BusinessMirror September 07, 2023

During the budget hearing of the DOH and its attached agencies, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the agency provided a solution to keep Filipino nurses and doctors working in the country.

“We are improving our options for the career of nurses because globally, other countries—post-Covid 19—are also building and strengthening their health systems, and their solution is to hire Filipino nurses because our nurses are world-class,” said Herbosa.

In its agency notes, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) called on the DOH to address the migration of health workers.

“The DOH must stem the steady migration of healthcare workers to other countries by addressing the problems these workers often cite as their reasons for living: lack of livable wages and just bene ts, job instability, and lack of security of tenure and employment opportunities,” the House think tank said.

The CPBRD said the country experienced an out ow of 15,000 to 20,000 nurses per year,

SHIFTING to a variable-rate Reverse Repurchase (RRP) facility auction format will allow the Bangko Sentral to better mop up excess liquidity in the market, according to central bank officials on Wednesday.

In a briefi ng, BSP Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr. said the challenge prior to this shift is that the BSP can only accept a volume of P305 billion using the RRP.

However, with the shift, Senior Assistant Governor Iluminada T. Sicat said the shift will allow the BSP to accept liquidity volumes in excess of this amount. “With that [P305 billion], the influence on the market is limited, [we can only] mop up liquidity up to that amount,” Dakila explained, partly in Filipino.

While there are other ways to mop up liquidity such as the Term Deposit Facility (TDF), these have 7- to 14-day tenors. What is missing now is the overnight (ON) benchmark rate, which the ON RRP rate meets, said Dakila.

But more than the challenges, the shift allows the BSP to take advantage of the opportunities according to Department of Economic Research Director Lara Romina E. Ganapin.

During the pandemic, the BSP bought a lot of government securities. is allowed the central bank to have an available collateral for this kind of facility.

However, even without the pandemic, this has already been in the pipeline for the BSP. Dakila said the pandemic only fast-tracked the creation of the facility.

“ e ON [presents an] opportunity given the large liquidity. We have to

manage daily liquidity,” Ganapin said.

With the shift, the BSP’s policy rate will be renamed the Target RRP rate.

e rate will remain part of the monetary policy strategy of BSP and has a medium- to long-term orientation.

e rate will be the “ultimate objective” and the intermediate target/ nominal anchor as well as be used for price stability and infl ation targeting.

However, the ON RRP rate will primarily be used for the implementation of the Target RRP rate. e ON RRP rate has a short-term orientation and serves as an operation target and part of the policy instruments toolkit of the BSP. e BSP said the ON RRP rate is a short-term interest rate and will be used as intervention by the BSP to mop up liquidity.

“ e formal adoption of an operational target will provide market guidance and help strengthen the

transmission mechanism of monetary policy,” BSP said. e ON RRP facility has an overnight maturity and will be set daily. e auction time will be between 11:30am and 12nn; the bids will be submitted starting at 11:30am and auction results will be available at 12:10pm onward. e auction size will be determined based on the BSP’s forecast of excess liquidity. ere will be a daily announcement on the BSP’s Monetary Operations System (MOS) prior to each operation, at least an hour before auction. e BSP said the minimum bid amount is P10 million while the maximum number of bids is only one.

“ e BSP will announce an offer size based on its forecasts of excess liquidity; Counterparties [banks] will submit bid rates and amount of tenders,” BSP said.

THE Australian government was advised to invest and trade more with Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, as the region is set to become the world’s 4th largest economy by 2040 thanks to an expanding middle class and higher consumer demand.

A report by Special Envoy for Southeast Asia Nicholas Moore said Australia will bene t from increased investment and trade with the region as its consumer market could be over 10 times larger than Australia in two decades.

The Philippines, for one, is expected to see 30.2 million households earn US$15,000 a year or roughly P840,000 at the P56 to the dollar exchange rate in 2040. In 2022, this number was estimated to only be at 5.6 million.

“As a regional bloc, by 2040, Southeast Asia is projected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, after the United States, China and India,” the report stated.

“It will be critical to continue reducing barriers to trade and investment and pursuing integration. If this occurs, the long-term trajectory

points to a region that will continue to be one of the main sources of global growth,” it added.

The report noted that another major population trend is urbanization. According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Paci c, the proportion of people living in cities will increase from 51 to 61 percent between 2022 and 2040.

This urbanization trend will be more pronounced in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Timor-Leste and Vietnam where rural populations will shift to become urban areas.

Most Southeast Asian countries still have young populations with a median age in 2023 of 30.4 years. The United Nations forecasts that by 2040, Southeast Asia’s population will reach 766 million, up from an estimated 687 million in 2023. The working-age population or people aged 15 to 64 years old will comprise 507 million of the total. This leads to a “demographic dividend” that paves the way for higher con-

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is making headway in its efforts to promote initiatives to develop Islamic banking and fi nance in the Philippines.

e BSP Assistant Governor Atty. Arifa A. Ala, lead advocate on Islamic banking and fi nance and the Chairperson of the Islamic Finance Coordination Forum, recently led the briefi ng on “Islamic Banking and Finance in the Philippines” at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

“ e business model of Islamic banking is beneficial to all types of banking clients regardless of religion. Hence, the goal is to provide the public, in general, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, with appropriate fi nancial choices that suit their risk appetite and fi nan-

cial needs and make the Philippines aligned with global developments,” Ala said.

Ala said there are major milestones in the development of the Philippines’s Islamic banking and fi nance ecosystem.

She emphasized the vast opportunities for investments and potential benefits in terms of wider reach and greater fi nancial inclusion that an expanding Islamic banking and fi nance industry can bring to the country and Filipinos abroad.

e BSP’s strategy of promoting Islamic banking and fi nance supports the BSP’s fi nancial stability mandate as Islamic banking and fi nance business model empha-

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have inked a Data Sharing Agreement for the “further enhancement” of monitoring of movements of ecozone goods under the Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo (ETRACC) System.

In a statement on Wednesday, Peza said the Data Sharing Agreement now gives it access in tracking, monitoring and auditing the location and condition of cargoes, as well as obtain “real-time” alarms on diversion and tampering of cargoes. The investment promotion agency said, “This is to ensure that importation and exportation of tax- and duty-free goods arrive and reach the intended Peza economic zones/ port loading.”

This agreement particularly promotes the “integration, interoperability and interconnection” of both agencies’ respective systems in direct compliance with Executive Order 18 establishing Green Lanes for strategic investments as mandated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. BOC’s take

MEANWHILE, in a statement it issued on Wednesday, BOC said key provisions of the agreement focus on data privacy, security, storage, and retention of con dential information.

“Both the BOC and Peza emphasize their dedication to upholding data privacy laws and safeguarding con dential information,” BOC said in its statement on Wednesday.

The attached agency of the Department of Finance (DOF) also noted that “stringent” measures will be in place to ensure that sensitive data is used solely for its intended purposes.

The BOC, as mandated with overseeing the handling, custody, and delivery of goods at all ports of entry, is entrusted with a “pivotal role” in safeguarding the nation’s interests.

Introduced through Customs Memorandum Order No. 04-2020, the E-TRACC System has been “instrumental” in real-time monitoring of containerized goods’ inland movements, BOC said.

Operating under Republic Act No. 7916 (as amended by Republic Act No. 8748), Peza, on the other hand, is responsible for regulating, supervising, and facilitating business operations within economic zones.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said the agreement “will pave the way for improved day-to-day operations and will further buttress our trade facilitation performances.”

“We rmly believe that sharing secured data with Peza will enable us to coordinate our e orts and drive collective improvements toward seamless trade facilitation,” Rubio said.

For his part, Peza Director General Tereso O.

THE Department of Health (DOH) admitted on Wednesday that healthcare migration continues to seriously impair healthcare service in the country, with the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) citing a lack of livable wages and just benefits, job instability, and a lack of security of tenure and employment opportunities as health workers’ reasons for leaving the Philippines.

BSP...

sizes Shari’ah governance and risk sharing principles to foster equity, justice and transparency.

Islamic banking, supported by the BSP, was introduced in the country in 1973 with the opening of the Philippine Amanah Bank. It has since become an important part of the banking industry.

In 2021, the BSP created its own Islamic Banking Supervision Group and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority on the creation of Halal ecozones.

e following year, BSP reconstituted the Inter-Agency Working Group on Islamic banking to Islamic Finance Coordination Forum. e BSP also created the Shari’ah Supervisory Board for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Official government data showed that Islam is the most predominant religion in BARMM accounting for 4.49 million persons or 90.9 percent of the 4.94 million household population in the region in 2020.

It was followed by Region IX-Zamboanga Peninsula with 18.2 percent, Soccsksargen with 15.8 percent, Region X-Northern Mindanao with 8.5 percent, and Region XI-Davao Region and Mimaropa Region with 3.5 percent each. Cai U. Ordinario

e Chief Executive made the proposal during his intervention at the 26th ASEAN-Plus ree (APT) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia last Wednesday.

He recommended increasing the amount of the emergency rice supply under the APT Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) to help countries that need additional food supplies. e country, which was recently hit by several typhoons, was among the recent beneficiaries of the APTERR after it received 400

@sam_medenilla

metric tons of rice from the facility through the donation of South Korea.

Marcos also reiterated his proposal for the APTERR to also include other commodities and staple food other than rice “to strengthen food security, poverty alleviation, and the eradication of hunger and malnutrition” in the APT.

He fi rst made the recommendation during the ASEAN Summit last year.

e President said the APT should also face climate change

agricultural and food production systems as well as transitioning towards circular economy, wherein existing materials and products are reused, repaired, refurbished and recycled.

“Our collaboration must give rise to paradigm-shifting innovation towards a more sustainable economic model where progress and prosperity do not come at the cost of the health of our planet,” Marcos said.

To help integration among APT members, he urged the bloc to in-

on the Creative Economy to help foster “innovation and digitalization.”

rough such joint initiatives, the President said the APT can “cope with the rapidly changing pace of regional and global challenges.”

“As we have seen time and again in our APT’s history, we can fi nd opportunities in every crisis, strength in our very differences in order to move quickly to take advantage of those opportunities,” Marcos said.

PHL reels from brain drain in health care

while some 10 percent of nurses in private hospitals resigned from their jobs.

Meanwhile, the DOH said the country has an annual shortage of 127,000 nurses and 114,000 doctors. “On the salary, we cannot compete, but we can compete on other options like a better career path, scholarships for master’s programs, and PhDs,” Herbosa told lawmakers.

“We also nd a way to get them health insurance other than PhilHealth. We like to nd a way to get them private health insurance for them and their family. Maybe even housing— there is a proposal for housing for nurses so we can [stop their] desire to leave the country,” he said.

Un lled positions

ALSO, the CPBRD noted DOH’s many un lled positions from 2021 to 2022, with 21,500 out of 96,144 authorized posts in 2022.

“Most vacant positions are with the OSEC—19,986 in 2021 and 21,438 in 2022. For PNAC [the Philippine National AIDS Council], 26 remained vacant out of the 32 authorized positions in 2022,” said the CPBRD.

“This situation needs serious consideration, particularly on how the agency could e ectively perform its functions with very limited human resources [only six out of 32 authorized positions], considering that HIV remains a critical problem in the country and is also one of the fastest-growing epidemics in the Western Paci c,” it added.

Moreover, the think tank said the number of un lled positions in the entire department has been signi cantly high in 2021 and 2022, “raising the question of whether the positions are redundant or if the department no longer requires the positions. The department could have allocated these resources to other more critical expenditure items or spend creating positions more relevant to the agency, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

For his part, Herbosa said the DOH has signed a memorandum with the Commission on Higher Education to address the vacant positions, which include retooling board non-passers. “We are also trying to look after those who just missed the board exam. We have a new proposal called Clinical Care Associate wherein CHED partners with several higher education institutions. We will hire the nurses who are under board to add to the workforce at salary grade 9, but the private sector is funding their review at something like P25,000 per nurse. If they pass, we will hire them at salary grade 15 to ll the vacant items,” he said.

“The department is committed to ful lling these un lled positions. We will make an e ort to do that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Herbosa admitted that the agency has sought additional funds to nance around P1.6 billion in Covid-19 emergency allowance for health workers.

“We requested additional money [from the DBM] because the total funding requirement is P63 billion. With a P22-billion budget for 2022, P19.4 billion for 2023, and P20 billion for the

sumer spending on lifestyle, education, travel and housing in the coming decades.

“This will increase demand for health and aged care services. Australia can help meet the needs of Southeast Asians, but this will require facilitating more trade in medical technology, supporting increased standards of care and investment in health infrastructure, and harmonising standards and regulation,” the report said.

In the Philippines, the report said, the Australian Government should seek to enhance capacity opportunities available to airlines under air service agreements.

This will allow airlines to remain ahead of demand, enabling future growth and competition to support increases in travel and freight.

In its submission, the Australian Airports Association has recommended that connectivity be increased through air services agreement negotiations with Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

“Particular focus should be directed towards those agreements projected to reach capacity entitlements in the next ve years. Additionally, the Australian Government could explore open skies agreements with interested Southeast Asian partners where in the national interest and on a reciprocal basis,” the report stated. Apart from this, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) said a development cooperation program on food security should be continued as it has been bene cial to the region.

From 1982 to 2022, the report said, ACIARsupported research helped deliver A$14.7 billion of additional value realized in Indonesia, A$11.5 billion in Vietnam, A$4.8 billion in the Philippines and A$1.7 billion in Thailand. The report, citing ACIAR ndings, said projects globally over the past 20 years have realized an average bene t-cost ratio of 43:1. This implies that for every A$1 invested, A$43 of bene ts are generated.

NEP 2024,” he said.

“Last April, the Department of Health wrote the DBM and we are still awaiting their approval of a few billion pesos from the unprogrammed funds of DOH to be used for the [Covid-19] health workers emergency allowance,” he added.

Budget cuts

FOR 2024, the DOH’s proposed “agency proper” budget for 2024 will su er a P10-billion cut. The health sector will receive P306.1 billion, including PhilHealth’s P101.5 billion, next year.

A ected by this budget reduction are four Quezon City-based hospitals: the Lung Center of the Philippines (P561 million from P835 million), the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (P1.2 billion from P1.7 billion), the Philippine Heart Center (P1.8 billion from P2.1 billion), and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (P1.4 billion from P2.1 billion), which will face a combined cut of almost P818 billion.

President Marcos wants to replicate these hospitals in the regions.

With this, lawmakers are calling for the restoration of this budget cut a ecting hospitals.

Under the DOH’s budget, DOH hospitals in Metro Manila as well as DOH regional hospitals and other facilities will be allotted P17.6 billion and P49.8 billion, respectively. The Philippine General Hospital, speci cally, will receive a total of P5.7 billion.

As part of e orts to ensure that health facilities remain up-to-date, P23.0 billion will be allocated to the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).

Some P4.8 billion will be set aside for the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases to cover the implementation of programs and projects aimed at preventing and curbing the spread of infectious diseases.

On the other hand, P1.7 billion will be provided for the Prevention and Control of NonCommunicable Diseases to procure medical supplies needed for the treatment and control of non-infectious diseases, such as cancer and mental illness.

On top of the P1.0-billion appropriation for the Cancer Control Program under the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, P1 billion will also be provided for the Cancer Assistance Fund. The government also allocated P8.3 billion for Family Health, Immunization, Nutrition, and Responsible Parenting to implement programs for immunization (P7.1 billion), family planning and reproductive health (P750 million), oral health (P212 million), and nutrition (P76 million).

The National Health Workforce Support System will be allocated P18 billion to bolster the healthcare workforce and equip them for deployment in remote and depressed areas to provide promotive and curative services.

Also, a total of P20 billion will be provided for the health emergency allowance and Covid-19 compensation package for eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers.

Under the funding of the DOH, the government will provide P683 million to fund the Mental Health Commodities for 124,246 patients.

“Of this, projects assessed in Indonesia averaged a bene t-cost ratio of over 160:1; 90:1 in Vietnam; over 70:1 in the Philippines; and over 40:1 in Malaysia,” the report said.

“There is also scope for further capacity building and collaboration for modernization and digitalization of the agrifood sector. This includes supporting uptake of rules and standards to facilitate trade and address common interests in relation to digital trade, food and nutrition safety,” the report said.

Cai U. Ordinario

Panga said, “We subscribe to the BOC’s objectives of trade facilitation as our way of enhancing the competitiveness of the Philippines for trade and investments. To do this, we believe that digitalization is the key, increased adoption of automation, so that we can enhance our ease of doing business and facilitate even more the movement of cargoes of our locators.”

In line with this agreement and the e orts of the agencies towards digitalization, Peza also reiterated its full support for the implementation of Electronic Zone Transfer System (eZTS) as contained under Joint Memorandum Order (JMO) No. 2-2015 dated July 24,2015.

Initially, Peza said it deferred for a month the implementation of the INTERZONE module of eZTS due to the “non-processing” of General Transportation Surety Bond (GTSB) by Philippine insurers and some BOC zones.

Despite this, both parties continued the INTRAZONE module, with inclusion of more type of transactions to be covered by the fully automated facilitation such as eNomination/ eCerti cation, eLOA and eMonitoring Ledger and real time monitoring on the status of goods for transfer.

According to Panga, “With more ValueAdded Services Providers [VASPs] and bonding companies supporting the eZTS, the locators will bene t more from reduced cost and better services of multiple providers. The system will also allow for continued usage of GTSB for import shipments to cover the subsequent movement of cargoes for interzone sales/transfers, thereby removing the current requirement of posting a surety bond for every LOA withdrawal of locators’ production materials from the zones.”

Peza described the eZTS as “an automated system which facilitates the conduct of business by Peza RBEs through the implementation of a simpler and more e cient system for documenting and processing the clearance, release and transfer of goods between Peza-RBEs, in a more secure and transparent manner, lower service fees, and will provide timely report for data analytics.”

It is one of the projects jointly committed by Peza and BOC to pursue reform and modernization of operations in recognition of ecozone locators being the biggest port users and exporters of goods and commodities in the country.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), China, Japan and South Korea to expand their food security mechanisms and transition towards a sustainable economic model.

‘Asean+3 nations must adopt sustainable economic model’

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday clarified that it is not within the mandate of immigration officers to serve arrest warrants against Filipinos.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco made the clarification in response to the concern raised by Senator Robin Padilla in his privilege speech on Tuesday, September 5, in the Senate in connection with the case of Mohammad Said, a 61-year-old man who was said to have been arrested by the BI after attempting to depart for Malaysia last August 10.

Tansingco explained that immigration officers implement derogatory records as received from courts, the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization), foreign governments, and other competent authorities.

Those with criminal records are turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or the Philippine National Police (PNP), who, in turn, effects the investigation and arrest, according to the BI chief.

“It is the local law enforcement agencies—the NBI and the PNP tha t are authorized to conduct arrests,” Tansingco pointed out.

In the case of S aid, Tansingco disclosed that he was intercepted for being the subject of an Interpol red notice issued in 2017, which contained his full name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, and even his passport number.

“

We cannot add or delete anything from these derogatory records as our role is to implement what is included by authorized agencies,” Tansingco said. Joel R. San Juan

CA junks OSG plea to affirm validity of search warrant vs red-tagged journo, union organizer

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Court of Appeals has junked the plea of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), seeking the reversal of its January 27, 2023 ruling, which affirmed the decision of a Mandaluyong regional trial court (RTC) to quash the search warrant issued against red-tagged journalist Lady Ann Salem and union organizer Rodrigo Esparago.

In a three-page resolution issued by the CA’s Twelfth Division, through Associate Justice Jose Lorenzo dela Rosa, the appellate court held that the OSG failed to raise new arguments that would warrant the reconsideration of its January 27 decision.

“ The motion for reconsideration fails to present any new and substantial matter, or any cogent and compelling reason which would justify reconsideration of this Court’s ruling,” the CA said.

“Let it be emphasized that the filing of a motion for reconsideration does not impose on this Court the obligation to discuss and rule again on the grounds relied upon by petitioner, which were mere reiterations and of the issues previously raised and thorough determined and evaluated in this Court’s decision,” it added.

Salem, editor of Manila Today, and Esparago were arrested on December 10, 2020, after authorities claimed that they found illegal firearms, including pistols, grenades and ammunition during a raid at her residence in Mandaluyong.

The raid was conducted by virtue of a search warrant issued Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert.

In F ebruary 2021, the Mandaluyong RTC voided the issuance of the search and held that the illegally seized firearms are inadmissible against Salem and Esparago.

T his led to the dismissal of the illegal possession of firearms and explosives against the two.

T he Mandaluyong RTC declared the search warrant void for being vague after

PHL calls for Asean unity in fostering rules-based order in South China Sea

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE Philippine government called on the regional bloc at the 43rd Asean Summit in Indonesia to unite in fostering rules-based order to preserve peace and defuse tension in the South China Sea (SCS), House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

Romualdez, in a statement, said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stressed that it is imperative for Asean to leverage its regional architecture “to serve as a diplomatic bridge that promotes mutual understanding, strategic trust, and peaceful settlement of disputes.”

“The President’s stance on a rules-based approach to settling

the South China Sea territorial disputes underlines our commitment to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS],” said Romualdez.

“By reiterating this stand in the Asean forum, we are emphasizing the importance of peaceful dialogue and negotiations, ensuring that our sovereign rights are recognized and respected,” he added.

The 43rd Asean Summit and Related Summits, hosted by Indonesia, are being held on the heels of the release of a new map published by the Chinese government depicting its expansive claim over the SCS.

The Philippines, along with fellow Asean members Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as India,

has voiced strong objections over China’s new standard map.

“A united Asean working together for the observance of rules-based order in the South China Sea can exert considerable influence towards the peaceful and diplomatic settlement of disputes, which would be mutually beneficial for all concerned,” Romualdez said.

He said this could also push the momentum to achieve progress in the negotiations for the Code of Conduct in the SCS.

Moreover, at the Asean summit, President Marcos also cautioned against viewing the growing tension in the SCS from the perspective of a strategic competition against two opposing powerful nations.

“This not only denies us our independence and agency but also disregards our own legitimate interests,” President Marcos said.

He said that the Philippines would continue to uphold and exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in the SCS in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

The Chief Executive also called for self-restraint on activities that complicate disputes in the SCS and undermine regional peace, stability, and security.

“We cannot emphasize enough that actions, not words, should be the ultimate measure of our commitment to securing peace and stability in the South China Sea. Anything else will not suffice,” he said.

authorities failed to seize only the items covered by the warrant.

T he CA upheld the ruling of the Mandaluyong RTC last January 27.

In its motion for reconsideration, the OSG insisted that the search warrant was valid “as it satisfied the requirements of specificity” and that it was issued in accordance with the law.

T he OSG added that a general description of some items covered by the warrant should not invalidate the entire warrant.

It also maintained that inconsistent testimonies of witnesses in the application for the search warrants do not affect the probable cause finding of the judge.

But the CA declared: “The act of the searching officers in taking all the laptops and cellphones that they could get during the search is precisely the danger sought to be prevented by the constitutional requirement that the things to be seized must be particularly described in order that enforcement officers will not have unbridled discretion as to what articles they shall seize.”

T he CA also noted the issues on the inconsistent statements and testimonies of the witnesses and the improper implementation of the search warrants had already been considered and passed upon in its January 27 decision.

The filing of a motion for reconsideration does not impose on the Court the obligation to deal individually and specifically with the grounds relied upon therefor, in much the same way that the Court does in its judgment or final order as regards the issues raised and submitted for decision,”

the CA explained

“This would be a useless formality or ritual invariably involving merely a reiteration of the reasons already set forth in the judgment or final order for rejecting the arguments advanced by the movant; and it would be a needless act, too, with respect to issues raised for the first time, these being, as above stated, deemed waived because not asserted at the first opportunity,” it added.

Public officials told to file spending plan for confidential and intelligence funds

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATOR Chiz Escudero, stressing

the need to ensure multi-million confidential and intelligence funds in the annual budget are “spent judiciously and efficiently,” reminded concerned authorities to closely monitor such disbursements. The senator reminded that public officials granted confidential and intelligence funds in their spending plan under the 2024 national budget should be “held with greater accountability” in order to ensure public funds are “spent judiciously and efficiently.”

Escudero conveyed the reminder as the Senate Committee on Finance tackled the budget of government departments and agencies, prodding Cabinet officials and department heads to “bare their physical and financial plans” on how they intend to spend their requests for confidential funds

“without violating the confidential nature of the funds.”

At the same time, the senator also suggested that the finance panel discuss the budget allocation of Department of Education (DepEd), which included the P150-million confidential fund request of the department.

“Since it is the discretion of Congress, as heard the Madam Secretary and Vice President [Sara Duterte] say, to grant this or not, we will grant it for as long as we see the physical and financial plan broken down according to the JMC without violating the confidentiality that you need in order to perform your job,” Escudero explained, referring to Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2015-01 issued by the Department of Budget and Management, the Commission on Audit, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of National Defense, and the

Governance Commission for the GOCCs (GCG) on January 8, 2015 which prescribed “guidelines on the entitlement, release, use, reporting and audit of confidential and/or intelligence funds.”

At the same time, he noted that as per the JMC, confidential fund refers to the lumpsum amount provided as such in the General Appropriations Act for National Government Agencies, in appropriation ordinances for local government units, and in the corporate operating budgets or COBs for government owned and controlled corporations, for their confidential expenses.

On the other hand, intelligence expenses, refer to those related to intelligence information gathering activities of uniformed and military personnel and intelligence practitioners that have direct impact on national security.

Escudero added: “In short, confidential funds may be lodged in civilian agencies,

New Wesmincom chief vows to fulfill missions

NEWLY-INSTALLED Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Steve D. Crespillo on Tuesday pledged to do his best in accomplishing the various security missions entrusted to the military in the region.

“I urge everyone to focus on contributing our individual and group efforts to accomplish our campaign objectives. Let us work, serve the people of Western Mindanao for

the greater glory of our country, for the Filipino people,” he said in a statement.

Crespillo, who is the Philippine Army (PA) vice commander, replaced outgoing Wesmincom chief Lt. Gen. Roy M. Galido who was appointed last August 7 as Army commander.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. presided over the ceremony in Camp Navarro, Zamboanga where

QC mayor hails OPAPRU for peace building efforts

THE Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) was lauded by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte for ensuring “the success of the peace process with the Bangsamoro.”

“Indeed, the peace that we have achieved with the Bangsamoro is a testament to the wisdom of listening to the concerns of our people, the non-state actors included, and engaging them in peaceful and meaningful dialogue, and further on, reconstruction,” she emphasized in her message during the ringing of the Peace Bell and a candle lighting ceremony at the Quezon Memorial Circle on Tuesday. These activities are part of this year’s celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month.

Belmonte also reminded all Filipinos of the “sacrifices and sufferings of those who endured the lack of peace in our country and the whole world, and commit

to peace as a responsibility of each member of the community.”

For his part, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, who was represented by Senior Minister Abunawas Maslamama, urged everyone to seek inspiration from the bell-ringing ceremony to think about our collective responsibility as agents of change and bearers of peace, adding, “peace is not just the absence of violence but a product of our concerted efforts that transcends political and cultural boundaries.”

Meanwhile, OPAPRU Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. emphasized that the ringing of the Peace Bell “symbolizes peace, harmony, solidarity.”

He noted that the bell’s chiming is a call for all Filipinos regardless of religion, tribe, or personal beliefs, “to play a key role in peace building.”

Galvez said the “ceremony aims to continuously remind all of us to steadfastly defend, protect and sustain the country’s peace gains.”

The OPAPRU chief said the ceremony must not be viewed as a mere ceremonial act, as “its reverberations carry such an enormous transformative power that can touch people from all walks of life so that they too can become instruments of peace, development and positive change.”

The Peace Bell, which represents the Filipino people’s aspiration for a just and long-lasting peace, was donated by the World Peace Bell Association (WPBA), a Japan-based organization that promotes world peace by donating peace bells to countries across the globe.

Galvez likewise underscored that this year’s Peace Month theme, “Kapayapaan: Responsibilidad ng Bawat Mamamayan,” is a call for all Filipinos’ to play an

active role in the country’s peacebuilding process.

“[L]et us all keep in mind that peace building is not the responsibility of a few chosen individuals or organizations, but a concerted and collective effort wherein everyone has a key role to play. As President Marcos Jr. has emphasized, time and again, no should be left behind.”

The peace adviser also encouraged everyone to “ring the peace bell not just in gatherings such as this, but also in our hearts and minds to remind us of our commitment to peace.”

“Together, we can build a nation where the sounds of conflict are replaced by the harmonious ringing of the peace bell, to celebrate the triumph of understanding, compassion and unity,” Galvez said.

Various peace stakeholders and partners attended the ceremonial ringing of the peace bell, which included leaders of

Crespillo was formally installed as Wesmincom commander this September 5.

Prior to his appointment as Wesmincom chief, Crespillo also served as PA vice commander and chief of the Office of the Army Ethical Standards and Public Accountability.

He also held various positions as commander of the 501st Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division in 2021; chief of staff of the 6th

the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, KAPATIRAN, representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, civil society organizations, and members of the diplomatic corps.

By virtue of Proclamation No. 675 dated July 20, 2004, the month of September was declared as the “National Peace Consciousness Month.”

The Proclamation mandates the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, now OPAPRU, to lead the observance and enjoins all government agencies and offices, private sector, and civil society groups to participate in the annual peace celebration.

A number of events promoting National Peace Consciousness

Month 2023 have been lined up for the month of September nationwide.

The OPAPRU will once again host the KaPEACEtahan Fair at Trinoma Activity Center from September 6 to 8.

intelligence funds cannot be lodged in civilian agencies. Intelligence funds only belong to military or uniformed agencies,” Escudero clarified. “ May listahan naman sa JMC like surveillance, transportation, etc. It’s a matter of putting amounts to each that you can legally spend on without specifying, we are not violating any of the confidentiality rules,” he stressed.

Under Section 4 (General Guidelines) of JMC 2015- 01, all allocations of confidential funds and/or intelligence funds are required to be supported with a Physical and Financial Plan, indicating the proposed amount allocated for each program, activity, and project, where disbursements pertaining to CE and IE shall be based.

Submitting to Congress the disbursement plans of government agencies will shed light on how these funds are spent and make the public aware that though the funds are confidential in nature, the money cannot be spent by government officials in any way they want.

On Wednesday morning, the Senate oversight committee on confidential and intelligence funds held its first meeting to deliberate on its internal rules.

Infantry Division in 2017; chief of Unified Command Staff of Westmincom in 2016; and commanding officer of the 54th Infantry Battalion, 5th Infantry Division. Crespillo is also a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1990.

Meanwhile, Galido held various key positions, such as the commander of the 6th Infantry Division in 2022, Army Inspector General in 2021 and head of the 601st Infantry Brigade, 6th Infantry Division in 2020.

Rex Anthony Naval

Regional KaPEACEtahan fairs will also be hosted in Baguio at Malcolm Square from September 12 to 13; at the Bicol University in Albay from September 14 and 15; and at the Mindanao State University-General Santos City Campus from September 21 to 22.

The 3rd OPAPRU Peace Research Conference with the theme “Building Resilient Communities: Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalism” will be held from September 7 to 8 at the Chardonnay by Astoria in Pasig City.

Wreath-offering ceremonies will also be held at both the Libingan ng mga Bayani and Manila Memorial Park on September 28 to pay tribute to the country’s peace builders who have passed on.

To culminate the National Peace Consciousness Month celebration, the OPAPRU will host the Gawad Kapayapaan awarding ceremony to honor peace champions for 2023 on September 29 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. Rex Anthony Naval

Tansingco clarifies BI’s exposure in ‘arrest’ of departing passenger

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Meralco power rates may increase in September

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

ELECTRICITY rates may go up this month possibly due to higher generation charge, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said on Wednesday.

“Although we have yet to receive

the final billings from our suppliers, there may be upward pressure on the generation charge this month,” said Meralco First Vice President and head of customer retail services Joe Zaldarriaga.  Generation charge, an electric bill’s largest component, is the cost of generating electricity.

There are no initial figures yet but the higher generation charge could be driven by higher fuel prices in the world market during the supply month, Zaldarriaga said.

Two of Meralco’s power supply agreements, with Quezon Power Philippines and San Buenaventura Power Ltd., allow for fuel cost pass through.

These plants make use of coal for power generation.

Also, he added, the depreciation of the peso against the US dollar is expected to have an impact as well on Meralco suppliers’ charges for the incoming billing month.

“We hope that these can somehow be mitigated by lower WESM

Orthopedic Center gets ₧200-M financial aid

THE Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) can now be able to accommodate over 600 patients daily after receiving a P200 million worth of financial assistance from Malacañang.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) disclosed the amount from the Office of the President (OP) would be used by POC to accommodate more clients and modernize its facilities.

POC Medical Center Chief Dr. Jose Pujalte Jr. lauded the timely cash aid from the OP amid the “upsurge in the cases of injuries in the country.”

“Our hospital was designated as a national specialty center in orthopedics. That means that it’s an apex center. It’s an apex hospital, and for us to qualify, our equipment have…to become modern and state-of-the-art,” Pujalte said.

“So that’s where we’re going, in that direction because right now the

Universal Healthcare is being implemented,” he added.

The initiative is in line with the remark of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) to provide the public better access to specialty medical services.

In his SONA last July, “President Marcos specifically mentioned the development of specialty centers and included [in] that, of course, [are] orthopedics, bolts, and joints,” Pujalte said.

PhilHealth chief vows to settle bulk of ₧27-B hospital dues within 90 days

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) on Wednesday vowed to settle hospital claims worth P27 billion before the year ends.

D uring the budget hearing of the Department of Health and its attached agencies, PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said the state health insurer would pay a high percentage of its P27 billion hospital dues within 90 days or in the next three months.

“I’m happy to state to honorable congressmen that we will completely, hopefully, or with a very high percentage, within 90 days [we will pay the] P27 billion,” Ledesma said.

“This is on record. Within 90 days, we will try to pay a very high percentage of the P27

billion. I’m confident that within 90 days from today, the majority, if not all, will be paid off,” he added.

Ledesma made the commitment after Agri party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee questioned PhilHealth for not being able to pay hospitals despite PhilHealth’s P466 billion in investible funds and P68.4 billion in net income.

Ledesma explained PhilHealth would pay these hospitals through its Debit-Credit Payment Method (DCPM).

“The question is how we intend to do it. Our executive committee had a [recent] meeting. We are preparing to use the debit credit payment mechanism formula. We will use that to make sure that our reconciliation will be accelerated,” he explained.

Under the DCPM, PhilHealth will initially pay eligible health-care facilities (HCFs) 60 percent of the amount of receivables, then pay the remaining 40 percent “following full compliance to existing claims processing requirements and procedures and full reconciliation of the 60 percent of the total amount of receivables initially paid to the [facility].”

F or 2024, the government will be appropriating P101.5 billion in premium payments to PhilHealth to achieve universal health care, which brings the gross Department of Health budget to P306.1 billion. Ledesma also disclosed that, among other modifications, they have begun to update the benefit case packages.

The announcement of the POC donation comes after the OP recently drew criticisms for releasing P221.42million from government contingent funds to the office of Vice President Sara Duterte last year for its Financial Assistance/Subsidy and the creation of its satellite offices.

Some lawmakers questioned the legality of the said release but the Palace maintained the fund release complied with existing government rules and regulations. Samuel

P. Medenilla

Under Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise known as the Universal Health Care Act, contributions will increase from 4 percent last year to 4.5 percent this year, or from the minimum monthly premium of P400 to P450. B ased on PhilHealth’s computation for this year, they said those earning P10,000 and below would pay a premium of P450; those with an income of more than P10,000 up to P89,999.99 would contribute P450 to P4,050; and those making P90,000 or more would chip in P4,050.

But President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the deferment of this year’s increase in PhilHealth premiums.

T he President said the funding for PhilHealth will ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, has equitable access to health-care services, including individuals from different socioeconomic classes, ethnicities, and genders, as well as persons with disabilities.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

DAR, BJMP renew marketing deal for Cordillera jail facilities

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) renewed their partnership mutually beneficial for both farmers and inmates in the region.

The DAR and BJMP signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for a steady and institutional agricultural product market. In par ticular, it will benefit the members of the Bokod Sulphur Spring, Caliking Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC), and the Northern Buguias MPC.

The two farmers’ associations will continue supplying their agricultural products to eight BJMP offices and district jails.

“This program has greatly assisted us during the pandemic. We are very happy for the commitment of the two agencies to alleviate the nationwide problem of poverty and improving our living conditions,” Caliking Farmers MPC Board of Directors Chairman Samson Calubsing said.

The undertaking is being implemented under the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) Program, a collaborative

effort to combat hunger and poverty in the countryside by fostering cooperation among governmental bodies, agricultural organizations, and correctional facilities to promote sustainable development and community well being.

Undersecretary Milagros Isabel Cristobal of the Office of Support Services said that the DAR, apart from enhancing the skills of the ARB, makes sure that their agricultural products have a steady market.

National PAHP Focal Person and BJMP Jail Senior Superintendent (JSSupt) Bernardo

Sanchez shared that their office would continue to support the excellent quality of the food production and assist in purchasing the farmers’ products.

D AR-CAR Regional Director Samuel Solomero, BJMP JSSupt Regional Director Atty. Kenneth Bid-ing, DAR-CAR Assistant RD Virginia Aycud, DAR PAHP National Point Person Susan Gambalan, along with the dedicated staff from both BJMP and DAR, all showed their strong solidarity and support for the program.

Jonathan L. Mayuga

[Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] charges that may result from lower demand and lower average capacity on outage,” said Zaldarriaga.

Last month, Meralco rates went down by P0.2908 per kilowatt hour (kWh), bringing down the overall rate for a typical household to P10.8991 per kWh. The utility firm

attributed the decrease in lower generation charge by P0.2137 to P6.3929 per kWh from P6.6066 per kWh in July.

At the end of the first semester, Meralco’s customer base stood at 7.716 million, up 3 percent from 7.519 million a year ago, with the continuous energization of new customers.

Group prods TC to rule on import incentive for 2 and 3 wheeled EVs

By Rizal Raoul Reyes @brownindio

CITIZENWATCH Philippines on

Wednesday urged the Tariff Commission

(TC) to fast track the Department of Energy’s (DOE) recommendation to include two-and three-wheeled vehicles in an executive order providing incentives to the importation of electric vehicles (EV).

Although the EO covering four-wheeled electric vehicles is already commendable, Christopher Belmonte, co-convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines, said it needs to be expanded to other vehicles that are more affordable to maximize the full impact of introducing green transport options to the Filipino public.

“This will certainly accelerate the shift away from air-polluting vehicles and provide an even better mobility experience to the people,” he said in a news statement.

Being a new technology and not yet in the mainstream, he said prices are beyond the purchasing power of ordinary Filipinos even if they shift to environment-friendly commuting.

“Most importantly, the soaring price of fuel has made many Filipinos suffer,” Belmonte said.

“The government has to do its part by enabling its citizens to make this shift, by making it easier for them to own electric vehicles,” he said.

Belmonte said the EO 12 series of 2023, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on January this year invokes Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act that says the State shall provide an enabling environment that permits the development EVs, including options for micro-mobility as an attractive and feasible mode of transportation.

The transportation sector, it says, contributes 34 percent to air pollution and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Road transportation accounts for 80 percent of those emissions.

Thus, “to protect the health and wellbeing of the people from the hazards of pollution and greenhouse gases,” the EO temporarily modifies the import duty

on electric vehicles and their parts and components.

Specifically, the EO lists vehicles that qualify for the temporary suspension of tariff rates for a period of five years. But while tariffs on four-wheeled EVs are suspended, those for two- or three-wheeled The DOE has in fact submitted its recommendation to the TC for the inclusion of two- and threewheeled vehicles in the EO. But there has not yet been any action on the recommendation.

Patrick Aquino, the DOE’s energy utilization management bureau director, said they are confident that the TC will consider their proposal, as it is also being pushed by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The DOE earlier said that it is pushing for a faster rollout EVs in the Philippines to help reduce dependence on imported and expensive fossil fuels.

They are looking at rolling out over 2.43 million electric vehicles that would significantly cut down carbon emissions and bolster investments. This would then create a new EV industry by 2028. Belmonte said the impetus for a shift to clean energy has been there for many years and the soaring price of oil makes EV the sensible alternative for serving the mobility needs of millions of daily commuters.

“The clamor for accessible transport options powered by green technology is aligned to the people’s need to get to their daily destinations in a less expensive and environment friendly way,” Belmonte said.

“Delaying the inclusion of e-bikes in the 5 year zero import tariff incentive of EO 12 is a policy disconnect from the government’s commitments to reduce carbon emissions. The opportunity to develop an electric vehicle industry as a new economic driver will not happen if our policies are halfhearted,” he added.

“We hope that the Tax Commission will soon respond positively to the clamor from the DOE, consumer groups, environmental advocates, and industry stakeholders expand the importation incentives the 2 and 3 wheeled EVs for the benefit of the great majority of our riding public and our environment,” said Belmonte.

Circular ensuring security of tenure for barangay health workers lauded

SENATOR Christopher “Bong”

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, commended the recent issuance of a joint memorandum circular (JMC) by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH), aimed at ensuring the security of tenure for Barangay Health Workers (BHWs).  The JMC, signed by Secretaries Benjamin Abalos Jr. of DILG and

Teodoro Herbosa of DOH, will help enforce the provisions of Republic Act 7883, also known as the BHW Incentives and Benefits Act of 1995 and the Universal Health Care Act.

Its primary goal is to guarantee the uninterrupted delivery of essential primary care services in every barangay, in line with the government’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage. One of the key provisions of the memorandum is the protection of

BHWs against termination without due process. This provision is crucial in ensuring job security for these health workers who often operate in challenging and under-resourced environments.

Meanwhile, recognizing their invaluable efforts and hard work in promoting the health and wellbeing of Filipinos, particularly at the grassroots level, Go also reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Senate Bill No. 427 or the BHW

Compensation Act which he filed.

According to the senator, BHWs are often the unsung heroes of the country’s health-care system, providing essential health services and information to their communities, especially in remote and underserved areas.

Go has introduced SBN 427 with the goal of providing BHWs a monthly honorarium amounting to P3,000. This proposed legislation goes beyond mere financial support and aims to

furnish BHWs with a comprehensive package of benefits, including allowances, job security, regular training, and skill development opportunities, along with the potential to acquire civil service eligibility.

Additionally, the bill extends the BHWs’ entitlement to benefits from key institutions such as the Government Service Insurance System, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Pag-IBIG Fund. This move aligns with the provisions out -

lined in RA 7883, which already acknowledges and grants various benefits and incentives to our dedicated barangay health workers.

Amid the lifting of the state of public health emergency due to Covid-19, Go also urged relevant government departments, particularly DOH and the Department of Budget and Management, to ensure that health workers including BHWs receive their rightful allowances and benefits as mandated by law.

MGB bares ‘robust’ metallic mineral output in H1 2023

By Jonathan L. Mayuga | @jonlmayuga

With this performance, the nickel industry’s ambitious target of producing 50 million metric tons (MT) by year-end is within range as government regulators also announced the prospects of expansion with four more nickel mines going on stream between 2023 to 2025.

T he Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) attributed the growth in the metals production value to the upstanding performance of gold and nickel.

However, in terms of contribution to the total metallic mineral production value, nickel ore, nickel-cobalt mixed sulfide, and scandium oxalate led with P57.32 billion or 46.57 percent.

T he production value of nickel

Mayor Zamora leads inspection of rice prices in San Juan market

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

SAN Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Tuesday led the inspection stalls at the Agora Public Market to ensure grain retailers comply with the requirements mandated by Executive Order (EO) 39 on rice prices.

The mayor was joined Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chairman Romando Artes, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Atty.  Ruth Castello, and Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

Zamora noted that all rice sellers and retailers in Agora Market are compliant with EO No. 39, Series of 2023, or the mandated price ceiling for rice to prevent price manipulation of traders and retailers as directed by President Ferdinand Marcos R. Jr., to the DTI and DA.

Following the issuance of the EO, San Juan immediately created a Price Control Coordinating Council through C.O. No. 32 so that no rice retailers will manipulate the prices of rice.

“ We are stepping up and are checking our public market to ensure that rice store owners are compliant of the mandatory prices,” Zamora said noting the effectivity of the memo Tuesday, September 5.

Likewise, Zamora said that the inspection aims to protect consumers.

“ We want to be proactive for the welfare of everyone that they are getting their rice at the right price,” Zamora e xplained.

T he EO sets a nationwide cap on the prices of regular-milled at P41.00 per kilogram and well-milled rice at P45.00 per kilogram.

R ice retailers caught violating the EO may be charged under the following laws: RA No. 7581 or “Price Act,” RA No. 10845 or “Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act,” C.O. No. 32, Series of 2008 or “An Ordinance Creating the Local Price Control Coordinating Council.”

First offenders caught violating City Ordinance No. 32, Series of 2008 will be fined P2,000, second offenders will be fined P3,000 and third offenders will be fined P5,000 and revocation of permit.

and nickel products combined went up from P53.72 billion to P57.32 billion, or up by P3.36 billion year-on-year.

Gold took the second spot with 41.62 percent or P51.22 billion.

Copper came in third with 10.35 percent or P12.74 billion.

O n the other hand, the collective values of silver, chromite, and iron ore accounted for about 1.46 percent or P1.79 billion of the total production value.

B reaking it down further, nickel direct shipping ore accounted for P31.70 billion, while nickel-cobalt mixed sulfide tendered P25.48 billion; scandium oxalate made P0.14 billion.

For the first half of 2023, the

top two producers for the first half were Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) with 2,429,081 dry MT and Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) with 2,117,610 dry MT; TMC and RTNMC supply all the low-grade limonite ore feed requirements of THPAL and CBNC plants, respectively.

The limonite ores delivered to THPAL and CBNC were included in the total ore production of TMC and RTNMC. Total limonite ore delivered to CBNC by RTNMC was 1,485,597 dry MT while TMC delivered 969,475 dry MT to THPAL, which is about 70 percent and 40 percent of the total nickel ore first half production of RTNMC and TMC, respectively.

Gold, silver prices up WHILE the price of nickel went down this year, prices of precious metals gold and silver went up by 3.17 percent and 1.18 percent, respectively.

G old prices realized a $59.48 markup from $1,874.47 per troy ounce in H1 2022 to $1,933.95 per troy ounce in H1 2023.

O n the other hand, silver gained $0.27 from $23.30 per troy ounce to $23.57 per troy ounce, year-on-year. However, base metals, nickel, and

copper posted declines during the period at 15.27 percent and 10.73 percent, respectively.

Taxes, royalties

IN terms of mining taxes and fees paid to the national government during the first semester of 2023, the estimated excise tax collected was pegged at P3.25 billion, the MGB report said.

Meanwhile, the estimated collection from the royalties derived by the government from the development and utilization of the mineral resources within mineral reservation areas is about P932.02 million. There are 21 mining projects located within the mineral reservation areas, 20 nickel mining projects, and a chromite-mining project.

Unexpected PHILIPPINE Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) President Dante Bravo said nickel’s performance in the first half is somehow surprising, considering the sluggish value of nickel during the period.

“ We are not expecting this. In my personal view, this was a surprising outcome,” he said, adding that with less shipment of nickel ore and nickel products due to bad weather, he wasn’t expecting any increase in

the production output year-on-year.

B ravo said he was expecting a better performance for nickel in the 2nd half of 2023 throughout the 1st quarter of 2024 due to developments in Indonesia.

Bold prediction

THERE are around 30 nickel mines that are currently operating in the Philippines. Last week, Bravo boldly predicted that the combined production of these companies this year could top the 50 million MT production output.

“ With the price of nickel going up, and some mining operations in Indonesia stopping due to environmental concerns, we are expecting a better performance and bigger share in the market,” he said, basically referring to the demand from China.

The MGB shares this optimism, when it reported that nickel ore production is expected to expand further, with four-nickel mining projects commencing mining operations between 2023 to 2025 as part of the Priority Projects for Phase II and I. These are Zambales Chromite Mining Company Inc., Macroasia Mining Corporation, Stagno Mining Corporation, and Aam-Phil Natural Resources Exploration and Development Corporation.

BID TO JUNK ESCROW IN SEAFARER BILL GAINS

Continued from A20

The House-inserted escrow provision essentially deprives seafarers of compensation for injuries suffered and other violations of ship owners and management, as they will have to wait for years before the award is given to them.

A s it is, Colmenares said, “seafarers are already burdened with the long process of filing complaints and claims for injuries suffered during employment.  If they win their case, the compensation awarded will help a lot in their hospital bills from their injury as well as provide support for their families as they are now unemployed due to the injuries they suffered.”

A ccording to Colmenares, the escrow provision will deprive them of their benefits as they will have to wait for many years when the ship owner appeals to the Supreme Court.

The ship owners have all the legal rights and the resources to defend themselves. They have the right

to hire the best lawyers to oppose any claim against them in the NLRC; they can ask for a restraining order or TRO against any compensation awarded to the seafarer; they have the right to appeal; and if they ever win their case on appeal, they have the right to demand restitution. The escrow provision will only load the dice in favor of ship owners and management and against ordinary seafarers,” he said.

Colmenares also condemned the statement of Netherlands Ambassador Marielle Geraedts that if no escrow provision is passed, “ambulance chasing” will be endemic in the Philippines.

“Reducing the battle for workers’ and seafarers’ rights to ambulance chasing, as if the claims for compensation by workers are untrue and baseless, is certainly reprehensible.  If these compensation claims by seafarers are mere lies and baseless, why are the ship owners with their highly paid lawyers losing their labor cases? Unless Ambassdor Ger -

aedts implies that the labor arbiters and NLRC commissioners are paid bribes to favor baseless claims by seafarers, she should not publicly declare that these labor cases filed by workers are baseless and mere ambulance chasing,” he said.

I urge the Senate to pass a Magna Carta law that does not provide the same escrow provision as the House and instead pass a law that recognizes the rights of seafarers including security of tenure and other benefits.  We are glad that Sen. Raffy Tulfo, as well as other senators, have expressed opposition to the escrow provision,” he added.

U nder the House-approved House Bill 7325, any monetary award by the arbitrator to the seafarer or the seafarer’s successorsin-interest, made whether in a voluntary or mandatory arbitration or by the National Labor Relations Commissions, shall be placed in escrow if the employer or manning agency has raised or intends to raise the decision for judicial review in

accordance with the Rules of Court.

The amount in escrow shall not include claims for salaries, statutory monetary benefits, or those originally determined by the employer or manning agency to be legally due to the seafarer.

The amount shall remain in escrow until the issuance of any entry of judgment by the appropriate reviewing court or when the employer or manning agency fails to perfect the appeal or petition for review. The fees for obtaining or maintaining the escrow account shall be paid by the employer or the manning agency.

T he interest earned on the amount in escrow shall be insured to the benefit of the prevailing party. However, the seafarer or the seafarer’s successors-in-interest may, in accordance with the Rules of Court, move for the execution of the monetary award pending appeal upon posting of a bond, the amount of which shall be determined by the appropriate court.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz, Butch Fernandez

AFP backs disposal of real properties for MUP seed

Continued from A20

The President’s economic team, led by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, found the pension system in its current form unsustainable, as the total unfunded liabilities or future obligations for existing active MUP members and pensioners were estimated at P14 trillion, and such accumulating liabilities are seen to

raise the country’s public debt by 25 percent by the year 2030.

D iokno has maintained that the proposed reforms in the MUP pension bill should address the substantial budgetary implications stemming from indexation and the absence of the soldiers’ personnel contributions to the pension fund.

H e explained that allowing indexation to continue will be unsustainable and, coupled with guaranteed benefit increases, will further bloat the budget deficit.

Despite potential opposition from the economic managers, Ad Hoc Committee on the MUP Pension System Chairperson Joey Sarte Salceda said the chamber will accept the proposals of Teodoro on the substitute bill to the Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform.

“ Of course, the proposal will add some P1.2 trillion more to the actuarial reserve deficiency from the current P2.2 trillion under the current substitute bill,” he said.

U nder the DND proposal, Salceda said only new entrants will contribute 9 percent, with the

government counterpart contributing 12 percent.

And I will heed the request for full indexation for those who are retired and due for retirement,” Salceda added.

S alceda also said that “there could be some pushback from the DOF and the economic managers on the Teodoro proposal. So, we hope that within the executive, they will sort their position out.”

U nder the committee-level proposed scheme, for the first three years of the reformed MUP pension, the government will

Marcos hails ‘progress’ in SCS Code of Conduct talks

E arlier this year, it initiated its trilateral defense agreement with the country and Japan in response to its growing concerns to North Korea, Russia and China.

C hina opposed the increased presence of the US in the Asian region.

Statement of support

AT the 26th Asean-Japan Summit in Indonesia, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a statement backing an international orderbased approach in settling disputes in the Indo-Pacific waters. He also opposed the militariza -

Continued from A20

tion of reclaimed features in the SCS and expressed concern for continued illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities in the said area.

L eaders of Japan, US and South Korea have already raised these concerns during their meeting in

Camp David last month.

Marcos lauded the pronouncements, which he said will help generate international solidarity to prevent new conflicts in the SCS.

“ I cannot emphasize enough the expediency of maintaining peace and stability in the region

LTO

to review TOP policy vs road traffic violators

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) will review the policy on the enforcement of the temporary operator’s permit (TOP), an interim license provided to motorists who were apprehended.

We are reviewing our policies and procedures to correct or to simplify the process,” LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza II said.  Motorists who are apprehended will be issued with a temporary operator’s permit or an electronic TOP, which is valid for 72 hours.

A fter this period, the driver is prohibited from driving any vehicle.

Mendoza said he would meet with the Law Enforcement and Traffic Adjudication System (LETAS) and the Law Enforcement Service (LES) to tackle the “harmonization” of the TOP and the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01.

The order lists the revised schedule of fines and penalties for violations of laws, rules and regulations governing land transportation.

The harmonization of the JAO and the TOP is a priority…we will address them immediately. So the moment we implement it, we would issue the necessary changes so that we can immediately address any problem,” Mendoza said.

Meanwhile, he also announced that the LTO has ordered 15 million pieces of metal plates for both motor vehicles and motorcycles, as part of the measures to address the backlog in the soonest possible time. He said the order would cover the current 13.2 million backlog for motorcycles and around 179,000 for motor vehicles.

We already ordered 15 million license plates and the delivery has already started. With this, we expect to address the backlog for both motor vehicles and motorcycles on a monthly basis,” said Mendoza. Mendoza appealed to the public for understanding, saying the volume of the backlog, especially for motorcycles, requires more time to address the issue.

He assured that all the backlogs, including the registration of new motor vehicles and motorcycles in the coming months, would all be addressed by next year. “ We are now catching up because the delivery of the plates have been fast-tracked to 250,000 pairs every month for the motor vehicle and 1 million every month for the motorcycle. So this is speeding up already,” Mendoza said. “Even our production capacity is also increasing at 32,000 per day or around 700,000 per month.”

He added that he is “confident” that “all the backlogs would be addressed by next year as well as the daily consumption rate for license plates for new vehicles and those needing plate replacements.”

shoulder 16 percent of the contribution, while the MUP would contribute 5 percent to fulfill the 21 percent total monthly premium for the trust fund.  I n the next three years, 7 percent will come from personnel and 14 percent from the government. This sharing scheme will be updated until the seventh year, when a contribution ratio of 9 percent to 12 percent is reached. The sharing scheme for new entrants will be 9 percent from personnel and 12 percent from the government.

through the adherence to the rule of law, particularly the 1982 Unclos. Our shifting security issues make it quite clear that we must work together for the sake of peace and stability in our region and in the world,” the President said.

METALLIC mineral production value remained robust in the first half of 2023 with an 8.06 percent growth from P113.89 billion in first half of 2022 to P123.07 billion.

However, we really have to find ways to solve this, and rest assured that we are finding ways to do so in recognition of all your sacrifices for our country,” Villafuerte added.

Job Description: perform customer’s network insight analysis using cloud digital platform. generate business opportunities and high-quality sales leads. prepare technical solution proposal and cost proposal. regular communication with research and development team in headquarter. coordinate the headquarter resources required for both remote and on-site personnel support configure the products according to customer’s requirements and provide clarifications. supervise project management. foster customer relationship by closely engaging and communicating with them to understand their real business needs. to ensure compliant business operation process planning and implementation

HUMAN ACADEMY PHILIPPINES, INC.

23f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

KAMIMURA, YOSHIKI President and Chief Executive Officer

Brief Job Description:

Basic Qualification: must have a 3-year work experience as specialist for core network products. with project management skills & strong core network product knowledge. have strong customer relationship and communication skills. knowledgeable in interactive presentation using cloud platform with excellent skills in organizational and problem-solving. with technical skills in r&d team to design and improvise solutions. with training/s on with training/s network planning and senior management skills is a plus. with ability to present solution to both customers and delivery team graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering or other related courses. with masteral degree an advantage. highly proficient in

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

121.

To preside at the meetings of the Stockholders; To initiate and develop corporate objectives and policies and formulate long range projects, plans and programs for the approval of the Board of Directors

Basic Qualification: JLPT N1 passer; Fluent in Japanese and English (Speak, read and write). At least 5 years working experience ib the same field and leading a sales team or strategy team

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

HWA LUN CORPORATION Unit 1606 B, Sunjoy Bldg., Barangay 271, San Nicolas, City Of Manila

122.

HONG, JINCONG Chinese Glass and Aluminum Supervisor Brief Job Description: Supervision of the installation and check materials.

Basic Qualification: Can speak, read and write in Mandarin and with at least 3 years’ experience at the same position.

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

123.

LIN, QINYUN Chinese Marketing Specialist Brief Job Description: Responsible for coordinating with other marketing and sales professionals to implement innovative campaigns for branding or product launches.

Basic Qualification: Ability to work under pressure and motivation to succeed in a competitive environment. Good communication and interpersonal skills. Able to speak and communicate using Mandarin is an advantage. Must be an aggressive salesperson. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

124.

XIA, JUNHUA Chinese Marketing Specialist

Brief Job Description: Responsible for coordinating with other marketing and sales professionals to implement innovative campaigns for branding or product launches.

Basic Qualification: Ability to work under pressure and motivation to succeed in a competitive environment. Good communication and interpersonal skills. Able to speak and communicate using Mandarin is an advantage. Must

sense of complex, high quality, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems, interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

*Date Generated: Sep 6, 2023 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on SEPTEMBER 01, 2023, the position INDONESIAN RETENSION SPECIALIST, of EDBERT CHANDRA under GIGA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT INC., should have been read as INDONESIAN HR HEAD and not as published.

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

PHL forges agribusiness, investment deals

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

The Philippine government signed investment deals and agreements to boost the sustainability of local businesses during the 43rd Association of Southeast nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits in Indonesia. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inked investment deals worth $22 million with Indonesian firms. The government

also forged agreements with the Asean-Business Advisory Council (BAC) for agriculture cooperation and small business development.

Among the completed agreements is the 5-year expansion plan in the country of PT WIR Asia Tbk., with its subsidiaries, namely PT Mata Nilai Republik, worth $20 million.

WIR is engaged in the development of augmented reality technology integrated with virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

IFAD asks public development banks to help fight hunger

PUBLIC development banks (PDBs) should direct funding to efforts aimed at combating hunger, poverty and climate change, according to the chief of the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

IFAD President Alvaro Lario made the statement during the fourth annual Finance in Common Summit 2023 (FICS) held in Cartagena, Colombia from September 4 to 6. The summit focused on four topics—SM e s and financial inclusion, climate and biodiversity, sustainable infrastructure, and the institutional agenda of PDBs.

“Public development banks must ensure that their significant financial resources better serve the fight against hunger, poverty and climate change,” said Lario.

IFAD noted that PDBs supply two-thirds of the world’s food systems financing, and collectively invest around $2 trillion to $3 trillion per year. At FICS, IFAD urged national PDBs to play a “stronger role” in making food systems more sustainable, resilient and equitable.

“We must relentlessly continue our efforts to ensure that PDBs deploy more capital and offer services best tailored to the needs of the rural populations and small-scale food farmers who produce one third of the world’s food. They are key to global food security and biodiversity preservation,” said Lario.

“They urgently need to adapt to a rapidly changing climate, and cannot continue to living in hunger and poverty. They need access to finance, technologies and markets to grow their production and incomes.”

The war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic, IFAD said, have clearly exposed the fragility and inefficiencies of food systems. Over 3 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021. Up to 783 million people suffered

from hunger in 2022.

“The small-scale producers who are the backbone of food production receive just 6 cents for every dollar worth of food they produce. About 80 percent of the world’s poorest live in rural areas. By contributing one third of global greenhouse gases emissions, food systems have also a heavy environmental footprint.”

At FICS, IFAD also showcased the progress accomplished by the Public Development Banks Platform for Green and Inclusive Food Systems that the UN agency leads with the strong support of the French Development Agency (AFD).

With a doubling of its members over the last year reaching today over 130 PDBs from 98 countries, IFAD noted that the Agricultural Public Development Bank platform “is gaining momentum and promoting collective action to deliver change at scale.”

The PDB Platform facilitates regular exchanges of best practices among its members on topics of common interest including digitalization, support to small and medium-sized enterprises, financing adaptation to climate change, helping to build capacity and becoming a major instrument of shared best practices and peer-to-peer technical assistance to foster stronger capacity to deliver investments for food systems transformation and climate action.

“For example, recently the FIRA bank (Mexico) has been engaging with Le Credit Agricole du Maroc (Morocco) and the Agricultural Bank of China on their best practices to inform the preparation of its new sustainability strategy.”

The eu ropean Union has recently approved funding for eU R2.3 million for the platform becoming the first external donor supporting the platform besides IFAD and AFD.

Also finalized was the cooperation agreement between PT Vaksindo Satwa Nusantara with its local partner, Univet Nutrition and Animal h e althcare Company (UNA hC O Inc.) Philippines.

Under the said accord, PT Vaksindo Satwa Nusantara will invest an initial $2 million to make its avian influenza vaccine available in the country.

Both business deals were signed in the meetings organized by the Department of Trade and Industry between the President and

several Indonesian companies last Tuesday.

Marcos also met with officials of Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) to get updates on the implementation of its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with an investment value of $350 million as well as its planned satellite launch in December.

The satellite will allow PSN to allocate 13.5 gigabytes per second to the Philippines to expand its local presence.

In a related development, the

government also signed 8 separate MOUs with the Asean-BAC representatives of Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Indonesia.

The Asean-BAC representative of Malaysia already signed a similar MOU last July.

The MOU enables the creation of “studies and mentorship channels with Filipinos for potential agriculture, agriculture technology, food security, agripreneurship business models and value chain development among small, medium,

and large farmers, enterprises, and government entities.”

The development of trade and investment opportunities in various agricultural commodities including rubber, rice, corn, fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural services is expected to be explored under the joint cooperation. All member-states also agreed to jointly promote effective strategies in addressing climate change and ensure a sustainable agribusiness environment.

Head plans to build rubber processing plant in PHL—DA

Head Sports Philippines Inc., a provider of equipment and apparel for athletes and players, is keen on putting up a modern rubber processing plant in the country, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban said representatives of the company met recently with the DA and the Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI).

“[The meeting focused on] ways to improve the local rubber industry and help rubber farmers boost their income,” the DA said in a statement.

The construction of a modern rubber processing rubber plant that will source raw rubber from local farmers and convert it into high-quality products was also discussed during the meeting.

The DA noted that he ad is set to relocate and expand its tennis ball production hub by moving operations from China to Panabo City, Davao del Norte. “Its operations are poised to commence operations in the second quarter of 2024.”

Panganiban and PRRI e x ecutive Director Cheryl e u sala supported the plan, “which aims to aid the government’s continuing commitment and collective effort in developing the Philippine rubber industry.”

The DA said rubber is a highly favored agro-industrial crop in Southeast and South Asia, with significant global production centered in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and India.

In the Philippines, most of the

manufacturing activity is concentrated in Mindanao, which placed 10th globally for natural rubber production in 2014.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the DA said in a roadmap for the rubber industry that the area planted with rubber in the country expanded by 47,039.17 hectares or an average growth rate of 5.34 percent from 2012-2016.

Among regions, Zamboanga Peninsula recorded the largest area

planted with rubber in 2016 with 90,297 hectares or 40 percent of the total area of 223,283.17 hectares. Next is Soccsksargen with 61,026 hectares (27 percent), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with 38,315 hectares (17 percent), and Caraga with 12,519 hectares (6 percent).

In the country, there are 42 processors of which 24 are producing crumb rubber and 18 are producing air-dried sheet. Total annual capacity of air-dried sheet processors is 1,629.60 metric tons.

The processed rubber is either sold to manufacturers in the country or exported.

The manufacturing sector in the country consists of four sub-sectors: tires; footwear; latex; and automotive, industrial parts and sporting good, transmission belts, rubber conveyor, radiator and fuel hoses, rubber rings, gaskets, bearing pads and tennis balls.

The other sub-sectors are engaged in the manufacture of synthetic rubber, chemicals and other supplies needed as inputs by the industry.

Senate OKs salt industry development bill on second reading

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

The Senate on Wednesday approved on second reading the priority measure to save the artisanal salt industry.

Senators completed the interpellation of chief sponsor Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Agriculture committee, who accepted most of the amendments to Senate Bill (SB) 2243 brought forward by her peers.

The second-reading vote followed an earlier lengthy exchange where Villar raised at plenary the amendments to the bill, considered a priority on account of the steady decline of the local salt industry.

The measure, sponsored by Villar, seeks to boost the salt industry in the country, amid findings that the Philippines imports 90 percent of its salt requirements despite being an archipelago with one of the longest coastlines and wide access to saltwater.

She said the soon-to-be created council under SB 2243 will be concerned with the development of the salt industry while the existing board under Republic Act 8172 or the Salt Iodization Nationwide (ASIN) Law will continue to focus on food grade salt.

Villar said the health secretary will become a member of the council once the measure is passed into law.

World’s top sugar trader sees sixth year of shortages ahead

The world’s largest sugar trader expects a sixth straight year of deficits in the coming season as a poor outlook for India’s crops is set to drive down global stockpiles of the sweetener.

“The world will be as close to running out of sugar as it can be,” said Mauro Virgino, trading intelligence lead at Alvean, a trading house controlled by Brazilian producer Copersucar SA.

e x treme weather in India will probably keep the world’s No. 2 supplier from shipping any sugar overseas for the season starting in October, according to Virgino. Below-average monsoon rains will also probably keep Indian farmers from planting sugar cane, harming future production, he said in an interview.

Alvean also expects difficulties in Thailand, another key exporter,

as higher profits from growing cassava continue to drive farmers away from sugar cane.

Global markets will face a 5.4 million metric ton deficit of the sweetener in the coming season, Virgino said. That’s higher than the 1 million ton shortfall of the current season and will mark the sixth year of shortages, according to company estimates.

The tightness in supplies is set to shrink inventories even further, according to Virgino, bringing a measure of stockpiles-to-consumption down to levels similar to 2011. At that time, raw sugar futures surged to a three-decade high.

Threats of a global shortage loom even as top supplier Brazil continues boosting output, with the current season’s production expected to approach 40 million tons—near

a record—and forecasts of a similar output next year.

“Brazil is doing a good job supplying the global market, but the country alone cannot do the trick,” Virgino said.

El Niño in Peru

M A N y Peruvians can no longer afford to eat their own national dish, ceviche, as the el Niño weather pattern hits harvests and stokes food price inflation.

heavy rains have devastated local lime crops, sending prices up by almost 70 percent just in August.

Since lime juice is a key ingredient in Peruvian cuisine, that created a national furor and forced the finance minister to call for calm.

Rapid food price rises are preventing headline inflation from slowing to target as fast as poli-

cymakers would like, and creating hardship for poorer Peruvians. The damage done to the agricultural sector by el Niño tipped the economy into recession in the second quarter.

“It’s important that we use what is called consumer sovereignty,” Finance Minister Alex Contreras said in a TV interview on Sunday. “If this week I was planning to cook ceviche, I can switch it for a chicken stir fry.”

Memes on social media now show stacks of the citrus fruit as a sign of wealth. One portion of ceviche can require five or more limes to create the marinade used to cure raw fish.

The Lima inflation rate tracked by the central bank slowed to 5.6 percent last month, from 8.5 percent at the start of the year. But food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation was more than double that, at 11.5 percent. The bank targets annual

e a rlier, Villar said Filipino farmers used to produce 89 percent of the country’s salt requirement in the 1970s. She said farmers stopped producing salt when the ASIN law was passed because they were not taught to iodize salt. ASIN requires all salt, including those used for fertilizers and industry, to be iodized.

The ASIN law was enacted to deal with a serious health issue—the lack of iodine among a huge segment of the population, a deficiency resulting in several serious ailments.

The health-oriented measure, however, failed to account for the impact of the law on the salt industry, Villar said.

Last July, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the government and the private sector are keen on putting up advanced salt production plants as one of the interventions to revive the Philippine salt industry.

Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban said government officials and representatives from the private sector had discussed a proposal for reviving the salt industry during a meeting held at the DA’s central office in Quezon City.

Panganiban said the proposal focused on the establishment of a national network of advanced salt production plants through investment and policy interventions.

consumer price rises of 2 percent.

Worse is expected next year, when e l Niño is forecast to intensify, further disrupting agriculture. Peru is a major exporter of crops such as blueberries, asparagus and grapes. Peru’s central bank is likely to cut

interest rates at some time between September and December, according to a forecast by Felipe hernández, who covers Latin America for Bloomberg e conomics. Chile and Brazil have already started

A nurserymAn examines budded rubber tree stocks at the standard Integrated Farm in ramon, Isabela, in this BusinessMirror file photo.

A worker harvests sugarcane in meerut, ut tar Pradesh, India. Prakash s ngh/BloomBerg

Oil prices spike as Saudi Arabia, Russia extend 1.3 million barrel a day cut through December

By Jon Gambrell The Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates— Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.

The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon, a price unseen in the market since November.

The countries’ moves could increase inflation and the cost for motorists at gasoline pumps. It also puts new pressure on Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States, as President Joe Biden last year warned the kingdom there would be unspecified “consequences” for partnering with Russia on cuts as Moscow wages war on Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia’s announcement, carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, said the country still would monitor the market and could take further action if necessary.

“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by Opec+ countries with the aim of supporting

the stability and balance of oil markets,” the Saudi Press Agency report said, citing an unnamed Energy Ministry official.

State-run Russian news agency Tass quoted Alexander Novak, Russia’s deputy prime minister and former energy minister, as saying Moscow would continue its 300,000-barrel a day cut.

The decision “is aimed at strengthening the precautionary measures taken by Opec+ countries in order to maintain stability and balance of oil markets,” Novak said.

Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above $90 a barrel after the announcement. Brent had largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October. A barrel of West Texas Intermediate, a benchmark for America, traded around $87 a barrel.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan declined to comment on the market impact

of the decision, though he said US officials had regular contact with the kingdom. He added that Biden would look to utilize “everything within his toolkit” to assist American consumers.

“The thing that we ultimately stand for is a stable, effective supply of energy to global markets, so that we can in fact deliver relief to consumers at the pump, and we do this in a way that is consistent with the energy transition over time,” Sullivan said.

Bob McNally, the founder and president of the Washingtonbased Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House energy adviser, said Saudi Arabia and Russia had “demonstrated their unity and resolve to proactively manage” the risk of oil prices potentially dropping in tougher economic conditions with their

announcement Tuesday.

“Barring a sharp economic downturn, these supply cuts will drive deep deficits into global oil balances and should propel crude oil prices well above $90 per barrel,” McNally said.

The average gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the US stands at $3.81, according to AAA, just under the all-time high for Labor Day of $3.83 in 2012. However, gasoline demand typically drops for US motorists after the holiday so it remains unclear what immediate effect this could have on the American market, AAA spokesman Andrew Gross said.

“I’m more concerned about what the rest of hurricane season may hold,” Gross told The Associated Press. “A big storm along the Gulf coast could move prices dramatically here.”

China’s premier on charm offensive as Asean summit protests Beijing’s aggression at sea

By Edna Tarigan & Jim Gomez

The Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia—In talks

with Southeast Asian leaders Wednesday in the Indonesian capital, Chinese Premier Li Qiang underscored his country’s importance as the world’s second-biggest economy and as the top trading partner of the region.

Countering renewed alarm over Beijing’s aggression in the disputed South China Sea, Li cited China’s long history of friendship with Southeast Asia, including joint efforts to confront the coronavirus pandemic and how both sides have settled differences through dialogue.

“As long as we keep to the right path, no matter what storm may come, China-Asean cooperation will be as firm as ever and press ahead against all odds,” Li said. “We have preserved peace and tranquility in East Asia in a world fraught with turbulence and change.”

But rival claimant states in the South China Sea, which belong to the 10-nation bloc of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have protested China’s aggressive moves to fortify its vast territorial claims in the strategic sea passage. A new Chinese map set off a wave of protests from other countries’ leaders, who say it shows Beijing’s expansive claims encroaching into their coastal waters.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his alarm over recent combativeness in the

disputed waters. In early August, a Chinese coast guard ship used a water cannon to try to block a Philippine navy-operated boat that was bringing supplies to Filipino forces in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

“We do not seek conflict, but it is our duty as citizens and as leaders to always rise to meet any challenge to our sovereignty, to our sovereign rights, and our maritime jurisdictions in the South China Sea,” Marcos told fellow leaders in an Asean-only meeting Tuesday.

A copy of Marcos’ remarks during Asean’s hourlong meeting with Qiang on Wednesday issued to journalists showed the Philippine president fired a veiled critique but did not raise any specific aggressions in the disputed sea.

The Philippines “continues to uphold the primacy of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as the framework within which all activities in the seas and oceans are conducted,” Marcos said in the meeting. “We once again reaffirm our commitment to the rule

of law and peaceful settlement of disputes.”

In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, set up under that United Nations convention, ruled that China’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea based on historical grounds have no legal basis.

China, a full dialogue partner of Asean, did not participate in the arbitration sought in 2013 by the Philippines, rejected the 2016 ruling, and continues to defy it.

China, Taiwan and some Asean member states—Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam—have been locked for decades in an increasingly tense territorial standoff in the South China Sea, where a bulk of global trade transits.

It’s also become a delicate frontline in the US-China rivalry.

Washington does not lay any claim to the offshore region but has deployed its warships and fighters to undertake what it says are freedom of navigation and overflight patrols. China has warned the US not to meddle in what it says is a purely Asian dispute.

The South China Sea conflicts do not directly include the rest of the Asean—Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar. Questions have been raised why the regional bloc, and its current leader Indonesia, failed to issue any expression of alarm over the Chinese coast guard’s actions, which were strongly opposed by the US and other Western and Asian nations.

Hurricane Idalia just plowed through Florida and US forecasters said Tuesday that Tropical Storm Lee in the Atlantic Ocean will become an “extremely dangerous” hurricane by Friday.

Meanwhile, higher gasoline prices can increase transportation costs and ultimately push the prices of goods even higher at a time when the US and much of the world is already raising interest rates to combat inflation.

“The impact these cuts will have on inflation and economic policy in the West is hard to predict, but higher oil prices will only increase the likelihood of more fiscal tightening, especially in the US, to curtail inflation,” said Jorge Leon, a senior vice president at Rystad Energy.

The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other Opec+ producers have agreed to extend earlier production cuts through next year.

A series of production cuts over the past year has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combating inflation. But with international travel back up to nearly pre-pandemic levels, the demand for oil likely will continue to rise.

The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom’s economy, reduce its dependence on oil and to create jobs for a young population.

The plan includes several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.

But Saudi Arabia also has to manage its relationship with Washington. Biden campaigned on a promise of making the kingdom’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a “pariah” over the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

In recent months, tensions eased slightly as Biden’s administration sought a deal with Riyadh for it to diplomatically recognize Israel.

But those talks include Saudi Arabia pushing for a nuclear cooperation deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom—something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges open the door to a possible weapons program.

Prince Mohammed already has said the kingdom would pursue an atomic bomb if Iran had one, potentially creating a nuclear arms race in the region as Tehran’s program continues to advance closer to weaponsgrade levels. Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a détente in recent months, though the region remains tense amid the wider tensions between Iran and the US.

Higher oil prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine. Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow’s revenues. But those sanctions have seen Moscow forced to sell its oil at a discount to countries like China and India.

The Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

China and Japan compete over infrastructure at Asean Summit

By Isabel Reynolds & Chandra Asmara

Marty Natalegawa, a respected former foreign minister of Indonesia, called Asean’s failure to condemn China’s aggressive acts “a deafening silence.”

Aside from the long-simmering territorial conflicts, the Jakarta summit talks focused on the protracted civil strife in Myanmar, which has tested Asean and caused divisions among member states on how to effectively resolve the crisis.

An assessment of a five-point Asean peace plan showed it has failed to make any significant progress since it was introduced two years ago. The plan calls for an immediate end to the deadly hostilities, and a dialogue between contending parties, including that of Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected officials who were overthrown by the army in an internationally condemned seizure of power that sparked a civil strife.

Despite the plan’s failure so far, the Asean leaders decided to stick with it and continue to ban Myanmar’s generals and their appointed officials from the bloc’s high-level summit meetings—including the ongoing talks in Jakarta, an Asean statement said.

Myanmar security forces have killed about 4,000 civilians and arrested 24,410 others since the army takeover, according to rights monitoring organization the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

T he Associated Press journalist Niniek Karmini contributed to this report.

CHINESE Premier Li Qiang is set to inspect a high-speed train funded by his nation in Indonesia, even as rival Japan underscores its willingness to help the region develop transport infrastructure.

Li and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit that opened this week in Jakarta, with ties between their countries in a freeze over Japan’s discharge of treated wastewater into the ocean from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

T he two Asian giants have often competed to help provide infrastructure to nations across the region. Many in Japan were disappointed when it lost out to China on the project for the Jakarta-Bandung highspeed rail link.

While construction of the railroad has been beset by problems and delays, the current plan is for commercial operations to begin Oct. 1 after a soft opening on Friday.

Li’s symbolic train visit with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister of Maritime and

Investment Affairs Luhut Panjaitan comes hours after Kishida told a forum his country would seek to support transport infrastructure development in Asean. He made the topic chief among six areas targeted for cooperation as Japan celebrates the 50th anniversary of relations with the group.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo— who’s better known as Jokowi—told a later meeting that Asean hopes Japan can ramp up its contributions to the region’s infrastructure. Asean needs $184 billion in annual spending, Jokowi said.

A r eport by the Australian government released Wednesday estimated Southeast Asia would have a $3 trillion infrastructure gap by 2040 and called on Canberra to do more to address the lack of investment.

The other sectors where Japan will seek to bolster ties include coastguard capabilities as well as improving the stability of power supply, Kishida said.

Japan is set to host a commemorative Asean summit in December, at which Kishida said he’d seek to set out a vision for his country’s future relations with the region. With assistance from Ben Westcott/ Bloomberg

Asean chair loss as bloc slams violence

Myanmar junta plays down

By Khine Lin Kyaw & Philip J. Heijmans

MYANMAR’S junta played down

the Association of Southeast

Asian Nations’ decision to strip it of the chairmanship in 2026, saying it had other priorities that include making preparations to hold elections seen by the West as a sham.

With violence in Myanmar only getting worse since the military coup more than two years ago, Philippine President Ferdinand

Marcos Jr. announced on Tuesday that his country was ready to stand-in and helm the 10-nation regional bloc in three years. Myanmar hasn’t been invited to Asean meetings since the 2021 coup.

“There are a lot of things to do with preparations for general elections, restoring stability and the rule of law, which we will mainly prioritize on,” junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said on Tuesday. “There could be some disturbances” if Myanmar were to take on the chairmanship, he said. Bloomberg News

A CUSTOMER pumps gas at an Exxon gas station on May 10, 2022 in Miami. Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed Tuesday, September 5, 2023, to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices. The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon, a price unseen in the market since last November. AP/MARTA LAVANDIER

CHINA’S Premier Li Qiang speaks at the 26th Asean-China Summit during the 43rd Asean Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. YASUYOSHI CHIBA/POOL VIA AP

The World

Africa Climate Summit links ‘unfair’ debt burden with calls to make continent’s green assets pay off

By Cara Anna & Evelyne Musambi The Associated Press

“Those who produce the garbage refuse to pay their bills,” President William Ruto, a host of the summit, said to an audience that included senior officials from China, the United States and the European Union—some of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

The rapidly growing African continent of more than 1.3 billion people is losing 5 percent to 15 percent of its gross domestic product growth every year to the widespread impacts of climate change, according to Ruto. It’s a source of deep frustration in the resource-rich region that contributes by far the least to global warming.

He and other leaders urged reforms to the global financial structures that have left African nations paying about five times more to borrow money than others, worsening the debt crisis for many. Africa has more than 30 of the world’s most indebted countries, Kenya’s Cabinet secretary for the environment, Soipan Tuya, said.

The US government’s climate envoy, John Kerry, acknowledged the “acute, unfair debt.” He also said 17 of the world’s 20 countries most impacted by climate change are in Africa—while the world’s 20 richest nations, including his own, produce 80 percent of the world’s carbon emissions that are driving

climate change.

Asked about the Kenyan president’s call for a carbon tax discussion, Kerry said President Joe Biden has “not yet embraced any particular carbon pricing mechanism.”

Ruto said Africa’s 54 countries “must go green fast before industrializing and not vice versa, unlike (richer nations) had the luxury to do.” Transforming Africa’s economy on a green trajectory “is the most feasible, just and efficient way to attain a net-zero world by 2050,” he said.

Climate finance is key, speakers said. A pledge by richer nations of $100 billion a year to help developing nations achieve their climate

goals remains unfulfilled, and Ruto said the summit declaration will “firmly encourage” everyone to keep their promises.

The United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the next United Nations climate meeting later this year, announced it plans to invest $4.5 billion in Africa’s “clean energy potential.”

The African continent has 60 percent of the world’s renewable energy assets and more than 30 percent of the minerals key to renewable and low-carbon technologies. One goal of the summit is to transform the narrative around the continent from victim to assertive, wealthy partner.

“It’s becoming increasingly

difficult to explain to our people, particularly to our youth, the contradiction: resourcerich continent and poor people,” Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde said.

Africa’s GDP should be revalued for its assets, which include the world’s second-largest rainforest and biodiversity, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina said.

“Africa cannot be nature-rich and cash-poor,” he said.

But divisions are evident around the issue that was little mentioned in the opening speeches and yet is at the heart of the tough conversations ahead: fossil fuels.

Africa must use its natural gas resources—a growing interest of Europe—along with renewable energy sources, Adesina said. “Give us space to grow,” he said.

Ruto, however, has criticized the “addiction” to fossil fuels. His country now gets more than 90 percent of its energy from renewables.

“We don’t have to do what the developed countries did to power their industries. It will be harder to use renewable energy exclusively, but it can be done,” said one local summit attendee, Martha Lusweti.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the summit attendees that it’s time for the world to

“break our addiction to fossil fuels.” Worldwide spending on fossil fuel subsidies reached $7 trillion in 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund.

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said African nations could produce enough clean energy to power the continent and export abroad, “but for this, Africa needs massive investment.”

Some of Africa’s biggest economies rely on fossil fuels. South Africa’s coal-fired plants are struggling. Parts of Nigeria’s Niger Delta are slick from oil extraction. Some of Africa’s cities have the world’s worst air pollution. A TotalEnergies pipeline project in Uganda and Tanzania is being challenged.

Missing from the summit were the leaders of a number of Africa’s largest economies including South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt, as well as forest-rich Congo.

Also missing from the leading speakers was China, the world’s largest emitter of heat-trapping gases, Africa’s largest trading partner and one of its biggest creditors.

Some African leaders gave passionate descriptions of climate change’s toll.

“The seas that once serenaded us with lullabies now warn of rising tides,” Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio, said. “It is an African story, and I daresay it’s a global story, too.”

India’s PM uses G-20 summit to advertise his global reach and court voters

By Sheikh Saaliq The Associated Press

NEW DELHI—Major roads in New Delhi are teeming with giant posters and billboards announcing India’s presidency of this week’s summit of the Group of 20 nations. And one leader’s picture—smiling benignly from every traffic circle—stands out from the rest: Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi is also on the front page of major newspapers, and Indian TV channels are flashing his picture, accompanied by the Hindi word “Vishwaguru”—a leader of the world. In public speeches, his ministers are touting him as a steward of a surging India.

It is an unabashed homage to the populist prime minister and staunch Hindu nationalist, who is celebrated by his supporters and by his party as someone who is leading a developing nation of more than 1.4 billion people to a bright new future.

But this advertising blitz also displays the personal ambitions of Modi, who in the past has used the optics of New Delhi’s growing geopolitical clout and foreign policy triumphs to consolidate power. Experts say while India’s presidency of the summit represents a moment of pride for the country, Modi’s government has also used it to market the leader’s image and elevate his party’s prospects ahead of a national vote scheduled for next year.

“Modi is positioning himself as a global statesman, a global thought leader...and the voice of a rising India. And all of this, I believe, is designed to feed into the Modi personality cult, which is a very expertly created, very well marketed cult, designed to appeal to a demographic which will be very swayed by these promises of rising India,” said Sagarika Ghose, a political analyst.

The September 9-10 summit, which groups the world’s 19 wealthiest countries plus the European Union, is particularly important for Modi ahead of the 2024 election, and a strong show will allow his ruling Hindu nationalist party to project power domestically. Ahead of the summit, historical monuments, airports and major landmarks are projecting this year’s G-20 logo—an image of a globe inside a lotus, using the colors of the Indian flag. The opposition says it is no coincidence that the lotus is also the election symbol of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Indian officials have also conducted events showcasing India’s contributions

at home

to the world, including yoga and a highly successful government-run digital transactions system. Schools have been told to hold quiz competitions regarding the G-20. And Modi himself, during his periodic radio talk show called “Maan Ki Baat,” or “Straight from the Heart,” said “the month of September is going to witness the potential of India.”

Meanwhile, his ministers have made it clear that the prime minister is to be credited for the summit.

“If G-20 has come to the country during his (Modi’s) time and it is completed with success, then he must get the credit,” his powerful home minister, Amit Shah, told a wire service in February.

The rotating presidency of the G-20 is mostly symbolic and the summit’s success often depends on a final communiqué. This time, however, none of the several meetings held in India has yet produced one, with deadlock persisting over wording on Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Nonetheless, the Modi government has gone into high gear, promoting India as a bridge to the developing world and arguing it is well-placed to tackle issues of climate change, terrorism and the debt crisis. His administration is also highlighting India’s position as a growing power courted by major Western countries, particularly after US President Joe Biden’s state visit in June.

Along the way, Modi’s government has also presented him as the man responsible for India’s economic successes, including its advancements in solar power, digital payments technology and its recent feat of making a successful uncrewed landing near the south polar region of the moon, which is seen by Indians as a major foreign policy triumph.

India’s foreign policy has seen significant strides under Modi, but he remains a divisive figure at home, with critics calling him an enabler of assaults on India’s democratic and religious freedoms and its independent institutions. And even though his government has managed to finely balance its position on Russia’s war in Ukraine, the resurgent opposition says it has done very little to counter a belligerent China after a border dispute between the two Asian powers led to deadly clashes in 2020.

It’s official: Meteorologists say this summer’s swelter was a global record breaker for heat

By Jamey Keaten & Seth Borenstein

The Associated Press

GENEVA—Earth has sweltered through its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured, with a record warm August capping a season of brutal and deadly temperatures, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Last month was not only the hottest August scientists ever recorded by far with modern equipment, it was also the second hottest month measured, behind only July 2023, WMO and the European climate service Copernicus announced Wednesday.

August was about 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial averages, which is the warming thresh -

old that the world is trying not to pass. But the 1.5 C threshold is over decades—not just one month— so scientists do not consider that brief passage that significant.

The world’s oceans—more than 70% of the Earth’s surface—were the hottest ever recorded, nearly 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 degrees Fahrenheit), and have set high temperature marks for three consecutive months, the WMO and Copernicus said.

“The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. “Climate breakdown has begun.”

So far, 2023 is the second hottest year on record, behind 2016, according to Copernicus.

Scientists blame ever warming human-caused climate change

from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas with an extra push from a natural El Nino, which is a temporary warming of parts of the Pacific Ocean that changes weather worldwide. Usually an El Nino, which started earlier this year, adds extra heat to global temperatures but more so in its second year.

“What we are observing, not only new extremes but the persistence of these record-breaking conditions, and the impacts these have on both people and planet, are a clear consequence of the warming of the climate system,” Copernicus Climate Change Service Director Carlo Buontempo said.

Copernicus, a division of the European Union’s space program, has records going back to 1940, but in the United Kingdom and the

Death toll from fierce storms and flooding in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria rises to 8

ISTANBUL—The death toll from severe rainstorms that lashed parts of Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria increased to eight Wednesday after rescue teams located the body of a missing vacationer who was swept away by floodwaters that raged through a campsite in northwest Turkey.

A flash flood at the campsite near the border with Bulgaria carried away bungalow homes. Hundreds of homes and workplaces in several neighborhoods in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, also were inundated during Tuesday’s storms.

At least five people died, three at the campsite and two in Istanbu, authorities said. Rescuers were still searching for three people reported missing at the campsite.

The victims in Istanbul included a 32-year-old Guinean citizen who was trapped inside his ground-floor apartment

district, Turkish broadcaster HaberTurk TV reported. The surging floodwaters affected more

than 1,750 homes and businesses in the city, according to the Istanbul governor’s office.

They included a line of shops in the Ikitelli district, where the deluge dragged parked

United States, global records go back to the mid 1800s and those weather and science agencies are expected to soon report that the summer was a record-breaker.

Scientists have used tree rings, ice cores and other proxies to estimate that temperatures are now warmer than they have been in about 120,000 years. The world has been warmer before, but that was prior to human civilization, seas were much higher and the poles were not icy.

So far, daily September temperatures are higher than what has been recorded before for this time of year, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer. While the world’s air and oceans were setting records for heat, Antarctica continued to set records for low amounts of sea ice, the WMO said.

vehicles and mud into furniture stores, destroying the merchandise, the private DHA news agency reported.

The floods also engulfed a parking area for containers and trucks on the city’s outskirts where people found safety by climbing on the roof of a restaurant, Turkish media reports said.

In Greece, a record rainfall caused at least one death near the central city of Volos and at least five people were reported missing. The fire department said the man was killed when a wall buckled and fell on him.

Authorities banned traffic in Volos, the nearby mountain region of Pilion and the resort island of Skiathos.

In Bulgaria, a storm caused floods on the country’s southern Black Sea coast, leaving two people dead. Three others were missing. TV footage showed cars and camper vans being swept out to sea in the southern resort town of Tsarevo.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in the town and urged people to move upstairs as water swamped the ground floors of some hotels. AP

NAIROBI, Kenya—Climate change is “relentlessly eating away” at Africa’s economic progress and it’s time to have a global conversation about a carbon tax on polluters, Kenya’s president declared Tuesday as the first Africa Climate Summit got underway.

DELEGATES walk outside the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, during the Africa Climate Summit. The summit’s opening speeches included clear calls to reform the global financial structures that have left African nations paying about five times more to borrow money than others, worsening the debt crisis for many. AP/BRIAN INGANGA)

the low-income Kucukcekmece

FLOODWATERS cover a car and the yards of houses in Milina village, Pilion region, central Greece on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Greek police have ordered vehicles off the streets of the central town of Volos and the nearby mountain region of Pilion as a severe storm has hit the area, turning streets into flooded torrents. THANASIS KALLIARAS/EUROKINISSI VIA AP

editorial

Marcos: ‘Rice market is being manipulated’

Stephen King’S “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me” dictum also applies to governance. two days after the pSA’s announcement that inflation rose to 5.3 percent in August, snapping six straight months of declines, president Marcos signed executive Order (eO) 39 capping the price of rice. the nationwide price ceiling mandates a price of p41 per kilo for regular milled rice and p45 per kilo for well-milled rice.

The President knows what’s coming, and he wanted to take control of the situation. Shame on the cartels trying to manipulate rice prices, like what they did to onion prices last year. The hoarders were so shameless they made the Philippines the laughingstock of the world when onions were sold three times as expensive as chicken.

Marcos defended the need for government intervention to address the recent spike in rice prices, which he attributed to attempts of smugglers and hoarders to manipulate the market amid an ongoing harvest season.

“I don’t want to tamper with the market and let it do its work…but our market is being manipulated, so the government has to step in by putting in place a ceiling for the price of rice,” he said.

The President said the government will tap the P6.4-billion sustainable livelihood program fund of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide aid to small-scale rice retailers affected by the price ceiling.

In his speech before flying to Indonesia to attend the 43rd Asean Summit, he said the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture are now coming out with the list of qualified beneficiaries for the initiative through the help of rice retailer associations. (Read the BusinessMirror report, “PBBM vows aid for rice retailers; off to Asean meet,” September 5, 2023).

“The rice retailers should have nothing to worry about. We understand that you will face an ordeal [because of EO 39], since you will suffer losses. The government is there to provide you assistance so you can recoup your losses from the price cap,” Marcos said.

DSWD Secretary Rexlon “Rex” T. Gatchalian confirmed they have sufficient SLP funds to finance the cash grants for the affected retailers.

The House of Representatives is working closely with the Department of Budget and Management to allocate P2 billion in cash assistance for retailers affected by the rice price ceiling imposed by the Palace, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez announced on Monday. “Our goal is to ensure that we can extend assistance to rice retailers who may be affected by this rice price ceiling, as it is a directive from our President aimed at protecting consumers,” Romualdez said. (Read the BusinessMirror report, “House, DBM tweak 2023 budget for P2-billion rice retailers’ aid,” September 5, 2023).

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda backed the setting of a rice price ceiling “as a signal against potential price manipulation and hoarding in the domestic rice market.”

“As long as we have a game plan for the next steps—such as boosting local rice supply and diversifying our import sources—we will come out of this crisis strong,” Salceda said.

“As a signal to the global market, the actions of the Marcos administration have also worked. You see, the behavior of the Philippines massively affects the movement of global rice prices. So, our signaling that we will be aggressive against price manipulation seems to have shown the world market that we will not condone artificial jumps in the price of rice,” he explained.

Salceda recalled that in the 2008 rice price crisis, India imposed a similar export ban, which also disturbed the world rice markets and pushed up the price of rice in the Philippines. “We’ve seen this crisis before. We know how to deal with it. It mostly involves signaling to our world partners that we will not over-import, so that they don’t anticipate and drive prices up.”

Analysts said the price intervention could fail to stem rising food expenses in the long run. They said prices help allocate scarce resources, and price caps distort the efficient allocation of goods.

The chief executive, however, said the price cap will be temporary. “The rice supply will be coming in the second week of September. These include the harvest from the Philippines and those that are imported. There will be no reason to raise the price of rice and we can bring it back to the price that we are used to,” Marcos said.

Adapting to the new ‘Big Three’

and economically. As a side note, Australia depends on China for its entire $11 billion trade surplus.

John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

the most iconic photograph of the 20th century was taken in February 1945 at Yalta, a resort city on the Crimean peninsula. At the “Yalta Conference,” three men—US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, UK prime Minister Winston Churchill, and general Secretary of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin—discussed the postwar reorganization of germany and europe.

From the conference, an “Iron Curtain” was effectively dropped on Europe and the world that lasted more than four decades. Roosevelt and Churchill were members of their nations’ “aristocracy” and Stalin (or Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili) was born in a dirt-poor Georgian family who learned to speak Russian at 8 or 9 years old. These three men decided the destiny of the world for the rest of the century. Were a similar conference held today, who would be in the picture?

The reality is that benchmarking interlocking geopolitical influence, regional power, and global economic importance, the three would be Prime Minister of India Narendra

Modi, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, and President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

While the president of the United States might lead the “top dog” country in many respects, the US does not have an ally that can sit as an equal. Which of the G-7 nations—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK—could take that role? None.

The US can sail its ships—with Japan and Australia tagging along— through the South China Sea from its naval bases in Japan and Guam. But the nearest US shipyard is at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 20,000 nautical miles away. Unless and until “pushcomes-to-shove,” China essentially controls the region both militarily

Russia has changed Joe Biden’s campaign slogan “Build Back Better” to “Build Ukraine Back Better,” creating a bottomless money pit that is forcing the US to go deeper and deeper into debt. Now with BRICS+6, Russia and its allies can move the price of oil anywhere it wants as Europe continues to buy Russian crude from India. “India’s fuel exports to EU up 572 percent since Ukraine war” and “Refined petroleum: India’s top export.”

Further, Indian pharmaceutical products comprise almost 20 percent of the global generic drug exports and supply 40 percent of the generic formulations utilized in the US. Additionally, India is also the largest vaccine producer.

And that illustrates why for the past three years, the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index has traded between 6,200 and 7,100 with historically minimal “Vols”—Volume and Volatility.

I care nothing about “politics” because having studied 5,000 years of government, nothing changes except the faces and the name of the “ideology.” It has always been a war —or a fragile truce—between The Government and The People, regardless if power was given by elections

Take out Edsa bike lanes–For now

Jennifer

Vittorio

Lorenzo

Lyn

Angel

Ruben

Eduardo

D.

Benjamin

Aldwin

Rolando

STREET TALK

iAM a bike advocate. i bike regularly, admittedly more for health reasons, but given the choice, i would rather commute biking than driving a car. it is good for my health, our environment, and should help decongest traffic, given that a bike occupies less space than a car. in an ideal world, cycling is one of the most important modes of sustainable city mobility, second only to walking and definitely more than any motorized transport. that is, in an ideal world.

The problem is, our situation is far from ideal. Metro Manila is neither like Copenhagen nor Amsterdam. We are in a transport crisis worse than before the pandemic. Take the case of Edsa, the most important corridor in Metro Manila. Congestion is evident as businesses, malls and schools are now on normal operations. People need to travel to put food on the table and do what is necessary. Just like a river flow, all sorts of vehicles will fight for whatever space in that corridor. We can see this now. Motorcyclists risk penalties using the bike lanes…yet they do, because they have no choice. And

I do not agree that bicycle lanes remain on Edsa, not now, with our present state of congestion, our sheer lack of proper infrastructure and our lack of proper transportation. That one bike lane can be put to better use for the majority. And along Edsa, these are not the cyclists.

it will get worse.

That is why I do not agree that bicycle lanes remain on Edsa, not now, with our present state of congestion, our sheer lack of proper infrastructure and our lack of proper transportation. That one bike lane can be put to better use for the majority. And along Edsa, these are not the cyclists.

There are more than 400,000 vehicles per day on Edsa, way beyond its absorptive capacity. Of these, motorcycles account for more than 160,000/day and growing. On the other hand, bicycle riders number just 1,500/day. Why just a few cyclists

or taken by the guy with the biggest battle-axe.However, surprises and the resulting confusion always cause uncertainty. The Israelites are freed from 400 years of captivity, and Moses takes a few days off to go up the mountain to talk to “God.” He comes back to see them dancing and worshipping a Golden Calf. Then they refuse to enter the Promised Land, and as punishment wander around the desert for 40 years.

Imagine you were in a coma since 1987 and wake up to President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. Imagine going to sleep in 1945 and the “Big Three” are now Xi, Putin, and Modi. PSE investors are at best in “Truce Mode” with both domestic and global circumstances. Humans process information quickly but emotionally/intellectually are turtle-slow to adjust and adapt. Not to worry much...yet. I wrote previously that if you liked 2020/2022, you would love 2023. Next year, 2024, will be even more interesting. However, by then, the Philippines and the PSE will have adjusted and adapted. Prosperity is coming.

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

less congestion, cleaner air, a better quality of life, who would not want these? But we don’t have this right now and to have them would take time. Right now, we need a solution, albeit a stopgap quick fix, that should work.

on Edsa, despite the latest SWS survey that 2 out 3 Filipinos ride bikes?

That’s because Edsa, especially during weekdays (weekends are fine) are just not safe for cyclists. So they avoid it. I know. I tried it myself.

That gun-toting incident involving a dismissed cop—whom I believe is being treated with kid gloves—and a cyclist notwithstanding, biking on Edsa is a suicide run. With all vehicles fighting for every inch of available space, the least vulnerable will always be on harm’s way.

Thomas M. Orbos See “Orbos” A19

Let me be clear on this—remove bike lanes only along Edsa. Bike lanes on other corridors can be on a caseto-case basis. This is also a temporary solution until we reach the ideal situation. Bike lanes, sustainable transport, smart cities, mass rail transit, expanded cities and townships outside Metro Manila—all resulting to

But where do we accommodate the cyclists? Cyclists can easily adapt, especially if they are given their own real bike lanes, so long as it gets them to their destination. That planned elevated bike lane would do, but again, that takes time and money. Here are three ideas, readily doable with minimal costs: First, a hybrid Edsaparallel bike road that plies the same north-south line but less congested.

From Monumento, cyclists can ride all the way to SM North Edsa, then turn to North Avenue, Quezon City, hit QC Circle, take Kalayaan, then have the Cubao inner roads; where cyclists can enter Camp Aguinaldo, then use select roads at specific times of the exclusive villages of Corinthians and Valle Verde (they already agreed before). Crossing Pasig River gets you to BGC then Lawton to Villamor, all the way to Roxas Blvd! All parallel, same length as Edsa, with less traffic and less endangerment to cyclists.

Another way would be to confine

So the people may know RC Manila supports art exhibit by kids with disability

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza MAKE SENSE

I am publishing our communication with President Marcos on the illegal use of palm olein that is hurting our coconut industry and depriving the government of billions of pesos.

December 5, 2022

Dear President Marcos:

THE Rotary Club of Manila (RCM), founded in 1919 and the oldest Rotary Club in Asia, continues to support children or kids with disability (KWD) or special needs on a year-on-year program and projects dedicated for the purpose. In partnership with Hospicio de San Jose (HSJ), they are conducting an art exhibit of the children’s fine works belonging to the Angels of Rendu Art Club (ARAC) under this year’s theme called Expanding Horizons, to be held on September 14, 2023.

The exhibit aims to raise enough funds to completely renovate the Rendu Ward. Inside the Hospicio where the special children stay, one of them paints with her foot. The other kids from the other wards are either abandoned or abused.

The Angels of Rendu Art Club, named in honor of Rosalie Rendu, a worker and leading organizer of care for Paris slum dwellers during the 19th century, who was beatified by the Catholic Church for the holiness of her life.

Based in Hospicio de San Jose, the ARAC started with just a couple of kids in the 2019 exhibit; and now it has 12. Their works differ from most artists who have a wide array of life experiences in the open world to draw their subjects and interpretations. Whereas, the artworks in this exhibit are simply testaments of wonder and hope as the children, inch by inch, push their limits outside their shelter in the HSJ. It is like the child artists are staring at the end of the sea. However, their social and physical limitations have not prevented them to explore and expand their artistic horizons.

From September 14 to October 1, 2023, established artists like Solen Heussaff, Melissa Yeung Yap, Spencer Ozo, Kate Bautista, Jean Uy Yam and the Club Founder Mr. Phillip Ong were especially invited to do collaborative works with the children.

The RCM never wavers in its support to the underprivileged KWD. Former DILG Secretary and current RCM President Raffy Alunan III explained that aside from the funds going to the complete renovation of the Rendu Ward, sales proceeds from the exhibit will all go to the Hospicio.

Alunan calls on our generous countrymen to support the noble yearly undertaking, hoping that Hospicio de San Jose will become a permanent hub for arts and crafts.

n n n ON the cities of Makati and Taguig’s 30 years of legal face off to determine who has territorial jurisdiction over the enlisted men’s barrios (EMBO) and that of Bonifacio Global City (BGC) that I have written last week and in prior dates, the Supreme Court (SC) has ruled with finality that the cited areas are part and parcel of Taguig.

Well, some legal minds have the opinion that, perhaps, had Makati not dragged the case further, it could have retained

From September 14 to October 1, 2023, established artists like Solen Heussaff, Melissa Yeung Yap, Spencer Ozo, Kate Bautista, Jean Uy Yam and the Club Founder Mr. Phillip Ong were especially invited to do collaborative works with the children.

its jurisdiction over the EMBOs, and only the BGC had gone to Taguig’s jurisdiction.

A certain Atty. Darwin Canete, a prosecutor, thinks that Binay’s desire to keep jurisdiction of BGC through the Courts, ended up with them losing not just the 240 hectares military reservation in Fort Bonifacio but also the EMBO barangays, losing a total of 729 hectares territory to Taguig.

Tracing back, in 1993, Taguig City filed a petition to solidify its jurisdiction over BGC and opposed Makati’s claim of ownership over the area before the Pasig City RTC to seek “Judicial Confirmation of the Territory and Boundary Limits of [Taguig] and Declaration of the Unconstitutionality and Nullity of Certain Provisions of Presidential Proclamations 2475 and 518, with Prayer for Writ of Preliminary Injunction and Temporary Restraining Order.”

Taguig won at the RTC in 2011. But Makati pursued the case before the Court of Appeals, where it eventually won in 2013. Then former Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay proposed an income sharing deal with Taguig for BGC. However, Mayor Lani Cayetano refused and preferred the Supreme Court final judgement.

Taguig appealed before the CA, got its nod because the latter was found guilty of forum shopping by reaching both RTC and CA at the same time.

As a last resort, Makati elevated the case before the SC, and last April, the SC ruled with finality, granting Taguig City the territorial jurisdiction over the EMBOs and BGC.

As we write this, Taguig already assumed jurisdiction with almost all government agencies such as the DepEd, DILG, DBM, PNP, DOH abiding by the decision of the SC although school infrastructures ownership remain a legal issue. The Comelec complied too, fixing affected voters’ registrations from Makati to Taguig for the upcoming Barangay and SK elections. All’s well that ends well.

For comments, tweet@billy andal or email@andalbilly@yahoo.com

I respectf u lly write to Your Excellency, Mr Pr es id ent in your concurrent capacit y as Secretary of Ag r icu ture.

I am currently the chairman of the Federation of Phi lippine Industries president of the Coconut Oil Refiners Association, and chairman of Fight Illicit Trade (FightIT)

The problem:

One of the major problems facing the agriculture sector is the illega l use of imported pa lm olein t hat s not only robbing the government of needed revenues but is also hurting the domestic coconut industry

I am aware of and fully support the admin stration’s efforts to strengthen our farm sector to promote food secur ity and a better economy in the count ryside.

I also know t hat the coconut industry is very close to your heart, w it h your mother, Former First Lady meld a R Marcos, coming from the coconut-rich Leyte province.

I’ve also highlighted in numerous fora the efforts of your father t he late President Ferdinand E Marcos, to support the coconut industry as ear y as the 1960s and early ’70s. In my biography “Advocacy in Action:

The Life as a Crusader and Relent less Warrior of Dr Jesus Lim Arranza,” I discussed how t he ad m in st rat ion of your father came up with var ious mechanisms to protect t he consumers from rising coconut oil prices while giving t he coconut industry more window of opport un it y to take advantage of t he better value of coconut oil in the world market

With this, I know that we share the same high eve of concern for the coconut industry, which is providing

livelihood to m llions of Filipino Families while being a net dollar earner for the country.

The modus operandi:

Under the present reg ul at ion s of the Depar tment of Agriculture (DA), products that are u ltimately compounded to produce animal feeds can be imported duty-free and without VAT

Using this DA reg ul ation, unscrupulous i mport e r s have obt a ined permits from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to br ing into the country huge volumes of palm olein in the guise of using t hem for compounding anima l feeds for hogs and cows.

Immediately this should make the BAI suspicious because if they are used only for the product on of anima l feeds, what is needed is merely refined bleached and deodorized palm oi l and not palm olein, which is more expensive because it has undergone extra processing, called fractionation.

We have received reliable reports and obtained some documents that may lead to a thorough invest igat on and catch unscrupulous importers who are actually using palm olein for other purposes but are declaring their importations as for compounding of animal feeds to avoid the payment of va lue-added tax (VAT) and other taxes and duties.

The reality is that a big portion of the imported palm olein is being d iverted for sa le to either 1) producers of biodiesel as additive to diesel fuel and 2) to t he retail market (public m a rkets, groce r ies supermarkets and sari-sari stores) as cooking oil for eventual sale to the consuming public.

While pertinent Department of Energy (DOE) regulations specifica lly provide that only coconut oil can be blended with diesel to produce “biodiesel,” these importers are actually

delivering palm olein instead to substitute for coconut oil. This is ma in y due to t he fact t hat coconut is always priced higher in t he world market.

Since coconut oil is a lways priced much higher than palm olein these impor ters are getting another windfall of cash from subst itut ng coconut oil with pam olein This is seriously hurt ing the coconut farmers and coconut indust r y

The ill effects of the illegal importation of palm olein

The government is deprived of billions in Value Added Tax and the coconut industry as a whole—from the farmers to the mi llers, are facing unfair competit ion which may eventually result in their demise Farmers are among the poorest of the poor and are now part of the marg ina lized sector of society

Disturbing revelations from interview wit h BAI Direc tor

In one episode of our weekly radio and TV prog ram, Dito sa Bayan ni Juan, which is now in its second decade, over DZAR (part of the media network of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy) my co-host , Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and, I were able to invite for interview Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director and now OIC-Director Reildrin Morales on the palm olein issue.

Unfortunately, Director Morales could not explain the following issues:

1. While admitting that total certifications issued by BAI (re the duty- and VAT-free importations of palm oil for feeds) have been increasing, he could not explain why this is happening despite the fact that the African Swine Fever had become an epidemic and had caused thousands of hog deaths, especially dur ng the last three years of the past administration

2 Why BAI has no listing of the feed producers (feed mi llers), which is very necessary in determining whether the total imported palm olein was really used in the manufacture of feeds.

I volunteered myself to help the director in conducting an investigation into this because I have some data and personal knowledge being part of the coconut industry for quite

some time, but until now I have not received any invitation from the director

I do not wish to burden Your Excellency with details on the matters discussed above But assure you that the undersigned and other resource persons from both the FPI and CORA are most willing and able to discuss and prove these points during a meeting that hopefully will be called by the Department of Agr icu ture to investigate the illegal use of imported palm olein.

I also take this opportunity to inform His Excellency of FPl s support for the programs of your administration in curbing smuggling, leveling the playing field, and stifling unfair competit ion

Thank you, Mr President Very truly yours,

Jesus Lim Arranza

M alacañang’s action consisted of a letter to Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo F Panganiban December 19, 2022

Dear Undersecretary Panganiban

May we respectfully refer, for eva luation and/or appropriate action the attached etter of Mr. Jesus Lim A rranza Chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) Inc., requesting a meeting with the DA to discuss the alleged illega l use of imported palm olein, which is hurting the domestic coconut industry and depriv ing the government of valueadded tax He a lso expressed the FPl’s support for t he administration’s programs in curbing smuggling leveling the playing field, and st if ing unfair competit ion.

Kindly evaluate the merits of the request in accordance with your existing guidelines and applicable laws, rules and regulations

Your Office may provide updates to Mr Arranza copy furnished the President ia l Management Staff citing Tracking ID no PMS-2022122478 as reference.

Thank you and best regards

Signed:

Atty. Rodolfo John Robert C. Palattao IV Undersecretary

Alarming humanitarian crisis and massive sexual violence in conflict-wracked eastern Congo, UN says

By Edith M. Lederer | The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The

with 8 million people in urgent need of assistance and women and girls subjected to sexual violence on a massive scale—just in three provinces, a senior UN official said Tuesday.

Edem Wosornu, the UN humanitarian office’s operations director who just returned from a trip to Congo with emergency directors from UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, said that what they saw and heard “was shocking, heartbreaking and sobering.”

She said the situation in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces “is frankly the worst situation we have ever seen,” and that’s in a country where more than 26 million people are hungry and need food.

Wosornu told a news conference that gender-based violence is “being perpetrated on a massive and distressing scale” with more than 35,000 survivors seeking access to treatment and services after attacks in just the first six months of 2023 in the three provinces. Given that only a fraction of survivors report gender-based violence, she said, “the number is likely

to be higher.”

Conflict has been simmering for decades in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where Wosornu said more than 130 armed groups are fighting mainly for control of land and mines though some groups are trying to protect their communities.

Fighting spiked in late 2021 when M23, a rebel group linked to neighboring Rwanda that was largely dormant for nearly a decade, resurfaced and started capturing territory. M23 rose to prominence in 2012 when its fighters seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city on the border with Rwanda.

Recently, attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces, which is believed to have ties to the Islamic State extremist group, have also spiked along with intercommunal violence.

Gabriella Waaijman, global humanitarian director at London-based Save the Children International who

was also on the trip, said Congo has the highest number of grave violations against children and one of the highest number of displaced people in the world—and the number of internally displaced people grew by a further one million this year.

The scale of suffering and insufficient funding have left humanitarian workers in the impossible situation every day of deciding whether to prioritize water, shelter or medical support for the constant stream of newly displaced people. And one result of the overwhelming needs is that thousands and thousands of children aren’t able to go to school, she said.

The UN appealed for $2.3 billion for humanitarian assistance for Congo this year but has received just one-third, $764 million, Wosornu said, and it has been able to help just 1.4 million people, “a fraction of the number of people in need.”

The executive directors group met with Congo’s minister of humanitarian affairs and the military governors of Ituri and North Kivu and stressed the need to improve protection and security for civilians, the responsibility of national authorities to address escalating gender-based violence, and the critical importance of restoring

peace which is what every person they met asked for, she said.

Waaijman said money is needed urgently to scale up humanitarian help and save lives, but what people really need is peace “and their government to step up and help them to return home safely or else provide them land so that they can be settled elsewhere and start anew.”

Congo’s vast mineral wealth has fueled war, displacement and hunger, she said, and particularly heartbreaking was to see the impact on eastern Congo’s pygmy community, “one of the last hunter-gatherer communities left on earth.”

“This community has lived in the equatorial jungle for thousands of years, taking from the land only what they need to survive nothing more,” but the fight for cobalt, a key mineral for electric vehicle batteries, and diamonds for engagement rings in jungle areas is destroying their way of life “for good,” Waaijman said.

The emergency directors met with pygmy members in displacement sites where she said they are struggling to survive, with not enough to eat in an unfamiliar environment, and “their rights completely trampled and no accountability.”

times of day for modes of transport rather than none at all, similar to a truck ban, which, I believe, should be implemented again. Cyclists can

take the first run on Edsa (4:00-8:00 a.m.), Mondays to Saturdays, then later (8-10 p.m.). This is even good for cyclists with cooler temperature and less traffic on the road. MMDA can then provide proper lighting and enforcers for the cyclists’ safety during these off-hours.

Another idea: Revive the old Edsa bike corridor on the sidewalk. Narrower, but with proper enforcement, it would work with both pedestrians and cyclists. And it won’t eat up on the Edsa lanes.

I may offend mobility advocates by suggesting the removal of the Edsa

bike lanes, but we are facing another traffic crisis. Ideal and necessary are not always on the same page. The Edsa bike lanes had a good run during the pandemic, but now it is time to adjust.

The time will come when our transport situation will be what we

desire: proper roads, sustainable transport, and safe passage. It is all in the pipeline. I trust our transport and urban planners. For now, let’s give them the breathing space to do what’s right and make the necessary adjustments. Allow them to be like emergency ward doctors who need

to do the necessary to keep the patient alive. If Edsa bike lanes need to be taken out for now, for the greater good, then we should make it easy for them to do so.

humanitarian situation in conflictwracked eastern Congo has deteriorated alarmingly in the past 18 months

A20 Thursday, September 7, 2023

AFP backs disposal of real properties for MUP seed

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE military supports the proposal of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to dispose of its real properties as well as assets left from its Retirement and Separation Benefits System (RSBS) worth about P44 billion, and use the proceeds as seed capital for a new and separate pension fund for soldiers, newly confirmed AFP chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has told the Commission on Appointments (CA), according to a senior lawmaker.

A t Brawner’s recent confirmation hearing, CA Majority Leader LRay Villafuerte said Brawner supported the defense secretary’s position on the sale of AFP assets and the establishment of a pension system for soldiers separate from those of other uniformed personnel.

“ I share the same sentiment, especially on the separation of the military from the other uniformed services when it comes to

the pension system. We are going to use the existing assets of the AFP to be able to fund the pension that will be needed by our retirees and by our personnel, Mr. Chair,” said Brawner, when asked by Villafuerte whether he shares Teodoro’s position on the substitute Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) pension reform bill passed last month by a House ad hoc committee.

V illafuerte, echoing Brawner’s

report, said that based on the military leadership’s consultations with stakeholders, soldiers are willing to contribute their share to the new fund to keep the proposed AFP pension system a sustainable one, but they agree with Teodoro that their personal contribution should be at an amount that would—in the defense secretary’s words—affect those in active service in “the least possible way.”

T he House ad hoc committee on the MUP, chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, last month passed a substitute bill on pension reform deemed acceptable to all stakeholders, including Teodoro, who had opposed the measure’s original version.

V illafuerte said at the CA hearing that the financial pickle in the current system is that the retirement pensions and benefits of our MUP are “fully funded by the national government through the annual appropriations despite having no contributions from the retirees.”

B rawner replied, partly in Filipino, that “the AFP has always been willing to sacrifice for our country, and when this news came out about the possible financial collapse of our country because of the pension system, when the

BID TO JUNK ESCROW IN SEAFARER BILL GAINS

soldiers talked about this matter, and when we did our consultations, our soldiers signalled readiness to sacrifice once more.”

He added: “In fact, as I mentioned earlier, when I came into the service, we were already contributing to the RSBS for our pension. Unfortunately, the RSBS had to be closed down because probably of mismanagement, but our soldiers are ready.”

“ During our consultations, as much as possible, the personal contribution of our soldiers would not be too big. That is why Secretary Teodoro came up with a scheme in order for us to be able to generate funds for our pension so that we will no longer rely on our GAA (General Appropriations Act or national budget),” Brawner said.

Brawner said this means that even those in the AFP “are also thinking of ways on how to help our country deal with this.”

V illafuerte then assured Brawner that he, along with members of Congress, “share the same sentiment. AFP members should be focusing on their jobs and their families, and when you retire, you should be fully compensated.”

Continued on A5

APPEALING to senators to address “anti-seafarers” provisions in the proposed Magna Carta law for seafarers, a partylist group has urged the Senate to pass a Magna Carta bill with security of tenure and other benefits for them, and without an escrow provision.

B ayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares made the statement as he expressed concern over the insertion of an escrow provision in the Magna Carta for Seafarers Rights approved by the House of Representatives.   He called on the Senate not to do the same, saying it would essentially defeat the legal rights of seafarers to compensation for violations by ship owners and management.

W hen the Senate deliberated on the House-endorsed bill on Monday, several senators indicated they would oppose the escrow provision, which bars the outright grant of claims won by seafarers in labor court, so these could be put in escrow until the case –which could go all the way to the high court –is finally resolved. Those pushing it, including big manning agencies and shipping firms, had said the quick grant of monetary

claims to seafarers encourages ambulance chasers who prod the workers to file even flimsy cases, and then walk away with the lion’s share of the won claims.

O pposers of this provision said, however, it unduly punishes complaining seafarers, including those who filed for damages, who often can barely find good-paying jobs after being injured at work. Making them wait for many years while their money is in escrow is injust, critics said—a point that senators like Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros and Migrant Workers committee chair Sen. Raffy Tulfo agreed with.

I n Colmenares’s explanation, “The Magna Carta for Seafarers Rights approved by the House of Representatives inserted a provision that even if seafarers win their case for compensation against employers, the award for compensation will be placed on escrow and will not be given to them while the employer appeals. The current rule is if seafarers win their case at the NLRC, the compensation shall be awarded to the winning seafarer even if the employer appeals.

Continued on A5

Marcos hails ‘progress’ in SCS Code of Conduct talks

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday reported a breakthrough in the ongoing efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to craft the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea (SCS).

“ We are pleased that at the last negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea held in Manila a few weeks ago, that some progress was made in discussing the milestone issues and a preliminary review of the Single Draft Negotiating Text (SDNT),” the chief executive said during his intervention in the 26th Asean-China Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.

H e made the remark as he stressed the importance of the COC to prevent further international disputes in the SCS, which may

hamper maritime navigation and trade.

A n operational COC based on 1982 United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) will help ensure peace in the SCS, according to Marcos.

We must emphasize that practical cooperation in the maritime domain can only flourish with an enabling environment of regional peace, security, and stability, anchored in international law,” Marcos said.

S uch cooperation includes the Asean-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations as well as efforts for China’s Belt and Road Initiative to complement the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

Hegemonic ambition

IN his intervention during the 43rd Asean Summit Retreat, the President pushed for fast tracking the comple-

tion of the COC and operationalization of the Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) for Maritime Interaction to ensure international order instead of “hegemonic ambition” will take precedence in addressing SCS-related issues.

As tensions and mistrust between the great powers escalate, so, too, does the prospect of miscalculation that threatens to engulf the region, with the severest consequences for all of us,” Marcos said.  “ It is imperative that we leverage the Asean regional architecture to serve as a diplomatic bridge that promises mutual understanding, strategic trust, and peaceful settlement of disputes,” he added.  T he United States has started exerting its influence in the SCS amid the aggression of China in defending its territorial claims in the said area.

CANADA’S Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a bilateral meeting with President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the Asean Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Trudeau invited Marcos to visit Canada next year. SEAN KILPATRICK/THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Proponent of Makati subway wants to talk with local govt

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan & VG Cabuag @villygc

t he High Court ruling transferred 10 barangays to the jurisdiction of taguig City including at least three elements of the subway project—the depot in Barangay Cembo, the planned station in University of makati in West rembo and the planned station in Ospital ng makati in Pembo.

“Under the Joint Venture agreement executed between the makati City Government and the company, the depot and a few stations of the makati City subway system will be in the affected areas. a lso, the alignment of the subway will no longer be feasible,” Infradev said in its disclo-

sure to the stock exchange. Infradev said it has written the makati City government an “Intent Notice to propose the commencement of discussions in light of the change in law the Supreme Court decision brings.”

t he listed company offered to build the makati Subway—called officially as the makati Public r ail transport System—in 2018. the year after, Infradev and the City Government of makati signed the public-private partnership (PPP) deal.

Under the joint venture, makati would only contribute land it currently owns for the project, while In-

fradev will build, operate, and maintain the line.

t he 10-kilometer makati IntraCity Subway was expected to be fully operational by 2025. t he project will have 10 stations and is expected to be operational by 2025.

t he subway was envisioned to connect key points in makati like the current Central Business District at the corner of ayala and Sen. Gil Puyat avenues, Circuit City, makati City Hall, University of makati, Ospital ng makati and other new growth areas within the city.

Philippine Infradev said its wholly owned subsidiary makati City Subway Inc. formed an unincorporated joint venture with r icher today Inc. (rtI) for the financing, design, construction, development, marketing and sale of some 5.5 hectares of lots in and around Station 5 of the makati City Subway Project.

Located near makati City Hall, Station 5 is the main construction site where tunnel-boring machines will be assembled and lowered.

Under the earlier plans, the first station would be in the current location of the makati Central Fire Station, which will be demolished, then towards a Lucio tan-owned property near Circuit makati, and makati City

Hall. t he remaining stations would be located near Century City, rockwell Center, Guadalupe Bliss Housing in Cembo, BGC-Ortigas Link Bridge, University of makati and the final station in the vicinity of Ospital ng makati.

Under the initial design, the subway will have up to 10 air-conditioned, underground island stations which entrances will be linked to destinations across the city. It can accommodate up to six car trains, with room for over 200 persons per car, with more than 700,000 passengers per day to be accommodated and served by the proposed mass transport system. rtI, a holding firm primarily engaged in property acquisitions, fund transfers, remittance services, foreign exchange transactions and other allied activities, is majority owned by real estate and gaming entrepreneur Kevin Kristopher K. Wong.

‘Solve new issues’

FOLLOWING Infradev’s statement, transport advocacy network t he Passenger Forum (tPF) sought Infradev and the local government unit (LGU) of makati to “solve new issues in relation to the railway project.”

Continued on B2

Smart aims to serve more far-flung areas

Smart Communications Inc. said on Wednesday it is banking on deploying new technologies to be able to serve more far-flung areas across the country.

Eric Santiago, the company’s head for network, said Smart is currently evaluating technologies and innovations—including proofs of concept—to be able to reach more areas in the Philippines.

“We have multiple initiatives and are testing several proofs of concept as we search for the best technologies suited to serve more underserved areas,” he said.

Santiago said the company is looking into technologies that would enable a “cost-effective and faster network rollout, as well as studying how to leverage on existing network assets.”

“We are looking at ‘lite BtS ’ [base stations] that could be quickly de-

ployed to provide wireless services. at the same time, we are also optimizing our network assets by reallocating and utilizing our existing infrastructure and redeploying them to areas where we see new communities being built.”

Currently, Smart is using massive mImO (mu ltiple Input, mu ltiple Output) to boost speeds and coverage. “ma ssive mImO enables us to increase the coverage footprint of a cell site by 30 percent and its capacity by 20 percent, just by optimizing its base stations,” Santiago said.

a side from this, Santiago said Smart is expanding the use of solar energy for its cell sites via Solar Energy as a Service (SEaaS) model, which will improve the availability of power supply, especially in areas where there is limited or no commercial power, boosting Smart’s ability

to serve more remote communities.

He said these initiatives will “bolster” Smart and its parent company PLD t Inc.’s integrated fixed and wireless networks, which currently at 1.1 million kilometers of fiber optic cables.

Last month, PLDt Group President a l fredo S. Panlilio said the company plans to “reclaim” its market dominance in mobile after the universal registration of SIm cards resulted in a slimmer market share difference versus its closest competitor, Globe telecom Inc.

Panlilio said Smart is “aspiring” to become the market leader in mobile anew, after losing its dominant position in 2016.

He noted that the key to attaining this is by providing consumers with solutions that they need through constant innovation.

Lorenz S. Marasigan

Aliw Broadcasting receives 3 awards

ALIW Broadcasting Corporation, one of the key players in the Philippine radio industry, emerged triumphant at the 7th Outstanding men and Women awards 2023, held on august 25, 2023, at the music museum Greenhills, San Juan City.

t he broadcasting firm secured three coveted accolades: Best a m r adio Station of the Year for DWIZ 882 a m Best Fm r adio Station of the Year for 97.9 Fm Home r adio, and mr. Dennis a ntenor Jr. as the Best ma le Newscaster. t hese awards highlighted a l iw Broadcasting Corporation’s commitment to delivering exceptional and trustworthy radio content and its dedication to excellence in both the a m and Fm radio sectors.

D. Edgard a Cabangon, Chairman of a l iw Broadcasting Corporation, expressed his gratitude for the organization’s achievements, saying, “ t h ese awards are testaments to the hard work and passion of our talented team, who strive day in and day out to bring

the best radio experience to our listeners. t h ese signify our commitment to our audiences and our promise to provide them with top-quality radio entertainment.

Patuloy kaming maglilingkod at magbabalita ng tama.” a l iw Broadcasting Corporation

belongs to the a LC media Group, which includes CNN Philippines, a l iw Channel 23, Businessmirror, Philippines Graphic, Pilipino mirror, and Cook magazine. It was founded by the late a mb. a ntonio L. Cabangon Chua and is currently chaired by D. Edgard a Cabangon.

B1

GEA-2 winners given more time to comply with requirements

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has moved the deadline for the submission of post-auction requirements for the second round of the Green Energy auction (GE a-2) by a month.

From September 10, the agency said in an advisory issued on Wednesday that the deadline to comply with the post-auction requirements will be extended to October 10.

t he post-auction requirements include an affidavit of undertaking to deliver the committed capacity, performance bond, and proof of acquisition of renewable energy (r E) contract.

t he DOE clarified that winning bidders need not submit any document to comply with the third requirement. t heir bids will be verified by the DOE if it is already covered by an r E contract. t hose with r E contract applications where the legal, technical, and financial documents are found acceptable by 12 noon of October 10 will be deemed to have complied with this requirement.

“Such status shall be posted in the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop system by 1pm of October 10, 2023 for the information of the concerned winning bidder,” the DOE said.

Winning bidders that will not submit the post-auction requirements before September 25 will be required to extend the validity of the required bid bond from October 1 to 31, with proof of extension to be submitted not later than September 27.

Failure to submit such proof of bid bond validity extension within the prescribed timeline shall result in the post-auction disqualification of the bid and the corresponding forfeiture of the bid bond, the DOE warned.

“Consequent to the extension of deadline to comply with the post-auction requirements, the issuance of the Certificate of award to winning bidders that are found post-auction qualified shall be on or before November 10, 2023,” it added.

Under the GE a-2, a total capacity of 11,600 megawatts (m W ) installation target was auctioned off. t he DOE received bid offers totaling 3,580.76 megawatts (m W ) but the capacity was later trimmed to 3,440.756m W after the bid bonds of three potential winning bidders were not accepted for failure to comply with the terms of reference. Hence, 8,159.24mW of capacity were left unsubscribed. Overall, the DOE said more than half of the winning capacity committed from GE a-2 is from ground-mounted solar with a total of 1,878.982 m W, while 9.390 m W, 90 m W and 1,462.384 m W are from rooftop solar, floating solar and onshore wind, respectively.

t he agency said the total winning capacity of GE a-2 has increased by 74.93 percent compared to the first auction round held last year. t he renewable energy facilities to be set up by the winning bidders will be awarded with 20-year power supply agreements. Lenie Lectura

PhiliPPine infradev holdings

inc., the proponent of the Makati Subway System, said on Wednesday the recent Supreme Court decision on the land dispute between Makati and Taguig has resulted in the project becoming “no longer feasible.”

Thrift banks grow assets, lending amid challenges

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

DESPITE the challenges, the country’s thrift banks still managed to grow its assets and expand their lending activities as of May 2023, according to the Chamber of Thrift Banks (CTB).

A statement from the CTB read that the country’s thrift banks exhibited stability and growth in the past year.

The umbrella organization of the country’s thrift banks cited the challenges the sector faced were brought by the complexity of digitalization, including cybersecurity, heightened competition from fintech firms, the need for Internet literacy, as well as evolving regulatory requirements.

“The past year has been marked by a positive trajectory in the thrift banking sector’s performance. Despite external challenges, the industry has managed to not only maintain its stability but also achieve substantial growth across various crucial metrics,” CTB President Cecilio D. San Pedro was quoted in the statement as saying.

According to the CTB, the sector’s total assets as of May 31 grew to P943 billion, a 5.3-percent increase from the P895 billion recorded a year earlier.

The organization attributed the increase on its members’ focus on deposit mobilization, which has led to increased resources and overall stability.

Lending activity has also shown expansion, with core lending figures rising by 14.6 percent, reaching P616 billion from the previous year’s P537 billion.

Thrift banks’ non-performing loan ratio remained manageable at 7.19 percent, reflecting the thrift banks’ proactive approach to risk management and asset quality.

Growth opportunities

THE industry’s deposit liabilities exhibited a healthy 4.7 percent yearon-year growth, reaching P713 billion from P681 billion a year ago. Total capital meanwhile surged, by 12 percent from P135 billion to P151 billion.

The said growth has led to a robust capital adequacy ratio of 19.17 percent, based on the latest available data as of end-December 2022.

The CTB said this ratio significantly surpasses the minimum required CAR of 10 percent, highlighting the sector’s financial strength and prudence.

“This growth is significant as it shows the sector’s commitment to serving its designated operational niches, which include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), housing, and consumers,” San Pedro said.

In order to sustain these gains, the CTB official said there is a need for thrift banks to grab opportunities such as those offered by going digital.

San Pedro also urged thrift banks to build their digital infrastructure, develop user-friendly mobile apps, and implement innovative solutions to better serve clients.

He also said member-banks can also focus on supporting SMEs, dive into sustainable finance endeavors, explore international expansion, and champion financial inclusion by designing accessible products for marginalized populations.

“We at the CTB can look forward to a future full of growth opportunities,” San Pedro said. “By embracing these avenues and remaining adaptable to evolving customer needs and market trends, member-banks can position themselves for success in an increasingly dynamic and competitive banking landscape.”

AUB onboards Mastercard in online payment system

THE Asia United Bank (AUB) Corp. announced it has onboarded Mastercard Inc. in its business ecosystem to allow its clients to make purchases and pay bills using a virtual card managed by financial technology (fintech) firm Philippine Cashtrout Lending Corp. (PCLC, doing business under the name and style of “Mocasa”).

According to AUB, the “Mocasa Virtual Card” will be a feature on the eponymous app and will give its customers access to Mastercard’s online merchantacceptance network, enabling them to make payments online.

According to the lender, its partnership with Mastercard is riding on the country’s growing digital economy, where e-commerce transactions are projected to grow by a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17 percent to $22 billion by 2025.

AUB Senior Vice President Maria

Magdalena V. Surtida said PCLC “is looking for ways for its customers to utilize loan funds disbursed to them.”

Surtida, who also heads AUB’s Cards and Acquiring Group, added that through the fintech firm’s ] Mocasa app, customers can use the loan proceeds to pay utility bills, buy prepaid load, scan, and pay QRPh merchants or use it to shop at Mocasa’s existing merchant tie-ups.

AUB expects the virtual card to meet what it sees as a growing demand for a digital-payment option. The demand, it added, comes from the young and digitally native Philippine population, which includes a high proportion of mobilefirst customers.

GCG requests ₧170B for trips, to host confab on governance

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

The GCG has jurisdiction over 118 state-owned or governmentrun firms, excluding the Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) that has yet to come to fruition.

Supplemental budget

BARCENA explained that the GCG needs the additional budget to properly fulfill its mandate next year. The same supplemental budget being sought by GCG was part of its Tier2 proposal but was thumbed down by the Department of Budget and Management.

Barcena pointed out that the GCG’s performance “will be diminished” if the supplemental budget would not be given.

the office expansion, which we are now requesting as additional budget,” he added.

Office, trips

BARCENA noted that the supplemental budget is necessary to operationalize the additional office space such as expenditure for janitorial, utilities and infrastructure services.

The additional budget would allow the GCG to hit at least 75 percent of its 238 plantilla items or about 178 positions, Barcena said.

Furthermore, the GCG is seeking additional travel funds for both local and foreign trips, which its officials defended as necessary in monitoring and evaluating the performances of GOCCs nationwide.

The lender added PCLC can maximize the partnership to grow its merchant network faster as the fintech firm would have access to the Mastercard virtualcard technology.

“AUB’s Virtual Mastercard program relieves us of the required merchant system integration with each e-commerce merchant just to be able to have our user base transact online,” PCLC CEO and Founder Robin Wong said.

“At the same time, our customers can also take advantage of local/global online Mastercard promotions without any additional cost to us,” Wong added.

“More importantly, it provides an additional feature for our customers in our current app.”

The AUB said virtual cards work exactly like a physical bank card except that they are stored in an app on the phone, such as the Mocasa app, instead of a physical wallet.

Cardholders will continue to enjoy benefits similar to a regular card-based transaction, but with enhanced security and convenience.

The AUB said each virtual card generated is a unique digital-payment credential and can be enabled with enhanced controls on how, where and when it can be used.

MasterCard Country Manager for the Philippines Simon Javier Calasanz said their business partnership with AUB and PCLC comes as “demand for digital payment options is rapidly rising across the world, and consumers are increasingly more digital-first in how they live, work and play.” Cai U. Ordinario

GCG Chairman Marius P. Corpus told members of the Senate Finance Subcommittee that the GCG needs an additional budget of P168.421 million next year to bankroll its priority projects such as ensuring that GOCCs nationwide are performing their mandates properly.

Under the proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP), the GCG’s budget allocation was slashed by half to nearly P211 million from almost P422 million fund this year.

“We requested an additional budget that covers expenses for personnel services, hosting of an international conference on corporate governance, increase in operational capacity, and enhancement of the GCG’s [information and communica-

tions technology] capacity,” Corpus told the committee on Wednesday.

“We in the GCG remain steadfast in safeguarding accountability, economic viability and responsiveness in the GOCC sector to allow us to continue our work in overseeing the GOCC sector. We hope this honorable body acts favorably on our budget proposal,” he added. GCG Director Johann Carlos S. Barcena outlined that the four key mandates of the agency are rationalizing the number of state firms, shortlisting candidates for appointment to boards of directors, monitoring and evaluation of GOCCs’ performance and setting standards for compensation, incentives and benefits.

The GCG’s proposed additional budget is broken as follows: P84.009 million for additional personnel service, P4.525 million for hosting the OECD-Asia 2024 meeting, P15.157 million to increase its operational capacity and P64.73 million to enhance its ICT projects and capabilities.

For one, Barcena emphasized that part of the budget they are seeking are funds to be used to operationalize the GCG’s additional office space.

“We would like to highlight that under the NEP, the national government included a budget of P37 million for rent expenses. This includes additional office space for the GCG to accommodate the expansion in our personnel,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the DBM did not approve appurtenant expenses for

The GCG is seeking a P2.554 million fund for local travelling expenses and another P618,000 for foreign trips.

“Part of our performance is reviewing the performance of GOCCs. With local travels we can conduct onsite validation, without this budget we will be relying solely on paper submission,” he said.

“While we can report accomplishments, the level of verification and validation will be significantly diminished especially for rightsizing of GOCCs. When we rightsize branches in the regions, we [will] have to solely rely on submissions of GOCCs instead of going to the branch that is being rightsized to verify the reasons,” he added.

Pagcor chief to help with probers on missing ₧75M

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on Wednesday said it will cooperate with any investigations involving the alleged disappearance of a P75-million performance bond by an e-sabong firm.

Pagcor Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco issued the statement a few days after a case against current and former Pagcor officials was filed before the Ombudsman about the matter.

Tengco pointed out that the filing of the case is an “opportunity” to uncover the “truth” and “determine” accountability regarding the matter, which he noted took place during the previous administration of the agency.

“While we find it strange that we are included in the alleged charges, we nevertheless will pursue our own investigation and determine what really happened, and bring the perpetrators to justice if indeed there was any anomaly,” Tengco was quoted in a statement as saying.

“While this happened before we came to Pagcor, the public can rest assured that we will get to the bottom of this, and that we will respond to the accusations against us in the proper venue once we receive a copy of the alleged charges from the Ombudsman,” he added.

Pagcor issued the statement a few days after Joaquin Sy of Kamura Highlands Gaming and Holdings Inc. filed charges of malversa-

Banks’ underinvestment in IT, legacy system flagged

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

AN executive of an information technology (IT) consulting firm

has flagged the sluggish pace of local banks in terms of digitization. “Incumbent banks have underinvested in digitization,” David Murphy, head of financial services for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific of Sapient Corp., told reporters in a news briefing. Sans citing sources, Murphy said local banks spent less than 10 percent

of revenues on IT compared to the average 15-percent in the Asia and Pacific region.

The executive said this is lost opportunity for banks with the country’s huge unbanked population alongside the big number of micro-sized, small-scale and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Out of the 1,080,810 business enterprises operating in the Philippines, the Philippine Statistics Authority said 99.58 percent are MSMEs. Moreover, the MSMEs employs 63 percent of the country’s workforce.

With this situation, Murphy said local banks must seize the opportunity to modernize and boost efficiencies stressing that legacy core banking and middleware technologies have reached limits.

As a result, Murphy said digital transformation efforts have been hampered by legacy technology such as the continued existence of the mainframes exacerbated by the dearth of qualified technical personnel to handle the transition from legacy to digital. Murphy said banks can seize the op-

portunity to reach out to the unbanked, estimated at 34.3 million, representing 44 percent of the total adult population in 2021. He said the 22 percent digital penetration rate in 2023—set to increase to 33 percent by 2028, Murphy added—should motivate banks to expand investments in IT.

“Rising tech-savvy consumer base craving for superior experience numbering 92 percent are willing to pay for instant account opening via digital channels,” Murphy said.

tion of public funds, qualified theft and falsification of private and commercial documents before the ombudsman.

Tengco was named as one of the respondents of the charges. The other respondents involved former Pagcor chief Andrea D. Domingo and former board members Gabriel S. Claudio, Carmen N. Pedrosa, Reynaldo E. Concordia and James Patrick R. Bondoc. Acting Pagcor Chief of Staff Dianne Erica C. Jogno is also named as respondent.

A statement from the Pagcor read that two of the former board members, Pedrosa and Concordia, have already passed away when the alleged disappearance of the P75 million took place sometime in July

2022, while Mr. Tengco assumed office only in August of the same year.

Tengco said Pagcor has yet to receive a copy of the complaint filed before the ombudsman.

He added they have launched an internal investigation and “are trying to recreate the sequence of events since the department allegedly involved, the e-Sabong Licensing Department (eSLD), has already been disbanded.”

Tengco noted that former President Rodrigo R. Duterte outlawed e-sabong in May 2022 and that “the people in the eSLD have since been reassigned to other units.”

“So now we are trying to retrace the supposed anomalous transaction,” he added. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Applications for MIC CEO, directors being accepted

ASPIRING officials of the Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC), including those eyeing the President and CEO (PCEO) position, have until September 27 to submit their credentials and nominations, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

The BTr announced that the nominations and applications for the PCEO, independent and regular directors of the MIC will close on September 27.

The Treasury said in its announcement that the nominations and applications for the PCEO and the Independent and Regular Directors of the [MIC] should be sent to maharlikasecretariat@treasury.gov.ph.

The documentary requirements for interested applicants are application letter, personal data sheet, performance evaluation, diploma and transcript of records, certificates of training and seminars as well as certificate of eligibility, rating and/or license and certificate of employment, among others.

Under the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR), a secretariat, composed of existing staff of the Treasury, can be created to provide administrative and technical support to the MIC’s Advisory Body.

The IRR provides that the seats of the regular and independent directors shall be filled within 90 days from the vacancy, with the MIC Advisory Board submitting its list of nominees to the Office of the President not later than 30 days from such vacancy. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/08/30/search-is-on-for1st-maharlika-investment-fundchief/)

The MIC Advisory Body would create an Ad Hoc Technical Unit that would filter the applications for the MIC BOD positions and would be in charge of transmitting the qualified nominees and applicants within 15 days from the closing date of solicitation.

The MIC Advisory Body is composed of the Department of Budget and Management Secretary, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and the National Treasurer of the Philippines.

The BusinessMirror earlier reported that the IRR does not prevent a foreign national from becoming the very first PCEO of the MIC, which would oversee the Philippines’s sovereign wealth fund. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/09/04/mif-rules-dontbar-a-foreigner-from-top-post/) Jasper Emmanuel

THE Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) is appealing to Senators to approve an almost P170 billion supplemental budget for the agency to operationalize its office expansion and intensify its validation efforts of performances of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).

GIFTED USER This August 25, 2023, photo shows employees of the Legazpi City, Albay branch of the Philippine National Bank with an unnamed client (middle) who was awarded an electronic gift card from Philippine Airlines after winning in the lender’s “Bank Easy, Fly Easy” promo. In photo are (left to right): Sales and Service Head Gina Q. Moya; Branch Head Junifer A. Llarena; Sales and Service Associate Jovany M. Aves; the winning client; Sales and Service Associate Rosemarie R. Morata; Sales and Service Officer Rubie Estela R. Infante; and Sales and Service Associate Cris Shiela C. Visayas. Photo courtesy PhiliPP ne national Bank

Health& Fitness

Age, income Affect how often Pinoys see their doctors–study

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

How often do Filipinos see a doctor for a check-up?

An in-depth study conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation, a reputable private research agency, showed that a significant portion of the population neglects regular health check-ups.

Through the data panel research, the study on the frequency of Filipinos on medical checkups was conducted from August 1 to 10, 2023. A total of 1,205 respondents from 18 to more than 65 years old participated in the survey.  Based on the data collected, it was found that 40 percent of the respondents go for their annual medical checkups, 33 percent only get a checkup when they feel unwell, 15 percent rarely do so, 7 percent undergo medical checkups every

two to three years, and 4 percent never get a checkup.

The survey also aimed to determine how the respondents’ behaviors in getting their health checked are influenced by their age, monthly income, and source of money.

This is especially relevant given the government’s Universal Health Care (UHC) law, which prioritizes addressing this issue. The UHC law offers coverage for consultations and tests to individuals who may encounter financial barriers when accessing healthcare services.

Age

A CC o rd I n g to the study’s analysis of age demographics, the frequency with which individuals undergo yearly medical checkups varies across age groups.

Specifically, the study found that 51 percent of those aged 45 to 54 receive annual checkups, followed by 50 percent in the 35 to 44 age range, 41 percent in the 25 to 34 age category, 38 percent in the 55 to 64 age range, 31 percent of respondents aged 65 and above, and 24 percent of those aged 18 to 24 undergo

yearly medical checkups.

“The resolution of this health concern is contingent upon consistent and informed guidance from our government especially since we have the Philippine Universal Health Care Act (UHC) which has benefits especially for seniors,” said Atty. nic C onti, Chief of Public Affairs of Capstone-Intel.

Income

W I TH r egards to the income of the respondents who undergo annual checkups, 8 percent of them have monthly income of P65,000 or higher, 12 percent  have an income ranging from P35,001 to P65,000, 10 percent have an income ranging from P20,001 to P35,000, 6 percent have an income ranging from P10,001 to P20,000, and 3 percent reported an income below P10,000.

For respondents who earn less than P10,000 monthly, 32 percent seek medical checkups only when feeling unwell, 26 percent rarely have health checkups, and 16 percent have annual health checkups.

However, more than 50 percent of those with a monthly income of P65,000 or more have an annual health checkup.

“In a move towards providing universal health care, the Universal Health Care Act was signed by the government in 2019. In 2021, the House of r e presentatives passed House Bill 9072, also referred to as the ‘Free Annual Medical Checkup Act,’ which is linked to UHC. The appropriate implementation of these initiatives is crucial in ensuring that our fellow citizens benefit from these measures,” added Conti.

PhilHealth members

T H e r esearch study also further demonstrated that a considerable percentage of individuals who undergo annual checkups are PhilHealth members, with a proportion of 36 percent, whereas only 3 percent of non-members reported undergoing such checkups.

Moreover, among those who receive checkups every two to three years, 5 percent are PhilHealth members, while only 2 percent are non-members.

For individuals who undergo medical checkups only when they feel unwell, 25 percent are PhilHealth members, whereas 8 percent are non-PhilHealth members.

Bayer Philippines launches initiative to promote Women’s Health Conversations

By John Eiron R. Francisco

BA yer P hilippines Inc. recently launched “Bayer For Her: Conversations of Care,” an initiative designed to shatter the silence surrounding sensitive women’s health issues and buoy up dialogue and proactive measures.

The event featured the presence of experts such as d r. Margaret Cristi-Limson, an o Bg yn and specializes in reproductive medicine, and d r. Jarische Lao-Ang, a dermatologist. It was also graced by notable figures including Valerie Tan, who served as the event host, Melissa g o hing- n a cino, an athlete and survivor of PC o S , Verniece e n ciso, a lifestyle influencer who has battled endometriosis, and Say Tioco, a content creator advocating for contraception.

“This project actually has great potential, I believe. It is their opportunity to realize that irregular menses are not normal. Pelvic pain may not be usual. It may actually be a symptom of endometriosis or whatever other gynecologic pathology,” d r. Limson told BusinessMirror This lack of clarity at times leads to serious issues being disregarded as “normal” or “simply part of being a woman.”

r e productive health barriers for Filipino women persist, influenced by pervasive gender biases that hinder their capacity to openly discuss and make well-informed decisions

regarding their bodies. According to the United n a tions Population Fund in the Philippines (U n F PA), the presence of gender biases exist across political, educational, economic, and bodily autonomy aspects, as per recent reports. Alarmingly, a substantial 92 percent of both genders in the country exhibit inherent biases against women, particularly concerning their bodily autonomy encompassing reproductive rights.

In a positive development, the utilization of family planning and contraceptive measures among women saw a rise, reaching 8 million in 2020 compared to 7.6 million in the previous year.

nonetheless, a concerning statistic reveals that approximately 44 percent of women still lack the capability to make vital decisions about their own well-being.

“With the launch of ‘Bayer For Her: Conversations of Care,’ we continue to raise awareness on women’s health. We know from listening to healthcare providers and patients that it’s not easy to talk about contraception, period pain and related topics in our cultural context,” said Angel-Michael e v angelista, Managing d i rector and Country d i vision Head of Pharmaceuticals Bayer Philippines.

Challenges in Women’s Reproductive Health

dr. Lao-Ang emphasized the physical manifestations of PC o S i n women’s bodies such

as menstrual irregularity, and infertility, and through androgen excess in the form of seborrhea, acne, hirsutism, and alopecia, and the importance of open communication with doctors.

g o hing- n a cino shared that her PC o S d iagnosis affected her emotionally, especially when she and her husband were trying to get pregnant.

“ o u r oB - g yn really helped us throughout the process until we found the right treatment and medication to control the symptoms and help with my fertility,” she said.

d r. Cristi-Limson Margaret mentioned that before, endometriosis took years to diagnose. n o wadays, it can be clinically diagnosed, adding that they should “trust their doctors.”

For e n ciso, the pain she experienced affected her daily routine and social activities. “I couldn’t stand the pain so I finally talked to my doctor and got the diagnosis. He recommended available treatment options that suit me, and I’m glad I sought his professional advice from the get-go, or else I will still be enduring the pain until now,” she said.

Tioco also stressed the importance of having a community where women can openly speak about their health concerns and use of contraceptive methods, “women tend to be hesitant when it comes to talking about using contraception because of their fear of

being misjudged due to the persisting myths and stigma”.

Encourage Open Conversation

Me A n W HIL e , Tan expressed her enthusiasm for brand-university collaborations, emphasizing their potential to advise and empower younger generations to prioritize their intimate health.

She revealed that they actively engage with universities, conducting discussions on sex education and related topics.

“So I think it’s amazing to see young women younger than me, they’re so open to talk about anything,” Tan said.

In their efforts to promote open conversations about reproductive health, g o hingn a cino underscored the significance of marriage counseling.

She further suggested that the government should incorporate family planning education to ensure a broader outreach in the community.

A ccording to e v angelista, “Bayer For Her enables these Conversations of Care with free pop-up clinics over the next two months at selected branches of our partners from Mercury d r ug, Southstar d r ug, r o se Pharmacy and Watsons.”

This is to help more women make informed choices about their own bodies and encourage more women to seek out expert advice on reproductive health.

AXA PH shows power of women volunteers to uplift local communities

By Roderick L. Abad | Contributor

Vo L U n T e er I SM is very much alive in insurance company AXA Philippines as it brings women in the center stage of serving the various needs of communities and the people while uplifting their health and socio-economic situations.

And where else is this more fitting to do than at the recent AXA Week for g o od, a seven-day global activity that gathers all employees to dedicate their time and skills to champion various social impact initiatives.

With the AXA g r oup’s international volunteering program “AXA Hearts in Action,” the multinational has kept its good corporate citizenship social responsibility across all its entities.

The program has been instrumental in bringing the organization as o n e AXA in working towards a better future and assisting vulnerable communities worldwide.

What’s more, it has also taken strides in increasing access of the female populace to surety products and services through the “Women in Insurance” initiative among other ongoing campaigns and community programs for e v e’s tribe.

“Beyond contributing to the business, we are on a mission to empower people to live better lives. Putting the spotlight on women this year lets us fulfill that mission while becoming a trusted partner for women everywhere,” said AXA Philippines Chief e x ecutive o f ficer (C e o) B ernardo r a fael Serrano Lopez.

On health, other causes

AS part of the insurer’s women-centric volunteer activities, the company donated a total of 1,200 hygiene kits—surpassing the initial target of 1,000—to women beneficiaries in Binangonan, r i zal; Paco, Manila; and Cardona, r i zal.

The beneficiaries, likewise, received 414 liters of dishwashing soap the volunteers personally made.

Such activity is in line with AXA’s goal of providing livelihood assistance and enabling more women to become entrepreneurs and start their own businesses.

While more than 99 percent of all registered businesses in the Philippines are micro, small and medium enterprises, only 313,608 of them belong to women.  This is just close to 30 percent of the total 1.08 million listed establishments, per data

of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).  Local figures mirror the global picture, wherein merely 33 percent of business owners are women, according to the World Bank in 2020.

Meanwhile, women facing hair loss due to medical conditions were uplifted and given high hopes through a donation drive. The donated hair will be transformed into highquality wigs, empowering the recipients to regain their self-esteem.

The week-long goodwill activity also served as a platform to support other social causes, including environmental stewardship and proper nutrition for children.

AXA volunteers helped build a 200-square meter urban garden at n u eve de Febrero e l ementary School in Mandaluyong City, complementing the company’s advocacy in promoting a circular economy. Then came a follow-through donation of fertilizer from food waste collected at the AXA office. The employees also had the chance to shed blood for a cause with the Philippine r e d Cross.

By Candy P. Dalizon Contributor

As cancer rates continue to rise globally, cancers that affect women, specifically breast and cervical cancer, are becoming more widespread and impactful.

The incidence of breast cancer is increasing worldwide, and it is now the most common cancer diagnosed in women. More women are also being diagnosed with cervical cancer and are dying from the disease.

This has become a major problem in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region where women are heavily affected by both diseases due to factors such as inadequate screening, lack of awareness, and late diagnosis, among others.

The APAC Women’s Cancer Coalition said there is an urgent need to address breast and cervical cancer in the Asia Pacific region as it accounts for the biggest share of incidence and mortality of both cancers globally.

Taking this into account, the APAC Women’s Cancer Coalition, supported by Roche, commissioned the Economist Impact to analyze cancer policies and programs in six countries in the APAC region—India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Philippines.

These countries are bracing for a rise in breast and cervical cancer incidence and mortality that could match or even exceed the expected regional and global averages. Thus, they need to take steps to address this issue and to meet the targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem and to reduce the incidence of breast cancer. These targets are clearly outlined in the WHO’s Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer and the WHO Global breast cancer initiative.

In the Economist Impact report “Impact and opportunity: the case for investing in women’s cancers in Asia Pacific,” the burden of women’s cancer, specifically breast and cervical cancer, is examined in the six countries mentioned. The progress of these six countries in tackling breast and cervical cancer was also assessed across five domains—policy and planning, prevention and screening, diagnosis and resource capacity, treatment and access, and awareness and education.

The global, evidence-led Economist Impact conducted an evidence review, formed an advisory board, and discussed with experts to inform the design of the scorecard. Among the experts who contributed to the research are Dr. Corazon A Ngelangel, President of the Philippine Cancer s o ciety, and Ingrid Magnata, Country Program Manager, Jhpiego, Philippines. Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

Across all domains, none of the six countries achieved high scores all round. All six countries have room for improvement especially in terms of diagnosis and resource capacity.

The Philippines scored moderately low in policy and planning, diagnosis and resource capacity, and treatment and access. It scored moderately high in the other two domain—prevention and screening and awareness and education.

Before giving recommendations, the study cited the problem usually observed in these countries which is late diagnosis. Both breast cancer and cervical cancer are often diagnosed too late “leading to direct and indirect healthcare costs, higher burdens for patients, and higher mortality rates.” And once a diagnosis is made, patients still face difficulties in accessing care and the treatment they need.

Key recommendations

T HE report identified several key steps to help the six countries reverse the trend and achieve the WHO cervical cancer and breast cancer targets.

Philippines was participated in by 513 volunteers who devoted 553 hours to carry out 682 acts of volunteerism, making an unfathomable impact on the communities they served.

For AXA Philippines Claims Specialist e ir ene Maramag, this activity was an opportunity to further her passion for volunteerism while empowering her colleagues to make a difference.

“When AXA Week for g o od was launched in the Philippines, I was eager to volunteer and encouraged my colleagues to join as well. The joy of giving and making our beneficiaries happy is an experience I’d love to continue sharing with my co-workers beyond the weeklong volunteer activities,” she said.

The C e o of AXA Philippines shared his plan to sustain the company’s culture of volunteerism and providing inclusive protection for Filipinos.

“The immense success of this year’s AXA Week for g o od stemmed from the collective passion and dedication of all the volunteers. We look forward to witnessing the continuity of our purpose-driven programs and offerings with the rest of AXA Philippines in the years to come,” Lopez said.

“Countries must demonstrate greater political will and leadership, and implement and update national elimination plans and strategies to align with WHO targets for cervical and breast cancer.”

The other recommendations are “enhance performance tracking by building immunization, screening and patient outcome registries for cervical and breast cancer; Focus on primary prevention by rolling out national immunization programs [HPV immunization for cervical cancer] and secondary prevention by rolling out organized population-based national screening programs [for both cervical and breast cancer]; and Referral and treatment pathways for patients should be clear and well-defined.”

Likewise, governments should make women’s cancers a priority in their policies in order to achieve national goals for vaccination, screening, and treatment. Governments and global funding organizations should also develop and implement effective and sustainable funding mechanisms. s e rvices and programs should be focused on the needs of the patient and should be tailored to the specific needs of the population in which they are being delivered.

The report also recommended that these countries consider integrated, holistic approaches to address the challenge of limited resources and capacity.

By implementing these measures, emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific region will be better equipped to address the increasing burden of breast and cervical cancer, as well as a range of other health challenges.

Urgent need to address growing breast, cervical cancer rates in APAC cited

Let’s keep our kid-athletes healthy and happy

BOTH my children, Meagan and Marcus, are student-athletes. They recently brought home three Gold medals from the 2023 Allstar Hong Kong (U17) Fencing Championships held at the Kowloon Baby Trade & Exhibition Center on August 25 to 27. Marcus won Gold for both U14 Men’s Sabre Individual and Team. Meagan won Gold for U17 Women’s Sabre Team. Both of them go through regular trainings and also need sufficient energy for their school work and extra curricular activities.

Marcus also plays basketball and futsal for his school. Meagan is currently Student Council President and Founding President for Vote4Youth. She is also part of Advanced Speech & Debate and Business Club. I believe their immune system is good because they were both fed with breastmilk when they were infants. During their toddler years, they had the NanPro series.

According to www.kidshealth.org, calcium and iron are two important minerals for athletes. It explains that calcium helps build strong bones to resist breaking and stress fractures, and provides examples of calcium-rich foods such as low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese, as well as leafy green vegetables such as broccoli: “Iron helps carry oxygen to all the different body parts that need it. Iron-rich foods include lean meat, chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, and fortified whole grains.” The article also suggests protein like fish, lean meat, poultry, dairy products, beans, nuts and soy products to help build and repair muscles; as well as carbohydrates, like whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, whole-grain bread and cereal, and plenty of fruits and vegetables to provide energy for the body. It further states that athletes need to drink plenty of fluids to prevent prevent dehydration, which can zap strength, energy and coordination and lead to heatrelated illness. “Even mild dehydration can affect athletic performance.”

During game day, the article suggests a meal three to four hours before activity that has plenty of carbs and some protein but be low in fat. “Fat takes longer

Avoid sugary foods and drinks. If kids eat less than three hours before a game or practice, serve a lighter meal or snack that includes easy-to-digest carbcontaining foods, such as fruit, crackers, or bread. After the game or event, experts recommend eating within 30 minutes after intense activity and again two hours later. The body will be rebuilding muscle and replenishing energy stores and fluids. Kids should continue to hydrate and eat a balance of lean protein and carbs.”

Snack time is a bit challenging. My children usually prefer their favorite yogurt drink, Dutchmill or a sandwich. It is good that Milkana is offering a new, delightful, and healthy habit of snacking for kids—Milkana, Savencia’s international brand, was born more than 60 years ago in the Alps, using excellent milk from Allgäu. The no. 1 processed cheese in Germany and sold across Europe, China, Egypt, and Africa, Milkana now introduces its latest Creamy Lollipops to the Philippines.

The nutritious and flavorful Creamy Lollipops, made with care and innovation, are new premium dairy snacks for kids with no added preservatives. They are excellent sources of milk proteins naturally containing essential amino acids, as well as calcium and vitamin D which contribute to kids’ stronger bones.

Available in four delicious honest-to-goodness

and milky ice cream—these Creamy Lollipops are perfectly adapted to kids’ tastes to be enjoyed as a great snack and as a fun dessert anytime and anywhere.

With kids back in school, they’re also the perfect “baon” lunch box treats—becoming the special partner of moms as they contribute to building their kids’ health and growth development.

Flora Guyenot, Southern Asia marketing director of Savencia Fromage & Dairy, makers of Milkana, says: “Here at Savencia, we are always looking at new ways to provide better nutrition to consumers worldwide. Guided by our company’s mission [‘To Lead the Way to Better Food’], we are happy and proud to launch our Milkana Creamy Lollipops in the Philippines in the spirit of contributing and helping parents bring healthy and nutritional snacks to their young ones.” Savencia Fromage & Dairy is an international, family-based and independent food group among the world’s leading dairy processors. Parents who are interested in trying the all-new Milkana Creamy Lollipops from Savencia may purchase the products from leading supermarkets nationwide. The lollipops are suitable for children from three years and above.

To learn more about the all-new healthy and delicious Milkana Lollipops, follow www.facebook.com/ MilkanaPhilippines or www.instagram.com/milkanaph/. n

Partnering with Pawplife to aid shelter groups and communities

AS it puts its mission of giving cats and animals the love and care they deserve at the heart of its business, Goodest (www.goodestpetfood.com), the brand of affordable and nutritious cat food, launches the campaign “Giving the Goodest” in partnership with Pawplife, the country’s leading online community for pet parenting. With the help of Pawplife, Goodest promises to support several cat welfare organizations in the country by donating much needed cat food to maintain their shelters and cat populations. By donating nutritious and delicious cat food to thousands of stray and community cats, the brand wants everyone to know it believes every cat deserves the goodest.

HealtHy cat food for animal welfare groups

ALONG with care and shelter, pet groups and organizations also have a significant need for pet food.

These non-profit groups mostly rely on contributions. Goodest sees an opportunity to help these pet groups by supplying Goodest Cat Food that may help their cats be healthier and happier while they are in their care. With the help of Pawplife, the brand has reached out to a range of pet organizations from established ones to smaller community groups that feed strays.

These include the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), one of the most established and longest running organizations in the country that promotes the welfare of strays, and CARA Welfare Philippines that has an extensive network of foster homes to help strays in need of shelter. Both organizations run their own clinics that offer low-cost health services for strays and pets. Goodest also partnered with Pawssion Project, a non-profit organization that is also dedicated to animal welfare.

These organizations will receive Goodest cat food supply to help sustain their daily operations, ensuring that their furry wards will receive tasty and nourishing food, thanks to three extra-scrumptious Goodest flavors made with the freshest meat

ingredients: Tender Tuna, Chicken Chomp, and Meaty Mackerel. With cat food already covered by Goodest, they can now focus more on helping stray cats and rescuing animals in need.

partnering witH cat communities and sHelters

ASIDE from welfare groups, Goodest and Pawplife

are also set to collaborate with local cat communities and shelters nationwide, such as Adopt.PH, Cats Around Town PH, Cats of Legaspi Village in Makati, Bark Mission, Cats of UPLB, and Doc Gab, a home and community-based veterinary service solely run by a licensed vet which offers affordable, convenient, quality and safe veterinary services through various outreach events.

spreading tHe word on proper furparenting

INSPIRING stories with furparents and their

indigent cHildren receive educational toys

OVeR 100 indigent children from daycare centers of the Akap sa Bata ng mga Guro-Kalinga Philippines Inc., an advocacy and community service provider for childcare around the country, received educational toys created by college students. The initiative was organized by the Center for Social Action (CSA) of the de La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (dLSCSB) in collaboration with the Industrial design Program of Benilde School of environment and design (Sed)

To fully equip themselves with the fundamentals and principles of toy design, the budding craftsmen dedicated a whole academic term to a series of comprehensive lectures and workshops under the guidance of industry experts and mentors Budji Tresvalles and Mary Nobleza.

They likewise conducted consultations with the benefactors, including the parents and guardians of the recipients, as well as members and volunteers of the organization. Crafted with the specific needs and wants of the beneficiaries in mind, the finished outputs include instructional models that aim to aid mobility, encourage socialization and ignite imagination. The choice of colors likewise played a big role to capture the attention of the users.

Marco Noel Aquino, Bryan Chuo, Pablo Santino “Sachi”

So, and enrico Miguel Velasquez built a set of fidget toys: a stackable that boosts familiarity with colors and textures, a chatterbox that allows for slide-move-click-and-roll options for highly energized kids; and easy-to-build bricks that may turn to different structures such as houses, churches, hospitals and shops.

Adolph Apollos Aldovino, Vivien Antonette daso, Maria Quisha denaga, and Ma. Minermila espeleta developed detachable geometric figures that fuel inventiveness, a styling doll that introduces different shapes and plush animals. Aldrick espinosa, Sharney Rubio, dan Leyba, and Bhea Mallare produced giant building blocks made of cotton fabrics and a road mat with interchangeable patterns which double as cushions. They likewise made a stuffed chicken puzzle that activates fine motor skills, as well as huggable pillows in the shapes of Filipino kitchen equipment.

Abby Lim, April Salvador, Giana Sy, and Reese Yulo fabricated career-based felt toys. The collection is inclusive of tools and instruments for budding doctors, chefs, musicians and handymen.

Raphael Garcia, er yn Amante, Frances Cu, and Christian destura wished to inspire future culinarians and foodies with their wooden sets. The meal trays comprised of classic Pinoy breakfast, lunch and dinner staples. The cooking collection comes with ingredients for the all-time favorite adobo and sinigang, while the fruit platter features apple, banana, orange and watermelon. The turnover was conducted at dLS-CSB’s The Atrium, wherein the student-artists personally showcased and handed over with pride their creations to the delighted children from the daycare centers of Akap sa Bata ng mga Guro-Kalinga Philippines Inc. in Pasay City and Quezon City.

furbabies, as well as practical furparenting tips— these are just some of the stories that Pawplife features on its social media platform. Under their joint project, Goodest and Pawplife aim to help over a thousand stray cats by echoing the advocacy of animal welfare organizations and communities, helping spread awareness about animal welfare, and educating people on how to be more compassionate and take better care of animals.

Thanks to Pawplife’s extensive reach within the pet community in the country, Goodest will now be able to reach out and support more cat shelters, communities and organizations that share the same goal of giving stray cats the love and care that they need and deserve.

Pawrents can check out Pawplife’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Pawplife and Instagram account at www.instagram.com/pawplife No matter how big or small, every step you take for animal welfare can help save their lives.

GOOdeST partners with Pawplife to aid shelter groups and communities.

Newport World Resorts has an extraordinary legion of heroes

IT is easy to think of heroes as mighty figures with superpowers, or the revolutionary leaders in history books. Heroes often emerge from the most unexpected places, even within the walls of the workplace.

At Newport World Resorts, there exists a legion of heroes hailed as Thrillmakers. These heroes are not the ones in capes, but rather the employees clad in their corporate attire and uniforms, wielding kindness, courage, and compassion for others. Their extraordinary acts are worthy of recognition during the National Heroes’ Day celebration.

When the call for Brigada Eskwela activities echoed through the country, Thrillmakers wasted no time in mobilizing their efforts. They headed to the fisherfolk community in Cabangan, Zambales with the mission of distributing school supplies and educational materials for each of the 72 young members of the non-profit grassroots organization Alon and Araw Club.

These children, also known as Ocean Defenders, are little heroes of

their own for saving the seas through regular coastal cleanups. The magic of unity unfolded as Thrillmakers spent a productive day with the children, their parents, staff, and community members, forging meaningful connections, and learning about each other’s sustainability initiatives.

For Thrillmakers, no task is too big or too small. From painting classroom chairs to turning over new school equipment including brand new televisions, electric fans, and water dispensers in another Brigada Eskwela quest at Maricaban Elementary School in Pasay City. They rolled up their sleeves and set to work on improving the learning environment into a space that would inspire and motivate the young minds walking through the school doors.

Chief Human Resources Officer Terri Llamas, who leads these missions for multiple purposes, strongly believes that “by collaborating with schools and communities, we are not only supporting education but also nurturing a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

Exhibitions organizer Informa Markets Philippines has a new country manager

INFORMA Markets, the world’s leading exhibitions organizer, announced the appointment of Rungphech “Rose” Chitanuwat as the new Country General Manager of Informa Markets in the Philippines effective September 1, 2023.

Together, we can sow the seeds of sustainability in young minds, ensuring a sustainable future for all.”

With their crucial role as Thrillmakers comes a strong sense of duty. When trouble strikes, the hero within emerges. Thrillmakers were recently awarded the Special Recognition for their Courageous Acts, inspiring everyone with their stories of going the extra mile.

It was business as usual at Newport World Resorts one day, when a technical glitch could have caused major chaos if not for Membership Services team members Marjorie Buenaventura and Melchor Perocho’s quick acting and problem-solving skills. Their outstanding teamwork restored the order for the epic experiences.

Day and night, Jesus Ora and Morris Belmonte from the Safety and Security team are among those who stand watch to safeguard the premises and everyone who visits. Ora has resolved a fair share of conflicts and emergencies in his more than a decade of service in the integrated resort, consistently acting in good faith and serving with utmost integrity in line of duty. While Belmonte, in moments of distress, unleashed the admirable qualities of vigilance, quick-thinking, and calmness. Both of them fulfilled their sworn oath of prioritizing everyone’s well-being above all else. Incredible happenstance can make heroes out of anyone. For Gaming Inspector Marvin Mateo, providing security and protection for patrons and their belongings during an unexpected break makes him a hero in their eyes. The sense of security elevates the confidence of players and guests across the property’s gaming floor and beyond.

Indeed, true heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. They are present everywhere, and their acts of selflessness make the world a better place.

For more information on Newport World Resorts’ visit www.newportworldresorts.com and follow @NWRCareers and @ NWREmployeeEvents on Facebook, @newportworldresorts on LinkedIn and Instagram, and @nwresorts on Twitter. Make the most of your visit and sign up for an Epic Membership or download the Epic Rewards Mobile App for free at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Amaia lands ‘Company of the Year’ award in Real Estate Category in International Business Award

AMAIA Land, a subsidiary of Ayala Land, was awarded a Gold Stevie Award for “Company of the Year” in the Real Estate (Large) category at the prestigious International Business Awards. Besting entries from countries around the globe, Amaia considers this truly a proud moment given that is an affordable housing developer catering to the middle-income segment of the Philippine market.

Amaia has established itself as a true industry innovator over the course of the past 13 years by setting new benchmarks in design, quality and sustainability for the market that it serves. The Company has revolutionized the affordable real estate market since its inception more than a decade ago with its commitment to developing homes that respond to the needs of the Filipino people. Amaia has launched over 35,000 residential units in 40 projects across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Over 20,000 units have been delivered to buyers. Amaia’s developments, whether situated amid the hustle and bustle of urban cities or set against tranquil surroundings, offer a diverse range of possibilities for homeowners. These include flexible houses of 50, 60 and 80 sqm, spacious townhouses of 65 and 100 sqm, and

prime condominium units of 18 to 42 sqm.

A staunch supporter of sustainability, Amaia has incorporated various ecofriendly features in its developments. New projects are equipped with solar power for common amenities, have incorporated water-saving fixtures in the units, utilize sustainable materials and provide greater open spaces to promote healthy outdoor living. This commitment to sustainability affects not only the environment but benefits the homeowners as well.

Recently, Amaia 2introduced new and innovative offers to make homeownership even easier and within reach of its market. Various digital platforms, including online interactive digital tours, are available to facilitate the selection process for property seekers. Moreover, value-formoney packages with easy-on-the-pocket payment terms aim to make Amaia’s quality and secure homes accessible to an even greater number of hard-working Filipinos.

Rose, as called by many, wore many hats before her new role appointment in the Philippines. She is the Regional Portfolio Director in ASEAN which allows her to develop strong knowledge and understanding traversing different industries in the ASEAN region such as packaging and processing, food ingredients, pharmaceutical, agriculture, and nutraceutical. She has established an incredible 28 years of work experience, including 22 years of proven track records in the exhibition industry. Her passion, dedication to her craft, and mentor to culturally diverse teams are reflected in all her successful and leading events in Southeast Asia including ProPak Asia, Vitafoods Asia, Fi Asia, CPHI, and Vietstock to name a few.

Throughout her career, Rose has travelled to the Philippines on numerous occasions for various projects and events that allow her to work closely with the public and private sectors. She has a strong familiarity with the Philippines market and has established good relationships with local stakeholders.

Informa Markets Vice President of Asia Business Ian Roberts said, “I am very happy with the promotion of Rose into this strategic leadership role. With her strong business development capabilities as well as proven track records in our organization for the past 10

years, I am very confident that she will be able to provide the necessary leadership to develop our team and further build our business in Philippines.”

As Rose assumes her new role as the country manager, she is expected to take a lead in the country’s leading trade fairs such as ProPak Philippines (January 31 to February 2, 2024), PhilEnergy Expo (March 20 to 22, 2024) Livestock Philippines and Aquaculture Philippines (May 22 to 24, 2024), and Water Philippines Expo (March 19 to 21, 2025). Rose will play an integral role in expanding the local business and creating new successful trade fairs in the succeeding years.

OATH TAKING OF FISMPC OFFICERS. The oath taking of the Directors and Officers of the Filipino Inventors Society MultiPurpose Cooperative (FISMPC) was held at Causeway Restaurant in Quezon City on Aug. 25, 2023 and administered by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. The event was witnessed by Secretary General Reginald Velasco from House of Representatives, DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Sancho Mabborang, Regional Directors Julius Caesar Sicat, Virginia Bilgera. Sworn into office were FISMPC Chairman Francisco “Popoy” Pagayon, ViceChairman Nelson Santos, BOD Mike Hortaleza, Dennis Abella, Eulalio “Doc Ayong” Lorenzo, Miko Abella, Reynaldo Sanchez, Rolando “Lakay”Gonzalo, Jimson Uranza, Diosdado Valeroso, Kristopher Peralta, Eduardo Arellano, Rizalino Espino, Joven Parsram and Rommel Dela Cruz. Officers Raymond “Bimbo” Duran, Vic Ocon, Amiel Uy, Davis Pagayon, Jun Espino, Eduardo Evangelista, Rae Briones. Others in photo are Edgardo Vasquez, Ronald Pagsanghan of FIS, Former DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Pena and Director Cezar Pedraza.

Brace Yourself for the Magnitude 9.9 Super Sale at the Paseo Outlets at Greenfields City

GET ready to experience a seismic shopping event that will leave you trembling with excitement! The Paseo Outlets at Greenfield City is gearing up for the Magnitude 9.9 Super Sale, hitting the scene on September 8 to 10, 2023. But hold on tight, bargain hunters, because this sale is no ordinary event. It’s an epic wave of discounts where you can uncover unique treasures from your beloved brands, all at a jaw-dropping up to 70 percent off! You’ll get discounts on top of discounts already onsale items.

Here’s how you can make the most of this groundbreaking event: ASSEMBLE Your Squad. Remember, you’re not in this alone! Rally your fellow shopaholics, friends, and family to join your shopping battalion. With everyone on high alert, you can divide and conquer the vast expanse of the Paseo Outlets. Plus, shopping is way more fun when you have your squad to share the excitement (and the discoveries) with.

Channel Your Inner Fashionista. Get ready to create fashion shockwaves and enjoy more discounts on sale items from these top designer brands: 158 Designer Blvd. (Buy two sale items, get additional 10 percent off from Tommy Hilfiger), American Eagle Outfitters Outlet (Buy one Get one), Bench Depot (Cotton On, Call it Spring, Kashieca, La Senza, and Pedro), BrandSmart, Crocs Outlet, Levi’s Factory Outlet, Marks & Spencers (Buy twol or more, get 20 percent off).

Equip Yourself with Good Sports Gear. Score big from your favorite sportswear brands: Under Armour, Merrell, No Fear, Oakley Vault Saucony, and Skechers.

And to all the sneakerheads: adidas, Puma (Buy two, Get three), Nike Factory Store, and Park Outlet (up to 70 percent off on Nike, Jordan, Puma, New Balance, Converse, Havaianas) are shaking things up with massive

discounts on the hottest kicks in town.

Navigate the Multi-Brand Maze. For the ultimate style collision, don’t miss The Outlet with Banana Republic, Gap, and Old Navy, Fusion (up to 70 percent off on Merrel, Keds, Sperry) Time Collection Outlet Store and USDS Outlet will complete your shopping experience with incredible deals! Don’t forget to drop by F&F where you can get Calvin Klein items at up to 50 percent off!

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to rock the Paseo Outlets like never before. The Magnitude 9.9 Super Sale is your chance to embrace the thrill of shopping quakes, riding the waves of discounts, and uncovering unbeatable deals as you enjoy a sale-on-topof-a-sale. With a shopping strategy as solid as bedrock, you’ll emerge victorious from this retail Richter scale adventure. Mark your calendars for September 8-10, and prepare to shop, save, and shake things up at the Paseo Outlets.

The Paseo Outlets is located along Tagaytay Balibago Road, Greenfield City, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. To learn more, visit us at our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Viber Community.

MISSION accomplished! Thrillmakers and the young Ocean Defenders create heart symbols in celebration of a successful Brigada Eskwela.

Envoys&Expats

Malaysia to boost cooperation in trade, economy as embassy marks National Day

Thursday, September 7, 2023

IN honor of their extraordinary courage and dedication when they fought for liberty in the Philippines during World War 2, names of the 14 Czechoslovak heroes are now inscribed on the Czech marker at the Capas National Shrine in Tarlac. The Czech Republic Embassy’s economic and trade counselor Maroš Martin Guoth, who represented Chargé d’affaires a.i. Mr. Dalibor Mička, led the unveiling of the granite marker on August 25, 2023. Originally erected for only seven Czechoslovak nationals, the new Czech marker now honors the heroism of all 14 who stood shoulderto-shoulder with their Filipino and American counterparts in the fight for freedom in the Philippines: Jan Bžoch, Pavel Fuchs, Leo Hermann, Jaroslav Hrdina, Fred Lenk, Hans Lenk, Josef Vařák, Antonín Volný, Karel Aster, Karel Dančák, Bedřich “Fred“ Herman, Otto Hirsch, Arnošt “Ernest“ Morávek, and Norbert Schmelkes.

THE Embassy of Malaysia commemorated its National Day on August 31 with a flag-raising ceremony at the official residence of the ambassador.

Ambassador Dato Abdul Malik

Melvin Castelino Anthony led the rites, graced by the local Malaysian community and a host of local guests and friends of the embassy. The flagraising ceremony began with a “doa” or prayer recitation, followed by the singing of the Malaysian national anthem “Negaraku” and the recitation of “Rukun Negara” or “National Principles.”

Subsequently, the ambassador’s speech highlighted the importance of the Rukun Negara in preserving national unity and harmony. He then expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality of the Filipino people and the strong ties between Malaysia and the Philippines—especially at the leader’s level between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Map offers proof that PHL’s Iranūns plied disputed waters many centuries ago

DIPLOMATIC

LAST week, I met a group of Maranaoans who trace their roots from the Austronesians and are the descendants of the Iranūn ethnic group—the prehistoric seaborne race from the Pacific islands. They claim that they have evidence to prove that their ancestors were the first to have conquered the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea (SCS/WPS).

To understand the Maranaoan claim, one needs to study the heritage of the Iranūn tribe or “race.” And for someone who has not read much about Filipino-Muslims, I begged the indulgence of Maranaoan royalties who were kind enough to give me a crash course on their history.

“Philippine history is based on the accounts of the Spanish and the Americans,” Nasser Sharief told the BusinessMirror. “Remember, Mindanao was not conquered by [either,] and that’s because of the Iranūn.”

Sharief is a certified public accountant by profession and a retired overseas worker from Saudi Arabia. He immersed at finding more stories about his ancestors’ past because of the dearth of historical accounts in the Philippine history’s annals. So he started doing his own research from libraries worldwide, genealogy and oral history. What he found was a rich historical trove of the Iranūns dating back from the 3rd Century— thousands of years before the Spanish conquest of the Philippines.

‘Vikings of Asia’

THE Iranūns are believed to be originally from the Sultanate of Maguindanao. They expanded their influ-

Anthony said both countries share similar objectives of longlasting peace and prosperity for their peoples, as well as those of the region.

In the ensuing press conference, the envoy announced main events the embassy will undertake to commemorate Malaysia’s National Day: First is the Malaysia Friendship Golf Open slated on September 9 at the Pradera Verde Golf & Country Club in Pampanga. Gathering 216 golfers, the event promises “not only a day of enjoyable golfing, but also the chance to make a lasting impact on those in need,” according to the Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industries-Phils. or MCCI. Proceeds generated will be dedicated to various charitable initiatives.

The other major event is the much-awaited “This is Malaysia”

weekend street festival on September 16 and 17 along Paseo de Roxas in Makati City. It aims to celebrate the Asean nation’s diverse tourism destinations, fascinating escapades, exquisite food, education, medical tourism, and other endless discoveries. Both will be staged in hopes of bringing together the people of both countries to celebrate the beautiful friendship and strong ties that bind them, as Anthony reaffirmed the deputation’s commitment to further elevate their bilateral relations, especially in the fields of trade and economy. He extends his invitation to all Filipinos and other community members to join the embassy in celebrating Malaysia’s historic 66th milestone in its nationhood.

Assistant Secretary Antonio Bautista of the Department of National Defense, Commissioner Lino Dizon of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Governor Susan Yap of Tarlac, Mayor Roseller Rodriguez of the Municipality of Capas, and Col. Agerico Amagna from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) graced the event. Partners from the diplomatic community and Veterans Federation of the Philippines members also attended the unveiling ceremony.

Guoth expressed his gratitude to former Czech envoy Jana Šedivá, who was the driving force behind the installation of the new marker. Driven by a deep sense of historical preservation, the envoy brought the project to fruition as “she rallied for support

from government authorities, historians and other stakeholders.”

For her part, Yap said that the province of Tarlac is “honored and privileged to serve as [the Czech marker’s] home,” as she hoped that it may “serve as a lasting reminder of our shared history.”

Meanwhile, Col. Amagna shared a brief history of how the 14 Czechoslovak heroes dedicated their lives for freedom in the Philippines.

In his closing, Bautista honored Bataans’ Czech defenders, as he stressed the fundamental values of liberty and freedom shared between the Czech Republic and the Philippines. He expressed his optimism for more meaningful engagements between the two countries, especially in the areas of defense industry and logistics. The ceremony was made possible through the Czech Embassy and PVAO’s joint efforts. According to the embassy, the marker stands as a testament to the common history and unwavering solidarity between both nations.

For the embassy, the unveiling was a fitting prelude to celebrate 50 years of official ties between as the Czech Republic and the Philippines in October—a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two nations.

ence in Mindanao, as far as Sulu, before and during the Spanish rule of Luzon and the Visayas. They engaged in major trading activities in Champa—the former kingdom of what is now Vietnam and some parts of Cambodia. They also had political and trade ties in Borneo and other areas of the Malay Peninsula.

In Western historical records, the Iranūns were labeled as “pirates,” because they attacked the Spaniards, Portuguese and later on, the Americans and British, in the high seas. But from their own accounts, the Iranūns were excellent sailors and mariners, and they raided foreign ships to protect their territory.

Southeast Asian historians called them the “Vikings of Asia.”

Their excellent seafaring skills were evident from their ability to ply the Champa Sea, or what is now known as the “South China Sea.” It is one of the most difficult bodies of water to navigate due to high waves during storms.

“Spain tried to conquer the rest of Southeast Asia from the Philippines, but they could not,” Sharief narrated. “Their ships always sank along the way.”

Over troubled waters USING Palawan as their starting point mainly for trading, the Iranūns were able to proceed to Champa, which underwent upheavals for hundreds of years. The Iranūns aided Cham refugees migrate to Palawan, and had to pass “Sulawan,” or the Spratlys.

As proof of the Iranūns’ mastery of the sea, Sharief pointed to a map

stored in a Spanish museum which details the region’s geography, along with the body of water.

The map called “Carta Indigena Filipina” by curators of the Museo Naval de Madrid was seized from a “Moro pirate ship,” which the Spanish navy turned over in the 18th Century, along with other artifacts and heirlooms.

Said artifact was found cased in a bamboo tube inside a ship that was captured near the Sulu Archipelago. The 72 centimeters x 90 cm cartographic chart was drafted in ink on cowhide (not on paper), with highlights in various colors. The map contained the “unorthodox route” the Iranūns took to “shortcut” their way to Southeast Asian territories. The chart has a profusion of dots which, in the view of Sharief, are points that Iranūns used during battles, including the forward bases, settlements and haunts.

He said this is the first “indigenous map” showing the Philippine conquest of, not just the Spratlys, but the entire SCS/WPS. Sadly, it is devoid of labels to provide documented proofs to those claims.

Sharief said they have traced the genealogy of the present-day

Maranao royalties as descendants of a princess from Pulo Condor in southern Champa (Vietnam). They have oral histories passed down from generations through songs.

“The connection between Pulo Condor and Palawan is through Sulawan (Spratly Islands),” he pointed out. “There was a princess in Pulo Condor: Princess Mabay. And that’s in our genealogy—we are [her] descendants.”

What’s next?

SULTAN Tomas Reyes Cabili Jr., an Iranūn descendant, hopes the national government would pursue their story to manifest the country’s “patrimony” over the SCS/WPS.

“Our trump card is much, much better than the Chinese. [They say they own the SCS/WPS because they are traditional fishing grounds. Ours is…a long history of usage of the said waters as a] trade route and as jump-off points for refugees from Champa,” Sharief insisted.

Both believe that the Iranūn’s history would “complement” the Philippine claim, and further cement the gains made with the Unclos or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’s arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines.

By Andrzej Duda President of the Republic of Poland

AS Poles, we are proud that our compatriots— the Ulma family—will be added to the ranks of the “blessed” of the Catholic Church on September 10, 2023. The significance of this event goes beyond the religious dimension; it will also be a tribute to heroes embodying the highest ideals of humanity.

A heavily worn, yellowed Bible opened to the parable of the merciful Samaritan, with a red line marking its title and a handwritten “YES!” note on its side…this is the exhibit that comes to my mind whenever I think about the Ulma Family Museum of Poles Saving Jews in World War II, in the village of Markowa in southern Poland. This copy of the Scriptures belonged to Józef and Wiktoria Ulma—Polish farmers who sheltered eight fellow citizens of Jewish origin: Gołda Grünfeld, Lea Didner with her little daughter, and Saul Goldman with his four sons.

Just before dawn on March 24, 1944, German gendarmes burst into the farm in Markowa. The Jews in hiding and their protectors were shot on the spot. Victims included not only Józef and the pregnant Wiktoria, but also their six young kids.

The German Nazi occupation, the Holocaust and the mass crimes against Poles are profoundly important and still painful parts of the history of my homeland. Many of my compatriots shared the fate of the Ulma family. Yearly on March 24, we celebrate a public holiday: the National Day of Remembrance for Poles who rescued Jews during the German occupation.

Before the Second World War started, Poland was home to a huge Jewish community—one of the largest in the nation’s history. For centuries, Jews had sought to settle in our country, endowing it with the telling name “Polin,” which translates as “here, you will rest.” Poland provided them peace and chances to

grow, making Warsaw the world’s second-largest Jewish center in the late 1930s.

For centuries, Poland was known as a tolerant country where Christian values shaped culture and social relations. And so, German occupation authorities expected resistance to their criminal actions. To minimize defiance, they threatened death to anyone in our lands who even attempted to help a Jew in hiding. Despite harsh sanctions, thousands of Polish Jews found life-saving aid. They were helped to escape the ghetto and given hiding places, food, money and false documents.

Historians are still reconstructing those years’ course of the dramatic events. So far, over 7,000 Poles, including Wiktoria and Józef Ulma, have been honored with the title of “Righteous Among the Nations,” awarded by Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Institute. In the righteous’ venerable circle, Poles are the largest national group. Polish officials and state institutions continue their efforts to remember the silent, often anonymous heroes—especially those killed for their courage and sacrifice.

The story of the Ulmas’ martyrdom deserves global recognition. Although it is horrifying, it is also an empowering testament to loving one’s neighbor.

(Published in cooperation with the Polish monthly “Wszystko co najważniejsze” as part of a historical project run jointly with the Institute of National Remembrance and the Polish National Foundation.)

THE Iranūn map

AMBASSADOR Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony (center) with Malaysian Embassy officials

Czechia cites shared history, solidarity thru Capas Natl Shrine Marker unveiling

A story of martyrdom that should be known worldwide

ASSISTANT Secretary Antonio Bautista and Counselor Maroš Martin Guoth PHILIPPINE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE/CZECH REPUBLIC EMBASSY DUDA

B8 Thursday, sepTemBer 7, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

HIDILYN EYES BETTER RANKING IN WORLDS

and grand prix and continental championships.

D iaz-Naranjo arrived in Riyadh last Saturday from her training camp in Bahrain with protégé Rosegie Ramos and husband, trainer and coach Julius Naranjo.

HIDILYN DIAZ-NARANJO

competes on Saturday at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Riyadh with a modest goal of improving her world rankings—the Olympic champion is currently ranked No. 7 in women’s 59 kgs class.

My goal is to compete the best I can and improve my ranking,” DiazNaranjo told BusinessMirror via voice message on Wednesday. “I’m well-prepared.”

T here are several pathways for Diaz-Naranjo to make it to Paris for her fifth straight Olympics appearance and one of them is to be ranked inside the top 10 in her class at the end of the Olympic ranking window that started August last year and ends April 28, 2024.

A fter three Olympic qualifying tournaments, Diaz-Naranjo ranks behind China’s Shifang Lou, Ukraine’s Kamila Konotop, Colombia’s Yenny Alvarez, Chinese-Taipei’s Hsing-Chun Kuo, Canada’s Maude Charron and Mexico’s No. 6 Janeth Gomez.

The Riyadh worlds is a compulsory competition for Olympic hopefuls as well as last year’s Colombia world championships which Diaz-Naranjo took part in and won gold medals and next year’s world championships

What’s important is to hike my ranking so that I can secure my Olympic berth by next year,” she said.

“I will do my best to win a medal although it’s very tough.”

D iaz-Naranjo competed at 59 kgs when she clinched silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and vied at 55 kgs when she won the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo two years ago. Her debut in at 59 kgs at the Asian championships in Jinju, South Korea, last April saw her finishing outside of the podium at fourth place. R amos, meanwhile, missed the podium after finishing seventh in women’s 49 kgs with a total lift of 188 kgs (86 kgs snatch and 102 kgs clean and jerk).

L ovely Inan also competed at 49 kgs but wound up with a “No Lift” result.

John Febuar Ceniza will see action Wednesday in men’s 55 kgs, after which the spotlight focuses on Tokyo Games champion Diaz-Naranjo and Elreen Ann Ando on Friday in women’s 59 kgs.

Vanessa Sarno, a two-time Southeast Asian Games champion, and Kristel Macrohon will compete in women’s 71 kgs on September 13.

Coaches Tony Agustin and Richard Agosto are also in Riyadh.

Castil hobbles but recovers to keep LPGT Del Monte lead by one stroke

VELINDA CASTIL had a wobbly front side but battled back in a fashion rarely seen in a junior golfer by birdying two of the last four holes to salvage a second straight 73 to keep the lead in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Del Monte Championship in Bukidnon.

C astil’s birdies on Nos. 15 and 18 made up for her double-bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the ninth and her late rebound stood out in a rainy day when Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy limped with mishaps at Del Monte Golf Club’s tough finishing holes and fell off the leaderboard.

W ith a 146 aggregate and a oneshot lead over new pursuer Pamela Mariano, the 15-year-old Castil candidly admitted the pressure to deliver in her first pro tournament is mounting while doubts begin to creep into her young mind.

I sort of feel nervous, I’m ahead by only 1,” said Castil, who is coming off a runner-up finish in the 15-18 age group of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) VisMin Classic at Pueble de Oro last Sunday that earned her a slot in next month’s national finals.

I hope to maintain my poise tomorrow [Thursday],” added the Manolo Fortich native who moved 18 holes away from becoming the youngest—and the first junior—to win on the Ladies PGT.

P rincess Superal won as an amateur the final leg of the LPGT’s inaugural season in Baguio in 2013 at age 16.

B ut out to spoil Castil’s record run are two title hungry pros, including Mariano, who also rallied with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to turn in the day’s best 71 and take the challenger’s role at 147.

“ I just enjoyed the game and was able to correct some of my mistakes in the first round,” said Mariano, referring to her big recovery from a first round 76.

Unlike in her first stab at LPGT at Mount Malarayat last year where she wound up tied for fourth after a final round 77, the 25-year-old Mariano liked her chances this time.

I think I’m familiar with the greens, the speed and how they play,” she said. Yvon Bisera, who finished runnerup to Uy in the last LPGT leg at Forest Hills, carded a second straight 74 on

POC WILL PUSH HARD ON ASIAD–TOLENTINO

By Josef Ramos

CHANGES

in the composition of the national men’s 5x5 team to the 19th Asian Games remained possible—that is if the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) would heed amendments on the Philippine delegation’s composition that were submitted two months ago. But it won’t only be on the basketball team roster that the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is looking at.

“ We are pushing hard for the changes in the rosters of some of our national teams to guarantee that they strong finish in the games,” POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Wednesday. The POC has advised the

a four-bogey, two-birdie round and lay just two strokes off Castil with a 148 in a tie with a charging amateur Mafy Singson, the runaway winner at Valley, who also fought back from a three-over card with birdies on Nos. 11 and 15.

I had a good round, but there were holes where I committed mistakes,” said Bisera, pointing to her three-bogey skid from No. 6 marred by a three-putt miscue on the seventh where she flubbed a birdie chance and missed a par-putt bid from short range.

A bby Abarcas, the other junior golfer who tied Bisera at second in the first round of the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and backed by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf, made four bogeys against a birdie to drop to joint fifth at 149 after a 75. Uy tied for the lead with a front 36 but slipped with a bogey-bogey finish, ending up with a 74 and dropping to Abarcas’s group that includes Koreans Ju Young Yang and amateur Jiwon Lee, who shot 78 and 76, respectively.

SENATE LAUDS YOUNG BOWLERS

VELINDA CASTIL’S birdies on Nos. 15 and 18 make up for her double-bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the ninth.

JUSTIN QUIBAN capitalizes on the par 5s.

ROY DOMINGO

HAGOC of changes in the national team rosters of some NSAs during the pre-delegation registration meeting (DRM) conducted online on Wednesday afternoon.

The Philippine delegation is composed of 395 athletes who will see action in 40 sports in Hangzhou.

The list was already submitted to the HAGOC ahead of the deadline for the Entry by Names last July 25.

Tolentino said that the final DRM in Hangzhou on September 17 would determine if the changes have been approved.

“ The POC has already advised the HAGOC of the possible changes in the composition of the Philippine delegation and let’s hope that these changes would be approved,” Tolentino said. “But we are insisting hard.”

The DRM is a crucial meeting between a national Olympic

committee and the games organizer—Olympics, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games, among others—covering not only the members of the delegation but major concerns including travel, accommodation, local transport and logistical arrangements.

The POC made the initiative to advise the HAGOC of the changes in national team rosters ahead of the announcement on the composition of Gilas Pilipinas for Hangzhou that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will jointly make on Thursday.

The SBP couldn’t field the same players who competed in the FIBA World Cup—Jordan Clarkson has to return to the US for Utah Jazz’s training camp with Dwight Ramos, Renz Abando and even Kiefer Ravena returning to their pro duties with their ball clubs in Japan and Korea.

The SBP has already submitted a 12-man lineup for Hangzhou in compliance with the Entry by Names deadline set by the HAGOC on the POC last July 15.

Bernaldez wrests 2 crowns in Mati  jr tennis tourney

Senators led by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri (third from right) and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (fourth from left) pose with Art Barrientos and Marc Dylan Custodio, both 19, and Stephen Luke Diwa, 18, and Singapore-based Zach Sales Ramin who bagged two gold medals

Quiban ahead with 67, Mondilla slips after bad putts

JUSTIN QUIBAN came out on top after a searing hunt for birdies in a frontside finish coming off a brief rain delay and stormed past Reymon Jaraula and Jhonnel Ababa for a one-stroke lead with a second 67 halfway through the International Container Terminal Services Inc.

(ICTSI) Del Monte Championship in Bukidnon Wednesday.

A s first round leader Clyde Mondilla wrestled with his putter after pounding the Del Monte Golf Club’s surface with a two-eagle, six-birdie blitz against two bogeys in a lead-grabbing 64 Tuesday, Quiban stuck to his game plan and stayed on track of his target, coming away with another five-under card that shoved him to the top of a stellar field at 10-under 134.

It’s pretty much the same,” said Quiban, when asked to assess his game in the first two rounds. “I was just trying to stick to my strategies. It’s a tight

course so I need to hit the fairways and try to capitalize on the par 5s.” He did as he birdied all but one of the four long holes, including the last on No. 9 that moved him past Jaraula and Ababa, who also put up big frontside windups to momentarily seize control at 135s after a 65 and 69, respectively, until Quiban toppled them in a flight behind.

Mondilla later rued his poor putting that led to a number of missed chances and a 72 as the local ace fell to solo fourth at 136 with Rupert Zaragosa also settling for an even-par to likewise dropped to fifth at 137.

Putting made the difference but at least, I’m still in the position,” said Mondilla, who actually stayed in command with two birdies in the first four holes at the back before his putting turned a bit shaky, leading to two bogeys and muffed birdie opportunities.

I hit an errant drive and missed a four-footer for par for my bogeys on Nos. 16 and 1, so my putting really didn’t click,” said Mondilla, seeking to score a follow-up to his victory at Forest Hills last June. “A good putter always has the edge here.”

A rt Arbole fired a 68 to move up to joint sixth at 139 with Nilo Salahog, who struggled with a 73, while Ferdie Aunzo shot a 68 for a 141 as he joined Zanieboy Gialon, who carded a 69, and Ira Alido, who shot a 70, at eighth with 36 holes left in the P2.5 million championship backed by the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.’s official apparel Kampfortis Golf.

The rest of the surviving 40-player field could be too far behind to pose a threat with the tightly-bunched Top 5, with only three strokes separating them, bracing for a duel of power and putting in the last two days.

CHELSSEA BERNALDEZ raised the girls’ 18-and-under trophy for the second straight week and added the 16-and-under crown to emerge as the lone “double” winner in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) City of Mati national junior tennis championships at the Sainz and Clergy courts in Davao Oriental over the weekend.

L ike in her tough three-set escape over AJ Acabo in the Maragusan leg in Davao de Oro, Bernaldez survived another cliffhanger, overcoming top seed Sanschena Francisco, 2-6, 6-2, 107, in the finals of the centerpiece age group division in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

The Tagum City find earlier routed Faith Lazaro, 6-2, 6-2, to clinch the 16-and-under trophy and the MVP honors in the week-long event which served as the second of a three-leg PPS-PEPP swing in the Davao region.

Tagum City will be the last stop from September 7 to 11 in Davao del Norte. For details and registration, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 09154046464.

Young Kresthan Belacas from M’lang, North Cotabato grabbed a piece of the spotlight as he posted a victory and a runner-up finish to emerge the top performer in the boys’ side of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop under president and CEO Bobby Castro.

in the 21st Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships in Bangkok last July. The Senate adopted Senate Resolution No. 87 congratulating and commending the young athletes for their feat in the international competition. Also in photo are Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Senators Risa Hontiveros, Robin Padilla and Sonny Angara, as well as national coaches Jojo Canare and American Joseph Slowinski. SENATE PRIB

RECYCLING ISSUE A box of game-used tennis balls are packed in a recycling box in the US Open in New York. The biggest barrier to recycling the rubber in the ball is the difficulty of removing the felt

ROY DOMINGO

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino says discussions with Hangzhou officials are ongoing.