BusinessMirror November 22, 2022

NATL GOVT BORROWINGS FOR 10 MOS DIP TO P2.75T

BOI TO MISS P1-T GOAL; 11-MO PROJECTS AT P644B

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

Omicron risk of quarantine

billion), Retail Treasury Bonds/Premyo Bonds (P463.3 billion), Retail Onshore Dollar Bonds (P80.84 billion). In the same period, there was also a net redemption of Treasury Bills amounting to P43.94 billion.

By Andrea E. San Juan

OVER 3-M FARMERS LISTED FOR P75-B COCO LEVY FUND

Acting Presidential spokesperson Karlo B. Nograles

Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) suspended the implementation of its Resolution No. 150A (s.2021), effectively imposing stricter protocols for all inbound

To note, IATF Resolution 150A had allowed fully vaccinated non-visa travelers from Green List areas to enter the country without the need for facility-based quarantine as long as they secure negative Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) test within 72 hours prior to their departure.

THEBoard of Investments (BOI) is confident that it can surpass last year’s investment approvals after it gave its nod to P644.4 billion worth of projects as of November 15.

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

Net debt redemption means there were more debts repaid compared to the amount borrowed during the period.

Meanwhile, gross foreign borrowings in the same period also contracted by 9.7 percent to P518.7 billion from last year’s P574.4 billion.

In a statement on Monday, the Department of Trade and Industry said as of November 15,2022, the BOI has approved a total of P644.4 billion, which it said was 73.51 per cent higher than the P371.4-billion approved investments during the same period last year.

This was raised through global bonds (P146.17 billion), program loans (P139.98 billion), euro-denominated bonds (P121.97 billion), a project loan (P86.41 billion), and yen-denominated samurai bonds (P24.19 billion).  See “Borrowings,” A2

O f the total amount, the BOI said 81 percent or P518.3 billion ac counted for domestic investments, while 19 percent or P126.1 billion came from foreign sources.

MORE than 3 million coconut farmers and workers are now registered with the government’s registry, which serves as the basis for the number of people to be covered by the utilization of the P75-billion coconut levy fund.

A s to the breakdown of invest ments per sector, the attached agency of the Trade department re vealed that the highest investment was committed to the power sector at P343.8 billion. This was followed by Information and Communica tion with P197 billion; Administra tive and Support Services activities with P26.8 billion; Transportation and Storage with P25.2 billion; and Real Estate with P23.8 billion.

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Deputy Administrator Roel M. Rosales said about 3.11 million coconut farmers and farm workers have been registered with the government since it started up-

See “BOI,” A2

Govt likely lost ₧.5B in tariff cuts on agri imports

THE government may have lost over half a billion pesos in tariff collections due to Executive Order 171 which reduced tariffs on imports of various com modities, according to the Federa tion of Free Farmers (FFF).

T hese losses, FFF said, should be enough reason for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reject his economic managers’ proposal to retain lower tariffs on imported rice until the end of 2023.

In terms of rice importation, FFF said, rice from Pakistan would have been competitive against those from Vietnam, the largest exporter to the Philippines, even if the former’s tar iff had been retained at 50 percent.

“Although imports from Paki stan and other countries outside ASEAN arrived at a cheaper price because of lower tariffs, ordinary consumers did not benefit because most of the imports were for pre mium grades of rice. If ever trad ers passed on any cost benefits to consumers, the beneficiaries were

the rich consumers of Indian Bas mati rice, Japanese sticky rice, or exotic rice dishes in five-star res taurants,” said Raul Montemayor, FFF National Manager.

Montemayor saw no additional benefit to the country in extending EO 171, since Pakistan is poised to curtail its rice exports in the coming months following massive floods that hit its rice production areas.

Moreover, India, the only realistic alternative to Pakistan, imposed a 20-percent tax on its rice exports in order to preserve its own stocks fol lowing similar climatic disturbances.

“Instead of looking outside ASEAN, the Philippines should reduce its de pendence on Vietnam by develop ing supply arrangements with other ASEAN countries like Cambodia and Myanmar. This strategy will not re quire any tariff adjustment, will not incur any losses in customs duties, and will even improve our trade relation ships with our ASEAN neighbors,” Montemayor said.

MARCOS, HARRIS MEET, TACKLE RENEWABLE ENERGY, DEFENSE

dating its registry following the enactment of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund law.

Rosales explained that about 500,000 coconut farmers and workers were added to the PCA’s 2018 list that had about 2.5 million coconut farmers and farm workers.

The PCA’s next step is to conduct an exclusion-inclusion procedure by making the updated farmers’ registry public, providing everyone the opportunity to check the veracity of the list, Rosales added.

“The list will be posted in public spaces where people can easily see

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

H arris talked about the po tential investment deals which will help the country expand its use of renewable energy and

potential contribution to job generation.

We will talk more about what that means in terms of the op portunities that are presented through our mutual concern about the climate crisis and what we might do in terms of invest ments and renewable energy and thinking about clean power and the industries that will come about because of that commit ment,” Harris said.

S he also gave assurances the US will continue to honor its de fense agreement with the coun try amid its ongoing territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea.

An armed attack on the Philippines armed forces, pub lic vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US Mutual Defense commit ments. And that is an unwaver

them. This allows everyone to see who are listed in the registry and if farmer doesn’t see his name then he shall coordinate with the PCA immediately,” he explained at a recent dialogue with coconut farmers.

“On the other hand, if people would see names on the list and they think they are not coconut farmers or their details are incorrect, they can report it to the PCA for immediate action,” he added.

The PCA official noted that the completion of the initial list of coconut farmers registry would be just in time for the expected rollout of coconut levy-funded

ing commitment that we have to the Philippines,” Harris said.

So again, I will reiterate that the alliance between the United States and the Philippines is a strong one and enduring one, and only under your leadership continues to be strengthened,” she added.

US always in PHL future

FOR his part, Marcos stressed the cou ntry continues to consider the US as its indispensable ally.

“I do not see a future for the Philippines that does not include the United States. And that really has—that really has come from the very long relationship that we have had with the US,” Marcos said.

However, Marcos reiterated his previous statement that the country’s relationship with the US must “evolve” with the “rap idly” changing global situations.

“ That is why it is very impor tant that we continue to progress, that we continue to strengthen, and we—as we redefine those re lationships,” the President said.

H arris, who arrived in the country on Sunday, is scheduled to visit Palawan before leaving the country on Nov. 22, 2022.

Her trip to Palawan, which is near the disputed territories in the South China Sea, aims to signal the US commitment to sup port the country in case its dis agreement with China escalates.

programs as President Duterte is expected to sign the industry development plan in early 2022.

Middle class needs not met by pro-poor policies

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

Rosales said the PCA will not stop updating its list of coconut farmers and enjoined them to register in order to reap the benefits of the decades-long idled coconut levy fund. “We will not stop at 3.1 million. We hope that more individuals will register in our coconut farmers registry,” he said.

PRO-POOR policies that are being touted to achieve a middle-class society may be insufficient as the Philippine mid dle class has significantly expanded and their needs are different from those of the lowest income class, according to local economists.

The updating of the coconut farmers registry is mandated by Republic Act (RA) 11524 or the Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act.

“Except for countries classified as ‘Red,’ the testing and quarantine protocols for all inbound international travelers in all ports of entry shall comply with the testing and quarantine protocols for ‘Yellow’ list countries,” Nograles said, citing the provision of IATF Resolution No. 151-A.

eradication, which leaves middleclass concerns such as quality education, stable and productive employment, social protection [including health care, pension, unemployment] unmentioned,” Tuaño said in a presentation.

He noted Hong Kong, which has confirmed a case of the Omicron variant, will also fall under the Yellow list countries.

I n the Stratbase Albert Del Ro sario Institute’s Pilipinas Confer ence on Monday, Ateneo School of Government Dean Philip Tuaño shared the findings of his study together with former Dean of the University of the Philippines School of Economics Emmanuel de Dios.

See “3-M farmers,” A2

Tuaño said the main drivers of the expansion of the middle class were Overseas Filipino Worker remittances and the growth of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.

[This] implies that the official agenda towards the achievement of a ‘middle class society’ is poverty

“ The result is the design of so cial and economic programs that cannot adequately serve the needs of the differentiated groups in the society, and take into account dif ferential needs of different groups,” he added.

The suspension of the rules for “Green List” countries will be in effect from November 28, 2021 to December 15, 2021.

Tuaño and de Dios found that between 1997 and 2018, the middle class expanded to 33 percent of the population from 28 percent, while the ratio of the poor have declined to only 3 percent from 15 percent.

T he data, based on various years of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) of the Philippine Sta tistics Authority (PSA), showed the economically secure population also increased to 39 percent from 29 per cent during the two-decade period.

NTERNATIONAL concerns over the possible spread of the more infectious Omicron Covid-19 variant prompted the government to reimpose mandatory facility-based quarantine for all arriving passengers in the country.

announced on Sunday that the

ENEWABLE energy and security issues were among the matters discussed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and United States (US) Vice President Kamala Harris during their meeting in Malacañang on Monday.

its

(TOP photo) United States Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang in Manila, Monday, November 21, 2022. (Below) Harris meets with Vice President Sara Duterte at the Aguado House in Manila.

HAIYUN JIANG/THE NEW YORK TIMES, POOL

DOT: Close to 4M tourists hosted by N. Luzon regions

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) sees tourists to Northern Luzon destinations soon reaching their prepandemic levels.

I n a news statement, DOT re ported that from January to No vember 18, domestic and foreign visitors to the tourism bloc—com posed of the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley,  the Cordillera Administra tive Region, and Central Luzon— reached 3.8 million.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco expressed confidence in domestic tourism’s powerful con tribution to the country’s economic recovery as she opened the North Luzon Travel Fair held over the weekend at the SMX Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga. “And while recently, we have reopened our country to international travel, I can see that we are well on our

class...

T he expansion of the middle class, Tuaño said, was visible in the growth of retail establishments, residential demand and spending on consumer durables.

“ By 2018, broadly defined, ‘middle class’ constituted more

way to recovery because you are well on your way to the 9.6 million [domestic and foreign] arrivals that you had in this side of the country prior to the pandemic,” she added.   P repandemic, the entire country received 8.26 million international travelers in 2019, while domestic trips reached 122.12 million then. Tourism stakeholders and the DOT believe the adjusted holidays in 2023 will help increase domestic trips and  speed up the tourism in dustry’s recovery. (See, “Adjusted holidays to boost domestic travel next year,” in the BusinessMir ror , November 21, 2022.)

L ast weekend’s North Luzon Travel Fair, which opened on Fri

day, was a collaboration between DOT regional offices and the Al liance of Travel and Tour Agencies of Pampanga. It was meant to cre ate a one-stop-shop for domestic tours bookings, products, services, delicacies, gifts and pasalubong items, as well as regionalcultural presentations.

That is why all of our region al directors from the entire country are here today [Friday]…to bring back home the good news that North Luzon is ready for the revi talization of tourism in this part of the country,” she said.

Southern, central RDs to go on factours

WITH the theme “Weaving our Way to Recovery,” Frasco noted, “Not only will the [fair] give exposure [to] our local government units, our ecozones, our bases, our ho tels, resorts and other accommo dations, service agencies and tour operators, but more importantly, our regional directors from cen tral and southern Philippines will actually visit the regions of North Luzon to ensure they will be able to bring the domestic tourists from their side of the country to your

side of the country.”

T he three-day event highlighted discounted packages, air tickets, ac commodation, and other tourismrelated products for consumers; business-to-business (B2B) ses sions, which provided an oppor tunity for tourism stakeholders to experience innovative ways of developing business connections and update local industry partners with the latest tourism offerings; a Buyers’ Familiarization Tour of the North Luzon regions; and Hibla ng Lahi, a fashion show that featured and showcased the regal and indig enous fabrics from North Luzon.

O ther participants which show cased their finest crafts and tourist destinations were DOT-National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Mi maropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsk sargen, and the Caraga region.

O ther DOT partners for the North Luzon Travel Fair included DOT’s marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board; the DOT market ing Subic-Clark Alliance for Devel opment; the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; the Clark Development Corp.; Digital Out-of-Home Philip pines; and Philippine Airlines.

I n terms of origin of invest ments, the BOI said Singapore is considered the “biggest country source” of BOI-approved foreign investments, with P75.3 billion.

The agency said Japan came in next with P29.9 billion; followed by the United Kingdom (UK) with P9.9 billion, British Virgin Islands with P2.6 billion; and Real Estate with P23.8 billion.

T he BOI also revealed that with P644.4 billion in approved invest ments to date, it has reached only 64.4 percent of its internal target of P1 trillion.

For his part, Trade Undersec retary Ceferino S. Rodolfo told reporters at a media briefing in Pasay City on Monday that while the P1-trillion target is no longer attainable for this year, the BOI will surpass its P655-billion per formance in 2021.

Unfortunately, from January to November, our total is P644 bil lion. So what is certain is that we will surpass our 2021. Pero ‘yung P1 trillion there are investment leads, big investment targets that are still finalizing their decision.

Next year  na sila papasok  [They will come in next year]. So I don’t think that we will hit the P1 tril lion but definitely we will surpass our P655-billion performance last year,” Rodolfo said.

He pointed to the conflict in Eastern Europe, which he said is an unforeseen circumstance in the global arena that eventually played a role in the failure to reach the in vestment target.

impact; so  [the data really plunged], but still it’s a good news that we will be able to surpass 2021.”

D espite the global headwinds, the Trade undersecretary, who is also the Managing Head of the BOI, said there are big-ticket projects that they foresee for 2023.

T hese big investments will be on green metals and renewable energy, among others, he added.

T he BOI also has estimated investment leads amounting to P372.8 billion for 2023.

“ These are mainly from the ITBPM [P125.3 billion], real estate activities [P105.47 billion], and agriculture, forestry, and fisheries [P66.90 billion],” the BOI said.

T he BOI remains optimis tic that foreign investments in 2023 will show “significant growth” given the “game-chang ing” economic reforms enacted in the Philippines such as the Department Circular (DC) No. 2022-11-0034-amending Section 19 of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Re newable Energy Act of 2008, the Amended Public Service Act, the amended Foreign Investments Act and the amended Retail Trade Liberalization Act.

than twice all families classi fied as poor; growth even in ru ral areas and among those who employed in family-owned busi nesses,” Tuaño said.

“ Government has still to take official cognizance of large shifts

in the country’s socioeconomic composition towards its trans formation to a minority-poor society and importance of other classes,” he added.

Tuaño said the reduction of pov erty in the country has also been reflected in various years of Pulse Asia surveys which showed that more Filipinos are now more con

cerned with fighting criminality than reducing poverty.

A mong the middle class or Class C, Tuaño said, there was a decline in reducing poverty as a national concern but there was an increase in fighting criminality as a national concern.

“ Shifting opinion of different socioeconomic classes of urgent national priorities has implications on social consensus and policy, and also ultimately choices in the elec tions,” Tuaño said.

Failure to recognize middle class concerns have led to electoral results that appeared to upend pre viously held notions where middle class values lay,” he added.

L ast year, the HDN, led by de Dios, said in its 2020/2021 report that recent social and economic events could even swell the num ber of vulnerable households and halt the growth of the Filipino middle class.

Socioeconomic mobility

THE report noted that the coun try remains a laggard in socioeco nomic mobility and great effort must be exerted to reach the prog ress achieved by the Philippines’s Asian peers.

S ocioeconomic mobility, the re port defined, “is the opportunity to move across social classes or catego ries on the basis of merit, capacity, or effort.”

T he government was urged to take interventions that are welltargeted and help equalize oppor tunities. These must also be done “better and smarter.”

B ased on the report’s estimates, Filipino households deemed very poor—whose daily per capita ex penditure was $1.9 or less—de clined to 9.61 percent of house holds in 2015 from 16.39 percent in 1997.

T hose considered poor or have per capita expenditures of between $1.9 and $3.1 daily barely moved in 18 years, to 23.34 percent of the population in 2015 from 23.92 percent in 1997.

T he vulnerable households— with per capita expenditures of between $3.1 and $5.5 daily—in creased to 30.59 percent in 2015 from 27.63 percent in 1997.

T hose deemed economically se cure also increased to 30.83 per cent of households in 2015 from 26.82 percent in 1997. Those clas sified in this category have per capita expenditures of between $5.5 and $15 daily.

We didn’t foresee a RussiaUkraine war that will have an im pact not just on investments going to the Philippines, but also a global

D C No. 2022-11-0034 seeks to open the country’s renew able sector to 100 percent for eign ownership, primarily for installations in the wind and solar investment space. Further, the BOI said it will pave the way for foreign citizens or foreignowned entities to explore, de velop, and utilize the country’s renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, biomass, ocean, or tidal energy.

In a hearing conducted by the Tariff Commission last Novem ber 9, the FFF argued that EO 171 failed to achieve its objec tives of diversifying the coun try’s sources of imported rice and stabilizing prices.

I nstead, FFF said, it bene fited only a few importers and rich consumers of rice, while depriving the government of more than half a billion pesos in tariff revenues.

Data culled by the FFF from the Bureau of Customs (B O C) showed that, while the number of nonASEAN exporters increased after EO 171 took effect in June 2022, only Pakistan was able to sustain its shipments to the country.

T he Philippines has remained heavily dependent on ASEAN sup pliers, which accounted for 94 per

cent of total imports.

“ The economic managers have perfected the habit of abusing the power that was merely delegated to the Executive by Congress.  There is no rice crisis, and not a single petition has been filed in Congress to extend EO 171.  Why are the economic managers pushing for its extension and bypassing Con gress by waiting for it to adjourn?” Montemayor said.

He also questioned the appar ent ploy of the economic manag ers to wait for Congress to adjourn for the Christmas break and then ask the President to approve the extension of EO 171 through an other Executive Order.

By law, the President can change tariffs to address urgent concerns only when Congress is not in ses sion. Cai U. Ordinario

T hey shall be entitled to overtime and night shift pay as provided un der the Labor Code and related laws.

Media personnel shall be cov ered by the Social Security System, Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund and the Philip pine Health Insurance Corp. upon employment. Monthly premiums shall be shared by the worker and the employer in accordance with existing rules.

Personnel required to physi cally report for work in dangerous places such as embattled and dis ease-stricken areas shall receive a hazard pay of P500 a day. Em ployers shall provide them with safety gear like bulletproof vests and protective equipment.

M edia workers shall be en titled to P200,000 death ben efit, disability benefit of up to P200,000 and medical insurance of up to P100,000.

T hey shall be deemed regular employees after six months from the start of employment. An em ployer shall not terminate the services of an employee except for just cause and with the observance of due process.

A ll labor-related disputes shall be settled by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office, which has jurisdic tion over the workplace.

H B No. 454 holds media enti ties as responsible for all content released in their platforms, includ ing those purveyed by block timers, except when they are able to prove that they exercised due diligence or that the fault, misconduct or viola tion of law was done solely by the media worker or block timer.

V iolations of the proposed law shall be punished with applicable penalties under the Labor Code.

T he bill directs the D OLE sec retary to initiate the creation of the News Media Tripartite Council which shall serve as a link among various stakeholders, and provide a platform where media workers and employers can agree on mutually beneficial policies and programs, and can settle disputes.

T he measure mandates the D OLE secretary, in coordination with stakeholders, to issue imple menting rules and regulations within 90 days from the bill’s enactment.

The Nation

US seeks expansion of military presence in Philippines

By Jim Gomez | The Associated Press

Harris will hold talks with Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials on Monday during a two-day visit that will include a trip to west ern Palawan province facing the dis puted South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.

S he was expected to reaffirm US commitment to defend the Philippines under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty in case Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come un der attack in the disputed waters.

“The United States and the Phil ippines stand together as friends, partners, and allies,” a statement issued by Harris’s aides said. “Now and always, the US commitment to the defense of the Philippines is ironclad.”

A range of US assistance and proj ects would also be launched by Har ris to help the Philippines deal with climate change and looming energy and food shortages.

T he Philippines, a former Amer ican colony, used to host one of the largest US Navy and Air Force

bases outside the American main land. The bases were shut down in the early 1990s, after the Philip pine Senate rejected an extension, but American forces returned for large-scale combat exercises with Filipino troops under a 1999 Vis iting Forces Agreement.

I n 2014, the long-time allies signed the Enhance Defense Coop eration Agreement (EDCA), which allows larger numbers of American forces to stay in rotating batches within Philippine military camp, where they could build warehous es, living quarters, joint training facilities and store combat equip ment, except nuclear arms. The Philippines could take over those buildings and facilities when the Americans leave.

A fter the agreement was signed, the Americans launched construc tion projects in five Philippine camps and areas, including in the country’s south, where US counterterrorism forces have helped train and provide intelligence to their Filipino counter

parts for years.

Many of the projects were delayed by legal issues and other problems, Philippine defense officials said.

Large numbers of American forces stayed in local camps in southern Zamboanga City and outlying prov inces at the height of threats posed by Muslim militants, which have eased in recent years. More than 100 US military personnel currently remain in Zamboanga and three southern provinces, a Philippine military of

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) have seized some P80 mil lion worth of assorted jewelry from the lavatory of an aircraft that recently arrived from Hong Kong.

T he BOC-Port of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) found 24 kilos of assorted jewelry stashed inside the lavatory of Philippine Air lines flight PR 301, which arrived in Manila on November 17.

The Customs Boarding Inspector from the Aircraft Operations Division discovered the jewelry pieces during boarding formalities on the airplane which arrived at Naia Terminal 2,” BOC said in a news statement.

T he BOC said BOC-Naia District Collector Carmelita Talusan has ordered a thorough investigation, including identifying the persons re sponsible for the smuggling attempt.

Last week, the BOC said joint gov ernment operatives seized 22 kilos of suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) valued at P149.6 million and arrested five suspects at the posh Ayala-Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City on Friday, November 18.

T he operation stemmed from information stating that there are foreign nationals allegedly export ing shabu and cocaine to Australia.

T he BOC and Philippine Drug En

forcement Agency conducted a series of case conferences and exchanges of information among point persons before the joint operations.

A lso seized were various controlled precursors and essential chemicals in different volumes used to manufac ture illegal substances and various laboratory materials and equipment, identification cards, mobile phones, and other pertinent documents.

T he evidence will be turned over to the PDEA Laboratory Service for qualitative and quantitative ex amination and filing of appropriate charges against the involved person alities. Cai U. Ordinario

By Glen Jacob Jose

DEPARTMENT of the Inte rior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin

“Benhur” Abalos Jr. welcomed 50 former violent extremists (FVEs) members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) back to the folds of the law in Sultan Kudarat with the promise of extending gov ernment support under the En hanced Comprehensive Local Inte gration Program (E-CLIP).

“ The government under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains committed in its peace and order initiatives,” the DILG chief said in a news statement issued on Monday.

Abalos also assured FVEs that the government would continue aiding them in their integration process.

Abalos said that all 50 FVE surren derers, upon proper documentation, could be eligible to receive government support under the E-CLIP initiative.

He said the DILG field office in Sultan Kudarat is in continuous coor dination with the local government unit (LGU) to ensure that the FVEs will be granted due support as they

join the mainstream society.

A balos said that by surfacing and returning to the folds of the law to become productive citizens of the society, FVEs and former rebels and militia members can take advantage of E-CLIP’s assist ance that covers livelihood, educa tion, housing, medical assistance; receive monetary remuneration for each firearm surrendered; and other social services crucial to their reintegration to society.

Under the E-CLIP initiative, some 611 former rebels and their families received a total of P45.79 million in financial and livelihood assistance since July 2022.

According to the report of DILG Region 12, 47 of said FVEs received a collective amount of P540,000 wherein 15 received P20,000 each; 16 FVEs with P10,000 each; and, 16 re ceived P5,000 each from the Provin cial Government of Sultan Kudarat under the “Kakep Ka Su Kalilintad” or “Embracing the Peace” campaign.

T hree of the FVEs were not able to attend the event.

T he Provincial Government like wise handed 47 food packs, which

include rice, assorted canned goods and instant noodle packs.

A balos said all necessary steps for the inclusion of FVEs as recipients of E-CLIP are now being undertaken.

DILG Region 12 said the 50 FVEs surrendered following a police opera tion of the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police-Provincial Intelligence Unit under the supervision of Col. Chris topher Bermudez and led by Lt. Col. Bryan Bernardino.

T he FVEs likewise surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) numerous assorted high-pow ered firearms and one crew-served weapon (mortar) and improvised explosive devices. They have been tagged and tied to the various bomb ing incidents in various places and attacks against police or military detachments in the region.

A balos was joined by Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Pax Ali S. Mangudadatu, PNP Police Regional Office 1 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg and DILG Region 12 Regional Director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, and the local chief executives of all the Sultan Kudarat towns and one city.

ficial told The Associated Press.

A US official told reporters new areas have been identified and would be developed to expand joint security cooperation and training. He did not provide details, includ ing the type of military facili ties, locations and the number of American military personnel to be deployed in those sites, saying the projects would have to be finalized with the Philippines.

P hilippine military chief of

staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro told reporters last week that the US wanted to construct military facilities in five more areas in the northern Philippines.

Two of the new areas proposed by the Americans were in northern Cagayan province, Bacarro said. Ca gayan is across a strait from Taiwan and could serve as a crucial outpost in case tensions worsen between China and the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own.

T he other proposed sites included the provinces of Palawan and Zam bales, he said. They both face the South China Sea and would allow an American military presence nearer the disputed waters to support Fili pino forces.

T he Philippine Constitution pro hibits the presence of foreign troops in the country except when they are covered by treaties or agreements. Foreign forces are also banned from engaging in local combat.

Today, Tuesday, Harris is sched uled to fly to Palawan to meet fish ermen, villagers, officials and the Coast Guard. Once there, she’ll be the highest-ranking US leader to visit the frontier island at the fore front of the long-seething territorial disputes involving China, the Phil ippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

T he Philippine Coast Guard said it would welcome Harris on board one of its biggest patrol ships, the BRP Teresa Magbanua , in Palawan, where she is scheduled to deliver a speech, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Ar mand Balilo.

Harris will underscore the im portance of international law, un impeded commerce and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, according to the US official, who said that she would affirm a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that invalidated China’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea on historical grounds.

C hina has rejected the decision by an arbitration tribunal set up in The Hague under the United Na tions Convention on the Law of the Sea after the Philippine government complained in 2013 about China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed waters. Beijing did not participate in the arbitration.

THE United States is seeking an expansion of its military presence in the Philippines under a 2014 defense pact, US and Philippine officials said, one of the initiatives that will be discussed during Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit that focuses on the defense of its treaty ally in the face of China’s sweeping territorial claims.

US Vice President Kamala Harris, left, shakes hands with Armed Forces of the Philippines Col. Moises Nayve at the Malacañang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines, on Monday, November 21, 2022. AP

BusinessMirror

Digitalization of govt processes gets ₧12.47-B budget from DBM

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

A TRANSPARENT govern ment requires digitaliza tion, and the current admin

istration is investing billions of the national budget for

At the Stratbase Albert Del Ro sario Institute’s Pilipinas Confer ence on Monday, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the administration is committed to digitalization by allotting P12.47 billion of the national budget for the initiative.

T hese digital innovations, the Budget chief said, are not just com posed of efforts to provide basic connectivity nationwide. Pan gandaman said the government also intends to make meaningful digital opportunities.

“ Our country needs to fully em brace and transition to digitaliza tion, especially on government processes and business models. This is why at the Department of Budget and Management, digital transformation is at the core of our reform agenda,” she explained.

T he investments include P4.72 billion for the ICT Systems and Infrastructure Development, Management, and Advisory Pro gram of the Department of In formation and Communications Technology (DICT).

A nother P3.56 billion is allocated for the Department of Finance and its attached agencies, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC).

T he amount also includes P2.06 billion for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys). The PhilSys intends to support the accurate and timely provision of social services.

P angandaman, likewise, stressed the important role of the Philippine Open Government Part nership (PH-OGP) towards energiz ing citizen participation.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Building a sustainability strategy

a detailed competitive analysis, and any go-to-market implications.

2. Prioritize MAP risks and opportunities across your top markets. Then, focus your efforts and set targets.

Your purpose-driven plans need to be unique to the markets where you source, manufacture and sell your products. A truly transformational approach considers country-specific needs, dynamics and legislation as well as direct and indirect activities across your supply chain.

often where companies advertise their efforts. But the proliferation of sustainable product claims brought “greenwashing” into question. And governments are scrutinizing such claims for misinformation.

One way to increase credibility is using trustworthy third-party cer tifications, especially those that are widely recognized and understood by consumers. Backing up these claims with evidence and facts is essential to protect your brand against “gre enwashing” accusations.

By Henry J. Schumacher

THE news is filled with pressures on nations, governments, and businesses to do their part and reduce their impact on people and the planet. Stakeholders are expecting profits to come from creating shared value—balancing financial gain with corporate responsibility.

W hether we like it or not, I believe that we have to make sustainability a top business priority. The dramatic growth in legislation coupled with expansive consumer awareness is driving the urgency to act. Ignor ing environmental or social issues threatens brand reputation. As busi ness leaders, we have to watch what our competitors are planning to do to address the sustainability issue.

L et’s look at five steps to plan the sustainable strategry:

1. Engage BUILD a strong business case. A convincing proposal will focus on the connection between sustain ability initiatives and business benefits, value creation and risk mitigation. Your business case should outline a target audience,

3. Collaborate SUCCESSFUL execution requires seamless collaboration within and beyond your company. A dedicated team or committee can help drive and activate your strategy. But you and your executive leaders should also strive to remove organizational silos. Align each department’s priorities with sustainable business objectives for effective implementation.

4. Report

TRACK your targets and report on progress.

T here is no point in setting goals if you never know whether you achieve them or not. Remember: only what gets measured, gets managed.

CSR and Sustainability Reports are the two most common methods for recording performance. Some companies are now publishing Envi ronmental, Social and Governance Reports, following regulatory and investor pressure.

5:

A s transparency builds trust and credibility, brands should disclose their performance and earnings both internally and externally.

A nd finally, become the next sus tainability leader sustainability is here to stay. But the issues and priori ties that your strategy is built around should reflect current dynamics. Evaluate your progress on a quarterly basis and adjust tactics along the way. Brands that view social, economic, or environmental issues as oppor tunities—and take steps to effect positive change—will be set up for success. To maintain sustainable growth, businesses need a clearly articulated, purpose-driven strategy that demonstrates how value is cre ated or protected.

Communication and transparency are more important than ever before. Buzzwords, broad claims, and general statements around responsible busi ness development won’t position your brand as sustainable. But a robust strategy with specific objectives, tar gets, activations, and commitments will help you become one.

Communicate

SHARE your sustainability initiatives with all stakeholders to get the mes sage out effectively. Product labels and packaging are

I hope you enjoyed this guide to be come the next sustainable leader; feed back will be appreciated; please contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com

next year to finance various digital interventions, according to the Department of Budget and Man agement (DBM).

PHL invites UN rapporteur on EJK, child abuse in 2023

THE Philippine govern ment has invited a Unit ed Nations special rap porteur on extrajudicial kill ings to visit the country for a special dialogue and capacity building on human rights and disasters under the UN Joint Programme (UNJP).

D uring Monday’s news brief ing on the outcome of the Philip pine participation in the United Nations Human Rights Coun cil’s (UNHCR)’s regular Uni versal Periodic Review (UPR) held in Geneva, Switzerland last week, Justice Secretary Je sus Crispin Remulla also said special rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of chil dren Mama Fatima Singhateh and special rapporteur on free dom of expression and media are also scheduled to visit the country early next year.

R emulla disclosed the  gov ernment took the initiative of inviting into the country Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, UN spe cial rapporteur on extrajudicial killings (EJK), summary or ar bitrary killings.

Remulla said Dr. Tidball-Binz, a medical doctor from Chile spe cializes in forensic science and humanitarian action, welcomed the government’s invitation.

We are hoping to engage them, invite them to the [De partment of Justice] for a spe cial dialogue on any issue that they want to bring up,” Remulla said.

H e added that their visit would show that the government is open to suggestions that would improve the human rights situa tion in the country.

“ So what they saw was a country open to suggestion, a country that does not deny that there are problems within the system but who is open to sug gestions and open to improving whatever situation that is here,” Remulla explained.

We don’t hide and say that’s not true. What we’re saying is that if there’s room for improve ment we will take it on and I think that’s the attitude that is really healthy for international relations. It’s a caring gesture that they want to show us and we also reciprocate this caring gesture by being open to all of these suggestions to our coun try.... Basically we are on the right track and that the biases towards the Philippines have somehow fizzled,” he added.

R emulla said Dr. TidballBinz was invited to help in the capacity building for forensic pathologists in the country, considering that we only have two licensed and internation ally accepted forensic patholo gists—Drs. Raquel Fortun and Cecilia Lim.

A lthough the country has med ico-legal experts, Remulla said they are “not the level of forensic pathologists.”   Remulla stressed the need to train more forensic pathologists who can be tapped in processing bodies, particularly during calamities.

“ Remember ‘Yolanda’ where there were thousands of bod ies who had to be processed?

Because of the diversity, be cause of the numerous deaths in Yolanda, international teams of forensic pathologists went here to help us and the special rapporteur was part of that,” the justice chief said.

D r. Tidball-Binz, according to Remulla, welcomed the Phil ippine invitation, which was more of a follow-up on an agreed program under the UNJP for ca pacity building of the country’s forensic pathologists.

If there are deaths and murders in the provinces, at least they can help us with the investigations. If our people are already trained, then we will have experts determin ing the results,” Remulla pointed out. Joel R. San Juan

NPA executions in Negros Occidental violate international law–HR group

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Human Right Watch  (HRW) condemned on Monday the killing of three rebels following a “sham trial” conducted by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Negros Occidental under its so-called “revolutionary justice” meted against “enemies of the people.”

I n a news statement, the HRW said the three NPA rebels were ex ecuted for offenses, such as spying for the military and common crimes such as rape.

T he HRW said the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, claimed that the allega tions against the men were “submit ted before the people’s court” and that it held an “in-depth investiga tion and trial.”

NPA’s Roselyn Jean Pelle Com mand, in a statement, identified those executed as Benjamin Javoc, 54, chairman of the Lalong village in the town of Calatrava, Negros Occidental; Renato Estrebillo, 43,

laborer from Calatrava; and Rodel Nobleza, 37, from another village in Calatrava, Javoc was accused of protecting drug dealers within and nearby barangays and for being an active military asset.

Estrebillo, on the other hand, was executed after he was accused of “tip ping off” soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion in the province that led to a military opera tion where two children were injured and one civilian was arrested.

He was also accused of stealing farm products and animals.

On the other hand, Nobleza was accused of providing information to the army that led to a raid on the

town in April 2019 that resulted in the deaths of two NPA members and a civilian.

T he NPA claimed he was also a drug dealer.  The three were executed on different occasions last August.

T he HRW said the group did not provide details about the trials, rais ing concerns about whether the men were provided adequate representa tion, or had an opportunity to pres ent a defense.

The New People’s Army has a long history of executing people follow ing trials that don’t meet the most basic standards of fairness,” Carlos Conde, senior Philippine researcher for HRW, said.

“ The sparse information provided by the armed group about these re cent executions suggests that once again, the most severe punishments were inflicted without any regard for fundamental precepts of inter national law,” he added.

T he HRW said it sent several emails and messages to the NPA re questing information about the con duct of the trials and executions, but received no substantive response.

H owever, media reports that could not be corroborated indicated that the three men were not in NPA custody at the time of their execu tions, suggesting that they might not have been able to defend themselves

during their trials.

Javoc reportedly was shot in his home while Estrebillo was shot as he was stepping out of his house.  Noble za, on the other hand, was allegedly killed after suspected rebels stopped him while riding a motorcycle with two children.

Human Rights Watch has previ ously denounced unlawful killings and other abuses by the group that violate international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes.     It stressed that as a party to an internal armed conflict, the NPA is obligated to abide by international humanitarian law, including Com mon Article 3 to the Geneva Con ventions of 1949 and its Second Ad ditional Protocol of 1977 (Protocol II), to which the Philippines is also a party.

I nternational humanitarian law prohibits the summary killing or mistreatment of civilians in cus tody or captured combatants and punishments after proceedings that do not meet international fair trial standards.

Protocol II specifies that courts prosecuting criminal offenses re lated to the armed conflict must be independent and impartial and the accused shall have “all necessary rights and means of defense,” among other guarantees.

NBI: Vhong Navarro moved to Taguig City jail

COMEDIAN and television host Ferdinand “Vhong” Na varro has been transferred to Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Taguig City Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending the resolution of the rape and acts of lasciviousness charges filed against him by model-actress Deniece Cornejo, the National Bu reau of Investigation (NBI) said.

Delegation defends PHL’s stand on divorce, abortion

THE Philippine delegation to the 51st United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Uni versal Period Review held in Geneva, Switzerland defended its decision to reject the recommendation of memberstates for legalization of abortion and divorce in the country.

At a news briefing on the outcome of the UNHRC-UPR held last week, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secre tary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who led the Philippine delegation to Geneva, said the government couldn’t commit to the legalization of divorce, as this is a legislative matter.

He said some member-states of the UNHRC are pushing the Philippine

government to impose on Congress the passage of a law that would legal ize divorce in the country.

“Divorce, it’s debatable. But we can not immediately grant it unless the leg islature properly debates about and lays down on the premises—advantages and disadvantages,” Remulla said.

We want the legislature to do their job here. That is why we cannot commit to it because we cannot impose upon the legislature on policy that they have to do within Congress,” he added.

DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the recommendation for the le galization of divorce and abortion were rejected “because of our national identity, our religious beliefs, and our

cultural traditions and the Philippine sovereignty that we need to uphold and protect at all times.”

In rejecting the recommendation to adopt Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Bill and laws legalizing same-sex marriage, Remulla maintained that Filipinos are not ready for these measures.

This legislation is there, every Congress it is being filed and it is a matter of policy whether we will accept it or not. I think we know as a country that we are not ready for that,” Remulla said.

Culturally, our values may conflict with many of the values that they want to impose upon us,” he added.

More foreign biotech investments eyed

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is encourag ing biotech firms to invest in the Philippines where they can avail of various tax incentives and fiscal perks.

“ Biotech companies can expect ease of doing business in the Phil ippines. The Board of Investments [BOI] has listed biotech-enabled production, manufacturing, and service-type activities in the 2022 Strategic Investment Prior ity Plan [SIPP],” Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said in his speech during the 18th National Biotechnology Week held in Pasay on Monday.

T he Trade chief said biotech firms may avail of tax incentives and perks under Republic Act 11534 of the Cor porate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.

P ascual said biotech-enabled activities related to food secu rity and research and develop ment (R&D) activities on modern biotech or its commercialization are considered Tier II and Tier III activities. Hence, the Trade chief noted, these projects can enjoy a better set of incentives such as an income tax holiday of at least five years.

Pascual said the agency consid ers modern biotechnology as a “vital tool” to achieve the primary agenda of the government on economic re covery and transformation.

He added biotech industry devel opment is a “common aspiration,” as the country aims to grow “glob ally competitive and innovative Philippine industries.” The Trade chief cited the fields of agriculture, food manufacturing, energy, medi cine, pharmaceutical, biomaterials, and bioengineering.

Effectively harnessing biotech will increase our agricultural pro ductivity, allow us to achieve food security, and modernize our industry and services sectors.”

For one, the Trade chief un veiled that the ongoing research between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Bi oseed Research Philippines Inc. seeks to bolster rice production, a staple food for many Filipinos.

P ascual said “this research project aims to develop rice va rieties that can better cope with floods, droughts, and extreme climate phenomena.”

T he Trade chief noted that another modern biotech “break through” is the establishment last July of InterVenn, a Filipinofounded, San Francisco-based bio tech firm. Pascual said the biotech firm has made an impact on health and employment.

N avarro was transferred at around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon from the NBI detention center in Ma nila where he stayed for two months following his surrender.

T he NBI said Navarro completed all the required health protocols prior to his transfer. Navarro’s transfer to the BJMP, Taguig City Jail was ordered by the Taguig court handling the non-bailable rape case.

Cornejo’s camp sought his trans fer to the Taguig City jail in adher ence 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.

The acts of lasciviousness, a bailbail able offense, is being handled by the Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116.

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.

The rape and acts of lasciviousness charges against Navarro were ordered to be revived by the Court of Appeals in its July 21, 2022 decision. Joel R. San Juan

Finance chief courts Italian biz investors, highlights game-changing reforms, perks

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Department of Finance (DOF) told Italian businessmen that investing in the Philippines would also entitle them to perks from recent gamechanging reforms of the Philippine government.

F inance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said Italian businessmen will enjoy the economic liberalization measures that widen the space for international firms to invest in previously protected sectors and form joint ventures with Filipino companies.

Enterprises employing advanced technologies will greatly benefit

from these new laws. These gamechanging reforms demonstrate our strong determination to be a prime investment destination in Asia,” Diokno said.

T he government, the finance chief said, also assures investors that it has the necessary tools to respond to current global headwinds. He remains certain that growth targets for this year remain attainable.

Diokno referenced the country’s strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2022. This was mainly driven by strong domestic demand and improvement in labor market conditions.

I invite all business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors

here today to seize these new opportunities for growth and expansion here in the Philippines. We look forward to strengthening ties as well as forging new ones with our partners in the Italian business community,” Diokno said.

T he Marcos administration is working to steer the economy to a high-growth trajectory through a comprehensive eight-point socioeconomic agenda.

T his aims to bring about higher investments in smart infrastructure, human capital development, and digitalization, and will be guided by the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) to reduce fiscal deficit, promote fiscal sustainability, and enable robust economic growth.

Gordon deploys more PRC volunteers to assist flash flood victims in some parts of Mindanao

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

PHILIPPINE Red Cross Chair man (PRC) and CEO Richard J. Gordon has directed PRC staff and volunteers to respond to families displaced by flash floods and heavy rains in Davao del Sur and other parts of Mindanao.

Gordon said PRC has provided the immediate needs of the families af fected by the low-pressure area and intertropical convergence zone in Mindanao.

On November 17, PRC volunteers and staff served hot meals to 1,691 internally displaced persons (IDPs)

in the evacuation centers of the fol lowing local government units: Ba rangays Baluntay, Poblacion, and Maribulan in Alabel, Sarangani; Barangay Buayan in General Santos City; Barangay Poblacion in Malalag, Davao del Sur; and in Santa Maria, Davao Occidental.

“ The Philippine Red Cross goal is to be always first, always ready, and always there for our fellow Filipinos in distress because of disasters and emergencies,” Gordon said.

He added PRC was able to meet the immediate needs of people af fected by weather hazards because of Red Cross (RC) 143 volunteers in the villages who are trained and

ready to respond.

“ We have prepositioned logistics, and we have state-of-the-art infor mation technology for efficient and effective coordination,” said Gordon.

Trained PRC volunteers and staff have also establishes a Welfare Desk in Davao del Sur.

T hey facilitated child-friendly activities designed as psychological first aid and treated five individuals in General Santos City.

PRC is currently conducting as sessment of damage and needs in co ordination with local governments.

It has also alerted its army of RC143 volunteers in the barangays to respond when needed.

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Beijing reports 2 more Covid deaths, stoking fears of curbs

The city reported 951 cases for Sunday, the most since Bloomberg started tracking the data on Sept. 1, 2021. A 91-year-old woman and 88-year-old man died on Sunday, following the death of an 87-yearold man on Saturday. He was the nation’s first documented virusrelated death since May 26, when Shanghai authorities reported one fatality.

The deaths could test the toler ance of Chinese authorities, who earlier this month eased some curbs in a move many took as a sign of a shift away from its strict zero-tolerance policy. After be ing largely isolated from the rest of the world for the past three years, China shortened quaran tine times for inbound travelers and close contacts, and ended a system that suspended interna tional flights tied to too many infected passengers.

In a potential sign officials are reverting to tighter Covid Zero curbs as cases multiply, Shiji azhuang, a city of about 11 million people near Beijing, has suspended schools, locked down universi ties and asked residents to stay at home for five days, according to the statement carried by official Shijiazhuang Daily.

A mass Covid testing exercise will be undertaken in six major districts, and universities will be put into so-called closed loops, where students are unable to leave campuses. All in-person classes at primary and middle schools have been halted.

As Beijing’s cases rise, schools in several districts of the capital have told parents they’re moving to online learning from Monday until further notice. There has been no official confirmation of any district- or city-wide school closures. Some shopping malls in Beijing, including Joy City in the Chaoyang district—the epicenter of the latest outbreak—have shut

tered all businesses except food take-away services from Sunday, local media reported.

Low vaccination rates among elderly and vulnerable citizens re main one of the biggest hurdles for the country’s full reopening. Only 66 percent of those aged 80 and above are fully vaccinated and only 40 percent have gotten a booster. That compares with a vaccination rate of more than 90 percent for seniors in the US.

Covid Zero returns

A CITY near Beijing that was ru mored to be a test case for China dispensing with all virus restric tions has suspended schools, locked down universities and asked residents to stay at home for five days, a potential sign officials are reverting to tighter Covid Zero curbs as cases multiply.

Shijiazhuang—a city of some 11 million people about 186 miles (300 kilometers) from the capital—has forbidden residents in areas deemed high risk from leaving their homes, with every one else advised to stay at home “in principle,” according to the statement carried by the official Shijiazhuang Daily.

The moves come after officials in Shijiazhuang had to rebuff spec ulation the city had been chosen as a pilot zone for a laxer virus approach, rumors that sparked anxiety among some residents.

The lockdown-like moves also come just over a week since China issued a suite of guidelines aimed at making its Covid approach more targeted. The 20-point playbook told officials to stop mass test ing in most areas, with citywide tests—similar to what Shiji azhuang appears to be doing— only to be undertaken when the source of infection is unknown.

Shijiazhuang saw a rebound in cases over the weekend, which may explain the tougher response. The

Earthquake shakes Indonesia’s Java island; at least 46 dead

By Edna Tarigan The Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia—An earthquake shook Indonesia's main island of Java on Mon day, killing at least 46 people, damaging dozens of buildings and sending residents into the capital’s streets for safety.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.6 quake was centered in the Cianjur region in West Java province at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

“There are 46 dead people at the Cianjur regional hospital and around 700 injured people. Many were hurt because they were hit by collapsed buildings,” National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto said.

Several landslides were re ported around Cianjur. Dozens of buildings were damaged, includ ing an Islamic boarding school, a hospital and other public facilities, the agency said.

Information was still being collected about the extent of ca sualties and damage, it said in a statement.

The quake was felt strongly in

the greater Jakarta area. High rises in the capital swayed and some were evacuated.

“The quake felt so strong. My colleagues and I decided to get out of our office on the ninth floor using the emergency stairs,” said Vidi Primadhania, an employee in South Jakarta.

Earthquakes occur frequently across the sprawling archipelago nation, but it is uncommon for them to be felt in Jakarta.

The country of more than 270 million people is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic erup tions and tsunamis because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

In February, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed at least 25 peo ple and injured more than 460 in West Sumatra province. In Janu ary 2021, a magnitude 6.2 earth quake killed more than 100 people and injured nearly 6,500 in West Sulawesi province.

A powerful Indian Ocean quake and tsunami in 2004 killed nearly 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia.

city was seeing more than 500 new infections a day in mid-November, but the tally eased off after the new guidelines were introduced and many residents reported a marked reduction in testing. Cases surged to 641 for Sunday.

Elsewhere, Beijing reported three Covid deaths over the week end—the nation’s first document ed virus-related fatalities since May—with a worsening outbreak heightening concerns the capital may see a return of tighter restric tions. Schools in the city’s Haidian district switched to online learn ing from Monday in order to pro tect children’s health, education authorities said. There were 951 new infections in the capital for Sunday.

China’s swelling caseload, and uncertainty about how officials will balance the new Covid guide lines with stamping out virus spread sparked a drop in Chinese stocks and the yuan. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell as much as 3.7 percent, falling for the fourth session, while reopen ing stocks including casinos and restaurant chains tumbled.

“It feels like one step forward, two steps back,” said Willer Chen, an analyst at Forsyth Barr Asia Ltd. “The market had been too optimistic,” he said, adding that winter’s approach and the already high level of cases makes reopen ing difficult.

Confusion reigns CENTRAL government officials and state media have consis tently reinforced that the new

Covid approach doesn’t repre sent a relaxation of China’s ap proach. That’s left local authori ties in somewhat of a quandary, with outbreaks swelling as the weather cools in many parts of the country.

Cities like Guangzhou, in the south, are enforcing targeted lockdowns over a citywide or der, but cases remain elevated, at more than 8,000 a day. Mean while, Chongqing, a megacity in the southwest, has declared so many individual high-risk areas that the city is effectively locked down anyway. Residents in areas deemed high risk are not allowed to leave their homes.

The result has been a signifi cant drop in activity, with subway use in major cities with large out breaks still very low, even though the new approach is supposed to ensure less disruption.

China reported more than 26,000 new cases across the na tion on Sunday, and the persistent outbreak increases the likelihood of even more deaths.

Years of propaganda have seen the government champion Covid Zero as a core reason the country has avoided the mass loss of life seen in other parts of the world, with the recent fatalities adding to concerns authorities may look to dial back their easing. Low vac cination rates among elderly and vulnerable citizens remain one of the biggest hurdles to a fuller reopening.

With assistance from Li Liu, Emma O’Brien, John Cheng/Bloomberg.

Editor: Angel R. Calso • www.businessmirror.com.ph

Malaysia’s election crisis drags out as party dithers

By Eileen Ng The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malay sia—Malaysia’s longestruling coalition said Mon day it has not decided which bloc to support after weekend elec tions left neither with enough seats to form a government on its own, and it would ask the na tion’s king to give it more time. The National Front’s an nouncement has prolonged elec tion uncertainty. King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah initially set a 2 p.m. deadline for political leaders to submit their choice for prime minister and an alliance that represents a parlia mentary majority.

But the monarch later Mon day said he would extend it until Tuesday following a request from political parties.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibra him’s reformist bloc secured 82 seats in the federal Parliament, far short of the 112 needed for a simple majority. The Malay na tionalist alliance led by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yas sin trailed with 73 seats, but it has secured the support of blocs in two states on Borneo island that jointly have 28 seats.

The National Front, led by the United Malays National Organi zation, had ruled since Malay sia’s independence from Britain in 1957 but suffered s shocking defeat in 2018 polls to Anwar’s bloc. Its plan for a strong come back was dashed after winning only 30 seats in Saturday’s elec tion as many ethnic Malays aban doned the graft-tainted party for Muhyiddin’s bloc.

UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said his alli ance formed a negotiation committee to hold talks with both blocs.

Amid a divisive split in his party, he said any individual statement or written oaths made by the group’s 30 lawmakers supporting any bloc was invalid because a decision will only be made by the coalition’s highestdecision making body. Anyone going against it can be sacked, he warned.

Zahid, who faces dozens of graft charges, is facing a revolt within his party amid growing calls for him to resign and take responsibility for the election

losses. Some lawmakers who won have openly voiced their support for Muhyiddin’s bloc but others warned reviving such a partner ship may lead to a repeat of the infighting that led to political turmoil

Many rural Malays, who form two-thirds of Malaysia’s 33 mil lion people—which includes large minorities of ethnic Chi nese and Indians—fear they may lose their rights with greater pluralism under Anwar’s multi ethnic alliance. This, together with corruption in UMNO, has benefited Muhyiddin’s bloc.

Hishammuddin Hussein, an UMNO vice president, issued a statement on Facebook to reiter ate his refusal to support Anwar’s bloc. “I am willing to be fired by the party but will never change this firm stance,” he said. Of ficials from Muhyiddin’s camp claimed that 18 lawmakers from Zahid’s bloc are on their side.

Any deal will have to be ap proved by Sultan Abdullah. The king’s role is largely ceremonial in Malaysia, but he appoints the person he believes has majority support in Parliament as prime minister.

Saturday’s election outcome stunned many Malaysians who had hoped for stability and unity after political turmoil that has seen three prime ministers since 2018 polls.

The current scenario is a re play of what happened in 2020, when Muhyiddin abandoned An war’s ruling alliance, causing its collapse, and joined hands with UMNO to form a new govern ment. Sultan Abdullah at the time requested written oaths from all 222 lawmakers and later interviewed them separately be fore picking Muhyiddin as prime minister. But his government was beset by internal rivalries and Muhyiddin resigned after 17 months.

Muhyiddin’s alliance entered Saturday’s polls as an underdog but enjoyed an unexpected surge of support. Its hardline ally is the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, the biggest winner with a haul of 49 seats—more than double what it won in 2018. Known as PAS, it touts Sharia, rules three states and is now the single larg est party. Its rise has stoked fears of greater Islamization in the country.

Japan’s prime minister sacks third minister in a month

By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press

TOKYO—The internal affairs minister in Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government was forced into resigning over funding problems on Sunday, in a blow to the scandal-prone Cabinet that has already lost two ministers in one month.

Minoru Terada has been under fire over several accounting and funding irregularities.

In one, he acknowledged that one of his support groups submitted accounting records carrying a dead person’s signature.

“I apologize for the series of resignations,” Kishida said. “I’m aware of my heavy responsibility for their appointment.”

On Monday, Kishida pledged to regain public trust. “I will fulfill my responsibility by pursuing important policies that are piling up,” he said and pledged to ensure clarity on the issue of money and politics.

He appointed Takeaki Matsumoto, a former foreign minister, as Terada’s replacement.

Terada showed up at the Prime Minister’s Office late Sunday and told reporters that he had submitted his resignation to Kishida, though he did not say if he was urged to do so.

“I made up my mind because I must not interfere with parliamentary discussion of

key legislations because of my problems,” Terada said.

Terada, who has been grilled over the scandal for over a month, said he did not break any law and promised to fix the accounting issues and had showed determination to stay on. Opposition lawmakers said funding problems for the internal affairs minister, one of whose jobs is to oversee political funds, are serious and demanded his resignation.

“His credibility was already lost and the resignation came too late, and calls Prime Minister Kishida’s judgment and leadership into question,” Kenta Izumi, head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said in a statement.

Political watchers also said Kishida’s lack of decisiveness comes from his weak footing within the governing party. They say Kishida, whose faction ranks fourth biggest in the party, needs to listen to the voices of three bigger factions including one led by the assassinated leader Shinzo Abe and heavyweights like Taro Aso.

Kishida chose Terada’s replacement from Aso’s faction.

Recent media surveys showed the majority of respondents supported Terada’s resignation, while support ratings for Kishida’s government fell to just above

30 percent, lowest since he took office in October 2021.

Terada’s resignation is a further blow to the Cabinet already shaken by the governing Liberal Democratic Party’s close ties to the Unification Church, which has been accused of problematic recruiting and brainwashing followers into making huge donations, often breaking up their families.

Because Terada is a member of Kishida’s own faction in the party, his dismissal is seen as an additional embarrassment and a blow to the prime minister’s grip on power.

Kishida had been considered as a safe driver and was expected to steer the country over the next three years without a scheduled election after his victory in the July vote, but his popularity has since nosedived over his handling of the party’s widespread church ties.

Kishida also came under fire for holding a controversial state funeral for Abe, one of Japan’s most divisive leaders, who is now seen as a key figure behind the LDP’s decades-long cozy relations with the church.

Abe’s friendly ties to the church, as well as of those among many LDP lawmakers, surfaced in the investigations into his assassination. The suspect told investigators his mother had made huge donations to the church, bankrupting his family and ruining

his life.

Economic Revitalization Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa quit on October 24 after facing criticism over his lack of explanations about his ties to the Unification Church, starting what became known as “a resignation domino” of the Kishida Cabinet.

Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi was forced to resign over his remark that his job is low profile and only makes news when he signs the death penalty, only 10 days before Terada’s departure Sunday.

Kishida’s delayed decision in firing the justice minister led him to push back his Nov. 11 departure for three Asian summits, sparking criticism from opposition lawmakers and observers for being indecisive and lacking in leadership.

Kishida returned to Tokyo on Saturday after a nine-day trip and apparently faced pressure from his governing party executives to make a quick decision on Terada before discussions on key legislations resume Monday.

Kishida’s governing party needs to pass the second supplementary budget through March during the current parliamentary session, while also finalizing work on a new national security strategy and mid- to long-term defense guidelines by the end of the year.

BEIJING reported two more Covid deaths on Sunday as cases spiked, heightening concern the capital could see a return of tougher restrictions.

RESIDENTS line up to be tested for Covid-19 in Beijing on November 17. BLOOMBERG

World

Shells hit near nuclear plant; blackouts roll across Ukraine

By John Leicester & Hanna Arhirova The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Powerful explosions from shelling shook Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the global nuclear watchdog said Sunday, calling for “urgent measures to help prevent a nuclear accident” in the Russianoccupied facility.

A heavy barrage of Russian military strikes—almost 400 on Sunday alone—also hit Ukraine’s eastern regions, and fierce ground battles shook the eastern Donetsk province, Ukraine’s president said in his evening update.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the di rector general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said mul tiple explosions near the plant— on Saturday evening and again on Sunday morning—abruptly ended a period of relative calm around the nuclear facility that has been the site of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces since Russia invaded on February 24.

The fighting has raised the specter of a nuclear catastrophe ever since Russian troops occupied the plant during the early days of the war.

In renewed shelling both close to and at the site, IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia facility reported hearing more than a dozen blasts within a short period Sunday morning and could see some ex plosions from their windows, the agency said.

Later in the day, the IAEA said the shelling had stopped and that its experts would assess the situ ation on Monday.

“There has been damage to parts of the site, but no radia tion release or loss of power,” the agency said.

Still, Grossi called the shelling “extremely disturbing,” and ap pealed to both sides to urgently implement a nuclear safety and

security zone around the facility.

“Whoever is behind this, it must stop immediately,” he said.

“As I have said many times before, you’re playing with fire!”

Russia has been pounding Ukraine’s power grid and other in frastructure from the air, causing widespread blackouts and leaving millions of Ukrainians without heat, power or water as frigid cold and snow blankets the capital, Kyiv, and other cities.

Ukraine’s state nuclear power operator, Energoatom, said Rus sian forces were behind the shell ing of the Zaporizhzhia plant, and that the equipment targeted was consistent with the Kremlin’s in tent “to damage or destroy as much of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as possible” as winter sets in.

The weekend strikes damaged the system that would enable the plant’s power units 5 and 6 to start producing electricity again for Ukraine, the power operator said. The State Nuclear Regu latory Inspectorate of Ukraine hopes to bring the two units to a minimally controlled power level to obtain steam, which is critical in winter for ensuring the safety of the plant and the surrounding area, Energoatom said.

Moscow, meanwhile, blamed Ukrainian forces for the dam age. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov ac cused the Ukrainians of shelling the power plant twice on Sunday and said two shells hit near pow er lines supplying the plant with

Oil retreats as China’s struggle with Covid dims demand outlook

By Yongchang Chin

OIL sank again following the biggest weekly decline since August as China tightened anti-Covid curbs, hurting the outlook for demand.

Global benchmark Brent fell below $87 a barrel after retreating by almost 9% last week. The country saw its first Covid-related death in almost six months on Saturday and another two were reported on Sunday, sparking fears of a further wave of restrictions in the world’s biggest oil importer just as a city of 11 million near the capital asked residents to stay home amid an outbreak.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lowered its fourth-quarter forecast for Brent crude by $10 a barrel to $100, according to a note, with the reduction driven in part by the possibility of further anti-virus measures in China as cases climb.

Crude has erased the gains made at the start of the quarter, when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia agreed to reduce production by 2 million barrels a day. A looming European Union ban on Russian seaborne flows and Group of Seven price-cap plan are clouding the outlook, with officials possibly set to announce the cap’s level on Wednesday as

they step up their response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The market is right to be anxious about forward fundamentals due to significant Covid cases in China and a lack of clarity on the implementation” of the price cap, Goldman analysts including Callum Bruce said. Still, for longer-term investors, the drop provides an opportunity to add length, they said.

The market’s weakness is reflected in rapidly softening differentials. Brent’s prompt spread—the gap between its two nearest contracts—was 42 cents a barrel in backwardation, down from more than $2 a barrel a month ago. The same gauge for West Texas Intermediate has flipped into contango, a bearish signal that indicates ample near-term supply.

Commodity investors also are concerned that further aggressive monetary tightening will lead to a global economic slowdown, hurting energy consumption. Traders this week will look to minutes of the most recent Federal Reserve policy meeting for more clues on the course of rate hikes.

“With record high Covid cases and falling mobility data in China, it’s hard to find a bull in the paddock,” said James Whistler, managing director of Vanir Global Markets Pte. “Oil markets just can’t shake the bear.” Bloomberg News

electricity.

Elsewhere in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian forces shelled ci vilian infrastructure in about a dozen communities, destroying 30 homes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said Sunday. Twenty buildings were damaged in shelling at Nikopol, a city across the river from the Za porizhzhia plant, it said.

In his evening address, Zel enskyy said Ukrainian forces were making small gains in the eastern Luhansk region and were holding their ground in battles in the south.

Blackouts were scheduled Sun day night in 15 regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv, Zelenskyy said. The country’s power utility, meanwhile, said there would be scheduled outages in every region on Monday.

“The restoration of networks and technical supply capabilities, the demining of power transmission lines, repairs—everything goes on round the clock,” Zelenskyy said.

Three districts in the northern Kharkiv region—Kupyansk, Chu guiv and Izyum—also came under Russian artillery fire.

The situation in the southern Kherson region “remains diffi cult,” the president’s office said,

citing Ukraine’s armed forces. Russian forces fired tank shells, rockets and other artillery on the city of Kherson and several nearby settlements that were recently lib erated by Ukrainian forces.

Shelling late Saturday struck an oil depot in Kherson, igniting a huge fire that sent billowing smoke into the air. Russian troops also shelled people lining up to get bread in Bilozerka, a town in the Kherson province, wounding five, the report said.

In the city of Kherson—which still has little power, heat or wa ter—more than 80 tons of humani tarian aid have been sent, said lo cal official Yaroslav Yanushevych, including a UNICEF shipment of 1,500 winter outfits for children, two 35-40-kilowatt generators and drinking water.

Also on Sunday, a funeral was held in eastern Poland for the sec ond of two men killed in a missile explosion Tuesday. The other man was buried Saturday. Poland and the head of Nato have both said the missile strike appeared to be unintentional, and was probably launched by Ukraine as it tried to shoot down Russia’s missiles.

Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed.

Police: Gunman kills 5 at gay club, is subdued by patrons

By Thomas Peipert & Jesse Bedayn The Associated Press

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A 22-yearold gunman opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle inside a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and leaving 25 injured before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who arrived within minutes, authorities said Sunday.

The suspect in the Saturday night shooting at Club Q used an AR-15-style semiautomatic weapon, a law enforcement official said. A handgun and additional ammunition magazines also were recovered, according to the official, who could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The attack ended when a patron grabbed a handgun from the suspect and hit him with it, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers told The Associated Press. The person who hit the gunman had him pinned down when police arrived, Suthers said.

“Had that individual not intervened this could have been exponentially more tragic,” Suthers said.

On its Facebook page, the club called it a “hate attack.” Investigators were still determining a motive and whether to prosecute it as a hate crime, said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen. Charges against the suspect will likely include first-degree murder, he said.

Police identified the alleged gunman as Anderson Lee Aldrich, who was in custody and being treated for injuries.

Aldrich was arrested in 2021 after his mother reported he threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons, authorities said. They declined to elaborate on that arrest. No explosives were found, authorities said at the time, and The Gazette in Colorado Springs reported that prosecutors did not pursue any charges and that records were sealed.

Of the 25 injured, at least seven were in critical condition, authorities said. Some were hurt trying to flee, and it was unclear if all of the victims were shot, a police spokesperson said.

Suthers said there was “reason to hope” that all of those hospitalized would recover.

The shooting rekindled memories of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. Colorado has experienced several mass killings, including at Columbine

It was the sixth mass killing this month and came in a year when the nation was shaken by the deaths of 21 in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Authorities were called to Club Q at 11:57 p.m. Saturday with a report of a shooting, and the first officer arrived at midnight.

Joshua Thurman said he was in the club with about two-dozen other people and was dancing when the shots began. He initially thought it was part of the music, until he heard another shot and said he saw the flash of a gun muzzle.

Thurman, 34, said he ran with another person to a dressing room where someone already was hiding. They locked the door, turned off the lights and got on the floor but could hear the violence unfolding, including the gunman getting beaten up, he added.

“I could have lost my life—over what? What was the purpose?” he said as tears ran down his cheeks. “We were just enjoying ourselves. We weren’t out harming anyone. We were in our space, our community, our home, enjoying ourselves like everybody else does.”

Detectives also were examining whether anyone had helped Aldrich before the attack, Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said. He said patrons who intervened during the attack were “heroic” and owed a debt of gratitude for preventing more deaths.

Club Q is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a drag show on Saturdays, according to its website. Club Q’s Facebook page said planned entertainment included a “punk and alternative show” preceding a birthday dance party, with a Sunday all-ages drag brunch.

Suthers noted that the club had operated for 21 years and had not reported any threats before Saturday’s attack.

Drag events have become a focus of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and protests recently as opponents, including politicians, have proposed banning children from them, falsely claiming they’re used to “groom” children.

Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting and the FBI was assisting police with the investigation.

TheAssociatedPressreportersColleenSlevin inDenver,MichaelBalsamoinWashington,Jamie Stengle in Dallas, Jeff McMillan in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana, contributed.

High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.

UKRAINIAN soldiers fire an artillery at Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine on Sunday, November 20, 2022. AP/LIBKOS

editorial

Historic win for poor countries at COP27

THe United Nations climate summit in eg ypt concluded on Sunday with a landmark deal on compensation for vulnerable countries affected by global warming. Climate negotiators approved a historic agreement that would create a loss and damage fund to compensate poor nations that are victims of extreme weather worsened by rich countries’ carbon pollution. This is a big win for poor countries most affected by the impacts of extreme weather that have long called for global efforts to address loss and damage.

Loss and damage refer to the negative consequences of climate change on human societies and the natural environment. Economic loss and damage may include damage to crops, homes and infrastructure. Non-economic loss and damage may include harm to human health and mobility; loss of access to territory; and loss of biodiversity and habitats.

Pakistan’s Climate Minister Sherry Rehman said reaching a “historic consensus” on the establishment of a loss and damage fund was a response to “the voices of the vulnerable, the damaged, and the lost of the whole world.” She added: “We have struggled for 30 years on this path and today, in Sharm El-Sheikh, this journey has achieved its first positive milestone. The loss and damage fund is not about dispensing charity. It is clearly a down payment on the longer investment in our joint futures. It is a down payment and an investment in climate justice.”

“This positive outcome from COP27 is an important step toward rebuilding trust with vulnerable countries,” said Ani Dasgupta, president of the environmental think tank World Resources Institute. “This loss and damage fund will be a lifeline for poor families whose houses are destroyed, farmers whose fields are ruined, and islanders forced from their ancestral homes.”

“In many ways we’re talking about reparations,” said University of Maryland environmental health and justice professor Sacoby Wilson. “It’s an appropriate term to use because the rich northern countries got the benefits of fossil fuels, while the poorer global south gets the damage in floods, droughts, climate refugees and hunger.”

The fund for the landmark deal would initially come from the contributions of developed countries and other private and public sources such as international financial institutions. Initially, major emerging economies such as China would not be required to contribute, but that option will be negotiated over the coming years. The US and the European Union argued that China and other large polluters currently classified as developing countries have the financial clout and responsibility to pay their way.

The victory of vulnerable countries notwithstanding, many delegates were upset that little progress was made on other major COP27 goals, including stronger commitments to curb the use of fossil fuel and to limit warming to 1.5C by the end of the century. For example, Kausea Natano, prime minister of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, one of the places most threatened by rising sea levels, condemned the lack of agreement on limiting emissions and fossil fuels. “It is regrettable that we haven’t got strong language included in the cover decision before us on phasing out fossil fuels,” Natano said. “It is regrettable that we haven’t got text on peaking of emissions before 2025. It is regrettable that we haven’t managed to get stronger mention of methane emissions reductions.”

Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, said countries failed to agree on stronger emissions cuts due to “an alliance of oil-rich countries and major emitters.” While she welcomed the deal on a loss and damage facility, Baerbock said the world was losing valuable time to move toward 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The victory of the world’s poorest countries at the COP27 climate summit notwithstanding, delegates failed to approve a wider deal outlining global resolve to fight climate change. The world would have to do a lot more to meet the 1.5C goal and prevent a climate disaster that all of us must acknowledge is already here.

Revisiting our exports

THE EnTrEprEnEur

OUr economy shows resilience amid various challenges, but one sector that needs further improvement is our exports that lag behind imports in terms of growth.

Boosting our exports will help cure our widening trade deficit and prevent the depreciation of the peso against the US dollar and other currencies.

While we have become a major service exporter, our merchandise goods exports continue to languish. Our monthly imports are now double our exports, and if this gap continues over the coming years, we may deplete our foreign exchange reserves to pay for foreign products.

Strong imports led to a ninemonth trade deficit of $46.65 billion, per data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Such deficit, or the difference between the value of exports and imports, affects our current account—the country’s record of financial transactions with the rest of the world. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects our 2022 current account to register a deficit of over $20 billion, or about 5 percent of the gross domestic product.

We import most of our fuel, not to mention food products such as rice, wheat, milk and dairy items, poultry products, and temperate fruits such as apple, pear, grapes and orange whose demand normally peaks in December. The record inflation in many countries made the costs of these products more expensive. We heavily import crude and refined petroleum products. We purchase vehicles and spare parts made in other countries. Most of the smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and other popular consumer electronics are imported. We pay in US dollars or other currencies for these items.

As the peso now hovers between 58 and 59 against the US dollar, or a depreciation of about 12 percent to 15 percent since the start of the year, we have achieved a competitive advantage in terms of product pricing. Thus, it is time to expand our exports and take advantage of the

Marx and the swinging

favorable exchange rate.

The renewed focus of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on agriculture aims to achieve food security and price stability for the benefit of our people. If we could increase our rice harvest, we may reduce our heavy reliance on rice-exporting countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand. We could even become a net rice-exporting nation one day.

We need to diversify our exports sector to include more products beyond our traditional output, such as coconut, sugar, bananas, garments, furniture, electronics, copper metal and other mineral products.

I hope that one day, we can export finished electronic items, appliances, gadgets, as well as packaged food products, large machinery, cars, vessels and even aircraft. A much more diversified export sector will require major foreign investments and technology transfer. This is why President Marcos visits other countries to discuss investment and trade opportunities with world leaders and executives of multinational groups.

Aside from investments, we need to enhance our branding strategy that will elevate Philippine exports as world-class products, like the ones sold by the US, Japan, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries. European fashion brands, for one, have fetched higher value because of their adept marketing approach that involves promoting a

pendulum

John Mangun

OuTSIDE THE BOX

Marx’s father Heinrich was an attorney. Two years after beginning his law practice, the Marx family was living in a 10-room house (count the number of non-CR/kitchen rooms in your own house) and owned several vineyards.

Heinrich’s wife, Karl’s mother, was from a prosperous business family that later founded the Dutch company Philips Electronics. The seed capital came from Karl Marx’s first cousin Frederik Philips. Later in life Marx would live on borrowed money from his Aunt Sophie’s husband Lion Philips who founded “The Unicorn” tobacco company.

Marx moved to Cologne in 1842, where he became a journalist.

Karl Marx’s thoughts on economics were most applicable and even useful in an earlier age when economies relied on what might be called “brute-force production”. Industrial output depended on how many workers, each producing how many items in a workday, were needed for economic prosperity. Therefore, labor was the precondition for the existence, and accumulation, of capital.

But what happens when it takes 10 workers to make the machinery that replaces 100 workers on the factory floor or the fast-food restaurant?

Are all the workers who used to print magazines and newspapers now website developers and ‘Server Specialists’? There are no easy answers to the workforce dislocation of the 21st century and it is a massive global problem.

However, Marx contributed to the 20th century by embracing and popularizing German philosopher Georg Hegel and his ideas that Marx distorted and expanded, now called “Dialectics.”

Marx believed that the dialectics of a thesis, giving rise to an antithesis (which contradicts or negates the thesis) and the tension between the two being resolved by a synthesis. Unfortunately, a thesis today may be a useless “antithesis” tomorrow.

The Philippine Congress, after much “thesis and antithesis” finally reached a synthesis allocating P200 million on February 8, 1990 through the “Municipal Telephone Act of 1989: Providing for the Installation, Operation, and Maintenance of Public Telephones in Each and Every Municipality in the Philippines.”

However, the swinging pendulum does exist and has consequences when trying to reach a synthesis.

product or crop of a particular region as something unique and endemic to that area.

We have in a way tried to adopt the same approach, like promoting Guimaras mango, Davao’s durian, Marikina’s shoes, Cebu’s lechon, Meycauayan’s jewelry or Angono’s garments. If we could replicate that on a global scale and attach higher value to the products, it would support the growth of our exports.

It should start with patronizing our own products. The rise of online selling proved that Filipinos have money to spend on luxury bags and other fashion items from France or Italy. If we could divert a portion of that spending to Philippine-made products whose prices represent less than a tenth of foreign brands, it will greatly help the local industry.

We should take advantage of several trade agreements, where Philippine products enjoy zero-tariff privileges. These include the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement, Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, Philippines European Free Trade Association Agreement and the trade privileges available under the European Union GSP+, where 6,274 Philippine products enjoy zero tariff. We are also in talks with the United States to reauthorize the Generalized System of Preferences program where 3,500 Philippine products can receive duty-free treatment.

See “Villar,” A13

The current controversy about Twitter and censorship illustrates this. Most would agree that society has the right to draw the line. But who decides where the line is drawn? Further, what was considered “Free Speech” yesterday may be considered “Hate Speech” today. What will come tomorrow? Permission can lead to a negative reaction and “repression,” which may lead to a backlash of greater permission and the pendulum keeps swinging.

The “Boomer” generation that protested against war and for “free speech” is now being overtaken by “Gen Z”—1996 and later—who strongly (70 percent) believe that “government can and should do more to solve problems” with more regulation, versus 49 percent for the “Boomers.” Thesis to antithesis to what’s next?

Remember why cryptos were The Best and absolutely the future? Privacy, security, and absolutely free from government interference. Now you can keep your “privacy” unless you want to try to get your money back from a failed exchange and the bankruptcy courts. Security is great

Manny B. Villar

BY all accounts, “philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary” Karl Marx would perfectly fit into 2022 Western society.

Cold and dark: Kyiv readies for ‘worst winter of our lives’

By Yuras Karmanau & John Leicester | The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—When the power is out, as it so often is, the high-rise apartment overlooking Ukraine’s war-torn capital feels like a deathtrap. No lights, no water, no way to cook food. and no elevator by which to escape from the 21st floor should a Russian missile strike. Even when electricity comes back, it’s never on for long.

“Russian strikes are plunging Ukraine into the Stone Age,” says Anastasia Pyrozhenko. In a recent 24-hour spell, her 26-story high-rise only had power for half an hour. She says the “military living conditions” have driven her and husband from their apartment.

“Our building is the highest in the area and is a great target for Russian missiles, so we left our apartment for our parents’ place and are preparing for the worst winter of our lives,” said the 25-year-old.

The situation in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and other major cities has deteriorated drastically following the largest missile attack on the country’s power grid on Tuesday.

Ukrainian state-owned grid operator Ukrenergo reported that 40 percent of Ukrainians were experiencing difficulties, due to damage to at least 15 major energy hubs across the country.

Warning that electricity outages could last anywhere from several hours to several days, the network said that “resilience and courage are what we need this winter.”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, too, stressed the need to be ready and resilient in the face of a potential blackout: “Worst case scenario. Actually, I don’t like to talk about that, but I have to be prepared if we (do not) have electricity, blackout, no water, no heating, no services and no communication,” Klitschko told the AP on Friday.

Ukrenergo said in a statement that “thousands of kilometers of key high-voltage lines are not working,” affecting the entire country.

It published a picture of a transformer station that was destroyed by a Russian missile, leaving around 400,000 people without power. According to the report, “there are dozens of such transformers in the power system now. This equipment cannot be replaced quickly.”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after last week’s strikes that more than 10 million Ukrainians were left without electricity; by Sunday, he said some areas had seen improvements.

“The restoration of networks and technical supply capabilities, the de-mining of power transmission lines, repairs—everything goes on round the clock,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

Blackouts were scheduled Sunday night in 15 regions and the city of Kyiv, he said. Ukrenergo said there would be scheduled outages in every region on Monday.

A sharp cold snap and the first snow have significantly complicated the situation in Kyiv. The cold forces people to turn on their heaters, which drastically increases the load on the grid and makes power outages longer. In light of the dropping temperatures, the Kyiv authorities announced they were setting up communal heating points.

In the city of 3 million people, 528 emergency points have been identified. Here, residents will be able to keep warm, drink tea, recharge their phones and get any necessary help. The heating points will be equipped with autonomous power sources, as

well as special boiler rooms.

Mayor Klitschko, too, spoke of measures taken to prepare for energy outages with the onset of colder temperatures: “We prepared and we (asked for) electric generators (from) our partners, which they send to us. For this case, we have a reserve of diesel, (of) oil. We have a lot of warm stuff. We have medication.”

Many residents in Kyiv have begun to leave boxes of food, flashlights and power banks in elevators, in case anyone gets stuck in one for a long time. Due to the lack of electricity, public transport is disrupted, many small shops cannot operate, and some medical institutions can only work to a limited capacity.

Dentist Viktor Turakevich said that he was forced to postpone his patients’ appointments “for an indefinite time” because without electricity his central Kyiv clinic cannot function even during the day, and the generator will only arrive in a few weeks.

“We cannot accept patients even with acute toothache, people have to suffer and wait a long time, but the light comes on only for a few hours a day,” Turakevich said. “Generator prices have skyrocketed, but even with money, they are not easy to come by.”

Most hospitals in Kyiv have already received generators and there are no power outages there yet. The Oleksandrivska hospital, the largest and oldest one in the center of Kyiv, reported that it had not canceled elective surgeries because the hospital had received electric generators from France. Generators have also been supplied to educational institutions and social services.

“Such facilities are a priority for us, and most of them are equipped with autonomous energy sources,” Ukrenergo head Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said on Friday. However, many schools in Kyiv have endured significant disruption to the learning process, with a lack of electricity meaning Internet outages that make remote learning near impossible.

Yaroslav, age 8, stopped attending his school in the Vynohradar district of Kyiv after a rocket attack blew out all the windows of the school and damaged a shelter there.

“Most of the children studied remotely, but now it is no longer possible to do this,” said Yaroslav’s mother, Olena, who asked for her last name to be withheld for safety reasons, in a phone interview. “We are trying to protect children from the horrors of war, but the cold and the lack of power greatly hinder this.”

Analysts say that Russian rocket attacks on the energy industry do not affect the successful advance of the Ukrainian army in the south and the situation on the battlefield in general.

“The Russians cannot win on the battlefield, and therefore they use cold and darkness as a weapon against the civilian population, trying to sow panic, depression and demoralize Ukrainians,” Volodymyr Fesenko, an analyst at the Penta Center think tank in Kyiv, told the AP. Karmanau reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

Local business tax disputes: Remedies

fulvio D. Dawilan

Tax Law for Business

Ihad previously written in this column an article articulating the remedies available to taxpayers in cases of disputes with the local tax authorities. With jurisprudence evolving and providing further clarity on these remedies, let me revisit the rules for proper guidance.

In this country, it is not only the national government that has the power of taxation. Local governments also do. The constitution itself grants local government units the power to create their own sources of revenues. The local taxation system is expressed with more details in the Local Government Code of 1991.

Based on the mechanisms and limitations provided in the LGC, a local government unit (LGU) may enact tax ordinance to pursue local taxation and impose tax upon its subjects. This includes the imposition of local business tax on individuals and entities doing business within its jurisdiction.

In the pursuit by the LGU’s local taxing power and in the compliance by taxpayers of their local tax obligations, disputes often arise. The common disputes involve disagreement on the extent of liability of the taxpayer, which usually results from an assessment or the overpayment or

erroneous payment of the supposed taxes due.

Similar to national taxes, taxpayers are left with no remedies. In cases of an assessment, the procedures and remedies are provided in Section 195 (protest of an assessment). On the other hand, for the recovery of an overpayment of taxes, the same is governed by Section 196 (claim for refund or tax credit). These remedies separately cover two different subjects—one is for assessments and the other is for refund.

Clearly, the remedy under Section 195 applies when there is an assessment, that is, notice of assessment. A notice of assessment, as commonly understood, is issued upon review or examination conducted by tax authorities after a taxpayer has paid or supposed to have paid his taxes. This is the instance where Section 195 applies. On the other hand, the remedy of refund is available when the tax-

payer pays a tax and claims erroneous or overpayment. In CTA AC 235, March 01, 2022, the Court clarified that a taxpayer may avail of the remedy of refund even without a prior protest and there is no assessment to assail in the first place.

But there are many instances where these remedies are confusing. There are also instances where both remedies need to be invoked.

In the same case, citing GR 185622, October 17, 2018, the Court clearly described the three situations and distinction as to when Section 195 and Section 196 of the LGC of 1991 will apply.

First situation—If the taxpayer receives an assessment and does not pay the tax, its remedy is strictly confined to Section 195 of the LGC. The taxpayer must file a written protest with the local treasurer within 60 days from the receipt of the assessment. If the protest is denied, or if the local treasurer fails to act on it, then the taxpayer must appeal the assessment before a court of competent jurisdiction within 30 days from receipt of the denial, or the lapse of the 60-day period within which the local treasurer must act on the protest. The remedy of a refund is not available since there is no tax payment.

Second situation—If the taxpayer opts to pay the assessed tax, fee, or charge, it must still file the written protest within the 60-day period, and then bring the case to court within 30 days from either the decision or inaction of the local trea-

surer. The taxpayer may, at the same time, question the validity and correctness of the assessment and seek a refund of the taxes paid. Once the assessment is set aside by the court, it follows as a matter of course that all taxes paid under the erroneous or invalid assessment are refunded to the taxpayer.

Third situation—If no assessment notice is issued by the local treasurer, and the taxpayer claims that it erroneously paid a tax, fee, or charge, or that the tax, fee, or charge has been illegally collected from him, then the remedy of a refund under Section 196 will apply.

To summarize, when the local tax authorities issue an assessment, the proper remedy is to protest the assessment if the taxpayer disputes the issues and/or amounts being assessed. When the taxpayer voluntarily pays the assessment or is compelled to pay the same, he may at the same time claim the return of the erroneous payment. When no assessment is involved, the only remedy is a refund.

The author is the Managing Partner of DuBaladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law), a member-firm of WTS Global.

The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at fulvio.dawilan@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 loc 310.

Trump’s growing GOP challengers revive fears of 2016 repeat

By Steve Peoples AP National Political Writer

LAS VEGAS—Memories of the tumultuous 2016 Republican primary hung over the Las Vegas ballroom this weekend during the first major gathering of the party’s potential contenders for the 2024 nomination.

No fewer than 10 White House prospects stepped onto the stage to pitch their plans to fix the nation— and their party. The details varied, but within most speeches was an extraordinary sense of defiance rarely seen since former President Donald Trump seized control of the Republican Party six years ago.

Their central message: Trump can and should be beaten.

Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, pledged in April that she wouldn’t challenge the former president if he ran again. But Saturday night, facing hundreds of cheering Republicans, she vowed to give “1,000 percent” to a White House bid if she decided to get in.

“I’ve never lost an election, and I’m not going to start now,” she said as the crowd roared.

But as the donors and activists who gathered for the Republican Jewish Coalition’s two-day leadership conference applauded, perhaps no one was cheering louder than Trump himself from his Florida estate.

As then, Trump is viewed with suspicion within his party, his standing weakened considerably after several loyalists lost winnable races in this month’s midterm elections. And most of all, a parade of ambitious Republicans is lining up to take him on.

A small, but growing group of Republican operatives is warning Trump’s critics that the only way to defeat him is to rally behind a much smaller group of alternatives.

Eric Levine, a New York-based donor who attended the weekend gathering, called on his party to embrace no more than two or three candidates—and to move with real urgency.

“I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting,” said Levine, who has raised millions of dollars for Republicans in recent years and began speaking out against Trump only after the midterms. “If he becomes the Republican brand, the party is going to be destroyed.”

For now, at least, Trump’s rivals don’t appear to be heeding his warning. The most popular alternative to Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, isn’t likely to enter the race until the late spring, his allies say. But in his keynote address Saturday night, he left little doubt that 2024 was on his mind.

“I think all of us understand how little of a factor he’s going to be,” Sununu said in an interview. “He’s not scaring anybody out. Anyone who wants to run is going to run. It’ll be fun. It’ll be a wide-open race.”

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said it’s much too early to worry about winnowing the field.

“I think more voices, more potential choices,” said Hogan, who is openly weighing a 2024 bid after his term ends in January. “Trump needs to be tested. People need to go out there and be willing to stand up to him.”

Hogan continued: “I don’t think anyone’s going to listen to narrowing the field. Everybody’s going to say, ‘I should be the guy, I should be the guy, we should all be the guy.”

Christie, a failed 2016 presidential contender who then went on to lead Trump’s White House transition that year, said he ultimately expects seven or eight major candidates to enter the race, “which is manageable” compared with the 16 who ran against Trump in 2016.

from Arizona to New Hampshire to Pennsylvania won their GOP nominations with between 30 percent and 40 percent of the vote—a base of support it believes continues to be his floor in the 2024 primary.

Former New Hampshire GOP Chair Jennifer Horn, who led the state party in 2016, said the growing number of likely 2024 candidates “should know better” this time around.

“They are feeding exactly the kind of environment that Trump needs to win,” Horn warned. “If past is prologue, we’ve all got reason to be concerned.”

And while there was evidence of Trump fatigue at the weekend conference, Trump received a warm reception when he appeared via teleconference on Saturday. The crowd cheered loudly when he noted his success in moving the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

But there was notable silence when he repeated his baseless claims about his 2020 election loss.

Continued from A12

until the fox eats the chickens and “Please, oh please Mr. Government, protect us!” from the bad people.

In this crypto space, we will see an amazing reversal even from those who like to remind us that one man’s “terrorist” is another’s “freedom fighter.”

The problem even in the financial arena is deciding who are the “good guys” and “bad guys” when it is often

all subjective in the absence of an overarching moral paradigm deemed binding upon everyone. What is immoral—like defacing works of art or blocking highways—to save the planet from fossil fuels? What is an acceptable amount of financial risk with cryptos to stop government printing more “fake money”? Good luck trying to answer those questions.

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.

Trump’s team believes, as do a growing number of anxious donors and Republican operatives, that the GOP’s emboldened 2024 class may already be unintentionally re-creating the conditions that enabled Trump’s success in 2016. That year, a crowded Republican field splintered the primary electorate and allowed Trump to become the party’s presidential nominee despite winning just 35 percent or less of the vote in each of the three opening primary contests.

In the earliest days of the 2024 season, the 2016 parallels are eerie.

Villar. . .

Continued from A12

Expanding our exports will help us attain high growth, create more jobs and reduce poverty in the country. It should be a part of our nearterm, medium-term and long-term strategies. While we have recently

“In times like these, there is no substitute for victory,” DeSantis said, citing over and over his overwhelming midterm success in Florida. “We’ve got a lot more to do, and I have only begun to fight.”

And in a series of interviews, several other would-be Republican candidates and their aides indicated they would likely wait until next spring or summer to enter the race should they decide to run. That’s even after Trump formally launched his 2024 campaign this past week.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who isn’t ruling out a 2024 run, said Trump’s early announcement has created no sense of urgency; it simply highlighted his weakened political standing.

expanded our service exports such as IT and business process outsourcing and tourism, we should diversify our merchandise goods exports by rebuilding our agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

We could not allow our merchandise trade deficit to go through the roof. Fortunately for us, we have remittances from overseas Filipino

“A lot of those people are fishing out of the Trump pond,” Christie said, suggesting that prospects such as DeSantis and Mike Pompeo are “MAGA guys” who would steal support from Trump’s base in a way that creates opportunities for others—like him.

Christie dismissed any talk of winnowing the field so soon.

“We should all rally behind someone? Okay, who? I don’t think there’s any obvious choice,” Christie said.

Trump advisers initially hoped that he might clear the field with his early announcement. They now believe a crowded field will help him by splitting the anti-Trump vote— just as was the case in 2016. Trump won the New Hampshire and South Carolina primary elections that year with just 35 percent and 32 percent of the vote, respectively. Seven others divided the overwhelming majority of the vote.

Trump’s team notes that his loyalists in key 2022 primary elections

workers that help even our balance of payments. At more than $30 billion annually, remittances support the growth of domestic industries such as banking, real estate, retail and transportation.

Remittances also keep our economy stable and domestic demand strong, especially as we approach the Christmas season.

“The election was rigged. And it’s too bad it was, and Israel lost a lot,” Trump told the packed ballroom.

“You better hope that a certain person wins the election in 2024.”

And with Trump already a declared candidate, some operatives worry it’s much later than his challengers think.

The first presidential primary debate could be just nine months away, using the 2016 presidential primary as a guide. By the summer of 2015, there were already 17 candidates in the race.

One of them was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is considering another run in 2024.

Speaking to reporters in Las Vegas, Cruz said Trump and his loyalists deserved some of the blame for the weaker-than-expected results in the midterms. “I’m frustrated when my party fields candidates with no realistic chance of success,” Cruz said.

AP writer Jill Colvin in New York contributed.

If we could sustain the expansion of our exports, while keeping OFW remittances, BPO revenues and tourism receipts stable, we may even achieve a balance of payments surplus and make our economy stronger.

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

BILL ON MEDIA WORKERS CLEARS HOUSE 3RD RDNG

WITH an overwhelming 252 votes, the House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill providing for enhanced protection, security and benefits for workers in the media industry.

Speaker Martin G. Romual dez said the approval of the mea sure “highlights the importance we in the House give to promot ing the welfare of media person nel and ensuring that the press remains free.”

We regard the Fourth Estate as an essential partner in nation building and in protecting our democracy,” he said.

H B 454 is a consolidation of five related measures authored by scores of House members.

O ther authors include House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, Reps. Pat rick Michael “PM” D. Vargas, Jeffrey Soriano, Eric G. Yap, Paolo Z. Duterte, Edvic G. Yap, Raul Angelo “Jil” Bongalon, Luis Raymund “Lray” Villafuerte Jr., Miguel Luis Villafuerte, Tsuyoshi Anthony G. Horibata, Nicolas C. Enciso VIII, Alfred C. Delos Santos, France L. Castro, Arlene D. Brosas, Raoul Dan niel A. Manuel, Juan Fidel Fe lipe F. Nograles, Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon-Uy, Charisse Anne C. Hernandez, Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan, Allan U. Ty, Christopherson “Coco” M. Yap,

Munir N. Arbison Jr., Chris topher V.P. De Venecia, Edcel C. Lagman, Romeo M. Acop, Bonifacio L. Bosita, Carl Nico las C. Cari, Edwin L. Gardiola, Mark O. Go, Gerville R. Luistro, Khymer Adan T. Olaso, Rodolfo “Ompong” M. Ordanes, Flori da “Rida” P. Robes, Geraldine B. Roman, Roman T. Romulo, Ma. Alana Samantha T. Santos, Leody “Odie” F. Tarriela, Jocelyn P. Tulfo, Richard Gomez, and Felimon M. Espares.

T he proposed law “shall apply to all media workers and media entities in the private sector.”

It defines “media entities” as “persons or organizations, includ ing media networks and operators that actively gather information of potential interest to a segment of the public, turn collected in formation into a distinct work or distribute that work to an audi ence within the Philippines.”

Media workers” are “those who are legitimately engaged in news media practice directly or indirectly, whether as a principal occupation or not.”

The term “block timer” refers to “one who buys airtime from radio and television franchise holders.”

T he bill provides that the minimum compensation for me dia workers shall not be less than the applicable minimum wage set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board. Continued on A2

Chinese coast guard seizes rocket debris from PHL Navy

By Jim Gomez| The Associated Press

then deployed an inflatable boat with personnel who “forcefully re trieved said floating object by cut ting the towing line attached to the” Filipino sailors’ rubber boat.” The Filipino sailors decided to return to their island, Carlos said, without detailing what happened.

M aj. Cherryl Tindog, spokes person of the military’s Western Command, said the floating metal object appeared similar to a number of other pieces of Chinese rocket debris recently found in Philippine waters. She added the Filipino sail ors did not fight the seizure.

T he Chinese vessel twice blocked the Philippine naval boat before seizing the debris it was towing Sunday off Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said Monday. He said no one was injured in the incident.

It’s the latest flare-up in longseething territorial disputes in the strategic waterway, involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

C hinese coast guard ships have blocked Philippine supply boats de livering supplies to Filipino forces in the disputed waters in the past,

but seizing objects in the posses sion of another nation’s military constituted a more brazen act.

C arlos said the Filipino sailors, using a long-range camera on Thitu Island, spotted the debris drifting in strong waves near a sandbar about 800 yards (540 meters) away. They set out on a boat and retrieved the floating object and started to tow it back to their island using a rope tied to their boat.

A s the Filipino sailors were mov ing back to their island, “they noticed that China coast guard vessel with bow number 5203 was approach ing their location and subsequently blocked their pre-plotted course twice,” Carlos said in a statement.

T he Chinese coast guard vessel

We practice maximum toler ance in such a situation,” Tindog told reporters. “Since it involved an unidentified object and not a matter of life and death, our team just decided to return.”

Metal debris from Chinese rocket launches, some showing a part of what appears to be Chinese flag, have been found in Philippine waters in at least three other instances.

R ockets launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on China’s Hainan island in recent months have carried construction materials and supplies for China’s crewed space station.

C hina has been criticized pre viously for allowing rocket stages to fall to Earth uncontrolled. The Philippine Space Agency earlier this month pressed for the Philippines to ratify UN treaties providing a basis for compensation for harm from other nations’ space debris,

and NASA accused Beijing last year of “failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space de bris” after parts of a Chinese rocket landed in the Indian Ocean.

T he Philippine government has filed many diplomatic protests against China over aggressive ac tions in the South China Sea but it did not immediately say what action it would take following Sunday’s in cident. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila would usually wait for an official investigation report before lodging a protest.

T hitu Island, which Filipinos call Pag-asa, hosts a fishing community and Filipino forces and lies near Subi, one of seven disputed reefs in the offshore region that China has turned into missile-protected is lands, including three with runways, which US security officials say now resemble military forward bases.

T he Philippines and other small er claimant nations in the disputed region, backed by the United States and other Western countries, have strongly protested and raised alarm over China’s increasingly aggres sive actions in the busy waterway.

US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is visiting Manila, is scheduled to fly to the western province of Pal awan, which faces the South China Sea, on Tuesday to underscore Ameri can support to the Philippines and renew US commitment to defend its longtime treaty ally if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under attack in the disputed waters.

Senate forms CIF oversight panel

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

WHILE validating the use fulness of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for security purposes, the Sen ate moved on Monday to create an oversight committee of five mem bers in order to keep close watch over the use of over P9 billion in CIF in the 2023 national budget.

Senators adopted Senate Reso lution 302, creating the commit tee, after Senate President Miguel Zubiri took the floor to defend the continued allocation of CIFs even for agencies outside the security clusters.

T he Senate leader said Reso lution will allow Congress as the check and balance to the Executive to “keep a close eye” on govern

ment’s disbursements using intel ligence funds.

He assured the public Resolution 302 will enable senators to perform their duty to “ensure public funds are spend judiciously.”

T he CIFs’ sharp increase has sparked concern that huge chunks of the budget will remain outside audit examination, and hence, pos sibly misused.

A mong those who led the charge against the CIF for agencies such as the OVP and DepEd was Mi nority Leader Koko Pimentel.  At Monday’s creation of the panel, Pimentel acknowledged that the committee is a good step, but said it would have been much better to discourage allocation of such huge CIFs for agencies that are not traditionally recipients of such, or whose mandate does not

require them to conduct “intelli gence work.” He had earlier noted that the CIFs of some depart ments even dwarf those of agen cies tasked with intelligence work for the overall security programs, such as the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

However, taking the floor on Monday after Zubiri, Sen. Robin Padilla said CIFs were “useful for tracking” in the government’s “suc cessful fight against terrorists.”

Padilla cited Davao, for instance, adding: “now it is free of terrorists.” Named members of the oversight panel are Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senate Finance com mittee chairman Juan Edgardo Angara, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, with Senate President Zubiri as the chairman.

MANILA—The Chinese coast guard forcibly seized floating debris the Philippine navy was towing to its island in another confrontation in the disputed South China Sea, a Philippine military commander said Monday. The debris appeared to be from a Chinese rocket launch.

BUTTERFLY GARDEN Art pieces created from preserved butterflies are seen at the Butterfly Garden attraction of the newly rehabilitated and renovated Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden in Malate, Manila, which fully reopened to the public on Monday, November 21, 2022. The zoo is “home to about a thousand animals from 90 species as of April 2015. Giving life to the modernized and improved Manila Zoo are a Bengal tiger, Malayan civet, monitor lizard and hippopotamus, among others,” according to its website. NONIE REYES

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

BusinessMirror

ALI, Araneta to invest ₧20B in Bulacan asset expansion

By VG Cabuag @villygc

AltAr Az A Development Corp., a joint venture between Ayala land Inc. (AlI) and the Araneta Group, is investing an additional P20 billion to develop and expand the company’s estate in San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.

The company said it will add some 600 hectares of prime land to the existing Alta raza estate.

This expansion will provide a complete and diverse range of offerings with additional residential products to cater to new market segments, as well as more commercial devel opments and leisure components,” Ayala Land s aid in a statement.

The overall vision for the expanded Altaraza development is to become the newest growth center in the Metro North that champions in tegration of diverse land uses with the thrust to preserve and enhance Bulacan’s rich ecologi cal ecosystem for an enriched and progressive l ifestyle, it said.

Altaraza, a fully integrated 40-hectare mixed-use estate launched by Ayala Land in 2014, currently hosts two residential commu nities from Avida and Amaia, a prime com mercial district, Waltermart Altaraza, Qual iMed hospital and schools including the STI A cademic Center and Colegio de San Agustin San Jose Del Monte.

With the ongoing buildup of locators in the estate, as well as proximity to Metro Manila and the various government infrastructure projects heading towards the North with MRT7 and the New Manila International Airport, the development is expected to attract more investments to Central Luzon.

Because of Altaraza’s strategic location and

growing community in a span of eight years, prices of residential units have appreciated, re cording a 7 to 10 percent compounded annual g rowth rate, while the value of commercial lots have grown by 200 percent, Ayala Land said.

ALI reported last November 8 that its attrib utable income in January to September went u p by more than 50 percent to P13.34 billion from last year’s P8.58 billion as business and consumer activity accelerated.

Consolidated revenues for the period grew 19 percent to P86.31 billion from the previous year’s P72.6 billion.

For the third quarter alone, the company posted a net income of P5.26 billion, double than last year’s P2.54 billion, while consoli dated revenues reached P32.97 billion, 39 per cent more than the previous P23.64 billion.

“ The acceleration in business and consumer activity during the period enabled us to gener ate significant earnings growth,” Ayala Land P resident and CEO Bernard Vincent O. Dy said.

“The demand for our residential products remained resilient and local consumption continues to be robust despite geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges. We believe the strength of our local market will provide the backbone to sustain the growth of our diversified real estate portfolio for the rest of the year.”

Alsons net income up 18% in Jan-Sept

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Alc A ntA r A led Alsons c o nsolidated r e s ources Inc., (Ac r) r eported an 18-percent increase in its net income at end-September this year as demand for electricity, particularly in Mindanao, grew.

From January to September this year, Ac r p osted P1.35 billion in net earnings from P1.14 billion recorded in the same period a year ago. Of the amount, net earnings for the third quarter surged over 140 percent to P658.22 million from last year’s P272.93 million.

r e venues in nine months stood at P9.25 bil lion and P3.85 billion in the third quarter alone. r e venue for this year was higher than 2021’s nine-month revenue of P7.05 billion and the third quarter revenue of P2.42 billion.

the steady rise in revenues from operations during this period was mainly due to the constant improvement in power demand in Mindanao, as dayto-day activities in the island continue to normalize and recover from the effects of the pandemic.

“We expect power demand in Mindanao to be stable for the rest of the year,” said Ac r d e puty c h ief Financial Officer Philip e d ward Sagun.

Ac r s 210 megawatt (MW) Sarangani energy co rp. (Sec ) b aseload power plant continued to be the key revenue and income driver for the company.

Sec currently provides power to key areas in Mindanao including Sarangani Province, General Santos, c a gayan de Oro, Iligan, d i polog, dapitan,

Pagadian, Samal, ta gum, Kidapawan, and Butuan. Another key revenue contributor for Ac r for this period was the continuing operation of the company’s 100 MW Western Mindanao Power c o rp. (WMP c ) d iesel plant in Zamboanga c i ty. WMP c is the only major power generation facility in the Zamboanga Peninsula, providing power to Zamboanga c i ty and supplying vital ancillary services to the n at ional Grid c o rporation of the Philippines to help stabilize the power grid in the Western Mindanao r e gion.

Ac r said it is now focused on building up its renewable energy capacity in the next few years, with around eight run-of-river hydroelectric pow er facilities in the company’s pipeline.

t h e first of these hydroelectric power plants is the 14.5 MW Siguil Hydro power plant currently under construction in Maasim, Sarangani, which is targeting to begin operations in 2023.

t h e next two hydro power facilities slated for development are a hydro power project in Zambo anga del n o rte with a capacity of up to 21 MW, and a hydro power project in the Bago r i ver in n e gros Occidental with a planned capacity of up to 42 MW.

Acr chairman and President nicasio I. Alcantara had said that renewable energy sources would soon comprise at least half of Acr s long-term energy mix.

t h e company currently has a portfolio of four power facilities with an aggregate capacity of 468 MW serving over eight million people in 14 cities and 11 provinces in the country’s second largest island.

Banking&Finance

Filipinos want to get cash via digital hubs

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

NEARLY half of Filipinos now prefer to receive money transfers through digital platforms, according to a study conducted by Western Union Co.

The study also showed that almost 70 percent of Filipinos want to be able to choose how they collect their funds in the future—be it digitally or otherwise.

Citing data from the World Bank, Western Union said the Philippines is the fourth-largest inbound (receiver) market in the world, bringing in $37 billion in 2021.

“As consumers look to the future, the principle of choice in how

to transfer money internationally is most appealing,” said Jean Claude Farah, the firm’s president for its Middle East and Asia Pacific operations. “This resonates with what we see among our customer base, who actively seek services that are convenient, fast and reliable, based on their needs.”

Western Union said the National Government and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) have made “sig-

nificant strides” in driving digital transformation and encouraging inclusion by creating and committing to a clear financial inclusion strategy.

However, Western Union’s study results show there’s still more to do. While many consumers opt to use digital platforms, many others don’t.

Trust ranks highly as a top barrier for using digital money transfer services among senders at 31 percent and receivers at 23 percent.

The data also showed 37 percent of receivers prefer face-to-face interaction, while senders say process or customer experience prevents them from doing so at 15 percent.

Amplification

HOWEVER, approximately 30 percent of senders and 14 percent of receivers do not transfer money online for reasons such as lack of connectivity, limited knowledge of

digital services, no online banking history or because they are generally unbanked.

Farah said this “amplifies the need for larger ecosystems, where retail and digital platforms grow and evolve symbiotically.”

He said one of the firm’s key focus areas to accelerate growth in the Philippines and around the world is to build on its “core capabilities.”

“So that we can help grow, strengthen and evolve a financial ecosystem that surrounds our customers,” said Farah. “Through our omnichannel approach, we believe that we can harness the power of both the physical and digital touchpoints to serve all our customers’ money movement needs.”

Rising interest rates and increased cost-of-living expenses have driven headlines around the world. Against a backdrop described by the United

Nations as the ‘largest cost-of-living crisis of the 21st century,’ consumers in the Philippines have been proactively trying to cope.

Keeping pace with daily financial needs, 44 percent of senders in the Philippines state that family support is the primary driving force behind how much and how frequently they need to transfer money.

In line with this, the data showed 83 percent of the country’s receivers agree they need to receive more money to support loved ones and family.

Dichotomy

MEANWHILE senders also struggle with a cost-of-living dichotomy. Some 77 percent said because costof-living has increased in the country they send to, they have to transfer more money.

However, 72 percent said that because cost of living expenses have increased in the country they live in,

they are unable to transfer as much as they previously did.

With that, Western Union said both sending and receiving consumers agree that they expect transfers to increase in the next 12 months; with 74 percent of senders and 80 percent of receivers stating that their flow of money is set to go up.

“While many factors contribute to remittance flows, to remit is a personal decision—most commonly to support loved ones and family,” said Farah. “So, it follows that in the current economic climate, receivers have strong influence over the frequency and amounts their senders transfer.”

The study results explore consumer sentiment on money movement. More than 2,000 consumers across the Philippines who send and receive money internationally were surveyed.

NG raises ₧10.55B of ₧15-billion Treasury bills offered

THE national government raised P10.55 billion from the partial award of Treasury Bills on Monday, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

STARTING a business is one of the best things you can do in your life. It’s a challenging, but ultimately rewarding experience. And like a lot of difficult things, doing the first step, which is finding your entrepreneurial spirit, is often the hardest part.

Raised to become an employee

LIKE most of you, I was raised to become an employee—both at home and in school. There are no entrepreneurs in my family. And I never had the chance to take any business subjects in high school and in college. So when that moment came for me that I wanted to start a business, I knew that I had to learn everything by myself.

Realizing this fact often made me jealous of my college friends who studied a business course and some others who were fortunate to be born with entrepreneurial parents. I’d imagine how lucky they were to formally learn about business. More so for those who have entrepreneur parents who can teach them how to start and manage a business.

But then I noticed and asked myself this question.

Despite having those advantages, why do most business graduates, and those born in entrepreneurial families that I knew, still choose to become employees?

In my search for an answer, I eventually concluded two things.

First, acquiring academic knowledge and being exposed to a business-minded family, will not necessarily lead an individual to become an entrepreneur. And second, which means the entrepreneurial spirit, or a person’s motivation to become an entrepreneur, must come from somewhere else.

And that “somewhere else” is within a person’s character.

Do you know Steve Tamayo of the famous Tamayo’s Catering? He used to be an overseas Filipino working in the Middle East before becoming a millionaire businessman.

I could say that his life’s biggest turning point was when war broke out in Kuwait and he was forced to come back to the Philippines. He had to leave behind all his savings and possessions when that happened.

With nothing but experience as his primary resource, he was able to start a small venture. This was the start of what would eventually become one of the most

successful catering businesses in the country.

His story is inspiring. But more than that, it’s also one of the best examples of how an entrepreneur is actually made.

Steve worked in Saudi Arabia as a waiter and then as a hotel manager in Kuwait. His combined eight years of experience working in these jobs taught him what he needed to start a food business.

And it’s also the same lessons and opportunities that you have, regardless of your job.

Engagement is how you discover the entrepreneurial spirit.

A restaurant waiter can simply choose to do his job well, and he will be rewarded for his hard work with a job promotion. But if he wants to be an entrepreneur, he must learn to engage himself beyond what is required of him to do. To not just provide good service to diners, but to learn the concept and importance of excellent customer service to a business.

He can choose to not just take orders efficiently and memorize the menu. But he can also learn its nutritional merits and how it serves the dietary needs of different customers. To not just follow his manager and the rules of the company, but to learn how the restaurant is managed and understand why those rules are important for the business.

The business lesson

REGARDLESS of the work you do, there are lessons and opportunities that are always available when you choose to stretch your vision beyond what you see.

Do you want to start your own business? Then awaken your entrepreneurial spirit by engaging first with the world around you.

Your curiosity and hunger for new knowledge will give you the proper skills. It will nurture within you the right mindset to start a business someday—or perhaps sooner than you can imagine.

Fitz Villafuerte is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. To learn more about personal-financial planning, attend the 99th RFP program this January 2023. To inquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text at 09176248110.

The government initially intended to raise P15 billion from the auction of its T-Bills. The BTr said the auction was nearly twice oversubscribed, attracting P29.4 billion in total tenders.

“Results were mixed in today’s treasury bill auction as the Auction Com-

mittee decided to fully award bids for the 91-day T-bill while partially awarding the 182- and 364-day T-bills,” the BTr said.

The government raised a total of P5 billion for the 91-day T-bills. For the P182-day securities, the government raised P3.25 billion while the P364-day T-bills, P2.3 billion.

The total tenders received for the 91-day T-bills amounted to P17.371 billion and rejected the P12.371 billion.

For the P182-day T-bills, the government received total tenders worth P7.11 billion and rejected a total of P3.86 billion.

For the 364-day securities, the government received P4.971 billion total tenders and rejected P2.671 billion.

The 91-day security fetched an average rate of 4.375 percent while the 182- and 364-day securities were capped at 4.921 percent and 5.142 percent, respectively.

This month alone, the national government aims to raise P215 billion from the sale of debt papers. The amount covers P75 billion worth of T-bills and P140 billion in treasury bonds.

For the whole year, the government is set to borrow a total of P2.21 trillion, of which 75 percent will be sourced locally while the remaining 25 percent will come from foreign sources.

Cai U. Ordinario

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

REP. Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd district) is calling on the vape sector to become more diligent in paying their taxes “before public opinion blows up in their face” as the House tax panel’s hearing revealed the government is collecting far fewer revenues than expected.

EastWest Ageas Insurance cites growth despite Covid

EASTWEST Ageas Life Insurance Corp. announced it has posted tremendous growth over the last two years, despite the global pandemic threat.

In just over six years, EastWest Ageas has protected the lives of over 250,000 Filipinos across the country, the firm said in a statement.

The company began operations in 2016 with only five insurance solutions, including its Group Mortgage Redemption Insurance (MRI). It now has 13 financial solutions that help Filipinos live their best lives today.

Over the past two years, EastWest Ageas has been the fastest-growing insurance firm among the top 15 insurers in Annual Premium Equivalent (APE). According to the Insurance Commission’s Life Insurance Sector Quarterly Statistics, it has grown by 35 percent over the same period last year and is now the tenth largest insurer in terms of APE. Its rise to the top ten demonstrates the company’s financial stability and growing strength.

“These are exciting times for EastWest Ageas,” President and CEO Glenn Williams was quoted in the statement as saying. “I can say with great pride that our team was committed to providing Filipinos with the necessary life and health protection, especially during the global health crisis.”

Williams said they “will not rest on [their] laurels.”

“Indeed, the recent launch of our agency channel inspires us to create excellent opportunities to help more Filipinos plan a better future and live their best lives today.”

Country Manager Sjoerd Smeets was quoted in the statement as saying the firm “is undoubtedly on the rise.”

“I’m excited to help the company grow and become a strong contender in our highly competitive industry,” Smeets said.

EastWest Ageas Insurance is a joint venture between Ageas Insurance Ltd. and East West Banking Corp.

Salceda said the industry must cooperate with government before public opinion shifts towards tighter regulation of the products. Salceda is the principal author of House Bill (HB) 5532, which seeks to increase taxes on vape products by around 14 percent, and levy an additional tax on vaping devices.

“They asked for looser regulations, through the Vape Regulation Law, which supplanted many of the stricter conditions under the Tax Code. Tapos hindi pala sila magbabayad ng buwis ,” Salceda said. [Then they won’t pay taxes.]

“Pay up, before this blows up in your face.”

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has collected only P242 million in excise taxes from heated tobacco products and just P7 million from vape in 2021. Meanwhile, data from the Bureau of Customs only included VAT and duties but not excise taxes.

“Market data suggests that the country’s vape market is generating as much as P12.3 billion in sales. In 2019, when the Vape Tax Law was being discussed, government revenue agencies projected as much as

P1.4 billion in tax revenues annually from the measure,” the chairman of the House Ways and Means Chairman said. “In short, we are off target in taxes, while sales projections seem to be on track.”

“Lackluster revenue performance from both customs and BIR indicates the possibility of both smuggling and tax evasion going on,” said Salceda. “So it’s a doublewhammy for vape, as far as taxes are concerned.”

The lawmaker also cited recommendations from the World Health Organization, which suggest that stronger measures for taxing and regulating vape products should be in place.

Salceda also directed the Department of Finance “to conduct further studies on elasticity and consumption impact.”

The lawmaker, likewise, directed the creation of a technical working group (TWG) chaired by Senior Vice Chair Mikaela Angela B. Suansing with Representatives Rosanna “Ria” V. Vergara, Kristine Singson-Meehan, Robert Ace S. Barbers and Keith Flores-Reyes as members. The TWG will write the draft committee report for the measure.

Salceda cited possible lack of enforcement measures on electronic sales of vape products. According to him, he has already been in talks with electronic commerce platforms and directed the technical working group to study this angle further.

“Use the resources of the committee as you deem fit,” Salceda told members of the TWG.

Panabo City investors warned against online scams

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Investors in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, are being alerted to online scams and bogus online products.

The warning was issued during the Investment Awareness Forum held last week to comply with the national government directive to observe the

second week of November as Investor Protection Week. The forum was part of initiatives to heighten awareness of the business community against fraud.

During the forum, Securities and Exchange Commission Counsel II Emee M. Villsenda talked on investor education and protection while Department of Trade and Industry Development Specialist Kristofer Chan discussed digital consumerism. Both warned

about online selling and purchases to be meticulous and to inspect the quality of the products bought “PM [private message] is not the key. The online seller must put the price tag of the product,” Chan said Marjorie P. Alo, president of the Panabo Banker’s Association and branch manager of RCBC-Panabo, also warned against being tricked online.

“Think before you click so that you

won’t regret and your money won’t disappear. There are no successful scammers without the victim.”

Alo said several number of depositors lost big sum of money because they clicked on some fraud messages.

Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued Proclamation 846 in November last year declaring every second week of November as Investor Protection Week.

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace

‘Vape sector must pay up or face court of public opinion’

Do you want to start a business? Here’s your first real step

peRsonAl finAnce

fitz Gerard Villafuerte

SME BANK This Thursday, November 3, 2022, shows the façade of a branch of the Bank of the Philippine Islands. In a statement, the country’s third-largest lender by asset said it was recently proclaimed as the “Best SME Bank in the Philippines” by Global Finance Capital Ltd. “for championing small and medium enterprises and responding to their specialized needs with its range of products and services.”

Photo courtesy of Bank of the PhiliPP ne slands

BERLIN—Climate activists in Austria on Tuesday attacked a famous painting by artist Gustav Klimt with a black, oily liquid and one then glued himself to glass protecting the painting’s frame.

Members of the group Last Generation Austria tweeted they had targeted the 1915 painting Death and Life at the Leopold Museum in Vienna to protest their government’s use of fossil energies.

After throwing the liquid on the painting, which wasn’t damaged, one activist was pushed away by a museum guard while another glued his hand to the glass over the painting’s frame.

The group defended the protest, saying in a tweet

online, one of the activists can be heard shouting that “we have known about the problem for 50 years—we must finally act, otherwise the planet will be broken.”

“Stop the fossil fuel destruction. We are racing into a climate hell,” he added.

After the attack, police arrived at the museum and the black liquid was quickly cleaned off the glass protecting the painting, Austria Press Agency reported.

Despite thorough controls at the museum’s entrance, the activists succeeded in bringing the liquid inside by hiding it in a hot water bottle under their clothes, the agency reported.

The museum’s restoration team said later that

online cultural show tackles the challenges of Deaf students amid the pandemic

FiLiPino Deaf students share how they find hope amid the challenges brought by the pandemic in the Face Mask, a fund-raising cultural show to be held on Friday, november 25. it is the culminating event of the month-long celebration of the 28th Deaf Festival: Defining servant Leadership in rebuilding.

spearheaded by Deaf choreographer, director and trainer Myra Medrana, the two-hour production follows the journey of a Deaf student (John r ven Canilang) who lost his means to communicate with the community amid the stay-at-home orders. in his solitude, he finds guidance from his mother (Angel Zyra Podaca) and friendship from spirits (Jay-r Lacorte and ryan Frayres), who help him hold on to his aspiration for a better future.

the Face Mask mirrors the personal experiences of the Deaf who were immensely affected by the lack of in-person interaction with their loved ones and the public, as well as the chance to volunteer and engage in group activities.

it depicts the face mask as a metaphor for the struggles, social inequalities and illness experienced during the pandemic. it likewise serves as a symbol for hope and responsibility to protect mankind.

the show will feature a medley of Broadway and Filipino music, Filipino sign Language (FsL) poetry, interpretative and contemporary dances and ballet to highlight the performing arts as a universal language. it will be presented by silent steps, the official Deaf dance group of the school of Deaf

Education and Applied studies (sDEAs) of the De La s College of saint Benilde.

the Deaf Festival was established in november 1995 by the Deaf students from the sDEAs to commemorate Deaf Awareness Week. the fete has since become a tradition to promote awareness and appreciation of their unique identity and culture. the beneficiary will be the sDEAs student support and Calamity Fund, which assists Deaf scholars with allowance for food, school transportation and internet access to attend online classes.

“A big number of our students do not have the financial means for their basic needs. so the student support Fund provides them this opportunity,” shared sDEAs Center for Deaf Esteem and Formation (CDEAF) Director Bea Francisco.

the Calamity Fund is for those areas which have been affected by natural disasters and other calamities, most of them Deaf communities or the marginalized sectors who are usually the last to receive support from LGus and other nGos,” she added.

the Face Mask is open to the public. it will be conducted online via Zoom on november 25, 2022, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Voice interpreters will be available for the hearing audience.

tickets are on sale at P80 for students and P100 for adults through forms.gle/whxcvzUP9WKDcpGD6. More information is available at sDEAs Deaf Festival (www.facebook.com/ SDEASDeafFestival ).

while the painting itself hadn’t been harmed, the damage to the glass and security framing, as well as to the wall and floor, was “evident and significant,” APA reported.

Hans-Peter Wipplinger, the director of the Leopold Continued on B5

DISCUSSION ON THE WORK OF IMELDA CAJIPE ENDAYA

tHE CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division (VAMD) presents The Teodora Alonso Reading Club: A Discussion on the Work of Imelda Cajipe Endaya, a public conversation on the artistic and cultural works of the renowned visual artist on november 26, 3pm, at the Bulwagang Juan Luna (CCP Main Gallery). the event is named after one of Cajipe Endaya’s artworks, titled The Teodora Alonso Reading Club, which is included in her current retrospective exhibit at the CCP. the painting shows a palimpsest of an archival image of teodora Alonso with her daughters and granddaughters wielding books that contend with the friarocracy. Critic Eileen Legaspi ramirez and artist Judith Adam will join the discussion via Zoom, while artist Brenda Fajardo and scholar neferti tadiar will be presenting pre-recorded videos.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Scarlett Johansson, 38; Mark Ruffalo, 55; Jamie Lee Curtis, 64; Steve Van Zandt, 72.

HAppY BIRTHDAY: Seize the moment, look for opportunities and stay on course. You can accomplish the most if you stick to your plans and principles, verify facts and refuse to let others manipulate or push you in a direction you don’t care to go. Put anger aside, show intelligence and patience, and treat everything you encounter this year with a sense of humor, experience and knowledge. Your numbers are 8, 19, 21, 26, 36, 40, 48.

aARIES (March 21-April 19): Put more thought into how to save money, protect against a loss and ensure that you remain healthy, wealthy and wise. Discipline and hard work will be the cornerstones of success. Put your energy to good use and finish what you start. HHH

bTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Plan wellthought-out changes before you begin the transformation. Consider what can go wrong and prepare a solid defense to ensure you stay on track. There is money to be made if you go through the proper channels. HHH

cGEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t be fooled by what others say. Check to ensure you get legitimate instructions before starting something new. Awareness and intelligence are your strengths and can be used to ensure you get ahead as planned. HHH

dCANCER (June 21-July 22): Enjoy the moment. Look around you and reach out to people who put a smile on your face. Sign up for an outing that encourages you to branch out and try something new and exciting. A trend will spark your imagination. HHHHH

eLEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Go where the action is and mingle with interesting people. By sharing your thoughts, you will hook up with someone who challenges you and contributes to your concerns and causes. Don’t let uncertainty stand between you and success. HH

fVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Rely on friends and peers for help. A problem will escalate if you don’t communicate openly. Bring attention to solutions that will benefit everyone or weed out those with nothing to offer. HHHH

gLIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Associate with people who make you think. A challenge will lead to personal growth. Keep your money and possessions in a safe place. Not everyone will share your values or principles. A physical endeavor will boost your ego, strength and courage. HHH

hSCORpIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Practice patience, go with the flow and refuse to let what others choose to do influence your next move. Step outside your comfort zone and try something you’ve never done. The experience will be educational and rewarding. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Treating those in your home with equality will help you sidestep a disagreement or misunderstanding. Choosing to use charm and kindness will get a better response. A self-improvement project will give your confidence a boost. Romance is favored. HHH

CApRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are overdue for a change, so don’t wait for someone to give you a push; take the liberty to turn an idea you have into something concrete. Put your feelers out for people who can complement your next project. HH

kAQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be the one to create a situation in an enthusiastic atmosphere that pumps up people and motivates them to participate and make the world a better place. HH

lpISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Follow your heart and channel your energy into making a difference. Don’t argue with people who have a different plan. Consider what makes you happy and brings opportunities your way. HHHHH

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are playful, enthusiastic and creative. You are adventurous and proactive.

: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. HH: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. HHH: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. HHHH: Aim high; start new projects. HHHHH: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

BY JEFFREY WECHSLER

The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

QCinema festival showcases the best of Fil ipi no world-class talents

of opening film, Swedish director Ruben Ostlund’s Triangle of Sadness, warmly received by the opening night audience which included Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, the top executives of the film’s Philippine distributor TBA Studio Nando Ortigas, Eddie Rocha, Jerrold Tarog and Daphne Chiu in full force, power couple Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and Bibeth Orteza, editor par excellance Manet Dayrit, restoration specialist Leo Katigbak, Filipino-American producer Alicia Catubay-Watt who flew in all the way from Utah, and National Artist for Film Ricky Lee.

by the world’s staunchest critics since the movie had its world premier in France.

Another much talked about movie is Japan’s competition entry Plan 75, directed by Chie Hayakawa, with Filipino American producers Alicia Watt and Wilfredo Manalang calling the shots for the film’s participation in festivals like QCinema. Watt and Manalang flew in Filipino-Japanaese actress Stefanie Arianne, who also graced the opening festivities. She will also headline the gala night of the film, aside from doing several rounds of promotions for the movie.

Taylor Swift angry for fans in Ticketmaster meltdown

By Leanne Italie The Associateds Press

NEW YORK—Swifties, your girl has spoke on the Ticketmaster meltdown. Taylor Swift posted a story on Friday on Instagram expressing her anger and frustration over the hours spent by fans trying to buy tickets for her tour next year.

THE featured films at the ongoing QCinema International Film Festival are being received very well, what with the meticulously selected and carefully curated films by the organizers, headed by the festival director Ed Lejano.

Having followed the festival for the past 10 years, we can definitely say that this year is the best as far as the quality of selected films is concerned.

“It’s the revenge year of the festival after the curse of the pandemic, and we are very happy that everything is going well, and people are back to the cinemas to appreciate and support our roster of films this year,” said Lejano during the official opening of the festival last Thursday at the Gateway Cinemas in Quezon City.

The festival had an auspicious start with its choice

Also spotted at the opening were filmmakers Paolo Villaluna, Dodo Dayao who brought his lovely partner, producer Patti Lapus; Adolfo Alix Jr. who came with his gorgeous ward Kiko Ipapo, Milo Sugueco, Roman Perez Jr., Dennis Marasigan, Paul Santa Ana, Jerome Zamora, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Marlon Rivera, producer filmmaker Wilfredo Manalang, model John Paul Lopez, screenwriter and actress Raquel Villavicencio, actors Ricky Davao, Toni Co and Alex Diaz.

After the screening, actress Dolly de Leon was accorded a thunderous applause for raising the ante of Philippine actors once again, courtesy of her on-point performance in the movie which bagged the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival a few months ago.

De Leon plays the Filipina cruise ship toilet manager Abigail who turns the narrative upside down after a tragic incident, and her performance has been praised

“I am happy to be in Manila to help promote the film and connect somehow with my roots,” Arianne told us. “I am thankful that I was tasked to play an important role in the film, and to be given this chance to show the world what Filipino actors can do, if only we are given the breaks.”

Incidentally, TBA Studios is the local distributor of both award-winning films. President and chief operating officer Daphne Chiu is ecstatic about bagging the distribution deals.

“We’re taking two steps forward for TBA Studios by bringing both Plan 75 and Triangle of Sadness for the local audience to see and appreciate. We are also proud of our local actors like Dolly de Leon and Stephanie Arianne for having penetrated world-class international productions. TBA Studios will continue supporting world-class Filipino talents in festivals like QCinema.” n

Young GMA star Kelvin Miranda releases feel-good song ‘Sumayaw’

SPARKLE’S talented and sought-after leading man Kelvin Miranda has released a groovy single under GMA Music, titled “Sumayaw.” It is now on all digital streaming platforms worldwide.

The upbeat track was composed by Viktor Nhiko Sabiniano for his long-time friend, Kelvin. He made sure that the song will be personal to Kelvin, focusing on significant points in his life. According to Kelvin, the music is not about love but rather about how he is looking for the courage to take a leap of faith.

Kelvin feels nervous and excited at the same time with the launch of his single: “Sa totoo lang, medyo kinakabahan ako kasi first time namin maglalabas ng upbeat na kanta. Siyempre nai-excite rin ako na marinig ng fans dahil pinaghandaan talaga ito ng kaibigan kong si Nhiko Sabiniano at ni Sir Paulo Agudelo. Talagang pinag-usapan at in-arrange nila ng maganda itong kanta.”

He shared what the song is all about: “For me, ’yung word na ‘sayaw’ is a metaphor of being carefree. Parang okay let’s dance, ’wag na muna natin intindihin ’yung mga problema kahit for once. Kung may problema ka,

isayaw mo na lang. ’Yung mensahe niya is huwag mo pigilan ang sarili mo maging masaya sa mga bagay na alam mong makakapagpasaya sa iyo at hindi makakasama for you.” Siguro kaya ito ’yung napili nilang genre for me is part siya ng exploration, kumbaga pagdating kasi sa music limitless talaga. Kailangan gawa lang ng gawa and kailangan i-explore lahat ng bagay para makabuo ng mas magandang piyesa. Parang artwork siya na kailangan mong lumikom ng iba’t ibang ideas at tunog,” Kelvin further explained.

Meanwhile, Kelvin is optimistic about the future of his music career: “Pinag-uusapan namin nina Sir Tyronne [Escalante], ’yung manager ko, kung paano namin tatahakin o aayusin ’yung music career ko. Hinahanap pa namin kung anong genre ang babagay for me and talagang magki-click. Kaya itong ‘Sumayaw,’ part ito ng pag-explore namin kung bagay sa akin or baka may ipipiga pa. Mahirap pero nag-enjoy naman kaming gawin ito. Sana sa mga susunod pang taon, kung mabibigyan pa lalo ng opportunity, maganda pa sana ang mangyari sa music career ko.”

Climate activists throw liquid at Klimt painting in Vienna

Continued from B4

Museum, told APA that the concerns of the climate activists were justified, “but attacking works of art is definitely the wrong way to implement the targeted goal of preventing the predicted climate collapse.”

He appealed to the group to find other ways to make their concerns known.

Austria’s culture minister also expressed understanding for “the concerns and also the

desperation” of the activists, but criticized their form of protest.

“I do not believe that actions like these are purposeful, because the question arises whether they do not rather lead to more lack of understanding than to more awareness of the climate catastrophe,” Andrea Mayer said.

“From my point of view, accepting the risk of irrevocable damage to works of art is the wrong way to go,” the minister added. “Art and culture are

allies in the fight against climate catastrophe, not adversaries.”

The Klimt work is an oil on canvas painting in the Art Nouveau style depicting death on the left side and a group of partially naked, hugging people on the right side. It’s one of the latest pieces of art to be targeted by climate activists to draw attention to global warming.

Different activist groups have staged numerous demonstrations in recent months, including

“I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could,” she wrote. “It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of them feel like they went through several bear attacks to get them.”

Of those who lost out, Swift said she hopes to “provide more opportunities for us to all get together and sing these songs.”

Fans trying to scoop up tickets on Tuesday in a pre-sale for Swift’s The Eras tour were met by massive delays and error messages that Ticketmaster blamed on bots and historically unprecedented demand. It was the most tickets sold on the platform in a single day, the company said in a statement.

A general public sale scheduled for Friday was canceled the day before. Some fans wondered why Swift hadn’t spoken out sooner.

On Instagram, the pop star didn’t address timing but said she has trust issues when it comes to her fans’ experience, trying to keep many elements of her career in-house.

“It’s really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and loyalties, and excruciating for me to just watch mistakes happen with no recourse,” Swift said.

In addition to Tuesday’s nightmare, Ticketmaster cited “extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand” as a reason for calling off Friday’s sale.

Fresh off one of the biggest album launches of her career, Swift announced earlier this month that she was going on a new US stadium tour, with international dates to follow. Fans who received a special code after registering had exclusive access to buy tickets on Tuesday. Those who didn’t score tickets were placed on a waiting list.

The 52-date Eras Tour kicks off March 17 in Glendale, Arizona, and wraps up with five shows in Los Angeles ending August 9. It’s Swift’s first tour since 2018. AP

blocking streets and throwing mashed potatoes at a Claude Monet painting in Germany.

The British group Just Stop Oil threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers in London’s National Gallery last month.

Just Stop Oil activists also glued themselves to the frame of an early copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper at London’s Royal Academy of Arts, and to John Constable’s The Hay Wain in the National Gallery. n

KELVIN MIRANDA

FROM left: Stefanie Arianne, Daphne Chiu and Dolly de Leon

TAYLOR SwIFT poses for photographers upon arrival at the European MTV Awards 2022 in Dusseldorf, Germany, Sunday, November 13. AP

Celebrating a Century of Tradition with King Sue Ham

Ringing In the Holiday Cheer at Seda Vertis North’s Winter Wonderland

Operations Officer-Tourism Regulation Division, Ivannovich Agote.

Another notable highlight of the evening was one of the most valuable group-wide initiatives and it is the group’s continuous partnership with Smile Train. It is the hotel’s commitment to social development and environmental stewardship.

According to Kimmy CosetengFlaviano. Smile Train’s Vice President for South East Asia in their video, “Smile Train has been fortunate to have been chosen by Seda Hotels and AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corporation as its partner charity for the holiday season since 2017. Through this partnership, over 100 children and adults born with a cleft have received life-changing surgery and care—giving them new smiles and second chances at life. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we know there is much more we need to do. Thousands of Filipino children still need your help.”

EVERYONE knows that Christmas starts early in the Philippines. As early as September, Christmas songs are already playing. By October, Christmas decorations are already going up. By November, malls start extending their hours and shoppers start checking off their Christmas lists. So, if you’re only starting to plan your Noche Buena menu now, only a few weeks before Christmas day, you probably need a good head start at this point.

At this point, it’s not a question of whether Filipinos should add King Sue Ham to their Noche Buena menu, it’s a matter of which ham should they serve. Let’s take a look:

that Filipinos love. Achieving this unique flavor requires combining traditional curing methods King Sue Ham is known for, with a special brine that draws out the sweetness of the meat while maintaining its soft and juicy texture.

4. Premium Quality Taste: Hawaiian Ham Hawaiian Ham is an excellent take on the confluence of cultural flavors in a single dish. King Sue Ham crafts theirs by using premium quality meat that’s leaner, but still ensures that it’s tender and juicy. A top choice for palates who want the sweetness of a great glaze and the savory salty goodness of a prime selection of meat.

SEDA Vertis North, the largest and premier hotel in the North of Metro Manila, is ready to count the days down to Christmas. The hotel launched the festive season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 15, 2022, with the central theme of Winter Wonderland. Seda Vertis

North exemplifies Filipino hospitality at its finest, weaving together excellent location, understated elegance, worldclass service, and seamless hospitality at its best for its guests. With a striking motif of blue, white, and silver, Christmas has truly come alive in the halls of the hotel.

The ceremony was welcomed by Seda Vertis North’s General Manager, Christian Pirodon. He stated, “It is the hotel’s first time again after two years to celebrate such a joyous occasion. We are all happy

to have you here with us as we usher in the upcoming holiday season, enjoying over delicious food and refreshing drinks specially prepared by our culinary team.”

Pirodon also expects the hotel to be hustling and bustling this season, coming from two years of intimate Christmas gatherings.

The celebration was welcomed by Seda Hotels Group officers, Melissa Carlos, Christian Canda, and Eileen Escobido and Seda Vertis North’s Management Committee Christian Pirodon, Virgie Gula, Maricar De Ocampo, Don Bazar and Clarice Sy, with esteemed guests of honor—Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina G. Belmonte, Quezon City Tourism Department’s OIC, Maria Teresa A. Tirona, District 1 Action Officer, Ollie Belmonte, and OIC Chief Tourism

Aside from being a place for yuletide staycations, the hotel highlights its “Festive Holiday Celebrations Package,” perfect for your events this Christmas season. Misto Lobby Dining also offers sumptuous holiday buffet spreads this December starting at P1,800++ per person, while Straight Up Rooftop Restaurant offers party packages inclusive of hors d'oeuvres, alcoholic drinks, and more starting at P1,700++ per person for minimum of 50 persons.

At Seda Vertis North, experience a remarkable holiday season with family and friends as you bask in our stylish comfort and urban conveniences.

General Manager Christian Pirodon further points out, “This is a very important season for many Filipinos, and it is a wonderful opportunity for us to offer you a home in Quezon City this coming Christmas,” said Pidon

Allianz PNB Life expands scope of sustainability commitment through partnership with Saddle Row

A LLIANZ PNB Life’s commitment to sustainability stretches further into health and wellness through its recent partnership with Saddle Row, a boutique fitness studio that develops tailor-fit indoor workouts for clients, such as cycling, rowing, and other modalities. The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Agreement on November 14.

Present at the signing were Allianz PNB Life President and CEO Alexander Grenz and Chief Marketing Officer Gino Riola. Representing Saddle Row were Founder and President Jammy Honrado and Corporate Sales Head Ting Joson.

“For Allianz PNB Life, this is more than just a partnership. We really want to pursue sustainability by way of physical and mental wellness, so what we’re doing is we’re looking at like-minded organizations like Saddle Row,” said Riola. “Sustainability is incredibly important to us. It’s not just about taking care of the environment, like what everyone is familiar with. It’s about making choices that secure your future and that of the next generations, so health and wellness are also part of that.”

“We just felt that the two brands have the same vision and mission, which is to give everybody a better life,” said Honrado. “We both aim to promote sustainable lifestyles, so we thought that we complement each other.”

According to Honrado, Saddle Row focuses on developing workouts that are sustainable, with the goal of helping customers set and achieve goals for the day. “It’s not everyday where all of us feel like going for a hard workout,” she said. “From our array of classes, there are different intensities and different kinds of movements, like yoga to cycling or rowing, and you

get to choose from that. So, it’s about getting to know yourself, what you really enjoy, and what’s sustainable for you in terms of maintaining your health.”

This aligns perfectly with Allianz PNB Life’s vision of sustainability and securing the future. The partnership shares similarities to Ride Safe, the company’s existing sustainable transport campaign. Just as Saddle Row supports the development of a sustainable yet healthy lifestyle through movement and exercise like indoor cycling, Allianz PNB Life encourages Filipinos to do the same by pursuing physical activities like biking through Ride Safe.

Through the partnership, Allianz PNB Life and Saddle Row will be able to take their vision of sustainability further.

“Saddle Row’s customers are similar to Allianz PNB Life’s. Both are concerned with their health and are taking active steps in ensuring that this is protected,” Riola stated. “Working together with Saddle Row, we are exposing their customers to the benefits of life and health insurance. It’s not enough that

one is working on their health goals; they need protection too, which is what Allianz PNB Life provides.”

“We believe we complement Allianz PNB Life in a way where we’re assisting them in promoting a better, healthier lifestyle for their customers as well,” Honrado added. “It’s not just about not getting sick, it’s not just preventative… it’s about ‘how can this protection be part of my life?’ I think that’s why Allianz PNB Life feels like we’re a good match. It’s because we foresee the problems people can develop if they don’t pursue health and wellness, and we’re here to assist them before it happens.”

Allianz PNB Life and Saddle Row are kicking off the partnership with a Christmas Challenge Card, which will run from November 14 to December 31. Challengers will be tasked to collect stamps on their challenge card by attending the classes as stated on it. The first 50 participants to complete their card will be awarded with Sodexo gift certificates worth P500, and all challengers will be eligible for a raffle sponsored by Allianz PNB Life.

1. A Tradition of Premium Quality: Chinese Ham, Bone-In Cooked bone-in, this particular ham is topped with a delicate sugar glaze that draws out the juiciness of the smoked premium quality pork leg, perfectly completing the savory saltiness of its tender meat. The result is the familiar sweet and salty flavor that mingles on people’s palates, a flavor profile that can only be recreated over and over again by a brand like King Sue Ham, who has perfected this cooking process for almost a century. A must-try for anyone who wants to celebrate the traditional flavors of Christmas with family and friends.

2. A Flavorful Journey: Piña Ham Good ham is comprised of three flavor blocks—sweet, spice, and salty. Discerning palates get it all with King Sue Ham’s Piña Ham. The natural flavor of the premium quality meat, cured in a special brine to bring out the delicate savory spice is combined with the sweetness and saltiness of fruit to create that balance of sweet and salty. A favorite for even the pickiest Pinoy palates.

3. Taste the Heritage: Sweet Ham Even the more modern iterations of this centuries-old Christmas staple stay true to the quality and traditions that made it the goto ham for many. Sweet ham, like the name suggests, features a sweeter flavor profile

reaffirms

THE Manila Electric Company (Meralco) committed anew its support for the government’s transportation infrastructure development efforts crucial to the country’s pandemic recovery and economic growth.

In a meeting with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa affirmed the power distributor’s assistance through continuing pole relocation and energization activities in support of the agency’s ongoing and planned transportation projects geared towards greatly benefiting the public.

“As the country’s largest power distribution utility, Meralco is cognizant of the importance of stable and reliable electric service in the timely completion and effective operations of DOTr’s infrastructure projects. The government can always count on Meralco’s continued and full support for these initiatives which will help spur the Philippines’ post-pandemic recovery and renewed drive towards economic progress,” Espinosa said.

Among the new transportation projects requiring substantial power supply are the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Packages 2 and 3, North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension from Calamba to Batangas; MRT4; LRT-2 East Cogeo Extension; LRT-2 West Extension; LRT-6 Cavite Line A; MRT-7 Extension Project; EDSA Greenways; EDSA Bus Rapid Transit-Busway Concourse; Pasig River Expressway; Southern Access Link Expressway; and Northern Access Link.

5. Meticulously-Crafted Flavors: PearShaped Ham

For those who prefer a meatier flavor profile, a Pear-shaped ham is made from topgrade meat to create a tender and juicy slab of ham. While it is still made following King Sue Ham’s signature cooking and curing process, it was made to be convenient to fit modern needs. Each pear-shaped ham comes ready to eat or bake, guaranteeing the incredible King Sue Ham flavor with every bite, while giving foodies the option to try it out with new glazes to elevate and reinvent the classic.

King Sue Ham Tastes Even Sweeter This Year NO matter what kind of ham you choose to feature as the centerpiece for this year’s Noche Buena, you’re guaranteed to serve something classic, comforting, and Fit for a King. And as the brand celebrates 92 years of tradition and heritage, they want everyone to be part of this milestone.

If you shop between November 15-30 via GrabMart or Facebook Shop, King Sue Ham is throwing in 250g packs of Spiced Ham with every purchase of their 500g Hungarian Sausage. And beginning November 25, you get two 250g packs of Pork Tocino or Sisig for the price of one.

infastructure

Meralco is also currently undertaking a pole relocation project in support of the ongoing construction of NAIAx-EDSA Tramo Connecting Ramp and Skyway Stage 4.

In May 2019, Meralco and DOTr signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) underscoring the parties’ close coordination for the timely completion of Common Station, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, MRT-7, Metro Manila Subway, PNR South Long Haul (from Manila to Sorsogon), and the three phases of NorthSouth Commuter Railway System, namely PNR North 1 (from Tutuban to Malolos, Bulacan), PNR North 2 (from Malolos to Clark, Pampanga), and PNR South Commuter (from Solis to Calamba, Laguna).

Meralco and DOTr are likewise working together to ensure the timely grant of necessary permits and rights-of-way (ROW), clearances, access and authority for properties within their jurisdiction, in order for Meralco to fully implement the related relocation projects and to continuously operate its electrical facilities.

Since 2020, Meralco has relocated more than 2,500 poles and has energized 21 facilities to support the government’s infrastructure projects.

“We are grateful to Meralco for their renewed commitment to support our projects. Long before these projects become operational, Meralco has been and remains a loyal partner in supplying power critical for these projects to prosper,” DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.

FROM left, Seda Vertis North Director of Human Resources Don Bazar, Seda Vertis North Director of Rooms Maricar De Ocampo, Quezon City Tourism and Promotions OIC Tetta Tirona, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Seda Vertis

North General Manager Christian Pirodon, Seda Vertis North Director of Sales Clarice Sy, and Seda Vertis North

Financial Controller Virgie Gula

Meralco

support for DOTR‘s

development efforts to push economic recovery

DOTr Sec. Jaime J. Bautista (5th from left) and Meralco

President and CEO Atty Ray C. Espinosa (5th from right), led officials from DOTr and Meralco in a strategic meeting to advance the government’s infrastructure development efforts.

KING SUE HAM’S HEADQUARTERS (CIRCA 1956-1957) IN THIS VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH. Left is King Sue Ham’s founder, Mr. Cu Un Kay, who traveled from Fookien province in China to the Philippines and painstakingly perfected the handcrafted process of the Chinese Ham Bone-In that every Filipino wants to have at their table to be part of the celebrations because they stayed true to their heritage of quality and flavor.

GOP’s lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting

By Brian Slodysko & Aaron Kessler The Associated Press

by Democrats as an out-of-touch carpetbagger.

The former president gave them his endorsement, but he was parsi monious when it came to sharing some of the more than $100 mil lion he’s amassed in a committee designed to help other candidates. He ended up spending about $15 million on ads across five Senate races, records show.

Meanwhile, the National Re publican Senatorial Committee, led by Scott, often worked at crosspurposes with McConnell’s politi cal operation.

Early on, Scott ruled out get ting involved in primaries, which he saw as inappropriate meddling.

bullish predictions of picking up as many as five Senate seats. The digital fundraising effort was a boon, however, for consultants, who collected at least $31 million in payments, disclosures show.

Some Republican senators are now clamoring for an audit of the committee. In an at-times heated Senate GOP lunch at the Capitol last week, Maine Sen. Susan Col lins questioned Scott’s manage ment of the NRSC.

Scott’s aides dismissed sugges tions of financial impropriety and instead have accused McConnell of undercutting the committee.

“You know what else is incompe tent, Tucker? The establishment.

The people who control the purse strings,” Masters said before ac cusing the long-serving GOP lead er and the super PAC aligned with him of not spending enough on TV advertising. “Had he chosen to spend money in Arizona, this race would be over. We’d be celebrating a Senate majority right now.”

Masters not only lost his race against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly. He trailed every other Re publican running for statewide of fice in Arizona. But there’s another problem Masters didn’t acknowl edge: He failed to raise significant money on his own.

He was hardly alone.

As both parties sift through the results of Democrats’ strongerthan-expected showing in the midterm elections, Republicans are engaged in a round of fingerpointing, including a failed at tempt by Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who led the Senate GOP’s cam paign arm, to challenge McConnell for his leadership post.

But the recriminations obscure a much deeper dilemma for the party. Many of their nominees—a significant number of whom were first-time candidates who adopted far-right positions—failed to raise the money needed to mount com petitive campaigns. That forced party leaders, particularly in the Senate, to make hard choices and triage resources to races where they thought they had the best chance at winning, often paying

exorbitant rates to TV stations that, by law, would have been re quired to sell the same advertis ing time to candidates for far less.

The lackluster fundraising allowed Democrats to get their message out to voters early and unchallenged, while GOP con tenders lacked the resources to do the same.

“This has become an existential and systemic problem for our party and it’s something that needs to get addressed if we hope to be competi tive,” said Steven Law, a former Mc Connell chief of staff who now leads Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC that spent at least $232 million on advertising to elect Republicans to the Senate this year.

“Our (donors) have grown in creasingly alarmed that they are being put in the position of sub sidizing weak fundraising per formances by candidates in criti cal races. And something has got to give. It’s just not sustainable,” Law said.

In key Senate and House battle grounds, Democratic candidates outraised their Republican coun terparts by a factor of nearly 2-to1, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance data.

Consider the handful of races that helped Democrats retain their Senate majority.

In Arizona, Masters was out raised nearly 8-to-1 by Kelly, who poured at least $32 million into TV advertising from August until Election Day, records show. Mas ters spent a little over $3 million

on advertising during the same period after Senate Leadership Fund pulled out of the race

Meanwhile, in Nevada, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto raised $52.8 million compared to Repub lican Adam Laxalt’s $15.5 million.

And in Pennsylvania, Democratic Sen.-elect John Fetterman took in $16 million more than his GOP opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz. That’s despite the celebrity TV doctor lending $22 million to his cam paign, records show.

Similar disparities emerged in crucial House races, including in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Vir ginia, helping to limit House Re publicans to a surprisingly narrow majority.

When it came to purchasing TV ad time, Democrats’ fundraising advantage yielded considerable upside. Ad sellers are required, by law, to offer candidates the cheapest rate. That same advan tage doesn’t apply to super PACs, which Republican candidates re lied on to close their fundraising gap—often at a premium.

In Las Vegas, for example, a candidate could buy a unit of TV advertising for $598, according to advertising figures provided to the AP. That same segment cost a super PAC $4,500. In North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham me dia market, a $342 spot cost a super PAC $1,270. And a $580 candidate segment in the Phila delphia area cost a super PAC

nearly $2,000, the advertising figures show.

Republicans also found themselves playing defense in states that weren’t ultimately competitive.

J.D. Vance, who won his Ohio Senate race by more than 6 per centage points, was outraised nearly 4-to-1 by Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan. To shore him up, Sen ate Leadership Fund poured $28 million into the state. The group’s advertising ultimately accounted for about 70 percent of all Repub lican media spending from August until Election Day.

A similar situation played out in North Carolina, where the Mc Connell-aligned super PAC was responsible for 82 percent of the Republican advertising spending during the same period. GOP Rep. Ted Budd won by over 3 percent of the vote.

But money woes weren’t the only complicating factor.

Donald Trump elevated a series of untested, first-time candidates. They included Masters, Vance and former NFL star Herschel Walker, whose complicated backstory in cludes threats of violence against his ex-wife, false claims of busi ness success and allegations that he twice pressured a girlfriend to get an abortion, which Walker denies. Then there was Oz, who moved to Pennsylvania to seek the seat and also secured Trump’s endorsement, but was pilloried

McConnell’s allies, meanwhile, moved to fend off candidates they saw as poor general-election con tenders, like Don Bolduc, a farright conservative who lost his New Hampshire race last week by nearly 10 percentage points. Mc Connell forces also defended Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a GOP moderate, against a conservative challenger.

“Senate races are just differ ent,” McConnell said in August. “Candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome.”

In response, Scott took a shot at McConnell without mention ing him by name, suggesting in an opinion article published in the Washington Examiner that any “trash-talking” of Republican candidates was an “act of coward ice” that was “treasonous to the conservative cause.”

But his committee also strug gled after making a series of bad bets, including a costly investment to boost the committee’s online fundraising.

An internal document obtained by the AP, which was previously reported by The New York Times, shows the committee invested $23.3 million to build out their digital fundraising program be tween June and January of 2021. But the NRSC raised just $6.1 million during that time—a defi cit. Then, as inflation soared, the stream of cash from online donors slowed to a trickle.

That prevented the NRSC from spending as much on TV ads as in years past, even as Scott made

During a Senate GOP lunch in August, Scott asked senators for donations to the NRSC, which is now at least $20 million in debt.

Then McConnell addressed the room and told the senators to in stead prioritize giving to Senate Leadership Fund, according to two people familiar with the discus sion; they requested anonymity to describe it.

The interaction was part of a broader pattern by McConnell to sabotage the NRSC, said commit tee spokesman Chris Hartline.

“There was a very clear impli cation to donors that they should not give to the NRSC,” Hartline said. “And the result is it hurt our ability to boost our candidates and get their message out.”

McConnell allies, however, be lieve it was Scott who was using his post to burnish his own image at the expense of the party, poten tially working to set himself up for a presidential bid, according to se nior Republicans strategists. They were not authorized to discuss the McConnell allies’ conclusions and did so on condition of anonymity.

The gambit failed, as did Scott’s challenge of McConnell’s leader ship position last week.

Faced with the prospect of so lidifying their majority with an other seat during a December run off election in Georgia, Democrats were happy to offer unsolicited guidance to Republicans.

“My advice is to keep on do ing what they are doing,” said Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who led Senate Democrats’ campaign arm this year.

As British voters cool on Brexit, UK softens tone towards EU

By Jill Lawless The Associated Press

LONDON—The British government on Sunday denied a report that it is seeking a “Swiss-style” relationship with the European Union that would remove many of the economic barriers erected by Brexit—even as it tries to improve ties with the bloc after years of acrimony.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay told Sky News “I don’t recognize” the Sunday Times report, insisting the UK was still determined to “use the Brexit freedoms we have” by diverging from the EU’s rules in key areas.

Switzerland has a close economic relationship with the 27-nation EU in return for accepting the bloc’s rules and paying into its coffers.

The UK government said “Brexit means we will never again have to accept a relationship with Europe that would see a return to freedom of movement, unnecessary payments to the European Union or jeopardize the full benefit of trade deals we are now able to strike around the world.”

But despite the denials, the new Conservative government led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to restore relations with the EU, acknowledging that Brexit has brought an economic cost for Britain. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt last week expressed optimism that trade barriers between the UK and the EU would be removed in the coming years.

The shift comes as public opposition grows to the hard form of Brexit pursued by successive Conservative governments since British voters opted by a 52 percent-48 percent margin to leave the bloc in a 2016 referendum.

Now, according to polling expert John Curtice, 57 percent of people would vote to rejoin the bloc and 43 percent to stay out.

When the UK was negotiating its divorce from the EU, Conservative governments under Prime Ministers Theresa May and her successor Boris Johnson ruled out remaining inside the EU’s borderless single market or its tariff-free customs union. Politicians who wanted

closer ties were ignored or pushed aside.

The divorce deal struck by the two sides in 2020 has brought customs checks and other border hurdles for goods, and passport checks and other annoyances for travelers. Britons can no longer live and work freely across Europe, and EU citizens can’t move to the UK at will.

The British government’s fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, said

last week that leaving the EU has had “a significant adverse effect on UK trade.”

Yet only recently have members of the government begun acknowledging Brexit’s downsides. Hunt, who last week announced a 55 billionpound ($65 billion) package of tax increases and spending cuts to shore up an economy battered by soaring inflation, acknowledged Brexit had caused “trade barriers” with the UK’s nearest neighbors.

“Unfettered trade with our neighbors is very beneficial to growth,” he told the BBC, and predicted that the “vast majority” of barriers would be removed – although it would take years.

Any move to rebuild ties with the EU will face opposition from the powerful euroskeptic wing of the Conservative Party. Even the opposition Labour Party— reluctant to reopen a debate that split the country in half and poisoned politics—says it won’t seek to rejoin the bloc, or even the EU’s single market, if it takes power after the next election.

Sunak, who took office last month, is a long-time Brexit supporter, but also a pragmatist who has made repairing the economy his top priority. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has rocked European security and sent energy prices soaring, has put Brexit squabbles into perspective for politicians on both sides of the English Channel.

Sunak wants to solve a festering feud with the EU over trade rules that have

caused a political crisis in Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK that shares a border with an EU member nation. When Britain left the bloc, the two sides agreed to keep the Irish border free of customs posts and other checks because an open border is a key pillar of the peace process that ended 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland.

Instead, there are checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK That angered pro-British unionist politicians, who say the new checks undermine Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. They are boycotting Belfast’s powersharing government, leaving Northern Ireland without a functioning administration.

The UK government is pinning its hopes on striking a deal with the EU that would ease the checks and coax Northern Ireland’s unionists back into the government.

Months of talks when Johnson was in office proved fruitless, but the mood has improved since Sunak took over, though as yet there has been no breakthrough.

WASHINGTON—Trailing badly in his Arizona Senate race as votes poured in, Republican Blake Masters went on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program and assigned blame to one person: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

SENATE Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined at left by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., meets with reporters at the Capitol in Washington on November 16, 2022. Republicans are engaged in a round of finger-pointing as both parties sift through the results of Democrats’ stronger-thanexpected showing in the midterm elections. AP/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

A UNION flag waves behind a European Union flag, outside the Houses of Parliament, in London on October 19, 2022. The British government on Sunday, November 20, 2022, denied a report it is seeking a “Swiss-style” relationship with the European Union that would remove many of the economic barriers erected by Brexit—even as it tries to repair ties with the bloc after years of acrimony. AP/ALBERTO PEZZALI

AL KHOR, Qatar—The large swathes of empty seats in the second half summed up the Qatar soccer team’s disappointing start to its first ever World Cup.

The night started with more than 67,000 mostly Qatari fans filling the cavernous Al Bayt Stadium, enjoying an opening ceremony that showcased the tiny Arab emirate to a global audience 12 years after winning the right to host soccer’s biggest event.

It ended with Qatar’s overmatched team trudging off the field, its unwanted place in soccer history secure and with many of its dismayed fans having long disappeared.

The controversy-laced tournament opened Sunday with the 2019 Asian Cup champions getting outplayed in a 2-0 loss to Ecuador, ensuring a host team lost its opening game for the first time at a World Cup.

I would say we felt bad (for our supporters),” Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said. “I hope in the next game they will be prouder.”

E cuador captain Enner Valencia scored both of his team’s goals in the first half of a one-sided game that wound up being a damage-limitation exercise for Qatar on one of the biggest nights in the nation’s history.

The match took place after a colorful 30-minute opening ceremony—fronted by Oscarwinning actor Morgan Freeman and attended by powerful dignitaries including Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—that promoted inclusivity and mankind living “under one tent.”

For many, that would jar with this World Cup being hosting by an emirate where homosexual acts are illegal, one that has come under strong criticism for how migrant workers have been treated building stadiums and tournament infrastructure since Qatar won the scandal-shrouded vote in 2010.

The years-long scrutiny was never

THE Senate on Monday passed a bill seeking the naturalization of American basketball player Justin Brownlee—a development that moved the resident Barangay Ginebra San Miguel import closer to becoming eligible to play for the men’s national team.

The Committee on Justice and Human Rights passed the bill after less than two hours of deliberations on the qualifications of Brownlee, who attended the hearing wearing a Barong Tagalog and answering queries from senators sometimes in Filipino.

The approval of the bill makes us one step closer from having our own dream team,” Senator Ronald “Bato” M. Dela Rosa, author of Senate

Bill No. 1336 or An Act Granting Philippine Citizenship to Brownlee, said. “This will surely stimulate every Filipino fan’s enthusiastic spirit.”

Dela Rosa said the bill will grant Brownlee, a two-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Best Import, a Philippine citizenship to enable him to represent the country in future international competitions.

There’s a saying, ‘teamwork makes the dream work,’” de la Rosa said. “The proposed measure is our contribution to the collective efforts to achieve our dream of regaining the top spot in the Southeast Asian Games and winning other international tournaments such as the Federation of International Basketball

Association (FIBA) World Cup.”

Senator Sonny Angara, who’s also the chairman of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, supported Brownlee’s naturalization. He filed Senate Bill 1516 which seeks to grant Filipino citizenship to Brownlee, who’s been in and out of the country for five years playing as an import for the Gin Kings.

I just want to lend my support to the bills already discussed and filed by our colleagues…my colleagues have always been discussing in the Senate lounge on how they can help the country’s basketball program,” Angara said.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said Brownlee can bring basketball glory to the country, adding he has shown love, respect and admiration for the Filipino people, especially his fans since his arrival in the country in 2016.

“Justin Brownlee will be a Filipino who can bring glory to our country and give excitement and hope to Filipinos anywhere in the world,” Villanueva said.

Sports Committee chair Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said he co-authored Senate Bill No. 1336 to signify his support for the basketball player.

Brownlee came to the Philippines in 2016 with only one thing in mind: to play basketball,” Go said. “His incredible skills in the court have garnered him admiration from his coaches, teammates and basketball fans.”

G ilas Pilipinas had at least two naturalized players in the past— National Basketball Association veterans Marcus Douthit and Andre Blatche.

QATAR OUTCLASSED ON OPENING DAY

controversies, yet a win for the host nation would have at least put a favorable light on Qatar, soccer-wise.

Instead, Qatar’s players, fresh from spending seven months together in a pretournament training camp under Sanchez, froze in front of an expectant crowd and a disciplined Ecuador team that might just pose a danger to more high-profile opponents over the next few weeks.

This is just the start of the World Cup,” said the 33-year-old Valencia, who has now scored Ecuador’s last five goals at the World Cup, including three in 2014. “We have to keep dreaming.”

In what might go down as one of the worst displays by a host nation to open a tournament, Qatar had five shots in the match and none of them were on target. The team had only two touches inside the opposition penalty area.

P ut simply, Ecuador was just too good for a team only playing at the World Cup because it is the host.

I wouldn’t say we were naïve,”

Hidilyn seeks IWF post

HIDILYN DIAZ-NARANJO is running for a seat in the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) Athletes Commission saying she wants to be a voice not only for Filipinos but for Asian weightlifters as well.

I want it, I want to be still connected with weightlifting. I want to share my experience as an athlete to my fellow athletes and represent the Asian athletes in the IWF board,” Diaz-Naranjo told BusinessMirror through voice messaging from her training camp in Atlanta Monday.

The IWF elections are set in November ahead of the world championships at the Gran Carpa Americas Coferias in Bogota, Colombia, from December 5 to 16.

The 31-year-old Tokyo Olympics gold medalist will be one of 17 candidates for the IWF position.

A mong those who have announced their candicacies were Olympic champions Maude Charron of Canada, Meso Hassona of Qatar and Behdad Salimi of Iran.

D iaz-Naranjo is currently at the  Power and Grace Performance Gym in Suwanee, Georgia, preparing for the world championships, hoping to win the gold that’s missing from her collection.

D iaz-Naranjo is with Julius Naranjo, her husband and strength and conditioning coach and head trainer, as well as her nephew, Rowel Garcia, Julius Naranjo’s assistant.

Nutritionist Jeaneth Aro will join them later this month. Josef Ramos

By Rick Olivares

THE thing about streaks is that it is either continued or broken.

For Kaya Football Club’s women’s team, both occurred to them Sunday evening at the McKinley Hill Stadium when they won their second consecutive AIA7s Football Tournament Women’s Division One championship after beating Nomads Braves, 1-0.

Th at also meant ending a twomatch losing streak to the Nomads Braves dating back to last season.

K aya’s Shelah Cadag latched on to a

Sports

Laurente scores quick knockout in ‘Blow-by-Blow’

By Josef Ramos

UNBEATEN Criztian Pitt Laurente’s photo op atop the ring took longer than his scheduled 12-round bout against JR Mag boo during the revival Sunday of former senator Manny Pacquiao’s Blow-by-Blow boxing show at the Mandaluyong City College Gym.

Laurente, 22, needed only a stun ning left hook and under a minute in the first round to send the 32-year-old Magboo to the canvas and prompt referee Danrex Tadpasan to stop the super featherweight Philippine Boxing Federation title fight.

L aurente still looked fresh when former senator Manny Pacquiao, MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons and former world champion now fight promoter Gerry Penalosa and a dozen or so more climbed the ring to get their photos taken with the champ.

“I’m so thankful for the opportu nity given by Senator Manny Pacquiao and Gerry Peñalosa for allowing me to fight in the revival of blow-by-blow box ing show,” Laurente, of General Santos City ,told BusinessMirror

The photo ops took a little longer than the fight,” Laurente said. “But what’s important is everybody is safe and okay.”

L aurente remained undefeated in 11 fights with seven knockouts while Magboo fell to 18-8-2 win-loss-draw with nine knockouts.

Pacquiao—who watched the fight together with former Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos, a wellknown boxing patron—promised fans that he will hold competitive boxing cards all over the country starting in January. The fights, he said, will be aired live on television.

The 43-year-old Pacquiao will return to General Santos City to train for his exhibition fight against South Korean YouTuber DK Yoo on December 10 in Seoul.

Kaya back-to-back AIA 7s champ

cross from teammate Dionesa Tolentin from the left side in the 44th minute. Cadag fired a shot towards the left top corner that sank the Nomads Braves’ hearts and sent her side celebrating.

The league’s best defense continued to hold off late sorties by the Nomads Braves to earn the win.

“ It was a great showcase for the young Nomads Braves,” said winning Coach Let Dimzon as she paid tribute to Kaya’s valiant opponent.

“But this was our best performance all tournament long,” Dimzon said. “We strive to improve with every game so we can play great football with a premium on passing and classy finishing.”

K aya has Errisa Rivas, Katrina Magbitang, Suettie Marie Simoy, Maria Theresa Bernardo, Izza Mae Mascion, Martina Theresa Roxas, Sophie Lyttle, Erika Turtur, Marnelli Dimzon, Patricia Tomanon, Joyce Ann Onrubia, Jonela Albiño, Dionesa Tolentin, Carmela Altiche, Zhyrelle Lou Belluga and Martina Therese Roxas.

The accomplishment also put Kaya in a unique position. Its men’s side currently leads the Philippines Football League.

The Women’s Division Two final was also a close affair as Azzurri SCDiliman piped Manila Digger, 2-1, to bag the trophy.

Diamante, Obebe dominate COPA Reunion swimfest

NICOLE DIAMANTE and Pauline Obebe clinched their fourth gold medal each in their respective classes to emerge Most Outstanding Swimmers (MOS) of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics Inc. (COPA) Reunion Challenge National Finals Sunday at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

The 11-year-old Diamante of the RSS Dolphins Swim Team claimed her fourth gold medal in the girls’ 11 years old Individual medley with a time of three minutes and 9.99 seconds.

O bebe match Diamante’s effort by ruling in the 12 years old class in of 2:51.27.

The Player Care Group

the player care industry.

L ike NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), player care, in my opinion, is another “sunrise industry.”

A ccording to their website, “We are the first company focused on Player Care within sporting environments

across the world, with expertise in consulting , staff recruitment and education. We are home to the only first Team Player Care Audit , with experience across both men’s and women’s football worldwide.”

I f you’re a team owner, one of the key performance indicators, or KPIs, for ROI or return on investment are season-ending winning records then playoff appearances, finals appearances then ultimately, championships.

You want your players, especially your star player or players, to keep their heads in the game, make sure they’re focused on the game inoculating and insulating them from “outside noise.”

Th is is where The Player Care Group or player care in general comes in.

Their website continues, “Player Care is the next big area of growth, especially in professional football. With all spendings in the football department, you want to either improve performance or reduce costs—we believe that Player Care, properly done, can do both. The players are both people, which is important to bear in mind, but also assets. Player Care reduces the organization’s financial risk by ensuring your players have the best chance of succeeding by settling them into their new home as quickly as possible.”

L ike I mentioned earlier, the growth, opportunities and possibilities in this industry are endless and enormous.

The Player Care Group’s added, “We believe that making a positive experience for the athletes and the organizations will lead to a growth in player retention, increased buy-in and long term lower costs when the athletes and their families find their home in your organization. A positive experience for clubs will eventually lead to increased ROI through player appearances, loyalty from the athletes and a better team spirit.

We believe in honesty, openness, and trustworthiness in everything we do. All our processes expressly forbid our staff from any sort of commissions, kickbacks or freebies for the work they do—a vetted, approved-supplier list will prevent so many of the “cowboy” companies or price gougers that seek to take advantage of athletes these days.”

We’ve heard countless stories about athletes being taken advantage of by “vultures”, “sharks in suits” and “bad company.”

The company only has the best, honest, and purest intentions for their clients while they focus on the pitch, the field and the court. The athlete or athletes can be rest assured that their and their family’s needs are taken care of in times of transfer, relocation and uprooting of their family.

Diamante and Obebe dominated all three legs of the Reunion Series co-pre sented by the Manlalangoy ng Pilipinas and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)—chaired by Noli Eala—Speedo and Milo.

This [MOS award] is a bonus for me,” Diamante said. “I wasn’t after this award, I wanted to make the team win. I thank everyone who supported us.”

RECENTLY on “Sports For All,” The Player Care Group Managing Director Hugo Scheckter discussed the endless and infinite possibilities of

too many doubts.”

Valencia thought he had scored in the third minute when he headed in from close range following an acrobatic cross from Felix Torres. After a video review of about two minutes, Ecuadorian celebrations

were cut short when the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside. Ecuador did take the lead, however, in the 16th minute when Valencia— running onto a through-ball—was tripped by Saad Alsheeb after rounding the goalkeeper, who was booked for the

challenge. Valencia was nonchalant as he trotted up and converted the spot kick into the bottom corner.

The 33-year-old striker then added his second in the 33rd by heading in a right-wing cross from Angelo Preciado.

MOST Outstanding Swimmer Nicole Diamante (center) with her RSS Dolphins Swimming Club teammates.

MEMBERS of Kaya’s women’s squad pose with their gold medals.

CRIZTIAN

PHOTO WENDELL ALINEA

JUSTIN BROWNLEE faces the senators wearing a Barong Tagalog and speaking in Tagalog, too.

SENATE PRIB PHOTO

ECUADOR’S just too much for Qatar, which goes down into World Cup history as the first host to lose its opening match. AP