BusinessMirror November 17, 2022

OREIGN investment pledg es contracted 22.4 percent in the third quarter of 2022, according to the latest data released by the Philippine Statis tics Authority (PSA). ased on the data on Approved Foreign Investments, foreign busi nesses pledged P13.05 billion in in vestments in the third quarter, lower than the P16.82 billion reported in the same quarter of 2021.

owever, investment pledges made by both Filipino and Foreign investors reached P159.18 billion in the third quarter of 2022, or an increase of 58.4 percent compared with P100.48 billion in the same quarter of the previous year.

These investments were pledges from four Investment

Promotion Agencies (IPAs), namely: Board of Investments (BOI), Clark Development Corpo ration (CDC), Philippine Econom ic Zone Authority (PEZA), and Subic Bay Metropolitan Author ity (SBMA),” the PSA said.

No foreign investment ap provals were reported from Author ity of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), BOI-Bangsamoro Autono mous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BOI-BARMM), Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), and Tourism Infrastructure Eco nomic Zone Authority (TIEZA) for the third quarter of years 2021 and 2022,” PSA added.

The FI commitments for the third quarter of 2022 were mainly

driven by investments from Japan, which accounted for 34.5 percent of the total approved FI, followed by South Korea (15.5 percent) and Singapore (12.6 percent).

Japan committed P4.5 billion while South Korea and Singapore pledged P2.02 billion and P1.64 billion, respectively.

M anufacturing bested all other industries as it stands to re ceive P7.2 billion or 55.2 percent of the total FI pledges.

Administrative and Support Service Activities came in second with investment commitments valued at P3.38 billion or 25.9 per cent share, followed by Real Estate Activities with P1.35 billion or 10.3 percent FI contribution.

The biggest chunk of the ap

proved foreign investment in the third quarter of 2022 was intended to finance projects in Calabarzon amounting to P6.6 billion or 50.6 percent of the total FI.

T his was followed by Cen tral Luzon with P3.02 billion or 23.1 percent and the National Capital Region with P2.24 bil lion or 17.1 percent.

Meanwhile, total approved projects of foreign and Filipino investors in the third quarter of 2022 were projected to generate 28,139 jobs.

Out of the total anticipated employment for the period, ap proved projects with foreign in terest were projected to generate 17,994 employment based on the reports of IPAs. Cai U. Ordinario

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

In a virtual briefing on Wednes day, MUFG Global Market Research Senior Currency Analyst Jeff Ng said the country’s GDP growth is seen to average 6.7 percent this year before slowing to 6 percent next year.

Inflation, Ng said, is expected to average 5.5 percent this year be fore slowing to 3.9 percent next year. However, he said, Filipinos may start seeing a tapering off of inflation in the coming months as prices of commodi ties stabilize.

Maybe the prices have already increased but the number will stay with us for the rest of the year and also for the majority of next year. But I think in terms of the month on month, [it’s] is starting to look more stable,” Ng said.

So I think that’s one positive. We might be reaching the worst number in the coming few months before the headline inflation then starts to mod erate,” he added.

However, given the high infla tion environment, Ng said the BSP is expected to make another 50-basispoint (bps) increase this year. This will be on top of the 75 bps it is expected to implement on Thursday.

Perhaps there could be another 50-basis-point rate hike for December

SEIPI SEES SECTOR HURDLING CHALLENGES

By Andrea E. San Juan

DESPITE the “roadblocks,” the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI) said it is optimistic that it can overcome the challenges through close collaboration be tween the public and private sector.

In a statement on Wednesday, SEIPI said it “continues to advocate for the industry’s well-being by voicing out legislative and regula tory concerns and providing rel evant recommendations that will improve the business environment in the Philippines.”

The organization of electronics

companies in the Philippines said it looks forward to the “new heights” that it can reach in 2023.

I n fact, SEIPI said it met with Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascu al to discuss the prevailing issues in the industry and its impact on foreign investments, and what can be done to prevent further “capital flight.”

Moreover, SEIPI gave updates on what it has been pushing and working for. It noted that it is work ing on the implementation of the Commission on Election’s Ban on Firearms and Controlled Chemi cals in light of the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

SEIPI also noted that it is ad

vocating that non-manufacturing jobs in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs) be al lowed to adopt a work-from-home arrangement without the threat of losing their incentives.

A s for the industry’s mile stones, SEIPI said in a statement on Wednesday, “As of September 2022, the cumulative exports reached $35.34 billion, a 4.71 percent in crease from last year’s figures.”

Th is, SEIPI noted, was 60.60 percent of the $58.31-billion total Philippine commodity ex ports, thus retaining the indus try’s position as the country’s

OUTLOOK GOOD A boatman waits for tourists on his paraw, a traditional outrigger boat propelled by sails (layag), on the white-sand beach of Boracay. The Tourism Promotions Board, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, sees the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector bouncing back in 2023. SMX Convention Center has just opened a convention facility in the Clark special economic zone, while the Megaworld Group has just opened a convention space in Boracay. NONIE REYES

THE Phil ippines’s economic growth will continue to be robust despite expectations that inflation could linger this year and most of next year, according to Japan-based Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG).

BIDEN: ‘UNLIKELY’ MISSILE THAT HIT POLAND FIRED FROM RUSSIA

PBBM to pitch economic issues in meetings at APEC Summit

By Samuel P. Medenilla sam_medenilla

micro, small and medium enter prises (MSMEs), women and in digenous people.

M arcos said he also intends to expound on the consensus which he forged with the other APEC participants during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits in Cambodia last week.

“ I am hoping now to put some —to put some meat on those very preliminary discussions that we have had,” Marcos said.

economies of the Asia-Pacific re gion. The importance of this region to us and to the rest of the world cannot be overstated,” Marcos said.

Marcos will be participating at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meet ing (AELM) Week from November 16 to 19 in Bangkok, Thailand.

On the sidelines of the events, he will hold bilateral talks with some economic leaders and heads of state.

I n his departure speech be fore flying to Thailand, Marcos said he will push for a consen sus on food and energy security, digitalization, as well as sustain able development amid climate

change during the APEC Summit.

O ther matters which he in tends to raise in the summit are safe and seamless cross-border passage of Filipino workers, and the economic inclusion of local

The President stressed how policies from APEC member na tions could affect the domestic economy since 85 percent of the country’s trade happen within the Asia Pacific region.

The region also hosts many overseas Filipino workers (OFW). “APEC remains to be one of the prime platforms to engage the

He is also scheduled to meet with Thai businessmen and join the APEC CEO Summit, where he will be promoting the country as a viable investment destination.

The chief executive is also ex pected to meet with King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaocha oyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajra sudhabimalalakshana of Thailand.

A lso part of his itinerary is a meeting with the Filipino commu nity in Thailand.

Senate seeks data on 187 reclamation projects

WITH several reclamation projects being questioned for their environmental impact as the country continues to reel from a string of disasters, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was

directed to submit in writing the updated data of the 187 reclamation projects all over the country.

The directive was given as one of the “to do” list of senators to DENR, even as they approved its 2023 budget after prolonged deliberations. See re

latedstoryonpageA16,“Senategrills DENRonMasungiGeoreserve.”

I just want an update on what happened to the 21 reclamation proj ects that were issued environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) even without proper consultation with the

stakeholders. And some fisherfolks are calling the Senate for an investi gation into the 187 reclamation proj ects,” Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said in issuing the request to DENR officials.

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, sponsor of the DENR budget, said based on the data at the DENR central office, there are 19 reclamation projects in Manila Bay, two in Cebu and two in Samar. However, the data from the regions are not included, Villar said. Villar herself has been strongly opposing a reclamation project that she said would destroy a critical eco system in southern Metro Manila and cause flooding and other disas trous events. Butch Fernandez

GROWTH…

Continued from A1

but we have to firm up our view based on the latest developments and latest inflation numbers. I think the BSP has accelerated the pace of its rate hikes since July when the inflation numbers have started (to spike),” Ng explained.

Meanwhile, MUFG also expects the country’s current account deficit to reach 5.6 percent of GDP this year be fore narrowing to 4.8 percent of GDP.

Much of the optimism on the country’s growth this year is driven by the better-than-expected GDP growth of 7.6 percent in the third quarter which benefited from the economy’s reopening.

The reopening of the economy is expected to continue and lead the country to “greater normalization” in the coming year. Ng said the growth of the Philippine economy is no longer a case of base effects.

T his is mainly due to the re covery of household consumption. Based on the Philippine Statistics Au thority (PSA), household final consump tion expenditure grew 8 percent in the third quarter and averaged 8.9 percent in the past three quarters this year.

The recovery of consumption is expected to continue next year when Philippine net exports are also ex pected to rebound. Ng said the global logistics situation is improving and could pave the way for greater global trade next year.

I think it’s still looking very posi tive given all these trends and despite all the headwinds we have suffered,” Ng said of the country’s overall growth.

Earlier, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the government is now within striking distance of its GDP growth target for 2022 after the PSA an nounced that the economy grew faster in the third quarter.

The PSA reported that the econ omy expanded by 7.6 percent in the third quarter. This is faster than the 7.5 percent posted in the second quar ter of the year and the 7 percent re corded in same period last year.

PPA reports surge in Q3 passenger traffic on economic bounce

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Wednesday reported a surge in passenger traffic from July to September this year as economic activities rebound from the pandemic.

Data from the agency showed that passenger volume in the third quarter shot up by 233.54 percent to 15.71 million from 4.71 million in the same period last year.

Container traffic, on the other hand, increased by 9.7 percent to 2.03 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the third quarter from 1.85 million TEUs in the same period last year.

Domestic boxes handled at the ports posted 9.47 percent growth to 759,884 TEUs from 694,142 TEUs; while foreign boxes registered an in crease of 10.4 percent to 1.27 million TEUs as against the 1.15 million TEUs handled in the same period last year.

Of the total foreign boxes, im port volume contributed 650,106 TEUs while export boxes increased

to 629,381 TEUs, up by 10.75 percent and 10.08 percent, respectively.

Shipcalls went up 29.9 percent to 119,977 in the third quarter from 92,359 in the same period last year.

Domestic shipcalls stood at 116,940 during the period, while foreign shipcalls at 3,047.

P resident Ferdinand “Bong bong” Marcos Jr. earlier reappointed Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago as general manager of PPA.

S antiago vowed to further im prove and bring the country’s ports to even greater heights, both in terms of services and infrastruc ture, with special focus on his mandate for digitalization of port operations and management.

Santiago, who replaced PPA offi cer-in-charge general manager Fran cisquiel Mancile, served as PPA head during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Established in 1974 by Presiden tial Decree No. 505, the PPA is the primary government agency respon sible for the planning, development, and operation of the country’s ports or port districts.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday as sured maximum visibility of traffic enforcers this Christmas season to prevent vehicular traffic congestion.

MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said traffic enforcers will be visible along the major thoroughfares in the metropolis.

Artes said that the agency would also ex tend the duty of Traffic Discipline Office person nel until 12 midnight in response to the 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. adjusted operating hours of malls and shopping centers in Metro Manila.

Ar tes instructed traffic enforcers to avoid “kumpulan” or grouping, and unnec essary use of cellular phones while on duty except when reporting traffic situations or accidents in their areas of assignment.

He likewise said that traffic management shall be prioritized and apprehension of simple and light traffic violations, which may hamper traffic flow, shall be minimized as necessary.

SEIPI

Continued from A1

top commodity exporter.

A lthough it stays on top, SEIPI President Danilo C. Lachica earlier stressed that the industry also faces its fair share of pain points as it grapples with global headwinds such as the peso depreciation, among others.

Th e SEIPI chief told reporters in October that contrary to con ventional wisdom that peso de preciation will benefit makers of electronics and semiconductors, “Ironically, a devaluating peso is good for exporters. However, that’s offset by high power cost, high fuel cost, and everything.”

L achica also earlier said that leveling the playing field in operat ing cost is important because “from the multinational’s perspective, in centives or not, they’re (investors) gonna go to the country which gives the most competitive operating cost in terms of cost per unit.”

“ Our primary duty and priority is to manage traffic first before apprehending err ing motorists. We don’t allow the practice of waiting for motorists to violate traffic rules be fore flagging them down,” he said.

However, to avoid impeded traffic flow, minor violations like swerving could be exempt ed on a case-to-case basis except for distracted driving and number coding,” Artes said.

A ctivities of field personnel will also be monitored through the use of CCTV cameras located at the MMDA Operations Monitoring and Control Center (Metrobase) to make sure that the policy and guidelines shall be strictly implemented.

Meanwhile, pursuant to the issued mora torium on road diggings, Artes mandated road work contractors to put steel plate covers on all excavations to make it passable to motorists, avoid accidents, and ensure smooth traffic flow. B oth the adjusted mall hours and tem porary suspension on road diggings and exca vations are part of the MMDA’s traffic mitiga tion measures this Christmas.

Opportunities

SEIPI said in a statement on Wednesday that there are also op portunities within the industry.

I n fact, the organization un veiled its industry roadmap called the Product and Technology Ho listic Strategy (PATHS), which it said foreshadows the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) roadmap for the electronics indus try for 2022-2028.

The roadmap includes plans to set up an IC (Integrated Circuit) Design Training Laboratory (ICDL). The ICDL project proposal will be submitted for DOST Grants-in-Aid funding in consolidation with a Lab-Scale Wafer Fabrication Facil ity, to capacitate IC Design training and semiconductor device fabrica tion in the Philippines. The ICDL will complement DOST’s Center for Integrated Circuits and Devic es Research (CIDR) ecosystem in strengthening the country’s com petitiveness in the IC design and semiconductor technology devel opment,” SEIPI said in a state ment on Wednesday.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he is eyeing to steer discussions in the ongoing 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Thailand towards economic issues, which will benefit the country.

MMDA: Traffic enforcers will be visible at Christmas rush

The Nation

Gatchalian pushes bigger SPED budget for learners

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

CONGRESS is poised to con sider a bigger Special Educa tion (SPED) budget from P96 million to P160 million to cover all learners with disabilities enrolled in centers in nationwide.

S en. Sherwin Gatchalian, in troducing the enabling legislation, clarified the funding proposal was intended to “ensure that every region in the country has a model Inclusive Learning Resource Center [ILRC] for Learners with Disabilities.”

“ The P96 million allocation was intended for the conversion of 16 SPED Centers nationwide to ILRCs, which are mandated to deliver free support services to learners with disabilities, including language and speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical and physiothera py, provision of qualified sign lan guage interpreters, and other simi lar services, aids, and actions that facilitate the learning process,” the senator clarified.

He added that these centers are also mandated to implement inclu sive education program, pointing out that the minimum funding require ment for the conversion of SPED Centers, however, ranges from P8 million to P10 million.

This representation sincerely recommends that we increase the

budget of capital outlay from P96 million to P160 million just to con vert SPED centers in all regions, and we will have one model ILRC per region,” said Gatchalian, chair man of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, during his inter pellation of the proposed DepEd budget for 2023.

A dding that he will submit his proposals on potential funding sources to the Senate Committee on Finance during budget delibera tions, pointing out that “ensuring funds for SPED is aligned with Re public Act No. 11650 or Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act that he had sponsored in the 18th Congress.

He reminded that this law man dates the Department of Education (DepEd), in collaboration with lo cal government units (LGUs), shall initially establish and maintain at least one ILRC in all cities and mu nicipalities, adding that “the law further provides that all existing SPED Centers shall be converted to and renamed ILRCs.”

T he senator further clarified that he has been emphasizing the need to ensure support for learners with disabilities, especially “because they were among the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Philippine fertility rate drops to less than 2 kids per woman

THE Philippines’ fertility rate dropped this year to below two children per woman of reproductive age, highlighting a demographic transition that could boost efforts to bring down poverty T he total fertility rate fell to 1.9 offspring per woman aged between 15 and 49 in 2022 from 2.7 in 2017, according to a survey published this week on the Philippine Statistics Au thority’s (PSA) web site. That’s below

the 2.1 viewed as the level at which a population replaces itself from a generation to the next.

Economic gains from the demo graphic transition can be funneled to reduce poverty and improve labor force participation,” Lolito Tacar don, the population commission’s officer-in-charge, said in a separate statement. This will likely help boost savings and investments for couples and individuals.

A spate of countries are seeing fertil ity rates drop as economic opportunities grow and access to contraception im proves. Global fertility is also expected to slip after pandemic-era lockdowns limited in-person interaction.

In the Philippines, the govern ment in recent years worked to boost access to family planning and con traceptives, which traditionally are frowned upon.

About half of married women in

Group urges govt to strengthen maritime security capacity amid territorial dispute

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

THE Philippines urgently needs to strengthen its civil maritime capacity to be able to address the grow ing security and geographical challenges.

S tratbase President Professor Victor Andres Manhit said the country right now is playing a catch up game in the civil mari time capability resulting in huge losses caused by illegal poaching and smuggling.

and we seem to have lost our edge there because we are not ready to confront them,” he argued.

M anhit said there is a need to empower the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fisheries, and the Philippine Navy and strength en inter-agency coordination to protect the country’s coast and economic zone.

India, which is part of this broad Indo-Pacific that will drive the world economy in terms of trade and investment,” Manhit said.

dicated they desire no more children, PSA said. Women in rural areas had a higher total fertility rate of 2.2, compared to 1.7 in urban areas.

Still, the Philippines “will con tinue to see a robust labor force at over 63 percent of the population until 2030 or 2035,” said Tacardon.

“Focus should now be on ensuring that the quality and capacity of the country’s human resources are en hanced.” Bloomberg News

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

ALEADER of the House of Representatives has called on Congress to legislate more measures protecting the en vironment against the pervasive effects of climate change, as the Philippines incurs great economic loss of around $3.5 billion yearly due to natural calamities.

House Committee on Peoples Participation Chairperson Rida Robes sounded the alarm on the deteriorating global climate con dition and echoed what climate change advocates have been telling us—that the country is already in a state of climate change emergency, and that Filipinos should start first with strengthening their human resource capacity.

I n a recent privilege speech, Robes proposed that the govern ment should start addressing the issue immediately.

“In the aftermath of super ty phoon ‘Karding,’ this representa tion would like to spark an honest dialogue to three inconvenient—yet vital—truths that affect our nation and humanity as a whole...The press ing and urgent need to strengthen our policies on environmental pro tection and adapting to climate change,” Robes said.

R obes said it is lamentable and alarming to know that the Philip pines, in terms of global metrics, ranked second in the 2018 Climate Risk Index among countries heav ily affected by extreme weather events and 11th out of 180 na tions in the 2020 Environmental Performance Index.

“As a result, she said, our country suffers great economic loss [around $3.5 billion based on World Bank estimates] yearly due to natural ca lamities,” she added.

“ We can definitely feel the economic devastation of climate change. To illustrate, recently, Karding alone destroyed at least P160 million worth of high value crops,” the lawmaker from San Jose del Monte said.

R obes said no less than 5239 Bu lakeños, 1571 families, including 1447 children and 231 senior citi zens were displaced and forced to evacuate to escape the floods, which also caused the lives of five emer gency volunteers in the process.

“We are already in a state of climate emergency. Our President Ferdi nand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. ad dressed the UN General Assembly who declared that the country is the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change...This injustice must be corrected, and those who need to do more must act now...,” she said.

With this in mind, she said, she urged her colleagues to heed these warning signs, and legislate mea sures protecting our environment against impacts of climate change.

For starters, she proposed to strengthen the role of rescuers and first responders.

“Countless storms have passed yet the courage of rescuers of our national and local disaster risk re duction and management councils, and civil society volunteers remain unbreakable and indomitable. Yet, it is unconscionable that our laws are inadequate to protect them,” Robes said.

T he devastating flood caused by Karding is unparalleled and alarming. In the province of Bu lacan alone, she said significant areas in San Miguel, San Ildefonso and San Rafael—areas not typi cally prone to flooding—were en gulfed in deep floodwaters due to heavy rains during the onslaught of the typhoon.

R obes was particular about the state of disaster volunteers which national and local government units are utilizing as our country’s primary defense against calamities and disasters.

B ut she said our rescuers, “who, our local risk disaster manage ment rely on during disasters, are employed as mere casual employ ees and underpaid, and receive little protection.”

She added that the country heav ily relies on an emergency sector composed of casuals, job orders and volunteers in times of crises.

She also gave honor to the five emergency responders who died while saving residents who were stranded in a flood. She said the “Bulacan Five” George Agustin, Troy Justin Agustin, Marby Bartolome, Narciso Calayag Jr. and Jerson Res urreccion died “in the line of duty and service to our country.”

T hey were ordinary men who have shown extraordinary acts of service, she added.

It’s not simply traditional. I always used the term asymmet ric—it is not what is in front of you. You see fishing boats; you see harassment by Chinese coast guards in our territory. That’s not war. But that’s actually coercion of our people, coercion of our fisher folks. Then the overfishing that might be affecting our own ma rine resources. That is basically stealing from the resources of an other nation—that’s actual war. But there’s no bombing, there’s no killing,” Manhit pointed out.    “ We all know it’s part of what we call their aggression based on the strategies of the gray zone—there is no actual conflict but there’s already conflict. They are what we call non-traditional conflicts

“ We believe that in Stratbase ADR Institute, we live in a rulesbased international order. And that rule of law, the internation al rule of law, makes a country, a small country like the Philippines, equal to bigger countries like Chi na. It defines what is our economic zone, exclusive economic zone. It defines what is our sovereign ter ritory,” he explained.

T he Stratbase president also urged the government to strengthen is relationship with state allies be yond China and the United States.

This is what I believe is a truly independent foreign policy, when you engage other countries and not limit yourself to an either the China way or the American way. If America is part of that liberal dem ocratic order, I’ll go with that, the institute goes for that. But not only the US, but the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand and other strong democracies [like]

I n this context, the Stratbase Group will gather key government officials, the diplomatic community, security and geopolitical experts, and the civil society in a two-day conference on November 21 and 22, 2022 entitled Pilipinas Conference 2022: Onward to New Beginnings: Sustaining and Improving Philip pine Development.

A ttending the event are key government leaders, including Budget Secretary Amenah Pan gandaman, Environment Secre tary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Finance Secretary Ben jamin Diokno, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Philippine Am bassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, US Ambassa dor to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delega tion to the Philippines Luc Veron, and Australian Embassy Chargé d’affaires Richard Sisson.

A lso attending are top govern ment security officials, geopolitics experts, key officials of the biggest corporations in the country, and representatives of the diplomatic community.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in collaboration with the International Commit tee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has ramped up its Bakuna Bus opera tions in Mindanao to improve vac cine adherence and increase vaccine uptakes in the region, especially in high-risk populations.

A s of date, PRC’s Bakuna Buses and Bakuna Centers with Bakuna Teams, have administered a to tal of 325,066 vaccines—76,876 individuals fully vaccinated and 51,238 persons boosted—in the region of Mindanao.

O n Saturday, November 12, PRC Chairman Richard J. Gor don and ICRC officials led by ICRC Vice President Gilles Car bonnier visited General Santos City to check on the Bakuna Bus operations. “We have been do ing this [Covid-19 vaccination programs] for almost two years. Ang kaibahan lang, dati nasa sta tion ang ating mga vaccination drive pero ngayon mayroon ng mga buses. Ginagamit ang mga ‘to para mailapit ang bakuna sa mga taong nasa malalayong lugar. Ngayon, mas pagiigtingin natin ang pagba bakuna, partikular sa mga bata,” said PRC Chairman Gordon.

I CRC Vice President Carbonni er, meanwhile, expressed his ad miration to PRC’s humanitarian activities, “I am very impressed

by the Philippine Red Cross, the commitment of the people, the sophistication of the different ac tivities [...]. I believe that region ally, it is key for me to come here to the Philippines, especially be cause ICRC has many humanitar ian activities in Mindanao. These are important operations that we will keep having, and I think it is important for us in ICRC to come and see with our own eyes what we collectively manage to do.”

“ ICRC has always been sup portive of the Philippine Red Cross’ Covid-19 interventions. They donated buses, equipped with a vaccine administration area and supplies, while we pro vided a cadre of volunteers to per

form the task. Sa PRC, hindi pwe deng balewala ang mga binibigay na oportunidad para makatulong kasi hangarin namin na maiangat ang mga tao—hindi kami nag-aabot, kami ay nag-aangat ng mga tao,” Chairman Gordon explained.

I n addition to Covid-19 vac cination programs, PRC is also planning to further expand its vaccination drive against vac cine-preventable diseases (i.e., typhoid, rubella). From 2019 to 2020, PRC, through the support of ICRC, vaccinated 127, 302 chil dren against polio and measlesrubella. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the immunization pro grams for these contagious dis eases, placing children at higher risk of health complications.

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE National Bureau of Inves tigation (NBI) on Wednesday said it had received the order issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Taguig City Branch 69 for the transfer of comedian and tele vision host Ferdinand “Vhong” Na varro from its detention facility to a regular jail.

N avarro’s transfer to the Bu reau of Jail Management and Pe nology (BJMP), Taguig City Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City was ordered by the Taguig court handling the non-bailable rape case filed against him by modelactress Deniece Cornejo.

T he actor-host has been de tained at the NBI headquarters in Manila since his surrender last Septembers 19 but Cornejo’s camp sought his transfer to the Taguig City jail in adherence to proper legal procedures.

A side from the rape case, he is also facing a separate case for acts of lasciviousness also filed by Cornejo.

T he Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116 is handling the act of lasciviousness case, a bailable offense.

T he trial court has wrapped up its proceedings on Navarro’s petition for bail and is expected to come up with a resolution very soon.

Navarro’s camp is insisting that the actor should be allowed to post bail, as the evidence of guilt against him is weak.

T he actor-host will have to undergo mandatory medical ex aminations, including RT-PCR test for Covid-19 in compliance with the health protocol requirements before he is transferred to BJMP, Taguig City.

T he rape and acts of lascivi ousness charges against Navarro were ordered to be revived by the Court of Appeals in its July 21, 2022 decision.

I n the said ruling, the CA re versed and set aside the 2018 and 2020 resolutions of the DOJ dismissing the complaint filed by Cornejo in 2014 and directed the justice department to file the cases anew.

A s an offshoot of the CA’s ruling, the DOJ filed the criminal charges against Navarro before the trial courts in Taguig.

O n September 19, 2022, Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116 Presiding Judge Angela Fran cesa Din issued a resolution find ing probable cause to put Navar ro on trial for acts of lascivious ness and ordered Navarro to post a bail of P36,000 for his temporary release.

O n the same day, Taguig RTC Branch 69 Presiding Judge Lo ralie Cruz Dataha issued an arrest warrant against Navarro for the rape, case that is a non-bailable offense.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

NBI gets court order to move Vhong Navarro to Taguig jail

Robes urges Congress to legislate measures to fight climate change

2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

PBBM: We are close to achieving P20 rice per kilo

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT

During the nationwide launch of the Kadiwa ng Pasko Project in Man daluyong City on Wednesday, the President said they are now able to sell rice at P25 per kilo through the National Food Authority (NFA).

He explained NFA is able to sell its rice at the same price when it bought it from farmers.

The NFA does not profit from it. The price when it bought the rice is the same when it resells it that is

why the price is at P25,” Marcos said in Filipino.

We are close to our aspiration to sell [rice] at P20 [per kilo]. We will do it gradually. We can achieve that but we would still have to do a lot of things for it,” he added.

Based on the price monitoring report of the Department of Agricul ture (DA), the price of imported and local rice now sells between P38 per kilo to P50 per kilo as of November 15, 2022.

Expanded coverage

MARCOS , who is also the concur rent agriculture secretary, said he would continue to push for affordable food for the public by

further expanding the coverage of the government’s national Kadiwa program.

During its launch, the program initially covered only 14 areas. Of which 11 are in the National Capital Region, one in Tacloban City, one in Davao de Oro, and one in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Under the Kadiwa program, the government is able to sell food items at lower prices compared to retailers by directly buying from suppliers then reselling it to consumers.

T he other expenses to bring the goods to the market, such as trans port costs, are shouldered by the government.

It is a joint initiative led by DA together with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Wel fare and Development (DSWD), and Department of Labor and Employ ment (DOLE).

M arcos said they decided to launch the national Kadiwa pro gram this month to enable con sumers, who are preparing for the Christmas holidays, to save on their food expenses.

We will continue this even af ter Christmas since it is among the measures the government can do to provide relief to its citizens,” the President said.

Villafuerte calls on local executives to ease entry curbs to boost tourism

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

ASENIOR lawmaker has called on local executives to support the national government’s ef forts to quickly return the country to normalcy by ditching whatever entry restrictions on inbound trav elers they might still have in place in their respective localities to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

C amarines Sur Rep. LRay Vil lafuerte said keeping the strict re strictions on the entry of travelers or tourists up to now defeats the purpose of Executive Order (EO) No. 7, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had issued to further relax anti-Covid health and travel protocols nationwide as part of accelerated government efforts to fully open the economy.

“EO 7 will be rendered useless if

international travelers or tourists would finally be enticed anew to go to the Philippines, only to end up be ing saddled, upon their arrival in the national capital or elsewhere, with troublesome entry requirements in the local places they want to visit.

How can Malacañan Palace and the DOT [Department of Tourism] con vincingly tell the rest of the world that the Philippines is truly open for business and for tourists if the burdensome travel protocols that were put up as part of the anti-Covid lockdowns or mobility restrictions are still in place?” he said.

A former CamSur governor, Vil lafuerte made this call as he backed the appeal of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco on local of ficials, through the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), to lift entry restrictions on travelers that they had enforced in

their respective local government units (LGUs) since the pandemic broke out in 2020.

V illafuerte, also president of the National Unity Party (NUP), said “it is nice to know that we are starting to see a turnaround in our tourism business, with the number of arrivals hitting 1.9 million at the start of November, or higher than this year’s official target of 1.7 million and 2021’s total arriv als of 1.4 million.”

But there is really no room for complacency here, when one considers that our regional rivals, like Thailand, for instance, already had 7 million tourists as of October, and expects its visitor arrivals to reach a total of 10 million by endDecember,” he said.

“ We certainly have no way of catching up, much less overtake our Asean competitors for tourists

when we continue to have barriers like cumbersome local-travel re quirements that naturally turn off prospective visitors,” he added.

Citing a report by the indepen dent OCTA Research Group, Villa fuerte said the Covid-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) was down to 7.5 percent early this week from the week-ago’s 8.12 percent, or the lowest in the region since the 14.6 percent rate in July.

T he positivity rate is the percent age of people found Covid-positive from among the total number of in dividuals tested for the coronavirus at a given time.

For Villafuerte, the lifting of entry curbs for overseas and local travelers in all areas of the country would be the best way to carry out President Marcos’ view that the government should start treating Covid-19 not as an emergency but as something

that has to be managed in the long term like flu and pneumonia.

Our quick and strong rebound from the nearly three-year pandemic, which is contingent in part on the full recovery of our tourism sector—to be driven by a dramatic increase in tourist arrivals, will probably remain elusive for so long as the Philippines is stuck on the list of countries with tough entry restrictions for travel ers,” Villafuerte said.

A lthough the World Health Or ganization asserted last month that the pandemic remains to be a “public health emergency of in ternational concern” and still with “many risks and uncertainties,” Villafuerte pointed out that the increased relaxation of anti-Covid health protocols supports President Marcos’ view that Filipinos should learn to live with the virus as part of the new normal.

Bill increases SIL, addl perks for workers

SEN. Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid on Tuesday, filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1511, which pushes to raise the number of paid ser vice incentive leave (SIL) credits granted to qualified employees from five to 10.

T he proposed measure seeks to amend a provision of the La bor Code of the Philippines, which stipulates that “every employee who has rendered at least one year of service shall be entitled to a yearly service incentive leave of five days.”

L apid argued that increasing the grant of paid leaves is not only advan tageous on the part of the employees, but that of the employers as well.

“ Mahalagang aspeto ng worker’s welfare and benefits ang pagka kaloob ng mga leaves upang ang ating mga manggagawa ay magkaroon ng pahanon para sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya, makapag-bakasyon at makapaglaan ng oras sa sarili. Anumang dagdag na service incen tive leave ay malaking tulong sa kanila at ito ay pagsunod sa mandato sa ating Saligang Batas sa pagseseguro ng makataong kondisyon ng trabaho,” Lapid explained.

I n the bill’s explanatory note, Lapid said that getting time off from work every now and then is a good way to prevent occupational stress and burnout and promote work-life balance.

Additional leaves are, likewise, beneficial to employers as this would improve the employees’ morale, wellbeing, and productivity, as well as employee retention.

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government is now closer to achieving his commitment of bringing down the price of rice to P20 per kilo.

By Glen Jacob Jose

RECORDED crimes in the coun

try from January to Novem ber 13 of this year dropped by 2.66 percent, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.

C iting the latest data, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Camp Crame has so far recorded

34,050 index crimes, which are crimes against persons like murder, homicide, physical injury and rape; and crimes against property such as robbery, theft, carjacking, and cattle rustling.

“ During the same period last year, January to November 13, we recorded 34,982 [index crimes]. So for this year, there is a decrease of

932 [cases], which translates to a 2.66 percent decrease,” Fajardo told reporters in an interview.

She attributed the decrease to intensified police operations and en hanced police presence, including in areas where people usually converge and also acknowledged the coopera tion of the public.

They are already aware of their

personal security. This is a big factor why there is a decrease in [crime] in cidents this year,” said Fajardo. Fajardo added they are aiming to sustain the gains during the Christ mas season. Crime incidence during the period usually rises largely due to pickpocketing and snatching.

“ The only way we can sustain this good crime trend is for our communi

ties to help us. They themselves will take care of their personal safety and security but on the part of the PNP, the stand of Chief PNP Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. is to sustain the police vis ibility, particularly in the areas where crimes will likely happen,” Fajardo said in Filipino.

T he PNP, she added expects in creased economic activity, move

ment of people and even travel dur ing the Christmas season.

Our policemen will be out in the streets, including our person nel rendering administrative duty who will be required to also perform patrol duties, to make sure we will sustain this decrease in crime trend at least up to the end of the year,” she added.

PNP report: Jan-Nov crime down 2.66% LGUs’

THE Department of the Inte rior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday as sured that it would carry out con tinuous capacity development (Cap Dev) efforts to empower local gov ernment units (LGU), particularly in managing agriculture, health and environment services to ensure the efficient delivery of devolved func tions and services.

I nterior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. said based on the assessment conducted by the DILG referred to as the LGU Devolution Transition Plan (DTP) Analytics, the priority sectors for provinces in the CapDev agenda are agriculture, environment, health, and administrative matters, while those for component cities/mu nicipalities are agriculture, health, environment, social welfare, and administrative sectors, as identified by the respective LGUs.

The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains committed to providing LGUs with support and technical assistance amid full devolution. I urge the Local Government Academy [LGA] to lead and collaborate with national gov ernment agencies [NGAs] towards improved CapDev initiatives in areas where they need it the most,” Abalos said in a news release.

He said the LGA, in collabora tion with the NGAs, must calibrate its CapDev initiatives in connection with the result of these analytics data to better address the CapDev needs of LGUs.

“ We must adhere to the results of the DTP Analytics as these will guide us on the most ideal CapDev initiatives to be implemented to better assist the LGUs amid the implementation of full devolution,” he added.

He further explained that among the areas covered by the Data Capture Forms (DCF) in the assessment are the inventory of devolved functions and services, phasing of full assump tion of devolved functions, services, and facilities by the LGU, LGU budget for financial sector forums (FSFs)

for full assumption, existing and proposed additional plantilla posi tions and budget and performance monitoring for devolved functions and services.

In a recently-held regional brief ing on full devolution, the DILG’s Bu reau of Local Government Develop ment (BLGD) said the analytics also showed that LGUs recommended the hiring of additional regular staff in provinces, cities, and municipalities to aid them in their health, agricul ture, social welfare, and infrastruc ture responsibilities.

“ The proposed augmentation of human resources will support full devolution. With such, no province, city, municipality and barangay will be left behind,” Abalos said.

A s mentioned in the briefing, 75 provinces, 144 cities, 1,370 munici palities, and 39,450 barangays have already submitted their DTP.

“ We are closely assisting LGUs that have not yet completed and submitted their DTPs. Hopefully, they can meet the requirements so they could start operationalizing and incorporating it in their budget preparation and revenue mobiliza tion,” Abalos said.

He added that consultations be tween NGAs and LGUs on the delin eation of NGA programs, projects and services supporting devolved functions are still under way.

Abalos said the LGA likewise con ducted a study based on the indica tors of the 2021 Seal of Good Local Governance to determine the capac ity and performance of LGUs in the context of the implementation of full devolution.

He said it showed that 51 percent or 878 out of a total of 1,706 LGUs profiled have high capacity and high performance and require a higher level of CapDev activities to elevate their current status.

Only 26.6 percent or 455 LGUs re main to have a low capacity and low performance, which will be needing significant foundational, enabling and developmental interventions to enhance their capacity and per formance. Glen Jacob Jose

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief & Andrea E. San Juan

DAVAO CITY—Fifteen re search studies have been presented during the Sus tainable Development Goals (SDG) Research Symposium at a university here, all dealing with “sustainable living practices and to promote the United Nations’ [UN] SDGs.”

T he presented studies tapped various sustainable goals, “in cluding, No Poverty [SDG 1], Zero Hunger [SDG 2], Good Health and Well-being [SDG 3], Quality Edu cation [SDG 4], Clean Water and Sanitation [SDG 6], Decent Work and Economic Growth [SDG 8], Industry, Innovation, and Infra structure [SDG 9], Sustainable Cities and Communities [SDG 11], Responsible Consumption and Pro duction [SDG 12], Climate Action [SDG 13], Life Below Water [SDG 14], and Life on Land [SDG 15],” the Interfacing Development Interven tions for Sustainability (IDIS) said.

T he symposium held at the Mapua Malayan Colleges of Mind anao on November 11 carried the theme “Enhancing Sustainability and Climate Action for Davao Re gion through SDG-Oriented Stud ies,” and the studies covered “multifaceted topics aiming to enhance the replication of sustainable living practices and to promote the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals for adoption and localization in the Davao Region and the rest of South-Central Mindanao.”

“ The Philippines ranks 103rd out of 191 countries that committed to promoting the 17 sustainable devel opment goals. With this, we have a very long way to go. Hence, research is a very relevant tool in achieving these SDGs with a multi-sectoral and collaborative effort. May we continue to support research studies of our people to make a difference in our society while leaving no one behind,” said lawyer Mark Penalver, IDIS executive director.

T hese were the research studies

studies presented on UN SDGs

presented during the symposium:

1 . Species Composition of Vo lant and Small Non-Volant Mam mals in the Green Spaces of Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines by Brian Pototan

2

. Opportunities for Enhancing Epidemic Preparedness through Wastewater-based Epidemiology in Highly-Urbanized Cities by Ma ria Otero

3. Optimal Process Network for Integrated Solid Waste Manage ment in Davao City, Philippines by Kristin Olalo

4. Improper Disposal of Covid-19 Associated Waste in Davao City: A concern to Health and Environment by John Paul Banzon

5. Risk Factors Associated with Se verity and Survivability of Covid-19 Patients: Empirical Evidence from Davao Region by Charisse Miguel

6. Vulnerability Assessment of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) in Davao City, Southern Philippines by Marie Damgo

7. The Mediating Effect of Syn chronous E-Learning on the Rela tionship between Digital Literacy and Writing Skills of English-Major College Students: A Mixed Method ology Study by Dr. Febbie Ramos

8. The Influence of Level of Sus tainability Reporting on the Finan cial Performance of Publicly Listed Companies in the Philippines with Firm Size as Moderating Variable by Ianah Guzman

9. Synthesis of Nanocellulose from Durian Rinds for the Prepara tion of a Self-Healing Smart Concrete with Augmented Mechanical Proper ties by Ivanbert Damasco

10. Statistical Approach in the Determination of Causality Factors of Seismic Capacity of Reinforced Concrete Residential Buildings by John Liu, et. al

11. “KALINAW”—A Proposed Forest Education Center and Storm water Park: A study on Utilizing Flood Retention Zones as Spaces for Ecological Literacy by Christian Sangadi, et. al 1 2. Stakeholders Valuation on Davao City Parks: A Study on Determining Public Value by

Angelo Regalado

1 3. Is the Government’s Social ized Housing Program Serving the Needs of Low-Income House holds? The Case of Davao City by Micah Yares

14. Characterizing the Urban Green Spaces in Davao City, Philip pines: Implications for Design and Management by Ryan Songcayaoun

15. Land Use Change of Urban Wetlands in Davao City by Lemuel Lloyd Manalo

D r. Gernelyn Logrosa, head of office for Research, Development, and Innovation of MMCM, called on the youth and the students “to look into the society’s core prob lems and challenges, then produce SDG-driven research for the pro gressive advancement of the region and the country.”

“As educators and researchers, challenges [in our society] remind us of our purpose—give real-life solutions to a real-life problem,” said Dr. Febbie Ramos, in presenting here research paper.

Representatives from the Depart ment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 11, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Office of Civil Defense (OCD) XI, Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) 11, and the office of Councilor Luna Acosta attended the symposium.

A costa’s representative said the councilor has expressed sup port to research studies on renew able energy, zero waste, watershed protection, sustainable agricul ture, and disaster-resilient and green community.

A lvin Angelo A. Salting, chief of Research, and Development Unit of DENR XI, encouraged the participants to continue doing re search and apply the concept of basket research which means in tegrating various SDG goals into the research. “We won’t have what we have now if not because of re search,” Salting said.

PCCI and UP-CIFAL SDG program

THE Philippine Chamber of Com merce and Industry (PCCI) and the

UP-CIFAL recently launched a leader ship program to educate Philippine companies on the impact of the SDGs on businesses.

In a news statement issued on Wednesday, the PCCI said that the leadership program also aims to ensure that the country achieves the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Dubbed the SDGs4Biz: A Leader ship Program on Sustainable Devel opment Goals for Transformational Domestic and Export Enterprises, PCCI said the program is participated in initially by 50 industry leaders and business executives from South Lu zon and the National Capital Region (NCR) and will run from November until December 15.

T he business group said the target number of participants for the two batches under the first run of this course is 200.

For his part, PCCI President George T. Barcelon underscored the importance of educating business enterprises, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises on the principles of the SDGs and how compliance can provide opportu nities and new market trends for businesses to take on while con tributing to the 2030 objective of leaving no one behind.

Frankly, there is a need to in tensify the awareness campaign on SDG and PCCI, together with UP-CIFAL and with the support of the Export Development Council [EDC], has started implementing SDG activities to capacitate our members and make them informed of the benefits and opportunities of SDG,” Barcelon said.

T he head of PCCI said that the activity provides participants with the tool to guide them as they re cover from the disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and navigate aground a revitalized and resilient Philippine economy.

A ccording to PCCI, the pro gram has two components: Pro fessional Course on SDGs for Transformational Business and the IDEATHON Transformational Business Strategy.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE country’s next socioeco nomic planning blueprint, the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), may be completed ahead of schedule, according to the National Economic and Development Author ity (Neda).

Neda said it has already finished conducting various consultations with different sectors and is cur rently finalizing the plan. The PDP is expected to be presented to the President and members of the Cabi net by early December for approval and adoption.

Socioeconomic Planning Secre tary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the planning for the PDP has to be a whole-of-government and whole-ofsociety collaboration for economic transformation.

He said the timely completion of the PDP gives the government a huge head start in executing policies and

programs as the various government agencies already have a clear strategy.

“ Even during the preparatory period, the various PDP Planning Committees spearheaded numer ous nationwide consultations using onsite and online platforms to solicit ideas from different stakeholders and sectors,” Balisacan said.

“ We also conducted PDP Forums featuring the Youth, Private, and Public sectors. The Advisory Com mittee, composed of highly distin guished sectoral experts, provided

guidance to the PDP team on critical issues affecting sustainable growth and development,” he added.

Strategies in the PDP, Neda said, will support human and social devel opment, including protection from risks and preparation for future eco nomic disruptions.

T he strategies will also include transforming the production sec tors so that they can provide a range of goods and services at competitive prices.

N eda said this entails creat ing an enabling environment for growth and investment through policies that foster competition and innovation, harness digitaliza tion as an efficient means of deliv ering public and private services, and uphold peace and security.

Balisacan and other Neda offi cials recently presented the salient points of the upcoming PDP to the President. The PDP’s overarching aim is to address both near-term and medium-term challenges.

SEN. Christopher “Bong” Go lauded the recent groundbreak ing of the Super Health Center (SHC) in Barangay Poblacion I, San tiago, Agusan del Norte, as he ex pressed his commitment to improv ing Filipinos' access to high-quality health-care services and construct ing more public health facilities.

I n a video message, Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, voiced his belief that the development of more SHCs across the country will enable the government to assist more un derprivileged Filipinos, particularly those living in rural areas.

“Layunin po ng mga centers na ito na mas ilapit pa sa ating mga kababayan ang mga serbisyong medikal ng gobyer no, lalo na sa mga nasa liblib na lugar at pinaka nangangailangan ng mga ito,” Go said during the SHC launch on Friday, November 11.

“Sa pamamagitan nito, hindi na nila kailangang pumunta sa mga malalaking ospital na kadalasan ay nasa mga syudad kung wala namang

malalang sakit,” he added.

T he SHC, according to Go, is an upgraded version of the rural health unit. It will have a pharmacy, birthing rooms, an out-patient department, dental services, and other minor ser vices in addition to laboratory facili ties, minor operating and emergency rooms, and other services.

T he senator previously stated that with the budget allocated in the 2022 Health Facilities En hancement Program, the govern ment will be able to build 307 SHCs across the country this year. He hopes that additional funding will be included in the 2023 health budget so that the government can build more, especially in other grassroots communities.

“ Sabi ko nga, now is the time to re ally invest in our health-care system. Umaasa ako na ito ang huling pandemya sa ating buhay pero ang totoo hindi natin alam kung kailan darating ang susunod,” expressed Go.

“Talaga pong nabigla ang ating health care nung dumating ang

pandemya kaya naman pursigido po talaga ako na palakasin pa po ito sa abot ng aking makakaya. Dapat po talaga palagi tayong one-step ahead,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Go highlighted that medical assistance programs from the government are conveniently available through the Malasakit Cen ter at the Butuan Medical Center.

sakit Centers host concerned gov ernment agencies with programs that provide medical assistance to Filipino patients, particularly the poor and indigent.

Signed into law in December 2019, Republic Act 1463 or the Malasakit Centers Act, which Go primarily authored and sponsored in his first few months as senator, institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

With the enactment of the law, all hospitals run by the Department of Health all over the country and the Philippine General Hospital in Ma nila are now mandated to establish their own Malasakit Centers.

BALISACAN

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HARYANTO Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

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HOLLY WIJAYA Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

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JOHAN

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NU TRAN Y Digitization Specialist (Vietnamese)

Basic

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nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently. Preferably 6 months to 1-year customer service experience. Detailoriented and has the ability to multi-task.

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Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently. Preferably 6 months to 1-year customer service experience. Detailoriented and has the ability to multi-task.

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Basic Qualification: *Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently. *Preferably 6 months to 1-year customer service experience. *Detailoriented and has the ability to multi-task.

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MAI

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NGUYEN THI THUY DUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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NONG THANH HOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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Basic

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Sous Chef

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HECTECHURE CORP. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

SU, JINRONG Mandarin Graphic And Web Developer

120.

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GU, JICHENG Mandarin Network Administrator Analyst

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WANG, YAN Mandarin Network Administrator Analyst

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HMM (PHILIPPINES), INC. Unit No., U-2 Bldg. No. 13 Fly Ace Corporate Center Bldg., Coral Way St., Barangay 76, Pasay City

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KIM, JISIK Managing Director

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at their product, and their primary duty is to resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently.

HA VAN BANG Vietnamese Customer Support Specialist

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HOANG TRONG PHUOC Vietnamese Customer Support Specialist

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LAM NGOC LOI Vietnamese Customer Support Specialist

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HUANG, CHAO Project Coordinator

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142.

125.

Brief Job Description: Participate in the completion and inspection of the project and be responsible for integrity of the project

Brief Job Description: Experts at their product, and their primary duty is to resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently.

LY MINH NHUAN Vietnamese Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Experts at their product, and their primary duty is to

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Vietnamese and at least college level with related BPO experience.

30,000

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Vietnamese and at least college level with related BPO experience.

NGUYEN VAN

Able to speak and write in Vietnamese and

BPO

155.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification:

160.

HOU, XIXI Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

LI,

GUOSHUAI Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

161.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

LIU,

BIN Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

162.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

LIU, GENXIANG Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

163.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

LIU, MENGKAI Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

164.

165.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

LIU, XIAODONG Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Handles service support calls emails and chats related to clients inquiry

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English, Mandarin and any multi lingual language

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

172.

WEN, MINGCHAO Gaming

Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

WU,

HUIYAN Gaming Support Specialist

Basic

30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

173.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

WU, XIAOYAN Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

174.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

XIAO, HAO Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

175.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

ZENG, GUANPENG Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

176.

in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English, Mandarin and any multi lingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

157.

FU, XIBO Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore

166.

MA, JIAN Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

PU, TING Gaming Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

Basic

177.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

ZHANG, MIAO Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic

167.

Brief Job Description: Handles service support calls emails and chats related to clients inquiry

QU, QUANZHEN Gaming Support Specialist

online/offshore

implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

178.

ZHAO, DAWEI Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within

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

DENG, ZHIHUI Gaming Support Specialist

254.

255.

JING, NI Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YUAN, DEZHOU Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

YUAN, PENG Customer Service Representative

Basic

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

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

Basic Qualification: Customer support and data base services

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

256.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief

Basic

Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SHANG SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 11/f Pbcom Tower, Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Bel-air, City Of Makati 259.

TOMMY HALIM Bahasa Indonesian Language - Trade Specialist

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all price ranges and delivery of events are timely and accurate

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, and Other Relevant Courses. Fluently Speak and Write the Following: Chinese, Bahasa Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Thai to Cater to Foreign Markets

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

SINCERE FACADE INNOVATION, INC. Unit 1003 10/f One Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Ave., Cor. Meralco Ave., San Antonio, City Of Pasig

CHAN MIN Quality Control Officer

260.

Brief Job Description: Manage and lead the site quality control department, enforce the operating procedures of the corporation. Initiate and carry out all the necessary training and people development programs, and conduct performance appraisals and reviews over the members of the quality control department. Also

268.

ZHANG, KUI Chinese Language Support Service

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products & and services as specified.

DESY SUSANTI Indonesian Language - Research Analyst

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products & and services as specified.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Indonesian language.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Indonesian language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 267.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Indonesian language.

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

WS FASHION CORP. Unit No. U-a28 B-5 Flr., No. G/f Bac Bagong Bagong Milenyo Plaza Bldg. F.b. Harrison St., Barangay 76, Pasay City

269.

HABIB, AHASAN Administrative Manager

Brief Job Description: Supervising the day-to-day operations of the administrative department and staff member.

Basic Qualification: Both good in oral and written communication skills.

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

ZAPPORT SERVICES, INC. Unit Aro1-03 B,c,m,n,o,p,q 28th/f & 14/f U-c, B, Ar03, Ar02, Q,p,o,g,h,i,j01,02,03, K&l, Burgundy Corporate Tower, Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

270.

271.

ANTO Indonesian - Speaking Customer Service Officer

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

ANTONY Indonesian - Speaking Customer Service Officer

Brief

ROBIN Indonesian - Speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

272.

273.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

SETIAWAN Indonesian - Speaking Customer Service Officer

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

SUKARTO

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Basic

Biden: ‘Unlikely’ missile that hit Poland fired from Russia

By Seung Min Kim & Zeke Miller The Associated Press

NUSA DUA, Indonesia— President Joe Biden said Wednesday it was “unlikely” that a missile that killed two in Natoally Poland was fired from Russia, but he pledged support for Poland’s investigation into what it had called a “Russian-made” missile.

Biden spoke after he convened an “emergency” meeting of the Group of Seven and Nato leaders in Indonesia Wednesday morn ing for consultations on the at tack that killed two people in the eastern part of Poland near the Ukraine border.

“There is preliminary informa tion that contests that,” Biden told reporters when asked if the missile had been fired from Russia. “It is unlikely in the lines of the trajec tory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see.”

It was not immediately clear whether Biden was suggesting that the missile hadn’t been fired by Russia at all. Ukraine still main tains stocks of former Soviet and Russian-made weaponry, includ ing the S-300 air-defense missile system.

The president, who was awak ened overnight by staff with the news of the missile explosion while in Indonesia for the Group of 20

summit, called Polish President Andrzej Duda early Wednesday to express his “deep condolences” for the loss of life. Biden prom ised on Twitter “full US support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation,” and “reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad com mitment to Nato.”

Biden said that he briefed the allies on his conversations with Duda and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and that there was “Total unanimity among the folks at the table” to sup port Poland’s investigation into the attack.

“I’m going to make sure we find out exactly what happened,” Biden said. “And then we’re going to col lectively determine our next step as we investigate.”

Meeting at a large round table in a ballroom in his hotel, the US president hosted the leaders of the G-7, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the

NASA’s mightiest

By Marcia Dunn AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—

NASA’s new moon rocket blasted off on its debut flight with three test dummies aboard early Wednesday, bringing the US a big step closer to putting astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago.

If all goes well during the threeweek, make-or-break shakedown flight, the rocket will propel an empty crew capsule into a wide orbit around the moon, and then the capsule will return to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific in December.

After years of delays and bil lions in cost overruns, the Space Launch System rocket thundered skyward, rising from Kennedy Space Center on 8.8 million pounds (4 million kilograms) of thrust and hitting 100 mph (160 kph) within seconds. The Orion capsule was perched on top, ready to bust out of Earth orbit toward the moon not quite two hours into the flight.

The moonshot follows nearly three months of vexing fuel leaks that kept the rocket bouncing between its hangar and the pad. Forced back indoors by Hurricane Ian at the end of September, the rocket stood its ground outside as Nicole swept through last week with gusts of more than 80 mph (130 kph). Although the wind peeled away a 10-foot (3-meter) strip of caulking high up near the capsule, managers gave the green light for the launch.

NASA expected 15,000 to jam the launch site, with thousands more lining the beaches and roads outside the gates, to witness NA

moon

United Kingdom and the European Union, along with the president of the European Council and the prime ministers of Nato allies Spain and the Netherlands.

Biden held a separate meeting later with new British Prime Min ister Rishi Sunak, in their first ex tended conversation since he took office last month.

“We’re going to continue to support Ukraine as long as Russia continues their aggression,” Biden said alongside Sunak, adding that he was “glad we’re on the same page” in backing Ukraine.

A statement from the Polish Foreign Ministry identified the missile as being made in Russia. But Poland’s president, Duda, was more cautious about its origin, say ing that officials did not know for sure who fired it or where it was made. He said it was “most prob ably” Russian-made, but that is being still verified. If confirmed, it would be the first time since the invasion of Ukraine that a

Russian weapon came down on a Nato country.

The foundation of the Nato alli ance is the principle that an attack against one member is an attack on them all, making the source of the missile launch critical for determining next steps.

Biden also said the leaders con demned “the latest series of Rus sian missile attacks,” referring to the confirmed Russian strikes in recent days that have targeted Ukraine’s power grid and caused widespread blackouts.

“The moment when the world came together at the G-20 to urge de-escalation, Russia continues to escalate in Ukraine, while we’re meeting,” Biden said. “There were scores and scores of missile attacks in western Ukraine.”

Biden and his allies had set out to isolate Russia at the G-20 sum mit and the group’s final commu niqué was expected to show that “most” of the nations in the G-20 condemn Russia’s invasion.

rocket lifts off 50 years after Apollo

spacecraft to its limits and uncover any problems before astronauts strap in. The mannequins—NASA calls them moonequins—are fit ted with sensors to measure such things as vibration, acceleration and cosmic radiation.

“There’s a fair amount of risk with this particular initial flight test,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

The rocket was supposed to have made its dry run by 2017. Government watchdogs estimate NASA will have spent $93 billion on the project by 2025.

G-20 leaders to condemn Russia’s Ukraine invasion

By Seung Min Kim, Zeke Miller & Elaine Kurtenbach The Associated Press

NUSA DUA, Indonesia—Leaders of most of the world’s economic pow ers are nearing approval of a declaration strongly denouncing Russia’s invasion that has devastated Ukraine and roiled the global economy.

Even China, which has mostly declined to censure Russia until now, and India, which buys weapons from Russia, are providing encouraging words.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed fellow leaders for a robust condemnation of Russia’s nuclear threats and food embargoes.

More discussion and a possible vote come Wednesday at the summit, which has proved unusually eventful, even including a Covid-19 scare when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen tested positive and flew home. No other leaders were reported positive.

A draft declaration by leaders of the Group of 20 echoes the United Nations’ condemnation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, though acknowledging differing views among members.

The careful wording of the statement reflects tensions prevailing at the gathering, which includes leaders from Russia and China, and the challenge facing the US and its allies to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government. Some nations want badly to avoid becoming entangled in antagonisms between the biggest powers.

Still, if adopted in its current form, the declaration would be a strong rebuke of the war that has killed thousands, heightened global security tensions and disrupted the world economy. That would be an especially significant step since China and India abstained from condemning Russia’s aggression in the March UN resolution.

The draft statement seen Tuesday by The Associated Press “deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation” and “demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine.”

The G-20 statement does note that there are different views on the situation and on sanctions against Russia, saying that the G-20 is not the forum for resolving security issues.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan decried Russia’s latest strikes in Ukraine.

“It is not lost on us that, as world leaders meet at the G-20 in Bali to discuss the issues of significant importance to the lives and livelihoods of people around the world, Russia again threatens those lives and destroys Ukraine’s critical infrastructure,” he said in a statement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who led the Russian delegation to Indonesia in place of Putin, denounced the Biden administration push to condemn Moscow.

“All problems are on the Ukrainian side that categorically refuses to hold any talks and comes up with conditions obviously unrealistic and inadequate to this situation,” Lavrov said.

Another big problem for the global economy the past two years has been the Covid-19 pandemic. Though no cases were reported at the summit other than the Cambodian prime minister, many of the leaders had attended meetings with him just days earlier during a separate summit in Cambodia of the Association of Southeast Asian nations.

Biden skipped an evening gala Tuesday hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, to attend to unspecified matters. Biden sent his regrets to Widodo and said he would attend a planned tree planting with fellow G-20 leaders on Wednesday, according to a White House official. The official, who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted it had been a “full day” for the president but insisted that Biden’s absence was not related to Covid-19.

Back at the G-20’s main business, Zelenskyy delivered a video address trying to persuade the group to further isolate Russia diplomatically and economically, despite the financial worries that have tested many nations’ resolve.

Inflation and slowing economies already are weighing on countries that have imposed penalties on Russia for starting the war. Higher costs for energy and food have hurt business activity around the world, as much of Europe prepares to brave the winter without imports of Russian natural gas.

Indonesia’s Widodo said ominously, “If the war does not end, it will be difficult for the world to move forward.”

Zelenskyy reiterated 10 conditions for ending the conflict that began in February, among them a complete withdrawal of Russian troops and full restoration of Ukrainian control of its territory. He spoke days after Ukraine retook the strategic city of Kherson from Russian forces, in his country’s latest counteroffensive that has forced Moscow to withdraw some forces from occupied areas.

SA’s long-awaited sequel to Proj ect Apollo, when 12 astronauts walked on the moon from 1969 and 1972. Crowds also gathered outside NASA centers in Houston and Huntsville, Alabama, to watch the spectacle on giant screens.

Cheers accompanied the rocket as it rode a huge trail of flame to ward space, with a half-moon glow ing brightly and buildings shaking as though hit by a major quake.

“For the Artemis generation, this is for you,” launch direc tor Charlie Blackwell-Thompson called out, referring to all those born after Apollo.

The liftoff marked the start of NASA’s Artemis lunar-exploration program, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister. The space agency is aiming to send four astronauts around the moon on the next flight, in 2024, and land humans there as early as 2025.

“You have earned your place in history,” Blackwell-Thompson told her team following liftoff. “You’re part of a first. Doesn’t come along very often. Once in a career maybe. But we are all part of something incredibly special: the first launch

of Artemis. The first step in re turning our country to the moon and on to Mars.”

The 322-foot (98-meter) SLS is the most powerful rocket ever built by NASA, with more thrust than either the space shuttle or the mighty Saturn V that car ried men to the moon. A series of hydrogen fuel leaks plagued the summertime launch attempts as well as countdown tests. A fresh leak erupted at a new location during Tuesday night’s fueling, but an emergency team managed to tighten the faulty valve on the pad. Then a US Space Force radar station went down, resulting in another scramble, this time to re place an ethernet switch.

Orion should reach the moon by Monday, more than 230,000 miles (370,000 kilometers) from Earth. After coming within 80 miles (130 kilometers) of the moon, the cap sule will enter a far-flung orbit stretching about 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers) beyond.

The $4.1 billion test flight is set to last 25 days, roughly the same as when crews will be aboard. The space agency intends to push the

Ultimately, NASA hopes to es tablish a base on the moon and send astronauts to Mars by the late 2030s or early 2040s.

But many hurdles still need to be cleared. The Orion capsule will take astronauts only to lunar orbit, not the surface.

NASA has hired Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop Starship, the 21st-century answer to Apollo’s lunar lander. Starship will carry astronauts back and forth between Orion and the lunar surface, at least on the first trip in 2025. The plan is to station Starship and eventually other companies’ landers in orbit around the moon, ready for use whenever new Orion crews pull up.

Reprising an argument that was made during the 1960s, Duke University historian Alex Roland questions the value of human spaceflight, saying robots and re mote-controlled spacecraft could get the job done more cheaply, ef ficiently and safely.

“In all these years, no evidence has emerged to justify the invest ment we have made in human spaceflight—save the prestige involved in this conspicuous con sumption,” he said.

“Ukraine should not be offered to conclude compromises with its conscience, sovereignty, territory and independence,” he said. “Ukraine has always been a leader in peacekeeping efforts, and the world has witnessed it. And if Russia says that it supposedly wants to end this war, let it prove it with actions.”

At the summit, Biden met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who played a pivotal role this summer in brokering a deal to open up Ukrainian grain exports to ease global food shortages. Biden also met briefly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose cooperation is needed to secure a USsought price cap on Russian oil to limit the profits Moscow uses to invest in its defense base.

Modi, whose country will assume the G-20 presidency after Indonesia, reiterated his call for “the path of ceasefire and diplomacy” in the war in Ukraine and spoke about efforts by world leaders in World War II to pursue a “path of peace.”

Separately, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres held a lengthy meeting Tuesday with Lavrov to discuss the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said UN spokesperson Florencia Soto Niño. The deal, which allowed major grain exporter Ukraine to resume exports from ports that had been blocked due to the war, is up for renewal on Saturday.

The US and its allies have responded to Russia’s invasion with their own export controls and other sanctions, making it harder for Russia’s military to access key technologies and resupply with drones, artillery and other weapons.

Chinese officials have largely refrained from public criticism of Russia’s war, although Beijing has avoided direct support of the Russians, such as supplying arms. Biden said that during his meeting Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping they discussed the war and “reaffirmed our shared belief” that the use or even the threat of nuclear weapons was “totally unacceptable”—a reference to Moscow’s thinly veiled threats to use atomic weapons as its invasion of Ukraine has faltered.

Xi told G-20 leaders the global economy should not be weaponized.

“We must resolutely oppose the attempt to politicize food and energy issues or use them as tools and weapons,” he said in translated remarks.

AP writers Niniek Karmini, Foster Klug and Adam Schreck in Nusa Dua, Indonesia and Josh Boak and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.

PRESIDENT Joe Biden talks talks to reporters after a meeting of G-7 and Nato leaders in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday, November 16, 2022. DOUG MILLS/THE NEW YORK TIMES VIA AP

Agriculture/Commodities

PHL milk output to hit record this year–NDA

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Philippines’s milk produc tion this year could rise by a fifth on an annual basis to a record high of over 30 million liters driven by higher productivity and expanding domestic dairy herd.

National Dairy Authority (NDA) Administrator Farrell Benjelix C. Magtoto said he is confident that the country will breach the 30-millionliter output mark for the first time in history this year.

Based on the NDA’s estimates, total milk production is projected to hit 31.6 million liters, 20 percent over last year’s 26.3 million liters.

“ We have been exhibiting a good performance in terms of milk production despite the fact

that we are still recovering from the pandemic,” Magtoto told re porters on the sidelines of the launching of the Philippine-Neth erlands Dairy Excellence Center in Makati on Wednesday.

T he country’s dairy output from January to September reached 23.37 million liters, a fifth higher than the 26.3 million liters recorded in the same period a year ago, official gov ernment data showed.

Magtoto attributed the doubledigit growth rate to higher milk pro ductivity per cow, growing local dairy herd, and “better business mindset” of dairy farmers.

He said they expect the increase in local production to continue in the coming years with the arrival of 4,000 imported dairy cows next year.

Magtoto said the imported dairy

herd are already impregnated and are expected to give birth within three to four months after arriv

AMC center aims to help boost dairy production via

ALASKA Milk Corp. (AMC) on Wednesday launched its training center which aims to boost the quantity and quality of local milk output through knowledge sharing and exchange programs.

T he center, called the PhilippineNetherlands Dairy Excellence Cen ter (PNDEC), was formed through a tripartite memorandum of under standing between AMC, the Nation al Dairy Authority (NDA) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños-Dairy Training and Research Institute (UPDTRI).

To commemorate our golden ju bilee this year and to help our country achieve food security, we are estab lishing the first-ever corporate-led Philippine-Netherlands Dairy Excel lence Center [PNDEC],” said Tarang Gupta, Managing Director of AMC.

This does not only fortify Alaska Milk’s mission to bring forth nutrition to every plate and glass of Filipino homes but also strengthen the company’s lifelong commitment to bettering the lives of Filipinos as a partner of the gov ernment in nation building.”

A MC said the center will be a

shared-facility that would offer the following programs: dairy farmer training; farmer-to-farmer ex change programs; exchange of aca demic materials, publications, and other information; and exchange of research, lectures, and discussions and other special programs.

As part of the current admin istration’s 8-point socio-economic agenda, one of the main drivers of our push for growth and employment will be in the agricultural sector,” Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban said.

Thus, this Dairy Excellence Cen ter will be of great help to our agri culture, especially the dairy sector, to provide for the growing milk needs of the country.”

Roel van Neerbos, President of Royal FrieslandCampina (RFC), said the inception of the PNDEC started half a year ago.

Van Neerbos said it has been a principle of RFC to “control” the whole milk value chain from the farmers up to the consumers, which he noted as “grass-to-glass” approach.

R FC is the parent company of AMC. AMC became a subsidiary of

RFC in 2012.

We can help with our knowledge of over 150 years to make sure we get much more fresh milk quality from Alaska,” he said.

Van Neerbos noted that RFC is willing to make the necessary in vestments to sustain the PNDEC, including the construction of a physical center.

“AMC acknowledges that the gov ernment cannot solve the problems of society alone. Alaska Milk believes that as capable stakeholders, we must pitch in. The company also believes that spreading our knowledge and investing in the development of local dairy farmers is an important part of our responsibility,” AMC said.

“ Under our grass-to-glass motto, through PNDEC, providing train ing and other platforms to our local farmers for more sustainable dairy farming will make their lives better and also help achieve food security for our nation.”

T he Philippines only produces a percentage of its annual milk require ments. It imports 99 percent of its milk needs from other countries.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

ing in the country. He also said these imported cows are inseminated with slick genes that

allow their offsprings to have “heattolerant genes,” making them more adaptive to the country’s tropical climate.

With those genes, they will be more adaptive to the country’s cli mate and become more productive in producing milk.”

T he Philippines’s local milk output is only sufficient to meet a percentage of its total requirement. The country imports nearly all of its milk supply.

T he United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricul tural Service in Manila earlier projected that Philippine milk output would increase to 32,000 metric tons (MT) next year due to the increase in dairy herd. The country’s estimated dairy output this year is 31,000 MT.

“ Post keeps cow’s milk produc tion at 17,000 MT, which represents a 54 percent share of total pro duction. Production will rebound, boosted by more dairy animals and the active implementation of the government’s dairy development projects,” it said.

Despite improvements in pro duction, the Philippines supplies only 1 percent of its total annual dairy requirement, with the rest imported. Production growth has been slow in previous years be cause of the inability to increase the dairy herd, mostly due to insuf ficient funding and little invest ment from the private sector.” (Re lated story: https://business mirror.com.ph/2022/10/24/ phl-milk-imports-seen-risingon-higher-demand/)

Fertilizer exporters urged to refrain from imposing curbs on shipments

WORLD economies must im prove access by countries, particularly developing nations, to fertilizers to mitigate a possible global food crisis, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN) said.

In a joint study, the two multilat eral bodies urged G20 governments to deploy “all” available policy mea sures to address the current global fertilizer crisis, such as keeping the trade of vital planting input open to everyone.

T he recommendation of the study comes at the heels of continuous ele vated global fertilizer prices that have been hounding world food production since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The study recommends, in par ticular, that G20 governments keep food, feed and fertilizer markets open and minimize disruptions to trade in fertilizers, including refrain ing from export restrictions incon sistent with WTO rules,” the WTO said in a recent statement.

“It stresses the need to ensure ac cess to fertilizers for the most vul nerable countries, including through

mobilizing international financial support and leveraging risk manage ment tools, such as fertilizer contract swaps to hedge against extreme price volatility.”

T he joint study projected that global fertilizer shortage would “like ly” persist next year, thereby threat ening world agricultural production and food security, particularly in Af rica, which is “heavily” dependent on imported farm inputs.

T he WTO and FAO urged G20 governments to refrain from im posing new export restrictions and if possible withdraw any remaining export restrictions on fertilizers.

G20 governments were also asked to reduce their applied tariffs, for the most vulnerable countries, to “relieve critical domestic fertilizer shortages” and improve both access and afford ability to the planting input.

T he joint study revealed that from January 2021 until October 15 of this year, 19 WTO member-states implemented 41 fertilizer-related measures, nearly three-fourths were in the form of trade policy measures.

“In response to rising global de

mand for fertilizers and rising do mestic prices, several key suppliers have introduced export restrictions, placing further upward pressure on international fertilizer prices, espe cially since late 2021,” it said.

“ Most export restriction mea sures implemented during the ref erence period took the form of bans, duties, taxes and quotas. By contrast, export licensing and export inspec tion or certification requirements were not widely used, thus playing a relatively minor role in constraining fertilizer exports.”

T he WTO and FAO said the Rus sia-Ukraine war dealt a “severe blow” to global economic outlook as it ham pered post-pandemic recovery and aggravated persisting supply chain problems. Russia and Ukraine are key players in the fertilizer market and any reductions in their exports would result in higher food prices, they added.

“With prices of fertilizers and other energy intensive products being exac erbated by the conflict, overall input prices are experiencing a considerable boost,” they said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

HOW much fertilizer is the right amount to ensure that crop production can achieve local and global food secu rity needs while limiting harm to the environment?

A nswering that question remains a huge challenge, but one that can be better explored through new, robust data available in FAOSTAT, accord ing to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

FAOSTAT is a joint effort by the FAO and the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), in collaboration with top scientists and experts at the University of Maryland Center for Environ mental Science, the Swedish Uni versity of Agricultural Sciences, CEIGRAM-Universidad Politéc nica de Madrid, Wageningen Uni versity & Research, the University of Nebraska and the African Plant Nutrition Institute.

FAO said the partnership has led to the development of novel data on cropland nutrient budgets, allowing to assess the environmental burden of fertilizer inputs in relation to the amounts needed to support sustain able crop production.

T he Cropland Nutrient Bud get is a new data domain of FAO STAT, the world’s largest portal on food and agriculture statistics, serving as a global public good allowing Member States and all stakeholders in the world’s agri food systems to peruse harmo nized data on production, trade

and consumption—and now the flows of nitrogen, phosphorus and phosphate, the three major plant macronutrients needed by crops to thrive.

FAO takes the basic crop and livestock production data provided by countries as part of their inter national reporting obligations, in tegrates them with methods and models provided by the science partners in this project, to gen erate a common set of reference data, by country, over the timeseries 1961-2020; which will be annually updated. The FAOSTAT data, explained FAO Senior Stat istician Francesco Tubiello, rep resent a solid data tool, built on basic national statistics to help disentangle difficult sustainabil ity issues such as nutrient flows, at country, regional and global level.

Cropland nutrient budgets

CROPLAND nutrient budgets are an important indicator of nutrient flows that can signal insufficient or excess use of agricultural inputs in the form of the three main nutrients for plant growth, be it in mineral, chemical or organic form.

T he budget approach tallies up the amounts of mineral and chemi cal fertilizers and manure applied to cropland soils along with biological nitrogen fixation—pulses are big nitrogen fixers—and atmospheric deposition, and subtracts the out flow of the nutrients associated with crop harvests.

ARECENT fizzle in the hype surrounding plant protein consumption will give way to a more sustainable growth trajectory that could see the segment account for 30 percent or 40 percent of the global protein market, according to a top Nestlé SA executive.

L ike the initial boom in craft beer, many investors piled into the faux meat market based on overly optimistic expectations of consumer uptake, Chief Technol ogy Officer Stefan Palzer said in an interview Monday.

“ When craft beer came on the market, everybody wanted to have it,” Palzer said. “Then there was a dip in demand and then it slowly grew back over many years to a significant business. I think that’s what we will also observe here.”

Plant protein makers that ben efitted from a greater emphasis on health in the early stages of the pandemic have struggled as in flation pushes consumers to less expensive options, including the animal meat they hoped to replace. Once an investor darling, Beyond Meat Inc. has lost more than 80 percent of its value in the past year as discounting products in the US and abroad hurts profitability. And some fast-food chains have pulled back from faux meat offerings af ter lackluster demand.

W hile the market may have been disappointed by plant protein sales of late, Nestlé is still seeing “quite good” performance in the segment, said Palzer, who leads Nestlé’s research and development. He’s preparing for steady consumption growth in

the years ahead by building the plant protein portion of his global R&D team to 10 percent, or 300 people.

T he Vevey, Switzerland-based firm will continue to develop meat replacements, but also has turned to products that use both animal and non-animal proteins—such as an ambient mix that can be added to eggs to boost volume and afford ability, or including plant ingredients in dairy protein drinks.

“ We believe in the potential,” he said. “But the potential is beyond the pure alternative ingredient. It’s

to use plant proteins to innovate in many parts of our portfolio.”

Peers including Hormel Foods Corp. already have been experi menting with meat-vegetable blends to appeal to the so-called flexitarian crowd that’s looking to cut back on animal proteins. Drivein restaurant chain Sonic Corp. sold a mushroom-beef blended burger in the past that it touted as a healthier option.

W hile food science and technol ogy remains a centralized pursuit for Nestlé, innovation is decentralized,

Palzer said. He spoke from Santiago, Chile, where the company held a rib bon-cutting event for a new center to develop foods for the requirements of consumers in the region.

He also sees plenty of plant pro tein potential in Latin America where meat consumption remains high. Motivations for turning to animal substitutes vary region by region. For example, in the United Kingdom and Germany, animal welfare is a big driver while in Latin America it’s more health and then sustainability, he said.

MIKE MERGEN/BLOOMBERG NEWS

grass-to-glass tack

editorial

The eighth billion person in the world is a Filipino

IT took all of human history until 1804 for the world population to grow to one billion. More than a century later, in 1927, we crossed two billion. In 1960, there were three billion people living on the planet. The fourth billion person was born in 1974. In 1987, 13 years later, global population hit five billion. After 12 years, we reached the six-billion mark in 1999. On October 31, 2011, the world population reached seven billion people.

More than 136 million babies are born each year around the globe. The 2021 average of 18.1 births per 1,000 population equates to approximately 4.3 births per second, or about 259 births per minute for the world. This means the current world population is growing by about 372,960 people every day. That’s exactly 136,130,400 babies born in this world every year. That’s how the United Nations estimated that the 8 billionth person on Earth will be born on November 15, 2022. It has taken 11 years for one billion people to be added to the global population, and a Filipino baby girl was chosen as the symbolic eighth billion person in the world. Vinice Mabansag was born at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital at 1:29 a.m. on Tuesday. The Commission on Population and Development, which posted photos of the baby girl and her mother on Facebook, gave a “welcome cake” to Vinice to celebrate the milestone. Why was the Philippines chosen as the birthplace of the eighth billion person in the world? How was Baby Vinice chosen as the symbolic eighth billion person in the world? Good questions. But, as in the past, the United Nations wants to keep this a “mystery.”

The World Population Prospects 2022 said that fertility has fallen markedly in recent decades for many countries. Today, two-thirds of the global population lives in a country or area where lifetime fertility is below 2.1 births per woman, roughly the level required for zero growth in the long run for a population with low mortality. The populations of 61 countries or areas are projected to decrease by 1 percent or more between 2022 and 2050, owing to sustained low levels of fertility and, in some cases, elevated rates of emigration.

The United Nations said global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1 percent in 2020. The latest UN projections suggest that the world’s population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. It is projected to reach a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and to remain at that level until 2100.

More than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in eight countries: The Philippines, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United Republic of Tanzania. Countries of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to contribute more than half of the increase anticipated through 2050.

After the Philippines surpassed the 100-million population mark in 2015, millions of Filipinos continue to live below the poverty line. According to the National Economic and Development Authority, poverty incidence rose to 18.1 percent of the population or about 20 million people in 2021 from 16.7 percent or 17.7 million Filipinos in 2018.

As we join the world in celebrating the birth in the Philippines of the eighth billion person in the world, we pray that our leaders will realize that the main cause of poverty in the country is inequality. One way to reduce such inequality is to ensure that poor and vulnerable populations have access to formal employment. It pays to remember that every productive citizen adds to the country’s economic strength.

You are forewarned again

OUTSIDE THE BOX

STArT at SM City Bicutan going to Festival Supermall Alabang, with a side trip to SM City BF Parañaque and Alabang Town Center, and you will have fairly well covered the consumerspending sector of Metro Manila. Certainly, you need to drop in at Shopwise Sucat, now owned by robinson’s, and Talipapa sa Sucat to see the full picture. And it is not pretty.

You cannot ignore the 10 to 30 percent empty stores and stalls. Many outlets at the supermarkets selling primarily “street-food” like sisig and shawarma are closed. The permanent “pop-ups” for “herbal medicines” and trinkets are no more.

A P65 loaf of Gardenia “Classic” is now P79. It makes more sense to buy premium pandesal from the specialty bakers at P5 or P6 than pay P2 from the local bakers with a product hardly bigger than your thumb. Buying flour in truckload quantities does provide economy of scale pricing.

Vegetables have been double hit by high transportation costs and bad weather and by somewhat strange supply issues. I am a fooddehydration junkie. There is no economic reason for a 100 to 200 percent price difference for local bell pepper between three similar vendors one kilometer away from

each other. Theoretically, this is more than simple pricing discretion because almost all items are sold retail with a somewhat standard price mark-up from a farm-gate price that is usually consistent among growers. However, unless there are wide supply variations, it must be “pricing discretion” and I must shop around for the best deal.

Certain classes of items have not seen the same price hikes as others, such as with many canned goods. Someone was complaining how much the price of “Campbell’s Mushroom Soup,” primarily from the US or Canada and which I personally consider a luxury item here in Philippines, has increased. But the canned mushrooms from Thailand and China that I buy are up less than 5 percent. Here though, much greater sales volume allows for a larger stored inventory, probably bought at a lower

While the “West” will experience deflation with little or no economic growth, the Philippines and Asean will look like the Garden of Eden before the “Apple Incident.” But the Marcos administration must get its Agricultural act together now, not later. The clock continues to tick towards “2023: The year from hell.”

price months ago. Yet the price of fresh meat including fish is obscene.

If I were an “ordinary” wage earner or retiree, I would be facing perhaps the worst personal economic crisis in decades. However, the preparations I made in 2019 are still paying dividends and giving me financial protection. You were warned.

On July 25, 2019, I wrote “Economic Chaos: 2020,” saying that “The cycle will change to “economic chaos” in January. The degradation of economies will be a process much like the political changes.” Further, that “Global economic slowdown will push oil prices much lower.” Remember when the price of crude oil went to $25 in March 2020?

September 26, 2019: “The economic chaos is just beginning. Do not be surprised by the bizarre economic news that will soon fill the headlines.” I wrote that “This oil inflation will continue” on December 13, 2021, when crude was $70 per barrel. August 4, 2022: “The situation is only going to get worse.”

Since 2019 at 2.2 percent, global inflation has moved to 1.9 percent (2020), 3.4 percent in 2021 and is expected to be at 8.8 percent this year. However, inflation will fall significantly leading to the other side of the rotten apple: deflation and no economic growth.

This analysis from Oxford Economics is correct. “Global commodity price inflation is falling. Furthermore, we see more downside than upside risks to global commodity prices. The impact on consumer prices (lower prices) will be larger for emerging markets than advanced economies.”

The Philippines will greatly benefit from lower global commodity prices because we import far too much. And food makes up a larger percentage of consumer spending than in almost all of the EM world except India. Food as part of consumer spending in the Philippines is more than 50 percent higher than in Indonesia. That is not good.

While the “West” will experience deflation with little or no economic growth, the Philippines and Asean will look like the Garden of Eden before the “Apple Incident.” But the Marcos administration must get its Agricultural act together now, not later. The clock continues to tick towards “2023: The year from hell.”

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

Maskless Xi mingles with world leaders outside Covid Zero China

By Yanping Li & Yudith Ho | Bloomberg Opinion

ChIneSe leader Xi Jinping is getting more comfortable without a mask on.

Xi has signaled a new tolerance for living with the virus on his most high-profile foreign trip since the pandemic began, attending more events without a mask and shaking hands with leaders including US President Joe Biden. It was a stark contrast from his first post-Covid foray abroad to Central Asia just two months ago, where he minimized mask-less activities and avoided handshakes and big gatherings.

Xi on Tuesday morning avoided wearing a mask when entering the assembly hall at the Group of 20 meetings in Bali, Indonesia, and appeared at ease as he spoke with leaders. Later in the evening, he and his wife attended a gala dinner maskless and were seen on camera mingling at close range with other attendees. He’s also held face-to-face summits with more than half a dozen other leaders.

Xi’s behavior at the G-20 meetings comes as his government reviews a Covid Zero policy that has battered China’s economy and left large swaths of the nation under the constant threat of lockdown. Last week, the Chinese government announced a sweeping set of changes

easing quarantine and testing requirements, sending stocks, commodities and the yuan surging.

The risk of catching Covid at the summit became apparent after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced he had tested positive for the virus after hosting leaders last weekend in Phnom Penh. Hun Sen had met with Biden just days before the US leader met with Xi.

China has seen another wave of Covid sweep the nation over the past two weeks, bringing infections to close to 20,000 on Tuesday, the highest since late April. China’s state media has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to Covid Zero, while refining the approach.

Xi’s behavior at the G-20 meetings comes as his government reviews a Covid Zero policy that has battered China’s economy and left large swaths of the nation under the constant threat of lockdown. Last week, the Chinese government announced a sweeping set of changes easing quarantine and testing requirements, sending stocks, commodities and the yuan surging.

Chinese state television Tuesday showed a maskless Xi shaking hands with different state leaders and a brief moment of him chatting with delegates as he arrived at the opening session, but skipped footage of the Chinese president mingling maskless in a blue batik during the welcome reception.

The front page of the People’s Daily newspaper Wednesday showed a maskless Xi addressing the summit, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi was seated behind wearing a mask with an insignia of the Chinese flag. The front page also carried a photo of Xi

and his wife Peng Liyuan showing up to the welcoming reception with Jokowi and his wife, all maskless. Others in Xi’s entourage have been required to adhere to strict Covid protocols. Some advance staff and members of state-run media were required to stay in their hotel rooms in Bali for days prior to Xi’s arrival, according to people familiar with the situation.

Meanwhile, China’s state media reaffirmed the country’s commitment to Covid Zero, even as a spike in infections across major cities seemingly reflected a greater tolerance for outbreaks.

Nationwide, there were 17,298 new cases on Monday, the highest since late-April. The southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou accounts for the majority, with 5,124 cases despite lockdowns being extended in three of the city’s districts. The southwestern megacity of Chongqing has also seen a spike in infections, which climbed to 2,948.

The growing outbreaks coincide with a sweeping overhaul of China’s Covid framework, including shorter quarantine and ending flight bans, See “Maskless” A15

John Mangun

Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

Trump seeks White House again amid GOP losses, legal probes

By Jill Colvin | The Associated Press

PALM BEACH, Fla.—Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched his third campaign for the White House just one week after a disappointing midterm showing for Republicans, forcing the party to again decide whether to embrace a candidate whose refusal to accept defeat in 2020 sparked an insurrection and pushed American democracy to the brink.

“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump said before an audience of several hundred supporters in a chandeliered ballroom at his Mar-a-Lago club, where he stood flanked by more than 30 American flags and banners bearing his “Make America Great Again” slogan.

“America’s comeback starts right now,” he said, formally beginning the 2024 Republican primary.

Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters violently storming the Capitol in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump also enters the race in a moment of deep political vulnerability. He hoped to launch his campaign in the wake of resounding GOP midterm victories, fueled by candidates he elevated during this year’s primaries. Instead, many of those candidates lost, allowing Democrats to keep the Senate and leaving the GOP with a path to only a bare majority in the House.

Trump has been blamed by many in his party, including longtime allies, who say the results make clear it’s time for the GOP to look to the future, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis emerging as an early favorite.

Still, the former president remains deeply popular with the GOP base, even as DeSantis and other Republicans, including former Vice President Mike Pence, are taking increasingly public steps toward campaigns of their own, raising the prospect that Trump will have to navigate a competitive GOP primary.

Trump is also launching his candidacy amid a series of escalating criminal investigations, including several that could lead to indictments. They include the probe into dozens of documents with classified markings that were seized by the FBI from Mar-a-Lago and ongoing state and federal inquiries into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

But Trump, according to people close to him, has been eager to return to politics and try to halt the rise of other potential challengers. Aides have spent the last months readying paperwork, identifying potential staff and sketching out the contours of a campaign that is being modeled on his 2016 operation, when a small clutch of aides zipping between rallies on his private jet defied the odds and defeated far better-funded and more experienced rivals by tapping into deep political fault lines and using shocking statements to drive relentless media attention.

Trump returned to that dark rhetoric in his speech Tuesday, painting the country under President Joe Biden in apocalyptic terms, describing “blood-soaked streets” in “cesspool cities” and an “invasion” at the border and earning cheers as he vowed to execute those convicted of selling drugs.

“We are a nation in decline,” he said. “We are here tonight to declare that it does not have to be this way.”

And while Trump spoke before a crowd of several hundred, notably missing were many longtime supporters including previous campaign managers, aides and his daughter Ivanka, who released a statement saying that she does not plan to be involved in politics.

“While I will always love and sup-

port my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena,” she said in statement.

Even after the GOP’s midterm losses, Trump remains the most powerful force in his party. For years he has consistently topped his fellow Republican contenders by wide margins in hypothetical head-to-head matchups. And even out of office, he consistently attracts thousands to his rallies and remains his party’s most prolific fundraiser, raising hundreds of millions of dollars.

But Trump is also a deeply polarizing figure. Fifty-four percent of voters in last week’s midterm elections viewed him very or somewhat unfavorably, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide. And an October AP-NORC poll found even Republicans have their reservations about him remaining the party’s standardbearer, with 43 percent saying they don’t want to see him run for president in 2024.

Trump’s candidacy poses profound questions about America’s democratic future. The final days of his presidency were consumed by a desperate effort to stay in power, undermining the centuries-old tradition of a peaceful transfer. And in the two years since he lost, Trump’s persistent—and baseless—lies about widespread election fraud have eroded confidence in the nation’s political process. By late January 2021, about two-thirds of Republicans said they did not believe Biden was legitimately elected in 2020, an AP-NORC poll found.

VoteCast showed roughly as many Republican voters in the midterm elections continued to hold that belief.

Federal and state election officials and Trump’s own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the 2020 election was tainted. The former president’s allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by numerous courts, including by judges Trump appointed.

But that didn’t stop hundreds of midterm candidates from parroting his lies as they sought to win over his loyal base and score his coveted endorsement.

While some Republicans with presidential ambitions have long ruled out running against Trump, others appear ready to challenge him. They include DeSantis, whose commanding reelection as governor last week was a bright spot for Republicans this cycle.

Even some enthusiastic Trump supporters say they are eager for DeSantis to run, seeing him as a natural successor to Trump but without the former president’s considerable baggage.

A crowded field of GOP rivals could ultimately play to Trump’s advantage, as it did in 2016, when he prevailed over more than a dozen other candidates who splintered the anti-Trump vote.

Trump’s decision paves the way for a potential rematch with Biden, who has said he intends to run for reelection despite concerns from some in his party over his age and low approval ratings. The two men were already the oldest presidential nominees ever when they ran in 2020. Trump, who is 76, would be 82 at the end of a second term in 2029. Biden, who is about to turn 80, would be 86.

If he is ultimately successful, Trump would be just the second US president in history to serve two nonconsecutive terms, following Grover Cleveland’s wins in 1884 and 1892.

Copyright infringement and royalties  for radio play in commercial sites

The Court noted that free use by commercial establishments of radio broadcasts is beyond the normal exploitation of the copyright holder’s creative work.

KuweNTONG KuLe

The country report presented by the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP) during the recent Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) conference in Busan, South Korea cited the recent decision by the Philippine Supreme Court in August 2022 involving the case filed by Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (FILSCAP) against Anrey, Inc.

The Court stressed that FILSCAP was deprived license fees due to Anrey’s acts of infringement as it failed to receive the benefit of license fees from Anrey, which publicly performed without license or authority the copyrighted works in its restaurants for the benefit of its customers and to enhance its profit.

The SC decision reversed and set aside the Court of Appeals rulings that affirmed the Baguio City Regional Trial Court’s dismissal of a copyright infringement complaint filed by FILSCAP.

The infringement complaint stems from the alleged public performance of copyrighted songs included in FILSCAP’s repertoire sometime in 2008 at branches of Sizzling Plate Restaurant in Baguio City, which are both owned by Anrey.

The Baguio RTC had dismissed FILSCAP’s complaint for lack of merit, citing Sec. 184 (i) of the IP Code. The provision exempts from copyright infringement, public performances made by a club or institution for charitable or educational purposes and at a place where no admission fee is charged. The dismissal was then affirmed by the Court of Appeals.

However, the Supreme Court found merit in FILSCAP’s petition for review on certiorari.

First, the Court ruled that FILSCAP, as the copyright assignee, is entitled to all the rights and remedies the assignor-author/composer had with respect to the copyright. It has the authority to collect royalties and/ or license fees and sue for copyright infringement.

Second, the act of playing radio broadcasts of copyrighted music through the use of loudspeakers is, in itself, a performance.

Third, a radio reception creates a performance separate from the broadcast—known as the doctrine of multiple performances—which necessitates a separate license from that held by the broadcasting station. It is immaterial if the broadcasting

Denying the petition would gravely affect the copyright holder’s market where instead of paying royalties, they use free radio reception.

station has been licensed by the copyright owner because the reception becomes a new public performance requiring separate protection.

Fourth, radio reception transmitted through loudspeakers to enhance profit by way of providing entertainment to customers does not constitute and is not analogous to fair use.

The Court noted that free use by commercial establishments of radio broadcasts is beyond the normal exploitation of the copyright holder’s creative work. Denying the petition would gravely affect the copyright holder’s market where instead of paying royalties, they use free radio reception.

The Court said applying this exception to restaurants will also affect other uses in similar establishments like malls, department stores, retail stores, lounges and the like, causing a huge economic impact on the music industry in general.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court ordered Anrey to pay FILSCAP P10,000 as temperate damages, P50,000 for attorney’s fees, plus interest at the rate of 12 percent per annum from September 8, 2009 until June 30, 2013, and 6 percent per annum from July 1, 2013 until finality

of the Court’s judgment.

The term “intellectual property rights” consists of (a) copyright and related rights; (b) trademarks and service marks; (c) geographic indications; (d) industrial designs; (e) patents; (f) layout-designs (topographies) of integrated circuits; and (g) protection of undisclosed information.

The IP laws aim to protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly when beneficial to the people, for such periods as provided in the law. Nobody else can copy or reuse that creation without the owner’s permission.

The IP Code grants authors, artists, and other creators, automatic protection for their literary and artistic creations, from the moment t hey create it.

IP laws lay down the remedies available to the IP owner in case of a violation of his rights through administrative, civil and criminal sanctions against violators.

Fair use as defense against copyright infringement considers four factors: (a) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; (b) the nature of the copyrighted work; (c) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (d) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

End to Russia-Ukraine conflict being sought

LITO GAGNI

THE call made by President Marcos Jr. for a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict raises hope for a global economic recovery that is now about to hit hard many of the poor countries now wallowing in huge debts and about to get hit by an economic tsunami unrivalled in scope from previous economic crashes. After all, the reason for the inflation spikes that have hit developed economies like the United States and emerging countries like the Philippines has its roots in the Ukraine crisis.

That call made during the 17th East Asia Summit provides a diplomatic avenue for the conflict’s resolution, which, after all, has its roots from the failure of the Minsk 1 and Minsk 2 peace protocols. That it was made with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as a launchpad speaks volumes about the way the Ukraine crisis is being viewed from the East: a resolution via diplomacy. The East, it seems, has always sought peace talks, while the West would rather opt to bang the drums of war, an unfortunate episode in this era where the possibility of a nuclear winter is just a push away.

PBBM’s call for Asean to take the lead in the pursuit of peace in the ongoing conflict should be heeded by all stakeholders in the conflict, not so much for the economic miseries it had foisted on the world but

for preventing a climate cooling off with the sun clouded due to nuclear bombs that will take out half of the world’s population. The time for diplomacy is now. It should not be postponed for the world is teetering towards an economic crash never before envisioned.

The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and all other multilateral agencies providing aid to the poor countries have already sounded an alarm on the foreboding economic winter as a result of the continued Ukraine conflict. A way for a diplomatic solution should be crafted much like that of a diplomatic breakthrough made by Turkey in the shipment of grains and fertilizer from Ukraine’s battle zones.

That one was commendable as it involved both Ukraine and Russia joining hands in having ships skirting mines, and jointly doing

PBBM’s call for Asean to take the lead in the pursuit of peace in the ongoing conflict should be heeded by all stakeholders in the conflict, not so much for the economic miseries it had foisted on the world but for preventing a climate cooling off with the sun clouded due to nuclear bombs that will take out half of the world’s population. The time for diplomacy is now. It should not be postponed for the world is teetering towards an economic crash never before envisioned.

patrols that no bombs rain away on the ships with cargoes of grains and fertilizer. That diplomatic breakthrough hatched with the United Nations ensured the supply of grains to many countries about to starve, and this is one way for resolving the crisis.

What President Marcos said at the 17th East Asia Summit should be heeded and right away. For him, the Russia-Ukraine conflict should stop and all stakeholders must resort to diplomacy, with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations doing its share to help in the diplomatic process. Buttonholed by mediamen, he said: “Ang comment ko tungkol sa Ukraine, sinabi ko na kailangan talaga eh matigil ang giyera at mag-usap na sila sa lalong madaling panahon. At dapat ang Asean ay gawin ang lahat ng kayang gawin para tulungan ’yung prosesong ’yan.”

He also asked all nations to exert all possible avenues to bring peace to Ukraine and move the confrontation there to the diplomatic table. The snag, though, is that while the Western media outlets write about the need to resume talks on a peaceful settlement to the crisis in Ukraine, those in the West, the US, Canada and West Europe are doing all they can to let the conflict drag on. What they do is to pump Ukraine with so many weapons that a red flag has been raised on war materiel getting into the hands of extremists and criminals.

Reports said that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed on November 4 during his stay in Kyiv that Washington would send Kyiv another military aid package worth $400 million. This will include over 1,000 kamikaze drones, 250 M1117 armored vehicles, 40 armored riverboats, and for the first time, 45 upgraded T-72 tanks. The total amount of Washington’s officially announced military aid to Kyiv since the start of the special military operation has already reached $18.2 billion. And this is just what was announced officially.

The supply of war materiel is a case in point in the continued trajectory of the Ukraine conflict that has affected much of the world. The drums of war should be discontinued and in its place a diplomatic solution should be crafted. President Marcos’s appeal for peace and diplomacy is what the world needs to take us a step away from a nuclear precipice.

sparking speculation that a major shift in authorities’ pandemic response was underway. But officials moved swiftly to quash that optimism, and state media publication the People’s Daily said in an editorial Tuesday that the country is sticking to Covid Zero.

China will “firmly implement the

general policy of “dynamic clearing.” the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party said, with authorities to reduce the scale of the pandemic and boost the efficiency of controls. It follows a commentary on Monday about the country’s Covid policy that didn’t use the phrase “dynamic clearing.”

The re-appearance of the core Covid phrase pushed Chinese bonds higher for the first time in three sessions as risk appetite waned. The yield on 10-year government bonds

dropped as much as 3 basis points to 2.81% from the highest in July.

Investors are closely focused on changes to Covid strategies, with even unverified rumors about policy tweaks triggering major moves across asset classes. While Beijing has outlined 20 measures that will underpin its pandemic approach, it’s not yet clear how they’ll be implemented on the ground as local authorities struggle to balance stamping out the virus without us-

ing excessive measures.

China’s capital, Beijing, has quietly intensified restrictions in some districts as new cases hit 461. Some supermarkets, office buildings and shops in the Chaoyang district require negative tests done within 24 hours to enter, according to notices seen at entrances, even though no formal announcement was made.

With assistance from Josh Wingrove, Samy Adghirni, Lucille Liu, Zibang Xiao and Francesca Stevens / Bloomberg

RADio reception transmitted through loudspeakers to enhance profit does not constitute, and is not analogous to, fair use, that will be a valid defense in copyright infringement.

Dennis Gorecho

HOLIDAY LIST TWEAKED: LONG WEEKENDS, LOCAL TOURISM BOOST SEEN

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. has updated the list of na tional holidays next year to allow people to enjoy more long week ends and help boost local tourism.

I n his Proclamation No. 90 signed last week but only released to the media on  Wednesday, Mar cos amended the provisions of his Proclamation No. 42, which contains the list of regular and special (non-working) holidays in 2023.

Under Proclamation 90, Jan. 2, which is a Monday, will be de clared as an additional special (non-working) holiday.

It also made the Monday (April 10) after the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9, a regular holiday.

L ikewise, the new issuance also transferred the regular holi day meant for the celebration of Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30) to Nov. 27, which is a Monday, instead.

P roclamation 90 cited the pro visions of Republic Act No. 9492 or the Act Rationalizing the Cel ebration of National Holidays as basis for the creation of more long weekends.

It noted that making the ad justments is pursuant to the prin ciple of holiday economics, which states “a longer weekend will help encourage domestic travel and help increase tourism expendi

ture in the country.”

T he new proclamation took effect immediately after it was issued on Nov. 11, 2022.

Unchanged list

EXCEPT for the said three revi sions, the other provisions of the Proclamation No. 42, which was signed in August, remain the same.

T hese include the following unchanged list of regular holi days: New Year’s Day (Jan. 1), Maundy Thursday (April 6), Good Friday (April 7), Labor Day (May 1), Independence Day (June 12), National Heroes Day (August 28), Christmas Day (December 25), and Rizal Day (December 30).

A s for the list of special nonworking holidays next year, it will include EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary (Feb. 25), Black Saturday (April 8), Ninoy Aquino Day (Aug. 21), All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1), Feast of the Immacu late Conception of Mary (Dec. 8), Last Day of the Year (Dec. 31).

November 2, despite not hav ing any occasion, was also de clared as an additional special non-working holiday.

T he proclamation also guar anteed the declaration of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha as national holidays, at the dates to be stipu lated in the Islamic lunar calen dar. Samuel P. Medenilla

Villar disputes cuts in DPWH maintenance budget for next year

THE former chief of the De partment of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who is now a lawmaker has questioned the deci sion to halve the maintenance fund of the agency, warning that it would cripple efforts to deliver badly needed infrastructure services.

Taking the floor at Tuesday’s plena ry deliberation on the proposed DPWH budget for 2023, Sen. Mark A. Villar stressed the importance of giving the agency its needed budget to perform its duties and responsibilities.

V illar noted with concern the re duction of the agency’s maintenance fund which was cut from P24 billion to P11.3 billion. “I just like to take this opportunity to manifest that if we want the service, if we want to experience the full capability of the DPWH, if we have the expectation that it will provide us the service, I think we should also reciprocate by giving them the budget that is needed.”

He explained that “based on past experience, any reduction in this budget would lead to a lower service level for the department.”

V illar explained to Sen. Sonny Angara, presiding chairman of the Committee on Finance, that the maintenance fund is allocated for the repair and rehabilitation of in frastructure facilities, maintenance of national roads and bridges, opera tion of weightbridge stations and its routine check-up.

‘Maintenance funds at P200B’

IN the same budget hearing how ever, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano questioned the spending priorities of DPWH as reflected by its 2023 budget proposal, saying the agency seems to be more concerned about maintaining existing infrastructure than building new roads and bridges.

C ayetano pointed out that the amount of public money to be spent on maintenance and repair works— at around one-third of the agency’s proposed P737.36 billion budget—is inconsistent with the administra tion’s ‘Build Better More’ infrastruc ture push.

If I add up all the individual items for maintenance and rehabilitation, it now stands at over P200 billion. So it’s like almost a third of the budget. This is not a ‘Build Better More’ bud get, this is a ‘Maintenance Pa More’

budget,” the senator said, speaking partly in Filipino..

A ccording to Cayetano, the money allocated for the DPWH’s asset pres ervation program worth P90.48 bil lion for 2023 and its P166.22-billion flood management program dwarf the funds intended for the public works agency’s network develop ment and bridge building programs at around P140 billion.

C ayetano added that going through the 2023 budget of the DPWH line-by-line, any observer could see many smaller items within the agency’s larger budget categories that are intended for maintenance, repair, and retrofitting works.

T he senator reminded DPWH of ficials to stick to the current admin istration’s expansionary program for infrastructure development. Otherwise they should inform the President that the agency will have to prioritize repair and maintenance.

C ayetano urged the DPWH to lean more heavily towards building new infrastructure especially in regions of the country which sorely need bet ter roads and bridges.

Sure we need to maintain roads but we also need a lot of new roads especially going to the tourist sites,” he said.

BARMM roads

FOR his part,  Sen. Robinhood Pa dilla appealed to DPWH to help fix the roads in the Bangsamoro Autono mous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) region to ensure its eco nomic prosperity.

Padilla lamented the dilapidated roads in marginalized areas in the BARMM region. To illustrate his point, Padilla pointed out that mo torists coming from Sultan Kuda rat would have a smooth ride as the roads were already paved in the area. However, this was not the case in his area in Maguindanao, accord ing to the Senator. “If we are going to follow the directives of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. to continue the programs under the Bangsamoro Basic Law, we have to work together to fix the roads in the area,” Padilla said in Filipino. Angara, sponsor of the DPWH budget, said Secretary Manuel Bonoan gave his word that the department will pri oritize road construction projects in BARMM.   B utch Fernandez

DOE pushes RE Act’s IRR changes to attract investors

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has moved to amend the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9513, or The RE Act of 2008, to allow foreignowned entities to participate in the exploration, development, and utilization of the country’s renewable energy (RE) resources.

The country has a vast poten tial in RE (renewable energy) de velopment. Now that the foreign equity restrictions in the RE sector has been relaxed, we expect an in crease of investments in the sector which would certainly contribute to our economy, provide jobs to our people, and help meet the goal of increasing the RE in the power generation mix of 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040,” DOE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

H e signed on November 15, 2022 Department Circular (DC) No. 2022-11-0034 which prescribes the amendment to Section 19 of De partment Circular 2009-05-0008 titled Rules and Regulations Imple menting Republic Act No. 9513.

T he amendment stemmed from the Opinion released by the De partment of Justice (DOJ) on September 29 that constitutional foreign ownership restriction on the exploration, development and

utilization of natural resources only covers things that are sus ceptible to appropriation, and thus excludes the sun, the wind and the ocean.

T he DOJ, however, noted in the said Opinion that the IRR of the RE Act of 2008 must be amended to conform to the Opinion.

With the impressive amount of interests the DOE has been receiv ing both from the local and foreign investors in RE development, par ticularly in the offshore wind po tential, the State can now directly undertake the exploration, devel opment, production and utilization of RE resources or it can enter into RE Service or Operating Contracts with Filipino and/or foreign citizen or Filipino and/or foreign-owned corporations or associations,” Lo tilla said.

Water ownership

THE energy chief stressed, how ever, that the appropriation of

waters direct from the source shall continue to be subject to the for eign ownership restriction in the Water Code.

R ule 6, Section 19 (B) of the IRR of the RE Law stipulates that “the exploration, development, produc tion and utilization of natural re sources shall be under the full con trol and supervision of the State.” It further states that “the State may directly undertake such ac tivities, or it may enter co-pro duction, joint venture or co-pro duction sharing agreements with Filipino citizens or corporations or associations at least sixty per cent of whose capital is owned by Filipinos. Foreign RE developers may also be allowed to undertake RE development through an RE service/operating contract with the government, subject to Article XII, Section 2 of the Philippine Constitution.”

D C No. 2022-11-0034 will take effect 15 days upon its publication.

Senate grills DENR on Masungi Georeserve

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

AFTER prolonged delibera tions over the agency’s han dling of the growing con troversy—and potential violence —in the land claims in the worldacclaimed Masungi protected area in Rizal province, the budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was ap proved by the Senate.

S en. Cynthia A. Villar, chair person of the Senate Commit tee on Environment, Natu ral Resources, and Climate Change, defended the proposed P23.13-billion 2023 budget of the DENR and its attached agencies at the Senate plenary session Wednesday.

T his, even as Senator Raffy Tulfo also took the floor to raise concern over reports of roaming

“armed goons” wielding highpowered firearms, “unlike regular forest guards” prompting  a mo tion to create a task force to look into the matter.

Tulfo also admonished the DENR to more actively “protect the wel fare” of indigenous peoples (IP) who were displaced in the continuing tug of war for land.

T he Senate temporarily sus pended its rules to allow Envi ronment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga to directly respond to queries of senators on matters concerning not just the DENR pro posed budget, but also the reported presence of armed men in the Ma sungi Georeserve.

M inority Leader Koko Pimentel and Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda also weighed in on the controversy arising from the DENR’s agreement with the Ma sungi Georeserve Foundation on

the management of the ecotourism and conservation site.

A sked by Pimentel if it was the DENR’s official stand to void the agreement forged with Masungi Georeserve Foundation during the term of the late DENR Sec retary Gina Lopez, Yulo-Loyza ga said it was DENR’s position, adding that a study it conducted showed the contract with the foundation was, despite the ac complishments of Masungi Geo reserve in growing the forests, disadvantageous to government and legally infirm.

A t the same time, the sena tors were informed that Office of the Environment Secretary got the lion’s share of the total DENR budget for 2023, with P17.94 billion while P2.328 bil lion of the DENR budget went to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

T he DENR 2023 budget pie was further divided into the following agencies: Mines and Geosciences Bureau (P1.25 bil lion), National Mapping and Re source Information Authority (P1.378 billion), National Water Resources Board (P142.72 mil lion), and the Palawan Council For Sustainable Development (P87.87 million).

“ We are hopeful that this pro posed budget, once approved, will be efficiently utilized to ward the conservation, man agement, development, and the proper use of environment and natural resources, which consti tute the primary responsibility of the DENR and to fulfill the constitutional duty of the State to protect and advance the rights of the people to a balance and helpful ecology,” Villar assured colleagues.

KADIWA NG PASKO Mayor Francis Zamora leads the launching of Kadiwa ng Pasko, a farm-to-market project of President Ferdinand R. Marcos through the Office of the President and the Presidential Management Staff with the Department of Agriculture, at the San Juan City Hall Atrium in San Juan City on November 16, 2022. The project aims to bring cheap but high-quality goods to the public and help address the price hikes this Christmas season. NONOY LACZA

Vivant: Typhoon, economic headwinds hit 9-mo profit

By VG Cabuag @villygc

Listed Vivant Corp. said its net income in January to september fell 24 percent to P943.28 million from last year’s P1.23 billion on the impact of typhoon Odette and challenging macroeconomic conditions.

total revenues grew 16 percent to P4.32 billion as of end-September from last year’s P3.72 billion, driven by the fresh contribution from power generation plants in Bantayan, cebu as well as the improved solar rooftop business of wholly owned subsidiary cOr energy.

Vivant reported that sale of power grew by 34 percent year-on-year to P3.1 billion from P2.3 billion.

Vivant, a holding company with

investments in energy and water infrastructure, reported fresh income contribution from subsidiary isla Norte, which operates a 23.3-megawatt power plant to provide stable and reliable power to Bantayan isl and in northern cebu.

Meanwhile, subsidiary cOr energy reported an expansion in volume of energy sales on account of improved customer base for its solar rooftop business, higher revenues

from retail electricity and improved earnings from its engineering solutions business.

“Although we continue to face industry wide external challenges, our third quarter results have shown that we are resilient and agile within a changing environment,” said Vivant ceO Arlo A.G. Sarmiento.

t he company reported that income contribution from its distribution business was significantly affected by the aftermath of super typhoon Odette.

t he slowdown in electricity sales in January and February, the assistance extended to its customers and the delayed recovery of generation charges weighed down the utility’s profit performance, which resulted in a 39-percent reduction in income contribution to Vivant.

Global trade conditions and inflationary pressures resulted in higher costs for the company’s businesses. t he spike in fuel costs in 2022 con-

tributed to the increase in cost of generation for its subsidiaries. t he impact to bottom line was partially offset by the increase in contracted capacities and improved energy sales of some associates and joint venture companies.

Despite the headwinds it encountered, cebu-based Vivant made significant investments in energy generation and water solutions while implementing cost efficiency measures to adapt to prevailing economic environment.

One of the most significant investments was the acquisition of the 225-megawatt Bauang Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) by 1590 ene rgy c orp. ( e c ), a majority-owned subsidiary of Vivant energy c orp., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vivant c orp. 1590 ec has been operating and maintaining BDPP since 2010 under a lease contract with the l a Union provincial government.

Spot power prices up in October

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Electricity spot market prices slightly went up to P9.22 per kilowatt hour in October (kWh) from P9.12 per kWh in September, the independent electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (ieMOP) said Wednesday.

t he operator of the Wholesale electricity Spot Market (W eSM) attributed the increase to the outages of power facilities.

“Outages by major coal, geothermal, oil-based, and natural gas plants

remain to be one of the factors behind this movement, and generators with higher offer prices were dispatched to make up for the needed energy requirements,” ieMOP said.

Average supply for October was recorded at 13,478 megawatts (MW) or 0.89 percent lower than the figure for September. Meanwhile, the October demand rose on average by 171MW versus September’s 10,810 MW. regional peak demand of Visayas went up to 2,261 MW from 2,225 MW on a month-on-month comparison. However, the lu zon peak demand fell to 11,253 MW from 11,459 MW

in October. “Given those circumstances, the average margin for October dropped by 9.86 percent and led to the imposition of the Secondary Price cap (SPc) mechanism, a mitigating measure to safeguard consumers against sustained high W eSM prices,” it said, adding that the SPc was able to cushion the prices for 52 percent and 53 percent of the time for lu zon and Visayas, respectively. Meanwhile, the preliminary values of November show an upward trend in the supply levels, averaging at 13,651 MW. As of November 13, the W eSM is also witnessing a lower

demand of approximately 10,083 MW; thereby, leading to a greater margin and lower price average price of P8.08 per kWh.

i e M OP said the spot market transactions for October accounted for 13.3 percent or 969 gigawatt hours (GWh), higher than the recorded amount of spot market transactions last September which only amounted to 12.1 percent or 889 GWh.

t he ef fective Spot Settlement Price (eSSP) also showed an increase in value, from P9.16/kWh to P9.21/ kWh in the said month.

ERC launches PSA caravan in Laoag

TH e e n ergy r e gulatory c o mmission ( e rc ) has launched a PSA (Power Supply Agreement) c a ravan in l a oag, i l ocos Norte to gain a good understanding of the challenges encountered by the distribution utilities (DUs) and consumers.

t h e PSA c a ravan will be held in strategic locations to cover all the regions of the country. After l a oag, the agency is set to visit c a gayan de Oro and i l oilo.

t h e nationwide rollout of review of PSAs led by the e rc together with the Department of e n ergy (DO e ), is meant to assist electric cooperatives to explore and formulate immediate and mid-term measures to address the high cost of electricity in the country.

t h e PSA c a ravan is the e rc s grassroots-based efforts to evaluate primarily the generation component of consumers’ electricity bills,” said the agency.

Generation charge constitutes almost 60 percent of the power bill and accounts for the cost of power generated and sold to DUs by generation companies under PSAs or through the Wholesale e l ectricity Spot Market (W e S M) which the utilities then supply to their captive customers.

As of August this year, generation charges have increased by more than 20 percent compared to 2021 generation charges across l u zon, Visayas and Mindanao. t h e generation rate increase is driven mainly by the passthrough component of the rates for the cost of fuel, specifically coal, and the upward adjustment

in foreign exchange rate.

t h e PSA caravan is here so we can look at your PSAs and find immediate and long term solutions for the DUs to be able to sustain themselves and for the consumers also to enjoy lower electricity rates.

t h is is an industry wide concern. t h at’s why we as regulators are now taking a proactive stance, and we are so happy that our new c h airperson Mona Dimalanta came up with this caravan. t h is is the first of its kind and we are happy to meet you all personally and for us to discuss on the table, the possible remedies that we would undertake,” said e rc c o mmissioner Alexis l u mbatan, who leads the e rc delegation in l a oag. t h e e rc delegation, composed of representatives from the offices of the commissioners and from different units involved in the evaluation of the PSA, was joined by the DO e representatives. tog ether, DO e and e rc collaborated in addressing the concerns of the various e c s t h e e rc said the open forum brought out a significant number of insights and best practices that garnered productive exchange of possible solutions from the participant e c s t h e e c s that participated in the c a ravan include c e ntral Pangasinan e l ectric c o operative i n c., i l ocos Norte e l ectric c o operative i n c., i l ocos Sur e l ectric c o operative, Pangasinan i ii e l ectric c o operative i n c., Abra e l ectric c o operative i n c. and Mountain Province e l ectric c o operative i n c. Lenie Lectura

Se N At Or Grace Poe, presiding chair of the franchise-endorsing Senate committee on Public Services, prodded concerned authorities to step in and look into the plan to impose a 2-percent increase in the commission rate of ride-hailing firm Grab.

t h is is unconscionable in the midst of economic hardships that Filipinos face to get through every day,” said Poe.

She said that “every peso that drivers and riders earn comes from hard work poured to bring passengers home or delivery parcels right at our doorsteps.”

t he senator suggested that “instead of eating up a slice of their earnings, they should get more in terms of social protection and benefits.”

“As vital frontliners in the service sector,” Poe pointed out that” riders and drivers have helped keep the local economy going,” reminding that “they, too, long for an easy ride.”

in a statement on tuesday, Grab said the new commission scheme is intended to boost partner drivers’ income, contrary to a transport group’s allegation that it will be a financial burden on riders. Butch Fernandez

SM Prime Holdings i n c. on Wednesday said it is set to open SM city tuguegarao in cagayan Province on Friday.

t he company said the new mall is set to further highlight shopping, dining and entertainment activities in the capital of cagayan as it will provide more than 62,000 square meters of gross floor area.

“We are very glad to be in the c a gayan Province once again as it has been five years since we opened our first mall here, SM c i ty tu guegarao Downtown. We hope that with the opening of SM c i ty tu guegarao, we add to the vibrancy of the local scene, and attract more visitors and economic activities in this developing city and the entire c a gayan

SM Prime President Jeffrey l i m said.

SM c ity tuguegarao will open with 85 percent of space lease awarded featuring two levels of mixed-use commercial space incorporating local and international shopping and dining destinations led by SM’s brands, such as the department store, supermarket, Ace Hardware, Pet ex press, Sports central, Our Home, SM Appliance center, Watsons, Surplus, Miniso, crocs, l evi’s and BDO.

SM city tuguegarao, which is located at Bagay road, Barangay caritan Norte, tuguegarao city, will have five SM cinemas, Foodcourt, Wellness Zone, cyberzone, almost 2,000 carpark slots and transport bays that will add convenience and ease of access. t his new mall will also feature

Valley Park, which will provide a lush al fresco venue for shoppers and guests to enjoy and unwind.

t he continuous development of key provincial cities, including tu guegarao c ity in the c a gayan Province, drives SM Prime to pursue expanding its footprint across the Philippines. We look forward to reaching more cities and people in the country where we can bring excitement and happiness through our environment-conscious and sustainable developments in different localities,” lim said.

SM city tuguegarao is SM Prime’s 82nd mall in the Philippines. Once opened, the company will have 58 malls in the provincial areas of the country and 24 malls in Metro Manila. VG Cabuag

PrOPerty developer Sta. lucia l and inc. on Wednesday said its net income in nine months surged by 55 percent to P2.87 billion from last year’s P1.84 billion due to the brisk sales of its products.

r e venues rose 30 percent to P7.5 billion for the period from last year’s P5.74 billion.

r e venue from real estate reached P5.91 billion, a 26-percent growth from the previous year’s P4.67 billion, while rental income from leasing operation generated P484 million, higher by 30 percent from the previous year’s P373 million due to easing of covid restrictions.

t he group’s result of operations is significantly affected by the increasing demand for real estate products in the country,” the company said, adding that it benefited from the greater demand for residential homes situated outside the busy districts.

reservation sales of the company increased to P6.6 billion for nine months, some 14 percent higher than the P5.79 billion last year. total asset for the period reached P55.9 billion, or P3.9 billion million or an 8- percent increase from the audited amount as of December 31, 2021.

t he increase is directly attributable to the 11-percent growth in real estate inventories amounting to P3.11 billion referable to the substantial deployment of capital funds to accelerate project developments and project launches to cope with the increasing demands to real estate products,” it said.

total receivables increased by P325 million or 11 percent while the current development of a strategic Ponte Verde mall in Davao city, increased the investment property account by P404 million or 7 percent, the company said. VG Cabuag

Province,”

Banking&Finance

House committee OKs bill to amend RA 10845

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE House Committee on Agriculture and Food has approved a bill including tobacco smuggling as economic sabotage and impose tougher penalties against it by amending some provisions of Republic Act (RA) 10845 or the AntiAgricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list Rep. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro A. Marcos III, authors of House Bill 3917, have pushed for the inclusion of tobacco among the list of agricultural products, which is covered by RA 10845.

Nograles said the bill was approved last Tuesday by the committee and it has agreed to draft the committee report for endorsement to the plenary.

The measure also seeks to impose penalties as provided under RA 10845 in the smuggling of tobacco products.

The bill seeks to amend Section 3 of RA 10845 to include tobacco smuggling—whether manufactured or manufactured including finished products such as cigars, cigarettes, or heated tobacco—as economic sabotage punishable with life imprisonment and a fine of twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural product and the aggregate amount of the taxes, duties and other charges avoided.

Nograles said that tobacco farming remains a primary source of livelihood for so many Filipino farmers despite the increase in excise taxes for the sale of tobacco products.

“The tobacco industry is a common source of income for many Filipinos. This contributes to around 516,000 labor force in 2019 and around 2.2 million Filipinos generated earnings from the industry. The significant impact was it accounts for 6 percent of tax revenue in 2020, and 58 percent of so-called sin tax

receipts are being used to finance the national health budget—including the universal health care resulting in 8 million more low-income families receiving health care under this program,” Nograles said.

He added that tobacco production remains very high that from April to June 2022, production of tobacco dried leaves was estimated at 36.38 thousand metric tons (MT), with Ilocos region as the top tobacco producer for the quarter, with 24.02 thousand MT or 66 percent share to the total tobacco production.

However, local tobacco farmers and legitimate tobacco product manufacturers are not only suffering economically because of the high excise tax imposed by the government but also because of the massive amount of tobacco products that are smuggled into the country by unscrupulous importers and traders.

The government is also losing billions in revenues because of the uncollected excise taxes from these smuggled tobacco products.

“The government revenues are lost from smuggled, unregistered, and unregulated cigarettes which are being sold via container vans shipments. This resulted in an estimated P26 billion in financial losses annually. If this continues, it will affect our local tobacco industry and roughly 2.2 million kababayans will be affected,” Nograles said.

In the explanatory note of their bill, Nograles and Marcos said that in some areas in the Philippines namely Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental, it is estimated that six out of 10 cigarettes sold in the market already come from illegal sources.

“Almost daily, there are new reports of seized illegal cigarettes by the Bureau of Customs in Mindanao and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” the authors added. “Even in the tobacco-producing region of Ilocos, nearly 10 percent of the cigarettes sold are illicit.”

BPI sees impact of rate hikes to be felt in housing by 2025

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

AYALA-Led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) expects the impact

“We are anticipating the lower appetite to come in three years to four years’ time because these [rate hikes] will affect the sales of the developers during the pandemic,” Dennis T. Fronda, BPI Retail Lending Group Head, said during the launch of the lender’s “MyBahay” loan facility. “During the pandemic, the developers stretched the payment terms up to five years.”

Based on data shared by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe M. Medalla, interest rates have been raised by monetary authorities by 225 basis points since May this year. The highest interest rates were raised in July at 75 basis points (bps) while the lowest was at 25 bps in May and June. (See https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/10/25/ bsp-chief-rate-hike-to-matchfeds-move/)

The BSP also raised interest rates by 50 bps in August and September. In total, the Monetary Board raised interest rates five times this year.

Fronda said the impact of these rate hikes would be marked by a

slowdown in the property market.

“We expect a little slow down by 2024, 2025. These are people who bought properties three years to five years back,” he said.

Currently, Fronda said they still see “a demand.”

“There is a segment; that is why we want to enter this segment to make up for the shortage for the other segments.”

Loan product

FRONDA was referring to the lowerend real estate industry that BPI is targeting through the “MyBahay” loan product that offers flexible payment options and cheaper amortization rates.

The lender offers “MyBahay” to Filipinos who are unable to meet the standards of regular housing loans offered by banks in the country.

Fronda said they see MyBahay would help address the challenges faced by Filipinos in securing a regular house loan. These challenges include a high downpayment and monthly amortization. Some

are also disqualified from a loan because of below-required income threshold.

Fronda pointed out there are 7.13 million middle-income individuals or 1.75 million Filipino families who are looking for an “affordable” and “accessible” home financing solution.

“[This is the] first housing loan product offered by a commercial bank that allows individual borrowers to take a housing loan for downmarket real estate properties,” Fronda said in his presentation last Wednesday in Makati City.

The lending window, he added, provides an opportunity for middleclass households to own a home as it requires minimum downpayment and a flexible loan term.

Maria Cristina L. Go, the bank’s consumer banking head, said they also consider MyBahay as their contribution to resolving the country’s persisting housing backlog that is currently at 6.5 million.

Go noted that the housing backlog would balloon to 10.5 million in the next five years as estimated by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

“Our inspiration is the fact that more than 80 percent of Filipinos continue to dream of having their own homes, living in their own homes...and we at BPI realized that we have an important part to play in helping them to afford these dreams—helping them realize that

these are possible not later but sooner, today rather than tomorrow,” Go said in her video message.

Defining qualities

FRONDA said that the housing loan facility will have three defining qualities compared to their regular housing loan: the minimal cash out would be up to 95 percent of the appraised value, the maximum loan term is up to 30 years, and gross monthly income (GMI) of only P25,000.

The BPI’s regular housing loan has a P40,000 GMI requirement with a loanable amount being up to 90 percent of the appraised value that can be paid for up to 20 years.

The loanable amount under the MyBahay product is as low as P300,000 and as high as P2.85 million. Eligible borrowers are individuals at least 21 years old but nore more than 70 years old upon loan maturity.

Fronda expressed optimism that the P2-billion current funding for the lending product would be easily availed within six months despite accelerating interest rates.

He added that the interest rates for the loan would depend on prevailing market rates but the BPI would offer an option of fixed rate for as low as one year or for as long as 30 years to qualified borrowers.

The bank’s housing loan program would also feature rebates with good standing borrowers receiving 2 percent of their total interest paid during loan anniversary.

EastWest pins ‘flattish’ 2022 on ‘loan run-offs’

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

DESPITE the recovery of the Philippine economy from the global slowdown, the Gotianun-led EastWest Banking Corp. is expected to post “flattish” net income growth this year.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) last Wednesday, the lender said a flat net income growth is expected because of “loan run-offs” in 2022.

The bank said its net income was at P3 billion in the January to September period. This was P2.1 billion lower than the P5.1 billion in the same period last year, due to lower trading revenues by P2.3 billion.

“Net income for 2022 is expected at P4.5 billion with the fourth quarter at P1.5 billion or P6 billion on an annualized basis,” EastWest Bank

President Jacqueline S. Fernandez said. “While the income level is expected to be flattish, unlike 2021 when quarterly income was on a decreasing trend due to loan run-offs this year, income is on the uptrend as the Bank started to recover lost loan volumes and has rebuilt its fixed income portfolios.”

EastWest Bank explained that in 2021, trading gains were above normal levels due to the accommodative monetary policy that drove interest rates to very low levels.

Core revenues, excluding trading income, was at P20.4 billion, 4 percent higher than 2021’s P19.5 billion. Return on equity (ROE) was at 6.8 percent while total assets ended at P405.2 billion, 2 percent higher than the previous year.

“The bank is monitoring macroeconomic developments and re-

mains cautiously optimistic that the economic backdrop will continue to be supportive of its growth plans,” Fernandez said.

In the third quarter, the bank booked a net income of P1.5 billion for the third quarter of 2022, which was 49 percent higher than the second quarter of 2022. Its net income was also 17 percent better than the same quarter last year of P1.3 billion.

The bank said its net income increased by around P500 million in each of the last two quarters or from P500 million in the first quarter, P1 billion in the second quarter and P1.5 billion in the third quarter as the bank’s efforts to rebuild its loans and fixed income portfolio continue.

Total loans increased by 10 percent with consumer loans and business loans increasing by 11 percent

and 6 percent, respectively. Fixed income securities were higher by 72 percent.

Deposit level was steady at P319.1 billion. The lender started to deploy its liquidity buffers, which were at higher than normal levels, to fund increases in loans and fixed income securities.

“While CASA [current account and savings account] ratio improved to 80 percent from the previous year’s 73 percent, we expect deposit cost to go higher as the Bank starts to source new deposits and the impact of higher interest rates start to manifest,” EastWest Retail Banking Head Gerardo N. Susmerano said.

“We also expect some CASA depositors to shift to better yielding time deposits as opportunity costs of holding CASA increase,” said Susmerano.

Central bank grants universal bank status to PBCom

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has granted the Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCom) Universal Bank status, according to the lender’s disclosure to the local bourse.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), PBCom said receiving its Certificate of Authority to operate a Universal Bank marked its return to its former status and profitability.

PBCom said the certificate was

handed over by BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla. Leading the PBCOM representatives were Chairman Eric O. Recto and President and CEO Patricia May T. Siy. Recto said the lender’s upgraded license to operate as a Universal Bank is a significant milestone for PBCOM for two reasons.

“First, this marks the return of the Bank to its former status after having successfully completed its capital build-up and enhanced prof-

itability programs since the entry of the new investor group in 2012,” he was quoted in the disclosure.

“Second, this is a clear acknowledgment of the success of our business model which is pinned on the pillars of strong compliance and risk management procedures, customer service-centered practices, and a highly independent governance structure.”

PBCOM reported a 9-month consolidated income of P1.3 billion,

growing 14.6 percent versus last year.

As of September, total assets reached P121.6 billion, a 13.8 percent increase over the same period in 2021. The increase was led by the double-digit growth in loans, which grew by P13.4 billion.

Total deposit and deposit substitute reached P104 billion, with low cost growing 13.5 percent to P55.8 billion, making up 62 percent of the bank’s deposit volume.

Cai U. Ordinario

Etiqa PHL allows planholders greater access to products via upgraded app

By Roderick Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

ETIQA Life & General Assurance Philippines Inc. announced it has re-launched an upgraded version of its insurance application to give plan holders more access to information and services for both health and life insurance products.

The basic features of the app include inquiries, profile personalization and contact details updating with very specific trans-

actional processes.

Specifically, individual life insurance clients can now manage their plans, view transaction history, request for e-policy and check fund values through the app.

For group health insurance clients, it helps facilitate patient access to its medical network of 30,000 doctors and 1,600 accredited hospitals and clinics nationwide; makes the process of filing medical reimbursement claims 50-percent faster; and shows coverage plus request letters of guarantee of clients

and their dependents.

“Giving customers the power to view and avail their insurance benefits is essential,” said Etiqa Philippines Senior Vice President Ariel Meneses. “Through the app, they can avail of our services swiftly and promptly.”

Meneses, who is also head of the firm’s operations and service excellence, believes they can become more responsive with this omni-channel customer service model as it directly connects to clients via an integrated platform,

hotline, email, chatbot, messaging apps and social media channels.

Time is valuable ETIQA Philippine President and CEO Rico T. Bautista said that the app “ensures that we can support our customers—for both group health and individual life insurance—in every step of the process,” Bautista said.

“This is our way of nurturing our relationships with them,” he added.

Bautista believes that lever-

aging technology can accelerate insurance market penetration in line with industry growth.

The firm claims its app’s feature provides “seamless” digital experience and allows “ease of access and comfort.” With the feature, financial advisors can interact with their clients freely and quickly, while the latter can reach out to them conveniently, the insurer said.

“Gone are the days of overwhelming the customer with pages of printed forms. Their time is

valuable and with the pandemic, we also need to adjust fast to remote selling which has become the new normal. The pandemic has undeniably recalibrated the way we do work, bringing digital solutions into the limelight,” said Etiqa Philippines Retail Insurance Head Marcelino Dailo Jr.

“Right now, we are accelerating our efforts towards a paperless and seamless electronic exchange of data to maintain and improve the company’s productivity during this time,” Dailo said.

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace

of accelerating interest rates in three years to four years’ time.

CHINA BONDS This October 24, 2022, photo shows a man crossing a bridge at the Central Business District in Beijing. Yields on China’s benchmark 10-year debt jumped as much as four basis points to 2.85 percent last Wednesday, the highest since December. This follows their biggest rout since late 2016 last Monday, with a rise in interbank rates adding to the drag on the market. Investors also sold corporate bonds.

CREDIT: BloomBERg NEws

By Rory Visco Contributor

LAST October 28, 2022, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 7 that allows the volun tary wearing of face masks, whether indoors or outdoors, except when in hospitals, medical or public transport vehicles. It also reiter ated the continued observance and implementation of minimum public health standards.

The word “voluntary” is highly debatable, particularly in the medi cal community, given the fact that Covid-19 is still active. Variants and subvariants continue to emerge, plus the reality that vaccination coverage is quite low.

How can Filipinos remain pro tected in crowded public places?

How should Filipinos be made aware and convinced that wearing of face masks, aside from vaccination and physical distancing, is one of the most effective deterrents against the dreaded disease?

To mask or not to mask?

D R Marissa Alejandria, Director of the Institute of Clinical Epide miology of the UP Manila National Institutes of Health and immedi ate past president of the Philip pine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Disease (PSMID), said they will still encourage everyone to wear masks indoors.

It should be noted that Covid-19 cases are decreasing and the deaths

Health& Fitness

BusinessMirror

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

have drastically decreased both globally and locally. The infection fatality ratio is now down to one to two percent but variants continue to emerge, she said, like the XBB and the BQ.1.1. Though there is a rise in the number of cases, the vaccines continue to be effective in preventing hospitalization and death but are ineffective in blocking transmission. While highly trans missible, cases are predominantly mild especially among the vacci nated and boosted, Dr. Alejandria said during the latest TV UP webi nar Stop C.O.V.I.D. Deaths titled “To Mask or Not to Mask.”

As for the country’s vaccination rate, the primary series is about 70 percent but booster coverage is still less than 50 percent, hence the need to increase boosting coverage. The emergence of variants means trans mission is still ongoing so the virus can mutate, and the science in the transmission of Covid-19 is still the same. This means that person to person transmission is still the predominant mode through respi ratory droplets that can enter the eyes, nose or mouth to the mucous membrane. The virus can also be aerosolized, become airborne and turn into respiratory droplets es pecially in enclosed places where airflow and ventilation is not good.

Is wearing masks still good enough and still safe?

D R A lejandria said wearing masks is still effective indoors. She said masks protect those infected from exhaling virus-laden droplets and at

the same time protect healthy indi viduals, those without the virus or any symptoms and thus prevent the further spread of the virus.

“The community benefits from wearing masks because it acts to control the virus from being released and also acts to reduce inhalation of droplets by a healthy person. With source control and filtration functions, masks benefit both the community and the individual, the infected and the healthy ones, espe cially when worn correctly and con sistently,” Dr. Alejandria explained.

Added to that, she said the wear ing of masks has no side effects and is literally safe since it does not affect respiration. She also cited experimental and epidemiologi cal studies showing the benefits of masking as well, like in Bangladesh in 2020. Surgical or cloth masks distribution, role modeling, plus ac tive mask promotion tripled use by 42.3 percent that resulted in a nine percent reduction in symptomatic Covid prevalence.

Dr. Alejandria also pointed to a cruise ship where the wearing of face masks reduced infection by 79 percent, and that universal masking can help reduce infections, mortali ty and hospitalization growth rates. When using data for economic anal ysis, universal masking can prevent the need for lockdowns and reduce economic losses.

Choosing the mask to use I T i s important to choose a mask with multiple layers to keep respira tory droplets in and that of others

out, and to choose a mask with a nose wire to prevent air from leak ing out of the top. The “Philippine Covid-19 Living Clinical Practice Guidelines” recommends the use of either a well-fitted cloth mask or a medical mask. “If a cloth mask will be used, it should have at least two layers of cotton or non-woven nylon with aluminum nose bridge.”

Those who should wear masks are those with symptoms, immu nocompromised, the elderly, those with comorbidities, those living with people who are immunocom promised, elderly or with comor bidities, the unvaccinated and those in crowded areas, enclosed spaces and with poor ventilation. “Several studies have already shown that age is an important risk factor, where the elderly, those with other dis eases, are at a higher risk of severe Covid-19.”

Be informed O V ERALL Dr. Alejandria said peo ple should be informed about the preventive actions they can take to protect themselves, their family, and the public, such as getting vac cinated and boosted, wearing wellfitted masks, getting tested and staying home when sick, practice cough etiquette and hand hygiene, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, avoiding crowds and poorly ven tilated spaces, and maintaining physical distance.

“Public health is a shared respon sibility. Let us all work together for safe, Covid-free environments,” Dr. Alejandria concluded.

Observe proper diet, sleep and physical activities to prevent obesity–Vergeire

Overweight and obesity are de fined as abnormal or excessive fat ac cumulation that presents a risk to health, the w o rld h eal th Organization ( w h O ) said.

According to wh O, being overweight or obese can have a serious impact on health and that carrying extra fat leads to serious health consequences such as cardiovas cular disease (mainly heart disease and s troke), type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders like osteoarthritis, and some cancers (endometrial, breast and colon). t h ese conditions cause premature death and substantial disability.

w hat s not widely known, wh O s aid, is that the risk of health problems starts when someone is only very slightly over weight, and that the likelihood of problems i ncreases as someone becomes more and more overweight.

M any of these conditions cause longterm suffering for individuals and families. i n addition, the costs for the health-care system can be extremely high.

Obesity in Filipino children and adults

C iting studies from Department of Sci ence and te chnology-Food and n u trition r e search i n stitute (DOS t F n ri ) an d wh O DO h Officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria r o sario ve rgeire said that obesity increased in adults and children during the pandemic.

ve rgeire said that inactivity, ordering and eating unhealthy food due to lock downs are the some of the reasons why t he number of obese increased. n o t just from DOS t, e ven reports from the wh O [ w o rld h eal th Organization] for the past two years of the pandemic,

t hat the obesity rate has increased,” v e r geire said.

B ased on the DOS t F n ri s 2021 e x panded n a tional n utrition Survey, the obesity rate among children aged zero to five was at 3.9 percent. Fourteen percent of the children aged five to 10 are con sidered obese.

i n the same survey, it showed that 10 percent of adults aged 20 to 59 were obese while aged 60 and above, or 6.2 percent are obese, and 11.8 percent have chronic energy deficiency.

Preventable v erg eire appealed to the public to ob serve proper diet, have quality sleep, and d o physical activities to prevent obesity.

People should also avoid alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Likewise, she called on mothers to

monitor the food intake of the children especially on calories, fatty and salty foods, among others.

wh O said that overweight and obesity are largely preventable.

t h e key to success is to achieve an energy balance between calories con sumed on one hand, and calories used on t he other hand.”

to r each this goal, wh O a dded, people can limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from satu rated fats to unsaturated fats; increase c onsumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; and limit their intake of sugars.

An d to increase calories used, people can boost their levels of physical activity to at least 30 minutes of regular, mod erate-intensity activity on most days.

laudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

C

AHG advocates for health tourism through Niyama Wellness Spa Management Consultancy

AS t he world reopens and business starts to go back to normal, the uncertainties of the pandemic are now combined with the stress of adapting to the new normal. n o w, more than ever, the tourism industry can benefit from pri oritizing wellbeing through products and services that encourage guests to relax and recharge amid the beauty of nature. Anya h o spitality g r oup (A hg ) ha s launched its n i yama w e llness and Spa Management c o nsultancy, which can help provide hotel and resort properties with their own health and wellness facility that can cater to their guests’ needs.

n i yama w e llness by A hg can part ner with other hospitality destinations through w e llness and Spa Management and c o nsultancy, Spa and w e llness Spa Brand Development, and Spa and w e ll ness Operational Support to developers, owners and operators of leading hotels, resorts, and spa projects nationwide. t h e holistic health concept can be included in their accommodation packages and offer ings to offer guests a holistic well-being experience through innovative treat ments and the A hg brand of exceptional guest service.

Optimum brand support

“A SPA s meant to be a place of calm and serenity but putting up one can be very de manding. A lot of factors come into play,” says A hg Managing Director Juan r o ca. “ we are here to help clients develop their own wellness concept, with its unique features and brand personality that will make them stand out in the industry.”

w i th consultancy onboarding, A hg will be actively involved in the Pre-opening, Daily Operations, Design, Brand i d entity, Menu and Business Strategy of the property’s wellness concept. g u idance will be available from ide ation to branding and initiating an integrated marketing campaign. t h is includes market research, promotions, advertising, social media and content creation.

n i yama we llness by A hg will also see to it that the business is running smoothly through operational support during the pre-opening phase and actual operations. i ncluded in the consultancy are Operational Set-Up, wo rld- c l ass Standards of Mentoring and tr aining, Sanitation and h y giene tr ain ing, Performance r e view-Site visits and Au dits, c reation of Promotions and Packages, Staff Supervision and c o ntinuous tr aining, c o mprehensive tr eatment Manual and Fi

nancial Performance Analysis.

we o ffer full-service wellness manage ment and consultancy catering to develop ers, owners and operators of leading hotels, resorts, and spa projects nationwide. t h e scope of services covers every aspect of their business needs,” r o ca adds.

Investing in Relaxation

i t S n i yama we llness c e nter at the Anya r e s ort in ta gaytay is an award-winning show case that provides the “ n i yama e x perience” that A hg hopes to bring to other hospitality properties across the country. i t i s anchored on five pillars that are designed to cater to guest preferences and needs: Spa, i ntegra tive tr eatments, i n ner Journeys, Movement, and a Soul Menu.

w i th its innovative offerings, n iyama we llness c e nter was recently awarded as the Luxury Sustainable Spa globally by wo rld Luxury hotel. c arol Laguna, its corporate well ness and spa director, says that the wellness center is designed to complete the experience with a holistic approach, and to optimize the overall well-being of their guests.

“ we g o over and beyond spa treatments and gym facilities. we a re dedicated to re store your mind, body and spirit to balance.

n i yama we llness is also a timely opportunity in addressing our distinctive need for rest, rejuvenation, and reset, as we strive to meet the ever-growing need and demand today, especially after the pandemic. And lastly, we have incorporated the unparalleled worldclass service, and genuine Filipino hospitality by the A hg ” Laguna said.

n i yama w e llness was also chosen as one of the finalists of the n e w Spa of the Year by Destination Deluxe, which awards leaders and pioneers in travel and wellness, celebrating hotels, spas, treatments, skin care and wellness brands that spearhead the standard of luxury in the industry. A h g’s other managed property, Anya r e sort has also won the Best Luxury h i deaway r e sort by the wo rld Luxury h o tel and Samira by c h ele g o nzalez which is located at Anya was awarded as the Best Luxury r e sort r e staurant.

Laguna says, “ we h ope to share this con cept of wellness tourism to help more Filipinos bounce back better from the effects of the pandemic. we w ould like to invite other hos pitality destinations to look into the benefits of a n i yama we llness by A hg we llness & Spa c o nsultancy in setting up their own relaxing haven on their property.”

EVEN b efore the Covid-19 pandemic, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a grow ing public health threat globally.

Cognizant that antibiotic over use and misuse in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic may potential ly exacerbate the AMR situation in the country and may put steward ship efforts at risk, the DOH (De partment of Health) acknowledged the more urgent need to implement antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) principles amid the pandemic in order to mitigate the unintended long-term consequences associ ated with antibiotic overuse dur ing this time.

On Tuesday (November 15), the DOH has expressed their concern on the practice of self-medication which the agency observed is also increasing.

Alam natin dito sa Pilipinas, ang Pilipino mahilig mag -doctor,” DOH Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Vergeire said that instead of go ing to the doctor, some people will go directly to the pharmacy and buy medicine and take it without the guidance of the doctors.

She noted that antimicrobial resistance has been a long stand ing problem in the health sector.

Yung [The) multi-drug resis tant tuberculosis is the best ex ample...If you note of, yung ating multi-drug resistant. Tuberculosis (TB), that’s the best example for antimicrobial resistance. Ito pong multi-drug resistant TB, ito po yung mga pasyente na meron silang tuber culosis, pero yung mga usual drugs na ginagamot natin para sa tuber culosis, hindi na nagiging epektibo sa kanila kasi resistant na sila doon sa ibang mga gamot na iniinom [This multi-drug resistant TB, these are patients who have tuberculosis,

but the usual drugs that we use to treat them are no longer effec tive because they are already resis tant to some medicines that they are taking] against TB,” Vergeire explained.

To address such problem, the DOH official said that they had been communicating with various government agencies to strength en their advocacy and regulate an timicrobials.

The Philippines, as one of the forefront World Health Organiza tion (WHO) member states actively fighting against AMR, observes the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) every November of each year.

This year, WAAW will be ob served on November 18 to 24 with the local theme, “Sama-samang magtulungan upang antimicrobial resistance ay mapigilan.”

Given the inter-relatedness of human and animal health, plant production, food safety, and the environment in both the evolution of AMR and the solutions to this problem, tackling it effectively re quires concerted action across all sectors, applying the One Health Approach, the DOH said.

“With this theme, we engage stakeholders across all relevant sectors to collaborate and work together in raising awareness on AMR and in being stewards of ra tional and responsible use of anti microbials to prevent the further emergence and spread of AMR,” the DOH added.

The local celebration is termed as Philippine Antimicrobial Aware ness Week (PAAW) and this has been observed since 2015.

In relation to this, the DOH issued a Department Circular to align and provide guidance in the nationwide campaign to raise AMR awareness during the celebration of the PAAW.

Campaign to raise awareness on

wins YouTube Works Awards

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

Ac A MPA i gn aimed at raising aware ness on the importance of listening to people going through mental health issues emerged as the top winner in the recently concluded Youtu be w o rks Awards.

e ar ning the unanimous decision of Youtu be’s esteemed panel of judges, g igi L Philippines’ Accenture “ g r avity” bested all 12 entries vying for this year’s grand prize. t h is is the second year-in-a-row for the agency to sweep the highest accolade after it won the Youtu be’s inaugural awards last year with r c c o la “Family” campaign.

g r avity was, likewise, feted with the Force For g o od award which recognizes campaigns that best demonstrate brand values and proven impact on social issues.

Mind your brains health

M entA L health issues have been a grow ing global concern over the last few years with hundreds of millions of people suf fering from it.

c o nfronted by manifold problems like the ongoing health crisis and other chal lenges—either natural or man-made—a staggering one in four people will be af fected at one point in their life, per experts’ projection. t h e rates, they estimate, are almost twice as high for young adults, compared to other age groups.

S ignificantly contributing to its wider prevalence now are the prolonged social isolation, distancing and quarantines in the face of the pandemic. Adding to these are the loss of lives, as well as the social and economic impacts of the various ca tastrophes experienced here and abroad.

w i th many suffering from mental ad versity, this condition is, more often than not, left untreated. i n most cases, even the families are unaware that their kin is undergoing mental health issues for the

simple reason that these patients are either unwilling or uncomfortable about sharing their narratives with others or seek help. t h is menace could have been prevented if an intervention is offered immediately.

Mental wellness

is everybody’s business

M in DFUL of the alarming mental health c oncerns now affecting so many, gigi L w as inspired to recreate and share the untold stories of those experiencing it or finding ways to cope with stress at home or at work.

For this campaign, it tied up with business process outsourcing company Accenture, which boasts of a round-theclock employee assistance program that is available to all the staff anytime they need intervention.

t h e g r avity video documents the torment and travails of someone going through mental health problems. Using an immersive rotating screen experience, it climaxes the character’s inner strife by condensing it into a dizzying spell. As the scene comes to a close, it also highlights the importance of having a dynamic work environment that enables workers to thrive and get through life’s struggles.

g igi L’s managing partner, Jake Yrastor za, along with the whole team expressed their gratitude for the support and trust accorded to them not only by the Youtu be jury but by their clients and the public in general.

t h e global Youtu be w o rks Awards, in partnership with Kantar, celebrate and champion the brilliant minds who pro duce the most innovative and effective campaigns on the leading international free online video-sharing and social net working platform.

t h e agency also bagged the Youtu be w o rks Best c o llaboration Award for Orocan for the film titled “Ms. h u rt” and the c ha l lenger Award for Diskartech for the video dubbed “ t h e c a rabao.”

Wearing of masks is the most practical, effective way to prevent Covid-19 transmission–expert

DOH pushes fight vs long term effects of antibiotic overuse

mental health

A fresh and festive holiday

THIS season, joy comes from being at home with the people and tradi tions we love, and celebrations that feel refreshingly simple, modern and authentic. Think dashing holiday décor, perfectly thoughtful gifts—all designed for here and now moments of real joy.

Crate & Barrel (www.crateandbarrel.com.ph) is your one-stop decorating shop, with a fresh and festive modern style for every room of your home, and simple, beautiful ideas for bringing your seasonal look to life.

The spotlight this season is on bountiful red berries, simple greenery, clean and classic white and pops of modern black. The modern red plus white décor layers beautifully into every home. Fresh evergreen hues mix with pops of black for a most modern, trend-forward holiday look. Subtle textured metallic ornaments and simple, fresh-looking greenery look right at home against oak floors and clean lined architecture.

Deck out the whole house with Crate & Barrel’s timeless décor, greenery and trees, plus ornaments and must-have modern tree collars. At the same time, layer your kitchen so this central room feels just as holiday-ready as the rest of your space.

Bring Christmas to your home with Crate & Barrel’s fresh and festive décor.

Hey, new parents– go ahead and ‘spoil’ that baby!

AN online-only platform, digest and shop which looks toward digital possibilities to interface with artists, collectors and enthusiasts to support the visual arts, Cartellino announced recently the third iteration of “First Edition,” a sitewide annual fun draising effort with Filipino youth initiative Kids For Kids PH (@kidsforkidsph), featuring the works by contemporary artists, established and emerg ing, from all over the country. They launched last November 6, 2022 (Sunday) at 10 am via an online event and will run until November 20. Art enthusiasts of all stripes are invited to browse the shop for a collection of limited-edition prints, paintings, drawings, hand-pulled prints, digital illustrations,

By Amy Root West Virginia University

WHEN an infant cries, parents frequently wonder whether they should soothe the baby or let the baby calm itself down. If they re spond to every sob, won’t the baby cry more? Isn’t that spoiling the baby?

I hear these questions a lot as a professor of child development and family science. The notion of spoil ing a baby remains common, despite evidence that infants who have parents who respond to their needs are better at calming themselves down later in life.

Many of the students I teach say that their parents resisted calming their cries and that they turned out just fine. Of course, there are individual differences in early childhood development. There is no “one size fits all” for parenting.

That said, for decades now, developmental scien tists have studied emotional regulation in children and the caregiver-infant bond. There is an answer to the common question of whether it’s better to comfort a crying baby or let them learn to calm themselves down. Let me explain…

Emotional regulation during infancy

INFANTS are born with a remarkable number of capabilities. Indeed, research shows that babies seem to “know” a lot more about the world we live and grow in than previously believed. For instance, infants possess an understanding of numbers, object perma nence and even morality.

However, infants’ abilities are still immature. They rely on their caregivers to fine-tune those skills, much like other young mammals.

And one thing newborns cannot do is regulate their own distress—whether that distress comes from feeling cold, hunger, pain or any other discomfort. That ability does not develop until approximately 4 months of age. So infants need their parents’ help to calm down.

Since crying is one of the first ways infants com municate their needs to caregivers and others, it is imperative for the infant-parent bond that caregivers respond to their infant cries.

Moreover, research shows that infant cries elicit an apparent psychological need in others to ease their distress. As such, infant cries serve a fundamental purpose for both infant and caregiver.

Critically, infants also learn from the responsive ness of their caregivers what it feels like to calm down. This feeling is similar to the internal changes that adults and older children feel when they regulate their emotions—that is, their heart rate slows and they feel at ease. This repeated experience gives infants new life skills: Longitudinal research indicates that infants whose caregivers respond to their distress are better able to regulate emotion and behavior as they get older.

For babies, self-soothing likely means sucking on a pacifier or a fist. Later in life, those foundational infant calming skills learned in response to parental care develop into more adultlike habits for regulating distress, like counting to 10 or taking deep breaths.

Caregiver-infant bonding PARENTAL responsiveness to infant cries also affects the infant-caregiver relationship.

Caregivers provide the first information for infants about the predictability of the social world, the trustworthiness of others and about their own self-worth.

This lays the foundation for the quality of the lifelong relationship between a caregiver and child. When infants are soothed in times of distress, they learn that their caregiver is trustworthy and reliable. They also learn that they are worthy of caring, loving relationships, which positively influences their future relationships.

Caregiver responsiveness is also associated with a cascade of well-documented outcomes in infants, chil dren and adolescents, including cognitive function ing, language development, self-esteem and future sensitivity to infant needs.

The absence of caregiver responsiveness, on the other hand, is linked to later behavioral difficulties and developmental challenges. Studies show that ne glected children can struggle to bond with their peers and to cope with rejection.

Though one study recently reported that these ill effects might not apply at night—as in, when parents let babies “cry it out” to teach them to sleep—the ma jor consensus in the literature is that before 4 months of age babies should not be left to cry. I recommend no earlier than 6 months because of the formation of the attachment bond, and highly encourage caregiv ers to consider the individual abilities of their child. Indeed, some children are able to self-regulate better than others. In addition, there are alternative ways to help babies learn to self-soothe at night that include responding to infant distress.

Fortunately, caregivers are biologically primed to care for their infants. Research with animals and humans demonstrates that there are hormones that drive caregiving.

Go ahead, ‘spoil’ that baby MY best advice, based on the scientific literature, is that parents should respond promptly and consis tently to infant cries through at least 6 months of age. But take a pragmatic approach.

Caregivers know the idiosyncrasies of their infants: Some may be more placid, while oth ers are more excitable. Likewise, culture drives the goals caregivers set for themselves and their children. So, responsiveness and adaptive caregiver-infant relationships will look differ ent for different families. Parents should act accordingly, fitting their responsiveness to their infant’s needs and their cultural context.

However you look at it, responding to an infant’s every cry is not “spoiling” the baby. Instead, the act of soothing a crying infant provides the baby with the tools they will use to soothe themselves in the future.

Let’s support our future-forward

photographs, collages, sculptures and art toys.

In efforts to widen and enhance the accessibility of art, the First Edition model has shown that art can be affordable and is capable of driving equal opportu nity, sustainability and security. Following last year’s collaboration with Museo Pambata and Make-A-Wish Foundation, First Edition 2022 will be dedicated to the uplift of children’s right to education, creative expres sion, safe and healthy environments, and secure fu tures. This year, part of the proceeds from all artwork purchases on the web site will be donated to youth-led organization Kids For Kids PH.

Founded in 2015 by sisters Tasha and Bella Tanjutco, Kids For Kids PH has been at the fore front of youth empowerment, leading a movement committed to climate justice, access to education, and creative change-making. Through various campaigns, the ever-growing community of youth activists, cultural workers, creatives, edu cators, and environmentalists strive for a society where children’s rights to a safe environment and secure livelihood no longer need fighting for.

The funds raised through First Edition 2022 will contribute directly to the ongoing campaign Kapuluan ng Kabataan (@kapuluanngkabataan), a collection of projects across the archipelago geared toward reconnecting communities with our cultural and natural heritage—more specifically, to the construction and creation of a children’s library and workshop in Anajawan Island.

Featured in this year’s collection are limitededition prints of works by National Artist José Joya, Katrina Cuenca, Carla Gamalinda, Alee Garibay, Nina Garibay, Jeffrey Jay Jarin, Lyndon Maglal ang, Mr. S, and Arturo Sanchez Jr.; and fine art prints from printmakers Marz Aglipay and Mars Bugaoan. Also included in the roster are cartoonists Manix Abrera, Hulyen, and Tarantadong Kalbo; and photographers Cru Camara and Sonny Thakur. From artists such as Tyang Karyel and Celline Mer cado come a collection of digital illustrations, while Quatro Hapimeel, Sean Michael Padie, and Wehkid each offer a series of art toys.

Launched in 2020, First Edition began as a cooper

youth

ative fundraiser running a selection of limited-edition archival prints. Two years on, the project will run all types of art, from limited editions to original pieces, without cutting corners on access and affordability.

After I checked the Instagram account of Kids for Kids PH, I felt really glad that they have inspired more and more youth in our country to be agents of change. I am glad that my daughter Meagan is not alone in her quest for a better Philippines. She has always been passionate about education being the key catalyst for our country’s brighter future. She feels bad that our country has been left behind economi cally by so many of our Asian neighbors. She sees my own aunts, uncles and some friends who have worked hard in school and their craft, thrive financially outside of the Philippines. And now that she will be going to university in a few years, she shared to me that even if she is given a chance to study abroad, she would still want to come home because she believes in the future of the Philippines.

I hope all of us can support our “future-forward youths” in their efforts toward the best Philippines.

PHOTO BY MINNIE ZHOU ON UNSPLASH

HAPPY HOLIDAY PILLOW COVERS The Snowman 20” Red Wool Pillow Cover features the charming artwork of Joan Anderson with laser-cut appliques and a variety of embroidery techniques. The Penguin Portrait 23” White Wool Pillow Cover also features the charm ing artwork of Joan Anderson this time creating this darling mufflerclad penguin posed against a snowy sky.

FAUX PINE PRE-LIT LED CHRISTMAS TREES Simply plug in our faux pine tree and watch it twinkle. Studded with white lights, this fool-the-eye evergreen is beautifully crafted to look like the real thing.

SILVER HOLIDAY REINDEER DECORATION Crafted by hand with a modern, abstracted silhouette, flowing curves and a sleek silver finish, our reindeer sculpture gazes at the winter landscape, searching for moss, lichen and ferns to nibble.

DBP lends P500-M for pioneering Level 2 hospital in Alfonso, Cavite

Asian Terminals Inc. nets P1.8B in revenues, up 20% due to higher volumes handled

REFLECTIVE of the country’s economic rebound, listed trade enabler Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) delivered solid results for the nine-month period driven by higher cargo and passenger volumes handled by its gateway ports in Batangas and Manila.

In a regulatory disclosure, ATI reported that its revenues reached P9.78 billion at the end of third quarter, up by 19 percent from P8.22 billion in the same period last year. Net income stood at P1.8 billion, 20.2 percent higher than last year’s P1.5 billion.

Revenues from its international container operations in Manila and Batangas increased by 16.8 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively, while revenues from its non-container operations in Batangas were higher by 68 percent on account of the strong influx of international rolling cargoes and the robust increase of passenger foot-traffic through the modern Batangas Passenger Terminal with the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Batangas Port, the country’s premier car carrier terminal, handled the resurgent imports of major car manufacturers and distributors which reached nearly 170,000

completely-built units, representing an 80 percent year-on-year growth.

Meanwhile, the Batangas Passenger Terminal (BPT), the country’s most modern interisland transport hub, facilitated the safe transit of more than 1.6 million outbound passengers, 252 percent higher compared to September last year.

ATI unveiled a bigger, better, and smarter BPT in June equipped with world-class facilities such as an expansive and fully-airconditioned passenger lounge, orderly ticketing offices, clean and gender-neutral restrooms, provisions for free wi-fi and clean drinking water, and mobility features for the elderly and differently-abled, among others. It also has huge overhead digital boards advising passengers on the schedule of departing vessels, their designated boarding gates, and other relevant announcements.

For the containerized cargo segment, ATI’s Manila South Harbor and Batangas Port handled a consolidated volume of over 1.0 million teus (twenty-foot equivalent units) from January to September, reflecting modest growth with indicators of sustained volume acceleration into the Holiday season.

Mang Inasal supports farmer livelihood project through its Farm Entrepreneurship Program

STATE-OWNED Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has granted P500-million in funding support to a Cavite-based healthcare institution for the construction of a hospital facility to meet the growing demand for health-care services in Cavite and nearby towns, a top official said.

DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said the credit assistance to Ridgeview Hospital and Medical Center, Inc. (RHMCI) under the bank’s Strategic Healthcare Investments for Enhanced Lending & Development (SHIELD) program would be used to finance the construction for the first Level 2 hospital in Alfonso, Cavite.

“DBP’s credit support to RHMCI affirms the bank’s unique role as a catalyst for a more competitive healthcare sector in the country,” Herbosa said. “The bank is ready to bridge the gap in quality medical facilities in the fledgling town of Alfonso.”

DBP is the 8th largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy – infrastructure and

logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises; environment; social services and community development.

RHMCI is a start-up private corporation owned by practicing medical professionals and business experts in Cavite. The new facility will be strategically located in the Metro Tagaytay area and shall be accessible to nearly 500,000 residents of the district and nearby municipalities such as Emilio Aguinaldo, Magallanes, Maragondon, Mendez, Naic, Ternate, Amadeo, Indang, Trece Martires, Silang, Tagaytay, and Nasugbu, Batangas.

Herbosa said under the agreement, P395-million will be utilized to partially finance the construction of a five- storey, Level 2 hospital while the remaining P105-million will cover the acquisition of medical equipment and machineries.

He said the project is expected to contribute to the improvement of the health-care sector in Cavite by increasing the bed-to-population ratio in the eighth district to 1:1,679 from the present 1:2,231.

“This initiative is in line with DBP’s continuing commitment to assist in the

strengthening of the health-care sector amidst the challenges that have emerged as a result of the pandemic,” Herbosa said.

DBP Executive Vice President for Development Lending Paul D. Lazaro said that as of August 31, 2022, the Bank has approved a total of P37.5-billion in loans to 143 projects under the DBP SHIELD Program, which extends financing to health-care enterprises to ensure a more responsive and accessible health-care system in the country.

He said the loan facility has helped partner health-care institutions to increase overall bed capacity in the country by more than 8,300 beds and to address increased demand for quality medical care of Filipinos across the country.

“DBP’s SHIELD directly supports the Philippine Development Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 3 – Good Health and Well-being, which aims for universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services as well as safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all,” Lazaro said.

Binay graces launch of Serta, the Philippines‘ new sleep hub as it opens first PHL flaghip store in Greenbelt 5

2022. Aside from that, shoppers can also avail of Serta’s Holiday Bundle Deals, which are perfect to add comfort to their bedrooms or as gifts to their loved ones. These bundle deals include two Ball Fiber Pillow in a Bag for only P2,500, and two Ball Fiber Pillow and one Bolster Ball Fiber in a Bag for only P4,000.

“Since the arrival of Serta in the Philippines last year, we have seen how Filipinos love celebrating and enjoying all the comfort and convenience they can have. This Holiday Season with its cozy weather, we’re sharing these delightful deals to add merriment and fun to every Filipino home. We hope that through this Serta New Sleep Hub, we’ll be able to further share our goal of providing comfort to more people,” Setiawan added.

HAVE you ever thought about the ingredients being used to get that savory, juicy, and deliciously chargrilled Chicken Inasal? Where does Mang Inasal even get it?

“Every Chicken Inasal order contributes to the livelihood of smallholder farmers under the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) of the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF),” said Mang Inasal Business Unit Head Mike V. Castro “This is because FEP farmers supply fresh ginger, one of many natural ingredients used to make the marinade of our famous Chicken Inasal.”

FEP is a multi-awarded initiative that enables and empowers smallholder farmers with leadership skills, and systems needed to collectively market their produce to institutional buyers like Mang Inasal, resulting in increased and sustained income.

“There are many barriers that our farmers face today in getting their crops to markets and suppliers,” Castro added. “By purchasing directly from farmers, Mang Inasal is able to support our farmers and uplift them, so they have more opportunities to earn and become entrepreneurs themselves.”

The group supplying ginger to Mang Inasal is the AGAP Farmers’ Association. It has 37 ginger farmers from three clusters who used to sell their vegetables on their own and struggled to find a stable market.

With JGF and its partner Ahon sa Hirap Inc. (ASHI), farmers from Laguna and Rizal learned to work together as clusters and produce ginger that adheres to the quality standards set by an institutional market like Mang Inasal.

In 2021, their first year as Mang Inasal suppliers, the farmers delivered 22% of the company’s requirements for the year.

Vicente Bojawe, 58, is one of the farmers

THE

“At first, it was a big challenge for us to deliver to a big market as we needed training and we lacked experience. Through Jollibee Group Foundation and ASHI, we received guidance and achieved our dream of delivering to Mang Inasal,” he shared. Vicente’s increased earnings helped him build his house and invest more in his farm.

So next time you find yourself craving for a hearty, “Ihaw-Sarap” meal, don’t hesitate to visit your nearest Mang Inasal branch and order the Chicken Inasal meal.

Continue to support our farmers by ordering Mang Inasal’s Chicken Inasal meal via dine-in, takeout, or delivery via the Mang Inasal Delivery App, http://manginasaldelivery. com.ph/, GrabFood, and foodpanda.

SERTA , the world’s chosen brand of comfort, officially opened its first ever flagship store in the Philippines on November 10, 2022. Dubbed the country’s New Sleep Hub, this latest Serta Center is located at the 3rd Level of Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

“We are all excited and delighted to welcome everyone to the Philippines’ New and First Sleep Hub that will let us all experience life at its best. Now, more than ever, Filipinos deserve a truly relaxing and invigorating sleep that will inspire them to wake up each day filled with positive energy and happiness,” Serta Philippines Inc. President Indra Setiawan shared.

The first Serta Philippines’ Flagship

Store offers all its world-renowned collections highlighted by its innovative sleep solution such as 5-zone and 7-zone pocket spring technology that offer superior comfort that lasts. Customers can choose from Serta’s Celestial Collection (Athena, Freya, Eleos), Pedic Collection (iProminence, iBreeze,iSplendor, iBalance), Perfect Sleeper Collection (World Edition, Premier Suite, Grand Suite), Perfect Spine Collection (Ambassador, Reserve, Monarch), and Sleep True Collection (Ultimate, Elite, Prestige).

To celebrate this newest store, Serta is offering a 35 percent discount on Perfect Sleeper Mattresses, and a 25 percent discount on other Serta collections when they purchase from November 1 to December 31,

Serta’s Philippine Flagship Store is open from Sunday to Thursday at 11am to 9pm, and from Friday to Saturday at 11am to 10pm.

Preferred by many homes, hotels, and other hospitality businesses around the globe, Serta is here to help Filipinos achieve healthy sleep through its smartly designed products boost with a high-quality sleep technology system suited for the comfort and support we deserve.

To know more about Serta Philippines and its products, you may visit https://serta.com.ph/. You may also contact Serta Flagship Store in Greenbelt 5, Makati City through +63917 821 8385 or via gb5boutique@ serta.com.ph. Follow Serta Philippines on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news, updates, and promos.

PHOTO shows DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Herbosa (seated, 3rd from left) with other key officials of DBP and RHMCI during the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the two institutions. Seated from left are DBP Senior Vice President Daniel Gonzales; RHMCI President Fr. Arturo Joseph Balagat; RHMCI Chairman Dr. Christopher Cabida; and DBP Executive Vice President Paul Lazaro. Standing from left are Russel Lance Ragudo of DBP, DBP Assistant Vice President Brian Niño Juniller; Dr. Jerome Idea, Dr. Jenny Lynn Idea, Dr. Cipriano Delos Reyes, and Caroline Cabida of RHMCI; Mgr. Ana Patricia Gaviola and Christine Allaine Saporsantos of DBP.

FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT: Cristalle Belo-Pitt, Belo Medical Group Managing Director; Dr. Vicky Belo, Founder and Medical Director; Rep. Luis Campos, Jr., of the 2nd District of Makati; Makati Mayor Abigail Binay, Indra Setiawan, President, Serta Philippines, Inc.; William Lee, Executive Vice President, RGC Group of Companies; Eddie Gallor, Executive Vice President, RGC Group of Companies Head of Automotive; and Bigboy Cheng, RGC Group of Companies Corporate PR Director

AGAP Famers Association, which delivers ginger to Mang Inasal through the Jollibee Group Foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program, is primarily assisted by microfinance non-government organization Ahon sa Hirap, Inc. under AGAP.

BDO FOUNDATION AIDS COMMUNITIES HIT BY TYPHOON NENENG, EARTHQUAKE. The corporate social responsibility

arm of BDO Unibank recently mounted relief operations in Northern Luzon, providing aid to thousands of Filipinos affected by Typhoon Neneng and a 6.4-magnitude earthquake. In line with its disaster response advocacy, BDO Foundation immediately mobilized volunteers for the distribution of relief packs containing food, rice and drinking water in underserved communities. The disaster response efforts benefited more than 4,800 families displaced by floods in Cagayan and 2,970 families in Abra, which was hit by an earthquake for the second time this year. The relief operations were made possible with the support of BDO branches, parishes and social welfare offices in affected areas.

Envoys&Expats

Madrid Embassy commemorates PHL-Spain relations’ anniversary

THE Philippine Embassy in Madrid and its partners kicked off events that marked the 75th year of the diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Spain.

Said embassy coordinated with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) in holding a forum on October 27 at the latter’s Faculty of Geography and History.

Vice Rector Damaso López García welcomed the Philippine delegation to the university. Former NHCP chair and professor Dr. Lamberto Ocampo, National Museum’s Board of Trustees chair Evangelina Lourdes Arroyo-Bernas, NHCP Commissioner Lino Dizon, UCM Dean of the Faculty of Geography and History Dr. Miguel Luque Talavan, Dr. María Dolores Elizalde Pérez-Grueso of Spain’s research arm Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and Dr. Rafael RodríguezPonga Salamanca of Universitat Abat Oliba CEU expounded on the shared history of the Philippines and Spain, then provided insights into deepening and improving the quality of relationship between the two countries.

The forum—part of the activities under the Extraordinary Chair of Philippine Studies or Cátedra Ex-

traordinaria de Filipinas— allowed attendees to share their thoughts on reinforcing the engagement with the Spanish people, including educating the audience on the history and continuing relationship of the Philippines and Spain.

Members of CSIC and UCM’s faculty, as well as graduate and postgraduate students completing their thesis in the Philippines, attended the event.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on September 27, 1947. The “Treaty of Friendship” between the Republic of the Philippines and the government of Spain was also signed on that day.

Further, the embassy also inaugurated on October 27 “Victoria y Humanidad” —an exhibit that featured sketches of Filipino illustrator Roderick Macutay who reimagined the initial interactions of Filipino natives with Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães (Ferdinand Magellan) and the first Spanish explorers who arrived in the Philippines in 1521.

The exhibit was part of the myriad of activities that the NHCP and

the National Museum had with the Spanish Embassy to commemorate the quincentennial of the first circumnavigation of the world. Filipino and Spanish books on the subject were displayed alongside the exhibit.

Ambassador to Spain Philippe J. Lhuillier thanked UCM for providing a space that provided a glimpse of places in the Philippines, which are now part of world history, as well as established the first links that connected Spain to the Philippines, and Europe to Asia.

He added that “the Philippines remains committed to Spain as the gateway to Southeast Asia, thus our desire to nurture connections through official means, but also through cultural and people-topeople exchanges.”

The exhibit was at the Faculty of Geography and History, and remained until the first week of November 2022. It was displayed thereafter at the Philippine Embassy

as part of the activities commemorating the anniversary. Prior to the exhibit’s arrival in Madrid, the illustrations were on display at the National Museum.

The following day Ambassador Lhuillier donated a full-size bronze statue of Philippine hero Jose Rizal to the UCM at a ceremonial turnover on October 28.

The event was part of the Philippine Embassy and university´s agreement under the “Cátedra.” Dr. Lamberto Ocampo gave a brief lecture on Rizal during the latter’s studies in Madrid as a way to “humanize” the hero, and make people aware that he was an ordinary person who had his share of struggles as a Filipino living abroad, yet also answered the call to be of service to his country.

Lhuillier remarked that 125 years after his death, Rizal continues to inspire Filipinos and connect the Philippines with Spain. He added that the event honored the hero’s legacy, then thanked UCM for its role in nurturing him as a student, as well as Spain which provided him the environment to become the hero of the Philippines.

The “Cátedra,” which was initially proposed by Senator Loren Legarda and subsequently funded by the Philippine Congress, is envisioned to provide Spanish students in the undergraduate and graduate levels with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the country through conferences on various fields of Philippine studies, as well as seminars, exhibits and other activities.

An independent Poland: Foundation of Western security

By Mateusz Morawiecki Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland

ON November 11, 1918

Poland regained its independence. This event occurred 123 years after the First Polish Republic had ceased to exist, a result of an arrangement between three powers: Russia, Prussia and Austria.

During that time—although Poland disappeared from the map of Europe—it never ceased to exist in the hearts of Poles. During those 123 years of subjugation, Poles tried various ways to assert their autonomy. They fought for freedom in numerous uprisings, but it was only during the First World War that the geopolitical environment provided the right conditions for reconstructing an independent and sovereign state.

The history of Poland’s fall and resurrection during 123 years is basic knowledge for every Pole. Sadly, it is little known in the West. And yet, it is a story that involves the destruction of a major European state. Known as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it was attacked and suppressed by its neighbors. Not only were the Polish people deprived of their freedom, but so too were Lithuanians and Ukrainians.

not just Poland, but all of Europe.

There is a striking resemblance between Poland’s fight for its independence in the past, and Ukraine’s current struggle against Russia. Putin’s propaganda machine is also trying to prove that Ukraine does not exist as an independent state and that, de facto, there is no such thing as a Ukrainian nation. In February, when Russia invaded Ukraine, nobody believed that the latter could win. Its fate, like Poland’s a century before, appeared to be sealed. And yet this, too, has proved not to be the case.

SECRETARY Amenah Pangandaman recently expressed the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) intent in fostering collaboration with the United Kingdom to help attain the country’s sustainable development goals, as she recently received British Ambassador Laure Beaufils.

Pangandaman is also optimistic about her next meeting with the UK envoy to discuss ways on improving access to climate finance, and bring progress to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Thank you Ambassador…Beaufils for visiting DBM. I look forward to our collaborations for sustainable development, continuing our conversation on access to climate finance, and to forging pathways as Mindanao develops to uplift the lives of the people in BARMM,” she stated.

In September Beaufils announced that the British International In-

vestment will allocate £500 million in Southeast Asia for the next five years, with the Philippines as “one of the three focus countries.”

The diplomat said economic development, maritime cooperation, climate change adaptation and technology would serve as pillars of Philippine-UK relationship under the Marcos administration.

She added that her country will continue to work with the Philip-

pines on maintaining peace and stability in the region, including on maritime law and maritime-domain awareness.

With NZ envoy

PREVIOUSLY, Pangandaman also met with Ambassador Peter Kell of New Zealand to explore possible cooperation in various areas.

“I am specifically interested… to forge collaboration with New

Zealand’s [government-to-government] facility to move forward with our public sector and governance reforms,” the secretary said in another post.

Pangandaman also shared with Kell the Marcos administration’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda and priorities—including the implementation of full devolution of basic services and facilities from the national government to local government units, the DBM said in a statement on its official Facebook page.

Kell, the DBM reported, also relayed New Zealand’s keen desire in supporting the ongoing peace process in BARMM by providing livelihood and helping indigenous communities.

“We look forward to more years of friendship and diplomatic relations with New Zealand,” said Pangandaman, as quoted by the DBM. Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/PNA

The First Polish Republic was also the first advanced republican project in Europe. While the Western experience of modernity was based on a strong and centralized state, Poland sought to become a more decentralized entity that offered its citizens greater liberty. It was not a flawless project, and ultimately it was crushed by the brutal force of its invaders. But its ambitions of creating a space in which many nations and cultures could co-exist is still valid today. This alternative path for modernity could be an inspiration for the contemporary European Union.

Poland celebrates its Independence Day on November 11.

On November 10, 1918 Józef Piłsudski, the man who contributed most to Poland’s liberation, arrived in Warsaw. The following day saw the end of the First World War. And yet for Poland, this was just the beginning of its struggle. Over the next two years the young nation had to deal with threats from both the east and the west.

Neither revolutionary Russia nor Germany recognized Poland’s independence. In 1920 the Red Army arrived at the gates of Warsaw. At the same time German propaganda referred to Poland as a temporary state. Although the Second Polish Republic appeared doomed, this proved not to be the case. Piłsudski’s army saw off the Bolshevik onslaught and saved

The experiences of Poland and Ukraine alike demonstrate that history is not a trap from which one cannot escape, and that even the power of a mighty state must take seriously the power of a nation which desires freedom. Many a time, history has proven the advocates of historical Darwinism wrong.

Some regard Poland’s location on the world map to be a curse. I would rather see it as a blessing. Conscious of the dangers they face, the Poles have developed a specific geopolitical sense; i.e., that of prudence, which gives them greater clarity in seeing the challenges and threats they face. It comes as no surprise that Poland was the first country to warn others of the revival of Russian imperialism. Over the centuries we have learned to be vigilant.

This vigilance makes us see independence as a work in progress. That is why we will soon be spending 3 percent of our gross domestic product on security. That is why we built the Baltic Pipeline as a check on Nord Stream and Russian interests. That is why we are investing in building nuclear plants. Independence is decided on many fronts nowadays, with border protection being just one of them. We care about Poland’s independence as we feel responsible for future generations of Poles. As the leader on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s eastern flank, Poland protects the entire organization. Western countries can count on Poland today, just as they could 100 years ago.

TAIWAN ASSISTS The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) provided humanitarian aid to help recovery efforts for survivors of Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” (international name Nalgae). Representative Michael Peiyung Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (third from right) donated $400,000 (about P24 million) as disaster-relief fund at a handover ceremony on November 11. Chairperson Silvestre H. Bello III, who is the resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, accepted the donation on behalf of the Philippine government. Hsu expressed Taiwan’s condolences and sympathies to the survivors and their families. The republic has so far donated $1.1 million (P63 million) for disaster relief since 2021. Teco said it will continue to collaborate with the Philippines on disaster prevention and climate resilience, while strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture, education and tourism, among others. TECO IN THE PHILIPPINES

POWER TO THE PRESS United Kingdom’s envoy Laure Beaufils addressed journalists during the Media Freedom Reception at the British ambassador’s residence early last week. The diplomat called for the protection of “free media and free speech,” as well as an end to impunity against members of the press, while she decried what she termed as an ongoing pandemic of “disinformation” amid polarization and widespread algorithms over digital platforms. The ambassador also disclosed that the European Union’s Media Freedom Coalition is pushing for a “Philippine Plan of Action” to protect local journalists. MIKE POLICARPIO

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL Marylin Serrano was awarded the prestigious Presidential Medal by Nikenike Vurobaravu, president of the Republic of Vanuatu, on November 2. Serrano, who served as president of the Vanuatu International Women’s Group, was recognized for her long-standing, dedicated service to the community and in particular, for her notable role in advocating for women’s and children’s welfare in Vanuatu. Through the IWG, other international events and her individual endeavors, the awardee was instrumental in raising funds for social projects across the island-nation to help those in need. The Presidential Medal of the Vanuatu government is the highest civilian honor presented to individuals who have achieved particularly meritorious contributions to the development and prosperity of its people. CANBERRA PCG/DFA

eyes linkages with UK, NZ for BARMM, sustainable devt

AMBASSADOR KELL and the DBM chief FB: SECRETARY AMENAH PANGANDAMAN

AMBASSADOR Lhuillier and the donated bronze statue of Jose Rizal MADRID PE

MORAWIECKI

Amores needs help–NCAA

By Josef Ramos

JOHN ANTHONY AMORES’S

turbulent young career is a human story and he needs help, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Policy Board President Dr. Jose Paolo Campos said on Wednesday.

“ He [Amores] really needs help and, as we are a Christian country, our narrative is that after the fall is redemption, so this is a human story,” Campos, of season host Emilio Aguinaldo College, added in a news conference called hours after Jose Rizal University expelled Amores.

I am hoping John Amores will find his own redemption in time,” Campos added.

A mores was a bad boy of the NCAA, having initiated on-court fights against several teams. He ran amok against the College of Saint Benilde Blazers last week and was suspended for the rest of the season.

That proved to be the last straw in his tumultuous stint in a Heavy Bomber jersey in the 98-year-old league.

Campos said that they just cannot shut the door on a person’s future “where an individual can no longer play,” adding that the authority of the league “only stays on the playing years of the players and not go beyond.”

“ We don’t really wish his life ends.

I am hoping he has the fortitude and patience that one day he will come back and maybe he’ll be a good player someday, a basketball player of course,” Campos said.

The authority of the NCAA has its own boundary where the school takes over and we can’t meddle with it,” Campos said. “We are very willing to help him, but it’s not going to happen overnight. We believe JRU will also help him.”

Oshima, Japan wrests 3-stroke lead in round 2

MINATO OSHIMA handled the difficult wind conditions better than anyone else Wednesday to card the day’s best score of five-under 67 spiked by an eagle and power Japan to a three-stroke lead over Korea at the halfway point of the 29th Nomura Cup at the Masters course of the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona, Cavite.

Oshima made an early bogey mistake on the 13th hole after teeing off on the 10th but sizzled from there, carding an eagle on the par-5 15th then picked up four more birdies on his remaining holes to give Japan the needed boost in its bid to match the 10 victories of Australia in this event also known as the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship.

Yuta Sugiura stayed steady with a three-under 69 for the other half of Japan’s 136 total for the day that pushed the Japanese atop the leaderboard at 274,

LASCUÑA ON TRACK

TONY LASCU Ñ A topped a gripping battle of nerves with Angelo Que in a duel that extended to 19th hole, Guido van der Valk survived a big scare to somewhat get even with Jerson Balasabas, 2&1, and Clyde Mondilla leaned on another big windup for a 2-up win over Jay Bayron Wednesday.

W ith Lloyd Go posting a second straight runaway win, a 7&5 rout of Zanieboy Gialon, Miguel Tabuena battling back from three holes down to frustrate Rupert Zaragosa after three extra holes, and the troika of Fidel Concepcion, Gerald Rosales and Keanu Jahns upended their respective higher-ranked rivals, the second day of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Villamor Match Play more than hinted at the coming of riveting clashes in the last three head-to-head stages at the Villamor Golf Club.

Finally, I beat him (in match play). I lost to him twice in the North vs South duel,” said Lascuña after edging Que on the first extra hole that ended a compelling shootout between two of the Philippine Golf Tour’s (PGT) winningest and revered shotmakers.

It’s an exciting and interesting game. I made eight birdies and Que had nine,” said Lacuna, who took charge twice but ended up at all-

14 under par. Korea, however, stayed close on the heels of the Japanese by matching their 136 second round output for a 277 total.

“Glad to have played well we are going to attack and try to go for as many birdies in the next two days,” said Sugiura, who kept a share of the individual lead at 136 with Oshima, Yubin Jang of Korea (68) and James Leow of Singapore (72) right behind them at 138.

Ne w Zealand (140) and Singapore (144) were tied for third with similar 281s, Chinese-Taipei (145) was fifth at 283 while first day leader Australia slumped to a 150 despite Jack Buchanan’s 70 and dropped to sixth at 285.

The Philippines, meanwhile, could only score a 151 and fell to solo ninth place from a share of sixth the previous day.

square after 9 holes.

Que won the first two holes at the back but the second ranked Lascuña fought back to send the match back to where it started with the latter pouncing on the former’s missed drive on their return to No. 1 and finishing with a routine par to clinch the duel that set up the four-time Order of Merit winner to a quarterfinal clash with former national teammate Gerald Rosales.

R osales, the all-Filipino Philippine Open champion in 2000 and ranked No. 23 here, turned back 2019 PGT Palos Verdes leg winner and seventh seed Reymon Jaraula, 3&1, to match the reversals

posted by No. 27 Fidel Concepcion over No. 22 Anthony Fernando, 2&1, and No. 24 Keanu Jahns over eighth-ranked Jhonnel Ababa, 1-up.

T he Last 8 men standing actually brace for a test of staying power with two matches on tap Thursday with the quarterfinal set in the morning and the survivors disputing the final berths in the afternoon.

Van der Valk faces Jahns, Tabuena tests Go’s mettle, and Mondilla battles Concepcion and Lascuña tangles with Rosales in clashes that could go either way.

The top-seeded Van der Valk dominated Balasabas in their first clash since the latter edged the former in sudden death to win the Philippine Masters here in 2018, winning three of the first six holes.

BROWNLEE GETS CONGRESS NOD

By Jovee Marie Dela Cruz

THE House Committee on Justice on Wednesday approved House Bill 825 granting Philippine citizenship to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel import Justin Brownlee.

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez commended Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) award-winning American import Brownlee on his bid to become a Filipino and possibly play for Gilas Pilipinas in international competitions.

Romualdez also expressed gratitude to his colleagues from the House committee on justice after approving House Bill (HB) No. 825 filed by 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero through the motion of Cavite Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga, Jr. granting Philippine citizenship to Brownlee.

“Mabuhay ka, Justin Brownlee. This early, it’s already an honor to call you ‘kababayan’ because of your desire to serve the Philippine flag,” Romualdez said on his Facebook post.

Under HB No. 825, Brownlee “shall enter upon the full enjoyment of Philippine citizenship” after taking his oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines if Congress approves the measure.

Ikeda forges semifinals duel with Malixi

HIHIRO IKEDA and Rianne Malixi produced another pair of lopsided wins to arrange an explosive showdown while Harmie Constantino needed to fend off a late-charging Sunshine Baraquiel to forge a clash with Marvi Monsalve in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Villamor Match Play at the Villamor Golf Club Wednesday.

ut the faceoff between the top seed and the fancied amateur ensues before the finals as Ikeda ripped

Lovelynn Guioguio, 7&6, and Malixi posted a second straight 3&2 win, this time over Gretchen Villacencio in the Last 8 phase of the first head-to-head battle on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT).

n the other half of the draw, Constantino fashioned out a 3&1 victory over Baraquiel after surviving a back-and-forth skirmish with amateur Mafy Singson, 1-up, in the first day of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. to advance to the semis, while Monsalve rallied late to repel Florence Bisera, 1-up, after booting out Lucy Landicho, 3&2, Tuesday.

I keda, who trounced Martina Miñoza, 4&2, in the first round of the 16-player draw Tuesday, wrested control after four holes, went 3-up after 8 then coasted to victory at the back where the Manila Southwoods and AsiaGlobal Technologies, Inc.backed ace practically warmed up for her keenly awaited duel with the 15-year-old Malixi.

Malixi is playing very good now, so I will just play my game,” said Ikeda, seeking to add the match play crown to her victories at Mount Malarayat and Eagle Ridge-Aoki that netted her the Order of Merit diadem.

Winner of all three legs she had competed in this year’s LPGT, Malixi took command after the sixth hole and preserved a three-hole cushion she had built after No. 12 all the way to the finish to match her romp against Pamela Mariano in the first round.

“ Last 4 holes my irons were a little bit off but I was able to pull up some putts, the most crucial was my 6-footer (on No. 16) for the win,” said Malixi, who is also coming off a remarkable campaign in Thailand where she won the Thai Junior World title, placed second in the Thai Amateur Open and tied for third in the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Championship.

M alixi maintains putting will be key not only against the seasoned Ikeda but also in her title drive where a win on Friday would cap a dominant campaign on the circuit she dominated with victories at Luisita, Valley and Riviera.

“ Putting will be key and hopefully I’ll improve on my iron shots and focus on my distance,” said the ICTSIbacked two-time American Junior Golf Association winner.

Ballester, Gavales bag arnis, wrestling medals in martial arts festival

MARIA MAE BALLESTER

pocketed two gold medals in arnis while wrestler Alliah Rose Gavales made the podium in two junior cadet categories in the 8th Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Women’s Martial Arts Festival at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Wednesday.

B allester ruled the senior’s traditional single weapon and double weapon in the forms competition, a similar feat that Melody Legaspi and Cloie Tutor pulled off in the junior division.

Tutor convinced the judges in traditional single and double weapon events while Legaspi impressed at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium with a near-flawless routine in the nontraditional single and double weapon.

At the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Gavales brought down Cathlyn Vergara, 4-1, in the gold-medal match of the 63-kg freestyle event and picked up a silver in the 57-kg traditional category after dropping her match against a more experienced Amber Arcilla, 10-9.

Besides the 19-year-old Gavales,

cadet wrestlers Charmel Gem Angana (53 kgs freestyle), Hannah Khariz Alipala (57 kgs traditional), Xylem Villanueva (68kgs), Kristine Joy Oberez (52 kgs classic) and M-Jhay Cater (58 kgs) topped their respective divisions.

Junior freestyle grappler Nashica Tumasis (53 kgs) and classic junior wrestlers Melissa Tumasis (52 kgs), Nicole Pinlac (58 kgs) and Rhea Cervantes (63 kgs) emerged triumphant at the festival organized by the PSC with the backing of Pocari Sweat and Go21.

Veteran grapplers from the

It is actually two ONE Championship events happening on the same day—in the Philippines and other parts of Asia. Called One Fight Night 5, the first live ONE event in the country since January 2020 rolls out at 9 a.m. and can be watched from home over Cignal TV. In the US and other parts of the world, the same event is called ONE on Prime Video 5 and will be a TGIF evening pow-wow accessed through Amazon Prime. Hint, hint. ONE is moving towards a western spread.

The action keeps rolling all day as ONE Fight Night 5 ends and ONE 164: Pacio vs. Brooks begins at 5:30 p.m., also at the MOA Arena.

national team didn’t disappoint either as Jiah Pingot subdued Lady May Carabuena in the freestyle senior 53 kgs class and Grace Loberanes defeated Kimberly Jhoy Bondad in the 57 kgs traditional event.

The other winners in the national sport of arnis were Angelyn Datuin in the senior non-traditional single weapon, Cristine Mae Nacua in the senior non-traditional double weapon and the trio of Angela Callanta, Eliyah Cervantes and Liendhzay Gigante in the synchronized mixed traditional-espada y daga event.

Romero said Brownlee has brought enormous pride and joy to the PBA and  to all Filipino basketball enthusiasts.

Truthfully, Mr. Brownlee has brought enormous pride and joy to all of Filipino basketball fans through his hard work in the PBA,” Romero said in his sponsorship speech. “Since 2018, Mr. Brownlee has been consistent with his desire to make our country his permanent home and is very much willing and able to represent the Philippines in the international basketball scene as a member of Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Basketball team.”

Jenelyn “The Graceful” Olsim, who last saw action against Brazilian Julie Mezabarba last June. This time the MMA fighter who dreams of one day becoming a lawyer faces off with Chinese tough cookie Meng Bo.

The evening will also see the return of Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, who last fought in November 2020, showing how relevant he still is against Chinaman Hu Yong. Young Lakay Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw will prove he was just sidetracked by Fabricio Andrade in their last fight by asserting his all-around game against Myanmar’s Tial “The Dragon Leg” Thang.

ONE Fight Night 5, ONE 164

AFTER an almost three-year drought of live mixed martial arts (MMA) action in Manila from ONE Championship, here comes a single-day deluge of honest-to-goodness “kung fu fighting” that will delight Pinoy MMA fans.

O n Saturday, December 3, the Mall of Asia Arena will be the venue of a non-stop martial arts extravaganza starting mid-morning and ending oh, probably till the witching hour or beyond—depending on how fast or slow the outcomes of the different fights go.

P inoy MMA athletes—whose presence in the live, closed-door ONE events in Singapore from late 2020 to November 2022 was rare and infrequent—suddenly explode in the December 3 all day, all night treat.

Nine Pinoys are seeing action in the twin events—three in the morning and six in the evening. Fil-Am MMA star Jackie Buntan and Denice “Lycan Queen” Zamboanga provide the early sparks in the Friday evening-Saturday morning hostilities. Pinoy MMA folk hero Eduard “Landslide” Folayang will defy Father Time as he battles Edson Marques later on in the cards.

I n ONE 164, Team Lakay rides high as six from the Cordilleras show off their smarts and wares, beginning with

Denice Zamboanga’s brother Drex is in this blockbuster event too. He will tangle with whoever wins ONE’s currently ongoing ONE Warrior Series Philippines, a TV reality show competition to discover the next big Filipino martial arts star. The winner gets a $100,000 contract, the privilege of fighting in ONE 164 and inclusion in ONE’s roster, plus being part of Team Lakay.

But the Big Thing in ONE 164 is of course, the main event. Lakay brave Joshua “The Passion” Pacio has been sitting on the ONE World strawweight throne since he regained the throne in April 2019. He has defended his belt thrice, went through an injury and Covid during the height of the pandemic, but fought his most brilliant fight yet upon his return from that long absence against Yosuke Saruta in

September 2021.

W hile Constantino, who marked her rookie season with two victories, both at Eagle Ridge-Aoki, last year, looks to have an edge over Monsalve in the other semis matchup, the latter also can’t wait to prove her worth after moving two wins away from nailing a career breakthrough in the circuit put up by ICTSI.

My plan is to accept the bad shots and try to hit birdies with my putting and not through approach shots since my long game and irons aren’t still 100 percent,” said Monsalve.

She was actually a hole down against Bisera after No. 14 but took the next two to wrest control then held on to the finish to hack out the come-from-behind win.

Now the last Filipino champion standing is staking his belt against the mean, nasty and dangerous Jared Brooks.

Fond of trash-talking, bragging and going fee-fie-fo-fum, the 29-year old is a fearsome opponent indeed. His last loss was in 2018 against Jose Torres in another promotion. Since then he has done away with Lito Adiwang, Koha Minowa and Bokang Masunyane in quick succession in ONE, thus earning the right to challenge Pacio.

Pacio is taking in all of the pressure heading into his world title defense against Brooks in stride.

“ Finally after almost two years, ONE Championship is back here in the Philippines! I’m really excited because the last time I fought, there was no audience.” Pacio said. “It motivates me a lot because I’ll be defending my world title in front of my countrymen.

He is not fazed by the so-called experts’ pick on who will win their 164 encounter. He is not affected by Brooks’ trash-talking either. “I’m just focused on my training and our game plan. I will enter the Circle and show a Joshua Pacio you haven’t seen before. I know his strength is wrestling, but I have a lot of tools in my game that I haven’t yet demonstrated inside the Circle,” the ONE world champion said.

[I want] to show him who’s the best strawweight on the planet and who the real daddy is.”

TONY LASCUÑA and Chihiro Ikeda are towing the match play field. ROY DOMINGO

A GIANT leap for Justine Brownlee’s naturalization.