BANGSAMORO...

FROM 3

The MILF-led law-making body is yet to pass three more priority measures that include the local government code, revenue, and indigenous peoples’ rights. (PNA)

ABOITIZ... FROM 4

contributions from GNPD, higher availability across its portfolio, gains from commodity hedges, and higher water inflows.

“In today’s digital age, we are driven to maximize new technologies to enhance our services and business performance to ultimately provide enjoyable and exceptional customer experiences,” Rubio said.

Aboitiz Power’s operations are divided into four strategic business units: power generation, power distribution, retail electricity services, and distributed energy.

It holds its investments in renewable energy through Aboitiz Renewables Inc. and non-renewable energy through Therma Power Inc, both of which are wholly-owned subsidiaries.

AREIT... FROM 5

AREIT president and chief executive officer Carol Mills said “the rebound of commercial businesses is an opportunity for AREIT to widely diversify its assets with more retail buildings.”

“The infusion of Glorietta 1 and 2 mall and BPO buildings, as well as the brand new One Ayala Avenue BPO towers, is testament to AREIT as Ayala Land’s flagship REIT,” she said.

“As we did in the last two years, we are committed to continually grow and diversify our assets to increase shareholder value for AREIT while ALI maximizes capital recycling and reinvests further in Philippine real estate,” she added. (PNA) nist of Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Dr. Castillo cited the study done in Japan. “In the 1950s, the incidence of strokes in Japan reached alarming levels, prompting the government to take urgent action.

The salt intake of the Japanese was very high then, and through a concerted multisectoral program which included a lot of public education, the Japanese reduced their salt intake by half. This reduced the average blood pressure of the population, and the rate of stroke was cut down by 80 percent. The average lifespan in Japan also increased significantly.”

Dr. Castillo, who’s a cardiologist, believed that if Filipinos will only follow what the Japanese had done, more than 50,000 lives can be saved annually.

Consuming more salt is especially bad if you already have some health problems. Sure, you like your French fries covered with salt, but if you have hemorrhoids, salt can make it worse. Excess salt retains fluids in the circulatory system that can cause bulging of the veins in the anus and elsewhere.

High salt intake can also trigger migraine in some people. Migraine is a throbbing headache, usually occurring on only one side of the head. (A woman who had suffered with migraines for 16 years finally experienced relief when researchers from Denmark’s Odense University gave her 500 to 600 milligrams of powdered ginger whenever she felt a headache coming on. Within 30 minutes, her migraine would be gone.)

In a study conducted at the Department of Community Medicine of St. Thomas Hospital in London, researchers discovered that salt could have a life-threatening effect on people with asthma. “A strong correlation was found between table salt purchases and asthma mortality in both men and children,” reported the researchers. Buying the salt wasn’t killing people; eating it was.

Anyone who has passed a kidney stone can verify that this is an experience he never wants to repeat. Most stones are calcium-based, so it’s essential that you avoid excessive intake of table salt and condiments high in sodium. Salt restriction will help decrease the concentration of calcium in the urine.

How well do you know that you have taken too much salt? For one, your brain feels foggy, according to Jamie Schmid in an article she wrote for Reader’s Digest. She cited an American study which followed a group of about 5000 men over the age of 65. “They found that men who had slightly lower sodium levels in the blood were about 30% more likely to develop cognitive decline,” she reported.

Another sign is raging thirst. Foods with high amounts of sodium make you feel thirstier, because sodium messes with the balance of fluid in your body, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Still another sign, according to Schmid: the body is swelling in strange places. “Just one night of too much sodium can actually make you look and feel more bloated in the morning,” the Mayo Clinic said.

Having a stomach ulcer is another sign. Sodium can amplify damage to the lining of the stomach caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria. If not resolved, it may become a cause of stomach cancer.

One of the best methods of lowering the consumption of salt is implementing highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies. Doing so could save an estimated 7 million lives globally by 2030, according to the WHO.

But the newly-released WHO Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction showed that the world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025. In fact, only 3% of the world’s population is protected by mandatory sodium reduction policies.

A comprehensive approach to sodium reduction includes adopting mandatory policies and WHO’s four “best buy” interventions related with sodium which greatly contribute to preventing noncommunicable diseases. These include:

1. Reformulating foods to contain less salt, and setting targets for the amount of sodium in foods and meals;

2. Establishing public food procurement policies to limit salt or sodium rich foods in public institutions such as hospitals, schools, workplaces and nursing homes;

3. Front-of-package labelling that helps consumers select products lower in sodium; and

4. Behaviour change communication and mass media campaigns to reduce salt/sodium consumption.

“There are proven measures that governments can implement and important innovations, such as low sodium salts,” said Dr Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization working with countries to prevent 100 million deaths from cardiovascular disease over 30 years. “The world needs action, and now, or many more people will experience disabling or deadly – but preventable – heart attacks and strokes.”

UNEMPLOYMENT... FROM 5

the population in the labor force, 47.35 million or 95.2 percent have jobs in January.

Underemployment rate increased to 14.1 percent in the same month.

Despite the month-on-month increase in unemployment rate in January this year, Mapa said the country’s job market has been improving and has already gotten back to pre-pandemic level since the middle of 2022.

Compared to January last year, the unemployment rate has improved from 5.4 percent.

“Our employment rate is getting back to pre-pandemic level since July (2022), and the indicators are getting better. We are seeing the same pattern in the months to come,” Mapa said in mixed English and Filipino.

He added that with the ongoing trend, the unemployment rate is expected to remain between 4 to

5 percent this year.

“The latest employment indicators show the robust recovery and growth of our labor market from its slump in January 2022 when the surge in Omicron cases prompted stringent mobility and capacity restrictions,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement. He said higher quality of jobs should be generated to continue the improving trend in the job market.

“We note that employment created year-on-year were mostly part-time and classified as vulnerable. Thus, it is imperative that labor market policies and programs that directly contribute to labor productivity and employment generation must be prioritized, not only to preserve jobs but also to generate quality jobs,” Balisacan said. (PNA)

The welcome dinner started a little late due to the delayed flight from Manila. We were alreay at the room at 7:30pm bu we while away our time discussing our room assignments and showed appreciation to Lito”Jabbar” Hibo on his handling of our flight and accommodation. The Manila group finally arrived a little past 8pm.

This writer is fidgety and a little uneasy since it will be his first time to meet in person the names he’s been reading in sports page way back years ago and now will be facing in the flesh, and will be dining together in one big room.

Awestruck was I when

CHITO MALABANAN JABONG!

Awestruck With The Gods Of Sportswriting

Al Mendoza and Jake Ayson, considered as the pillars of sportswriting shook my hand when I met them as they arrived together with the bunch of sportwriters/editors from Manila. Jun Engracia of Phil Daily Inquirer, Ding Marcelo, Dodo Catacutan,Rey Bancod and Musong Castillo of PDI followed suit as they were introduced by the amiable Cielo Villaluna of PAL.

The old guards and Manila writers occupied one big table . The Broadcast group sat together in another table composed of Conrad Banal, Danny Buenafe of ABS CBN, Igan Clavio of GMA 7, Milky

Rigonan of DZRH, Ely Saludar of DZXL and also director of NGAP JunGolf and Olympian Rey Fortaleza who came all the way from Vancouver, Canada.

Aljo Bendijo of PTV 4 choose to join the table where this writer is sitting together with the rest of the sportswriters from Davao, Jon Develos, Paul Palo and Tommy Inigo of Southern Sports Digest , Ace Perez and Imee Garcia of Sunstar. Aljo joined the group since he is more comfortable speaking the native tongue and share jokes with his fellow Dabawenyos.

VP

for Corporate Affairs

Josen Perez De Tagle regaled the group with his speech and table hop doing selfies as the night went on. He made sure that foods and drinks were provided and all the needs of the sportswriters were attended before they head to the big game on the next day.

Call time is 6:45 am for take off to Mactan Island Golf course for Day 1 of media golf tournament. Right after breakfast at 6am.

Jake Ayson lost no time by announcing the pairing as we took our breakfast. In between sips of his coffee, he announced the flight groupings

, tournament format and the rules of the game.

Every now and then laughter would ensue when past experiences are being mentioned by Jake Ayson or Al Mendoza which Musong Castillo would elaborated further with his booming voice.

“Kumpadre Chito, it’s your turn. Make great memories” says my editor In chief Neil Bravo before I headed to Cebu. Indeed, before I hit my first ball on the tee box, memories already abound and were created . Great experience, great memories which I would treasure for the rest of my life. Salamat Kumpadre. Cheers. Fooooooooooore.