three straight games, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said his message to the team after Saturday’s loss was just to focus on the next game. Let the past be the past.

Let’s just rally around each other,” Spoelstra said.

“These are emotional games and things can swing in that Game 7. The pressure can go back and forth in Game 7s quite a bit. We’re not going anywhere.”

But what may be most concerning for the Heat heading into Monday is the Celtics—typically reliant on their ability to make three-point shots— were able to pull out Saturday’s win despite making a playoff-low 7 of 35 attempts from deep.

MIAMI’S Jimmy Butler goes up for a shot against Boston’s Jayson Tatum in Game 6.

for other Olympic qualifying events. Belgium is just the first Olympic qualifying and there are many [qualifying events].”

I believe he can get all the medals especially gold in the Asian Games. At the same time, the incentives he can get there are higher,” Tolentino said. “And based on research, there are more other Olympic qualifiers by next year which is not that difficult so all POC members are begging for gymnastics to let Caloy play.”

The other Olympic qualification tournaments are the 2024 Apparatus World Cup series from January to March and the 2024 continental championships in April and May.

The Philippine is hoping to land more gold medals in Hangzhou to beat the four won in Jakarta and Palembang in 2018. A guaranteed gold in the Asian Games is expected of Asian men’s pole vault record holder Ernest John “EJ” Obiena.

Yulo competed in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games early this month and won golds in men’s allaround and parallel bars and silvers in rings and team event.

Asian Games

several times and owns the Asian record of 5.93 meters.

Janry Ubas, who won one of PATAFA’s four gold medals in Cambodia, needs to add more work to his 7.85 meters effort if he wants to make the 8.27-meter Olympic qualifying standard.

U bas also claimed silver in men’s decathlon in the SEA Games but his 6,923 points is way below the Olympic minimum of 8,460 points.

E xpected to compete in Hangzhou are silver medalists Umajesty Williams (400 men) and Sonny Montonegro Wagdos (5,000 men) and six-time SEA Games men’s 400 hurdles champion Eric Cray. Josef Ramos

Buhain leads swim regional reps roster

SWIMMING icon Eric Buhain

was named as one of 19 regional representatives vying for seats in the broad of trustees of the Philippine Swimming League (PSI) and, possibly, could be elected as president of the reorganized national federation.

Just a few more laps and it’s victory for Philippine swimming, and a bright future for our perennial deep pool of talented Filipino swimmers,” said Buhain, a two-time Olympian and Southeast Asian Games multigold medalist who now heads the Congress of Philippine Aquatics Inc. and is Batangas Province’s First District congressman.

Buhain was named representative for Region 4A or CALABARZON during a hybrid meeting supervised by the Philippine Olympic Committee’s electoral committee for the PSI last week.

The other regional representatives

age-group category in the Group I tournament presented by Dunlop then lived up to his top billing in the premier class with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory over the No. 2 Dilao at the Zentro Recreational Events courts.

T he Puerto Princesa City find stretched his record run following his domination of the Iloilo, Roxas City, Bacolod, Imus and Cainta legs of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

B autista also stamped her class in the girls’ side, yielding just four games in three matches to clinch the 16-under

are Cecile “Bing” Doromal (Region 4B), Bing Rosales (Region 5), Cris Bancal (Region 6), Jess Arriola (Region 7), Rex Dela Cruz (Region 8), Gib Sing Wong (Region 9), Leo Sanchez (BARMM), Angel Leonardo (Region 10), Jun Rodriguez (Region 11), Michael Talosig (Region 12), Willie Yu (CARAGA), Emmanuel Dionido (CAR), Isagani Corpuz (Region 1), Elmer Corpuz (Region 2), Biboy Asturias (Region 3), Michael Vargas and Fred Galang Ancheta (National Capital Region) and Marie Dimanche (Sectoral Representative). They are eligible to run for seats in the 11-member board of trustees of the PSI during the elections set June 8 at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Parañaque City.

T he elected members of the board will then elect from their ranks the new PSI president and other executive officers.

trophy, capped by a 6-1, 6-1 win over Ave Policarpio in the finals. The Imus, Cavite ace proved a lot tougher in 18-under play, giving up just two games against three rivals to reign, including a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Althea Liwag in the championship to share MVP honors with Baisa.

A lso posting top podium finishes in the week-long tournament—backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating—are 14-under winners Aljhon Rombawa and Cadee Dagoon, 12-under champions Dean Palaroan and Ayl Gonzaga, and 10-under unisex titlist Andrei Torrente.

GIRO CHAMP Primo Roglic celebrates his Giro d’Italia victory—the 33-year-old’s fourth Grand Tour to go with three Spanish Vuelta titles—with his son, Lev, who seems more excited than his dad, on Sunday in Rome, Italy. AP

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Carlos Yulo hug during a successful campaign in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games.

LA TENORIO doesn’t want to miss his team’s games and sits on the bench as one of the assistant coaches for the time being.

CAPISTRANO