BusinessMirror November 30, 2022

Higher NTA can’t cover full devolution–LGUs

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

ALAWMAKER who served as mayor has taken up the cudgels for local govern ments now fretting over the undue burden imposed on them to shoul der all costs of fully devolved ser vices, a responsibility they deem cannot be covered even with the increase of their national tax al lotments (NTA) as a result of the Mandanas ruling.

Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez urged Congress to look into the “misalignment” in the NTAs of local government units and the funding requirements for full de volution of specific national public

services mandated under the Lo cal Government Code (RA 7160).

In House Resolution 599, Go mez said the calculation of the NTA, as mandated under RA 7160, is not aligned with the costing of devolved functions under RA 7160 and Executive Order No.138, which was issued on June 1, 2021 following the Supreme Court’s Mandanas-Garcia decision.

In 2019, the SC ruled in favor of then Batangas Gov. Hermila ndo Mandanas and Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia Jr. and granted substantial, additional, and pro portional increases in the NTA of LGUs.

Following the allocation of higher national taxes to LGUs, EO 138 was issued mandating the full

devolution of specific functions of the Executive branch to LGUs, not later than the end of fiscal year 2024.

However, in filing  HR 599, Go mez said “the increase in national tax allotment for LGUs, as a result of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, is not guaranteed to fully cover all devolved functions” under EO 138 and RA 7160.

Citing the lack of a clear devolu tion plan and the misalignment in source funding for the full transfer of services, Gomez urged his col leagues to echo his call for Presi dent Marcos Jr. to repeal EO 138.

“I am appealing to President Marcos to nullify EO 138 as Con gress and the Executive thresh out the various issues that have

cropped up related to the imple mentation of the full devolution of services. Let us first resolve all issues and then we can talk about full devolution,” Gomez said, part ly in Filipino.

In a separate House Bill 6414, the lawmaker said: “This repre sentation maintains that we have not yet attained the optimal condi tions for full devolution. Much as it seems that additional, yet propor tional NTAs for each LGU would solve the budget gaps in each LGU, it is not as simple as that. At the on set of the full devolution process, various issues have arisen that signal a fiscal crisis among LGUs, especially in the next two years.”

IMF: BSP MUST BE READY

RISK RISES

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

INFLATION is one of the primary challenges faced by the Philippines, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) thinks the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) must be more aggressive in raising interest rates in the event that the situation worsens.

In the IMF Executive Board’s recently concluded 2022 Article IV Consultation with the Philippines, the Washington-based lender said should inflation worsen, they would recommend that the BSP respond with a tighter monetary policy stance.

Inflation in the Philippines, IMF said, is being fuelled by the strong dollar, higher commodity prices, and tightening global financial con ditions. IMF said high inflation has weakened the country’s external po sition and narrowed its fiscal space.

“The BSP’s prompt action to fight inflation is welcome, but further monetary tightening may be needed to keep inflation expectations well anchored,” IMF said.

“The current policy stance re mains accommodative, and BSP should aim at bringing the policy rate close to the neutral real rate to

securely bring inflation within the target range,” it explained.

However, the IMF noted that should inflation become less per sistent or downside risks to growth materialize, the BSP should also recalibrate its monetary policy tightening.

“Monetary policy should be the first line of defense against persis tent inflationary pressures,” IMF said. “The use of FXI [foreign ex change intervention] can mitigate a sharp and disorderly exchange rate depreciation, alleviate inflation, and reduce some of the pressure on monetary policy.”

The IMF expects consumer prices to average 5.3 percent this year; 4.3 percent next year; and 3.1 percent in 2024.

See “Inflation risk,” A2  By

Standard Chartered cites 4 key Asean growth sectors

VG Cabuag @villygc

STANDARD Chartered Bank has identified four key sec tors in Southeast Asia that showcase a high growth potential with compound annual growth rates, which it projected to outpace the overall industry average over the next few years.

These sectors were construction and infrastructure, consumer prod ucts, pharmaceuticals and health care and digital and e-commerce.

In its study titled “Winning in ASEAN Strategies to drive resilient growth in the region,” it surveyed

480 senior business leaders in four key sectors with the highest growth rates.

“Propelled by shifting consum er behaviors, accelerated digital adoption and rapid urbanization, these four sectors present sig nificant opportunities for both regional and foreign companies looking to expand in ASEAN,” the bank’s study said.

“The four key sectors that this report highlights present significant opportunities for both regional and international companies in ASEAN.

See “Asean,” A2

DTI CHIEF TO GERMANS: INVEST IN IT-BPM, EVS

By Andrea E. San Juan

TRADE Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual encouraged German firms and gov ernment to invest in the Philip pines, particularly in the IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) and electric vehicles (EVs) sectors, among others.

“I take this opportunity to underscore the Philippine gov ernment’s intention to offer our country as a manufactur ing investment destination and an IT-BPO partner to German companies, especially those already doing business in the

Philippines,” Pascual said at the 2022 Philippine-German Busi ness Forum on Tuesday held in Makati City.

“We seek the potential ex pansion of German firms al ready in the Philippines,” the Trade chief added.

He bared the key priorities of the Philippines which he raised in his bilateral meeting with German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Cli mate Action Robert Habeck at the sidelines of the recent Asia Pacific Conference in Singapore.

BONI’S DAY The Bonifacio Monument gets a cleanup on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, in Caloocan City, in preparation for the 159th birth anniversary of the leader of the 1896 Philippine revolution, Andrés Bonifacio. The monument of the founder and Supremo of the Katipunan was designed by National Artist Guillermo E. Tolentino in 1930. The 13.7-meter-high memorial is acclaimed as one of the best monuments in the world. NONOY LACZA

PBBM: New technologies at IRRI to boost rice yield

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

Ferdinand E. Marcos, while he was accompanied by former United States President  Lyndon Johnson, which was taken in 1966 in the IRRI facility in Laguna.

In his picture, Marcos can be seen talking to IRRI President Jean Balie.

IRRI is an independent, non profit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government.

NTA. . .

Continued from A1

To address the funding issues related to fully devolving national functions to LGUs, the lawmaker filed House Bill No. 6414 seeking the creation of a fund that would provide gap financing for LGUs that have incurred deficits in the years leading to full devolution.

Inflation risk. . .

Continued from A1

IMF also expects the current account deficit to increase to 5 percent of GDP in 2022, but decline to about 1.7 percent of GDP over the medium term.

Estimates for growth also showed that real GDP is expected to slow to 5 percent in 2023 from 6.5 percent in 2022. Mediumterm economic growth is forecast at about 6.3 percent.

“With a difficult global environment weighing heavily on the economy, the economic outlook is subject to significant downside risks, where policy tradeoffs between supporting output on the one hand and reducing inflation and safeguarding the external position on the other, would become more acute,” IMF said.

The IMF also recommended that the government ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agree ment to facilitate the country’s access to imports and boost ex port diversification efforts.

This, IMF said, would enhance food security and strengthen agricultural performance should focus on raising productivity and promoting new investments in the sector.

Anti-money laundering

Marcos made the remark in a me dia interview during his visit to the IRRI facility in Los Baños, Laguna, together with other officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“It’s up to us now in the Phil ippine government to make sure those technologies, those prod ucts, go down to the grassroots,” Marcos said.

New technologies

DURING his tour around the IRRI facility, Marcos was briefed about direct seeding of rice—the process of putting up a rice crop from seeds sown in the field, which is expected to improve crop resil ience and reduce labor cost, water

use and greenhouse emissions.

Other technologies presented to Marcos include the Laser Land Leveling (LLL) technology, which boosts water and input efficiency in paddy farming by ensuring it is leveled and uniform; Solar Bubble Dryer for the low-cost drying of seed; Hermetic Storage System, which makes use of airtight con tainer for seed storage.

“A good result of this visit is we were able to see the new technolo gies that are completely appro priate in the Philippine setting,” Marcos said.

Another highlight of the visit had Marcos reenacting a picture of his father, former President

Ongoing screening

IN a related development, Marcos said he still has no plans to appoint a new head of DA for now due to his pending reforms in the said agency.

“Actually, I have a schedule—I have a timetable for that. There are certain things that I would like to achieve before leaving the depart ment. So we have yet to achieve those,” Marcos said. Nonetheless, he admited he is considering some candidates to replace him as the current Sec retary of DA.

“So hopefully by the time my checklist [of reforms] are completed, we will have someone to nominate in the DA,” Marcos said.

The proposed Local Government Units Full Devolution Gap Financing Fund is aimed at servicing all LGUs regardless of income brackets.

Aside from providing gap financing, HBN 6414 proposes the conversion of the Growth Equity Fund, which was created under EO 138, as initial funding component for the Fund. The bill also allows LGUs with budget surpluses to invest in the Fund as capital for soft loans to LGUs in deficits, thus giving LGUs “an opportunity to help one another.”

“With the enactment of this bill, this rep resentation hopes that all LGUs will be able to achieve full devolution with ample fund ing,” Gomez said.

Asean. . .

Continued from A1

However, over the past few years, the region has experienced fundamental shifts and disruptions that are leading companies to revisit their growth and investment strat egies,” it said.

It said, however, that while the overall outlook across the four sectors remains posi tive, businesses have to tackle and overcome a host of challenges and disruptions, in order to survive in a high inflationary environment and thrive in ASEAN.

With cost pressures from rapidly increas ing food and energy prices coupled with a surge in consumption demand from postpandemic economic reopening, inflation pressures are weighing heavily on ASEAN economies, it said.

“As highlighted in the Industry Leaders Survey commissioned by Standard Chartered, rising geopolitical turbulence, such as protec tionist measures, implications of US-China tensions and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, is one of the biggest challenges faced by business leaders across the world and in ASEAN as well,” it said.

“Furthermore, the impact of the health crisis, amplified in emerging ASEAN econ omies due to unequal access to healthcare resources and uncertainties in policy inter ventions, are imposing severe commercial and operational challenges for businesses in the region,” it said.

In addition, the bank’s survey showed sec tor-specific nuances, where other concerns related to cybersecurity, climate change and infrastructure gaps have been highlighted as potentially having an impact on future operations in ASEAN, over the next two to three years.

Overall, ASEAN’s pace of recovery is being driven by underlying shifts, such as growing consumer demand, increasing organizational capabilities and greater technology adoption, it said.

Trade agreements, such as the Region al Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), are expected to further accelerate growth across the region, with a majority of the surveyed business leaders looking to raise their investments into the region, as a result of RCEP, the study said.

FURTHER , the IMF also recommended that the government en hance its Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) efforts.

These efforts may include prioritizing amendments to the bank secrecy law to enhance the BSP’s supervisory powers, strengthen AML/CFT effectiveness and reduce vulnerabilities to corruption.

In October, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) froze a total of P8 billion worth of accounts and real properties linked to various money laundering activities such as drugs, corruption and terrorism over the past two decades.

In a Senate Finance Committee Hearing on Monday, AMLC Executive Director Matthew M. David said the amount includes some P3 billion worth of forfeited accounts and properties while the remaining P5 billion are still pending litigation.

David said in the past 20 years, the AMLC forfeited and turned over to the national government P93 million from money-laun dering activities and some P95 million have also been forfeited but still pending execution.

The AMLC official said some P16 million have also been for feited but are waiting for the dates of execution; while P35 million that have been forfeited are currently facing appeals.

A total of P110 million of the accounts and real properties linked to corruption have been turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman for execution. Based on the rules, David said, the Ombudsman is tasked to forfeit funds linked to corruption and turn these funds over to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

IT-BPM. . .

Pascual said he drew the attention of the German government and private sector to the IT-BPM resources in the Philippines. The Trade chief said, “these can be put to bear to assist Germany achieve your digitization objectives.”

H e pitched to the German government the Philippines’s key participation in the global business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, particularly the servicing the IT-BPM requirements of major Fortune 500 companies in the US and around the world.

Pascual also divulged the German industry leaders which are currently operating their own shared services centers (SSCs) in the Philippines including Bosch, Deutsche Bank, Daimler, Fresenius, Lufthansa, Boehringer, and Merck. The Trade chief stressed that these SSCs are manned by Filipino professionals.

Apar t from the IT-BPM sector, Pascual revealed that he also opened a “potential engagement” between the two countries in the “sunrise industry of electric vehicles [EVs].”

T he Trade chief said the German government and the German private sector can tap the Philippines’s “significant” green metal reserves of nickel and copper. Pascual said “doing so would ensure the supply of these critical resources in support of your country’s full-electrification objectives for your automobile industry by 2030.”

In e xchange, Pascual noted, the Philippines will benefit from Germany’s “significant” experience and expertise in nickel and copper downstream processing.

T he Trade chief also took the opportunity to raise in the bilateral meeting with Minister Habeck the “revived” private-public partnership (PPP) of the Philippines. He said the PPP arrangement was revived for infrastructure projects in the fields of water storage and management, renewables, waste management, logistics and transportation, and disaster mitigation.

“As Secretary of Trade and Industry, we are interested in the support of the €300-billion EU Global Gateway Fund,” Pascual said.

This available financing, he noted, “will allow EU companies including Germany’s private sector to participate in the various ongoing infrastructure developments here in the Philippines.”

Pascual pitched the PPP program to Germany because, he said, “Germany has the proven track record in the above-mentioned areas of work. PPPs offer a wide array of economic and social benefits. They improve access to public services.”

T he Trade chief added that government spending is also “significantly less” under PPP arrangements. “PPPs free up public sector financing for other key socioeconomic areas, such as human capital development and employment generation—all while infrastructure development funding remains viable.”

Mean while, to encourage German firms to invest in the Philippines, Pascual highlighted the recent economic reforms which he said “have made the Philippines more attractive to foreign investors.”

T hese reforms, he said, include the amendments to the Foreign Investments Act, the Public Service Act, and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, noting that these are among the “important policy changes that have liberalized foreign investment ownership restrictions in the Philippines.”

In addition, the tr ade chief cited the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) law. The CREATE law, he said, reduces corporate income tax and provides “tier-specific incentives” to investors.

Another recent reform Pascual highlighted is the Department of Energy (DOE)’s amendment to the Renewable Energy Act implementing rules and regulations allowing up to 100-percent foreign equity investment in the solar, wind, and tidal energy projects.

T he Trade chief said Philippine exports to Germany grew by 23.6 percent from $2.38 billion in 2020 to $2.94 billion in 2021. This uptick, he said, is mainly due to the growth in the exportation of digital monolithic integrated circuits, semiconductor devices, storage units, and video projectors.

H e said Germany ranked as the Philippines’s 12th major trading partner, 7th export market, and 13th import source.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. is now eyeing to use the new technologies from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to boost the country’s rice production.

The Nation

BusinessMirror

BAI: 95% adequacy in pork, egg supply for the holidays

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE Bureau of Animal Indus try (BAI) on Tuesday assured there is sufficient supply of pork as well as chicken and eggs dur ing the Holiday Season.

A t the Laging Handa public briefing, Lani Plata Cerna, Super vising Science Research Specialist of Livestock Research and Devel opment, said “we are 95 percent sufficient.”

T his despite the detection of Af rican swine fever (ASF) in at least six regions in the country, accord ing to BAI.

As per our data from the De partment of Agriculture, as of Oc tober 20, 2022, according to the hogs supply outlook, there will be a slight shortage of pork in the cur rent quarter of the year. We have a 95 percent sufficiency level, but this is low compared to the third quarter, where we have 121 percent

sufficient level. So, we are currently intensifying our other projects such as repopulation,” Cerna said.

“ We have importation from the USA and Denmark that’s why our supply is enough [for December],” she added.

For his part, Dr. Samuel Joseph Castro, Deputy National Program Coordinator of the National ASF Prevention of the Bureau of Ani mal Industry, said at least six re gions in the country are still af fected by ASF.

As of November 25, Regions 1, 3, 4A, 6, 8 and 12 have recorded active cases of ASF,” said Castro.

T he ASF, a disease not harmful to humans, was first confirmed in the Philippines in July 2019 and has decimated almost 3 million hogs na tionwide since then.

T he Department of Agricul ture (DA) has embarked on a re population program that seeks to encourage commercial and backyard hog raisers, particu

larly those in ASF-free areas, to restock their farms and boost domestic pork output.

“ We called for public aware ness or information, education and communication. Because we are all stakeholders, we all need to know that we can do something against African swine fever.  It is necessary, those who have been hit by ASF before, if they are go ing to repopulate again, they need to have a high level of biosecurity to make sure that ASF will not hit their farms again,” added Castro.

T he DA said its regional of fices have received their disinfec tion truck from the National ASF Prevention and Control Program (NASFPC) of the BAI as part of its measures to protect the regions from ASF.

I n its July forecast, the Or ganisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations’ Food and Ag riculture Organization (OECD-

FAO) said the Philippines might finally recover from ASF in two years’ time with pork output ex pected to return to 1.6 million metric tons (MMT).

T he OECD-FAO projected that additional pork output from the Philippines is expected in the next two to three years.

T he OECD-FAO, in its 10-year Global Agricultural Outlook span ning 2022 to 2031, said the future is bright for global pig production as countries battered by ASF, such as the Philippines, China and Viet nam, may start to recover their lost pig herd.

T he OECD-FAO projected that the Philippines’s pork out put next year would grow by 19 percent to 1.311 MMT from this year’s estimated total production of 1.10 MMT.

T he OECD-FAO added that the country’s pork production would expand further by 22.8 percent, reaching pre-ASF and

pre-pandemic levels of over 1.6 MMT in 2024. From thereon, the OECD-FAO foresees that Philip pine pork production would be on an upward trend until it hits 2.157 MMT by 2031.

Under the government’s updated Hog Industry Roadmap, a total bud get of P48.18 billion is required over the course of 2022 to 2026 to boost pig population to a level of 29.2 mil lion heads by 2026 to meet the coun try’s pork requirement.

T he road map seeks to revitalize and modernize the country’s swine industry post-ASF.

The Philippine hog industry needs a lot of catching up to do due to the tremendous impact of the African swine fever [ASF] epi demic in the previous year and the increasing demand locally,” the road map read.

All sectors, particularly the gov ernment should focus resources on how it can assist the potentially vi able hog industry of Philippine agri

culture,” it added.

Chicken and eggs

CERNA also assured the stable sup ply of chicken and eggs next month.   Currently, Cerna  said supply of egg is stable at P7 per piece.

But like other foods, it is ex pected that the demand for eggs will increase because bread, cakes and other pastries are in demand at parties, especially during Christmas and New Year,” she said.

B ut based on the egg supply outlook, Cerna said the egg supply would be sufficient until the end of the year where we have 112 percent sufficiency.

So our egg and chicken supply is still sufficient. So maybe the only thing we can assure on the part of the Bureau of Animal Industry is that we will continue to watch to prevent the spread of the disease by continuing surveillance and business investiga tions,” she added.

Something fishy? Reso seeks probe into BFAR crackdown on sale of fish imports

AVETERAN lawmaker is pushing for a congressio nal investigation into the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) crackdown on the sale of imported fish like pompano and pink salmon in local markets, saying the BFAR has to explain the legal basis of such move.

This is to determine if there is a violation of the Constitution, discrimination against local fish vendors and if the present regula tions only encourage smuggling, graft and corruption that does not protect the general public, the environment, and promote the general welfare,” Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr.  said in House

Resolution No. 600.

BFAR has declared illegal to sell salmon, salmon heads, salmon bel lies and imported pompano in the wet markets. The bureau would start confiscating these imported fish starting December 4.

B arzaga said there is a need to investigate the ongoing crackdown to examine if the BFAR is correct

in claiming that the move was based on laws and regulations such as The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (Republic Act No. 8550), Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 195, Fisheries Memoran dum Order (FMO) No. 001, FAO 259, and Certificate of Necessity to Import. He said the measure would ascer

tain “whether BFAR’s administrative orders and memorandum order are evidence based” and if its implemen tation in order.

B FAR is embarking on a crack down in wet markets, saying  the sale of imported pompano and pink salmon in wet markets is prohibited under Fisheries Ad ministrative Order 195, as these

are only for canning, processing, and institutional buyers like hotels and restaurants.

T he agency claimed that pompano and pink salmon are not included in the Certificate of Necessity to Import (CNI) issued in November, which listed imported fish products that can be sold in wet markets.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 •

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

BusinessMirror

House seeks retention of fuel subsidy, free rides in ’23 proposed natl budget

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday vowed to push for the retention of funds allocated for fuel subsidy and “Libreng Sakay” programs under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in the 2023 national budget.

in a news statement, said the fuel subsi dy and the Libreng Sakay programs should stay in the 2023 budget.

T he lower chamber has decided to earmark P5.5 billion for the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Program (P2.5 billion), Libreng Sakay (P2 billion) and bike lanes construc tion (P1 billion) as part of the P77-billion institutional amend ments for pro-people programs in the national budget.

T he congressional bicameral committee is currently hearing the disagreeing provisions of the 2023 national budget.

This is one of the pro-people provisions of the proposed national budget. The public needs this,” Ro mualdez said.

A s the rising oil prices continue

to batter the public transport sec tor, Romualdez said the fuel sub sidy program remains one of the government services that drivers and operators look forward to in times of need.

House believes that the Libreng Sakay program will really help com muters. We allotted funds because the public needs it,” Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co, chairman of the House Committee on Appropria tions, said.

T he service contracting or “Li breng Sakay” program of the DOTr and LTFRB started in 2020 and was mandated under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. It was continued

in 2021 and 2022.

Bike lanes, meanwhile, encour age citizens to use bicycles to go to and from work. “It is a way to be physically healthy and at the same time reduces vehicles on the road,” Co added.

D uring the budget hearing in September, the DOTr has called on Congress to allocate funds for the Service Contracting Program or Li breng Sakay program.

T he DOTr has proposed a P12billion budget for the Libreng Sakay but the DBM denied it.

The agency has also requested  P5 billion for the fuel subsidy program but the DBM only approved  P2.5 billion.

Senate bill mandates 13th-month pay for govt JOs and COS workers

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SEN. Mark  Villar, moving to ensure fair benefits to  all government workers, filed Senate Bill No. 1528 to be known as 13th Month Pay Law for Contractual and Job Order Personnel.

T he senator reminded contractual workers and job order personnel play a vital role in government service, stressing “they fulfill their duties diligently and passionately comparable to permanent government employees. Notwithstanding, they are not entitled to midyear and year-end bonuses,

such as the 13th-month pay, among other benefits,” he said.

I n his explanatory note to Senate Bill 1528, Villar note that job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) government employees “do not receive benefits such as mid year and yearend bonus received by regular or permanent government employees.”

T he lawmaker recalled “during my tenure as DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] Secretary, I have seen the government employees’ need for this benefit. Now as a senator, I have proposed a bill that gives

a mandatory 13th-month pay to our national and local government workers.”

V illar expect the remedial legislation, once passed into law, will “mandate the payment of 13th-month pay to all government employees regardless of their employment status. Whether contractual or job order personnel shall be entitled to 13th-month pay every year.”

“ In light of the persistent rise in the inflation rate, which led to an extraordinary increase in prices of food, fuel, and other commodities, Filipino workers, including contractual and job order

personnel of the government face greater hardships in their lives. Contractual and job order personnel lack security of tenure,” he added.

T he senator noted that in Senate Bill No. 1528, the minimum amount  available for COS and JO personnel shall not be less than one-half of the monthly salary by the employees based on their current contract with the government.

“ Passing such a proposal should be a priority while there is still time left. This is our way of recognizing their notable contribution and their service to the government. This is our appreciation for

their hard work and sacrifice and for ensuring that the government is able to provide programs to our people throughout the year,” Villar pointed out.

“ This is in line with the recent issuance of the Commission on Audit [COA] and the Department of Budget and Management [DBM] extending the services of COS and JO workers until December 31, 2024,” he said.

V illar said he expect  642,000 non-permanent government workers will benefit once the proposed bill is passed into law by the upper and lower chambers of Congress.

Senate breaks lid on intl human trafficking mafia in Asean zone

When Hontiveros asked the guest BI officer at the hearing to examine the stamp, the official said it was a “fake” BI stamp because they do not have an officer with ID Number “393.”

H ontiveros said the pastillas scam’s nightmare continues, this time victimizing Filipino jobseek ers. The pastillas scam pertained to the racket of corrupt BI officials

who allowed entry to illegally doc umented Chinese nationals for a fee—with the bills wrapped up in white paper, like the native “pastil las” or sweet delicacy.

A lso at the hearing, senators heard the video interview conducted by Hon tiveros’s staff with “Joy,” who was able to leave the “camp” in Myanmar with a palit ulo (worker switch) scheme

whereby two replacement people— one of them her own husband—were recruited to take their place.

A nother former human traffick ing victim, “Baby,” said her husband remains trapped by the syndicate in Myanmar near the border with Thai land, and is punished with physical beating, each time he cannot make “quota” of recruited clients.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Draft Palace EO creates investment ‘green lane’

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bong bong” R. Marcos Jr. is set to sign a new Executive Order (EO) cre ating a “green lane” for priority invest ments identified by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

D TI officials on Tuesday pre sented a draft of the EO during their meeting with the President in Malacañang, which is expected to boost the competitiveness of the country as an investment destina tion in Southeast Asia.

Marcos welcomed the proposed issuance, which he said, could help remove unnecessary or obsolete pro cedures and requirements for busi nesses in setting up their operations in the country.

“ That will immediately address what we call ease of doing business, which [businesses] usually com plain about,” said the President in Filipino during his meeting with DTI officials.

In a news statement, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said under the draft EO, concerned na tional government agencies (NGA) and local government units (LGU) will put up a Green Lane for “strate gic investments” identified by DTI.

T hese will include projects of national significance, highly desir able projects and foreign direct in vestments, which are endorsed by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB), Inter-Agency Investments Promotion Coordination Commit tee (IAIPCC), Board of Investments (BOI) of the concerned Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs), or con tained in the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP).

Under the said green lanes, con cerned government offices must act on a permit or license application not longer than three working days in the case of a simple transaction, seven working days in the case of complex transactions, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions from the date of receipt.

T he prescribed processing time is also similar to what is stipulated under the Republic Act No. 11032 of the  Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service De livery Act, which is already being implemented by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).

Speaker Martin Romualdez,

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has announced it has inked an agreement with the Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association (MDPPA) to curb the sale of counterfeit mo torcycles and parts and raise aware ness on their threats to the lives of all road users.

A ccording to IPOPHL, the mem orandum of agreement (MOA) marks a renewal of IPOPHL and the MDPPA’s partnership, which was first inked in 2011. The agency said the previous agreement resulted in “successful” nationwide aware ness initiatives for consumers and capacity-building activities that helped enforcement authorities identify fake motor vehicles and parts more easily.

Meanwhile, IPOPHL said under the new memorandum of agree ment, the two parties have intensi fied their collaboration to exchange information aimed at tracking counterfeit motor vehicles and parts that pass through the coun try’s borders.

Under the renewed partner ship, IPOPHL and the MDPPA en hanced their collaboration with the commitment to exchange statistics and other vital information to im prove enforcement operations and enable the tracking of counterfeit motor vehicles and parts that en ter and exit the country’s borders,”

IPOPHL said in a news statement issued on Tuesday.

IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba underscored the importance of the said agreement, noting that counterfeit motor vehicles and parts do not pass any form of quality and safety checks.

IPOPHL commends the MDPPA’s unwavering commitment to intellec tual property [IP] rights protection and enforcement. Counterfeit motor vehicles and parts do not pass any form of quality and safety checks. As such, their use endangers the lives of all road users, many of whom simply wish to arrive home safely to their families after a long day at work,” Barba added.

T he IPOPHL chief reiterated the organization’s lobby to amend the IP Code. Amendments to the 1997 law, which include doubling penalties to perpetrators of counterfeiting and piracy activities that pose danger to life and health, “could intensify enforcement and help drive away IP violators,” said Barba.

According to IPOPHL, bills pend ing in Congress that intend to amend IP Code include House Bills 1597, 8062 and 8620.

Counterfeit products also tar nish the reputation of motorcycle industry players who have been building a respectable position for the Philippines in the region. Such could derail the motorcycle indus try’s development and steady re covery from the pandemic,” Barba added.

Romualdez says ‘best is yet to come’ under PBBM admin

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

HOUSE Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday ex pressed confidence that the Philippines is set to attain its economic growth target this year during the first six months of the Marcos administration.

In a news statement after attend ing an economic forum, the House leader said the Philippines is “on the road to full recovery.”

We are on the first stage to full economic recovery and we are march ing in the right direction,” he said.

“Judging from interests shown by global businessmen in our in ternational roadshow with the President, the Philippines may soon become the favorite investment destination in Asia. We, in Con gress, are committed to bring this goal to reality,” Romualdez said.

T he Speaker urged businessmen and the public in general to “stay the course with us, and share the benefits of progress and development.”

“ The best is yet to come,” Ro mualdez said.

He said the Marcos adminis tration has crafted an Agenda for Prosperity, which has as its core mission the country’s economic transformation towards inclusivity and sustainability.

We in Congress are one with

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

THE Commission on Appoint ments (CA) has deferred ac tion on another Marcos Cabi net member, citing lack of material time, even as it cleared the ad interim appointments of Department of Mi grant Workers (DMW) Secretary Su san “Toots” Ople and Commission on Audit Chairman Gamaliel Cordoba.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, chairman of the CA’s Committee on Energy, presided over the deliberation on the ad interim appointment of Raphael Perpetuo Lo tilla as Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE). The panel suspended on Tuesday Lotilla’s appointment due to lack of material time.

“On the motion of the [Assistant] Majority Leader Sen. Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito, we suspend the delibera tion on the ad interim appointment of Raphael Lotilla, Secretary of the Department of Energy, to resume until further notice,” Legarda said.

Ejercito said certain CA members had questions to ask of the nominee. The advisory also said the panel has to tackle the opposition to Lotilla’s appointment filed by former DOE Undersecretary Petronilo Ilagan, now president of the National As sociation of Electricity Consumer for Reforms (Nasecor).

More than 10 lawmakers were scheduled to propound questions to Lotilla, but only three were able to deliberate on his appointment.

Earlier, Legarda said the mandate of the DOE secretary is to prepare, integrate, coordinate, supervise and control all plans, programs, projects, activities of the state relative to energy exploration, development, utiliza tion, distribution and conservation.

“ The department requires a leader who can champion sustainable energy policies while steering the energy in dustry toward becoming energy re silient and independent in the face of both energy crisis, a climate crisis and a spate of oil price hikes,” Legarda said.

L otilla was the second appointee of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., whose appointment was suspended by the body. The first was Erwin Tulfo as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development who was questioned by the body on his citizenship and his

convictions on four counts of libel.

At Tuesday’s hearing of the CA subcommittee, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero asked Lotilla for his view points on encouraging more compe tition between energy cooperatives operating in the country.

Escudero brought up franchise is sues surrounding two energy coopera tives in Iloilo where Congress, in the past, chose to grant only one franchise over the other. “Just to clarify, does the Executive department encour age Congress to grant more than one franchise in an area, in the spirit of competition?” Escudero asked.

L otilla, despite choosing not to hazard a direct answer at this time, referred to a previous case where Congress chose to grant an electric corporation a franchise to extend its services in an adjoining franchise area, thereby giving users another option to consider. Lotilla also re ferred the committee to Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Epira Law and reiterated the choices available to electric coopera tives to decide what’s best for their operations: Whether to remain as an electric cooperative under the National Electrification Adminis tration, become a stock corporation under the Corporation Code or to operate as a stock cooperative under the Cooperatives Development Act.

Toots gets CA nod

MEANWHILE , the CA’s Commit tee on Labor, Employment, Social Welfare and Migrant Workers en dorsed for plenary confirmation the ad interim appointment of Maria Susana “Toots” Ople as secretary of the DMW.

Ople, daughter of the late Blas F. Ople who was Labor secretary in the 70s and early 80s, has been hailed as the woman tailor-fitted for the job.

Mr. Chairman, Your Honors, when my father—the late and for mer DFA Secretary Senate President Ka Blas Ople—died on December 14, 2013, I pledged to dedicate my life to helping our migrant workers. It was and continues to be my way of honoring him, of keeping him close to me, and remembering the legacy he worked hard for,” Ople said.  The bicameral body later in the after noon approved the appointment of Ople to the post.

By Glen Jacob Jose

SOME 6,000 tourist-oriented cops are set to be deployed starting Thursday in areas where they expect bigger crowds with the onset of the Holiday Season, an official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

The more than 6,000 touristtrained police are expected to be deployed this early so that our fellow Filipinos will feel the secu rity, along with their loved ones that they are safe and that they can enjoy their vacations,” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said on Monday.

F ajardo said that they have already set up assistance desks at the transport hubs and major thoroughfares.

Additional police personnel have also been deployed in shopping malls, markets, and bazaars.

Fajardo also said these police per sonnel will not be allowed to go on leave for the Christmas season as part of heightened security measures for the occasion.

Fajardo said all applications for leave from December 15 to Janu ary 10 next year would be canceled, pursuant to PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.’s order for increased po lice presence and visibility for the holiday season.

On December 15, leaves are already not allowed on our police officers to make sure that there is enough visibility to secure the areas of convergence,” she stressed.

Fajardo also said policemen will be out in the streets to do patrols, including personnel rendering ad ministrative duties in offices.

Fajardo also reminded the public anew to be careful against counter feit money during the Christmas shopping rush.

S he encouraged the public to turn over the counterfeit money to banks or file complaints against persons or establishments that dis bursed fake peso bills.

the President in this mission,” Romualdez added.

He pointed out that the admin istration’s economic development objectives are spelled out in the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework and its eight-point socioeconomic plan, which the House of Represen tatives had adopted through Con current Resolution No. 2 shortly after the 19th Congress convened in July.

“For the first time, the country has a clear 6-year agenda with clearly defined goals,” he stressed.

R omualdez said the economy improved by an average of 7.7 per cent for the first three quarters of 2022 and it only needs to expand by 3.3 percent to 6.9 percent this fourth quarter to meet the growth target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent this year.

Without a doubt, this is because of the Agenda for Prosperity, the sound economic plan of our President and economic managers,” he said.

He said the “encouraging” eco nomic figures “strengthen our re solve, as lawmakers, to remain fully committed in supporting the Agenda for Prosperity with the necessary legislative measures.”

Support

THE Speaker said several legis lative measures the House has passed will support of the admin

istration’s development and social inclusion road map.

On the immediate [side], our focus is on creating legislation that will help the government boost domestic demand and in crease the competitiveness of domestic production to sustain and further accelerate economic recovery,” he said.

Romualdez said the House swift ly approved the proposed P5.268trillion 2023 national budget, which includes P1.528 trillion for economic services.

L ast Friday, a House-Senate con ference committee started reconcil ing the two chamber’s versions of next year’s spending program.

“ In the end, the final version will be one that best supports the President’s 8-point socioeconomic agenda. We envision the final version as a budget that creates jobs, keeps the macro economy stable, and helps keep inflation within a manageable range,” Romualdez said.

To help the administration pur sue a sound fiscal policy, he said priority tax administration reform bills have been filed, four of which have passed third and final read ing and have been transmitted to the Senate.

T he approved measures include House Bill (HB) No. 4339, the fourth and last component of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Pack

age. The bill seeks to simplify the taxation of passive income, finan cial services and transactions by reducing the number of tax rates from 83 to 58.

“If we are able to enact this pack age as proposed, we will have com pleted one of the largest tax reform programs of any country in the world,” the House leader said.

He said his chamber has also ap proved bills taxing single-use plastic bags and non-resident digital service providers, and the proposed Ease of Paying Taxes Act.

He enumerated several other pro posed laws that the President and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) want Con gress to prioritize.

T hese include the GUIDE (Gov ernment Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery) bill, Valuation Reform Bill, Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, E-Government Act, Internet Transactions Act, National Land Use Act, Enabling Law for the Natural Gas Industry, changes in the Build-Operate-Transfer law, and amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.

Romualdez said the House in tends to approve on third and final reading 15 more bills before Con gress starts its Christmas recess on December 17.

IPOPHL, MDPPA renew pact to combat proliferation of fake motorcycle parts PNP fields 6,000 cops for Holiday Season

CA defers action on DOE chief Lotilla; confirms Ople, Cordoba

China pushes elderly vaccination as reopening pressure intensifies

CHINA said it would bol ster vaccination among its senior citizens, a move regarded by health experts as cru cial to reopening an economy stuck in an endless loop of harsh Covid Zero curbs. But it stopped short of announcing mandates that helped raise inoculation rates in other countries.

Instead, officials vowed to push shots harder in places like nursing centers, and make those unwilling to get inoculated provide a reason for their refusal, according to a statement Tuesday from the Na tional Health Commission. The government will also use big data to identify elderly people who need the vaccine, the statement said.

In China, only 69 percent of those aged 60 and above and just 40 percent of over 80-year-olds have had booster shots. In the US, over 70 percent of those over 65 have received a first booster, while 44 percent have already received a second.

Shares of CanSino Biologics Inc., drugmaker that’s rolling out a vaccine that can be inhaled, jumped 6.2 percent in Hong Kong, the biggest gain in two weeks.

The push comes days after pro tests against the punishing Covid Zero regime erupted in cities from

Beijing to Shanghai and Chengdu to the far western outpost of Kash gar. Frustrated citizens took to the streets last weekend, urging an end to the curbs. Besides bringing misery to tens of millions of people across the country, the restrictions have also disrupted businesses and slowed growth in the world’s second-largest economy.

At the briefing, the first by the top health body since the protests, officials struck a con ciliatory tone toward residents unhappy with Covid curbs. Lo cal authorities must respond to and resolve “reasonable” Covid requests from the public in a timely manner while reducing the inconvenience caused by outbreaks, said NHC spokesman Mi Feng. He avoided directly an swering reporters’ questions on the street unrest.

The low elderly vaccination rate is viewed as a roadblock to open ing up, like the rest of the world. Authorities fear mass infection among unprotected seniors could overwhelm the nation’s healthcare infrastructure, yet haven’t done enough to persuade the vul nerable group to come forward for inoculation.

The highly infectious nature of the variant that’s circulating

could eventually skirt the restric tions that are in place, making a widespread outbreak unavoidable, experts said. It would be very hard to suppress the mass spread of any Omicron variant in China because there is so little immunity in the population, said Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California.

“Unless they get uptake of bet ter vaccines and boosters quickly across the whole population, it looks like lockdowns will no longer hold and a huge surge is in store,”

Topol said. “It looks like major trouble is brewing.”

No mandates yet

WHILE cash incentives and insur ance for “vaccine accidents” have been offered by local officials to dispel hesitancy, the central gov ernment has forbidden the use of mandates.

China is still persisting with Co vid Zero while most of the rest of the world has moved on to restore normalcy. Years of propaganda de monizing Western countries for their lax attitude toward the virus

have caused deep-rooted fear of Covid in China, and the Commu nist Party’s wariness to suddenly reverse that stance is also delaying the country’s reopening.

Yet policymakers have been sig naling change, albeit slowly.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his new leadership team issued a new playbook on November 11, with 20 key parameters to guide officials on the ground as it eases the contentious Covid Zero policy.

Along with measures about key practices from quarantine to testing, the new instructions also vow to promote vaccine us age, especially booster shots for the elderly. China’s top health au thorities earlier this month said they’re drafting plans to accelerate inoculation efforts.

While China’s top health of ficials have been emphasizing in recent months that elderly people who are on medication to treat chronic disease are still fit for vac cination, the lack of trustworthy data on the safety and efficacy of domestic vaccines has also become a hurdle.

Traditional technology

THE shots approved in China are homegrown vaccines made with traditional technology. They have

been shown to be less effective than those from companies including Pfizer Inc., BioNTech SE and Mod erna Inc that use breakthrough new mRNA methods.

Fear of potential side effects after taking the vaccines spread among the country’s elderly, and cash rewards haven’t been enough to change the minds of many.

The pace of immunization has also slowed in China, meaning it’s been months or more than a year since millions of people got their most recent inoculation.

Also, lack of specifics regarding who should get vaccinated in China leaves room for varied interpre tations among health-care work ers. Some injection sites in China require blood pressure tests, and immunization is delayed in people with uncontrolled hypertension, local media reported.

Officials appeared to attempt to address this in the latest statement, which included a list of conditions eligible for vac cine exemption. The elderly can refuse the shot if they have had serious allergies to previous vac cines, acute illnesses currently in treatment like chemotherapy, or if they are in their final stage of life, it said. With assistance from Michelle Fay

Cortez/Bloomberg

UK waters down Internet rules plan after free speech outcry

By Jill Lawless The Associated Press

LONDON—The British gov ernment has abandoned a plan to force tech firms to remove Internet content that is harmful but legal, after the proposal drew strong criticism from lawmakers and civil liber ties groups.

The UK on Tuesday defended its decision to water down the Online Safety Bill, an ambi tious but controversial attempt to crack down on online racism, sexual abuse, bullying, fraud and other harmful material.

Similar efforts are underway in the European Union and the United States, but the UK’s was one of the most sweeping. In its original form, the bill gave regulators wide-ranging pow ers to sanction digital and social media companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.

Critics had expressed concern that a requirement for the big gest platforms to remove “legal but harmful” content could lead to censorship and undermine free speech.

The Conservative govern ment of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who took office last month, has now dropped that

part of the bill, saying it could “over-criminalize” online con tent. The government hopes the change will be enough to get the bill through Parliament, where it has languished for 18 months, by mid-2023.

Digital Secretary Michelle Donelan said the change re moved the risk that “tech firms or future governments could use the laws as a license to censor legitimate views.”

“It was a creation of a quasilegal category between illegal and legal,” she told Sky News.

“That’s not what a government should be doing. It’s confusing. It would create a different kind of set of rules online to offline in the legal sphere.”

Instead, the bill says compa nies must set out clear terms of service, and stick to them.

Companies will be free to allow adults to post and see offensive or harmful material, as long as it is not illegal. But platforms that pledge to ban racist, ho mophobic or other offensive content and then fail to live up to the promise can be fined up to 10 percent of their annual turnover.

The legislation also requires firms to help people avoid see ing content that is legal but may

be harmful—such as the glori fication of eating disorders, mi sogyny and some other forms of abuse—through warnings, con tent moderation or other means.

Companies also will have to show how they enforce user age limits designed to keep children from seeing harmful material.

The bill still criminalizes some online activity, including cyberflashing—sending some one unwanted explicit images— and epilepsy trolling, sending flashing images that can trig ger seizures. It also makes it an offense to assist or encourage self-harm, a step that follows a campaign by the family of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old who ended her life in 2017 after viewing self-harm and suicide content online.

Her father, Ian Russell, said he was relieved the stalled bill was moving forward at last. But he said it was “very hard to under stand” why protections against harmful material had been wa tered down.

Donelan stressed that “legal but harmful” material would only be permitted for adults, and children would still be protected.

“The content that Molly Rus sell saw will not be allowed as a result of this bill,” she said.

Pakistan Taliban ends cease-fire with govt, vows new attacks

By Munir Ahmed The Associated Press

ISLAMABAD—The

have been blamed on the insurgent group.

In a statement, the outlawed Tehrik-eTaliban Pakistan said it decided to end the 5-month-old cease-fire after Pakistan’s army stepped up operations against them in former northwestern tribal areas and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.

Pakistan and the TTP had agreed to an indefinite cease-fire in May after talks in Afghanistan’s capital.

There was no immediate comment from the government or the military.

The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group

but are allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan more than a year ago as the US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan emboldened TTP, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in Afghanistan.

Monday’s announcement was a setback to efforts made by the Afghan Taliban since earlier this year to facilitate a peace agreement aimed at ending the violence.

The latest development comes months after the Afghan Taliban started hosting negotiations in the capital Kabul between the TTP and representatives from the Pakistan government and security forces.

It also comes a day before Pakistan’s outgoing army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa—who had approved the controversial cease-fire with TTP in May—is to retire after completing his six-year extended term.

Bajwa will hand over command of the

military to the newly appointed army chief Gen. Asim Munir at a ceremony in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Tuesday amid tight security because of fears of violence.

Gen. Bajwa during his tenure carried out a series of military operations against TTP before agreeing to the peace talks with the militant, who have waged an insurgency in Pakistan for 14 years. The TTP has been fighting for stricter enforcement of Islamic laws in the country, the release of their members who are in government custody, and a reduction of Pakistan’s military presence in the country’s former tribal regions.

During the talks, Pakistan had asked TTP to disband.

Pakistan also wanted the insurgents to accept its constitution and sever all ties with the Islamic State group, another Sunni militant group with a regional affiliate that is active in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

CHINESE senior citizens line up to receive Covid-19 jabs. In China, only 69 percent of those aged 60 and above and just 40 percent of over 80-year-olds have had booster shots. BLOOMBERG

Pakistani Taliban on Monday ended a monthslong cease-fire with the government in Islamabad, ordering its fighters to resume attacks across the country, where scores of deadly attacks

Xi Jinping faces public anger over ‘zero Covid’

By Dake Kang The Associated Press

SHANGHAI—Barely a month after granting himself new powers as China’s potential leader for life, Xi Jinping is facing a wave of public anger of the kind not seen for decades, sparked by his “zero Covid” strategy that will soon enter its fourth year.

Demonstrators poured into the streets over the weekend in cities including Shanghai and Beijing, criticizing the policy, confronting police—and even calling for Xi to step down. On Monday, demon strators gathered in the semi-au tonomous southern city of Hong Kong, where the pro-democracy movement was all but snuffed out by a harsh crackdown following monthslong demonstrations that began in 2019.

Students at the Chinese Univer sity of Hong Kong chanted “oppose dictatorship” and “Freedom! Free dom!” Floral tributes were laid in the Central district that had been the epicenter of previous protests.

The widespread demonstrations are unprecedented since the army crushed the 1989 student-led prodemocracy movement centered on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

Most protesters focused their anger on restrictions that can con fine families to their homes for months and have been criticized as neither scientific nor effective. Some complained the system is failing to respond to their needs.

The cries for the resignation of Xi and the end of the Communist Party that has ruled China for 73 years could be deemed sedition, which is punishable by prison.

In response, police in Shang hai used pepper spray to drive away demonstrators, and dozens were detained in police sweeps and taken away in police vans and buses. China’s vast internal security apparatus is also famed for identifying people it considers troublemakers and picking them up later when few are watching.

The possibility of more pro tests is unclear. Government censors scrubbed the Internet of videos and messages supporting them. And analysts say unless di

visions emerge, the Communist Party should be able to contain the dissent.

China’s stringent measures were originally accepted for mini mizing deaths while other coun tries suffered devastating waves of infections, but that consensus has begun to fray in recent weeks.

While the ruling party says an ti-coronavirus measures should be “targeted and precise” and cause the least possible disrup tion to people’s lives, local offi cials are threatened with losing their jobs or other punishments if outbreaks occur. They have responded by imposing quaran tines and other restrictions that protesters say exceed what the central government allows.

Xi’s unelected government doesn’t seem too concerned with the hardships brought by the poli cy. This spring, millions of Shang hai residents were placed under a strict lockdown that resulted in food shortages, restricted access to medical care and economic pain. Nevertheless, in October, the city’s party secretary, a Xi loyalist, was appointed to the Communist Party’s No. 2 position.

The party has long imposed sur veillance and travel restrictions on minorities including Tibetans and Muslim groups such as Uyghurs, more than 1 million of whom have been detained in camps where they are forced to renounce their tra ditional culture and religion and swear fealty to Xi.

But this weekend’s protests included many members of the educated urban middle class from the ethnic Han majority. The rul ing party relies on that group to abide by an unwritten postTiananmen agreement to accept autocratic rule in exchange for a better quality of life.

Now, it appears that old ar rangement has ended as the party enforces control at the expense of the economy, said Hung Ho-fung of Johns Hopkins University.

“The party and the people are trying to seek a new equilibrium,” he said. “There will be some insta bility in the process.”

To develop into something on the scale of the 1989 protests would require clear divisions within the leadership that could be leveraged for change, Hung said. Xi all but eliminated such threats at an October party con gress. He broke with tradition and awarded himself a third five-year term as party leader and packed the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee with loyal ists. Two potential rivals were sent into retirement.

“Without the clear signal of party leader divisions...I would expect this kind of protest might not last very long,” Hung said.

It’s “unimaginable” that Xi would back down, and the party is experienced in handling protests, Hung said.

China is now the only major country still trying to stop trans mission of the virus that was first detected in the central city of Wu han in late 2019.

The normally supportive head of the World Health Organization has called “zero Covid” unsustain able. Beijing dismissed his remarks as irresponsible, but public ac ceptance of the restrictions has worn thin.

People who are quarantined at home in some areas say they lack food and medicine. And the ruling

party faced anger over the deaths of two children whose parents said anti-virus controls hampered efforts to get emergency medi cal care.

Protests then erupted after a fire on Thursday killed at least 10 people in an apartment build ing in the city of Urumqi in the northwest, where some residents have been locked in their homes for four months. That prompted an outpouring of angry questions online about whether firefighters or people trying to escape were blocked by locked doors or other pandemic restrictions.

Yet Xi, an ardent nationalist, has politicized the issue to the point that exiting the “zero Covid” policy could be seen as a loss to his reputation and authority.

“Zero Covid” was “supposed to demonstrate the superiority of the ‘Chinese model,’ but ended up dem onstrating the risk that when au thoritarian regimes make mistakes, those mistakes can be colossal,” said Andrew Nathan, a Chinese politics specialist at Columbia University. He edited The Tiananmen Papers, an insider account of the government’s response to the 1989 protests.

“But I think the regime has backed itself into a corner and has no way to yield. It has lots of force, and if necessary, it will use it,” Nathan said. “If it could hold onto power in the face of the pro-democracy demonstrations of 1989, it can do so again now.”

British prime minister says ‘golden era’ with China over

By Sylvia Hui The Associated Press

LONDON—British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak de clared Monday that the UK’s “golden era” of ties with China was over in his first major speech on foreign policy, describing China’s growing authoritarianism as a “systemic challenge to our values and interests.”

But Sunak stopped short of call ing China a threat, disappointing China hawks in his Conservative Party who had until recently ex pected him to class China as a “threat” to UK security as part of an update of the government’s for eign and defense policies.

In his speech to the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, Sunak said the UK would stand up to global competitors like China— “not with grand rhetoric but with robust pragmatism” and by boost ing its ties with like-minded global allies including the US, Canada, Australia and Japan.

“We recognize China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that grows more acute as it moves to wards even greater authoritarian ism,” he said.

Referring to Beijing’s handling of widespread protests across China against the country’s strict

“zero Covid” strategy, Sunak said that “instead of listening to their people’s protests, the Chinese gov ernment has chosen to crack down further, including by assaulting a BBC journalist.”

In July, during a Conservative leadership race to pick a successor to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Sunak said China rep resented the “largest threat” to Britain and the world’s security and prosperity.

At the time, he pledged to close all Confucius Institutes, the par tially Chinese government-fund ed organizations that promote Chinese culture and language at UK universities. He also said he would lead an international alliance against Chinese cyber threats, and help British com panies and universities counter Chinese spying.

Lawmaker Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative Party leader and a vocal China critic, said Su nak’s “robust pragmatism” meant “anything you want it to mean” and amounted to “appeasement.” And David Lammy, the opposition La bour Party’s foreign affairs spokes man, described Sunak’s speech as “as thin as gruel.”

“All it shows is that once again the Conservative government is flip-flopping its rhetoric on China,” Lammy said.

Former president of Comoros convicted of selling passports

PARIS—A court in the Indian Ocean island of Comoros sentenced for mer President Ahmed Abdal lah Sambi on Monday to life in prison for illegally selling the country’s passports, according to local media reports.

The Court for State Security in the capital Moroni also ordered the confiscation of Sambi’s assets. It handed down sentences of up to 20 years in prison for other officials convicted in the scheme.

According to video of the ver dict on local news website Habari za Comores, the presiding judge said Sambi “abused his presiden tial prerogatives to allow the in stallation of a mafia-like system for the illegal sale of Comoros passports.”

Sambi was president of the ar chipelago of less than 1 million people from 2006-2011.

Local media said the passports were sold to stateless people in Gulf countries.

According to Radio France In ternationale, prosecutors accused Sambi of embezzling 1.8 billion

euros ($1.87 billion) as part of the scheme—more than the country’s annual GDP.

RFI quoted defense lawyer Mahamadou Ahamada as say ing there was no proof of em bezzlement, saying the trial was politically driven.

Sambi is a political rival of Presi dent Azali Assoumani. AP

South Korea orders striking cement truckers back to work

By Kim Tong-Hyung The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea—South Korea’s government issued an order Tuesday for some of the thousands of truck drivers who have been on strike to return to work, insisting that their nationwide walkout over freight fare issues is hurting an already weak economy.

Despite facing the threat of de licensing or even prison terms, the strike’s organizers said they would defy the order and accused Presi dent Yoon Suk Yeol’s conservative government of suppressing their labor rights and ignoring what they described as worsening work condi tions and financial strain caused by rising fuel costs and interest rates.

The order was approved in a Cabinet meeting called by Yoon and targeted about 2,500 drivers

of cement trucks among a broader group of truckers participating in the walkout. It marked the first time a South Korean government has exercised controversial pow ers under a law revised in 2004 to force truckers back to their jobs.

A failure to comply without “jus tifiable reason” is punishable by up to three years in jail or a maximum fine of 30 million won ($22,400).

Critics have denounced the law as unconstitutional, saying it doesn’t clearly define what qualifies as ac ceptable conditions for a strike.

The strike’s damage so far has been largely limited to domestic industries such as construction and there have been no reports of substantial disruptions of key exports such as computer chips and automobiles.

Yoon said the truckers’ strike is threatening to “devastate the

foundation of our industries,” citing delays in deliveries of ma terials such as cement and steel to construction sites and factories. He accused the strikers of illicit activities such as disrupting the work of colleagues who have re fused to participate in the strike.

“There’s no way to justify the act of taking the lives of people and the national economy as hostage to accomplish their own interest,” Yoon said in the Cabi net meeting.

Officials said the “work start order” was issued to cement truck ers first because the construction industry has been hit hardest by the strike. Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said in a briefing Tues day that cement shipments have been reduced by more than 90 per cent since the start of the strike and about half of the country’s

construction sites have experi enced disruptions.

Choo said the strike also has been causing shortages at some gas stations. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the government was planning to expand the order to drivers transporting fuel, steel and other supplies if the strike continues.

Thousands of members of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity union have been striking since last Thurs day, in their second nationwide walkout since June, calling for the government to make permanent a minimum freight rate system that is to expire at the end of 2022.

While the minimum fares are currently applied to ship ping containers and cement, the striking truckers are calling for the benefits to be expanded to other cargoes including oil and

chemical tankers, steel and au tomobile carriers and package delivery trucks.

Yoon’s government has offered to temporarily extend the minimum freight fares for another three years but balked at the demand to widen the scope of such payments.

The truckers say the minimumrate system is crucial for their finances and safety, saying that without it they are forced to in crease their deliveries and drive dangerously to make ends meet.

Cargo Truckers Solidarity is sued a statement denouncing the government’s return-to-work or der, which they described as an attack on truckers’ livelihoods and basic rights. Some of its lead ers shaved their heads to express their defiance during a protest at a port in Incheon.

“Cargo workers who drive over

night while scrambling to cope with rising prices and fuel costs without the protection of a basic social safety net are being pushed into ‘systemic disaster’ situation,” the group said in the statement, calling the order a “martial” law imposed on strikers.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Trans port, nearly 8,000 truckers partici pated in the strike on Monday, and container traffic at ports was at 21 percent of normal levels as of 10 a.m. It said the strike slowed ship ments and deliveries of cement, steel and refined oil products.

Lee Sang-min, minister of the interior and safety, said Monday that the strike is estimated to cost the economy 300 billion won ($224 million) each day but didn’t specify how the government calculated that amount.

T he Associated Press reporters Kanis Leung and Zen Soo and researcher Alice Fung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

IN this photo taken on Sunday, November 27, 2022, policemen pin down and arrest a protester during a protest on a street in Shanghai, China. Authorities eased anti-virus rules in scattered areas but affirmed China’s severe “zero Covid” strategy Monday after crowds demanded President Xi Jinping resign during protests against controls that confine millions of people to their homes. AP

COMOROS President Ahmed Sambi gestures as he leaves the first session of the Arab summit in Sirte, Libya on October 9, 2010. A court in the Indian Ocean island of Comoros sentenced former President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi on Monday, November 28, 2022, to life in prison for illegally selling off Comoros passports, according to local media reports.

AP/AMR NABIL

Lull in Russian attacks against Ukraine energy, aid pledged

By Jamey Keaten The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Russia held back Monday from launch ing a new round of strikes that have been expected against power stations and other key infra structure in Ukraine, as officials warned a lingering energy and water crisis from earlier attacks could prompt more evacuations from the capital.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, hosting the larg est delegation of top foreign of ficials since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a Russian invasion of Ukraine over nine months ago, insisted that better air defenses were needed from allies “to break this vicious cycle” of Russian air strikes followed by Ukrainian rebuilding of damaged infrastructure.

“Every time we will be restoring it, the Russians will be destroy ing it,” he told counterparts from seven Baltic and Nordic countries.

The foreign ministers from Es tonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Finland pledged more military, economic and humanitarian aid as an energy crisis deepens and Ukrainian forc es seek to move on with a counter offensive against Russian troops.

Sweden said it had provided a 270-million-euro ($279 million) package of air defense systems, ammunition, all-terrain vehicles and personal winter gear for troops. Finland pledged to take in more Ukrainian refugees. In Wash ington, White House National Se curity Council spokesman John Kirby said the US is working with partners and allies to provide en ergy and water replacement equip ment to Ukraine

In Israel—which has straddled a fine political line in the con flict—Channel 13 reported that a high-level Ukrainian delegation recently visited to discuss an Is raeli pledge to provide a system that detects incoming missiles. Israel’s Defense Ministry declined comment.

Israel has voiced support for Ukraine but has refused so far to provide it arms or impose sanc tions against Moscow because of its sensitive ties with Russia. Israel’s and Russia’s militaries communicate to avoid conflict in Syria. Israel also does not want to endanger the large Jewish com munity in Russia.

Ukrainian President Volody myr Zelenskyy warned late Sunday that Russian troops “are preparing new strikes, and as long as they have missiles, they won’t stop.” He met Monday with senior gov ernment officials to discuss what actions to take.

“The upcoming week can be as hard as the one that passed,” he predicted.

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg insisted Putin was intent on using frost, snow and ice to his advantage, not only on the battleground but also against Ukrainian civilians.

“President Putin is now trying to use the winter as a weapon of war against Ukraine, and this is horrific and we need to be pre pared for more attacks,” he said on the eve of a two-day meeting of Nato foreign ministers—in cluding those who visited Kyiv on Monday—in Bucharest, Romania.

“That’s the reason why Nato’s al lies have stepped up their support to Ukraine.”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said some of the city’s 3 million people might have to be evacuated to where essential services would be less prone to shutdowns caused by missile attacks.

For weeks, Russia has been pounding energy facilities around Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with missile strikes, usually on Mondays at the workweek’s begin ning, resulting in outages of power and water supplies.

Based on the pattern of infra structure attacks and the Rus sian military’s preparation time, an advisor to Ukraine’s interior minister said on national TV that the next strikes could occur in an other week. A Ukrainian military spokesman also said on national TV that Russian aircraft had inten sified their activity over Ukraine on Monday.

With temperatures hovering around freezing, and expected to dip as low as minus 11C (12 Fahr enheit) in little more than a week, international help was increasing ly focused on items like generators and transformers, to make sure blackouts that affect everything from kitchens to operating rooms are as limited and short as possible.

The power situation was so dire that Ukraine’s energy trader—in normal times an exporter—tested importing electricity from neigh boring Romania.

Putin “continues trying to make Ukraine a black hole—no light, no electricity, no heating to put the Ukrainians into the darkness and the cold,” said European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is leading a meeting of EU minis ters in Bucharest to help Ukraine with its humanitarian crisis. “So we have to continue our support providing more material for the Ukrainians to face the winter without electricity.”

Ukraine’s energy provider Ukrenergo said Monday it is still short 27 percent of output and that “the scale and complexity of the damage are high, and repair works have continued around the clock.”

Power supply was restored to 17 percent of residents in the south ern city of Kherson, which Ukraine reclaimed earlier this month. The Russians have continued pound ing the city with artillery barrages from newly consolidated positions across the Dnieper River. Britain’s Defense Ministry reported that the strikes reached a record high, 54, on Sunday.

Raf Casert contributed from Brus sels and Andrew Katell contributed from New York.

Iranian general admits over 300 dead in unrest

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—

An Iranian general on Monday acknowledged that more than 300 people have been killed in the unrest surrounding nationwide protests, giving the first official word on casualties in two months.

That estimate is considerably lower than the toll reported by Human Rights Activists in Iran, a US-based group that has been closely tracking the protests since they erupted after the September 16 death of a young woman being held by the coun try’s morality police.

The activist group says 451 pro testers and 60 security forces have been killed since the start of the unrest and that more than 18,000 people have been detained.

The protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained for al legedly violating the Islamic Re public’s strict dress code. They quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy and pose one of the most serious chal lenges to the ruling clerics since the 1979 revolution that brought them to power.

Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the aerospace di vision of the paramilitary Revo lutionary Guard, was quoted by a website close to the Guard as saying that more than 300 people have been killed, including “mar tyrs,” an apparent reference to security forces. He also suggested that many of those killed were or dinary Iranians not involved in the protests.

He did not provide an exact figure or say where his estimate came from.

Authorities have heavily re stricted media coverage of the protests. State-linked media have not reported an overall toll and have largely focused on attacks on security forces, which officials blame on shadowy militant and separatist groups.

Hajizadeh reiterated the offi cial claim that the protests have been fomented by Iran’s enemies, including Western countries and Saudi Arabia, without providing evidence. The protesters say they are fed up after decades of social and political repression, and deny having any foreign agenda.

The protests have spread across the country and drawn support from artists, athletes and other public figures. The unrest has even cast a shadow over the World Cup, with some Iranians actively root ing against their own national team because they see it as being linked to the government.

The niece of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently called on people to pres sure their governments to cut ties with Tehran over its violent sup pression of the demonstrations.

In a video posted online by her France-based brother, Farideh Moradkhani urged “conscientious people of the world” to support Iranian protesters. The video was shared online this week after Mo radkhani’s reported arrest on Nov. 23, according to the activist group.

Moradkhani is a long-time ac tivist whose late father was an op position figure married to Khame nei’s sister and is the closest mem ber of the supreme leader’s family to be arrested. The branch of the family has opposed Khamenei for decades and Moradkhani has been imprisoned on previous occasions for her activism.

“I ask the conscientious people of the world to stand by us and ask their governments not to react with empty words and slogans but with real action and stop any deal ings with this regime,” she said in her video statement.

The protests, now in their third month, have continued despite a brutal crackdown by Iranian secu rity forces using live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas.

Iran refuses to cooperate with a fact-finding mission that the U.N. Human Rights Council recently voted to establish.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not engage in any coopera tion, whatsoever, with the politi cal committee,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said

Monday.

In a separate development, Iran released a 76-year-old dual Irani an-Austrian citizen from prison for health reasons, the Austria Press Agency reported.

APA quoted the Austrian For eign Ministry confirming that Massud Mossaheb was given indef inite medical leave. The ministry said “intensive diplomatic efforts” had led to his release, which was first reported by Austrian daily Die Presse. There was no immedi ate comment from Iran.

Mossaheb was arrested on suspicion of espionage in early 2019 during a visit to the capital, Tehran, and later sentenced to 10 years in prison. He must remain in Iran and report to authorities every other week, APA reported.

Iran has detained several dual nationals in recent years on charg es of threatening national securi ty. Analysts and rights groups ac cuse hard-liners in Iran’s security agencies of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips in negotiations or prisoner swaps with the West, which Tehran denies. AP

Erupting Hawaii volcano spurs warning for people to prepare

By Caleb Jones The Associated Press

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii—Waves of orange, glowing lava and smoky ash belched and sputtered Monday from the world’s largest active volcano in its first eruption in 38 years, and officials told people living on Hawaii’s Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario.

The eruption of Mauna Loa wasn’t immediately endangering towns, but the US Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption “can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly.”

Officials told residents to be ready to evacuate if lava flows start heading toward populated areas.

The eruption began late Sunday night following a series of fairly large earthquakes, said Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

The areas where lava was emerging—the volcano’s summit crater and vents along the volcano’s northeast flank—are both far from homes and communities.

Officials urged the public to stay away from them, given the dangers posed by lava, which is shooting 100 to 200 feet (30 to 60 meters) into the air out of three separate fissures roughly estimated to be 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3.2 kilometers) long.

Volcanic gases wafting out of the vents, primarily sulfur dioxide, are also harmful.

Air quality on the Big Island more generally is good right now but officials are monitoring it carefully, said Dr. Libby Char, the director of the state Department of Health.

Hon said air quality could deteriorate while the eruption lasts, which scientists expect will be about one or two weeks if the volcano follows historical patterns.

Lifelong Big Island resident Bobby Camara, who lives in Volcano Village, said everyone across the island should keep track of the eruption. He said he’s seen three Mauna Loa eruptions in his lifetime and stressed the need for vigilance.

“I think everybody should be a little bit concerned,” he said. “We don’t know where the flow is going, we don’t know how long it’s going to last.”

Gunner Mench, who owns an art gallery in Kamuela, said he awoke shortly after midnight and saw an alert on his phone about the eruption.

Mench and his wife, Ellie, ventured out to film the eerie red glow cast over the island, watching as lava spilled down the volcano’s side.

“You could see it spurting up into the air, over the edge of this depression,” Mench said.

“Right now it’s just entertainment, but the concern is” it could reach populated areas, he said.

Seeing Mauna Loa erupt is a new experience for many residents of the Big Island, where the population has more than doubled from 92,000 in 1980.

More than a third of the island’s residents live either in the city of Kailua-Kona to the west of the volcano, or about 23,000 people, and Hilo to the east, with about 45,000. Officials were most worried about several subdivisions some 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the volcano’s south that are home to about 5,000 people.

A time-lapse video of the eruption from overnight showed lava lighting up one area, moving across it like waves on the ocean.

The US Geological Survey said the eruption had migrated to a rift zone on the volcano’s northeast flank. Rift zones are where the mountain rock is cracked and relatively weak— making it easier for magma to emerge.

Lava could move toward the county seat of Hilo, but that could take about a week, Hon said at a news conference.

Scientists hope the flow will parallel the 1984 eruption, where the lava was more viscous and slowed down.

Mauna Loa has another rift zone on its southwest flank. Lava could reach nearby communities in hours or days if the volcano erupts from this area. But Hon said historically Mauna Loa has never erupted from both rift zones simultaneously.

“So we presume at this point that all of the future activity is going to be on the northeast rift zone of Mauna Loa and not on the southeast rift zone,” he said. “So those residents in that area do not have to worry about lava flows.”

Hawaii County Civil Defense announced it had opened shelters because it had reports of people evacuating from along the coast on their own initiative.

The USGS warned residents who could be threatened by the lava flows to review their eruption preparations. Scientists had been on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Portions of the Big Island were under an ashfall advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu. It said up to a quarter-inch (0.6 centimeters) of ash could accumulate in some areas.

“Volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele’s hair may be carried downwind,” Gov.

David Ige said, referring to glass fibers that form when hot lava erupts from a fissure and rapidly cools in the air. The wind stretches the fibers into long strands that look like hair. “So certainly we would ask those with respiratory sensitivities to take precautions to minimize exposure.”

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level, is the much larger neighbor of Kilauea, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of Mauna Loa’s slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s, so lava can flow much faster when it erupts.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the ocean in under three hours.

Mauna Loa’s volume is estimated at least 18,000 square miles (75,000 square kilometers), making it the world’s largest volcano when measured from the ocean floor its summit.

Tourism is Hawaii’s economic engine but Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth predicted few problems for those vacationing during the eruption.

“It will be spectacular where it is, but the chances of it really interrupting the visitor industry—very, very slim,” he said.

Tourism officials said no one should have to change Big Island travel plans.

IN this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with a group of Basij paramilitary force in Tehran, Iran on November 26, 2022. The niece of Iran’s supreme leader is calling for people to pressure their governments to cut ties with Tehran. Farideh Moradkhani, whose uncle is Ali Khamenei, issued the call in a video statement circulated after her November 23 arrest, reported by the US-based rights monitor HRANA. OFFICE OF THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER VIA AP

The Associated Press writers Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu; Alina Hartounian in Phoenix and Mark Thiessen in Anchorage,Alaska,contributedtothisreport.

Angel R. Calso

Biotechnology’s impact on PHL’s food security

SingaPore, a city-state in Southeast asia, imports virtually all of its food requirements. Because it does not have large tracts of land where it can grow crops and other food items, it has relied on other countries to feed its population. The Singapore Food agency noted that its local farms produced only a fraction of the city-state’s food requirements in 2018—13 percent of all vegetables, 9 percent of all the fish and 24 percent of all the eggs.

As countries all over the world continue to compete for shrinking resources, Singapore is embracing technological advances that would allow the small island nation to beef up its food supply. Bloomberg reported that Singapore is the only place in the world that permits the sale of cultivated protein, also known as lab-grown meat, cultured meat or cell-based meat. It is also leading a charge to allow, regulate and ultimately normalize the commercial sale of cultivated seafood (See, “Singapore wants to sell the world on cell-cultured seafood,” in the BusinessMirror, November 21, 2022).

Just like their Southeast Asian neighbors, such as the Filipinos, Singaporeans are partial to eating fish and other marine species like shellfish and crabs. Fish consumption has grown by leaps and bounds, but production has been declining not only because of climate change but because of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Aquaculture has the potential to beef up fish supply but extreme weather events caused by climate change is threatening its viability.

Advances in biotechnology have paved the way for countries like Singapore to seek alternatives that would somehow reduce its reliance on imports. Other countries like the Philippines, where fish and other marine species are considered an integral part of their diet, should closely watch Singapore’s efforts to develop cultured meat and seafood. The Philippines, for one, is now importing some of its fish requirements to fill the gap in its domestic production.

Apart from the possibility that cultured meat could supplement the country’s food supply, the production of lab-grown food also presents opportunities for local businesses. Startups in search of investment ideas can consider cell-cultured food. Positioning the Philippines as a hub for lab-grown food items may attract foreign direct investments that the country needs (See, “More foreign biotech investments eyed,” in the BusinessMirror, November 21, 2022).

Biotech-enabled production, manufacturing, and service-type activities are included in the 2022 Strategic Investment Priority Plans of the Board of Investments. This means that biotech companies that would invest in the Philippines could avail themselves of fiscal perks and other incentives. Biotech-enabled activities related to food security and research and development could enjoy these incentives for at least five years.

Natural resources continue to dwindle and extreme weather events are increasingly becoming more frequent, making it more difficult to feed a growing population. And as land for crop cultivation shrinks to give way to non-farm activities, the search for alternatives will intensify in the coming years. Biotechnology is one of the tools that policymakers can tap to beef up food supply and increase the availability of raw materials that industries can use to manufacture other products.

China lockdown protests pause as police flood city streets

By Kanis Leung & Zen Soo | The Associated Press

Hong Kong With police out in force, there was no word of additional protests against strict government anti-pandemic measures Tuesday in Beijing, as temperatures fell well below freezing. Shanghai, nanjing and other cities where online calls to gather had been issued were also reportedly quiet.

Rallies against China’s unusually strict anti-virus measures spread to several cities over the weekend in the biggest show of opposition to the ruling Communist Party in decades. Authorities eased some regulations, apparently to try to quell public anger, but the government showed no sign of backing down on its larger coronavirus strategy, and analysts expect authorities to quickly silence the dissent.

Police were making random checks on phones at the People’s Square subway station in Shanghai Monday evening, an eyewitness said. The person declined to give his name out of fear of retribution, as he was en route to a planned protest near the station, which he did not find.

In Hong Kong Monday, about 50 students from mainland China sang at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and some lit candles in a show of support for those in mainland cities who demonstrated against restrictions that have confined millions to their homes. Hiding their faces to avoid official retaliation, the students chanted, “No PCR tests but freedom!” and “Oppose dictatorship, don’t be slaves!”

territory, which is Chinese but has a separate legal system from the mainland.

“I’ve wanted to speak up for a long time, but I did not get the chance to,” said James Cai, a 29-year-old from Shanghai who attended a Hong Kong protest and held up a piece of white paper, a symbol of defiance against the ruling party’s pervasive censorship. “If people in the mainland can’t tolerate it anymore, then I cannot as well.”

It wasn’t clear how many people have been detained since the protests began in the mainland Friday, sparked by anger over the deaths of 10 people in a fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi. That prompted angry questions online about whether firefighters or victims trying to escape were blocked by locked doors or other anti-virus controls. Authorities denied that, but the incident became a target for public frustration about the controls.

Without mentioning the protests, the criticism of Xi or the fire, some local authorities eased restrictions Monday.

escapes and rescues,” said Wang Daguang, a city official in charge of epidemic control, according to the official China News Service.

Guangzhou, a manufacturing and trade center that is the biggest hot spot in China’s latest wave of infections, announced some residents will no longer be required to undergo mass testing.

The US Embassy advised citizens to prepare for all eventualities and said Ambassador Nicholas Burns and other American diplomats have “regularly raised our concerns on many of these issues directly.”

“We encourage all US citizens to keep a 14-day supply of medications, bottled water, and food for yourself and any members of your household,” the Embassy said in a statement Monday.

we believe they should be able to do that peacefully,” Kirby said at a Monday briefing.

Urumqi, where the fire occurred, and another city in the Xinjiang region in the northwest announced markets and other businesses in areas deemed at low risk of infection would reopen this week and public bus service would resume.

“Zero Covid,” which aims to isolate every infected person, has helped to keep China’s case numbers lower than those of the United States and other major countries. But tolerance for the measures has flagged as people in some areas have been confined at home for up to four months and say they lack reliable access to food and medical supplies.

The ruling party promised last month to reduce disruption by changing quarantine and other rules known as the “20 Guidelines.” But a spike in infections has prompted cities to tighten controls.

On Tuesday, the number of daily cases dipped slightly to 38,421 after setting new records over recent days. Of those, 34,860 were among people who showed no symptoms.

The ruling party newspaper People’s Daily called for its anti-virus strategy to be carried out effectively, indicating Xi’s government has no plans to change course.

Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

The gathering and a similar one elsewhere in Hong Kong were the biggest protests there in more than a year under rules imposed to crush a pro-democracy movement in the

The city government of Beijing announced it would no longer set up gates to block access to apartment compounds where infections are found.

“Passages must remain clear for medical transportation, emergency

In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby “obviously, there are people in China that — that have — have concerns about that,” referring to lockdowns.

“Facts have fully proved that each version of the prevention and control plan has withstood the test of practice,” a People’s Daily commentator wrote.

In Hong Kong, protesters at Chinese University put up posters that said, “Do Not Fear. Do Not Forget. Do Not Forgive,” and sang including

“And they’re protesting that, and

Surgeons work by flashlight as Ukraine power grid battered

By Yuras Karmanau, Sam Mednick & Dasha Litvinova The Associated Press

Dr. oleh Duda was in the middle of a particularly complicated surgery at a hospital in Lviv, Ukraine, when he heard explosions nearby. Moments later, the lights went out.

Duda had no choice but to keep working with only a headlamp for light. The lights came back when a generator kicked in three minutes later, but it felt like an eternity.

“These fateful minutes could have cost the patient his life,” the cancer surgeon told The Associated Press.

The operation on the patient’s major artery took place Nov. 15, when the city in western Ukraine suffered blackouts as Russia unleashed yet another missile barrage on the power grid, damaging nearly 50 percent of the country’s energy facilities.

The devastating strikes, which continued last week and plunged the country into darkness once again, strained and disrupted the health

care system, already battered by years of corruption, mismanagement, the Covid-19 pandemic and nine months of war.

Scheduled operations are being postponed; patient records are unavailable because of Internet outages; and paramedics have had to use flashlights to examine patients in darkened apartments.

The World Health Organization said last week that Ukraine’s health system is facing “its darkest days in the war so far,” amid the growing energy crisis, the onset of cold winter weather and other challenges.

“This winter will be life-threatening for millions of people in Ukraine,” the WHO’s regional director for

Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge, said in a statement.

He predicted that 2 million to 3 million more people could leave their homes in search of warmth and safety, and “will face unique health challenges, including respiratory infections such as Covid-19, pneu-

monia and influenza.”

See “China,” A11 Since 2005 ✝ MEMBER OF

Last week, Kyiv’s Heart Institute posted on its Facebook page a video of surgeons operating on a child’s heart with the only light coming from headlamps and a battery-powered flashlight.

“Rejoice, Russians, a child is on the table and during an operation the lights have gone completely off,” Dr. Boris Todurov, director of the institute in the capital, said in the video. “We will now turn on the generator — unfortunately, it will take a few minutes.”

Attacks have hit hospitals and outpatient clinics in southeastern Ukraine, too. The WHO said in a statement last week that they have verified at least 703 attacks between Feb. 24, when Russian troops rolled into Ukraine, and November 23.

The Kremlin has rejected accusations that it targets civilian facilities.

See “Surgeons,” A11

14 years later, Nato is set to renew its vow to Ukraine

By Lorne Cook & Stephen Mcgrath | The Associated Press

BuCHAREsT nato returns on Tuesday to the scene of one of its most controversial decisions, intent on repeating its vow that ukraine—now suffering through the 10th month of a war against Russia—will join the world’s biggest military alliance one day.

Nato foreign ministers will gather for two days at the Palace of the Parliament in the Romanian capital Bucharest. It was there in April 2008 that US President George W. Bush persuaded his allies to open Nato’s door to Ukraine and Georgia, over vehement Russian objections.

“Nato welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in Nato. We agreed today that these countries will become members of Nato,” the leaders said in a statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was at the summit, described this as “a direct threat” to Russia’s security.

About four months later, Russian forces invaded Georgia.

Some experts describe the decision in Bucharest as a massive error that left Russia feeling cornered by a seemingly ever-expanding Nato. Nato counters that it doesn’t pressgang countries into joining, and that some requested membership to seek protection from Russia—as Finland and Sweden are doing now.

More than 14 years on, Nato will pledge this week to support Ukraine long-term as it defends itself against Russian aerial, missile and ground attacks—many of which have struck power grids and other civilian infrastructure, depriving millions of people of electricity and heating.

In a press conference Monday in Bucharest after a meeting with Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted the importance of investing in defense “as we face our greatest security crisis in a generation.”

“We cannot let Putin win,” he said. “This would show authoritarian leaders around the world that they can achieve their goals by using military force—and make the world a more dangerous place for all of us. It is in our own security interests to support Ukraine.”

Stoltenberg noted Russia’s recent bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, saying Putin “is trying to use winter as a weapon of war against Ukraine” and that “we need to be prepared for more attacks.”

North Macedonia and Montenegro have joined the US-led alliance in recent years. With this, Stoltenberg said last week before travelling to Bucharest, “we have demonstrated that Nato’s door is open and that it is for Nato allies and aspirant countries to decide on membership. This is also the message to Ukraine.”

This gathering in Bucharest is likely to see Nato make fresh pledges of non-lethal support to Ukraine: fuel, electricity generators, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jamming devices.

This gathering in Bucharest is likely to see Nato make fresh pledges of non-lethal support to Ukraine: fuel, electricity generators, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jamming devices.

Individual allies are also likely to announce fresh supplies of military equipment for Ukraine—chiefly the air defense systems that Kyiv so desperately seeks to protect its skies. Nato as an organization will not offer such supplies, to avoid being dragged into a wider war with nuclear-armed Russia. But the ministers, along with their Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, will also look further afield.

“Over the longer term we will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment to modern Nato standards, doctrine and training,” Stoltenberg said last week. This will not only improve Ukraine’s armed forces and help them to better integrate, it will also meet some of the conditions for membership.

That said, Ukraine will not join Nato anytime soon. With the Crimean Peninsula annexed, and Russian troops and pro-Moscow separatists holding parts of the south and east, it’s not clear what Ukraine’s borders would even look like.

Many of the 30 allies believe the focus now must be uniquely on defeating Russia.

“What we have seen in the last months is that President Putin made a big strategic mistake,” Stoltenberg said. “He underestimated the strength of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian armed forces, and the Ukrainian political leadership.”

But even as economic pressure— high electricity and gas prices, plus inflation, all exacerbated by the war—mounts on many allies, Stoltenberg would not press Ukraine to enter into peace talks, and indeed Nato and European diplomats say that Putin does not appear willing to come to the table.

“The war will end at some stage at the negotiating table,” Stoltenberg said Monday. “But the outcome of those negotiations are totally dependent on the situation on the battlefield,” adding “it would be a tragedy for (the) Ukrainian people if President Putin wins.”

The foreign ministers of Bosnia, Georgia and Moldova—three partners that Nato says are under increasing Russian pressure—will also be in Bucharest. Stoltenberg said Nato would “take further steps to help them protect their independence, and strengthen their ability to defend themselves. Cook reported from Brussels.

for that day.

BusinessMirror

Musk threatens war with Apple, jeopardizing vital relationship

By Mark Gurman & Kurt Wagner | Bloomberg Opinion

Elon Musk’s tumultuous month atop Twitter Inc. has already included firing most of the company’s employees, tinkering with key features and restoring banned accounts. now he’s embarking on what could be his riskiest gambit yet: a war with Apple Inc.

The billionaire attacked the iPhone maker with a flurry of tweets Monday, saying the company had cut its Twitter advertising and threatened to bump the social network from Apple’s app store. He asked whether Apple hated free speech, criticized its app fees and even pondered whether the tech giant might go after another of his companies, Tesla Inc.

In taking aim at Apple, Musk is challenging a company that’s vital to Twitter’s livelihood. Apple was consistently one of the top advertisers on the social network, which had an entire team of employees dedicated to helping maintain the relationship, according to people familiar with the matter. The ad spending was well above $100 million annually, one of the people said.

“Elon Musk now represents risk, and Apple is not going to take that risk on,” said Lou Paskalis, a senior marketing and media executive who previously helped direct advertising for Bank of America Corp.

Apple also operates an essential gateway for Twitter users: the App Store. If Musk’s company loses access to that, it will be cut off from more than 1.5 billion devices around the world.

But the billionaire has some leverage of his own. In portraying his struggles as a fight for free speech, he can rally his millions of fans. And his disdain for Apple’s app store fees are shared by software developers, lawmakers and regulators around the world, giving him a potential advantage.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Some Twitter users said Monday that they continue to see Apple advertising in their feeds, but a person familiar with the matter confirmed that the company has pared back the ads.

The Cupertino, California-based company holds meetings with Twit-

China . . . continued from A10

ter to discuss various issues— roughly once a week—just as it does with other major social networking apps, including Facebook and Instagram.

Apple has historically relied heavily on Twitter because it doesn’t advertise on Facebook, according to one of the people with knowledge of its strategy.

Apple joins a number of large companies in scaling back their ads on Twitter since Musk acquired the company for $44 billion last month. The exodus has included General Mills Inc. and Pfizer Inc., and he previously acknowledged that the defections led to a “massive drop” in revenue.

The overall online ad market is in a slump, but marketers are particularly wary about Twitter over fears that it’s becoming more chaotic. Since the takeover, Musk has cut thousands of jobs at Twitter, fueling concerns that the platform won’t be able to combat hate speech and misinformation. A new approach to verifying accounts also opened the door to trolls impersonating major brands, as well as Musk himself.

Musk, 51, is trying to make Twitter less reliant on advertising by steering users toward its Blue subscription service. But ad services generated nearly 90 percent of its $5.1 billion in revenue last year, with a good chunk coming from Apple.

The barrage of tweets criticizing Apple began with one saying that the company had “mostly stopped advertising on Twitter.” Musk asked: “Do they hate free speech in America?”

He then directed a tweet at Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook: “What’s going on here?” A few minutes later, he claimed that Apple might boot Twitter from its app store “but won’t tell us why.”

Earlier this month, longtime Apple executive Phil Schiller, who

Police cordoned off an area around protesters, who stood in small, separate groups to avoid violating pandemic rules that bar gatherings of more than 12 people. Police took identity details of participants but there were no arrests.

In taking aim at Apple, Musk is challenging a company that’s vital to Twitter’s livelihood. Apple was consistently one of the top advertisers on the social network, which had an entire team of employees dedicated to helping maintain the relationship, according to people familiar with the matter. The ad spending was well above $100 million annually, one of the people said.

oversees the app store, deleted his Twitter account. The timing raised eyebrows. It was shortly after Musk reinstated the account of former President Donald Trump, who had been booted from the platform in the wake of the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021.

Musk had earlier said he would create a content council to review whether to reinstate Trump’s account, but he then made the move based on the results of a Twitter poll instead. “He says the right things, but he does the wrong things and that’s almost worse,” Paskalis said.

Apple’s Cook has continued to use Twitter personally since Musk’s acquisition. He posted a Thanksgiving message last week “wishing everyone a joyful day.”

Musk has previously tweeted that if Twitter is removed from the Apple and Google app stores, he will make an alternative phone that can work with the platform. Fans of the idea -and its detractors—have begun calling it the “Tesla phone,” and that term was trending on Twitter Monday.

Musk, who also runs Tesla and SpaceX, has said that his mission at Twitter is maximizing free speech. He frequently uses his personal account, which has more than 119 million followers, to criticize perceived adversaries and the mainstream media.

Musk has said before that Apple charges exorbitant fees on in-app purchases, and he renewed that line of attack Monday. He posted a meme that suggested he would rather “go to war” than pay the company’s 30 percent commission.

The meme signals that Musk

sweeping powers to charge demonstrators with crimes including sedition.

could be considering taking the path of Epic Games Inc. and sidestepping Apple’s fees. When Epic made such a move, Apple removed the hit game Fortnite, sparking a multiyear legal fight.

But if Musk wanted to start selling the Twitter Blue subscription service through the web—bypassing Apple’s 30 percent—he could already do so. The app store allows services available on multiple platforms to use that approach.

The issue would be if Twitter advertised the workaround within its app or added a button directing users to the web payment option. That move could risk getting Twitter bumped from the app store.

In another tweet, Musk suggested that Apple has made demands on Twitter’s content moderation. He also posted a yes-no survey: “Apple should publish all censorship actions it has taken that affect its customers.”

In controlling the two major mobile app stores, Apple and Google are frequently referred to as a “duopoly,” a term Musk used in his tweets. US Representative Ken Buck, a Republican from Colorado, took up that idea Monday. He quoted one of Musk’s tweets and said the US should end the app store duopoly before the end of the year. “No one should have this kind of market power,” he said.

Apple has strict rules for its app store that limit objectionable content, including discriminatory content related to religion, race and sexual orientation. It also restricts overly realistic violence and pornographic material.

Apple and Google have previously removed social networks, including Parler, from their platforms because of inadequate content moderation. In the case of Parler, the app was ultimately restored to both app stores after the social network followed a series of steps to ensure it was moderating content.

After directing several barbs at Apple, Musk promised more information on free speech suppression in “The Twitter Files,” which will be published—where else?—on Twitter.

“The public deserves to know what really happened,” he said.

several hours by Shanghai police but later released.

“I want to show my support,” said a 24-year-old mainland student who would identify herself only as G for fear of retaliation. “I care about things that I couldn’t get to know in the past.”

University security guards videotaped the event but there was no sign of police.

At an event in Central, a business district, about four dozen protesters held up blank sheets of paper and flowers in what they said was mourning for the fire victims in Urumqi and others who have died as a result of “zero Covid” policies.

Hong Kong has tightened security controls and rolled back Western-style civil liberties since China launched a campaign in 2019 to crush a pro-democracy movement. The territory has its own anti-virus strategy that is separate from the mainland.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee is a law-and-order hardliner who led the crackdown on protesters, including on university campuses.

Both the Hong Kong government and the State Council, China’s Cabinet, issued statements Monday pledging to uphold public order and the authority of the National Security Law, which gives authorities

Protests also occurred over the weekend in Guangzhou near Hong Kong, Chengdu and Chongqing in the southwest, and Nanjing in the east, according to witnesses and video on social media. Guangzhou has seen earlier violent confrontations between police and residents protesting quarantines.

Most protesters have complained about excessive restrictions, but some turned their anger at Xi, China’s most powerful leader since at least the 1980s. In a video that was verified by The Associated Press, a crowd in Shanghai on Saturday chanted, “Xi Jinping! Step down! CCP! Step down!”

The British Broadcasting Corp. said one of its reporters was beaten, kicked, handcuffed and detained for

The BBC criticized what it said was Chinese authorities’ explanation that its reporter was detained to prevent him from contracting the coronavirus from the crowd. “We do not consider this a credible explanation,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian said the BBC reporter failed to identify himself and “didn’t voluntarily present” his press credential.

“Foreign journalists need to consciously follow Chinese laws and regulations,” Zhao said.

Swiss broadcaster RTS said its correspondent and a cameraman were detained while doing a live broadcast but released a few minutes later. An AP journalist was detained but later released. Associated Press writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed.

Russia is targeting only sites “directly or indirectly related to military power.”

But just last week, a strike on a maternity ward in a hospital in eastern Ukraine killed a newborn and heavily wounded two doctors. In the northeastern Kharkiv region, two people were killed after the Russian forces shelled an outpatient clinic.

In Lviv, Duda said the explosions were so close to the hospital that “the walls were shaking,” and doctors and patients had to go down to the shelter in the basement—something that happens every time an air raid siren sounds.

The hospital, which specializes in treating cancer, performed only 10 out of 40 operations scheduled

In the recently retaken southern city of Kherson, without power after the Russian retreat, paralyzed elevators are a real challenge for paramedics.

They have to carry immobile patients all the way down the stairs of apartment buildings, and then bring them up again to operating rooms.

Across Kherson, where it starts to get dark after 4 p.m. in late November, doctors are using headlamps, phone lights and flashlights. In some hospitals, key equipment no longer works.

Last Tuesday, Russian strikes on the southern city wounded 13-yearold Artur Voblikov, and doctors had to amputate his arm. Medical workers carried the teenager through the dark stairwells of a children’s hospital to an operating room on the sixth floor.

“The breathing machines don’t work, the X-ray machines don’t work.... There is only one portable ultrasound machine and we carry it around constantly,” said Dr. Volodymyr Malishchuk, head of surgery at a children’s hospital in Kherson.

The generator the children’s hospital uses broke down last week, leaving the facility without any form of power for several hours. Doctors are wrapping newborns in blankets because there’s no heat, said Dr. Olga Pilyarska, deputy head of intensive care.

The lack of heat makes operating on patients difficult, said Dr. Maya Mendel, at the same hospital. “No one will put a patient on an operating table when temperatures are below zero,” she said.

Health Minister Viktor Liashko said on Friday that there are no plans to shut down any of country’s hospitals, no matter how bad the situation

gets, but the authorities will “optimize the use of space and accumulate everything that’s necessary in smaller areas” to make heating easier.

Liashko said that diesel or gas generators have been provided to all Ukrainian hospitals, and in the coming weeks an additional 1,100 generators sent by the country’s Western allies will be delivered to the hospitals as well. Currently, hospitals have enough fuel to last seven days, the minister said.

Additional reserve generators are still badly needed, the minister added. “The generators are designed to work for a short period of time —three to four hours,” but power outages can last up to three days, Liashko said.

In the recently recaptured territories, the medical system is reeling from months of Russian occupation.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr

Zelenskyy has accused the Russian forces of shutting down medical facilities in the Kherson region and looting medical equipment—even the ambulances, “literally everything.”

Dr. Olha Kobevko, who has recently returned from the retaken areas of Kherson after delivering humanitarian aid there, echoed the president’s remarks in an interview.

“The Russians stole even towels, blankets and bandages from medical facilities,” Kobevko said.

In Kyiv, the majority of the hospitals are functioning as usual, while relying on generators part of the time.

Smaller private practices and dentist clinics, in the meantime, are having a hard time keeping their doors open for patients.

Dr. Viktor Turakevich, a dentist in Kyiv, said he has to reschedule even urgent appointments, because power

outages in his clinic last for at least four hours a day, and a generator he ordered will take weeks to arrive.

“Every doctor has to answer a question about who they will take in first,” Turakevich said.

Power outages have also made it difficult to access online patients’ records, and the Health Ministry’s system that stores all the data has been unavailable, said Kobevko, who works in the western city of Chernivtsy.

Duda, the cancer surgeon from Lviv, said that three doctors and several nurses from his hospital left to treat Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.

“The war has affected every doctor in Ukraine, be it in the west or in the east, and the level of pain we’re facing every day is hard to measure,” Duda said. Mednick reported from Kherson, Ukraine. Karmanau and Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia

“Do You Hear the People Sing?” from the musical “Les Miserables.” Most hid their faces behind blank white sheets of paper.

BILLS PAY PH FACILITY TO AID DIGITALIZATION OF RETAIL PAYMENTS

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pili pinas (BSP) expects the new Bills Pay PH facility to bring the government closer to its goals of digitizing at least half of retail payments and enabling the major ity of Filipino adults to use digital payments.

BSP said Bills Pay PH facilitates digital transactions between ac counts from different payment ser vice providers (PSPs). The facility was launched by BSP and the Philippine Payments Management Inc.

Transactions can be performed by scanning or uploading the QR Ph Person-to-Biller (P2B) code, or by manually inputting payment details for the non-QR mode of payment. QR PH is the national standard for quick response codes.

“ Through our continued col laboration with PPMI, we expect to broaden the reach of the ben efits of digitalization for more Filipinos, be it individuals or busi nesses, through more convenient, affordable, efficient, and respon sive digital payment services,” BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said.

A side from greater convenience, customers can enjoy a more econom ical way of paying bills, as using Bills Pay PH incurs zero charges or fees.

P rior to the interoperable facil ity’s launch, a biller makes separate arrangements with various PSPs to electronically collect payments from their clients.   Customers, meanwhile, had to open an account with their biller’s PSP or line up in business centers to pay in cash.

T hrough Bills Pay PH, customers who have accounts with AllBank (A Thrift Bank) Inc., Asia United Bank Corporation, BDO Unibank Inc., China Banking Corporation, and Metropolitan Bank and Trust Com pany can now make digital payments to almost 50 onboarded billers.

T he list includes those with ac counts in Philippine National Bank, and Queen City Development Bank Inc., Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, Tayocash Inc., Union Bank of the Philippines, Universal Storefront Services Corporation and Money Services Inc.

Meanwhile, participating bill ers that maintain accounts with AllBank (A Thrift Bank), Inc., BDO Unibank Inc., Bank of the Philip pine Islands  (BPI), CIS Bayad Cen ter, and Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company are able to receive online payments from a wider set of customers.

T he list also includes Rizal Com mercial Banking Corporation, and Tayocash Inc. Union Bank of the Philippines, USSC Money Services, Inc., and Wealth Development Bank Corporation.

T hrough Bills Pay PH, custom ers can now transact with various billers, such as Meralco, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, Converge, Malayan Insurance Com pany, Federal Land, College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Inc., Iloilo Electric Cooperative, and Leyte V Electric Cooperative. The list will grow as more billers are onboarded. Cai U. Ordinario

4 GFIs agree to invest ₧250B in Maharlika Wealth Fund

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

AS four of the country’s top government financial institutions (GFIs) committed to invest the seed money for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries on Tuesday approved in principle the establishment of the Maharlika Wealth Fund.

T he House Committee on Banks and Financial Interme diaries, chaired by Rep. Irwin C. Tieng, has created a techni cal working group to insert all the amendments for final ap proval this week. The committee has also set another hearing on Thursday also for approval of the bill’s committee report.  H ouse Bill 6398, filed by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, called for the establishment of the Maharlika Wealth Fund, pat terned after the SWF of other countries, to maximize the prof itability of investible govern ment assets for the benefit of all Filipinos.

O ther authors of the measure are House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdi nand Alexander A. Marcos, Tin gog party-list Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre, and Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo.

G overnment Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and Gen eral Manager Jose “Wick” Veloso said,  “we are very supportive of this bill and we have committed P125 billion to be able to jumpstart the incorporation and help set in mo tion the principles of the sovereign wealth fund.”

bosa, SSS President and CEO Mi chael Regino, and Land Bank of the Philippines President and CEO Ce cilia Borromeo, likewise informed the committee that they support the proposed MWF.

Under the bill, the four GFIs—to be known as the founding GFIs— are mandated to invest equity with a combined total of P250 billion to start up the fund.

G SIS will provide an initial in vestment of P125 billion, SSS and LBP will give P50 billion each, and the DBP, P25 billion.

T he Speaker earlier explained that the creation of MWF will provide an “opportunity to ensure their respective funds’ optimal asset allocation as well as ensure that resources are efficiently channeled to investments that will provide the most value not only to the participating GFIs but also to the country.”

I n seeking approval of the measure, Quimbo, for her part, said the MWF—managed pro fessionally and guided by the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountabil ity—will yield the best return for the investment, providing the government with additional resources to address the country’s pressing problems.

For his part, Acidre noted that viewed in the context of the recent financial crisis, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the pandemic, the impact of sovereign wealth fund employed by many economies has been notably positive.

“ This representation ear nestly asks this committee for the speedy passage of this bill,” Acidre added.

H ouse Ways and Means Com mittee Chairperson Joey Salceda said his panel has no objections to the provisions on tax exemption under HB 6398 as long as they would inure to the benefit of the MWF.

I n filing the bill, Romualdez said it would help achieve the objectives of the Agenda for Prosperity and the 8-point socioeconomic roadmap of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

T he Speaker cited Singapore and Indonesia as countries that have successfully used their sovereign wealth funds.

He said Singapore’s SWFs pro vide the financial means for the city-state “to manage its foreign reserves, defend itself and protect its sovereignty without compro mising its domestic program, and augment its land-limited economic space with global investments.”

Senate breaks lid on intl human trafficking mafia in Asean zone

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

THE Senate panel that broke the “pastillas” scam among corrupt immigration officers has exposed another nefarious op eration, this time enabling the hu man trafficking of Filipino jobseek ers within the Asean region, only to fall prey to Chinese syndicates that brutalize them.

S en. Risa Hontiveros, who opened the Senate Committee on Women’s hearings into the human trafficking scandal on Tuesday, said those behind it “are leading our people to a slow death and virtual slavery.” She told Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials she was “aghast” that such things could still happen using the facilities of the Philippines’s premier airport, the Ninoy Aquino International

Airport (NAIA).

However, Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who joined her at the hearing, said it might speed up the investigation if they summon NAIA officials because what was happening was obviously “beyond an immigration matter because an airport employee pass was used” in one of the most dramatic cases unearthed by the Senate panel.

T he resource person taken in by Hontiveros’s committee, a certain “Paulo,” narrated how he narrowly avoided the tragic fate of Filipinos who remain stranded in subhuman condi tions in Myanmar, by hastily fleeing from what he sensed were syndicate hands who facilitated his aborted de parture from NAIA last October.

I n Paulo’s case, the recruiter’s agent scolded him when he fol lowed the instructions of the Air Asia check-in counter personnel

to proceed to Immigration, and pulled him out of line and made him proceed to another area. There, he was handed an airport employee’s pass—supposedly identifying him as a “cashier” for WHSmith food outlet; his passport was handed back to him, already stamped with departure clearance by “Immigration.”

Paulo said he had been lured for a job as customer service representa tive in Bangkok by a certain “Laisa” who was recruiting on Facebook. But as with the other victims whose cases are now being reviewed by the Senate panel, it appeared Paulo was to be taken from Bangkok in ternational airport to an overland trip to a site in Myanmar, crossing the border, where they were to be tapped for various jobs by an inter national syndicate.

SCREENSHOT of the fake airport pass allegedly used by human traffickers to sneak a victim, “Paulo,” past the Bureau of Immigration so he could be cleared to travel to Bangkok for a non-existent job, prior to being brought to a syndicate's camp in Myanmar. The pass was flashed onscreen by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

DBP President Emmanuel Her

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level) perform knowledge transfer about business requirement/functional design written in required language to team lead and members.

JIMENEZ ORTEGA, CARLOS DAVID Sw/app/cloud Tech Support Analyst

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SANTOS,

HERMENEGILDO JOSE DOS Sw/app/cloud Tech Support Analyst

21.

Brief Job Description: Support is required for passport service desk to help and assist users who are Spanish and Portuguese speakers. The work will provide first level of support for customer’s system incidents and requests through technical and service knowledge. Deliver client facing engagements/ work at Philippine delivery center, will be in charge of translating communications, verbal. Written from Spanish to English and English to Spanish, so that the Accenture Philippines members can communicate with the stakeholders speaking the language. Will be in charge of translating work tickets, verbal and written from Spanish to English and English to Spanish so that the Accenture Philippines members can address the action items and resolve the complaints of the client/costumers. Communicate fluently to Accenture Philippines its customers, users, external vendors through face to face interaction, phone office communicator and conference calls, as part of the it service desk support, provide first level helpdesk support.

ADP (PHILIPPINES), INC.

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

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Basic

HITACHI ELEVATOR PHILIPPINES CORPORATION (HEP) U-604 Penthouse Oppen Bldg., 349 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

YAMAMOTO, YUJI Project Management Adviser

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INFOVINE INC. 8th, 9th, 10th/f Aspire Corporate Plaza Bldg., Macapagal Blvd. St., Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City

TEH ZHI XIN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

Basic

90.

91.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

WU, QIANQIAN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 92.

NGUYEN

Brief

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101.

NONG VAN VINH Customer Support Specialist

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PHAM PHI LONG Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

Basic Qualification: Superior customer service skills, Nice to have experience working with online gaming/offshore gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written.

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JIA, YUEXIN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

MIAO, DAIFU Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

102.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written

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PHAM VAN THANG Customer Support Specialist

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Basic Qualification: Superior customer service skills, Nice to have experience working with online gaming/offshore gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written.

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103.

CAO, ZHENG Marketing Consultant

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 INTELUCK CORPORATION Unit 1604 16/f Antel 2000 Corporate Center,, 121 Valero St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 94.

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ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 7/f Aseana I Bldg., Bradco Avenue Aseana Business

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

PHUNG QUOC VINH Customer Support Specialist

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Basic Qualification: Superior customer service skills, Nice to have experience working with online gaming/offshore gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written.

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TRUONG VONG THE LONG Customer Support Specialist

104.

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Basic

DIAO, JIAJUN Gaming Support Specialist

Brief

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 105.

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Basic Qualification:

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108.

LU, TINGTING Gaming Support Specialist

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

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109.

MA, XIN Gaming Support Specialist

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110.

PAN, XIAOLONG Gaming Support Specialist

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111.

TU, YINGCHUN Gaming Support Specialist

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DINH

Brief

117.

DO XUAN SON

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

118.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

LE DUC TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective Native Language for the position applied for; Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage

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119.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

NGHIEM THI HOANG ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective Native Language for the position applied for; Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage

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120.

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112.

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121.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

NGUYEN NHAT NAM Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective Native Language for the position applied for; Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective Native Language for the position applied for; Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage

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

122.

NGUYEN VAN THO Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

NGUYEN VIET TRUONG THANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective Native Language for the position applied for; Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage

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

Basic

Basic Qualification: Can speak chinese / mandarin fluently. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak chinese / mandarin fluently. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic

Basic

Basic

Basic

Basic

123.

Brief

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 113.

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

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

Basic

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective Native Language for the position applied for; Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage

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

Basic

Basic

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

WANG, ZHEN Gaming Support Specialist

YANG,

Going green cheaper than climate-related losses–Sy

For a developing country like the Philippines, the pursuit of sustainable development is considered a colossal challenge mainly because of economic reasons. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as Planet B.

“’ g o ing green’ is at its highest level of awareness, but it still carries the baggage that it is the more expensive option. That should not be the case,” Hans “Chico” Sy Jr., head of SM Engineering, Design and Development Corp. said in his speech during the “United for Climate Sustainability Forum PH” held in Pasay City on Monday. Sy noted that global temperatures will go up by 2.8 degrees Celsius by 2050 if nothing is done to significantly cut greenhouse emissions. If this happens, he said everyone would suffer un-

bearable losses.

“Doing nothing is the bigger cost. a n d the only way we will succeed in bringing down that ‘cost’ is if we work together.”

a l though Manila has made bold climate commitments, Sy said the government cannot do it alone. He said there is an opportunity for an alliance with the private sector that could accelerate action in both mitigation and adaptation and help hasten the transition to a green economy.

“We owe it to our children, the millions of Filipinos yet to be

born, to succeed in this fight for the climate,” Sy said.

He said the key to decarbonization is the systemic shift in energy use and sourcing.

a s its contribution to the country’s net-zero goal, Sy said the SM g r oup sees to it that its properties are energy efficient. He said SM a u ra and Conrad Hotel, which are considered pioneers, are l e adership in Energy and Environmental Design ( l E ED) certified.

Sy said SM g r oup has always been keen on energy saving efforts even before l E ED was an idea given its impact on business.

“Business and environment go hand in hand because energy use means cost.”

He also said the country must accelerate the shift to renewable energy (RE) sources. SM g r oup, Sy noted, is committed to deliver on its goal to increase its RE portfolio to more than 50 percent. It recently announced a long-term deal with a b oitiz Power Corp. for

renewable energy.

a b oitizPower will supply RE to SM Prime properties, including malls, leisure homes, offuces, hotels, and other establishments under the Retail Competition and Open a c cess scheme by yearend.

a s ide from its energy conservation efforts and use of RE, he said the SM g r oup has planted trees nationwide. The conglomerate is rehabilitating mangroves in Hamilo Cove and planting more trees in the areas of the country.

“We signed on to support the Task Force for Climate Related Financial Disclosures to give us guidance on how to manage our climate-related risks, and to look at the opportunities associated with the mitigation and adaptation activities required to address climate impacts. One of these opportunities is decarbonization and create science-based targets for decarbonization, and we are working with the World Wildlife Fund.” Rizal Raoul Reyes

PAL to offer flights from Cebu to Borongan City

Flag carrier Philippine a irlines (Pa l) will start flying between Cebu and Borongan on December 19, restarting the commercial operations of the Borongan City a irport after being virtually closed due to the pandemic.

Stanley K. Ng, Pa l President and COO, said Pa l will be mounting twice weekly flights between Cebu and Borongan, a route that he said will “promote travel between Borongan and the rest of the Philippines.”b “We look forward to welcoming more business and leisure travelers from around the Philippines and the world on board our flights to Borongan, so that they may discover a spectacular surfing haven and the home of vast natural treasures, from forests to caves and waterfalls,” he said.

Pa l will mount the flight in virtue of a memorandum of agreement (MOa) it signed by with the City of government of Borongan on Tuesday.

“We are very happy with the part-

nership. With these direct flights, it will be more convenient for Boronganons to travel to and from our beloved city. Many travelers have long lamented how inconvenient it is to travel to our city. Hopefully, these flights will create more business and tourism opportunities for Borongan,” Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan a gda said.

Without the flights, travelers to and from Borongan had to depart or arrive at the Tacloban a irport, from which they had to travel by land for as much as six hours.

Borongan City is positioning itself as “the next major tourism hub of Eastern Visayas,” as well as a “regional sports tourism hub.”

“We have made significant investments in improving the quality of our beach area. We’ve trained our local surfers to be certified surf instructors so they are ready to teach tourists interested in surfing. We’ve also invested in training our local surfers and exposing them to national competitions,” agda said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

‘Aggressive decline’ in rates marks bonds sale

THE government only raised P22.969 billion from the auction of Treasury Bonds (Tbonds) on Tuesday, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

The auction committee partially awarded the reissued 20-year Treasury bonds at today’s auction. The remaining life of the bonds is 4 years and 9 months.

Initially, the government aimed to raise the P35-billion programmed amount. This brought the total outstanding volume for the series to P61.1 billion.

“Partial award; saw rates aggressively declined with huge liquidity to deploy from maturities next week,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon told reporters. “Took advantage to further compress rates close to secondary level of [the bonds].”

According to De Leon, the market also took a signal from the slower pace of rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The bonds capped at an average of 6.568 percent. The rates reached as high as 6.625 percent and a low of 6.475 percent.

The auction was 1.9 times oversubscribed with total tenders reaching P65.514 billion. The government rejected P42.545 billion during the auction.

In November, the national government aimed 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

Banking&Finance

Pag-IBIG commits ₧250B for housing

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund has committed P250 billion (about $4.413 billion at current exchange rates) for the Marcos administration’s goal to build 6 million houses, the top official of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said.

With this, Acuzar expressed optimism the program would succeed and that the fund could help meet the program’s goal of addressing the country’s housing backlog of more than 6.5 million units.

“This is a huge boost to our President’s ‘Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino’ [PPP] program; a giant step towards realizing the dream of every Filipino family to have decent, safe and affordable shelters,” the DHSUD chief said, expressing gratitude to Pag-IBIG officials.

Bacolod MOA MEANWHILE, the Pag-IBIG Fund also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the local government unit (LGU) of Bacolod City for the construction of 10,000 housing units for informal settler

families (ISFs).

The deal marks history as the first MOA signed under the PPP program, “signaling the initial fruition of the government’s plan to address the housing needs in the country.”

Acuzar said the agreement unlocks the potentials of the new housing program, especially the financial structure and the active participation of government financial institutions (GFIs) and the private sector.

The MOA tasks DHSUD to facilitate the implementation of the housing project in collaboration with the local government unit and other relevant agencies by acting as the overall enabler, initiator and coordinator.

Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Marilene C. Acosta has committed to provide

financial and technical assistance that DHSUD and the city government may need to make the said project happen.

“We fully welcome the direction of [the] DHSUD in fast-tracking, coordinating and bringing together all sectors concerned towards the immediate implementation of housing projects in the regions,” Acosta said.

Based on the agreement, Bacolod City will start complying with requirements for a loan from Pag-IBIG Fund to fund land development and housing construction.

As the first GFI to allot funds for the new housing project, PagIBIG Fund shall extend individual housing loans to target beneficiaries pre-qualified and selected by the LGU.

SEC, NBI raid office of investment solicitor in Zamboanga City

By VG Cabuag @villygc

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it busted the operations of Silverlion Livestock Trading Corp. in Zamboanga City for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention law (Republic Act 10175).

In a joint operation on November 26, the combined forces of the SEC Zamboanga Extension Office and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Region IX implemented a search warrant against Silverlion in its offices at Apolinario Loop, Barangay Guiwan and at Green Valley National Highway, Barangay Manicahan, both in Zamboanga City.

The Zamboanga City Regional Trial Court Branch 15 issued the search warrants against Silverlion for violations of the Securities Regulation Code, in relation to Republic Act No. 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The SEC and NBI Region IX were able to seize bundles of cash, vouchers and other device in Silverlion’s office, which were supposedly scheduled to be used for the upcoming payout of profits to its existing investors.

The SEC filed criminal cases for violation of the SRC against Silverlion’s incorporators, officers and agents. They were identified as: Ryan Cagod Ladoing; Renan Lara Ladoing; Rosemarie

Alvarez Guzman; Neña Ewayan Algoy; John Paul Dellara Lopez; and, Michael Villalobos Berja. They were named before the inquest prosecutor of the Office of the City Prosecutor of Zamboanga City.

Ryan Ladoing has also been involved in the investment scam RGS World Marketing, which was the subject of a cease-anddesist order and advisory issued by the SEC earlier this year.

Upon application by the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (EIPD), the commission en banc on November 17 issued a CDO against Silverlion, enjoining the group to stop soliciting investments from the public without the necessary licenses from the Commission.

The order was simultaneously served on the company together with a show-cause order (SCO) issued by the EIPD. The SCO prompts the company to explain why its registration as a corporation should not be revoked for serious misrepresentation as to what it can do or is doing to the great prejudice of or damage to the general public.

Investigations by the SEC showed that Silverlion had been offering and selling investment packages to the public with guaranteed returns of 35 percent within just 15 days. With this, investments ranging from P1,000 to P100,000 promises yield returns worth P1,300 to P130,000, respectively.

The scheme involves the sale

and offer of securities to the public in the form of investment contracts, whereby a person invests his money in a common enterprise and is led to expect profits primarily from the efforts of others, according to the SEC.

Section 8 of the SRC provides that securities shall not be sold or offered for sale or distribution within the Philippines, without a registration statement duly filed with and approved by the SEC.

This year, the regulator has already issued 82 advisories against groups and individuals found to be soliciting investments from the public without the necessary license from the Commission.

P5.2B released for cash transfer scheme Who has the ‘Power of the Purse’?

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced it has released P5.2 billion for the government’s Targeted Cash Transfer (TCT) program as of November 2022.

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman has approved last November 17 the release of the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to the DSWD. The amount, which is expected to reach 9.8 million Filipinos, is the third tranche of the TCT and will be charged against the government’s unprogrammed appropriation.

“The DBM fully supports the projects and programs that provide social assistance to our fellow kababayan [compatriots]. It was the President himself who gave the marching order not to neglect those in dire need,” Pangandaman was quoted in a statement as saying. “Thus, we will do everything we can in our capacity so that they may receive the benefits entitled to them.”

The TCT program grants unconditional cash transfers to the most affected households in the

amount of P500 per month for six months in order to mitigate the effects of the increase in the prices of fuel and other non-fuel commodities on vulnerable populations.

The DBM has previously released a total amount of P10.33 billion to the DSWD covering two months of cash transfers for 10 million target household beneficiaries.

The P5.2-billion release is part of the P9.1B billion computed requirement to cover the 1-month grant for the 9.8 million identified beneficiaries and 3-month grants for additional 2.6 million beneficiaries of the TCT program.

“Special Provision of the Unprogrammed Appropriations” (UA) under Republic Act 11639 (FY 2022 General Appropriations Act), provides that the UA may be availed of when there are new revenue collections or those arising from new tax or non-tax sources that are not part of, nor included in, the original revenue sources reflected in the Budget of Expenditure and Sources of Financing. Cai U. Ordinario

BASIC to understanding the national budget are the facts that the “power of the purse” solely lies entirely in hands of Congress and that “specific line items have replaced lump sum” items to get rid of the abominable “pork barrel” entirely, in principle.

But according to Minority Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Martin “Koko” dL. Pimentel III, the 2023 National Budget is laced with a slimy P9 billion in “intelligenceligence and confidential funds,” by nature, beyond the ambit of audit and, therefore, sans accountability; makes it look worse than the “pork barrel.” Is this good for a nation whose national debt has reached an unprecedented P13 trillion and is in constant fiscal deficit spending?

value judgment on whether the intelligence operational plans and financial support plans are really necessary, doable and operable. This process can be open to the public but the details, of course, could perhaps be done in an executive session.

In the US military, when so much of the fund utilization ratio is tilted towards the “discretionary” and just enough for the “mandatory” spending, little will be left for the “emergency” spending, which is always present in any given situation. This siphoning of funds, in short, could be depriving the military of adequate budgetary funding for their common basic needs.

Is this special power of the COA chairman still operable or was it carried out (in 1987) under the auspices of operating under a “revolutionary government” under thenpresident Aquino?

Let us recall that the Supreme Court, on two occasions, had lent its supreme power to interpret strictly the budgetary law in the sense of banning the “pork barrel” and the illegal use of the Development Acceleration Program by the Executive, indicating, therefrom, the SC’s utmost respect of the sanctity of the “power of the purse” of Congress- in order to maintain the bedrock of checks and balance between the three separate branches of government, especially in the use of the nation’s scant resources.

OPEN-Finance technology provider

Brankas Pte. Ltd. announced it has developed a first-of-its-kind publicly accessible license for next-generation Banking-asa-Service software and Open Finance software.

According to Brankas Chief Technology Officer Kenneth Shaw, the license allows for digital banking and fintech innovation as well as lowers the cost barriers for startups, neobanks and traditional institutions to quickly prototype and launch new solutions, while retaining their own source code.

This is beneficial for customers as they have more options and enjoy better user experience since companies have the freedom to use, modify, redistribute and collaborate on its publicly available code, Shaw said.

Brankas got the inspiration to create this after it received a grant from the Monetary Authority of Singapore last year to develop its own proof-of-concept open-source core banking system.

Seeing the need for a modernized framework available to the public to address new open finance technology, the firm looked to existing ones for licensing in order to develop its open li-

cense. We felt this was necessary to protect community contributions, ensure open access and adhere to financial institutions’ data protection and security requirements, according to Shaw.

“Our open license allows our team to build and contribute in a way that is fair, equitable and open to independent developers, financial institutions and to our partners,” said Shaw.

“With this license, Brankas is able to continue to invest in the greater open-source community and to share our code freely with the world,” he added.

Established in 2016 to bring access to financial services in Southeast Asia, the company offers application programming interface (API)based solutions, data and payments suites to banks, lenders, e-wallet providers and online businesses. Brankas partners with banks to build and manage their Open Finance infrastructure, producing APIs for real-time payments, identity and data, new account opening, remittances and more, Shaw said.

With its open banking technology, online businesses, fintech companies and digital banks can use its APIs to create new digital experiences for their users, he added. Roderick L. Abad

To be fair, “national security” issues are automatically covered by such intelligence funds—and one can imagine also that for the Office of the President (but that huge at P4 billion?), the Ombudsman, the Office of the Solicitor General and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. But what about the rest? It seems that the Executive Department and its line agencies have more of those intelligence funds than the total “intelligence” of the military outfits— which seems ironic.

While Congress and the Senate made the initial pass on the P5.2-trillion National Budget recently, that still has to go through the Bicameral Conference Committee (bicam) and the final bicam-approved version will again be evaluated by both Houses before being passed on the president for signature.

Is there still room, therefore, to make a “look-see” at the minutiae and the rationale of these intelligence funds so as to insist on the primordial role of Congress as being in charge of the purse strings?

We heard that the Senate is mulling creating a “special oversight committee” to review the intelligence funds of agencies and/or military outfits. If so, then, they should borrow some wisdom from what the US Congress is doing with this type of sensitive funding. There, they invite senior retired security experts to be part (resource persons) of their “special oversight” committee to review the intelligence budget.

In an interview with a blogger, former budget chief Heidi M. Mendoza said the “special oversight” committee will make a

A pre-budget approval appraisal appears necessary since, after the final approval of intelligence funds, they become virtual giveaways. For one, the liquidation of cash advances cannot contain details of their utilization and, for another, the “Certificate of Accomplishment” of plans is the lone document given without the attached results of the operations, precisely because of their confidentiality.

Yet, we have not seen a final certification of the final audit findings on the multibillion pesos graft case involving Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., for instance. And this is already a very public case discussed from pillar to post in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for several months. What about the lesser visible ones like intelligence funds?

We understand that such intelligence funds can be used for travel, purchase of equipment and rent of safehouses, but cannot be used for salaries, consultant fees and capital expenditures. So, it can be used to buy expensive vehicles, do luxurious travel and rent a mansion without audit or bidding? What about paying trolls?

And to the ordinary laymen, the thought always crosses their minds that with such huge, discretionary and unaccountable millions, concerned beneficiary parties can easily be tempted to bribe the gatekeepers of people’s cash (Commission on Audit?) We understand, however, that all receipts and plans under the intelligence funds are locked safely in a vault and the COA Chairman can seek its review under a “special audit” as was reportedly done with the intelligence funds of the Air Force in 1987 as ordered by the late president Corazon Aquino.

The Senate oversight committee (once assembled with the participation of intelligent, knowledgeable outside members) can start by looking seriously at the operational and financial plans of agencies with intelligence funds and ask as to what level of education and experience will the concerned agencies’ personnel have: to be able to carry out the objectives of such confidential expeditions.

While, by law, national security matters are of supreme confidentiality, Congress should not so easily give up its “power of the purse” by nonchalantly accepting intelligent and confidential funding as a matter of course without exerting efforts to establish a semblance of the funds being equitably allocated, utilized above board and possess some kind of accountability without giving away the basis for their being confidential in nature, in the first place.

In normal circumstances, it will be in the second half of December that the president will affix his signature with finality on the proposed 2023 National Budget. There is, therefore, time to sift it again through a fine-toothed comb, if both houses of Congress truly desire to do so.

In the meantime, all of us can perhaps learn more about the inner trappings of the audit process from Mendoza who is said to be teaching such in at least two educational institutions in Manila. It is a tough subject to teach and tougher to understand and learn by heart.

Zoilo P. Dejaresco III, a former banker, is a financial consultant and media practitioner. He is a Life and Media member of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex). His views here, however, are personal and neither reflects those of the Finex nor the BusinessMirror. Email: dejarescobingo@yahoo.com.

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the allocation will be used for the administration’s flagship housing program in the next six years.

By Alicia Rancilio The Associated Press

ON NBC’s This is Us, Justin Hartley played Kevin Pearson: a man whose dreams of playing college football were derailed by injury—so he decided to try acting, and ended up a big star.

Hartley’s own story has some strong parallels. He loved to play sports growing up but realized, as he got older, he wasn’t cut out to play professionally.

“You realize there are too many people out there who are way better than you are. There’s no more room for you. You have to find something else to do,” he told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

Like Kevin, that something else turned out to be acting. While in college, Hartley joined a theater group where audience members could get onstage and join in the dialogue, leaving the actors to just go with it. “How you prep for something like that is you just do a lot of improv work, so you’re kind of prepared for everything. They come up, they think they’re being clever, they say something, you’ve already heard it. And I just fell in love with that energy,” he said. “You get that same kind of adrenaline rush from playing sports.”

Fueled by the boldness of youth and the lack of any real responsibilities, Hartley decided to move out to Los Angeles and join the countless other wannabe actors looking for their big break.

“I know no one. I have no prospects. I have no job in LA. I have no talent to speak of, and I don’t know how to develop it,” said Hartley. “’OK, let’s go to LA and roll the dice and see what happens.’ It kind of makes me sweat just thinking about it.”

The experiment obviously paid off but it wasn’t until This is Us debuted in 2016 that Hartley reached a level of fame that led to security and opportunities. He has his own production company, Change Up Productions, where he’s developing projects.

“You look at television and streaming. There are a million things out there. There are a million roles. They don’t compare to how many talented actors there are out there,” said Hartley.

Hartley’s first big role since This is Us aired its series finale last May is the Netflix holiday movie The Noel Diary, based on the novel by Richard Paul Evans. He plays a popular author who returns to his childhood

home to settle his late mother’s estate and finds an old diary that leads him down a road of romance and reconciliation.

The film is directed by Charles Shyer, who directed Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride II

“We shot this movie a while ago, so for people to finally be able to see it is pretty exciting for me,” said Hartley, adding that while the story takes place around Christmas, they filmed in the middle of summer.

“It was in the nineties and it was muggy. And [Shyer] would just look at me and go, ‘I’m so sorry. You must be miserable.’ It was hot,” he added. “It was uncomfortable, I guess, because they kept putting coats on us, but it wasn’t miserable. It was magic. It was wonderful. To celebrate, Christmas in the summer and then also get to celebrate in the winter is kind of cool.”

plans of marrying her at the moment. She also isn’t the first celebrity he has dated but she may yet be his great love. It’s just that, according to his family, she needs to bring more to the table than just her beautiful face.

RELENTLESS PURSUER

MANI-PEDI

THIS beautiful girl and her boyfriend, a very rich man, went on a trip to Europe and she is said to have been expecting a proposal. Before they left, the beautiful girl got a manicure and a pedicure so her hands would be camera ready just in case the big moment came. A few days into the trip, the proposal didn’t happen. The beautiful girl got another manicure and pedicure, just in case. But, again, the big moment never came. The couple came home and there was still no proposal, which wasn’t surprising. The rich man loves the beautiful girl but he has no

IN certain circles, the young actress is known to be relentless and aggressive when it comes to the  men she likes and pursues. One of these men is the actor who she pursued when she was a minor and the guy was in a relationship. The actor treated the young actress as a colleague and friend. Little did he know that she had been plotting to make it appear that they were in a relationship so the girlfriend would break off her relationship with the actor. And this really happened. However, the actor refused to have anything to do with the young actress romantically. Finally, she found another guy who also didn’t like her at first but since they were in a locked-in taping and they were constantly thrown into each other’s company, they became a couple.

HESITANT ACTRESS

THIS sexy actress has been asked out by a

He’s also a co-executive producer.

“I think it’s a really neat sort of a throwback to classic older television in a way, these characters that you don’t really see anymore,” he said.

He also recently guest-starred in an episode of NBC’s Quantum Leap reboot with his wife, Sofia Pernas. The two had shared a couple scenes on The Young & the Restless before, he said, but didn’t really know each other—so he counts this as the first time he really got to work with her.

“She’s hilarious. I got a kick out of it. Sofia is my best friend. She’s my wife. I love her to death,” he said.

“She means everything to me, but my character on that show—she was annoying him, and I thought that was kind of funny. We had a blast.” n

handsome actor. The actress likes the actor but she is wary about men. Her past relationship ended because her ex-boyfriend cheated on her. So she’s wondering if the handsome actor has also asked other girls to go out with him. The thing about this actor, who has a very handsome face and a great body, is that most people think he is gay, or they see him as a playboy. The actress is one of those people who sees the actor as a playboy so now she’s still deciding if she’ll accept his invitation to go out.

SIDE-CHICK

THE controversial actress-TV host does not know that her husband, who’s had a history of cheating, is seeing another woman again. Unlike the actress he once dated, this new girl has housing privileges. The husband, who used to be jobless before, now has a regular source of income so he rented a place where his “side-chick” could live. The wife, meanwhile, is unaware of the situation and still believes her husband is loyal to her. The guy actually married her because of fame and fortune. For several years, she supported him and his family because no one, except his dad, had a job.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kaley Cuoco, 37; Elisha Cuthbert, 40; Ben Stiller, 57; Billy Idol, 67.

HAppY BIRTHDAY: Give yourself plenty of time to assess situations before you judge others or decide to make a move that will affect your lifestyle and relationships with friends, relatives and peers. Be aware of how others feel, and communicate openly and honestly to avoid misunderstandings. Intervene if anyone tries to manipulate or force you into a compromising position. Call the shots. Your numbers are 8, 15, 21, 26, 33, 38, 46.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pay attention to your financial well-being, keeping up with technology or what’s new in your industry. Abide by the rules and regulations. How you conduct business or handle your responsibilities will be the turning point to your success. HHH

bTAURUS (April 20-May 20): You may want change, but if someone has a legitimate reason to sit tight and wait for a better opportunity, listen. Put your energy into something that will improve your skills and make you stand out among your peers. Avoid emotional spending. HHHH

cGEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stay focused on what’s important to you, and refuse to let outside influences disrupt your plans. Something you discover or learn will change the way you deal with personal information and institutions. Preparation will make a difference. Leave nothing to chance. HH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t share too much information with your colleagues or superiors. By gathering facts and familiarizing yourself with who is doing what, you will control what transpires. Don’t trust anyone to take care of your responsibilities. Protect your position. HHHHH

eLEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep your money and important documents in a safe place. Keep a watchful eye over what others choose to do, and it will give insight into the best way for you to counter any negativity that comes your way. HHH

fVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take it easy. If you disrupt your home or relationships to bring about an unwanted change, you will miss out on the chance to implement a worthwhile plan. Step outside your comfort zone if it helps drum up support. HHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll have plenty to contribute, so don’t hold back. It’s up to you to fine-tune whatever you oversee if you want things to run smoothly. Acknowledge your target and do whatever it takes to reach your destination on time. HHH

h

SCORpIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ve got the right idea, but your timing is off. Rethink the framework of your plan, and you’ll either speed up or slow down to meet your mark appropriately. Ask questions and schedule activities conveniently to ensure success. HHHHH

iSAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Rein in emotions and replace them with common sense to ensure you avoid a path paved with good intentions but little substance. Get the facts before you agree to something that can hurt your reputation or personal relationships. HH

jCApRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look at the possibilities, and you’ll figure out a new way to use the skills and services you have honed over the years. Exploring something you enjoy doing will help you find a way to incorporate it into your daily routine. HHHH

kAQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Expect to face opposition. Keep your thoughts and plans to yourself until you have everything ready to launch. The element of surprise will be to your advantage and help engage someone with vision to aid you. HHH

lpISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Choose to remain calm and avoid conversations with opinionated individuals looking for a fight. Put your energy where it counts and spend your time doing what you do best. HHH

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are sensitive, colorful and original. You are optimistic and forceful.

H: 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.

Hartley just shot a pilot with a former This is Us executive producer and director, Ken Olin, for CBS called The Never Game, based on a book by Jeffrey Deaver.

Providing flexible working solutions in untapped southern Metro Manila

THE world’s leading flexible workspace provider with brands including Regus, Spaces, and HQ, International Workplace Group (IWG) has signed a 10-year management agreement with Kyleson Inc. for the establishment of a Regus franchise center in Las Piñas City.

With 195 workstations and 1,200 square meters of co-working desks, meeting rooms and private offices within the Colours Town Center in Las Piñas City, the center will cater to Filipino organizations and businesses of all sizes with rapidly growing demand for hybrid working solutions. It will be the 26th in the country and the latest in IWG’s global network which covers more than 120 countries and 3,500 locations.

“Adopting flexible working arrangements is crucial to business sustainability and long-term resilience,” said Lars Wittig, IWG country manager, citing a Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment [PBCWE] study which found 27 of the country’s top 30 publicly-listed companies have already implemented hybrid work arrangements.

“For one, worker preferences across the whole of Asia Pacific are shifting in favor of hybrid working and those who fail to adopt are at risk of losing their best talent,” added Wittig, citing IWG’s own research which found that almost half of workers worldwide are considering changing jobs instead of returning to the office five days a week. In addition, a 2022 PWC survey found the ability to choose where they work was an important consideration for 48 percent of workers in the APAC region.

Another way hybrid work contributes to long-term resilience is by enabling organizations to reduce costs and increase flexibility by moving away from costly multi-year tenancy agreements in favor of shorterterm and more flexible deals with flexible workspace providers. “The adoption of hybrid working helps businesses stay competitive and resilient, especially in times of economic uncertainty. With the fears of a global recession increasing, research shows that business leaders are adopting hybrid working for many reasons. Not only does it support employee work-life balance and well-being, but it also provides a meaningful boost to a company’s bottom line” explained Mark Dixon, IWG, CEO.

IWG is committed to increasing its footprint in the Philippines from 25 to 43 locations. It currently enables flexible working in 11 major cities nationwide, including Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Clark.

More information is available at www.iwgplc.com.

Standing out at work

relationships. Catch them doing good and praise them publicly for their work because, sometimes, that is the only recognition they will ever receive.

can do is to examine the process and reduce human error as much as possible. Whenever there is an issue at work, look for solutions in the way you do things and see where it can be tightened.

EVER wonder why certain people are ahead more than you even if you have the same or even better qualifications and skills?

The fact is, recruiters and hiring managers often evaluate you based on the documents you have submitted. But once you are hired, you need to show that you know how to navigate the organization and fit in, and at the same time stand out by showing you are worth more than what is on your résumé

A skill you need to learn is adapting to different personalities. As you grow in your career, you will be dealing with people of different temperaments and proclivities. Remember that you are in the workplace and that you were hired for results. You will not be able to deliver unless you know how to work with others. Even if you are an individual contributor, your success relies on knowing the right people to get the information or resources to get the work done. Learn how to read people and adapt to their personalities so you know how to position yourself.

The best way to know others is to ask for their help. It may seem counterintuitive but asking for help, even as simple as borrowing a pen, gives the other person a reason to trust you subconsciously. By being in a position of vulnerability, people are more likely to trust you because you need their help. Use that as a springboard to get to know them better. Nurture that trust by offering your help when they need it, or by spending a few minutes just talking to them.

I have been working for a long time and I discovered that complimenting people on what they do best, or when they do something remarkable, goes a long way in establishing good working

How to take a career break

By Liz Weston NerdWallet

BACK in 2016, Jamie Clark of Seattle was a software engineer who planned to take a year off of work to finish a master’s degree in computational linguistics. One year turned into three and a career change into financial planning. Nowadays, Clark, who uses they/ them pronouns, believes the experience makes them a better advisor—particularly since their career break didn’t turn out as originally planned.

“Part of our job as financial planners is to help people be prepared,” says Clark, now a certified financial planner who recently launched their own firm, Ruby Pebble Financial Planning. “And I want to help people build that flexibility.”

Career breaks are extended and usually unpaid stretches of time off work. Such breaks can be aspirational—giving you time to travel, pursue a degree, change careers or launch a business. Or, they can be prompted by life events, such as caring for a child, nursing a family member or dealing with an illness or burnout.

Whatever the cause, some planning can help you make the most of your break.

SAVE AND BUDGET DILIGENTLY

CFP Henry Hoang of Irvine, California, doesn’t believe most people need detailed budgets, as long as they’re

saving adequately for their goals. But career breaks are an exception, he says. When your paychecks stop, you’ll want to have enough savings to sustain you. That starts with knowing precisely what you’re spending today and estimating what your expenses will be during your break. Some costs might decline, such as commuting or child care. But you also might have new costs, including higher health insurance premiums if your current coverage is employersubsidized.

Once you calculate how much you need to save, consider adding a fudge factor equal to two or three months’ worth of expenses in case it takes longer than expected to land your next job, Hoang suggests. One of Hoang’s friends didn’t do that, and wound up raiding his 401(k) to pay the bills.

And speaking of retirement: Extended breaks could mean you’ll need to work past normal retirement age or increase your savings rate significantly to retire on time. If you’re planning to take more than two years off, use a retirement calculator or consult a financial planner to see how that might affect your plans to retire, Hoang says.

Clark saved enough from a high-paying job to cover living expenses for two years, and was able to stretch that to three years after getting married. Their spouse paid the bills as Clark used remaining savings to pay tuition and other costs to get their financial

Part of knowing people is discerning when they are taking advantage of you. You will have colleagues who will exploit your willingness to help especially if you are new to the team, or if it seems you will do whatever they say. Learn to say no to abusive coworkers who pass on their workload by informing your manager. There are ways you can tell your manager without being a snitch. One way is when your manager assigns you a project, you can flatly tell them that you are helping your colleague with a task while doing the project. This will alert your manager to take action.

As for your own work, strive to be consistent and reliable. One of the tricks I learned from fellow managers before was to underpromise but overdeliver. This just means taking on an assignment but cautioning your manager that you can only achieve a realistic level while doing your work above expectations. This will temper your manager’s expectations and leave you a little room to look for creative solutions and possibly impress them.

Even when you are not in a leadership position, it will work to your advantage to demonstrate leadership abilities like taking the initiative, being resilient, having foresight, and using problem-solving skills because these will help you develop the needed skills to further your professional development.

Speaking of development, keep an open mind for learning better ways of doing your work. You need to adapt quickly to learn and unlearn new skills so you can be efficient and more productive to have more time for other tasks. One of the most frustrating mindsets is the thinking that “this has always been how it is done around here.” In an age where you can practically learn anything through the Internet, some people are just too lazy to research and update themselves.

Part of improving yourself is to focus on finding solutions rather than finding someone to blame. It can be frustrating to work in a team especially when one is not pulling their own weight but human error will always be a factor in process improvement. What you

If you are at fault, learn how to take criticism as a means to identify what you need to improve. Feedback and comments from others serve as indicators that they are still invested in your improvement. Take advantage of it by proving to them that you can do better. I know someone who was told that he was already improving, and he took it negatively because he thought he was already doing well. Some people think highly of themselves that they are oblivious to their faults. Take every criticism as a chance to improve yourself and the quality of your work so people will notice your commitment to personal development.

Much as you need to adapt to people, you also need to adapt to situations. Know how to read a room and determine how you can best contribute. Every time I join a new team, I make it a point to observe people and identify their affiliations and expertise. This provides me an opportunity to understand the social dynamics of the team and identify the informal hierarchy. This also helps me understand how I can best position myself and who to ask for help.

Lastly, take the time to evaluate your own progress and take note of important milestones and achievements in your career. During the evaluation period, make sure your manager notes those accomplishments. Also, every organization is different so take note of who gets promoted. This will help you understand what you need to be promoted—i.e., involvement in engagement activities, number of projects handled, or even the people they talk to.

Before you can manage others, you need to manage yourself. The reason why some people seem to have it together is because they do. They take the time to listen to people they work with, keep their head down, and let their work speak for itself. You might be the most highly decorated person in the room but if you do not know how to work with others, you will always find yourself being left out. n

planning credential.

Clark says that careful tracking of expenses and thoughtful budgeting not only helped make their savings last, but it also alleviated some of the stress of Clark being without a paycheck.

“There are always surprises, but it’s good to try and minimize them, or at least minimize impact on your finances,” Clark says.

MAKE A PLAN FOR YOUR TIME

YOU may feel you need a break from strict schedules, but having no plan means you could waste this precious time you prepared and saved for.

Hoang has another cautionary tale from a client who started his break with a strong desire to change careers and spend more time with his young children. His days quickly filled up with parenting duties, and he never made time to explore other jobs, Hoang says. When his savings ran out, he ended up going back into his same field.

“Having clarity on what you really want out of this career break could make a tremendous difference in experience overall,” Hoang says.

The details of your plan will depend on your career break goals, but consider scheduling lunch with a professional colleague every month or so to maintain your network and stay abreast of developments in your field. If you’re considering a career change,

make a timeline for when you’ll accomplish certain steps, such as meeting with a career counselor and determining what education or certifications you’ll need.

CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES

AN extended career break may not be possible. You may have too much debt, too many bills or too many people depending on you to go months or years without a paycheck. Even if you have the savings, you may be understandably wary about leaving the job you have without another one lined up.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re stuck.

A few employers offer paid sabbaticals, while others provide unpaid leave to workers who need a break. You may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act if you have a newborn, adopt or foster a child, suffer from a serious health condition, or are caring for an immediate family member such as a child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition.

Given the tight labor market, your employer may be willing to adjust your workload, transfer you to a job with less responsibility or reduce your hours. That could free up the time and energy you need to focus on what’s important to you—and what you want next in your life. AP

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Horizon Terraces Garden Villas’ Scottsdale has bountiful nature views for homeowners

THERE is an undeniable charm in mountain living that is unmatched in the lowlands. On a clear day, heralded by a spectacular sunrise, you look out over your spacious balcony and soak up the panoramic views of sweeping naturescapes under a cerulean sky. You step out and catch more views of the surrounding greens, providing tranquility at your every turn. All these are yours for the taking at Horizon Terraces Garden Villas’ newest and the last of its townhouse clusters — Scottsdale.

Living close to lush, soul-soothing nature views makes Horizon Terraces Garden Villas your beautiful alternative primary home. Here, the joys of living are everyday aspirations found in nature’s bounty, enveloped by the beauty of Taal Lake shimmering in the horizon.

There is much to covet about waking up to a generous dose of mountain views—from the mystical Mt. Makiling in the distance to the Highlands’ own peaks. Accustomed to the polluted air in the city, you are jolted by the bracingly clean and fresh mountain air, instantly revitalized by it.

Comprised of select, well-appointed three-bedroom townhomes ranging from 140 to 172 square meters, Scottsdale is ideal for close-knit families. Each townhouse unit comes with a groundfloor den, a multifunctional space convertible into a separate bedroom for extended family members and friends. The second floor is a common area that serves as a convergence point for family and friends to come together and appreciate nature’s view—a unique home living feature at Scottsdale—unlike other homes where such areas are typically located at the ground floor. Upper-levels, on the other hand, are for owners to enjoy their own private space. Located at the highest point within Horizon Terraces, Scottsdale affords one views of stunning

sceneries enjoyed from its balconies and terraces.

Perched at the heart of this enclave is the Central Garden, an expansive hectare of recreational and open garden space exclusively for residents of Horizon Terraces. They can relax or do stretches at the Garden Courtyard with Sundial, or let their children frolic and play at the Sensory Garden. At any time of the day, seniors may spend quiet moments at the Pocket Gardens, while those so inclined may take dips in the Central Garden’s resort-inspired pools.

Allowing for a dynamic and wellrounded lifestyle, homeownership at Horizon Terraces Garden Villas also comes with membership at The Country Club, and access to top-notch sports and leisure facilities. Casual and fine-dining restaurants are within reach for families who like

bonding over food and drinks.

As Tagaytay Highlands adapts to new norms, it encourages prospective home buyers to avail of a 360° Virtual Walkthrough of its Horizon Terraces Garden Villas model unit, a contactless solution for aiding customers on their property-prospecting journey. With just a few clicks of the mouse, this immersive virtual tour allows one to check out all rooms and living spaces in the model home as if they were actually standing there.

Complementing the 360° Virtual Walkthrough is the Virtual Tour Guide, which provides personalized service through an experiential journey featuring the exclusive lifestyle lived at a Garden Villas home. Take this virtual tour guide via Tagaytay Highlands’ official YouTube channel at Glendale Model Unit Walk Through AVP - YouTube.

Gov‘t, legislative, private sector leaders bare housing thrusts during CREBA‘s 49th confab

Reporting that the industry generated nearly P126 billion in revenues in the 2nd quarter of 2021 alone, the Senator underscored its significant multiplier effect that can expedite the country’s economic recovery.

Rep. Francisco Benitez, chair of the House Committee on Urban Development and Housing, said that while housing needs increase, production has been low and slow. He cited price inflation of construction materials, rising land values, land use controls and building standards as some of the issues adversely affecting housing supply, while affordability has been severely affected as many families have crossed over the poverty threshold.

Converge launches #CountdownToZeroWaste campaign, taps partners for e-waste disposal and tarpaulin upcyling

LEADING fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has launched its group wide waste management campaign focused on waste disposal and recycling of waste as part of its countdown to eliminate waste to landfill output by 2030.

Dubbed the #CoutdownToZeroWaste campaign, Converge has partnered with Jontrix Trading Philippines and Green Antz Builders Inc. for the proper processing, management and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) or e-waste. It also partnered with Kreations PH for the upcycling of its excess marketing materials such as tarpaulins.

“At Converge, sustainability means walking the talk. We want to show that we are keeping our promises and turning our sustainability commitments into real, tangible company practices. Last year, we stablished our Solid Waste Management and Hazardous Waste Management Guidelines. This year, we are putting more of the guidelines into practice to ensure that our wastes are recycled, reused and treated properly,” said Converge President and Co-Founder Maria Grace Uy.

“As we expand our business, we understand that we have a greater responsibility to operate more sustainably. Thus, we have pledged to achieve zero solid waste to landfill by 2030 as part of our sustainability commitments. To this end, we are embracing circularity and resource efficiency as key levers to reduce our waste,” explained Converge Chief Strategy Officer Benjamin B. Azada.

Jontrix Trading and Green Antz Builders are scrap recycling organizations that collect and upscale solid wastes into bricks, chairs and other construction materials to aid in waste reduction. Meanwhile, Kreations is a social entrepreneur that helps women in Rizal to augment their household income by upcycling various materials, like tarpaulins, into bags, mats and other household items.

“This initiative is particularly important because we know that the improper disposal of waste has a direct impact on climate change. Everyday, we see the impact of climate change on our environment. Typhoons are becoming stronger and the devastation is more massive. We’ve seen this happen several times in the past

year as we strengthened our Disaster Preparedness Protocols,” Uy said.

E-waste is now considered one of the fastest growing waste streams in the Philippines. Through its partnership with Jontrix and Green Antz, Converge ensures that its hazardous and e-waste are properly hauled, processed and recycled by Department of Environment and Natural Resources accredited companies.

To kick off the strategic partnership, Converge launched the collection of discarded electronic devices and equipment from employees through zero-waste bins placed in its offices in Pasig and Clark and selected business centers while directing all of its business units to send all used tarpaulins to the head office for proper upcycling and processing.

Azada underscored the importance of recycling e-waste as it contains toxic chemicals and a significant carbon footprint that will continue to impact the environment if these materials are not recycled.

“E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world because we are digitalizing our economies. Everyone has electronic gadgets now, our TVs are getting bigger and home appliances are becoming more accessible. The Converge network being pure fiber is already more sustainable. However, we recognize, that we still produce a significant amount of e-waste form our day-to-day operations,” he said. “Thus, we are committed to doing our part to minimize waste and to instituting a circular economy where we reduce, reuse, and recycle across our operations and our supply chain.”

Aside from fulfilling its zero-wasteto-landfill commitment, Converge also contributes in attaining the International Telecommunication Union’s target of increasing the global e-waste recycling rate by 30 percent next year.

THE Senate and House Committees on Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Finance (DOF) outlined their agenda to resolve issues faced by the housing sector at last month’s Philippine Housing and Real Estate Summit held by the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA) in celebration of its 49th founding anniversary.

Sponsored by Boysen Paint, Vista Land, the Home Development Mutual Fund (PagIBIG), DMCI Homes, Fasttrack Solutions and Sure Panel, the event saw a record turnout of attendees from the various sectors involved in real estate and housing buoyed by the prospect of the looming revitalization of the industry.

Keynoting the event, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Resettlement, said that the real estate and housing industry is in a good position to lead the country out of the twin crises of the housing backlog of 6.8 million units and the economic woes arising from the Covid pandemic.

Benitez said his committee has already passed the In-City Housing Bill and is deliberating the Sustainable Cities Bill in response to the sustainable development goal and urban agenda of the United Nations.

Meanwhile, DOF chief Benjamin Diokno emphasized the administration’s commitment to intensify public infrastructure investment to up to five to six percent of the annual GDP to drive economic activity, job creation and the development of sustainable and livable communities.

He cited the pillars of support for the growth of housing and real estate in the country, among them the Property Valuation Reform Bill, to boost investor confidence. The DOF is also leading efforts to improve the bureaucratic efficiency of real property tax collection.

On the operational aspect, Undersecretary Garry V. De Guzman of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), presented the agency’s plan to construct one million houses every year for six years, and improve home loan affordability by offering a preferential rate of one percent and a social housing amortization schedule of only P1,912 per month for 30 years.

Celebrate a Colorful Christmas Holiday Season at Savoy Hotel in The Mactan Newtown

IT has been three years since township developer Megaworld officially opened the doors of its first hotel development inside its 30-hectare, The Mactan Newtown in LapuLapu City, Cebu.

The 18-story Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown offers 547 guestrooms and suites, making it the biggest hotel in terms of the number of rooms in Mactan Island and the second biggest in the entire Cebu Province. The hotel targets mostly business travelers and family vacationers because of its close accessibility to the MactanCebu International Airport and nearby beach and historical sites around the island. Make the spirit of the season even more colorful as Savoy Hotel Mactan has prepared a series of festive offerings and holiday staycations to fill your hearts with the warm hospitality and joyous season you deserve.

Festive Dinner Buffet

GET ready for an ultimate gastronomic experience as Savoy Hotel Mactan invites you and your family to a joyous special Festive Dinner Buffet on a seasonal spread prepared by the hotel’s finest culinary team.

You may also avail of early bird buffet reservations with options of availing a 10% discount or a 5+1 dinner buffet in all Holiday Festive buffet on or before December 15, 2023.

New Year’s Eve countdown

ADDING to a delightful holiday feast, the hotel will be giving you and your family a wonderful and relaxing stay while welcoming the New Year with an entertainment band, DJ House music, a fireworks display, and a lot more. The room package starts at P5,000 NETT with room accommodation, dinner buffet and New Year’s Eve Countdown pass good for two persons.

Holiday

feast APART from the Festive Dinner Buffet, Savoy Café is also highlighting the Holiday Feast which includes party trays, mouthwatering treats, hampers, and house wines.

For more information, you may contact us at +032 494 4000 / +63 917 871 8007 or email reserve@savoymactan.com. You may also follow us on our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) at Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown | Facebook / @savoymactannewtown / Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown.

For the month of November, you can bring

old strollers to participating Baby Company branches and get up to 30 percent discount on select strollers or car seats. The promo is valid for select strollers or car seats worth P4,999 and up.

All swapped strollers will be donated to SM Foundation, Alagang Kapatid Foundation, and partner hospitals in December.

“We’re excited to bring another year of 'Stroller and Car Seat Swap’ to our customers. As the holiday season approaches, we want to give everyone an easy way to give back and help others while providing affordable, accessible, and safe gift options for parents,” Baby Company Senior Assistant Vice President for Marketing Cheryl Justiniano said.

AN artist’s perspective of Scottsdale. Completing the Garden Villa clusters, Scottsdale is located at the highest point within Horizon Terraces, offering panoramic views of stunning sceneries enjoyed from its balconies and terraces, while serving as a safe alternative primary home.

CREBA National President Noel Toti M. Cariño provides updates on the Chamber’s 5-point agenda for housing designed to provide “a home for every Filipino.”

Ortigas Land excited on revenge investment in 2023

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

Premier property developer

Ortigas Land is bullish that 2023 will be robust because of the expected revenge investment by investors.

For one, property manage ment firm Colliers reported a positive outlook reporting in the first nine months of 2022, point ing out that residential condo take-up increased to a total of 14,900 units, outpacing 2021’s full year figures.

Meanwhile, real-estate firm CBRE noted that local office space vacancy experienced a de cline in the third quarter of the year, hinting at increased office

transactions as the country low ers restrictions post-pandemic.

“We’re seeing returning mar ket interest in property follow ing relaxing restrictions as the economy recovers,” said Ortigas Land President and CEO Jose Emmanuel Jalandoni. “Market insights for investments also validate our prioritization of increased sustainability and community development, even before the pandemic, for our

new projects.”

Basing on the optimism in the property sector, Jalandoni pointed out that their latest two-tower offering, The Gal leon, will benefit from revenge luxury property investments in the coming year given the proj ect’s key features and the strong performance of other properties in Ortigas Land’s portfolio.

Strategically situated in the heart of the Ortigas Central Business District, the Galleon is Ortigas Land’s two-tower, mas ter-planned mixed-use develop ment boasts of stylish, luxurious finishes and upscale amenities for residential, office, and retail spaces. Equipped with built-in smart home systems and highspeed fiber connectivity.

Jalandoni noted The Galleon is also going to be future-proofed and enhance the living experi ences of its prospective tenants.

High potential investment opportunities

A CCORD in G t o real-estate agen cy Santos Knight Frank, 80% of wealth investors seek more ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)-compliant assets. Driving forces include acknowl edging ESG as a means to futureproof their portfolio and an op portunity for greater return. 64 percent of respondents also un derline the importance of energy efficiency in their future homes.

Jalandoni said Ortigas Land is aware of the impact of ESG on the industry. i n r esponse, he said The Galleon is pursuing pro-environ ment measures.

i

t ’s evident that post-pan demic buyers want greener homes and this is a demand The Galle on can address as it is compliant with the country’s green build ing code and it’s office offering is pursuing LEED accreditation,”

JEG

Jalandoni said.

Ortigas Land also gives impor tance to accessibility. Jalandoni also emphasized that the Galleon has factored that important ele ment in the development of the Galleon underscoring it as a strong driving force for investments in property whether for office, retail, or residential.

With Ortigas Center highly ac cessible at the midpoint of Metro Manila, Jalandoni is confident that investors will also benefit from key infrastructure projects such as the BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project, the Rockwell Bridge, and the Metro Manila Subway Project set to improve connectivity to other CBDs.

“ i n vestors will benefit from The Galleon’s strategic location right at the heart of the Ortigas Central Business District with the upcoming developments in infra structure surrounding Ortigas,”

he said. “Being situated in the heart of Ortigas Center also puts The Galleon in an ideal position for capital appreciation as prop erty prices are still a fraction of the costs in other CBDs.”

Moreover, Jalandoni is confi dent that property investors will get high satisfaction on investment opportunities within the Ortigas Land portfolio. “Ortigas Land de velopments consistently experi ence strong market interest as we remain committed to creating and maintaining value for the projects our market invests in,” he said. “This is particularly true for The Galleon, whose location as well as future-ready and green-conscious features galvanize its strength as a first-rate property investment.”

Offices at The Galleon are ex pected to be turned over by the fourth quarter of 2026 while Resi dences at The Galleon will be turned over by the fourth quarter of 2028.

launches

CEB u-B ASED r eal estate de veloper JEG Development Corp. has announced the launch of its real estate arm JEG Realty Corp. (JRC) to manage the business’ varied portfolio of com mercial, residential, and mixeduse properties.

“While real estate has long been the core of JEG Develop ment Corp., the creation of JRC will enable us to further organize the business and its various func tions,” said Marko Sarmiento, JEG Realty’s President. “The primary function of JEG Development Corp. is to act as a holding com pany, with Vivant Corp. serving as its key investor. JRC’s responsibil ity is to oversee all current and upcoming real-estate projects.”

by investing in a more diversified portfolio of developments.

“This real estate arm seeks to continue to play an integral role in the green and sustainable de velopment moving forward. Since the establishment of our LEED Gold-certified flagship office and commercial building JEG Tower @ One Acacia, which boasts of its efficient quality in design and construction, we have made sig nificant strides to integrate sus tainability into our company and across our key projects,” asserted Sarmiento.

looking for a comfortable and peaceful place to call home,” said Sarmiento.

One of JRC’s ventures outside of residential property is The Gal lery, a hip lifestyle and entertain ment hub where Cebuanos can dine, unwind, and shop through establishments in the F&B space, such as cafes, restaurants, bars, as well as retail concepts.

TORRE L orenzo Develop ment Corporation (TLDC) recently turned over an ambulance unit to the Municipal ity of Mabini in Davao de Oro in support of the local government’s efforts to provide better access to healthcare services to the community. The Mabini town is home to Torre Lorenzo’s flagship leisure development, Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort.

“Sharing is our expression of gratitude to our community partners. The town has seen us when we were just starting our vision here. As we continue to develop, we want to ensure that the town will also grow with us

through providing opportuni ties for employment, and Mabini will be a major tourism hub for Davao de Oro,” says Casares-Ko. TLDC ensures that it gives back and contributes to the progress and development of the communities where it operates. i n t he Davao Re gion, Torre Lorenzo is present through its three upscale hos pitality developments, namely, Dusit Thani Residence Davao and dusitD2 Davao in Davao City and Dusit Thani Lubi Plan tation Resort in Davao de Oro. The Company is also the owner and developer of the 200-hect are integrated-use development

Ciudades in Davao City.

i n a ddition to providing equal employment opportuni ties to residents, Torre Lorenzo has various community devel opment programs in place that focus on providing livelihood, supporting access to education and health services, and protect ing the environment. i n the re sort, 70% of employees are from the nearby Mabini, while the rest are from other municipali ties of Davao de Oro.

“Torre Lorenzo is here in Davao for the long-term will constantly support our host community’s development proj ects,” says Casares-Ko.

JEG Realty Corp. aims to be an industry leader in the local realestate market, aggressively focus ing on redefining the future of the property industry and making the Cebu community a better place to work, live, and thrive.

“With JRC in place, the com pany’s functions and operations should run more smoothly and aid in advancing growth that is anchored on the values and goals that we envision for the company and the real-estate industry,” ex plained Sarmiento.

Beyond propelling growth in the industry, JRC will look to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable buildings in Cebu

JRC is committed to mak ing sure that JEG Tower @ One Acacia’s target market, includ ing knowledge process outsourc ing companies, business process outsourcing (BPOs) companies, and corporate offices that value providing employees with quality workspaces, is supportive of the business’ movement toward green real-estate development. With BPOs continuing to be the main driver for the office sector, JRC is poised to further diversify its portfolio by building more green spaces in the said industry.

“When it comes to residential properties, JRC also manages Tomodachi Premium Residences, which primarily caters to families and foreign nationals looking for a move-in ready place, teachers working in international schools, and the independent work force

“Cebu City is an ideal business and residential destination due to its vibrant community of young, dedicated workforce who work in quality offices and establish ments at competitive prices, and with a very strategic location in the middle of neighboring areas in Mindanao and Luzon,” shared Sarmiento.

Cebu has made its mark as a fast-evolving city and province that upholds traditional Cebuano values—love for community, un wavering hospitality, and pride in delivering top-notch work.

“We believe this is what sets Cebu apart from other cities. it is truly a place where one can have thriving experiences in work and life. We are optimistic that the real-estate market is finally picking up after a very rough two years. JRC is well-positioned to further drive market growth by redefining real estate and offering future-proof properties that put a premium on the evolving needs of people,” asserted Sarmiento.

TO r re Lorenzo’s Chief Operations Officer Cathy Casares-Ko (leftmost), together with Bobby Horrigan (rightmost), TLDC’s Hospitality Consultant, turned over the brand new and equipped ambulance to Mabini Mayor emerson Luego (middle).

Gin Kings, Cone bracing for game vs Miller, FiberXers

By Josef Ramos

GINEBRA Coach Tim Cone braces for a fast-paced game as the Gin Kings try to salvage a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs Wednesday in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

Tied at third on similar 8-3 winloss records, the Gin Kings and the FiberXers meet at 5:45 p.m.

G inebra still has a shot of the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals depending on the result of Magnolia’s last game against Rain or Shine.

We’re still fighting for that top two spot, so it’s very important for us to stay alive with a win,” Cone told BusinessMirror on Tuesday.

M agnolia is running second with a 9-2 record.

Cone said they expect Converge import Quincy Miller to play in full throttle after sitting out the NorthPort game because of disciplinary action.

M iller has been the main reason why the FiberXers are on a five-game streak before the Batang Pier stopped them, 112-97, last Saturday.

M iller missed team practice the day before the game and was penalized.

Miller is a tremendous import who has found a way to be a good fit for Converge,” Cone said. “We will have our hands full trying to match up to him, and then also finding a way to stay with the frenetic pace they play at.”

M iller’s 30.7 points, 16.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 10 games offers a strong matchup with Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee’s 28.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists average in 11 games.

Meralco and NLEX collide for survival at 3 p.m.

BRUNO, NOT CRISTIANO DELIVERS FOR PORTUGAL

LUSAIL, Qatar— Cristiano Ronaldo wheeled away in celebration, acting as though he had scored once again at the World Cup.

Not this time.

Instead, it was Bruno Fernandes eventually credited with the goal that set up Portugal’s 2-0 win over Uruguay on Monday, advancing the team into the last 16.

Fernandes curled in a cross from the left that barely went over the head of the leaping Ronaldo and bounced into the far corner of the net in the 54th minute to give Portugal a 1-0 lead.

A grinning Ronaldo threw his arms in the air, suggesting he got the final touch, and was embracing Fernandes as multiple close-up replays were being shown on the big screens in Lusail Stadium.

A las for Ronaldo, the goal wound up being awarded to Fernandes, who added a second from the penalty spot in stoppage time after a handball by Jose Maria Gimenez as he slid in to challenge the Manchester

United playmaker.

I don’t really think it matters who scored,” Fernandes said about the first goal. “The feeling at the time was that he (Ronaldo) touched the ball—I was crossing it to him—but what’s important was we moved into the next round and beat a very big opponent.”

Fernandes was denied a hat trick with virtually the last kick of the game, his shot from outside the area hitting the post and bouncing wide.

Portugal, which opened with a 3-2 win over Ghana, became the third team to reach the last 16 after France and Brazil.

Uruguay has one point from two matches and needs to beat Ghana on Friday to stand a chance of advancing. The 2010 semifinalists have yet to score a goal at this tournament, with coach Diego Alonso even putting 35-year-old striker Luis Suarez on the bench in search of the right combination up front.

Portugal has no such worries. The team has scored five goals in two games and Fernandes has had a hand in four of them as he dictates play in his role as the team’s No. 10.

R onaldo was unable to add to the penalty he scored against Ghana, which took his World Cup tally to eight goals from five tournaments and his men’s record of international goals to 118.

He still was the center of attention, though, illuminating a

Southwoods makes move

MANILA Southwoods came out with its guns blazing and turned a two-point deficit into a five-point advantage after two rounds of seniors competition in the 72nd Fil-Am Men’s Invitational played at the Camp John Hay (CJH) Golf Club course in Baguio City Tuesday.

Veteran Jun Jun Plana used his extensive course knowledge to score 38 points. He made four birdies on Hole Nos. 3, 6, 10 and 15 that negated a lone pick up on No. 7. Raul Miñoza turned in a 32 and Manfred Guangko shot a 30. Jose Roy III’s 27 gave Southwoods 127 for the day and 248 total.

Luisita, out to regain the premier Fil-Championship division crown, got 33 from Benjie Sumulong, 31 from Marty Ilagan, 29 from Dan Cruz and 27 from Chino Raymundo for 120. However, they trail by five as action shifts to the short but tough Baguio Country Club (BCC) course starting Wednesday.

“ I believe that guys have already settled down after 36 holes. The battle now is how to manage our games at BCC,” Southwoods captain Freddie Mendoza said. “Apart from being good, it also helps to be ‘lucky’ there. Sometimes, good shots are not rewarded and bad shots are rewarded.”

M amala Bay pooled 118 and occupied third with 224. Chris Howard was superb with 40 points but did not get solid support as Rusty Barfield made 28, Dale Jorgenson had 26 and Bill Connors contributed 24.

O ver at BCC, Camp John Hay Team 1 has virtually pocketed the title in Fil-B after racing to a whopping 53-point lead against Baguio Country Club Team 1. JH assembled 96 points for 326 while BCC collected 85 for 273. Scorers for John Hay were Dai Tsuchiya 26, John Marasigan 25, Villamor Bumanglag 23 and Bayani

lackluster first half with tricks and flicks that brought gasps from the crowd inside the World Cup’s largest venue, where Ronaldo will hope to return for the final on December 18.

There was a booming layoff with his right shoulder for teammate William Carvalho to volley over in the opening minutes. There was a double stepover and no-look pass that was nothing more than showboating. Then came an impressive chest control as he leapt to receive a cross toward the far post.

R onaldo is now assured of at least two more matches in what is likely his final World Cup, and will play in the knockout stage for the fourth time in his career.

A d raw against South Korea in its final Group H match will secure first place for Portugal, and likely avoid a last-16 meeting with Brazil.

A s for Uruguay, a must-win game awaits against Ghana—a repeat of the 2010 quarterfinal match won by the South American team in a penalty shootout after Suarez was sent off for a handball on the line in stoppage time of extra time.

Suarez might be recalled for that game after making an impact off the bench against Portugal, shooting just wide from close range after fellow substitute Maxi Gomez curled a shot against the post.

We’ll need to gamble more. We need to be a bold team,” Alonso said.

Portugal avenged its loss to Uruguay in the last 16 at the 2018 tournament.

House approves naturalization of Ginebra import Brownlee

By Jovee Marie Dela Cruz

THE House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the measure granting Philippine citizenship to Gilas Pilipinas prospect and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) import Justin Donta Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra.

With 274 affirmative votes, zero negative vote and one abstention, House Bill (HB) No. 6224 was given final approval by the members of the plenary during Monday’s session.

“ This is the House’s humble contribution to the national basketball team’s quest for glory in the FIBA World Cup. Anything is

possible if you put your heart or ‘puso’ into it,” Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said.

“Speaking of puso, we commend Justin for his desire in joining Gilas Pilipinas in this path, to represent the Philippines which is his home in this corner of the world.”

Brownlee signed a basketball and gave it to Romualdez as a token of gratitude during his courtesy visit at the House of Representatives Tuesday afternoon.

Brownlee, 34, originally from Georgia in the United States has been very forthcoming to lawmakers about his plans of suiting up for Gilas.

“Justin Donta Brownlee is hereby granted Philippine citizenship with all rights, privileges

Villanueva hails PHL powerlifters

SENATE Majority Leader Joel Villanueva commends the 21 members of the Powerlifting Association of the Philippines for bagging a total of 78 medals while establishing new lifting records in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Cup held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, last September.

I n co-sponsoring Senate Resolution No. 246 filed by Senator Lito Lapid, Villanueva said the Philippine team displayed powerful performance, with the men’s team winning 23 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze medals.

The women’s team, on the other hand, bagged 21 gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

We are confident that our athletes will continue this winning streak as we are now considered ‘one of the strongest teams in Asia,” Villanueva said.

Um m.

and prerogatives, as well as the duties and obligations appurtenant thereto, under the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of the Philippines,” read HB No. 6224.

The measure mandates that Brownlee “shall take the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines before an officer duly authorized to administer the same.”

The Oath of Allegiance shall be registered with Bureau of Immigration,” it added.

Upon registration of the Oath of Allegiance, the Bureau of Immigration shall issue a Certificate of Naturalization to Justin Donta Brownlee who shall thereupon enter into the full enjoyment of Philippine citizenship,” it further said.

Boxer Suyom ‘next big thing’ –Tolentino

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino welcomed on Tuesday 17-year-old Ronel Suyom—a potential “next big thing” of Philippine boxing.

It’s a great showing by a 17-yearold boxer from the South and we’re hoping he can be our next Olympian in the future,” said Tolentino of Soyum, who paid the POC chief a courtesy call at the Knights Templar Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City.

Soyum, a prized find from Agusan del Norte, proudly wore on his neck the silver medal he clinched in the minimumweight class in the International Boxing Association

Youth Men’s and Women’s World Championships held in La Nucia, Spain, over the weekend.

“ He can do a lot better as his trainings and competitions go by,” Tolentino said. “I wish him luck and encourage him to prepare himself as the next big thing in amateur boxing.”

Suyom is tipped to follow the careers of silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial from last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

I nterstingly, Paalam and Petecio also validated their medals in Tokyo.

Paalam won a bantamweight gold and Petecio a featherweight bronze at the Asian championships in Amman, Jordan, a month ago.

Congratulations to ABAP [Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines] for developing a boxer like Suyom, who is expected to win medals for our country in years to come ,” Tolentino said. “I am hoping they will find more boxing talents.”

Suyom yielded to India’s Vishvanath Suresh in the battle for the gold in La Nucia. He was one of six boxers sent to the world youth championships. They were coached by ABAP program director Don Abnett, Elias Recaido and Elmer Pamisa.

Young flyweight John Wayne Vicera, bantamweight Eljay Pamisa, featherweight John Paul Napales, lightweight Crisaldy Beltran and light welterweight Mark Ashley Fajardo also saw action in La Nucia.

Heno to Ancajas: Welcome to 118 lbs

REIGNING Boxing Worldwide Organization (BWO) bantamweight titlist Edward “General” Heno welcomed former world champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas to the 118-lb division despite the possibility for both Filipinos fighting for the crown.

“ I’m glad that he climbed to the bantamweight division. If they need a great debut fight, I am available,” the 29-year-old Heno, a former world title challenger, told BusinessMirror Tuesday. “Jerwin is a world-class fighter and he needs a good fight.”

A ncajas, 30, decided to move up in weight after absorbing back-to-back

Th at’s definitely an odd stance, if not a downright break from filial affinity.

For, aren’t Cone and Chito Victolero siblings, figuratively speaking? Aren’t they coaching the same patch of cloth— Cone for Barangay Ginebra and Victolero Magnolia?

But Cone qualifies.

He’ll be turning his back on sisterhood if Ginebra goes on to beat Converge in Wednesday’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) opener.  It’s a coveted result for the league’s winningest coach to pocket the sought-after twiceto-beat gift going to the next round.

Indeed, one can’t serve 2 masters at the same time

We’ll cheer for Yeng [Guiao] and cheer against our sister team if that’s the case,” Cone told the Inquirer’s Denison Rey A. Dalupang.

There was not a tinge of joke in it.

“ We’ll be cheering loudly against our sister team if we’re able to beat Converge,” Cone said.

He was just again trying to amplify the essence of the saying, “Winning isn’t just everything, it is the only thing.”

M agnolia took a firm grip of the bonus battle following its weekend rout of Meralco for a 9-2 card.  That’s a game clear from the chasing pair of

defeats to Fernando Daniel Martinez of Argentina, saying he lost his punching power as a super flyweight. Heno (15-1-5 win-loss-draw record with five knockouts) returned to the ring last August with a unanimous decision victory over Renoel Pael in Pasig City.

He is now waiting for an opportunity to defend his belt in the United States.

But Heno said he would be fighting first on December 17 in one of the supporting fights in Carl James Martin fight against a still to be undetermined opponent in La Trinidad, Benguet. Josef Ramos

Ginebra and Converge (8-3 each).

We’re just happy we will have something to fight for at this point,” said Cone, wary of Converge’s upset-making run behind Coach Aldin Ayo’s inventive approach to coaching.  “We’ll hopefully come out with a win.”

But as Cone continues to plod the path to PBA glory, not Chot Reyes.  Reyes is, of course, the Gilas head coach—with Cone as Reyes’s chief assistant.

Sadly, Reyes is now out of the Commissioner’s Cup as his TNT has been ousted—a first for Tropang Giga since 2018—after it lost to San Miguel Beer last weekend.

There’s a lesson learned in Reyes bowing out:  One can never serve two masters at the same time.

R eyes can now focus solely on Gilas Pilipinas’ preparation for the Fiba World Cup next year.  Sure shot.

THAT’S IT Saudi Arabia, seeded second-to-last among 34 teams, upsetting third-ranked Argentina in the ongoing Qatar World Cup remains the hottest piece of cocktails conversation. But is it true each of the 23 Saudi players will get a Rolls Royce Phantom from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?  If true, that’s US$437,596.50 (P24,759,209.97) per car.  Whew!

TIM CONE has said, rather unflappably, that he’d cheer against Magnolia today. Cone refers to the game between Magnolia and Rain or Shine in Wednesday’s second match of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup elimination series.

TABLAC ACE

Baguio City Golf Team’s Ryan Tablac scored a hole-in-one at the par-3 110-yard No. 9 of the Baguio Country Club using a Honma Sand Wedge and a Titleist 65 ball while playing on a flight Tuesday with Faustito Caballero of El Kapitan, Ronald Catacutan of Isabela Golf Team and Rodolfo Valdez of Vancouver Horizon Golf Association.

He said the exemplary performance of Filipino athletes inspired the Senate to increase the funding for the Philippine Sports Commission from P725.238 million in 2022 to next year’s P2.327 billion.

“

We

are incredibly proud of this historic feat and

we

join our colleagues in congratulating and commending our athletes for bringing pride and honor to the country,” Villanueva added.

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino with 17-year-old Ronel Suyom.

VILLANUEVA

CRISTIANO RONALDO rejoices thinking he again scores for his team against Uruguay. AP