Manila Standard - 2021 November 13 - Saturday by Manila Standard

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Kids outdoors under review Mayors alarmed over virus risk as 2-yr-old boy infected after malling

By Joel Zurbano, Willie Casas and Vito Barcelo A mother takes a photo of her children inside a Christmas centerpiece at a mall in Fairview, Quezon City on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. Under Alert Level 2 imposed over the National Capital Region, children accompanied by adults are allowed in malls and other establishments. Metro Manila mayors, however, are set to review the guidelines for minors. Ben Briones

ETRO Manila mayors are set to review the guidelines allowing children to go outdoors and enter malls after a 2-yearold boy was diagnosed with COVID-19 a few days after going to the mall. “That's very unfortunate. That's why we are still reminding everyone to follow the public health protocols and for parents to [be discerning] in bringing their kids to the mall...and only if it is necessary,” Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday. “Metro Manila mayors are also

reviewing the age restrictions [for entering malls]. While we have low COVID-19 cases, the pandemic is still not over,” Año said. Minors have been allowed to go out of their homes and move around under Alert Level 2 as the government opens up more establishments to spur the economy. Next page

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Unvaxxed workers to pay for antigen test ‘Get unofficial booster shot, your own risk’ By Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano

GOVERNMENT and private workers who delay or refuse to get vaccinated against COVID 19 can report for work and will not be terminated but will be required to undergo regular RT-PCR or antigen tests at their own expense, the

ROMULO NERI

Ex-NEDA chief ordered sacked over ZTE deal By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has ordered the dismissal of then Director General Romulo Neri of the National Economic Development Authority for brokering, “despite knowledge of corruption,” the botched 2007 transaction with Zhing Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) for a $325.9 million national broadband network project of the government. In a decision penned by Associate

Palace said Friday. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said this will encourage workers to get the jab, as there are sufficient supplies of COVID 19 vaccines in the country. In a statement, the Palace official said that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved measures to employ a whole-of-government solution to

increase demand for COVID-19 vaccination beginning Dec. 1, 2021. “In areas where there are sufficient supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccination of eligible employees tasked to do on-site work shall be required by all establishments and employers in the public and private sector,” Roque said. “Eligible employees who remain to be Next page

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his remarks during the virtual dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) members at the Malacañang Palace on November 11, 2021. The President, who belongs to Group 4 along with fellow APEC leaders from Russia, Korea, and Peru, underscored how COVID-19 'has had an acute, negative impact on the most vulnerable in our communities, including women, small businesses and indigenous people.' Karl Alonzo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has picked Philippine Army commander Lt. Gen. Andres Centino as the 57th chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, vice Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. who formally retired from the service on Friday. In a press statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said: "We

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday warned members of the public who are already getting booster shots that the government will not be held accountable if they experience any untoward reactions. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said booster shots have not yet been granted an emergency use authorization, so administering them violates national protocols. “The ones accountable will be the ones who gave you the vaccines and who have sourced out these vaccines,” Vergeire said. Vergeire said the agency is still waiting for the approval of the amended EUA. Next page

2,813,115

Gen. Centino new AFP chief of staff

By Willie Casas

Rody calls for public-private strong alliance By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called for stronger public-private collaboration to tackle the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic

and climate change, as he underscored key areas of cooperation. In his virtual participation in the 2021 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dialogue with

Economic Leaders, he noted ABAC’s substantial contribution to the region’s pandemic response efforts. The APEC Business Advisory Council is the private-sector arm of the Next page

1,894

29,105

45,035

170

2,738,975

1,421

(As of 4 PM, NOV. 12)

DTI opens 13th month loan facility By Othel V. Campos SMALL Business Corp., the financing arm of the Department of Trade and Industry vowed Friday to process and release all approved loan applications for the 13th month pay before Christmas. DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez told micro and small enterprises present during the ceremonial launch of the 13th Pay Loan Facility Friday that the government would ensure the quick and timely release of loans. “The government wants to extend assistance to help micro and small

companies hurdle the payment of 13th month pay to employees,” he said. There were about 77 loan applications received by SB Corp. as ofNovember 12, 2021. The agency has approved 32.47 percent or 25 loanapplications with a combined value of P5 million. SB Corp. president Ma. Luna Cacanando assured borrowers of, at most, 5 days processing time including approval before the Bank may release the loan. From a P200 million allocation, the Next page

Deeper RP-US ties seen with American solons’ visit By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez led the House of Representatives in welcoming the members of a United States Congressional Delegation as they called for stronger relations and cooperation between the two countries. Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, led the US-Philippines Congressional Delegations' Meet and Greet at Conrad Manila Hotel last Tuesday where Speaker Lord Allan Velasco requested him to represent the Next page House of Representatives.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez warmly welcomes the head of the US Congressional Delegation – former Senate Majority Whip Senator John Cornyn – during celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the bilateral Mutual Defense Treaty held at Conrad Hotel in Pasay City on Friday. Ver Noveno

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‘Bikoy’ linked to Albay killings

Police identified the victims as Donsol Councilor Helen Advincula Garay, 53, and businessmen Karren Averilla, 44, and Xavier Mirasol, 61. The victims were found dead inside

an ukay-ukay shop allegedly owned by Advincula in Barangay Busay, Daraga. "Allegedly, there was an invitation made by Bikoy to the aspiring vice mayor of Donsol, Sorsogon -- Helen Garay. The

invitation was allegedly for a meeting with a candidate in Daraga," said Lt. Col. Bogard Arao, chief of the Daraga Municipal Police Station said. Garay, he said, decided to invite three others, including Averilla and Mirasol who are both running for councilor of Donsol in next year's elections. The third person, Lalaine Herrera Amor, did not attend the meeting. Police said Amor, accompanied by her

Kids...

and persons with comorbidities. AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Gamaleya Research Institute have also applied for the same EUA. Vergeire said the FDA and the vaccine experts panel are completing the documents for the evaluation. “We’re just wanting to wait for the complete SAGE [Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization] recommendation, which is the last piece of evidence we need, so we can give appropriate recommendations,” she added. Also on Friday, former Health secretary Esperanza Cabral warned that the country may experience a fresh surge of coronavirus infections if Filipinos become complacent about adhering to health protocols. Cabral said the public must not let their guard down, as the country eases restrictions to further open the economy. “It's possible we could have another surge of COVID. [We hope] this will not happen. Now, everyone's excited to visit [shopping malls],” she told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo. Esperanza advised people to wait for the excitement to subside before visiting such places. She also urged parents to consider what could happen if they bring children to crowded places. Metro Manila, home to more than 13 million people, shifted to Alert Level 2 on Nov. 5 amid a decline in COVID-19 cases. If the downtrend in coronavirus infections continues, Metro Manila may further ease to the lowest COVID-19 alert level, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III had said. The Philippines logged 1,894 new

COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 2,813,115. There were 170 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 45,035. The Department of Health (DOH) also reported 1,421 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 2,738,975. There were 29,105 active cases, of which 63 percent were mild, 5.7 percent were asymptomatic, 4.4 percent were critical, 10.2 percent were severe, and 16.7 percent were moderate. The positivity rate was at 5.5 percent, based on test results of samples from 43,591 individuals on Nov. 10. The World Health Organization says a positivity rate of less than 5 percent is acceptable. A positivity rate of 5 percent or higher indicates that virus transmission is high. Nationwide, 39 percent of ICU beds, 30 percent of isolation beds, 23 percent of ward beds, and 22 percent of ventilators, were in use. In Metro Manila, 35 percent of ICU beds, 26 percent of isolation beds, 26 percent of ward beds, and 21 percent of ventilators, were in use. The independent OCTA Research Group said it expects that new COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) will continue to decrease even as the reproduction number slightly increased to 0.44. According to the latest OCTA report, the seven-day average in the region slightly increased over the past two days to 423 from the previous 364 recorded on November 3 to 9. Also on Friday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it will bar travelers coming from Faroe Islands and the Netherlands, which were placed

under the red list status from Nov. 16 until Nov. 30. The BI reiterated that foreign tourists are still not allowed in the country and only Filipinos and foreigners married to locals, or with existing visas coming from countries under green or yellow status will be allowed to enter the Philippines. “Those in the red list, or have been there in the last 14 days prior to arrival, are barred from entering the Philippines,” the BI said. Filipinos coming from the two countries may be allowed entry as assisted by government or nongovernment-initiated repatriation flights. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) includes the following in its Green List: American Samoa, Bhutan, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Montserrat, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. All other countries, territories, and jurisdictions not included in the Green and Red lists are under the Yellow List.

vaccinated, despite being eligible for vaccination, Roque said. Frontline and emergency services, on the other hand, shall continue to render assistance to all persons, regardless of vaccination status. To ramp up demand for vaccination, local government units (LGUs) are enjoined to issue orders or ordinances providing incentives for fully vaccinated individuals, and for business establishments to require proof of vaccination before individuals may undertake or qualify for certain activities. Meanwhile, all workers to be vaccinated during work hours shall not be considered absent upon sufficient

proof of a confirmed vaccination schedule. Some 866,970 doses of governmentprocured Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday night, bringing to 121,979,340 the total number of COVID-19 jabs delivered to the country since February. With the government’s ramped up vaccination program, National Task Force against COVID-19 medical consultant Dr. Ma. Paz Corrales urged Filipinos to get inoculated, saying this will be the key in reviving the economy. “It’s incredibly important that the Philippines procure safe and effective

doses of vaccines, whether that's from the COVAX facility, bilateral donations or private procurement like this case,” said John Avrett, US Embassy foreign service officer, following the shipment's arrival at the airport. “We applaud the Philippine efforts to vaccinate its people,” Avrett added. A total of 19,094,400 Pfizer doses purchased by the Philippine government have so far been delivered as part of the 40 million doses the country has secured from the American pharmaceutical firm. The country has also received a total of 14.7 million donated Pfizer doses from the COVAX facility. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

matters beneficial to the Philippines and the United States.” He said: “Your visit today is a fitting highlight of this year’s 75th anniversary celebration of formal diplomatic relations between our two countries, and the 70th year since the signing of our Mutual Defense Treaty." “As we both affirm the strengthening of Philippine-US partnership, we would like to seize this occasion also to extend our gratitude for the continued US defense and security assistance to our country as well as your valuable assistance in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Since 2015, the US has provided the Philippines more than $1 billion in military equipment where the Visiting Forces Agreement was responsible for more than 300 bilateral military engagements with the Armed Forces of the Philippines each year, including expert exchanges and major training exercises. The lawmaker also highlighted that the US has facilitated the donation of nearly 28 million doses of COVD-19 vaccine to the Philippines through the US government's partnership with COVAX. In addition to vaccine donations, the US has provided more than $39 million in COVID-19 assistance in new ventilators, ICU beds, isolation tents, and Personal Protective Equipment.

‘Get...

to ensure that this will be safe and effective for the public,” Vergeire said in Filipino. Vergeire also urged groups to be careful when making remarks that an increase of cases may occur without booster doses. “We need to understand that based on science and studies being done by experts as well as the experiences in other countries… the unvaccinated are the cause behind the increase in cases,” she said.

The high court overturned the August 21, 2009 ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman, which found Neri guilty only of misconduct and imposed on him a six-month suspension without pay as NEDA director general. “Wherefore, the petition for review on Certiorari is denied. The assailed July 3, 2013 Decision and May 5, 2014 Resolution of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. SP. 114299 are reversed and set aside. Petitioner Romulo L. Neri is dismissed from service, which includes the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of leave credits

and retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in the government service. So ordered,” read the decision. On Neri’s appeal, the Court of Appeals modified the anti-graft body’s ruling as it declared him guilty of simple misconduct and imposed on him a fine equivalent to his six months salary. He elevated the case to the SC. Neri’s graft case started in 2010 arising from the NBN-ZTE deal which had been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan in 2016. The anti-graft court granted his demurrer to evidence, a pleading filed to

ORMER narco-politics "whistleblower" Peter "Bikoy" Advincula was held by police on Friday in connection with the killing of three people in Daraga, Albay.

From A1

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 from Nov. 5 to 21, which means there are no age restrictions for people leaving their homes. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos Jr., for his part, said for now, they will leave it up to the discretion of the parents whether or not to bring their kids outdoors. Abalos, however, appealed to parents to leave their infants at home to avoid pediatric infections. Meanwhile the Department of Health said no COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer has yet applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of their jabs on children ages 5 to 11. “The FDA said they are expecting a submission from Pfizer since the US FDA has granted it an EUA,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Filipino during an online media briefing. Vergeire noted that vaccine manufacturers usually submit EUA applications in different countries once they have secured one from the US FDA. “We’ll wait for their application, then the evaluation, then, the issuance of an EUA from the FDA,” she said. To date, only children aged 12 to 17 years old are included in the government’s vaccination program where they are given Pfizer and Moderna jabs. Pfizer has already applied for an EUA of its vaccine to be used as a booster shot or third dose for the health care workers

Unvaxxed... From A1

unvaccinated may not be terminated but they shall be required to undergo regular RT-PCR testing, or antigen tests, at their own expense,” he added. Public transportation services in the road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors will require all their eligible workers to be fully vaccinated as a condition to continue their operations. Public and private establishments may validly refuse entry or deny service to individuals who remain unvaccinated, or are merely partially

Deeper... From A1

“In working our way out of this pandemic, we are hopeful that both our countries will find new opportunities for broader engagement in the economic sphere that would fuel our recovery efforts. The Philippines, for one, would like to deepen cooperation with the United States in the areas of supply chain, health and health security, environment and climate change, energy security, and interconnectivity," Romualdez said. “I trust that this interaction of our delegation with yours would help forge stronger relations between our countries, and would eventually lead to peace and prosperity in the entire Asia-Pacific region," he added. US Senators John Cornyn who served as the Senate Majority Whip from 2013 to 2019, Mike Crapo, Mike Lee, and Tommy Tuberville, and Congressmen Tony Gonzales and Jake Ellzey met Romualdez, HouseCommittee on Foreign Affairs Chairperson and Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Ann Hofer, and Deputy Minority Leader and Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Ouimbo. Romualdez also thanked the delegation for giving them the opportunity to “fortify engagements with the US Congress on

Ex-NEDA... From A1

Justice Marvic Leonen, the SC ruled that while the dismissal had been rendered moot and academic since Neri was no longer holding the post of NEDA director general, the petitioner could still suffer the accessory penalties of “cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of leave credits and retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in the government service,” once the decision became final and executory.

From A1

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it has received applications for EUA amendment from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, and Sputnik V. Vergeire urged the public to wait for the guidelines from the government before taking action. “This is not to restrict you or control the vaccines. This is for the government

DTI... From A1

DTI increased the total amount to P500 million to allow more companies and employees to benefit from the facility. The DTI also doubled the number of employees per company who will benefit from the program from 20 to a maximum of 40 employees. There are about 11,000 workers from micro and small enterprises who are in the flexible work arrangement. Out of this, only 8,000 will be qualified for the loan facility. Qualified applicants to the program

husband, went to their station around 11 p.m. to report that her three companions were missing. Based on her statement, Advincula fetched her and the three other victims one by one in a blue Toyota Vios. Amor got suspicious because it was already late in the evening and she refused. Advincula earlier tagged the family of President Rodrigo Duterte in the illegal drug war trade.

are micro and small enterprises that are registered with the Department of Labor and Employment for flexible work arrangement as of October 15, 2021. Also qualified are micro and small enterprises that were grossly affected from March 16 2020 onwards but had since reopened prior to November to 2021. And third are micro and small enterprises that are registered with the Department of Labor and Employment as having downsized or reduced their workforce due to the COVID-19 pandemic but are still operating. The DOLE defines micro and small enterprises based on the number of their dismiss the case on the ground that the prosecution’s evidence cannot sustain a conviction. Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who scrapped the NBN-ZTE deal, had also been cleared of the graft and other charges by the Sandiganbayan, also on a demurrer to evidence. When the judgment of acquittal was elevated to the SC, the SC dismissed the petition on Arroyo’s constitutional right against double jeopardy. The NBN-ZTE deal, which started in 2006, was for the installation of a nationwide public telecommunications

Rody... From A1

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. It advises Leaders and other APEC officials on issues of interest to business. The President said public and private sectors could work together in improving digitalization and literacy in rural communities, establishing a national Social Protection Floor (SPF) and facilitating developing economies’ transition to a low-carbon economy. He emphasized the importance of promoting digital literacy to facilitate the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the digital economy, saying “this will help increase the economic productivity of marginalized groups under the new normal." To facilitate digital inclusion efforts, Duterte also underscored the need to “establish the necessary infrastructure for accessible, stable and affordable energy supply in remote communities.” “Establishing a national SPF could address the gaps in the social protection programs that were exposed during the pandemic,” he said, adding “SPF will guarantee a minimum set of social security benefits for all, including workers in the informal sector and gig economy.” Tackling climate change, the President reiterated the call for a sustainable, scaledup and predictable support from developed countries to help developing economies adapt to and mitigate the adverse consequences of changing climate. This includes climate finance, technology transfer and development and capacity-building. “In the interest of climate justice, we need these to transition to climate-smart development and adapt to and mitigate the worsening effects of climate change,” he added.

Gen.... From A1

confirm that President Rodrigo Duterte a proved and signed the designation of Lt. Gen. Andres Centino as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines effective November 12, 2021." “We are confident that Gen. Centino will continue the initiatives of his predecessors to bring lasting peace and development in the cou try while securing the State and upgrading our defense capability," he added. The AFP immediately welcomed Centino's appointment. "He has immense knowledge and experience in leading our troops on the ground and in supporting peaceful efforts to protect our people against various threats," AFP spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala said in a statement. He added Centino's integrity, management acumen and genuine desire for peace and development make him a competent leader and guide the AFP in fulfilling its mission while supporting national efforts to battle the current pandemic. "The appointment of Lt. Gen. Centino will prompt an upward movement in the AFP leadership that will further inspire our soldiers to surpass challenges with excellence and continue our campaign towards genuine transformation," Zagala said. Centino is a member of the Philippine Military Class of 1988 and assumed the position as Army commander last May. He is a mistah (batchmate) of newlyappointed Philippine National Police chief, Lt. Gen. Dionardo Carlos. Prior to his appointment as Army chief, Centino was the head of the Cagayan De Oro City-based 4th Infantry Division (4ID). He also held various positions such as Commander of the 26th Infantry Battalion, 4ID; Secretary Army General Staff; Chief of Staff, 4ID; Commander of the 401st Infantry Brigade; and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (J3) of the AFP. employees. Micro enterprises are those that have 1 to 9 employees while small enterprises are those that have 10 to 99 employees. According to the SB Corp. the maximum loanable amount is computed at P12,000 per employee, multiplied by the number of employees of the company. This means the maximum loanable amount per company is around P480,000. All 13th month loans are collateralfree at 0 interest but will carry 4 percent one time service fee, with a 3 months grace period. The loans are payable within 12 inclusive of the 3 months grace period. infrastructure to link all government agencies and offices. After the deal was awarded to ZTE in 2007, there had been allegations of corruption which, among other incidents, led to a Senate inquiry. As a consequence, a complaint was filed before the OMB against Neri, then President Arroyo and several other persons for alleged graft and violations of the Revised Penal Code. Among the complainants were Teofisto T. Guingona, Jr., Harry L. Roque, Jr., Ma. Dominga B. Padilla, Roel Garcia, Bebu Bulchand, and Fr. Jose P. Dizon.

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Sulpicio victims want reconsideration By Rio N. Araja

EVERAL relatives of the victims of a sea tragedy involving Sulpicio Lines Inc. in 2008 have asked the Cebu Regional Trial Court to reconsider its Oct. 6 decision to indemnify them. The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) filed separate motions for reconsideration on behalf of the plaintiffs Jose Eric Manigos for the death of his wife Marissa, and children Erica Marie and Filcire Marc; Honeylyn Garces for her parents Lorenzo and Lourdes; Ritchie Bryan Furia for her mother Jocelyn, and Farah Guinitaran for her husband Marlon before Branch 16 Judge Dante Corminal, seeking the reversal of his decision

dismissing their civil suits filed against Sulpicio Lines, now renamed as the Philippine Span Asia Carrier Inc. PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said the plaintiffs also suffered the same degree of pain, anxiety, mental anguish and sleepless nights undergone by the 55 heirs of the other victims whose damage suits had been granted. More than 13 years after M/V Princess of the Stars owned by Sulpi-

cio Lines capsized on June 21, 2008, Corminal ordered the indemnification to 55 heirs of the victims amounting to P199.1 million. But the lower court dismissed the cases of Manigos, Garces, Furia, and Guinitaran for failure to submit a formal offer of evidence to substantiate their suits. Rueda-Acosta maintained that the court’s findings of negligence against Sulpicio Lines and its owners must “redound to the benefit of all the herein plaintiffs in the consolidated case,” therefore the heirs of those dismissed cases must also be granted claims for indemnification. She invoked Article 2206(3) of the Civil Code of the Philippines allowing the plaintiffs to demand moral and moral damages for the mental anguish the

victims suffered because of the death of their loved ones who were passengers of m/v Princess of the Stars. She, however, clarified that “it has always been ruled that moral damages are not intended to enrich a plaintiff at the expense of the defendant.” Another plaintiff, Elvira Chua through PAO filed a motion for partial reconsideration, asking the court to order Sulpicio Line to release her quitclaim of P200,000 as insurance proceeds for the death of her husband Henry. The Cebu court previously ordered the shipping line to indemnify Chua P100,000 in moral damages, P100,000 in exemplary damages, P5,279,231.90 as loss of earning capacity, and attorney’s fees equivalent to 10 percent of the total monetary award.

SC dismisses six civil cases against Danding

House probes online discount for the elderly By Maricel V. Cruz TWO committees of the House of Representatives have approved the consolidation of four resolutions that call for an investigation on the refusal of online merchants like food outlets to grant the discounts mandated by law to the elderly. In a joint meeting, the House Special Committees on Senior Citizens chaired by Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes, the nominee of the party-list group Senior Citizens; and on Persons with Disability chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Maria Lourdes Arroyo approved the consolidation of the resolutions that were filed due to mounting complaints that business establishments ceased giving discounts to seniors and persons with disabilities for online transactions, especially on food deliveries, during the pandemic.

DOH addresses vaccine hesitancy in Calabarzon THE Department of Health (DOH)– CALABARZON together with the concerned local government units (LGUs) of Laguna and Rizal provinces started its house-to-house campaign to address the vaccine hesitancy through localized information dissemination. Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo underscored the importance of the right information to ward off vaccine hesitancy and misinformation being received by eligible recipients. He warned that the delay in the acceptance or refusal to accept the vaccine despite its availability is a threat not only to the individual but to the family and community as well. The campaign targeted barangays in the two provinces with high vaccine hesitancy rate. Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed six civil cases against the late industrialist Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. for violation of his constitutional rights to due process and speedy disposition of cases. In a 28-page decision, the SC’s Third Division issued a writ of prohibition enjoining the Sandiganbayan from taking further proceedings in the cases. The SC noted that the Philippine government had filed a civil case against Cojuangco in 1987, which was subdivided into eight complaints in 1995. Cojuangco filed his reply in 1999. Pre-trial hearings for Civil Case Nos. 0033-C, 0033-D, and 0033-E commenced and were essentially terminated in 2000. However, pre-trial hearings for Civil Case No. 0033-B and 0033-H were halted in 2001 and the pre-trial hearing for Civil Case No. 0033-G was suspended in 2003. In 2018, after two decades, Cojuangco urged the Supreme Court to order the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the cases filed against him since the anti-graft court has not concluded the pre-trials of three cases and did not exert any effort to require the petitioner to make an initial presentation of evidence. The SC granted the petition, noting that in total, the cases against the business tycoon have been pending for 32 years. “Absent any justifiable excuse, these incidents in the Sandiganbayan proceedings depict more than a perfect Manila picture of an inordinate delay which is Standard violative of one’s right to speedy disTODAY position of cases,” the decision stated.

MMDA brings back annual Metro Film Fest THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is bringing launch of the K-9 Search and Rescue Recognition and Call for Volunteers Program at the University of the Philippines Vanguard Grounds at back the annual Metro Manila Film UP Diliman in Quezon City. The UP Vanguard trained the dogs for 12 weeks on basic obedience, agility training, and tracking. The dogs will Festival (MMFF) in cinemas this year. now become MMDA volunteers and will be utilized in disaster areas for search and rescue. Manny Palmero “The long wait is over. There is no stopping the Metro Manila Film Festival. We are bringing back the MMFF to the silver screens that have been shut down for almost two years due to the coronavirus pandemic ,” Petron, which has an 18.6-percent HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader won’t allow the government to buy said MMDA and MMFF concurrent Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas said business Petron back for the same reason that share of the local petroleum market, rechairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. tycoon Ramon Ang can keep Petron we won’t allow the state-run Phil- ported a net loss of P11.4 billion in 2020 This year’s festival will showcase a Corp. as Congress would never bank- ippine National Oil Co. to acquire when the COVID-19 pandemic impactdiverse line-up of eight BLACK movies, rangYELLOW roll a government takeover of the coun- Shell B.V.’s 45 percent operating ed the demand for fuel products. CYAN MAGENTA ing from social drama, horror, action, try’s only oil refiner. stake in the Malampaya gas proThe oil refiner has since bounced suspense, romance, to comedy horror. Gullas also rejects gov’t buyout of ject,” Gullas said. back, reporting a net income of P5 bilAbalos said the Inter-Agency Task Shell’s 45-percent operating stake in The lawmaker added that “the gov- lion from January to September this Force and Department of Trade and M a l a m - ernment neither has the money nor the year. Industry have set guidelines to ensure paya gas operational flexibility to run extremely “As to Malampaya, it is enough that that cinemas adhere to all the safety project costly and inherently risky oil and gas the government is benefitting financialprotocols as “we are still facing threats “We in undertakings that are best left to highly ly from the gas project without assumof COVID-19 despite the easing of reCongress agile private corporations.” ing any financial risks,” Gullas said. strictions.” Joel E. Zurbano

CANINE VOLUNTEERS. MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos together with his pet “Sherman” the Great Dane, during the start of the

Gullas says govt will not bankroll takeover of Petron

SEC Memorandum Circular No. 11 Series of 2021 TO

ALL CONCERNED FOREIGN CORPORATIONS

SUBJECT

ADJUSTED DEADLINE SECURITIES DEPOSIT

FOR

FILING

ADDITIONAL

WHEREAS, pursuant to SEC Memorandum Circular No. [SEC MC No.] 3, Series of 2021, the Commission adjusted the deadline for filing of the audited financial statement [AFS] to wit: [c] All stock corporations with fiscal year ending December 31, including branch offices, representative offices, regional headquarters and regional operating headquarters of foreign corporations, shall enroll and file their AFS through OST depending on the last numerical digit of their SEC registration or license number in accordance with the following schedule: June 1-30 : July 1-31 : August 1-31 : September 1-30 : October 1-31 : November 1-30 :

IN BRIEF

1 2 3&4 5&6 7&8 9&0

WHEREAS, for Foreign Corporations with License to Operate as Branch Office [Branch Office], the latest due AFS is used as basis for the computation and monitoring of branch offices in its posting of additional and/or substitution of securities deposit. WHEREAS, with the alarming rise of Covid-19 cases continuously posing as health threatening, the Philippines is still under various community quarantine measures. The mobility of the people is still restricted; NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission hereby resolves to EXTEND the deadline for the posting of additional securities deposit and substitution of securities deposit for branch offices with fiscal period ending 31 December 2020 to align the same with the extended deadline of the AFS, subject to the following guidelines: 1. Posting of additional securities deposit for branch offices falling due in 2021 shall be extended until December 23, 2021, Thursday. 2. The extension for posting of additional securities deposit and substitution of securities deposit shall automatically be applied without the need for a request from the affected branch offices. 3. This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately and shall be prospective in nature. Signed this 11th day of November 2021, Pasay City, Philippines.

EMILIO B. AQUINO Chairperson (MS-NOV. 13, 2021)

100 public schools eyed for pilot face-to-face classes THEDepartmentofEducation(DepEd)formally listed the 100 public schools nationwide that will participate in the pilot implementation of the limited face-to-face classes starting November 15. “All set na for November 15. Nabuo na natin ‘yong 100 public schools at binubuo na ngayon ang 20 private schools. Nakuha natin ang consent ng local governments. Nirequire din natin na ang mga parents ay dapat magbigay ng kanilang written consent

(We are all set for November 15 We have completed the list of the 100 public schools, and we are in the process of including 20 private schools. We also have the consent of the local governments. We will also require prents to give their written consent),” DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said during the “Laging Handa” public briefing. Based on the latest information by the DepEd’s Field Operations strand, there will be 10 participating schools from Ilocos Region,

10 from Central Luzon, five from CALABARZON, and nine from Bicol Region. Meanwhile, three public schools from Western Visayas will participate in the pilot implementation, eight from Central Visayas, and 10 schools from Eastern Visayas. The Zamboanga Peninsula, on the other hand, will be represented by eight public schools, 10 from Northern Mindanao, eight from Davao Region, five from SOCCSKSARGEN, and 14 from CARAGA.

SSS: 7,158 funeral claims have been settled online By Rio N. Araja

THE Social Security System on Friday said it has settled a total of 7,158 online funeral claim applications from January to June amounting to P166.31 million, higher by 313.7 percent from the second semester of 2020. SSS president and chief executive officer Aurora Ignacio said more members are now comfortable using its various online service facilities, “which is evident in the tremendous increase received and processed for settlement.” “Now that the My.SSS Portal is very accessible for members and claimants to virtually transact with SSS and conveniently receive their cash benefits through their disbursement accounts; we are highly receiving positive feedbacks from stakeholders that our services have greatly improved through the years. Long queues in branches have been reduced while the processing time for benefit settlements has also been shortened,” she said.

BLOOD DONATION. In a bloodletting activity co-organized by Döhle Seafront and the Philippine Red Cross, donors from Barangay Mahabang Parang in Binangonan, Rizal gave 58.5 liters of blood. The activity is in response to the organizations’ national call for blood donors as reserves depleted and donations fell by around 29 percent due to the pandemic.

Opinion Pay more attention to children’s mental health

MENTAL health has been a buzz phrase because of the pandemic. We hear of people having anxiety attacks, sleeping disorders, and the like because of what we have been experiencing for nearly two years now. At least us adults can verbalize what we feel, and thus, we are able to seek help when needed. But what about the young children who do not even know that they are affected by the very long period of staying indoors? They are unable to interact with other children and have stopped seeing and experiencing the outside world. How has this pandemic affected them?

Let us all work so children do not lose more of their childhood. A few days back, my daughter was upset upon knowing that the public parks near them have yet to allow children in, even with strict observance of health protocols. Yet, the same children could already enter malls and the like. This policy was at best illogical since open spaces are the safer spaces against COVID-19 because of good ventilation. My daughter and son-in-law wanted to bring my grandchildren to parks as a way of reorienting and reintroducing them to the outside world since they have been cooped inside their home for at least a year and eight months now. Both kids were quite active and vivacious in and out of the house. They remained playful in the home setting and never displayed any sign of anxiety because of the long period of staying indoors. The elder has experienced going to a big school for three years before COVID-19 struck but the younger is only in grade one now, so his only exposure to school was his pre-school. It was quite small although it used the Montessori system and thus, highly interactive. He was supposed to be in a big school by now. Admittedly, my grandchildren are privileged because their parents are both medical doctors and are able to adequately provide for their needs. They did not experience the additional burdens of poverty like lack of food, toys, and other needs. Except perhaps for the time that my daughter contracted mild COVID-19 and the additional precautions they take because both parents are frontliners, my grandchildren are indeed better-situated than many other children their age. We had the opportunity to bring my granddaughter out for an errand that required her presence. When we picked her up, with a big smile, her first words were, “I’m very happy to be able to go out of the house!” She repeated this a few more times. We realized then that while she never articulated missing being outside, she actually felt it. She is eleven and better understands what she should do outside

but still, we watched over her like hawks. We were ready with the alcohol spray every time she touched any surface. She dutifully followed everything we told her about keeping her mask and shield on always and observing physical distancing. She was her usual self albeit a bit more quiet than usual. I saw her actively observing what was going on as if absorbing everything. Indeed, she missed being out. Not long after this, for the first time during the pandemic, the two kids were brought outside by their parents to just walk around their neighborhood, something they did often pre-COVID-19. Our boy used to be the more adventurous one as he liked hunting for insects to be sent free again. During the walk, our girl was okay but our boy, now six years old, was anxious and apprehensive. He did not want to go far and when he could no longer see their house he repeatedly asked, “Where’s our house? Are we very far?” He looked back often as if to make sure that he would be able to go back. This is a place that he was very familiar with as he used to run around the neighborhood playing with other kids just less than two years ago. On their way back, he was very happy when he saw their house and ran towards it. His parents then realized that while our boy did not know, the very long period of staying in has affected him. They resolved that they would bring the kids out more and more until they regain their confidence with being outdoors. Having observed these in my two grandchildren, one wonders if others are also affected, and how. I am especially thinking of children below ten years old who, I strongly suspect, will need to be closely observed because they may not be able to completely articulate the complexities of feelings such as fear, anxiety, insecurity, and apprehension. For psychologists, this might be a worthwhile study to make. Parents and families should now begin the process of re-familiarizing the children with the outside world, and in dealing with other people in person while continuing to strictly adhere to safety protocols. We should remain vigilant in protecting them against COVID-19 but we can now bring them out to safe spaces and have activities with them. We may allow them to see a few other people but strictly monitor them. Lastly but most importantly, as soon as vaccines for children become available, get them inoculated. Schools should also now begin the preparations for the reintegration of children into the face-to-face learning system. This takes a lot more than physical preparation of school facilities. Schools need to be extra-mindful of the activities for children and learning methods that will be employed so pupils’ feelings and behaviors are observed and processed. I guess the guidance counselors and school clinics must be more engaged. Teachers must also be more understanding and patient with their returning and starting students. Let us all work so children do not lose more of their childhood. Almost two years of their precious formative years are gone forever. It is up to us adults to help our children to be welladjusted and recover from the otherwise hidden effects of the pandemic on them. @bethangsioco on Twitter Angsioco on Facebook

Elizabeth

Locked and loaded

IT SEEMS the waiting game has become Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte’s favorite play. Months before the aspiring political aspirants filed their respective certificates of candidacy for next year’s elections, the presidential daughter had every major political party on their toes waiting for her decision on whether or not she would seek the presidential post. The result – no major political party was able to field their own standard bearer including a senatorial slate. Now, days before the deadline for the filing of CoC for substitute candidates, Inday Sara again, has everybody eagerly awaiting her pronouncement of whether she would be vying for the presidency, or the vice presidency as Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. However, unlike before, the situation now is much different. While the political parties, especially the Lakas-CMD where she took her oath in preparation for the filing of her substitute CoC, are still awaiting what position would she really be taking on, the people, including BBM and Sara supporters, have already committed to their respective candidates and are simply awaiting confirmation if they would be campaigning for the duo or go separate ways. For Sara supporters, it has always been the Davao City mayor for them as they banked

on their battle cry – continuity (for the Duterte reign). They have declared it before: it’s Sara or no one else. But for the throngs of BBM supporters, there’s no backing or sliding down at this point. In fact, the BBM Day organized last Sunday was meant as a show of force, aimed at showcasing the former senator’s political strength. And his supporters came in droves.

It would be a political blunder for Sara should she decide to seek the top post. And they intend to do a repeat this coming Sunday when the caravan organized to convince Sara to seek the presidency, is supposed to arrive. And then again on the Sunday after this coming Sunday, and so on and so forth. Yesterday, hordes of BBM supporters gathered in Batangas to express their support for their presidential bet. Marcos did not disappoint them as he showed up personally for their gathering. And there he declared, he will not back off, he will not slide down, his pronouncement reverberating throughout the country, much to the delight of his supporters. Of course, he should not. As early as this, it seems the people have already made up their mind. They have already chosen whom they will write down in their ballots come May 9, 2022. Actually, this corner believes it would be a political blunder for Sara should she decide to seek the top post as she will be reneging on her own words when said before she would

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EDITORIAL

Careful, metro, careful

INORS, those 17 years old and below, are now allowed inside malls in the national capital of Metro Manila, where 13.5 million of the country’s 110 million population live, after the metropolis shifted to Alert Level 2. The region, which shifted to Alert Level 2 from Alert Level 3 on Nov. 5, remains under “low risk” classification for virus cases, said the Department of Health, which reported nearly 2,000 new cases of coronavirus infections and 142 deaths, two days in the run up to the weekend. While the bulletin board is being watched keenly daily, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Metro Manila could ease to the lowest alert level if virus infections continue to decline, apparently underlining what the OCTA Research group has said that the risk is “quite low” for another COVID-19 surge. OCTA has said if the hospital beds are getting to be threatened,

then it would alert the public, but the present level does not raise that much concern.

Let’s prevent another surge from happening. Earlier on, the Philippine College of Physicians warned the government against easing quarantine restrictions too quickly as transport officials sought to increase passenger capacity of public utility vehicles ahead of the holidays. With the shift to Alert Level 2, Metro Manila has allowed more businesses to reopen with up to 50 percent indoor capacity for fully

vaccinated individuals and 70 percent for outdoor dining. With the eased restrictions, children are now permitted inside malls in Metro Manila, although authorities may still provide additional guidelines such as, among others, requiring parents or guardians to accompany minors in malls. But do we have the space and reasonable time to check if these children are with their parents or with their guardians, as the surge of shoppers overwhelm the malls only weeks before the start of the Christmas season in this country which was denied such mobility last year because of the coronavirus threat? Minors may also dine al fresco and inside restaurants, provided that establishments follow the venue capacity prescribed by the government under Alert Level 2. But Metro minors and their parents, you must be careful. Regrets don’t touch COVID-19.

Disguised hegemony

THERE is that system imposed by the US called the “rules-based” principle. On the surface, there is no reason to object, thinking that indeed its application is based on the rule of law without clarifying whether this has the approval of international law. As vaguely outlined by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, “Our administration is committed to leading with diplomacy to advance the interests of the United States and to strengthen the rules-based international order,” he said. “The alternative,” he continued, “is a world in which might makes right and winners take all, and that would be a far more violent and unstable world for all of us.” Unlike those laws recognized as principles of international law, US enunciated “rules-based” principles are paradigms suited to advance and protect the interest of a foreign power. Rules-based principles are, in truth, fictitious applications of international law, pretending to possess the image of international law. There are many instances of these rulesbased principles that today are being projected as part of intentional law through the UScontrolled international media, particularly the social media like Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. It is the US that design and demarcates this fictitious norms when obviously, they are influenced and controlled by the US to blindly apply this principle unaware that no international law is involved much that they were unilateral decisions imposed by the US, commonly understood as “hegemonism.” For instance, the US imposes its “rulesbased” principle to freely navigate in the Taiwan

be supporting BBM’s presidential run. Even former Duterte Cabinet member and now one of the senatorial candidates, Salvador Panelo, acknowledges Sara as not the type of person to back down from her word. And now is not the time to do it. It would be a major turn off even for their supporters (not the diehards of course). When this article comes off the press, it would still be two full days before the deadline for substitute candidates on Monday. Until then, the political parties would still be groping in the dark as regards to Sara’s decision. But for BBM’s supporters, the die has already been cast and they’re just waiting till the gun signaling the start of the official campaign period is fired. Every one of them is raring to hit the road. They are locked and loaded. ••• Who says the Pinklaws already have the youth in their yard? A recent survey conducted by a state university strengthened the pole position of BBM and his potential tandem, Sara should she decide to play second fiddle to the former senator. Marcos and Duterte were the top picks for President and Vice President, respectively, among students of the Pangasinan State University (PSU) according to the ‘Pulso ni PSU’ survey results. The survey was participated by 16,837 randomly selected respondents from various

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Strait, a narrow passage that separates China from Taiwan. As often repeated by political commentators, how would the US react seeing Chinese warships passing regularly to patrol off the coast of California or circling the coast of Hawaii? These are nagging questions the Chinese authorities ask, for obviously, they constitute provocation.

Rules-based? Really? While it can be said that US naval task force, comprising of several warships, are merely exercising their right to freedom of navigation and do not violate the demarcated boundaries comprising the territorial waters of states, can China accept such act of routinely patrolling their offshore as an exercise of freedom of navigation? China has repeatedly accused this conduct of the US in the South China Sea as hegemonism or a milder form of “gunboat diplomacy” to dominate and exert influence in the Strait of Taiwan Strait. Could the US insist on freedom of navigation that regularly visiting the area amounts to inspecting whether the other side is behaving according to its prescribed rules-based principle? Would this not constitute an attempt to exert power and influence over areas outside of international law as in the Taiwan Strait? Notably, the waterway that separates China from Taiwan still has an area to allow ships to navigate under the principle of free passage. That area which is less than three (3) miles in width allows international shipping to navigate. That portion of the waterway is the area where the US navy and its allies like the UK, and Australia now pass unimpeded by China. The same rules-based principle is being unilaterally adopted by the US and UK navies in the Black Sea to stoke the Russian fleet in Sevastopol. But things changed campuses of PSU located in Eastern, Western, and Central Pangasinan and conducted for three days beginning on November 4. The sample size of the survey represents almost 56 percent of the total student population of PSU. Marcos ranked first in the Presidential preference survey after garnering 64.96 percent or 10,938 of the total votes. Leni Robredo follows him with 9.41% or 1,585 votes, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with 3.44% or 580 votes. According to the report analysis and interpretation, the PSU data “suggests” that Marcos would win the presidency via “a landslide victory” if the elections were held during the survey period. Other presidential candidates included in the survey were Senators Manny Pacquiao, Ping Lacson, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Grace Poe, together with Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. All got less than one percent of the votes except Poe, who obtained 1.28 percent or 215 votes. However, Poe had previously announced that she has no plans to run for President in 2022, although like Sara, she has until Monday to substitute another candidate who has filed his or her CoC. Marcos, who is advocating a unifying leadership style, is also admired for his humility amid moves to derail his candidacy.

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when Russia opted to take back Sevastopol from Ukraine on February 23, 2014 annulling the transfer made by then Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev which was not approved by the Supreme Soviet. Historically, Sevastopol has always been a part of Russia. It was Russia that liberated Crimea from the Ottoman empire and later from Nazi Germany. Ambiguity to the status came in when Khrushchev handed Crimea to Ukraine. Seldom knew that Khrushchev was a Ukrainian. The Western interest to get Sevastopol back is to strategically deprive Russia of its only outlet to the Mediterranean. The Black Sea, where Crimea and the port of Sevastopol is located, is enclosed by counties littoral to the sea beginning with Turkey in the South which guards the narrow strait of Dardanelles and a narrower body of water called Sea of Marmara. Ankara, the capital of Turkey is located in between. The Strait Dardanelles is Russia’s only outlet to the Mediterranean. In the north, Ukraine is partly covered by Crimea which includes the historic town of Yalta and the big Russian naval base of Sevastopol. In the east is Georgia and just above it is Russia, Ukraine, Moldovia, and to the West Romania and Bulgaria. Strictly speaking, the Black Sea should not be open to international shipping except for countries littoral to the sea. The Montreux Convention signed in 1936 opened the Black Sea to merchant vessels subject to Maritime Traffic Regulations. Warships belonging to nonriparian States are subject to specific restrictions on the maximum tonnage and duration of stay in the Black Sea. All aircraft carriers, whether or not belonging to riparian states, cannot pass through the Turkish Straits. Only submarines belonging to riparian states can pass for the purpose of rejoining their base for the first time after their construction or purchase, or for the purpose of repair outside the Black Sea. The rules that guide navigation and entry into the Black Sea now form part of international law, having been ratified by international convention. Nonetheless, there are still rules that the US and its allies must observe. What has irritated Russia is the seeming arrogance of US and UK warships operating in the Black Sea. The UK destroyer HMS Defender was chased off by the Russian navy last June 23, 2021 after it attempted to strike the Russian navy in Sevastopol. Full version on www.manilastandard.net

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Biden, Xi expected to hold virtual summit on Monday

LIGHTSCAPE. People walk among Jigantics – huge illuminated flowers – while visiting ‘Lightscape,’ a light display at the Los

Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California. The mile long pathway through The Arboretum features art installations of light, color, and sound immersed in the gardens. AFP

US PRESIDENT Joe Biden is expected to hold a hotly awaited virtual summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday, US media reported, as tensions mount over Taiwan, human rights and trade. Both CNN and Politico, citing unnamed sources, said the meeting was tentatively scheduled for Monday. Relations between the world’s two largest economies have deteriorated in recent weeks, in particular over Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy claimed by China, which last month made a record number of air incursions near the island. Washington has repeatedly signaled its support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression, but the United States and China reached a surprise agreement on climate at a summit in Glasgow.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that the two presidents, who have not met in person since Biden took office in January, will hold virtual talks “soon.” Asked about the meeting at a press briefing on Thursday, China’s foreign ministry said the two heads of state had “agreed to maintain frequent contact through multiple means.” “At present, China and the US are in close communication over the specific arrangement for the leaders’ summit,” said ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. Biden and Xi have talked by phone twice since the veteran Democrat moved into the White House. The pair also met extensively when Biden was serving as vice president to Barack Obama, and Xi was vice president to Hu Jintao. AFP

APEC to put to test climate rhetoric

ACIFIC Rim leaders began a virtual summit Friday, facing pressure to back up ambitious rhetoric on climate change and chart a path to pandemic recovery. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit brings together leaders from 21 nations, including US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Xi is among those who have talked on the sidelines of the New Zealand-hosted

event, stressing the need for the COVID-19 recovery to fuel “green, lowcarbon and sustainable development.” “We in the Asia-Pacific should make the post-pandemic recovery a green one and take the lead in making a sciencebased response to climate change,” he said. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said switching to clean energy sources amounted to nothing less than “a great transformation of civilization” affecting all of humanity. But the major climate-related reform announced so far has been an agreement to push for a freeze on fossil fuel subsidies – an idea APEC leaders first touted

more than a decade ago but failed to implement. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who is hosting the summit virtually because of the pandemic, admitted the action did not go far enough. “Do we need to be more ambitious than this? Absolutely,” she said. “We would of course like to see a world where there are no fossil fuel subsidies in our economies, that’s long been a position of New Zealand, which we will continue to advocate.” “If the world is not ready to take bold action on climate change, then the world must be ready for the disastrous results of climate change,” she added.

The leaders are expected to issue a communique early Saturday detailing the outcomes of the meeting at a press conference fronted by Ardern. Climate Council of Australia ecologist Lesley Hughes said the document needed to contain a blueprint for real change if APEC wanted credibility on climate change. “We’d like to see some sort of sensible transition right out of fossil fuel, not just a freeze on more subsidies,” she told AFP. “We’d want to be seeing as many details with numbers as possible, such as exactly how much these fossil fuel subsidies are worth in each country. AFP

US journalist detained by junta jailed for 11 yrs A MYANMAR junta court on Friday sentenced an American journalist to 11 years in prison on charges of unlawful association, incitement against the military and breaching visa rules, his employer said. The military has squeezed the press since taking power in a February coup, arresting dozens of journalists critical of its crackdown on dissent, which has killed over 1,200 people according to a local monitoring group. Danny Fenster, who had been working for local outlet Frontier Myanmar for around a year, was arrested in May as he tried to leave the country to see his family. “Frontier Myanmar is deeply disappointed at the decision today to convict its Managing Editor, Danny Fenster, on three charges and impose prison sentences totalling 11 years,” the outlet said in a statement. Fenster, who has been held in Yangon’s Insein prison since he was detained, also faces charges of sedition and terrorism, which could see him jailed for life. “Everyone at Frontier is disappointed and frustrated at this decision,” Frontier Myanmar said. “We just want to see Danny released as soon as possible so he can go home to his family.” Crisis Group Myanmar senior advisor Richard Horsey described the sentence as “outrageous.” “It sends a message not only to international journalists... but also Myanmar journalists that reporting factually on the situation is liable to get them many many years in prison,” he told AFP. AFP

BEAST OF BURDEN. A man interacts with his camel while posing for a picture at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Pushkar in the Indian state of Rajasthan on November 12, 2021. AFP

Indonesia Muslim body forbids cryptocurrency trading INDONESIA’S top religious body has declared that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are forbidden under Islamic law and should not be traded in the world’s biggest Muslim majority nation. The country’s powerful Ulema Council issued a fatwa, or religious edict, as virtual currency trading soars in Indonesia and elsewhere. Fatwas have no legal effect in the Southeast Asian nation of 270 million, but the declaration could potentially convince many Muslims to avoid cryptocurrencies. Following a meeting on Thursday, the Council likened crypto to gambling, which is haram or forbidden

under Islamic law. “Cryptocurrencies as commodities or digital assets are unlawful for trading because they have elements of uncertainty, wagering and harm,” the Council’s head of religious decrees Asrorun Niam Sholeh told AFP. “It’s like a gambling bet.” Digital currencies are not tangible assets and their value can fluctuate wildly so they violate Islamic law, he added. Indonesia’s crypto-based transactions amounted to some 370 trillion rupiah ($26 billion) in the first five months of 2021, soaring from a year earlier, trade minister Muhammad

Lutfi said in June. The edict comes after Indonesia’s central bank said it was considering issuing its own digital currency. In 2019, the Council’s branch in Aceh province slapped a fatwa on the hugely popular but brutal online game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) over fears it incited real-world violence. More recently, it issued a fatwa against online lending while it declared that COVID-19 vaccines were allowed under Islamic law even if they contained pork products, which are usually off-limits for Muslims. AFP

Impressionist painting sells for record $53m at auction

LARGER THAN LIFE. Workers walk next to the ‘KAWS:HOLIDAY’ installation

featuring the ‘Companion’ figure – an inflatable sculpture from US artist and designer Brian Donnelly, known professionally as Kaws – as it is set up at The Float at Marina Bay in Singapore on November 12, 2021. AFP

THE Getty Museum in Los Angeles purchased Gustave Caillebotte’s painting “Young Man at His Window” for $53 million Thursday evening at a Christie’s auction in New York, smashing the French Impressionist’s previous record. The painting was part of the Cox Collection of Impressionist art, named for Texas businessman Ed Cox who died in 2020. The auction also included three works by Vincent van Gogh, which brought in more than $150 million. Among these were his oil on canvas “Wooden Cabins among the Olive Trees and Cypresses,” which sold for $71.3 million, becoming one of the painter’s most expensive works. Another painting by Paul Cezanne, “L’Estaque with Red Roofs,” sold for

$55.3 million. More than 20 pieces spanning Impressionist history – including works by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, PierreAuguste Renoir and Berthe Morisot – earned $332 million at the auction, which took place at the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. In a press release, the Getty Museum celebrated its successful bid on Caillebotte’s painting, which it called a “19th century masterpiece of modern urban realism... regarded as the most important painting by (a) French Impressionist in private hands.” The oil on canvas depicts a man in a dark suit with his back to the viewer, who seems to be looking at a woman in the distance on a Parisian street through a large window. AFP

UN draft paper: World needs trillions to face climate threat HELPING vulnerable nations cope with the multiplier effect of climate change on droughts, flooding, heatwaves and tropical mega-storms will require trillions of dollars, not the billions now on the table at COP26, a draft UN report obtained by AFP reveals. The failure of rich countries to make good on a promise to deliver $100 billion a year for vulnerable nations has become a flashpoint at the UN climate talks in Glasgow, entering their final hours on Friday. But the real cost for allowing the atmosphere to continue to heat will be far higher. The draft Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) report, scheduled for release early next year, shows that the $100 billion figure is no more than a down payment on what is needed to prepare for unavoidable impacts. Flooded cities, food shortages, deadly heat and mass migration will all raise the price tag. “Adaptation costs are significantly higher than previously estimated, resulting in a growing ‘adaptation finance gap’,” said an executive summary of the 4,000-page report. “Existing governance arrangements for funding adaptation are inadequate for the anticipated scale of climate impacts.” Earth’s surface has warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels so far, magnifying weather extremes across the planet. AFP

Editor of SG news site guilty of defamation THE editor of a shuttered Singapore news website may face jail after being convicted on Friday of defaming government ministers over a letter published on the portal. It is the latest case to fuel concerns about worsening press freedoms in tightly controlled Singapore, with authorities accused of using heavy-handed tactics to silence dissent. The Online Citizen, which was often critical of authorities, had long been in the government’s crosshairs, and finally had its licence cancelled last month over a failure to declare funding sources. On Friday, chief editor Terry Xu was convicted of defaming cabinet members over the publication of a letter on the site stating there was “corruption at the highest echelons,” according to court documents. The 39-year-old, who will be sentenced next month, faces up to two years in jail and a fine for approving the publication in 2018. The letter’s author, Daniel De Costa Augustin, was also convicted of defamation and breaking computer crime laws for sending the piece from another person’s email account without their consent. The 38-year-old faces up to two years in jail for each count. Prosecutors said the case was about whether people should be allowed to “utilise online platforms as an insidious means to launch baseless and unsubstantiated attacks against other persons.” AFP

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pangasinan State U picks Marcos, Sara in poll survey By Rey E. Requejo PRESIDENTIAL Candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio emerged as top choices for president and vice president, respectively, in the 2022 national elections as shown by a recent survey conducted by Pangasinan State University. Based on the survey conducted by “Pulso ni PSU,” Marcos and Duterte were the top picks for president and vice president, respectively, among students at the state university. The survey was participated by 16,837 randomly selected respondents from various campuses of PSU located in Eastern, Western, and Central Pangasinan and conducted for three days beginning on November 4. The sample size of the survey represents almost 56 percent of PSU’s total student population. Marcos ranked ﬁrst in the presidential preference survey after garnering 64.96 percent or 10,938 of the total votes. Leni Robredo follows him with 9.41% or 1,585 votes, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with 3.44% or 580 votes. According to the report analysis and interpretation, the PSU data indicates that Marcos would win the presidency via “a landslide victory” if the elections were held during the survey period. Other Presidential candidates included in the survey were Senators Manny Pacquiao, Ping Lacson, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Grace Poe, together with Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. All got less than one percent of the votes except Poe, who obtained 1.28 percent or 215 votes. However, Sen. Poe had previously announced that she has no plans to run for President in 2022.

Pacquiao sees GOCCs as gov’t revenue makers PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday cited the need to shore up non-tax revenues by maximizing the economic potential of all Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) to offset the government’s runaway budget deficit. Speaking before Philippine Christian University (PCU) officials, faculty members, and students, Pacquiao also pushed for the lowering of corporate and personal income taxes to create a favorable business climate and boost domestic consumption. For 2021, Pacquiao said that Congress allotted P4.5 trillion for the National Expenditure Program (NEP) but the government only managed to generate P2.9 trillion in revenues. He said this prompted fiscal managers to bridge the deficit gap through borrowings. For next year, Pacquiao said the Duterte administration is asking for a P5.024 trillion budget while the government revenues further slid down to a little more than P2.5 trillion. He blamed the systemic corruption and wrong fiscal policies such as the government’s dependence on tax revenues and external borrowings as the primary cause of the country’s economic crisis and looming debt crisis. Pacquiao added the decision of previous governments to sell government assets were short-sighted and were all prompted by corruption. He believes the only way to address the country’s worsening economic situation is for the government to increase its non-tax revenues.

ADORNED BY BEAUTIES. Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Beatrice Luigi Gomez, Miss Philippines Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco, and Miss Philippines Earth 2021 Naelah Alshorbaji pose in front of the lighted 30-foot Christmas tree at the Resorts World Manila in Pasay City. Danny Pata

Lakas preaches patience on Sara election decision H By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

OUSE Of Representatives Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Friday appealed to the supporters of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio for patience and understanding, saying the national position she will be running for will most likely be known this weekend. “Yesterday (Thursday), she was formally admitted as a member of Lakas-CMD. The position that she will run for will be known most likely within this weekend. You will be among the ﬁrst who will hear about it. A bit of patience as we make preparations and consultations with Mayor Inday and party leadership,” Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, said at a press conference. Romualdez also said Lakas-CMD will give Duterte a signiﬁcant position in the party leadership. “We are looking right now

at what position that is,” he added. “Lakas is very honored with our new member. She will bring so much vitality and so much vigor to the Lakas-CMD party, its leadership and more importantly for nation building that the Philippines needs. We now have a potential great national leader. We look forward to working with her,” he said. Meanwhile, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter said Duterte-Carpio would decline the proposal of term-sharing in the presidency, describing it as “a very bad idea.” “I don’t see that happening. That’s pure

speculation,” said Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) secretary general Anthony Del Rosario. Interviewed over TeleRadyo, Del Rosario said he believes Duterte-Carpio will not agree to the set-up recommended by Quezon Gov. Danny Suarez, the Lakas-CMD co-chairman. “I don’t think Sara will agree to that kind of a set-up. Term sharing for presidency? That’s a very bad idea,” stressed Del Rosario. Earlier Friday, Suarez said Duterte-Carpio and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. might agree to share the presidency – if they run on the same ticket and win. Romualdez expressed confidence that Duterte and Marcos Jr., his cousin, will find a compromise on their political plans. “I’m hoping for that (no conflict). That they can work together, discussions between two have been along those lines. We’re thinking positively about this. We’re in the middle of getting two excellent leaders that can serve our country,” Romualdez said.

COVID-FREE CINEMAS. San Juan

City Mayor Francis M. Zamora supervises the disinfection of theater seats at the Greenhills Promenade Cinema as he leads the inspection of movie houses in the city on Thursday. The national government allowed the reopening of cinemas in areas under COVID Alert Level 2 on Nov. 5. Manny Palmero

Lacson, groups help fine-tune P5-trillion budget WITH a boost from Sen. Panﬁlo “Ping” M. Lacson, civil society groups managed to help scrutinize and make the P5.024-trillion proposed budget for 2022 more responsive to people’s needs. Social Watch Philippines and the Alternative Budget Initiative wrote to Lacson on Nov. 10, thanking him for endorsing their participation in the Senate Finance Committee hearings on the budget. “We hope that you will continue to support our inclusive budget proposals that focus on the needs of the country’s most marginalized sectors, especially since they are the ones that were most affected by the pandemic, by sponsoring before the

plenary deliberations and incorporating into the good Senator’s budgetary amendments to the FY 2022 General Appropriations Bill,” co-convenors Rene Raya, Ma. Victoria Raquiza and Jessica Cantos said in a letter to Lacson. They also commended Lacson, who is running for President, for all his efforts in serving the country, as well as for believing in what Social Watch Philippines-Alternative Budget Initiative stands for. Earlier, Lacson endorsed the SWPABI’s participation in the committee hearings of the Senate ﬁnance committee chaired by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara on the budget bill.

Lacson also supported their “Budget Serye sa Senado” discussion on the budget, where he delivered the message that the pandemic underscores the need for an inclusive national budget. Meanwhile, corruption issues will not stick to Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Lacson or his family because he has hammered an ethos of fairness and responsibility to them, especially his sons Jay and Panﬁlo Jr. or “Pampi.” In the second webisode of his “iPing TV” series on his YouTube channel Ping Lacson, the longtime senator recalled a case of supposed cement smuggling against Pampi. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Isko to invest in youth via STEM, IT

‘ISKOMOTION.’ Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, standard bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko, is about to savor the crispiness of the lechon skin in Cebu while in between breaks of his listening tour in the province.

AKSYON Demokratiko presidential candidate Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Friday said if elected president, his administration would give priority to investments in education to ensure the future of the youth. “If the youth are the hope and future of the nation, let’s invest in the youth,” Moreno said during a dialogue with the youth in Cabuyao, Laguna. “I will make sure that your father has a job, and I will make sure that you go to school, your school is good. Access to facilities and educational institutions will also be provided,” Moreno stressed. According to Moreno, to do this, he will continue the “Build, Build, Build” projects of the current administration, at the same time embarking on projects to build more public schools, more public hospitals, build more public housing, more businesses and more jobs.

Moreno said his administration would also invest on information technology infrastructure, particularly on improving internet connectivity for their educational needs. The Manila City mayor also said a Moreno government will prioritize the teaching of subjects that would make the youth more competitive with those from highly-developed nations. “We will continue to invest in STEM—referring to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—so that we will be competitive with Singapore and other countries. We will go in that direction,” Moreno emphasized. Moreno’s economic agenda of slashing the excise taxes on oil products and electricity and reviving micro, small and medium enterprises are also investments for their future as these would result in more savings for their parents and provide them with more job opportunities. Rey E. Requejo

IN BRIEF Comelec summons BBM over petition THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued summons to former senator and presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to answer the petition seeking to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC). “We are awaiting proof of service. Upon receipt of the summons, the respondent will have five days to file an answer,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said. “Summons were issued yesterday (Thursday) and are expected to be served today (Friday). We are awaiting proof of service. Upon receipt of the summons, the respondent will have five days to file an answer,” he said. The Comelec case against Marcos stemmed from the petition filed by Task Force Detainees of PH, KAPATID, Medical Action Group, FIND, PH Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and Balay. It questioned Marcos’ eligibility to run for the country’s top job because he has been convicted of tax evasion. Jimenez said that following the service of summons, parties will then be called for a pre-conference trial and they will be given the opportunity to ventilate their respective positions. They will be given three days to submit memoranda, after which the case is deemed submitted for resolution. He said the Comelec resolution may be challenged before the commission en banc and further before the Supreme Court. The Marcos camp has described the petition as “nuisance” and as part of “black propaganda” by his critics. Vito Barcelo

Buendia surprises Robredo with vinyl VICE President Leni Robredo has welcomed former Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia in his surprise visit to her ofﬁce in Quezon City, as the musician vowed to support her presidential bid in the 2022 elections. Buendia gave Robredo one of his limited edition vinyl records on Thursday night. “Grabe, nabulabog opisina. He gave me this Eraserheads 25th Anniversary Limited Edition on vinyl. Thank you, Ely,” the Vice President’s Facebook post read. Earlier, Buendia teased an Erasersheads reunion should Robredo run for president. However, he later said that his pronouncement was just a “half-serious joke.” Buendia said Robredo is his top presidential bet. “Thank you, Ely. Nakita mo kung gaano kadami fans mo sa ofﬁce namin,” Robredo said. Meanwhile, Robredo on Friday arrived at the Archbishop’s Palace in Cebu City to meet Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. Rio N. Araja

Bello: COVID tests free or subsidized THE government should take measures that would make testing for COVID-19 free or subsidized instead of passing the burden to workers, Partido Lakas ng Masa vice president candidate Walden Bello said Friday. This after the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 earlier approved the mandatory vaccination of eligible on-site workers starting December. “In areas where there are sufﬁcient supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 vaccination of eligible employees tasked to do on-site work shall be required by all establishments and employers in the public and private sector,” said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. In a Facebook post, Bello proposed subsidized or free COVID-19 testing for businesses in order to ensure the safety of the employees. “I take strong exception to Malacañang’s plan starting December 1 that “eligible employees who remain to be unvaccinated … shall be required to undergo regular RT-PCR testing, or antigen tests, at their own expense,” Bello said in a Facebook post. “By now, the government should’ve been able to make testing free or, at the very least, subsidize or make it cheap for businesses—the MSMEs— to provide regular testing to their employees,” he added.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021

Sports

CLIPPERS STRETCH WIN STREAK TO 6. Paul George of the LA Clippers drives to the basket during the game against the Miami Heat at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Clippers stretched their NBA winning streak to six games, rallying from an early 17-point deficit and hanging on for a 112-109 victory over the Heat. AFP

Strict health, safety protocols to be enforced on PH athletes By Peter Atencio

TRICT health and safety protocols during training, competition and upon returning to the country will be tackled when sports ofﬁcials discuss the many challenges that the Philippine delegation will face in the coming 2022 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam. Commissioner Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission said this as he once again assumed the role of Team Philippines’ chef de mission. Talks on the readiness of the Philippine delegation will be tackled in a meeting with Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino next week. “We’ll talk about everything on our

preparations. Iyung protocols, mabigat iyan,” said Fernandez. With host Vietnam dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, work and preparation for the games is focused on the establishment of health and safety protocols that will be followed by many delegations, which will be in Vietnam for the regional competitions. As for the Philippines, finding venues

to train by the second week of January is also one of the priorities. Fernandez said there are plans to have many areas inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and the Philsports Complex in Pasig City ready for training. The agency is first seeking the approval of the Department of Health on the protocols that they will follow once the facilities are open. “Bubuksan na ang mga facilities na gagamitin ng mga atleta. Kailangan lang ay payagan ng DOH ang mga protocols na ilalagay naming doon,” said Fernandez. The venues that are to be used will be limited since many venues inside the government-controlled facilities are still being utilized as COVID-19

quarantine areas for almost two years. Fernandez bared that for now, training of athletes in judo, taekwondo, wrestling, sambo and table tennis will be allowed inside the RMSC. Over at Philsports, swimming and football will most likely be allowed, along with a few other sports disciplines that they have yet to identify. Vietnam organizers are preparing Hanoi as the main hub of the games, with 11 other surrounding provinces hosting various events, requiring many athletes, coaches and officials to do a lot of travelling and follow health and safety protocols onsite. And since no athletes’ village was built, delegates from participating countries will be housed in hotels near their competition venues.

Torres-Sunang delays retirement, eyes SEAG MARESTELLA Torres-Sunang has shelved her plans to retire from active competition. Now 40, Torres-Sunang said she has decided to continue competing with an eye for a medal and a podium finish in the coming 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam. The long layoff that lasted almost two years since the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns began in March last year has given Torres-Sunang the thirst for competition. Her performance in the coming Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships this December will help her find out how far she has gone. “My joining the SEA Games will be based on my performance in the National Marestella Torres Open. Getting a podium finish there is a goal,” said Torres-Sunang on the weekly radio program, PSC Hour. The Philippine Athletics Track and plex in Pasig City. meet at the Philsports Complex next Field Association is set to hold the With pandemic restrictions easing month. Athletics Championships on Decem- to Alert Level 2 in Metro Manila, it Training for the athletics’ team has ber 9 and 10 at the Philsports Com- will be possible to hold the national been going on for the last four weeks at

the Baguio Athletic Bowl, in coordination with the local government unit of Baguio City. Torres-Sunang has been part of that bubble training as one of 36 national athletes that the PATAFA sent to Baguio City. Their camp will conclude by Nov. 28. In the last SEA Games, Torres-Sunang missed a bronze medal after tying Vietnamese bet Vu Thi Mong Mo for third at 6.16 meters. Indonesia’s Natalie Londa took the gold in 6.47 meters, followed in second by Thailand’s Parinya Chuaimaroeng, who grabbed the silver at 6.23 meters. “It’s nice to be back. Na-kundisyon ulit ang katawan mo at prepared na ang mind and body mo para sa lahat,” she added. Torres-Sunang, who is married to shot put specialist Ely Sunang, said she trained with in a gym while under lockdown in Metro Manila. Peter Atencio

New, improved Miado tests self vs elite strawweights CONFIDENCE is definitely riding high for Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado after he silenced doubters and proved that his conquest of Miao Li Tao was no fluke. The Filipino striker turned in a repeat performance over his Chinese rival, scoring a second round technical knockout win at ONE: NEXTGEN last Friday to show that his victory was not one-off. “I’ve heard all the talk that I got lucky, and Miao even said it, but with this win, I think I proved that my past win was no luck and I really am the better fighter,” he said. Miado himself admitted that this version of him is a far more

improved fighter, honing in on his lethal striking and fine-tuning his skills further since joining Marrok Force MMA in Bangkok. The chance to work with elite warriors like siblings Denice and Drex Zamboanga surely helps, which is evident with the pop the Blaze FC Strawweight Champion showcased in his last fight against Miao. “Here in Marrok, I’m more focused with my training. I don’t think of anything else but to train and that has greatly helped me in my development as a fighter. It also keeps me sharp that my sparring partners are bigger than me, preparing me for my matches as I’ve gotten accustomed to be-

ing the underdog,” he said. “I can say that I got stronger and that’s a credit to my continuous training. I’ve been blessed with an organized camp that has helped me with my takedown defense which made me more comfortable with my strikes because I know that whatever offense the opponent throws at me, I can defend myself well.” But Miado isn’t done just yet, baring that he continues to be a student of the game and is relentless in his quest to add more weapons to his arsenal. “My goal is to be a better fighter, so I just develop my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my wrestling because I know those

Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado

in the top five have that weapon in them,” he stated. As for his next target, a match against Chinese rising star Banma Douji, who is coming off a loss to Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke at ONE: BATTLEGROUND III last August is an interesting proposition.

“I want to build my name before I challenge those in the top five. The goal is to get a shot for the title,” he said. There’s no question, though, that we’re seeing a renaissance of sorts from Miado as he seeks to finally be seen as a legitimate title contender at strawweight.

SEC culminates Investor Champ Week, awards PSC THE Securities and Exchange Commission awarded the Philippine Sports Commission the Enforcement and Investor Protection Champion award during its virtually held 85th Founding Anniversary celebration. The award was given in recognition of the PSC’s support of the SEC’s initiatives this year, particularly in investor protection. PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez is grateful for the SEC’s recognition of the partnership between the two agencies. PSC and SEC have been working hand-in-hand to promote safer investing practices not only to the public but also to hardworking athletes vulnerable to outside pressures and scams. PSC facilitated the participation of Tokyo Olympics medalists Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, and Eumir Marcial as Investor Champions in the SEC’s 2021 Investor Protection week. Aside from the Tokyo medalists, national athletes Andrew Kim Remolino, Mary Joy Tabal, and Nikko Huelgas joined SEC as it has launched #MagingInvestorChampion to encourage and inform athletes and the public more about investments. SEC also recognized several agencies and personalities as champions in ease of doing business, capital market development, good corporate governance, and organizational development.

Chairman William Ramirez

Ramirez, Ochoa miss medal round in world tilt By Randy Caluag THE Philippines’ top jiu-jitsu bets Annie Ramirez and Meggie Ochoa missed the medal rounds on Thursday at the close of the 2021 World Jiu-jitsu Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Ochoa failed to sustain her auspicious start, winning over hometown bet Al Kaabi of UAE, 14-0, in the Female Adult Jiu-Jitsu -48kg event, before losing a close contest to Laetitia Boes of France, 2-0, in her next match. In the loser’s bracket, the 2018 Sweden World Championship titlist hurdled Nutchaya of Thailand, but faltered against Ni Ni Vicky Hoang of Canada in the penultimate round for a medal. Ochoa was a four-time gold winner in World Jiu-Jitsu World Cup and a 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. Ramirez, the gold medalist in the Abu Dhabi 2019 World Professional Jiu-Jitsu, fought five matches and got three wins with two submissions against two losses to land at fifth place among 16 competitors in the -57kg division. The Philippine team captain was still thankful to her supporters in the face of challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Thank you sa lahat ng mga sumuporta at tumulong sa akin para sa laban na ito. Alam ng mga tao na ‘yan na hindi biro ‘yung mga challenges na pinagdaanan ko from injuries to weight cutting. Sa mga dramas at sa very strict protocols para makapag-ensayo,” she said on her social media post. Other Filipino campaigners Jollyrine Co won her first bout against Nutchaya Sugun ng Thailand, 6-0, but bowed to Irina Brodksi ng Germany, 8-2 in her next assignment. She absorbed another loss in the losers’ bracket against Oxana Moskalenko of Russia. The only bright spot on the Philippine side was Jenna Kaila Napolis, who bagged a bronze medal in the Female Adults -52kg category.

Business

IN BRIEF Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, November 12, 2021 51.19 PTS. 7,382.84

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE

1,547,745,980 128,676 10,415,773,248.07

ADVANCES 81 DECLINES 109 UNCHANGED 50

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.1880

Japan

Yen

0.008768

0.4400

Pound

1.337500

67.1265

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128343

6.4413

Switzerland

Franc

1.086130

54.5107

Canada

Dollar

0.795102

39.9046

Singapore

Dollar

0.738498

37.0637

Australia

Dollar

0.729400

36.6071

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

133.1388

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

13.3820

Brunei

Dollar

0.735781

36.9274

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030423

1.5269

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.6655

Euro

1.145200

57.4753

Korea

Won

0.000846

0.0425

China

Yuan

0.156495

7.8542

India

Rupee

0.013460

0.6755

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.240038

12.0470

New Zealand

Dollar

0.701900

35.2270

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035935

1.8035 Source: BSP

ONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. is taking control of logistics provider Air21 Holdings Inc. owned by businessman Alberto Lina to strengthen its position in the fast growing logistics sector. Ayala said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday wholly-owned unit AC Logistics Holdings Corp. has signed an agreement with the Lina group for the acquisition of a 60-percent interest in Air21. Ayala president and chief executive

Malampaya gas shutdown hikes Meralco rates by P0.3256 per kWh By Alena Mae S. Flores ELECTRICITY rates of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will increase by P0.3256 per kilowatt-hour in November, with the overall charge for a typical household rising to P9.4630 per kWh from last month’s P9.1374 on higher generation rate. The increased rate is equivalent to around P65 in the total bill of a residential customer consuming 200 kWh. The November generation charge increased P0.2911 per kWh to P5.3346 per kWh from P5.0435 per kWh in the previous month as a result of the shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas facility. Meralco head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said this month’s generation charge would have been significantly higher, but the power retailer took the initiative to cushion the impact in the bills of customers. Fernandez said Meralco coordinated with some of its suppliers to defer the collection of portions of their generation costs. The deferred charges will subsequently be billed on a staggered basis over the next four months as directed by the Energy Regulatory Commission. “The generation charge would have been P0.81 or around P0.52 higher without the efforts that Meralco took (in) deferring some of this costs with our suppliers,” Fernandez said. He said P0.52 per kWh had been deferred and it would be amortized over the next four months in the bills of customers starting December until March 2022. “The alternative would have been a higher generation charge this month,” Fernandez said. Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said the Malampaya shutdown resulted in higher costs of power from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

THE peso on Friday appreciated to an almost two-month high against the US dollar, following the latest Bangko Sentral data showing higher gross international reserves at the end of October. The local currency closed at 49.85, stronger than the 50.165 per dollar on Thursday. It was its strongest level in almost two months since the 49.79 on Sept. 15, 2021. Total volume turnover stood at $1.067 billion, down from $1.140 billion previously. “The peso exchange rate appreciated today vs. the US dollar, by 0.315 or 0.6 percent to close at 49.85, the strongest in nearly two months or since September 15, 2021 when it closed at 49.79, after the latest increase in the GIR to new nine-month highs [since January 2021] and near the record high of $110.1 billion posted in December 2020,” Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said in a response to Manila Standard via email. The BSP reported Friday that the GIR rose $1.35 billion to $107.95 billion as of endOctober 2021 from the end-September level of $106.6 billion. Julito G. Rada

Shell turns around, posts P3.4-b profit

AIRBUS DONATION. Airbus donates medical equipment to the Department of Health to support the fight against COVID-19. The donation, which includes mobile respiratory units obtained from local suppliers, is presented to DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III (fifth from right) by Charlie Simpson (fourth from left), managing director of Airbus’ helicopters division in the Philippines. With them are Ambassador of France to the Philippines Michele Boccoz, Ambassador of Germany to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel and DOH Undersecretary Ma. Carolina Vidal-Taiño.

Ayala takes over Air21 as profit jumps By Jenniffer B. Austria

Peso rises to 2-month high of 49.85 vs dollar

Fernando Zobel de Ayala said the purchase would enable AC Logistics to establish an end-to-end logistics platform capable of serving the supply chain requirements of multiple industries in high-growth markets. The AIR21 group is engaged in a broad range of supply chain services covering door-to-door express delivery, international and domestic freight forwarding, warehousing and waste logistics management. “Ayala’s businesses have proven leadership in their respective industries. The management expertise from the Ayala group combined with our extensive experience in logistics will be transformative not just for our group but for the industry as well,” Air21 founder and chairman Alberto Lina said. The Ayala Group in 2017 ventured

into the logistics sector with the launch of Entrego Fulfillment Solutions Inc., which offers several logistics services, such as management of parcel, documents and bulk deliveries for businessto-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) clients. “The decision to enter the logistics sector was a deliberate move on our part. We have been looking at the ecosystem in the past, carefully studying the opportunities where we can invest and make a difference. The supply chain disruptions and lockdowns we faced in 2020 strengthened our conviction in investing in the logistics sector, which we started back in 2017,” said Rene Almendras, president of AC Logistics. “More than ever, logistics is a critical component of trade, particularly as we recover from the effects of the pan-

demic. We are very excited to improve and redefine practices with the use of new technology and with the needs of Filipinos at the core of our aspirations,” he said. Ayala will buy the 60 percent interest in Air21 through the acquisition of secondary shares and subscription to primary shares, subject to closing conditions. Meanwhile, Ayala reported that net income in the first nine months of the year grew jumped 70 percent to ₱19.4 billion on improved performance of most of its business units. The strong performance was boosted by gains from the partial divestment of the group’s thermal assets and AC Health’s acquisition of Qualimed Health Network earlier in the year. Ayala’s core net income In the third quarter rose 27 percent to ₱6 billion.

APEC AWARDEE. Airspeed founder and chairwoman Rosemarie Rafael wins the APEC Best Award 2021 for best in business sustainability in tackling the pandemic. In an online ceremony convened in Moscow, APEC cited Amazing Philippines Digital Economy Corp., the digital arm of logistics provider Airspeed, as the paramount example of a female business driving Asia-Pacific economic and social recovery by assisting MSMEs, particularly women-led entities, navigate the new normal.

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Friday net income grew 13 percent in the first nine months as revenues returned to prepandemic levels amid the economic and public mobility challenges. The telecom unit of Ayala Corp. said net income amounted to P18 billion from January to September, up from the P15.9-billion profit it booked in the same period last year. Core net income reached P18.3 billion, up 17 percent from P15.6 billion last year. “We are happy to report a resurgent business performance in the third quarter, with the topline now back to prepandemic levels, despite the continued economic and public mobility challenges, and competitive industry environment,” Globe president and chief

Private global group eyes PH partnership

A NEW private sector-led global organization that has committed an initial $10 billion to help accelerate the implementation of clean energy projects in developing economies highly vulnerable to climate change is exploring a possible country partnership with the Philippines to assist in hastening its transition to green and renewable energy sources, the Department of Finance said Friday. The DOF said in a statement Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III recently met in Glasgow, Scotland with Dr. Rajiv Shah, the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, one of the pioneers of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), to briefly discuss a possible list of projects that the organization can help fund for the Philippines. Aside from the Rockefeller Foundation, the GEAPP was also recently launched by the IKEA Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund on the sidelines of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow. Julito G. Rada

Foreign reserves climbed to $108b in October—BSP By Julito G. Rada

Globe Telecom’s income rose 13% to P18b in three quarters By Darwin G. Amojelar

PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second biggest oil company, hiked its net income to P3.4 billion in the first nine months of 2021, a turnaround from a P13.9billion loss in the same period last year. The company booked the recovery despite the mobility slowdown resulting from the two-week Enhanced Community Quarantine implemented in the national capital region and select provinces in August, and the succeeding Alert 4 restriction. The company posted a net income of P1.14 billion in the third quarter, reversing the loss of P7.13 billion year-on-year. “Our renewed strategy has been proven effective for our business to thrive amidst the resurgence of selected lockdowns in the country. We are continuously growing our capacity for the remainder of 2021, to prepare for the near and medium-term demand pickup as active new COVID cases decline, vaccination programs accelerate, and travel restrictions ease,” said Pilipinas Shell president and chief executive officer Cesar Romero in a statement. Alena Mae S. Flores

executive Ernest Cu said. “Buoyed by the success of Mynt’s latest funding round and achieving double unicorn status, we believe that our strategy to use the telco business as a platform to become a digital solutions group by exploring adjacencies in highgrowth areas such as fintech, healthtech, adtech and ecommerce, among others, will embolden us to launch more potential unicorns in the near term and pave the way for us to become a leader in the digital space,” he said. Consolidated service revenues amounted to P113.6 billion, beating last year’s revenues by 4 percent and 3 percent higher than in the same period in 2019 prior to the pandemic. Globe’s service revenues reached P38.1 billion in the third quarter, breaching the P38-billion quarterly revenue

level since the fourth quarter of 2019. Globe said the rising data consumption and broadband usage in the country remained the biggest driver for this period’s improved topline. Home Broadband business posted a record P22.4 billion in revenues, up 15 percent from the same period last year. Mobile revenues went up 1 percent to P78.36 billion, while corporate data earnings amounted to P9.4 billion, up 11 percent from last year. Globe’s network rollout since January resulted in another record capital expenditure of P65.4 billion, surpassing last year’s full year investment of P60.3 billion. Globe’s capex for this year was programmed at P76 billion. About 84 percent of the capex in the first nine months went to data network builds to help boost mobile and internet for subscribers.

THE country’s gross international reserves added $1.35 billion in October to reach $107.95 billion from $106.6 billion in September, partly driven by higher gold valuations in the world market, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday. Data from the BSP showed the figure also increased from $103.8 billion in October 2020. Gold holdings reached $9.13 billion in October, up from $8.8 billion in September but down from $11.65 billion a year ago. The latest GIR level represented more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 10.8 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income, down from 12 months in January, as the import value substantially increase in recent months with the reopening of the economy. It was also about 7.8 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 5.4 times based on residual maturity, according to the BSP. “The month-on-month increase in the GIR level reflected mainly the national government’s net foreign currency deposits with the BSP and upward adjustment in the value of the BSP’s gold holdings due to the increase in the price of gold in the international market,” the BSP said in a statement.

Western Union announces Metrobank as newest direct bank account payout partner WESTERN Union, a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, announced Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company, one of the leading financial institutions in the country, as its newest direct bank account payout partner for inbound money transfers in the Philippines. With this activation, receivers of international money transfers in the Philippines can benefit from Western Union’s real-time account payout capa-

bilities to bank accounts in the country. Global senders can continue to send money using Western Union’s digital services in more than 75 countries and territories, or via Western Union’s retail agent network in more than 200 countries and territories. “Millions of people in the Philippines have access to accounts and are living ever more interconnected digital lives: as a result, they have an increasing expectation for the financial system to

keep up with their flexible lifestyles,” said Jeffrey Navarro, head of Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indochina for Western Union. “At Western Union we meet these expectations by providing a full range of money transfer solutions to a broad spectrum of consumers. With Metrobank we are glad to expand our account payout network, leveraging our joint capabilities to drive seamless solutions for customers,” said Navarro.

Metrobank joins Western Union’s growing network of partners powering international money transfer payouts into accounts. Over the last few years, Western Union has been accelerating connections to bank accounts ensuring robust connectivity for customers. Globally, Western Union has the capability to send to billions of bank accounts and millions of wallets and cards across more than 125 countries and territories, with real-time capabilities in 100 of these countries.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Home/Design

Govt’s infra drive fuels property prices boost By Alena Mae S. Flores

ROPERTY prices in the Philippines continued to remain stable even amid the COVID-19 pandemic largely due to the government’s aggressive infrastructure programs.

“Many may not realize it, but property prices in the Philippines have remained stable despite the covid crisis, unlike those in other Southeast Asian countries,” said Dr. Reghis M. Romero II, president of the Philippine chapter of the Parisbased International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI). Romero said the government’s Build, Build, Build program buoyed property prices nationwide even as other countries in the region experienced a downtrend due to the pandemic, citing a FIABCI survey worldwide. “The survey showed the Philippines’ house prices rising by 1.8% in 2019 to 2020 and 5.6% in 2021 compared with price declines of -0.3% and -0.4% in Cambodia during both periods respectively, -10.2% and -1.1% in Indonesia, -5.3% and -2.9%% in Thailand, -7.5% and -10% in Laos, and -5.7% and -6.6% in Malaysia,” Dr. Romero II said. Real estate value on uptick Romero said the stable property property can be attributed largely to the government’s program for infrastructure “which drives the value of real estate in benefited areas across the archipelago, facilitates logistical flows, and boosts the efficiency of the industry’s supply chains.” Romero referred to the 2021 full-year budget of P695.7 billion for public works and highways. “Nonetheless, there has been an occupancy dip in the rental and lease market involving urban retail and office spaces because of last-mile distribution (door-to-door deliveries) and work-from“ Still, this WFH arrangement gives home arrangements made possible by property developers the option and technological advances in communications, opportunity to tap cheaper lands outside which keep people in the loop even without the CBDs (central business districts) for physical presence,” he said. various projects,” Romero said of the

NATURE’S BOUNTY IN LAGUNA. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many to take a second look at their homes, and even find new communities where they can have ample breathing space and be closer to nature. “We have seen a growing interest in our communities, specifically for our farm lots, given people’s belief that being close to nature and living sustainably can be beneficial to one’s health and well-being,” said Sta. Lucia Land Inc. President Exequiel Robles. “Through our farm lot developments like La Huerta in Calamba, Laguna, we hope to give homebuyers that unique opportunity to turn to backyard or urban farming to ensure that there’s always a steady supply of fresh produce on their table.” The 50-hectare La Huerta Farm and Residences enjoys views of Mt. Makiling and Tagaytay, the historical Laguna Lake, and fields of Canlubang. Interested individuals may avail of the ‘Build Now Promo’ wherein they can get as much as P200,000 cash incentive when they build their farm home now. ALI ramps up Cavite Technopark.

AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. (ALLHC) recently launched the third phase of Cavite Technopark, its second industrial estate in the South, to address the growing demand for industrial real estate in Region IV-A or CALABARZON. Located in Naic, Cavite, the development was initially launched in 2015 with an area of 118 hectares. The estate now boasts a 166-hectare area spanning three phases. “As the industrial estate develops, we not only pave the way for the rise of more light and medium, non-polluting enterprises, but also continue energizing environments and generating more employment opportunities for Caviteños,” explained Patrick C. Avila, ALLHC head of industrial parks and real estate logistics. Cavite Technopark caters to both Philippine Economic Zone Authority or PEZA and non-PEZA registered companies. ALLHC aims to build its national footprint by expanding its industrial estate and warehouse leasing business in key areas across the country. This is alongside the promotion of countryside development and the generation of more

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY. Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO), the property development arm of the ICCP Group, is embracing digitalization as it transforms its sales and backroom operations to respond to the challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. These changes are being implemented in their head office in Makati City and in their project sites in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Pampanga, and Batangas. PDO President and COO Prim Nolido said the changes have helped Pueblo de Oro during the pandemic, and have particularly benefited their customers who have been able to transact with the company in the safety and comfort of their home. The Company established a Brokers’ Online Portal wherein sellers can see up-todate sales inventory maps showing available units. The company has also employed an electronic Statement of Account system (E-SOA) for water and association dues of homeowners, and even fees of Pueblo de Oro Golf Club members.

emerging business prospects for FIABCI members. FIABCI as networking platform The current state of the real estate industry is the focus of the global MORE than three-quarters of employees today are struggling to find the time or energy to adopt healthy habits, and employers who fail to address that may risk losing talent; impacting their organisation’s overall performance. This is according to JLL’s How Regenerative Workplaces Can Restore Employee Wellbeing report. The global real estate consultancy surveyed 1,500 office workers across Asia Pacific to assess their state of mind, understand sentiment, and identify their expectations of their workplace and employer. As many employees transition from being fully remote to a post-pandemic future that includes a return to the office, JLL’s findings reveal that workers are increasingly seeking workplaces that support mental, social and physical health, as well as an employer who endorses flexible company policies and an inclusive managerial mindset. Work-life balance “Encouraging employees back to offices is not only about supporting flexibility. It’s also about offering them inclusive work practices and wellbeing amenities that enable a healthy work-life balance,” said Anthony Couse, CEO, JLL Asia Pacific. “Employers have a new responsibility to actively support the evolving wellbeing needs of their people. By doing so, companies will be in a position to create a workplace where their employees can flourish and achieve sustainable performance in the long term.” With these shifting wellbeing expectations in mind, JLL, in partnership with applied anthropologist, Chris Diming, created a framework to guide companies on their journey towards a regenerative workplace.

conference and excellence awards that will be staged by FIABCI’s Philippine chapter at the Okada Hotel Manila on December 9, when the metropolis is projected to attain herd immunity.

FIABCI-Ph chairman Architect Nestor S. Mangio said the conference serves as a networking platform for the global value chain, thus providing opportunities for our local players to gain international exposure and clinch dollar-generating foreign supply contracts, joint ventures, marketing tie-ups, and technological partnerships and other lucrative collaborations. “On the other hand, the Excellence Awards portrays the Philippines as a worthy, if not preferred, property investment destination, thus opening up doors for foreign capital inflows while sustaining local monetary infusion from the private sector,” Mangio said. The Excellence Awards have 16 categories – environmental (rehabilitation or conservation), heritage (restoration), master plan, hotel, convention, industrial, office, public infrastructure/amenities, high-rise and low-rise residential, resort, retail, rural, specialized, and sustainable development, with several of them having regional winners. Likewise, the FIABCI-Ph will honor exemplary individuals in the professional and education sectors for their outstanding performance and contributions to the growth of the real estate industry. Models of the industry “The honorees will be conferred ‘Fellow in Real Estate Management’, a distinction that will set them apart as models of the industry in their respective fields of specialization and whose expert opinions will be much sought after and highly regarded even by their own peers,” said FIABCI-Ph vice chairman Dr. Eduardo G. Ong, also vice president of FIABCI-World for education and training. Ong said the conferment of such distinction was conceptualized and implemented by the Philippine Council of Real Estate Educators (Philcore) in 1996 and continued by FIABCI-Ph starting in 2015 during its 1st Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards held on April 17 of that year.” Since 2015, there have been 33 recipients of such distinction, with the Excellence Awards posting a total of 61 Outstanding Developer awardees, three Property Man of the Year awardees, and two Developer of the Year awardees.

Workplace wellbeing top of mind for employees –JLL

This includes three main pillars—mental health, social health and physical health—and nine corresponding traits for companies to adopt to build a workplace that reconciles both employee wellbeing and their work performance. For instance, JLL’s survey findings show that healthy food services, relaxation spaces and fitness centres top the list of what employees want in their physical workplaces. Yet, only one in four employees currently have access to

those amenities. Also, the research shows that close to one-third of employees lack access to health and wellbeing amenities at the workplace, highlighting an opportunity for employers to endorse healthy working

habits. This includes holding wellbeing events, on-site clinics or fitness classes. JLL points out it is key for health and wellbeing to become ingrained in the organization’s culture and employees’ daily routines. New managerial mindset needed “Providing easier access to health and wellbeing amenities won’t make an impact on employees’ overall wellbeing if they do not have the time or the energy to use them. Many employees are feeling held back by a lack of energy and time to adopt healthy routines, so shifting to a new managerial mindset is needed to ensure workloads are manageable,” adds Couse. Ian Lozada, Senior Director of JLL Philippines’ Work Dynamics concluded: “As we transition to a post-pandemic future that includes a return to the office, employers must create a work environment that supports mental, social and physical health, and policies that promote flexibility and inclusion to ensure that people thrive and perform better.

PROVINCIAL HAVENS BY AVIDA. Since the pandemic hit, there has been an increase in interest on properties outside the capital region. Property developer Avida Land has been promoting a futureproof lifestyle in their provincial properties. In Cebu, Avida Land has developed two residential condominiums both in the Ayala Land-owned estate, Cebu IT Park. Avida Towers Cebu and Avida Towers Riala (shown in photo) offer two-bedroom units in these communities, ranging from 52 to 57 square meters. Avida Village Iloilo features houses and lots that range from 30 to 110 square meters. In Mindanao, the Ayala Land subsidiary has attractive residential enclaves at Towers Davao and Avida Towers Abreeza, and the Avida Towers Aspira and Centrio Towers in Cagayan de Oro.

Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Over 1,200 cybersecurity pros come together for DECODE 2021 A new global survey, commissioned by Kaspersky, explores the role of healthy digital habits in the family, as well as the effect of parents’ behavior on children and vice versa

Kaspersky study: 61% of adults struggle to be role models for kids

HE results of a new Kaspersky study reveal that 61% of parents ﬁnd it hard to be role models for their kids and occasionally don’t follow the rules they set for their little ones.

At the same time, more than half of parents (54%) try to establish healthy digital habits and rules for all family members. From an early age, children tend to copy the behavior and habits of adults in all areas of life, including attitudes towards digital devices. Additionally, many children are handed their ﬁrst device at a young age – according to the same study, 68% of kids receive devices before the age of nine. With that in mind, parents need to be role models in tech usage if they want to lay the foundations for healthy digital habits from childhood. The survey results also show that parents perceive norms of behavior to be different for themselves and their children. For instance, almost half (48%) of re-

spondents admitted that they spend three to ﬁve hours on devices every day, and the majority (62%) consider this time to be normal. When it comes to children, almost half (48%) spend the same amount of time on devices as their parents – three to ﬁve hours a day. But, despite this, more than half of adults (53%) would like their kids to spend less time on devices – up to two hours. In some scenarios, respondents consider certain behaviors to be acceptable for themselves but not for their children. For example, 37% of adults believe it’s normal to share photos of family members on social networks. On the contrary, less than a quarter (24%) of parents think this is acceptable for their children.

Some 22% of respondents also consider it reasonable to skip calls and turn off their phones so that no one can contact them. However, only 10% of parents think such behavior is acceptable for kids. “Today, more and more parents are trying to establish healthy digital habits alongside those for nutrition and daily regimes, etc. But there is no clear trend or strong behavior pattern regarding how to speciﬁcally establish those rules for digital practices. At the same time, our survey results show that most adults (61%) admit ﬁnding it hard to be a role model and that they occasionally don’t follow the rules they set for their kids. To help parents to establish healthy digital practices, there are a variety of techniques and tools available to support them. These can be included through roleplay and games, or for a more technical approach, solutions such as apps are available that can help control screen time or determine a child’s

physical location,” comments Marina Titova, Vice-President, Consumer Product Marketing at Kaspersky. “Digital consumption shapes the relationship between parents and children and, more importantly, it impacts a child’s development. Research shows that infants develop feeding and sleep problems, for example, when parents use digital media in parallel while caring for them. This is a serious indication of an incipient attachment disorder. Children learn by imitating. That’s why you should always consider what kids see in concrete terms. Do their parents always have their smartphone in their hands or even at the table when they’re eating? Let us not forget that parents are always setting an example for their children. From a family therapy perspective, media literacy in families is a very important topic. It is also important for children to be able to develop well.

SC gets digital boost from Fortune Pay IN an effort to provide timely, efficient, equitable, safe and faultless delivery of justice and relevant public service, the Supreme Court is now accepting electronic payments for filing fees in small claims cases nationwide. While the judicial body has implemented some digital transformations within the judicial system even before the pandemic, it has constantly innovated to meet the demands of improving its institutional capacity. Officials of the judiciary see the introduction of digital solutions in justice administration as more than a technological move, but a necessary comprehensive reform designed to bring its services closer to the public, especially at a time when the general public are advised to stay within the safety of their own homes. Recognizing the digital divide in the country, particularly in far-flung areas where there is little to no internet connectivity, officials believe that digitalization of judicial procedures requires the standardization and simplification of processes, including choosing the right partners that are committed to educating its audience. Early this year, SC launched through

Fortune Pay the online payment of legal fees for small claims cases in more or less than 1,000 ﬁrst level courts Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTCs), Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCCs) outside Metropolitan Manila, Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) in each of the municipalities, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTCs) all over the country. The digitalization of small claims fees is expected to improve ease of transactions for the litigants and lessen work for court employees at the same time. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Court Administrator Midas Marquez and his team monitoring the partnership look forward to the time and resources that shall be saved both for the court and the public with the integration of digital technologies in processing payments for small claims cases. With Fortune Pay, the country’s newest and most promising player in the E-wallet arena, ﬁrst level courts may now accept online payments for small claims cases through the Fortune Pay Mobile Application. This recent partnership is the newest addition to SCs list of accomplishment

in digitalizing its services. This came after court users began to be confronted with the challenge of sending and receiving payments for court fees. The Supreme Court, however assures the public that these digital applications are compliant to specific rules and regulations to ensure their privacy and basic rights, citing that these processes are meant to improve the systems, empower the public, and potentially create new practices that are secure, suitable and efficient. Fortune Pay, on the other hand expressed its commitment to provide a seamless facility that will ensure safe, secure, fast and efficient process of payments nationwide, and has expressed its willingness to lead efforts to educate the public about these digital innovations.

Court Administrator Midas Marquez

Tipid Kuryente Tips: Save on your bills when working from home EVERY time lockdowns are in effect, a lot of us find ourselves spending more time indoors or working from our homes. Without us noticing, it can actually be painful to our budget since it only means one thing —more hours at home, more electricity consumption. Paying electricity bills is really a big dilemma for everyone since it takes up a huge chunk of our expenses. With the stress of budgeting hovering over our monthly routine, bills payment itself should no longer be a burden for us. Good thing, multi-channel payment platforms like Bayad are here to allow for a safe and easy way to settle our electricity bills with different options to choose from. Whether it’s in one of their many physical payment touchpoints nationwide, or online through its website and app - Bayad has really made bills payment a breeze for Filipinos. And for customers of leading consumer finance and digital financial services provider Home Credit, they can now also enjoy the speed and convenience of paying their Meralco bills through the My Home Credit App, thanks to Home Credit’s latest partnership with Bayad. With your payment safety and convenience guaranteed, you can make your life even better by checking their tipid tips to save up on electricity. (And if you’re on a WFH setup since last year or still reporting to the office, anyone can use some new ideas to save electricity, so these tips might prove useful as well):

1. Stay in one room Have you ever been in a meeting with someone where you can clearly hear another person in their background also talking? Well, you’re not alone there. It’s probably because they’re sharing a room with a family member who’s also working or attending online classes. With almost all family members at home, each adding to their own share of using electricity— energy consumption can skyrocket. Instead of using light, aircon and fans separately while staying in different areas of the house, the entire family can share the living room or ofﬁce room to save some electricity. And if one member of the family needs silence or privacy especially during meetings, get into an agreement as to who will use the room at a certain time, with the AC on, while the others can occupy other spaces of the house. If you’re lucky enough to be alone in your condo or apartment, choose a space with natural lighting or beside a window to let the cool air in. This trick can never go wrong to keep you motivated while doing that report

or attending a virtual meeting. If you really need to use an aircon, try to set a timer or use it in its lowest setting (e.g. If Thermostat is at 25°C mid setting, you can save up to 50% from your electricity). 2. Unplug or turn off appliances & devices that are not in use Take the opportunity of being together to teach the household the habit of turning off appliances that are not in use. There are times when we would forget to switch off the light or fans but imagine the energy we can save by doing so. Another good habit to practice is unplugging appliances or gadgets that are on stand-by mode as they still consume electricity even when they’re not in use. On televisions alone, a 21-inch TV can add up to Php 20.00 on your bill every month if not unplugged. Your ofﬁce area might also have a power cable for computers, phone, tablet, chargers and others so installing a power board or power strip will help you easily turn it off with just a single push or click. 3. Use the right device in the right way Are you more of a desktop-type of person? You might want to rethink your current preference to make a huge cut in your electric bills. Laptops consume around 70% to 80% less than desktop computers so that’s a huge difference in savings. It doesn’t mean that you need to ditch your computer; you just have to learn how to juggle your choices.

DECODE 2021, the country’s largest cybersecurity conference hosted free of charge by Trend Micro Philippines, welcomed over 1,200 Filipinos on its first day. “At Trend Micro, we’re engineered to do good and committed to our mission of helping create a safer online environment for all, especially as the pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of most organizations and businesses. DECODE is perhaps one of our biggest undertakings: a gathering of experts from here and all over the world to tackle the most pressing cybersecurity issues, address and anticipate threats, and explore how we can all work together to ensure that organizations and individuals remain safe and secure online,” said Alma Saturnino-Alvarez, Director of Threat Hunting, Trend Micro Philippines. The three-day virtual conference opened with four keynote sessions delivered by Trend Micro’s Director of Global Operations, Managed XDR Jay Yaneza, FBI Cyber Division Intelligence Analyst Lauren Seawright, Cybercrime Directorate of INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) INTERPOL’s Head of Cybercrime Intelligence Unit Shane Cross, and Meralco’s VP and Group Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Mel T. Migriño. Following this year’s theme DEC1DE. DEC0DE., the speakers discussed timely topics relevant in their respective roles in the cybersecurity industry. Now, Else Be Too Late: Relevant Just-in-Time Decisions In his session, Trend Micro’s Director of Global Operations, Managed XDR Jay Yaneza introduced the primary theme of the conference; making critical, yet timely decisions in order to prevent or resolve threats. Beyond the technicalities behind resolving a threat is a team’s ability to make quick, yet informed decisions during the most extreme situations. Yaneza shared examples of instances when timing and execution were critical, and also discussed the value of prevention and foresight. He closed his session with a reminder to ”keep calm and carry on” and goes on to emphasize how “IT staff should make sure they are measuring the right things because these decision points will come to bare after the incident.” Ransomware: 2021 Threat Landscape To present another facet of the cybersecurity industry, FBI Intelligence Assistant Legal Attaché Lauren Seawright went over the current threat landscape and how it has evolved both in the Philippines and globally in the past few years. Drawing as well from her experience as the Intelligence Analyst assigned to the cyber squad in FBI’s Anchorage and Boston Divisions, the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Portland, Maine, and the economic crimes squad, Seawright gave valuable insights on current and foreseeable trends in how Philippine companies are combatting these attacks. Cybercrime Through the Lens of Law Enforcement and Private Partners From another expert involved in law enforcement, Shane Cross gives viewers a brief background on the work of INTERPOL and how the cybercrime division operates in partnership with international governments. Cross also discusses how cybercrimes during the time of COVID-19 have evolved and other evolving threats in the current landscape. Scams have been tailored around themes of COVID-19 and healthcare, as well as cybercrimes executed around cryptocurrency. Cross emphasizes that it is most important that we cooperate with local enforcement, to effectively and efficiently shut down such threats. The Evolution of a CISO Role VP and Group Chief Information Security Officer of Meralco Mel Migriño during her session discussed the role of the CISO, or Chief Information Security Officer. Migriño discussed how the role has evolved from the traditional responsibilities of the CISO, as well as how the CISO is involved and engaged across the various departments of an organization. She also talked about the “Next Generation CISO” and the qualities they must possess, such as having a moral compass, and being ready to go beyond what is asked. Get IT Girl, Careers in Cybersecurity, and Cybersecurity Fundamentals Trend Micro decided to extend this year’s conference and include programs catering specifically to women in the tech industry as well as students.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021

Motoring

TGR Vios Cup season goes full throttle Rivera crowned as 2021 Overall Super Sporting Champion; Anton for Sporting; and rookie Garbes for Promotional.

By M. Rivera

HE TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup concluded this year’s season with an action-packed finale weekend. Following strict protocols, involved teams, drivers, and personalities gathered at the Clark International Speedway last November 6 to join the final leg of Toyota Motor Philippines’ premier motorsports spectacle. The race weekend proved to be this season’s climax with thrilling developments and some surprising twists in the battle for the overall and class championships. “Today marks another milestone for the country’s premier motorsports program. We are at the homestretch -- the final leg of this year’s races,” TMP President Atsuhiro Okamoto said during the opening program “We have championed over many obstacles to bring the TGR Vios Cup back. And we couldn’t have done this without all of you. On behalf of Toyota Motor Philippines and all our partners, I would like to thank you for your continued support and participation this season,” he continued. The final leg comprised 49 participants, with 30 drivers competing in the prestigious Circuit Championship while a 19-person field composed of media, celebrities, and social media influencers participated in the Autocross Challenge. The double points ruling for the last two races of the Circuit Championship gave racers the chance to zoom ahead of the previous leg’s winners while victors of the preceding rounds had to put the pedal

to the metal to try and secure their championship campaigns. Starting the weekend with a competitive stride, Jiro Garbes, Jacob Ang, and Pauland Dumlao are the top podium placers in their respective race classes for Race 7. Racers pushed the limit of grip, with Team Asiatel – OTR Racing Team racer, Jason Lao grabbing the win for the Promotional Class for Race 8. Meanwhile, Eagle Cement Racing Team racer Jacob Ang dominated the Sporting Class while Pauland Dumlao took the top podium spot again for the Super Sporting Class. Racers Troy Montero, Joaquin Garrido, and Estefano Rivera took the spotlight in their respective classes for the final race of the season. The thrill continued in the Autocross Challenge with a higher difficulty level during the final run. Racers had to bring their A game maneuvering

through more obstacles compared to the previous legs while tackling a different area of the track. The match concluded with social media personality Jules Aquino claiming the championship title in the Celebrities and Influencers class, with Arron Villaflor and Lexi Mendiola following as second and third placers, respectively. In the Media class, Jose Altoveros ultimately bested the other racers, followed by Enzo Delos Reyes and Paolo De Borja as the second and third placers. After three rounds of thrilling, high speed Motorsports action, Obengers Racing team emerged as the biggest overall winners - bagging both the Super Sporting and Sporting crowns through their ace drivers Estefano Rivera and Iñigo Anton, respectively whilst capturing the Overall Team’s Championship as well. For the Promotional Class, it was JBT Racing/ Toyota San Fernando’s Jiro Garbes who prevailed as the annual overall victor.

As for the Autocross Challenge, Jose Altoveros of Autoindustriya and Fitness Celebrity Jules Aquino prevailed over their competitors to capture the overall titles for their respective categories. Motorsports enthusiasts shared in the excitement over livestream. After hitting the brakes in 2020 because of the pandemic, Toyota’s big return to the race tracks reaffirms the company’s waku-doki spirit. Watch out for the Vios Cup’s next heart-pumping season for even more engine-revving excitement. Catch the action again during the final leg of this year’s Vios Cup on TMP’s official Facebook and YouTube channels - Toyota Motor Philippines and Toyota Gazoo Racing PH. The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup 2021 was organized in cooperation with Bridgestone, official fuel partner Petron, supported by Motul. Other sponsors are Brembo, Denso, AVT, 3M, OMP, Tuason Racing and ROTA.

See the complete list of winners of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup Autocross Challenge & Circuit Championship below:

KIA goes 'in with the new' and more!

TRAVERSING the path to responsive customer engagement, Kia has recently announced its transformative goal to scale up its company identity, in a global rebranding campaign. Visually sporting a revamped corporate look through its new logo, the brand’s transcending purpose is, “To create spaces that will inspire consumers through our product design, create more time for consumers so they can focus on what inspires them, and innovative experiences that can influence people and today’s culture,” said Kia Philippines President Manny Alegada. In addition to its rebranding, Kia has also adopted two general vehicle platforms, on top of regular models, that will transport the Korean brand to the future of automotives. Onwards to 2022, Kia will be bringing in the All New Sorento and the new iconic Stonic, premium models to usher in the start of a new age in Kia, within the month of November 2021. The new Sorento sets the bar high with a sleeker, bigger, and bolder design; fitted with the iconic tiger nose grille, the new Sorento speaks of stylish command in driving. Just like the all-new Sorento, the Kia Stonic Style Edition shall also carry the new logo, carrying stylish body skirts plus blacked out wheels. The savvy subcompact SUV features a unique Style Edition badge at the rear, a classic touch for a modern vehicle which targets young, uppity millennials who are more into adventure and style.

Kia going electric To support a greener economy, Kia is hoping to bring in a slew of electric vehicle (EV) models as it works out a sustainable EV roadmap for the brand. Alegado noted a crucial point in the journey is the creation of the infrastructure needed to build a sustainable EV ecosystem. This involves the setting-up of charging stations, similar to the gasoline stations for diesel-fired and petrol-run vehicles, as the first line of support to EV platforms. “We will work with our other companies within AC Industrials to help us develop the system, of course through the guidance from our shareholders,” added Alegado. Kia is also keenly interested to collaborate with industry group Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) for synergies with other EV brands to hasten the development of the Philippine EV ecosystem.

GAC Motor PH launches its LazMall flagship store; raffles off All-New GS8 during 11.11 sale

GAC Motor Philippines officially launches its LazMall flagship store, in partnership with leading e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines. With this, online shoppers from various parts of Southeast Asia can now purchase a vehicle through reservation

vouchers, order spare parts and accessories, and avail of other car services at their own convenience. Not only does it minimize every c u s t o m e r ’s need to visit the showroom, t h e r e b y reducing the risk of acquiring the virus, it also allows them to transact with GAC’s sales and aftersales representatives with more ease. Online shoppers may also take advantage of the exclusive deals and discounts offered

Ford PH continues on with annual Global Caring Day Observation

Birmingham-bred Bikes to finally arrive in the PH Market - When motorcycling is a way of life for a niche obsession, MUTT is the brand to be. November 26, 7PM, marks the launch of the Britishbred Mutt Motorcycles in Philippine shores. The launch shall be streamed live on the Mutt Motorcycles Facebook page. Experience the bold and creative origins that craft honest, fierce, and attainable small CC motorcycles with unique identity and style.

IN CELEBRATION of Global Caring Month, over 20 kids from the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Sulangon Village in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte became part of the Ford Motor Company Philippines’ annual observance of the Global Caring Day. Held every September, the Global Caring Month is an annual social responsibility event that encourages Ford and its network of dealers worldwide to participate in community projects. Fun activities filled the day as every Ford employee engaged with kids to storytelling, drawing, and arts and crafts, in both virtual and in-person platforms. Other employees also visited the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan to plant trees, harvested and packed vegetables for distribution to families and communities.

by GAC Motor Philippines during Lazada’s super sale events. In addition, as part of Lazada’s 11.11 Super Show held last November 11, GAC Motor Philippines raffled off one (1) AllNew GAC GS8 2.0 6AT 4x2 Sport. “We are delighted to materialize and prolong this partnership with Lazada. Through our flagship LazMall store, GAC Motor Philippines will be able to offer its vehicle line-up and services in the comfort and safety of our customers’ homes, as well as boost the brand’s presence on the digital platform,” said Wilbert Lim, president and CEO of GAC Motor Philippines. Visit and follow GAC Motor Philippines’ LazMall flagship store at www.lazada.com.ph/shop/gac-motorphilippines/ to know more about the exclusive deals and promos.

The activity touched over 350 families from various GK villages and communities in Bulacan. Aside from volunteer activities, Ford Philippines also awarded mini-grants through the Ford Motor Company Fund to support activities by GK and Save the Children Philippines during the Global Caring Month. GK used the fund to install water systems in tribal communities in San Fernando, Bukidnon and Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan. The Save the Children gratitude grant supported the improved delivery of health and nutrition services in the management of acute malnutrition (child wasting) in Villareal, Samar. Ford is also partnered with Gawad Kalinga for its Kusina ng Kalinga (KnK) program, which is a strategic response to hunger and malnutrition among Filipino children, as well as in the healthcare capacity-building program wherein resident-volunteers in Capiz and Pampanga have recently joined the program.