By Maricel V. Cruz
PLEASE verify Oishi, Tempura, Nova and Chippy, too. This was the request of House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) after it confirmed that “Mary Grace Piattos,” an alleged fund recipient cited in
By Maricel Cruz and Rio Araja
VICE President Sara Duterte was hit with a second impeachment complaint on Wednesday, signed by 75 representatives from various sectoral groups, including former legislators and human rights victims.
The fresh impeachmenr complaint added to Duterte’s legal woes as she faces a probe into her alleged death threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez, as well as another inquiry into her use of government funds.
Wednesday’s complaint accused Duterte of betraying public trust for the alleged misuse of millions of pesos in public funds while she was Education secretary, the Makabayan bloc said.
“The Vice President’s brazen misuse of more than half a billion pesos in confidential funds, particularly the suspicious liquidation of P125 million
By Charles Dantes
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday to intensify efforts in promoting healthier food options to curb malnutrition.
During a sectoral meeting at Malacañang, Mr. Marcos convened with DOH officials and representatives from other agencies to assess the implementation of the First 1,000 Days (F1KD) program, which focuses on improving nutrition for children. We have to educate people to eat
healthier options,” President Marcos stated. “The main point is how we consolidate all these initiatives.”
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa acknowledged existing gaps in coordination and areas of redundancy within current efforts.
Herbosa reported that 26.7%—or three out of every ten Filipino children—are stunted, with nearly 3 million under the age of five affected. Meanwhile, 15% of children are classified as obese, predominantly from middle to upper-middle-class families.
By Rex Espiritu
THE China Coast Guard (CCG) once again resorted to hostile maneuvers in trying to chase away Philippine vessels from Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea, dousing a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
By Joel E. Zurbano
(BFAR) ship with water
Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) spokesperson on WPS issues, said the first of two water cannon attacks by the Chinese vessel, identified as CCG 3302, targeted the Philippine ship’s navigational
of
BFAR and PCG were
VICE President Sara Duterte’s Christmas message this year was a departure from the usual call for peace and love, instead, she delivered a not-so-veiled warning to critics, telling them that she is not inclined to forgive.
“Christmas is the time for forgiving, loving and giving. I always say that is conditional. As the Vice President, I am expected to say that [forgiving, loving and giving] in my Christmas message. But as for me, I will not forgive,” she said in Filipino during Tuesday’s Office of the Vice President (OVP) thanksgiv-
ing event.
“There are different kinds of people… some are quick to forgive, others take longer, [however] a few take their anger to the grave,” Duterte added.
The Vice President was not specific about who she could not forgive, but it is widely believed that she was referring
to lawmakers probing alleged funds misuse in the OVP and Department of Education (DepEd) and those seeking her impeachment.
Duterte also appealed to voters to be more circumspect on for whom they are voting, and refrain from “automatically” voting for candidates just because they come from political families.
The Vice President, herself a political scion, urged the public to vote for qualified candidates, and not simply those who frequently dole out “ayuda” or cash aid.
“You do not owe them [politicians] for
the cash assistance,” she pointed out. Duterte’s scathing holiday message comes on the heels of an online tirade in which she confessed to having commissioned an assassin to murder President Marcos, First Lady Liza AranetaMarcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the event of her untimely demise.
Her latest expression of indignation comes as she faces an impeachment complaint filed by advocacy groups on the grounds of alleged corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
THE Department of Agriculture (DA)
in just 11 days at the end of 2022, represents a grave betrayal of public trust,” Bayan chairperson Teddy Casino said in a statement.
“The Filipino people, especially our taxpayers who bear the burden of funding government operations, deserve accountability from their second highest official,” he added.
The complaint also cited the “systematic cover-up” of the fund misuse through anomalous documents submitted before the Commission on Audit and the alleged “deliberate obstruction” of congressional investigation and oversight.
The Makabayan bloc, with Reps. Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, France Castro of ACT Teachers and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan endorsed the 45page impeachment complaint.
“The P612.5 million confidential funds scandal under VP Sara Duterte is a direct assault on Filipinos and their families who bear the brunt of increasing poverty while corrupt officials squander public funds. This money could have funded crucial programs for healthcare, protection against violence, livelihood, and other social services,” Gabriela said.
“The subsequent cover-up through falsified documents makes this betrayal of public trust even more serious.”
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said his office received the second impeachment complaint at 3:30 p.m. yesterday.
“As mandated by Article XI on Accountability of Public Officers, particularly Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the House of Representatives will process this complaint in accordance with the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings,” Velasco said.
“The filing of impeachment complaints underscores the seriousness of the allegations and highlights the vital role of Congress in upholding transparency and accountability in government.”
“The House is committed to performing its Constitutional duty with fairness, impartiality, and respect for the rule of law. We assure the public that this process will be conducted with integrity, guided by the principles of due process and adherence to the Constitution,” he added.
Malacañang earlier distanced itself from efforts to impeach Duterte following the filing of the first impeachment rap on Monday.
“The President already made a clear and unambiguous statement that he will not support an effort to impeach because it is distracting. We have many needs to address that are important for the country,” Bersamin said.
“The President has been very clear. Any suggestion that it is political, that it was instigated by our side – no. That is never true,” the Palace official added.
said yesterday it will roll out the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Rice-for-All program, where it sells rice at a lower rate, at major public markets and MRT and LRT stations in Metro Manila.
“In partnership with the Food Terminal Inc., these kiosks will offer Ricefor-All at an affordable price of P40 per kilo, available from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,” said DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra, head of the Kadiwa program.
The program initially sold rice at P45
per kilo and has been reduced to P43 per kilo.
The DA said the price will be reduced further starting today to a P40 per kilo as part of efforts to shield consumers from inflationary pressures.
“Currently, we are coordinating with the following major markets in NCR for the rollout: Kamuning Market, Malabon Central Market, New Las Piñas City Public Market, Pasay City Public Market, Balintawak Market, Cartimar Market, Pateros Grace Marketplace, Maypajo Public Market, Paco Market,”
Guevarra said. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA plans to expand the program to other parts of the country “where prices of rice remain high, a situation that borders on profiteering.” He said the President had earlier approved an additional budget of P5 billion to support the P29 and Ricefor-All programs. This initiative underscores the DA’s commitment to ensuring food security and stabilizing rice prices across Metro Manila, said Tiu Laurel.
By Charles Dantes
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. held a fellowship gathering last night with members of the House of Representatives, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) reported. The PCO said in a statement the event was scheduled some time ago and aimed to strengthen ties between the Office of the President and lawmakers.
“The gathering is meant to be a fellowship between the Office of the President and members of the House of Representatives,” the PCO said. According to sources, among those in attendance were Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe.
Further details about the meeting were not disclosed.
The meeting came amid the ongoing filing of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged corruption and betrayal of public trust.
Last week, President Marcos expressed his opposition to any impeachment plans against the Vice President, stating that it would not improve the lives of Filipinos.
“This (impeachment) is not important. This does not make a difference to even one single Filipino life. So why waste time on it?” he added. Malacañang has distanced itself from the impeachment moves against the Vice President, noting that this was “clearly the complainants independent initiative.’
By Maricel V. Cruz
acknowledgment receipts submitted by Vice President Sara Duterte’s office must be verified.
“The revelation that Mary Grace Piattos is a fictitious identity raises serious red flags. The PSA must immediately audit and verify all the names appearing in the ARs submitted by the OVP to the Commission on Audit,” Ortega said.
The PSA certification confirmed that no birth, marriage, or death records exist for Piattos.
Piattos appeared in the ARs submitted to COA to justify expenses from the OVP’s P500-million confidential
funds, disbursed across four quarters from late 2022 to 2023.
Other listed recipients whose names mimicked popular snack brands were “Fernando Tempura,” “Carlos Miguel Oishi,” “Reymunda Jane Nova” and “Chippy McDonald.”
Ortega warned the use of a fabricated identity in official documents could point to systemic fraud.
“This isn’t just an isolated case. If a fabricated name was used to justify millions of pesos in spending, it undermines the integrity of public accountability. It also raises the question: how many more fake names might be buried in those ARs?” he said.
He urged the PSA to cross-check all other names in the submitted receipts to uncover
In Luzon, provinces such as Pangasinan, Isabela, and Cavite are among the focus areas.
the potential breadth of the irregularities.
“We cannot stop at just one name. The PSA’s findings should serve as a springboard to conduct a deeper investigation.
The Filipino people deserve transparency and accountability, especially in the use of public funds,” Ortega said.
Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre and Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman earlier warned of a possible scheme to falsify financial records within the OVP.
Both lawmakers said the discovery of Piattos as a fabricated entity might be just the “tip of the iceberg.”
“If one name was falsified, it is not unreasonable to suspect that other receipts may also contain fictitious names,” Ortega said.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre proposed on Wednesday the “Anti-Solicitation to Murder Bill” in response to the recent admission of Vice President Sara Duterte that she contracted a killer to carry out a politically motivated murder plot.
In filing House Bill 11166, Acidre said Duterte’s public acknowledgment, which she claimed was “not a joke,” sparked nationwide outrage and raised questions about accountability at the highest levels of government.
Acidre stressed the urgency of introducing measures to address incitement to violence.
The proposed legislation defines solicitation to murder as the act of urging, encouraging, or inducing another person to commit murder, whether directly or indirectly, with or without compensation or reward.
The President urged the DOH to prioritize 34 areas identified under the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN), where stunting and malnutrition are prevalent.
In the Visayas, Negros Occidental and Cebu are key targets, while in Mindanao priority areas include Zamboanga del Norte, Bukidnon, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The DOH aims to promote the “Ping-
gang Pinoy” model, which emphasizes balanced meals consisting of rice, vegetables, and protein.
The DOH said 1,000 Filipino children do not get past their fifth birthday.
A third of Filipino children are stunted or short for their age. Stunting after 2 years of age can be permanent, irreversible, and even fatal, the DOH said.
Suk Yeol on Wednesday after his extraordinary but short-lived imposition of martial law that brought thousands of protesters to the streets.
Yoon’s shock bid to suspend civilian rule for the first time in over four decades—before being overturned by lawmakers in a night of drama— plunged South Korea into deep turmoil and alarmed its close allies.
The future of Yoon, a conservative politician and former star public prosecutor who was elected president in
2022, is now highly uncertain.
South Korea’s opposition parties, whose lawmakers jumped fences and tussled with security forces to vote down the law, on Wednesday filed a motion to impeach Yoon.
“We’ve submitted an impeachment motion prepared urgently,” said Kim Yong-min from the opposition Democratic Party (DP). They were yet to decide when to put it to a vote, but it could come as soon as Friday.
The opposition holds a large majority in the 300-member parliament and needs only a handful of defections from the president’s party to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass the motion.
the BRP Teresa Magbanua, also faced blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers from PLA Navy vessel 500 and CCG 503, the official also disclosed. Additionally, BRP Cabra was subjected to “reckless maneuvers” by another Chinese vessel, identified as CCG 3104, at a distance of 300 yards, Tarriela noted.
“At around 6:30 AM, CCG 3302 fired a water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV 3003), aiming directly
at the vessel’s navigational antennas while it was located 16 nautical miles south of Bajo de Masinloc,” the PCG and BFAR said in a joint statement.
“Following this hostile action, CCG 3302 intentionally sideswiped the BRP Datu Pagbuaya on its starboard side. Shortly thereafter, at 6:55 AM, CCG 3302 launched a second water cannon attack on the same vessel,” the two agencies further stated.
A video clip provided by the PCG showed at least one Chinese vessel using its water cannon on the BFAR vessel.
The PCG and BFAR stated that Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag
Acidre emphasized that the bill seeks to penalize solicitation regardless of whether the solicited crime is carried out.
“House Bill 11166 is a response to the lack of a clear law against this type of violence,” Acidre said in Tagalog. “This kind of behavior, even from the highest government official, cannot be allowed to go unpunished,” he added.
or Scarborough Shoal, is located well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. They reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the rights and safety of Filipino fishermen within the country’s maritime jurisdiction.
“We will continue to be vigilant in safeguarding our national interests in the WPS,” they assured.
However, the CCG presented a different narrative, saying it warned Manila to immediately halt its infringements, provocations and inflammatory actions “after a Philippine vessel intentionally rammed into a CCG ship in waters around China’s Huangyan Dao.”
By Vito Barcelo
THE Bureau of Immigration refuted reports that personnel or officers of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) may have assisted former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to leave the country.
Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said more than one person may have facilitated Roque to leave the country, because it is a concerted effort and very difficult to set up. The BI earlier said that the former
spokesman of then President Rodrigo Duterte left the country through illegal means since there is no record of his departure in the bureau’s computer system.
BI Commissioner Jioel Anthony Viado said it is impossible that he left via formal ports because his name is in the BI’s Lookout Bulletin, and he is a very well-known public figure.
“With CCTV cameras in major
international ports, it is highly unlikely for him to use said areas,” he added.
Meanwhile, the bureau said that the country’s laws must be strengthened against individuals who leave the country through illegal means.
“Because there is no specific law that covers people, Filipinos, going out of the country. Walang punitive action ang Filipinos going out of the country illegally,” the BI said.
By Maricel V. Cruz
THE House of Representatives Committee on Population and Family Relations on Wednesday approved in principle a bill aimed at establishing an administrative process to swiftly cancel birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals.
House Bill (HB) 11117, also known as the “Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law,” targets foreign nationals, including those linked to illegal drug operations and crimes associated with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
The legislation was crafted following revelations during House Quad Comm hearings that thousands of foreign nationals, primarily Chinese citizens, had fraudulently obtained Philippine birth certificates. These falsified documents were used to acquire passports and other official records.
In an interview, Quad Comm cochair Bienvenido Abante Jr. underscored the importance of the bill in addressing the misuse of fraudulent documents.
“Kasi sa Quad Comm nakita namin ang napakaraming mga Chinese na nakakuha ng passport, and the only way for them to have an official passport would be that they would have officially legal certificates, birth certificates. Eh ‘di naman sila pinanganak dito, taga-China naman sila,” Abante explained.
(Because in Quad Comm we saw a lot of Chinese people who were able to obtain passports, and the only way for them to have an official passport would be that they would have officially legal certificates, birth certificates. Well, they weren’t born here, they’re from China).
‘PPP key to resolve classroom backlog’
EDUCATION Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara says they are eyeing public-private partnerships (PPP) to address the perennial problem of classroom backlogs.
“We are pushing for PPP now. This means large-scale, in bulk, 1,000 classrooms. We will bid out 1,000 school buildings and offer it to the private sector to construct,” Amgara said during a recent dialogue with school officials and teachers in La Paz, Tarlac
Angara said private companies that join the Adopt-A-School Program will enjoy tax benefits as an incentive.
“Some businessmen or charitable organizations might not know this, so let them know that if they donate a school building, they can deduct it (corresponding cost) from their taxable income,” Angara added.
Angara also said the Department of Education is focused on prioritizing digital technology to enhance learning opportunities and introduce innovations for learners and teachers.
Ralph Harvey Rirao
Taiwanese tourists flocking to Boracay
MALAY, Aklan—A chartered plane from Taiwan landed at the Godofredo Ramos Airport Monday, bringing into Boracay scores of Taiwanese tourists.
This was confirmed by Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista in a text message, but declined to provide details of the flight.
“We welcome the flight as this would boost the tourism industry of Boracay,” he said.
Earlier, Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores said they are lobbying for a direct flight to Aklan from Taoyuan City in Taiwan.
According to the Malay Tourism Office, Boracay logged some two million foreign and domestic tourists since last Jan. 1.
Jun N. Aguirre
Risa favors PH-Japan reciprocal access pact
SENATOR Risa Hontiveros has manifested her support for the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) which calls for cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the SelfDefense Forces of Japan.
Hontiveros, deputy minority leader of the Senate, agreed that the country gained abundantly through defense cooperation and military exercises with other countries. She expressed gratitude that the Philippine government insisted on the primacy of environmental protection and cultural integrity.
With the dark historical background of the Philippines and Japan, Hontiveros advised against forgetting the past and the quest for justice of the victims of World War II.
“Even as we rightly move forward with cooperation and collaboration, may we also find within us a collective desire to reckon with the past, and to seek justice where justice remains elusive. I speak on behalf of the comfort women, the invisible victims of the Second World War, whose voices are fast fading because of the ravages of time,” Hontiveros said.
NEW NCMH FACILITY. The Association of Women Legislators Foundation, Inc. headed by Tingog party-list Rep Yedda Marie Romualdez and Bulacan 4th District Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica, launches the new Women and Children Protection Unit at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City. The new facility was built through the collaborative efforts of the NCMH headed by Director Noel Reyes and the 86-strong women legislators group, in association with the Mandaluyong local government.
By Vito Barcelo
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
reminds private employers that payment of their employees’ 13th-month bonus is mandatory.
“The 13th month pay is mandatory, unless there are circumstances that would exempt specific or a particular company to pay, that includes closure,” Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said.
“We ask for understanding and consideration of our employers to give the 13th-month pay of their employees a little bit earlier so that they can budget what they need to buy,” Laguesma said
BEACH OF BORACAY. Even with the onset of the Holiday Season, the worldrenowned Philippine beach resort of Boracay Island continues to draw large groups of local and foreign tourists on a daily basis. Jun N. Aguirre
during a year-end media conference.
While the law mandates the payment of the 13th-month stipend on or before Dec. 24, Laguesma said an earlier disbursement would benefit the workers, especially amid rising prices.
In an advisory, DOLE provided guidelines for the proper computation for the 13th-month pay.
Under the rules, the 13th-month pay must be paid to rank-and-file employ-
ees in the private sector regardless of their position, designation, or employment status, and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid, provided that they have worked for at least one month during the calendar year,” the advisory stated.
“It shall also be given to rank-and-file employees who are paid on a piece-rate basis, fixed or guaranteed wage plus commission, those with multiple employers, those who resigned, were terminated from employment, or were on maternity leave and received salary differential,” it said. Meanwhile, the DOLE also advised employers to properly pay workers who would render work for the five holidays this December.
By Ralph Harvey Rirao
THE Senate has approved a P70-million 2025 budget for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) with a view to boosting the agency’s digital transformation.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, cochairman of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), pushed the P70-million allocation to fund three TESDA projects. At least P40 million of the allocation was earmarked for the acquisition and development of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Technical Voca-
tional Education and Training (TVET) course builder, P20 million for the Internet of Things (IoT) training system, and P10 million for the development of an AI-powered Labor Market Information (LMI) System.
The AI-powered TVET course builder was designed to speed up course development and make it more cost-efficient through automation, while minimizing the need for extensive human resources. It will also reduce the time to develop and update training regulations, competency standards, competency-based curriculum, and competency assessment tools.
By Pot Chavez
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has forged an agreement with the University of the Philippines (UP) meant to enhance the existing Criminal Code of the country to meet present day challenges responsive in the field of prosecution.
The accord provides mutual cooperation within the framework of their respective mandates in matters essential to improve existing penal laws, such as conducting technical studies and legal research on law reforms, capacity building, and information sharing.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla expressed confidence in the partnership and extended appreciation to the “hardworking men and women behind the noble cause.”
The ceremonial signing of the memorandum of understanding was done by representatives of both parties, notably Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, chairman of the Criminal Code Committee (CCC); co-chairman Justice Undersecretary Jose Cadiz, Jr.; Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres; and UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II; and UP College of Law Dean Darlene Marie Berberabe.
“We wish to create a new penal code that not only reflects current values and conditions, but also respects rights inherent to us all as human beings,” said Vasquez.
The DOJ is mainly responsible to provide the resources needed for the implementation of the pact subject to the availability of funds and in accordance with law.
The course builder also ensures that all training materials are of the highest quality, industry-aligned, and relevant to the job market. It seeks to make TVET programs more consistent through standardized course content, assessments, and competencies, making the TVET programs ready for the rising demand for skilled workers. Meanwhile, the IoT training system seeks to empower students with skills to operate, program, and maintain IoT devices and networks, and help them prepare for careers in smart technology applications in industrial automation, healthcare, and agriculture, among other fields.
Under Labor Advisory No. 14, Series of 2024, the department said Dec. 8, Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 are special nonworking holidays. Dec. 25 and Dec. 30 are considered regular holidays. The “no work, no pay” principle applies on these three holidays, the department said. For work done during these dates, the employee would receive an additional 30 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours of work.
If the employee did not work, the employer must still pay 100 percent of the employee’s wage for these dates, provided the employee reports to work or is on leave of absence with pay on the day immediately preceding the regular holiday.
Top rebel leader, 5 others fall in clash with troops
By Rex Espiritu
A TOP leader of the communist insurgency movement were among six New People’s Army guerrillas reportedly killed in an encounter with government troops on Monday, Dec. 2, in the hinterlands of Barangay Paco, Las Navas, Northern Samar.
The slain rebels were identified by their former comrades as Ariel Baselga, aliases Aries and Polly; Renar Diaz alias Beloy and Monmon; Rey Tafalla alias Bunso; James Arandia alias Taying; Maricar Asinas, alias Ikar; and alias Kagid.
Following the encounter, the soldiers requested for Philippine National Police Scene of Crime Operatives (SOCO) to conduct a post mortem examinations.
Baselga was reputedly a top terrorist who served as secretary of Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Emporium under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC). On the other hand, Diaz allegedly served as vice-commander of the SubRegional Operations Command of the SRC Emporium. He was responsible for planning and supervising the tactical operations of former rebel units under SRC.
VLADIMIR Lenin once said: “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward”. Now, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not a disciple of Lenin. Neither is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Both are undeniably capitalists. The yellows and/or pinks are not Marxist-Leninists. Akbayan claims to be a party of social democrats, and some of their old progenitors (apologies to Ronald Llamas, who is not that old) disengaged from Joma Sison and styled themselves as “rejectionists” even as die-hard leftists call themselves “reaffirmists”. And among the group that filed impeachment complaints against the vice-president are those who call themselves “reformists”, including Roman Catholic priests who just very recently formed the “Clergy for Good Governance.
But did not the President say that he does not favor moves to impeach his divorced Uniteam partner?
Aren’t the angry and noisy re-affirmists in the HoR just as raring to impeach the vice-president? Why were they beaten to the draw by Leila de Lima, Ging Deles, Fathers Flavie and Robert, even PNoy nephew Francis Dee?
The DDS will go to town and say “bakakon gyud si Bongbong.” Bakakon is Bisaya for liar.
Did not the president heed the wise counsel of the black pope, who prevailed over the hotheads and the palace Rasputin?
Then again, the resident leftists in the House march to the drums of the yet silent Speaker. The plot thickens, or better yet, the plot gets clearer.
Erap’s former PMP recruit, later one of Ronny Zamora’s deputies in Mabini Hall, now NUP leader and HoR secretary-general Reggie Velasco explained very clearly the procedures of the House insofar as impeachment complaints are concerned.
His to accept; his to forward to the Speaker who then asks the Committee on Rules headed by Zamboanga’s Mannix Dalipe to refer same to the Justice Committee which then rules on form and substance and if warranted, sends it to the plenary where a third of its 316 members can forthwith send the impeachment articles to the Senate of 23 republics for trial.
Yet Congress is to go on recess in a couple of weeks, so is there material time? Even if they do a Villar fastbreak as in Erap, time is not a friend. Sobrang halata!
And when Congress resumes in January, it will have to adjourn by February 8, as the campaign period starts. How sure is the HoR that they have
the numbers in the upper House? Even graduating Senadora Nancy dislikes the purple robe.
So likely the Akbayan ploy is dead in the water, likewise that of the certified leftists, but 2025 is another year, and by then the mid-term elections will be done.
Likely, the super-majority will still be under the thumb of present leadership. Many in fact are running unopposed. What fool would fight a preponderance of ayuda from the fount of plenty? Only in Manila, where an Isko Moreno has vowed to defeat its biggest purveyors.
For Inday Sara, never is forever.
“From the people, to the people, through the people’s representatives,” that after all is the “bible” of the Ayuda Republic.
So the deciding factor will be the 24 republics of the 20th Congress, half of which will be new or recycled. Unto their hands the “new” HoR will commend the fate of Inday Sara.
But as the tale of the latest surveys (pre-Sara rant) indicate, there likely will be only two survivors of the Alyansa juggernaut, unless Davao can manage to increase its numbers to three, at most four.
In the Alyansa slate, Lacson is independent-minded, and Imee will stick it out for Sara.
Who will waver? The answer will be blowing in the political winds by then. Make no mistake, though. The palace Rasputin has already laid out the continuing demolition of the Duterte brand, and they have so many weapons in the arsenal.
Inday Sara can do tit for tat, for her accusers are blacker than black, but she has no competent staff to do research, communicate and destroy.
If survey findings cannot be reversed in the coming campaign, Davao loses the battle of numbers in the upper House. FPRRD should have formed a senatorial slate as early as late last year, when many re-electionists and baliksenadores could have been locked-in by his magic endorsement, but Bagong Pilipinas has beaten him to the draw.
One step backward (kuno) and two steps forward seems to be the palace playbook. What does “never say never” really mean?
For the ruling administration, it’s not now, not yet. For Inday Sara, never is forever.
THERE seems to be a brewing effort to stage another EDSA. It all started last week when a small group identifying themselves as VP Sara Duterte supporters started to congregate at the EDSA shrine, the site of the two successful revolts in 1986 and 2001. The intention appears to gather people there hoping that it will gather enough momentum to reach a number reminiscent of EDSA 1 and 2. Then there were reports that these people were being paid P500 each, which was promptly denied by the Duterte camp.
The most recent news about this effort was a Facebook account purportedly coming from the PDP-Laban faction supporting the Duterte clan, urging everyone to go to the EDSA shrine to show their displeasure with the many failures of the Marcos administration. Up to this time however, the public response has been zero. There are quite a number of reasons why this is so. One is that a revolutionary situation cannot just pop out from thin air for any group to mount an extra-judicial takeover of the political instrumentalities of the government. The level of public dissatisfaction must be much more than the level of satis-
OBVIOUSLY not content with its gressive gunboat diplomacy in the West Philippine Sea marked by its use of water cannons and military-grade lasers, and even deliberate ramming of our Coast Guard vessels as part of its dubious claim of ownership of practically the entire South China sea through a fictional “ten-dash line”, China appears to be resorting to yet another move that betrays its intent to undermine our sovereignty over our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, three Chinese research vessels were recently spotted in our eastern seaboard near our EEZ.
faction. There must also be a trigger mechanism which at this time does not exist.
This is the reason why PBBM’s trust and approval ratings have gone up since he took office and VP Sara Duterte’s have gone down. In addition, there is a failure on the part of the people strategizing for the Duterte camp to correctly analyze and interpret how the two successful peaceful people power revolts developed and successfully mounted. Furthermore, the metro area is not exactly the stronghold of the Duterte camp and if there is going to be any government takeover, it has to happen here because the metro area is the seat of government.
The public response has been zero.
In EDSA 1, it took years before the discontented segments of the public and that of the military coalesced to mount a concerted effort to topple the government during those fateful days in February 1986. Before that, the dis-
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, identified the ships as Xiang Yang Hong 3, Jia Geng, and Xiang Yang Hong 10. The PCG official told media that last November 30, the vessels were located 210 nautical miles – or roughly 389 kilometers (kms) – east of Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.
“We are still monitoring the movement of the Chinese research vessels because, at some point, they entered our exclusive economic zone in the past days,” he explained. The Jia Geng was spotted 200 NM (370 kms) east of Davao Oriental on Novem-
contented segment of the military was not able to do anything because there was no support coming from the public. Another reason was that the bigger portion of the military remained loyal to the administration at that time. But when the late Jaime Cardinal Sin called on the public to support the group of the Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and the then Chief of Constabulary Fidel V Ramos who broke away from the late President Marcos, this triggered the successful EDSA revolt.
In EDSA 2, it was the public that could not do anything because the AFP and the PNP for a time stood by former President Joseph Estrada. The trigger was when the AFP Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes broke away from Estrada,
ber 14. The Xiang Yang Hong 3 was monitored 257 NM (476 kms) northeast of Santa Ana, Cagayan on November 17. The Xiang Yang Hong 10 was spotted 200 NM (370 kms) east of Siargao Island on November 20 to November 29.
They should have obtained the approval of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Also on November 29, the Xiang Yang Hong 3 was again located at 211 NM (391 kms) east of Siargao Is-
bringing along with him several field commanders. In the PNP, those in the upper echelon were the ones who abandoned their Chief and joined the rebellion. In both EDSA 1 and 2, the rebellions were successful because both the military and civilian groups were willing to set aside their ideological differences in order to replace the current administration. It is for this reason that some do not consider the two EDSA revolts true revolutions. One lesson learned from our two successful people power revolts is that one group cannot do it alone. The military cannot do it alone and neither can the civilians. This is the reason why even if former President Rodrigo Duterte called
land as well. The Xiang Yang Hong 3 was previously reported seen near the Philippine Rise with another research ship, the Zhang Jian, on November 4.
The Chinese ships were located through their automatic identification systems (AIS). Even if ships turned off their AIS, the PCG could locate them by accessing the Dark Vessel Detection Program of the Canadian government.
What could have been the objective of these Chinese research vessels, Tarriela asked. “We can only speculate, as long as we do not know the true intentions of the People’s Republic of China. There must be a compelling reason for the Chinese government to deploy three research vessels all at the same time in one particular area.”
If the ships were conducting marine scientific research, the PCG official said they should have obtained the approval of the Philippine government, particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs.
So why didn’t Beijing bother to obtain the approval of Philippine authorities for the presence of their research vessels in our EEZ? Is it because they are now a big economic and military power in this part of the world that they can simply ignore international law and blatantly violate the territorial integrity of other countries, including ours?
on the AFP to topple President Bongbong Marcos, nothing happened. Yes, the Constitution says that the military is the defender of the country but it also mandates the military and police to take orders from the democratically elected government officials led by their Commander in Chief, the President. Fortunately also for our country, our military and police don’t have the same military ethos that the Thai and Burmese military establishments practice. Our military and police do not crave political power. And if those people who want another EDSA still persist, why don’t they just go ahead and do it, as presidential legal adviser Juan Ponce Enrile challenged them to do. Let’s see what happens.
LONDON — Staff at the UK’s Guardian newspaper went on strike Wednesday for the first time in more than 50 years over the proposed sale of its weekend sister paper The Observer.
Unionised staff members last month voted 93 percent in favour of the action, accusing the Scott Trust -the ultimate owner of Guardian Media Group (GMG) -- of “betrayal” over the potential sale of The Observer, the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper. Around 500 journalists at both papers began the 48-hour strike against the sale to the online news group Tortoise Media.
Tortoise said it had approached GMG with an offer to buy the publica-
RUSSIA’S ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday accused Ukrainian intelligence services of aiding rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, saying some fighters were “openly flaunting” the association.
Rebels fighting with Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) “have not only not concealed the fact that they are supported by Ukraine, but they are also openly flaunting this,” Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council. Russia is an ally of Syria.
The envoy said there was an “identifiable trail” showing Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence service was providing weapons to fighters in northwest Syria.
“Ukrainian military instructors from the GUR are present... training HTS fighters for combat operations,” including against Russian troops in Syria, said Nebenzia.
A renewed offensive in the past week, led by HTS and its allies, has seen a massive shift in the long-frozen frontlines of Syria’s civil war, with the Islamist-led rebels advancing on Syria’s fourth-largest city Hama after capturing Aleppo.
Russia’s 2015 intervention in the Syrian civil war turned the tide in the Assad government’s favor.
Amid the new offensive, a statement from Syria’s army command said its forces were striking “terrorist organizations” in north Hama and Idlib provinces, with Russian air support.
Nebenzia also criticized UN officials for being “unable to summon the courage to call a spade a spade and to condemn these terrorist attacks” against Syria. AFP
tion and invest more than £25 million ($33 million) over the next five years in the “editorial and commercial renewal of the title”.
“While we respect the right to strike, we do not believe a strike is the best course of action in this case and our talks with the National Union of Journalists continue,” a Guardian spokesperson said.
“We have a plan in place to minimise the impact of strike action on staff, readers and subscribers and we will continue to publish online and produce the print edition as usual.”
Tortoise, which is run by former BBC News director James Harding, says it will continue publishing The Observer and combine it with its own
podcasts and live events. More than 70 UK cultural figures, including “Homeland” star Damian Lewis, actors Mark Rylance, Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and Ralph Fiennes, and Man Booker Prize winning author Julian Barnes called in an open letter for the Scott Trust “to reject this ill-considered offer at once”.
“While Tortoise is a respected media outlet, we believe that the move would be disastrous for the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper and its journalists, for The Guardian and for liberal journalism,” the letter said.
Guardian Media Group acquired the Observer, which was first published in 1791, in 1993. AFP
GENEVA — The United Nations appealed Wednesday for more than $47 billion to deliver vital aid next year, warning surging conflicts and the climate crisis will leave hundreds of millions of people in need.
“The world is on fire,” the United Nations’ new humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told reporters in Geneva, acknowledging he was looking ahead to 2025 with “dread”. With brutal conflicts spiralling in places like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, and as climate change and extreme weather take an ever-heavier toll, the UN estimated that 305 million people globally will need some form of emergency assistance next year.
“We are dealing with a poly-crisis right now globally, and it is the most vulnerable people in the world who are paying the price,” Fletcher said, warning that swelling inequality combined with the convergence of conflict and climate change had created a “perfect storm” of needs. Launching the Global Humanitarian Overview, Fletcher acknowledged that the UN and its partners would not be able to reach all of those in need.
The annual appeal by UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations is seeking $47.4 billion for 2025 -- slightly less than the appeal for this year -- which it said was enough to provide assistance to the 189.5 million most vulnerable people.
“There’s 115 million that we won’t be able to reach” with this plan, Fletcher acknowledged.
Pointing to significant “donor fatigue” hitting humanitarian operations around the world, he stressed the need to lay out a “realistic” plan, which will require prioritisation and making “really tough, tough choices”.
“We’ve got to be absolutely focused on reaching those in the most dire need, and really ruthless,” he said. AFP As of last month, only 43 percent of the $50-billion appeal for this year had been met. AFP
TOKYO’S governor wants to introduce a four-day workweek for government staffers in the capital as part of a nationwide push to encourage parenthood.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called Japan’s stubbornly low birth rate a “quiet emergency” and has pledged policies like flexible working hours.
The expectation that working mothers should still shoulder domestic burdens, raise children and care for relatives is believed to be a key
factor behind the dearth of babies. To make work-life balance easier for parents, Governor Yuriko Koike wants to offer civil servants employed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government the option to work a truncated week beginning in April.
“Lagging behind in women’s empowerment is Japan’s long-standing issue, and overcoming the status quo and making society more diverse and prosperous is key for our bright future,” she said in a policy speech to
the assembly.
“We will start with thorough support for work-life balance by introducing a more flexible working hour system, such as three holidays per week,” she added. Under the plan, government staff except shift workers may take up to three days off weekly, but will still need to complete 155 hours per month, Sachi Ikegami, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government official in charge of personnel affairs told AFP on Wednesday. AFP
A NOSE job by Peruvian Presi-
dent Dina Boluarte sparked intense controversy on Tuesday, with some lawmakers calling for her to be removed from office for not delegating her responsibilities during the procedure.
The procedure that Boluarte, 62, underwent in the summer of 2023 has been discussed at length on social media and in the local press, but was only officially confirmed Tuesday, when Boluarte’s former prime
minister Alberto Otarola revealed it to a congressional commission.
“She told me she was going to get a rhinoplasty... a surgery on the nose, but for breathing problems,” Otarola told lawmakers conducting an inquiry into the matter.
The congressional oversight commission is probing Boluarte’s whereabouts between June 28 and July 10, 2023, when she completely disappeared from public view.
This is when, local media reports
say, Boluarte had the surgery at a clinic in Lima without informing the public or delegating her powers to Congress.
Otarola said that during her recovery period, Boluarte carried out her duties virtually.
“There was no absence of power at that time, because the surgical procedure had no major complications,” added Otarola, who was dismissed by Boluarte in March.
Some lawmakers and legal ex-
perts now charge that Boluarte’s behavior constitutes a constitutional violation and are calling for her removal.
“It would be cause for dismissal... because the president should have asked permission from Congress,” lawmaker Juan Burgos, who heads the oversight commission, told reporters.
Vice President of Congress Patricia Juarez sought to quell the dispute, calling it “a storm in a glass of water.” AFP
ACTION in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference heats up today (Thursday) as four teams aim to break their respective win-loss streaks at the Araneta Coliseum. Known for its hallmark unpredictability, the league continues to live up to its pre-launch billing.
While Creamline and Cignal remain unbeaten at 3-0, the rest of the 12-team roster have experienced turbulent starts, underlining the league’s competitive balance.
Petro Gazz and Akari clash at 6 p.m. in what promises to be a thrilling battle of skill and strategy. Both teams are eager to get back into the thick of things – Petro Gazz is fresh off a mixed bag of results following an opening win over Choco Mucho for a 2-1 slate, while Akari is determined to recover after back-to-back losses after two straight wins.
Brooke van Sickle will lead Petro Gazz’s attack, supported by veterans Aiza Pontillas, Remy Palma and Jonah Sabete, while Akari will bank on Eli Soyud,
TACHIANA Mangin of taekwondo and weightlifters
Angeline Colonia and Lovely Inan will banner the heavy cast of awardees in the Nickel Asia Corporation Siklab Youth Sports Awards 2024 on Thursday at the Market! Market! Activity Center Ayala Malls BGC after making the country proud on the world stage.
Mangin ruled the women’s -49 kilogram class of the World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Chuncheon, South Korea, the first time a Filipino did so on the global scene in nearly three decades or since Alex Borromeo won the men’s -47kg division during the 1996 worlds in Barcelona, Spain.
Colonia and Inan, meanwhile, topped the women’s 45kg and 49kg categories, respectively, accounting for the two gold medals that ranked the Philippines third overall out of 28 countries in the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation World Junior Championships in Leon, Spain.
Joining them are 2024 US Junior Girls champion Rianne Mikhaela Malixi of golf and wushu’s Alexander Gabriel Delos Reyes together Asian junior gymnastics gold medalist Karl Eldrew Yulo and table tennis youth champion Kheith Rhynne Cruz in the awards ceremony backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Ayala Malls and powered by Smart. Muay thai world-beaters Janbrix Ramiscal and Lyre Anie Ngina, chess Olympiad gold medalist Ruelle Canino head the list in the Super Kids Award category at the gala organized by the Philippine Sports Commission-Philip-
pine Paralympic Committee-Philippine Olympic Committee (PSC-PPC-POC) Media Group.
Four special awards will be handed out to Olympic boxing medalist Nesthy Petecio as this year’s Sports Idol, longtime sports manager Agapito ``Terry’’ Capistrano as Godfather of the Year and noted youth sports supporters Sen. Christopher Lawrence ``Bong’’ Go (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Quezon City Representative Juan Carlos ``Arjo’’ Atayde (Trailblazer of the Year Award).
The event supported by CEL Logistics, Go For Gold, Milo, San Miguel Corporation, Barley+Wheatgrass Entrepro, Pacquiao Coffee and PLDT will likewise recognize three-time jiu-jitsu world champion Aleia Aielle Aguilar, Palarong Pambansa multiple gold medalist Albert Jose Amaro II (seven golds) of swimming.
Also leading the Rising Youth Stars list are world youth muay champion Royeth Rosa, fencers Yuna Canlas, Willa Galvez, Hagia
BAGUIO—With three players scoring heavily, Manila Southwoods Team-1 fought back from four points down to a slim two-point heading to an exciting showdown with rival Luisita at the Camp John Hay Golf Club in the penultimate round of the 74th Januarius Fil Am Invitational seniors’ competition here.
Raul Miñoza and Manfred Guangko came out with guns blazing as each scored 33 points. Jun Jun Plana and Theody Pascual added 32 and 29 to account for the day’s tally of 127 and 329 total.
Southwoods skipper Freddie Mendoza attributed the third-round success to the game plan set, which was to play it one flight at a time.
“It worked,” he said, adding: “we will continue to employ this strategy in our final round.”
THE Philippine
Benjie Sumulong and Abe Rosal were again Luisita’s top gunners with 33 and 32 while a pair of 28s from Chino Raymundo and Ferdie Barbosa contributed to the defending champ’s 121 and 327. Riviera also made a bold move, assembling 129 markers for 320, seven down from Luisita. Edwin Lee paced the Silang, Cavite-based club with 38 and Charlie Gim with 33.
Luisita may have lost the advantage but remains the favorite to repeat in the premier division.
“We will try our best to defend the title and our players are confident they can bring their A-games in the last round. It will be an exciting day with at least three teams contending,” said Luisita captain Jeric Hechanova. In the Am Championship, Manila Southwoods Team-2 continued to
hold sway, putting in 100 points at Baguio Country Club to maintain pole position with 327.
Srixon-IMG pooled 94 for 320 to be at second and Greenwater Seniors at third with 307 after an 83.
“My guys have been steady, especially today. We have to be steady in the final 18 at the tough BCC course,” Mendoza also said.
Championship Scores: FIL – Manila Southwoods Team-1 329, Luisita 327, Riviera 320, Forest Hills Nicklaus 307, Summit Point 263 AM – Manila Southwoods Team2 327, Srixon-IMG 320, Greenwater 307, Baguio Blue Bloods 273, Leeward Fil-Am 196
Del Castillo and Nicol Amethyst Canlas along with golfers Francesca Nicole Gaisano Gan, Geoffrey Drew Ong Tan, swimmer Behrouz Mohammad Mojdeh and figure skater Dawn Jasmine Gothong. A total of 30 awardees are lined up in the Youth Heroes Award including world youth champion Isabella Butler of ju-jitsu, Ana Bhianca Espenilla (athletics), John Andre Aguja (cycling), JR Pandi (badminton), Brandon Sanchez (baseball), Kieffer Alas (basketball), Marc Dylan Custodio (bowling); Nick Anjelo Payla (boxing) and Naina Dominique Tagle (archery) Gavin Moses Bangayan Ti (obstacle course racing), Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh (swimming), Jonathan Reyes (squash), Jeniva Consigna (sambo), Joseph Godbout (modern pentathlon) and Asian age-group swimming gold medalist Jamesray Mishael Ajido.
Faith Nisperos, and Ivy Lacsina with Grethcel Soltones hoping for a stronger showing as she continues to recover from a hand injury. Expect an intense contest where poise under pressure and late-game adjustments could spell the difference. In the 4 p.m. opener, Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee lock horns in what promises to be a high-octane encounter. Both squads are coming off confidence-boosting wins – the Foxies stunned the Chargers in straight sets for a 1-2 card, while the Thunderbelles swept their last two games against the Nxled Chameleons and the Galeries Tower Highrisers to hike their record to 2-1.
Trisha Tubu, riding high after a 21-point performance, will once again spearhead Farm Fresh alongside Caitlin Viray, Rizza Cruz, Alyssa Bertolano and skipper Louie Romero.
Rasulov has no plans of losing to Lee at Fight Night
ALIBEG Rasulov believes he’s going to keep his unbeaten MMA record intact and walk out of Lumpinee Stadium with ONE Championship gold hoisted over his shoulders.
Rasulov challenges the returning two-division ONE MMA World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee for his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 26 on December 7 in Bangkok, Thailand. The 32-year-old comes in with an immaculate 13-0 record. And while he’s certainly going to be facing his toughest opponent yet, he remains firm that he’ll keep his undefeated record alive.
“I have a zero-loss record, and losing is not in my plans,” he said. Having grown up in Dagestan, it’s no secret that wrestling will be his main advantage in this fight, and he expects the grappling art to carry him to a win this weekend.
“Wrestling is my base, and I like this sport very much. I think everybody knows that very good wrestlers come from Dagestan. We start at a very early age. We get used to competing, fighting,” he said.
“It’s in our blood. In general, we love to wrestle. I mostly wrestle in all my fights. This is my base, and this base helps me win fights.”
Lee has been one of the best, if not the best, homegrown MMA fighters ONE has ever produced after he started off his fighting career as a prodigious young talent.
Still, Rasulov is confident that he can grind out a win over the two-division king, noting his wrestling advantages, coupled with Lee’s layoff, as the ultimate decider.
“I think that Christian Lee has not yet met an opponent like me. My wrestling is better than his. I will force my wrestling on him. He has had a long layoff, and I think he will get tired more than me. I just have to force my game on him,” he said.
“Of course, I’m aiming for that belt, and he’s going to have a really hard time in this fight.”
Inc. (PAI) will send teams in four disciplines to the 46th Southeast Asian Age Group Championship scheduled from Dec. 6 to 10 at the Bangkok National Swimming
Center in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Philippine delegation, headed by PAI vice president Jessie Arriola, left Manila on Wednesday.
Asian Age Group Championships gold medalist Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Riannah Chantelle Coleman lead the 12-man swimming team, which is eyeing to surpass, if not duplicate, the country’s two-gold medal finish in last year’s edition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Joining them are the cream of the crop in the Philippine junior class, which includes Ryian Zach Danzel Belen, Reinielle Jan Mikos Trinidad, Peter Cyrus Dean, Jaydison Edrei Dacuycuy, and Ivo Nikolai Enot for the boys’ squad.
The girls’ side is composed of World Junior campaigner Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh, Shania Joy
Baraquiel, Sophia Rose Garra, Maxene Hayley, and Liv Abigail Florendo.
For the first time, PAI is also sending two junior water polo teams, a three-member diving team and artistic swimming teams, fulfilling its mission to boost and strengthen the grassroots development of all disciplines of aquatics.
“Do your best, the very best. And that will be our line to this team and other teams in future competitions, local and international,” said PAI Secretary General Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain.
“And then, of course, our usual good luck and take care message to our young swimmers. PAI believes our athletes perform better when they know their association supports them, all the way,” added the former Olympian and Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024
RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor
RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor
EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor
closes in on boys’ volley crown
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas moved within striking distance of taking the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Volleyball Championship after an 18-25, 2521, 28-26, 25-19 triumph over defending champion National University Nazareth School in Game 1 of the Finals on Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila. The Junior Golden Spikers previously won their first and only UAAP High School Boys’ Volleyball Championship in Season 80 in 2018, with a victory over FEUDiliman in the Finals.
UST will have the chance to secure its second overall title in Game 2 of the best-of-three series at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the same venue. The final set began as a tight back-and-forth battle, but UST broke away with a decisive fivepoint run, extending their lead to eight.
NUNS responded with a three-point surge to keep their hopes alive, but the gap proved insurmountable.
Joncriz Ayco’s back-to-back attacks brought the Junior Golden Spikers to match point at 24-17.
Paolo Medino then delivered the final
with a powerful kill, sealing the victory for UST.
By Randy Caluag
Dannielle Nirza provided the golden spark for Team Philippines in karate even as swimmer Quendy Fernandez emerged as the most bemedalled athlete at the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games here.
Nirza captured the gold medal in the women’s kata event at the NCCC Mall with a score of 36.5 points, narrowly beating Malaysia A’s Anisa Aira Nur (36.2), who settled for silver, and Brunei’s Nasir Abdul, who took the bronze.
“I practiced hard, and when I perform, I give my very best. I feel honored and blessed to bring something our country can be proud of,” said Nirza, an 18-year-old nursing student from Jose Maria College in Davao. She also teamed up with Yesha Lee Ho and Al Rhina Kawano to win silver in the women’s team kata, scoring 34.6 points.
At the Ramon Mitra Jr. Sports Complex pool, Fernandez emerged as the winningest athlete, collecting five golds
SIXTH seed Filipino Miguel Iglupas defeated Puchit Sukjai of Thailand, 7-5, 6-3, Wednesday to reach the boys’ singles quarterfinal in the ITF J60 Coca-Cola Philta International Juniors Leg 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
The University of the Philippines freshman battled cramping in both legs in the second set to advance against No. 2 Lin HaoYu of Chinese Taipei, who prevailed over Jack Cooper of Hong Kong, 6-3, 6-2.
“My legs began to hurt after the first set, I’m glad that I was able to finish the match,” said the 18-yearold Iglupas from Iligan City, who is playing in his final tournament in the juniors.
Like his elder sister Khim, a member of the Fed Cup team, Miguel also trains at the Philippine Tennis Academy founded by Romy Chan.
and two silvers. She capped her campaign with a victory in the girls’ 200m backstroke and a silver in the 4x100m medley relay.
“I prepared extensively for this competition. After the UAAP Season 67 in Clark, I didn’t rest because I knew this was an international event. I never expected to win this many medals. It’s such a blessing from God and a reward for all my hard work,” said Fernandez, who celebrated her success in her first international competition.
Teammate Philip Sahagun also claimed five gold medals, including wins in the boys’ 200m backstroke (2:14.38) and the 4x100m medley relay.
“My goal is to join the national team and represent the country in international competitions,” Sahagun said. Team Philippines excelled in other events as well.
In archery, Nathaniel Carlos of PH Team E won the men’s individual recurve, while Yvonne Forcado of PH Team B topped the women’s division while Milchay Moreno led PH Team A to victory in the women’s 4x400m relay, clocking 4:09.51 to beat Malaysia and PH Team D in athletics.
In badminton, Klea Montanez took the women’s singles gold, while Malcolm Mag-Aso and Andre Alexis Macalalag won the mixed doubles title while Regina Bayudang and Khrystn Valdez of PH Team B claimed gold in the women’s doubles.
DUBAI—The Pampanga Giant Lanterns asserted their superiority over the Quezon Huskers with a 79-60 victory on Tuesday night (early Wednesday Manila time) in the MPBL (Mahalika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season National Finals at the Al Nasr Sports Club’s Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Hall here. North Division champion Pampanga, which also dominated Game One, 88-71, moved within a win of sweeping South Division champion Quezon and becoming the league’s first back-toback national titlist.
Kurt Reyson presided over the Giant Lanterns offense with 20 points, spiked by six triples, to go with seven assists, five rebounds and two steals to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors. Justine Baltazar had another MVPlike performance with 13 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks, followed by Raymond Binuya with 12 points, including three triples, four assists and two rebounds. The Giant Lanterns go for the clincher on Game 3 on Dec. 7 at the Bren Z. Guiao Sports Center in San Fernando, Pampanga. Asked whether the Giant Lanterns would end the best-of-five series in Game Three, Pampanga coach Gov. Dennis Pineda meekly replied “Sana (hopefully),” previously noting that a sweep at home would be most welcome. Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Jhaymo Eguilos with 10 points and 9 rebounds, Archie Concepcion with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block and Brandon Ramirez with 6 points plus 7 rebounds.
Back-to-back triples by Reyson and Rence Alcoriza gave Pampanga its biggest spread, 63-40, with 1:58 left in the third quarter.
A couple of charities by Binuya restored that gap, 65-42, early in the fourth quarter before the Huskers clustered 11 points on an inside thrust by Ximone Sandagon, four freethrows by Al Francis Tamsi, and a drive and a triple by Judel Fuentes to push Quezon within 53-65, still 6 minutes and 10 seconds left. Pampanga, however, kept its poise and capped the game with a one-handed jam by Baltazar and a layup by MJ Garcia.
The Huskers again misfired, sinking just 21 of 74 field goal attempts, highlighted by a 7 of 38 triple performance. Quezon Coach Eric Gonzales got 12 points, eight rebounds and three steals from Judel Fuentes, 11 points, two rebounds and two steals from Tamsi, and 9 points, 11 rebounds plus two assists from Rodel Gravera.
UNIVERSITY of the East dethroned inaugural division champion National University Nazareth School, 85-64, to punch its ticket to the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament Finals on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
UE’s championship opponent remains hanging in the balance, as thirdranked University of Santo Tomas lived to fight another day, disarming Far Eastern University-Diliman of its twice-to-beat advantage, 84-75, to keep its championship aspirations alive. The Junior Warriors will enter the championship round with fiery momentum as UE won 14 of its last 15 outings. Their lone loss of the season came at the hands of the Baby Tamaraws with an 81-66 beating last November 24.
After bowing out in last year’s Final Four to FEU-D in an overtime thriller, UE finally booked its ticket to the division’s championship round. “Our game plan was executed by the boys. Wala na akong hihilingin pa. They stuck with the game plan from the first quarter, then second quarter kami lumamang talaga. ‘Yung consistency like before I said nu’ng halftime, ‘yon ang hanap ko ‘eh, ‘yung consistency from first to fourth, especially heading into the finals,” Junior Warriors’ head coach Andrew Estrella.
After two free throws by Chester Tulabut trimmed NUNS’ deficit to 3425, Mav Mesina uncorked 13 points to power UE’s 20-11 second quarter surge, gaining a commanding 54-36 lead at the half. Back-to-back triples by Jolo Pascual and Mesina sent the Bullpups down a 21-point hole with 7:48 left, further solidifying the Junior Warriors’ finals ticket and their dominance over NUNS. UE defeated NUNS in both elimination round matches with an average winning margin of 19 points. Mesina led the Junior Warriors’ charge with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with five assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while Pascual contributed 12 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
“Miguel’s mindset is solid, even if he was suffering from cramps, he fought well. That’s the No. 1 rule in PTA,” said PTA head coach Bobbie Angelo, a SEAG medalist and Davis Cupper. “He made many winning shots, he has a very offensive forehand.”
In the girls’ division, third seed Stefi Marithe Aludo downed Korean Choi Jeong In, 6-4, 6-3, to also secure a quarterfinal berth in the tournament supported by official ball Technifibre.
Other winners were No. 2 and first leg champion Oh Jiyun and compatriot Park Seojin of Korea, and Kannchaya Chungwatana of Thailand.
Oh clobbered Pimlaphat Lim of Thailand, 6-1, 6-2; Park whipped Sasya Sakashita of Japan, 6-2, 6-0; and Chungwatana beat Lara Rauti of Hong Kong, 6-2, 6-1.
GRAB CENTER. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista joins the groundbreaking ceremony of Grab Asenso Center in Marikina City on Dec. 2, 2024. The one-hectare center will offer a larger,
safety training and assessment area.
THE Philippines’ semiconductor and electronics industry is calling for a collaborative agreement with the European Union (EU) similar to the United States’ CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $52.9 billion to boost local semiconductor manufacturing.
Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) Dan Lachica expressed optimism about the sector’s potential to expand with EU support.
“The US CHIPS Act has set a precedent, and the EU has its own version. We’re hoping for increased investments in the Philippines to enhance our semiconductor and electronics capabilities,” Lachica said in a panel discussion Wednesday during the third iteration of the Philippines and EU’s ARISE program at the ongoing National Exporters’ Week.
Under the CHIPS Act, the US launched the International Technology Security & Innovation Fund (ITSI Fund) to improve semiconductor capabilities and supply chain resilience globally.
The Philippines is one of six strategic countries chosen for the endeavor.
Lachica highlighted the Philippines’ significant role in global semiconductor production, noting that the sector accounts for 62 percent of the country’s commodity exports, worth $45.6 billion in 2023, and employs over 3 million direct and indirect workers.
It also contributes 4.5 percent to the national gross domestic product (GDP).
He emphasized the potential for growth in integrated circuit (IC) design, which currently involves six companies, none of which are EU-based.
“We’d like to see EU companies, like STMicroelectronics increasing investments in the Philippines and other European semiconductor and electronics companies consider the Philippines as worthy investment destination,” he added.
He said establishing a semiconductor wafer-fabrication facility here would not only strengthen IC design but also set the stage for a robust supply chain and prototyping infrastructure.
SEIPI said the EU is a growing export market for the country, with Germany and the Netherlands accounting for $4 billion, or roughly 7.4 percent of the Philippines’ total semiconductor exports.
However, Lachica believes there is room to expand, especially in markets like Hungary, where exports currently stand at only $60 million.
Othel V. Campos
By Othel V. Campos
This brought the agency closer to its P1.6-trillion target for the year.
“Reaching P1.58 trillion in investment approvals within 11 months is a clear testament to our government’s success in fostering a stable and attractive investment climate. These investments will create jobs, support local enterprises, drive innovation, and contribute to national progress,” said Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque.
The surge was led by renewable energy projects, which went up by 48 percent to P1.35 trillion; followed by air and water transport with P121.2 billion; real estate, P34.67 billion; manufacturing, P30.4 billion; water supply and waste management, P16.28 billion; agriculture, forestry and fishing, P10.47 billion; wholesale and retail, P8.25 billion; and, IT and business process management, P7.26 billion.
The water supply and waste management sector recorded the highest growth, surging by 1,540 percent from last year.
Local investments accounted for P1.2 trillion, driven by a 254-percent increase from domestic companies.
The CALABARZON region
emerged as the top recipient, attracting P623.19 billion, followed by Central Luzon with P277.08 billion and Western Visayas with P245.95 billion. Foreign investments reached P379.31 billion, with Switzerland leading this year’s tally with P289.06 billion, followed by the Netherlands with P40.59 billion, Japan with P14.67 billion, and South Korea with P12.72 billion.
Singapore, Thailand and the United States also contributed significantly.
The BOI also highlighted the success of the BOI’s Green Lane initiative, which streamlined approvals for renewable energy projects, boosting the sector’s performance.
The top investment promotion agency is optimistic about emerging opportunities in electric vehicles, semiconductors, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, and data center infrastructure, signaling continued momentum for the Philippine economy.
Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go emphasized the government’s role in sustaining growth.
ACCIONA, a global leader in sustainable infrastructure, reinforces its commitment to the Philippines as it declares plans to expand its investments in the country and continue collaboration with government and local partners on transformative projects.
Acciona Infrastructure chief executive Jose Diaz-Caneja said the Spainbased company plans to “keep growing” in the Philippines, noting the attractiveness of the public-private partnership (PPP) model in the country.
Diaz-Caneja made the statement early this month during the Pilipinas Conference 2024,a gathering of key government officials and top business leaders organized by the Stratbase Group.
Globe warns vs. SMS scam stealing data
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and Globe Telecom Inc. on Wednesday warned about a new phishing scam that leverages the official Globe SMS thread to steal personal and financial information.
The CICC executive director Alexander Ramos, revealed that the scam involves SMS messages that falsely claim expiring rewards points. Recipients are urged to click a malicious link to redeem the non-existent points
“This new scheme is dangerous and alarming since perpetrators appear to have bypassed a National Telecommunications Commission memorandum on blocking clickable URLs in SMS,” Ramos said.
“This underscores the need for further collaborative efforts to combat SMS based phishing,” he said.
CICC investigators discovered that the domain used in the phishing campaign was created on Nov. 27, 2024 and the Internet Protocol (IP) location is in Bucharest, Romania.
The phishing SMS first inform users about the expiration of their Globe rewards and are directed to a page labeled as “Point Expiration Reminder.”
The fake Globe site then provides a “Globe Menu” listing items that users can redeem with their points. This setup is designed to entice users into believing they are eligible for rewards, thereby luring them into providing sensitive personal information.
Acciona has eight infrastructure projects in the Philippines including railways, bridges, expressways, and water treatment facilities.
Its Southeast Asia headquarters is also located in Manila.
“We saw a pipeline of opportunities in different sectors of infrastructure… relocating the headquarters to Manila has been one of the best business decisions we’ve made in the region. We’re now executing our eighth project here. All of them havebeen successful,” Diaz-Caneja said.
“And we hope to be able to keep on growing in the in the country and in the region, leveraging our presence in the country... I think that, nowa-
days, no one has any doubt about the visibility and the attractiveness of the of the PPPs model that has been developed in the Philippines,” he said.
Acciona’s managing director for infrastructure Southeast Asia Ruben Camba recognized the efforts of the Philippine government to ensure the success of its infrastructure programs.
“[I commend] the way that the government is expanding the number of projects through multilateral banks, working with Asian development, the Japanese funds. This administration has also done a little bit more [in legislation] putting together the[revised IRR of the] BOT law, launching the PPP code,” Camba said.
To help pensioners prepare for the holidays, GSIS will also credit December pensions two days earlier on December 6, instead of the regular schedule on the 8th of the month.
The Christmas cash gift, equivalent to one-month pension but capped at P10,000, will be credited directly to the GSIS eCards of qualified old-age and disability pensioners.
“The Christmas cash gift is our way of expressing gratitude to our pensioners who dedicated their lives to serving the Filipino people. We hope this benefit will make their Christmas celebrations more meaningful,” GSIS president and general Manager Wick Veloso said, stressing that the early release of the said benefits aims to bring added joy to pensioners this holiday season.
GSIS said entitled to receive the cash gift are old-age and disability pensioners under RA 8291, RA 660, and PD 1146 who are in active status and have been receiving their monthly pension for at least five years as of November 30, 2024.
to disburse P100m for over 16,000 tobacco farmers
By Othel V. Campos
THE National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is set to distribute a P100 million crop production grant from the national government to 16,666 qualified tobacco farmers nationwide for the 2024 to 2025 cropping year.
Each beneficiary will receive P6,000 in cash assistance by Dec. 15, 2024.
The grant was affirmed as part of efforts to support the tobacco industry during a recent meeting of the NTA governing board, chaired by Agriculture undersecretary Deogracias Victor
PAL restarts Clark-Siargao flights on domestic network expansion
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) has expanded its domestic network by restarting flights between Clark International Airport and Siargao Island Airport .
“We are proud of this returning service. Our thrice weekly service will provide ease and convenience for residents and tourists in Central and Northern Luzon since there is no need for land travel to Metro Manila to connect to Siargao,” Rabbi Vincent Ang, PAL Express president said.
“Residents of the island will be able to explore other parts of the country via our flights out of Clark,” he said. Siargao is known as the surfing mecca in the country, popular for its world-class waves, making it a top destination for water lovers. Its exquisite landscapes, clear waters and laid-back vibe have made it a unique
tropical get-away. PAL operates its thrice weekly flights between Clark and Siargao utilizing its 86-seater De Havilland Dash 8-400 Next Generation aircraft. The carrier’s trademark Filipino heartfelt service promises to delight passengers throughout their journey.
“The inauguration of the Philippine Airlines route from Clark to Siargao ahead of the comes at a perfect time as we approach the holiday season, when many of us are eager to reunite with loved ones and explore new destinations. What a wonderful idea it will be to spend the holidays by the beach,” Noel Manankil, president and chief executive of LIPAD Corp, the consortium that manages and operates Clark International Airport said. Darwin G. Amojelar
Savellano and NTA administrator Belinda Sanchez.
“This initiative, under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., aims to bolster the production of high-quality tobacco. The tobacco industry remains a vital pillar of the national economy, contributing 1 percent to GDP and 6 percent to annual tax revenue,” Savellano said.
The recipients of the grant were identified through NTA branch offices following specific guidelines.
Tobacco Contract Growing System
(TCGS) farmers eligible for the program must have planted tobacco on one hectare or less, while non-TCGS farmers must have cultivated tobacco on a half-hectare or less.
All beneficiaries must be registered tobacco farmers who are actively involved in cultivating their land and capable of managing quality tobacco production.
They must also possess essential farming tools and equipment, such as plows, harrows, sprayers, and irrigation systems, and have access to quality irrigation water and farmland suitable for tobacco cultivation.
Those with suspended pensions due to non-compliance with APIR may still claim the cash gift after reactivating their accounts.
Meanwhile, the following are ineligible to receive the cash gift: pensioners who availed of a five-year lump sum and will resume their regular monthly pension after Dec. 31, 2024; survivorship and dependent pensioners; pensioners who retired under RA 7699 (Portability Law); and those receiving pro-rata pension.
GSIS has introduced facial recognition technology in its GSIS Touch mobile app, making it easier for pensioners to complete the Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation (APIR) process, the annual proofof-life requirement, without visiting GSIS offices.
It said pensioners may visit the GSIS website at www.gsis.gov.ph, follow the official Facebook page @gsis.ph, email gsiscares@gsis.gov.ph, or contact the GSIS Call Center at 8847-4747 (Metro Manila), 1-800-8-847-4747 (Globe/ TM), or 1-800-10-847-4747 (Smart/ Sun/Talk ’N Text).
By Michael Wong Ho
THE Chinese Character (Kangji) Carnival tour in the Philippines held its opening ceremony at Chiang Kai Shek College in Manila on Nov. 7, 2024.
The event aims to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese traditional culture, particularly the unique artistry and history of the Chinese writing system--Kangji.
The Beijing Overseas Friendship Association and the Beijing Western Regions Overseas Friendship Association hosted the event.
The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) and Bei-
Family association donates P5.8m to culture project
THE Grand Family Association of the Philippines (GFAP) donated P5.8 million to the Philippine Chinese Education Research Center on Nov. 25, 2024 in support of the construction of the Philippine Chinese Language and Culture Palace.
Huang Duan Ming, chairman of the Philippine Chinese Education Research Center (PCERC), expressed his gratitude to the association for its support and called on other FilipinoChinese organizations to contribute to the initiative.
The palace will serve as a platform to introduce China’s national development, foster people-to-people exchanges, support the creation of Chinese textbooks, provide training for Chinese language teachers and offer opportunities for studying Chinese.
It will also host cultural competitions and serve as a valuable source of information on Chinese education.
The palace also aims to strengthen the bond between the Filipino and Chinese communities, acting as a bridge that unites both cultures.
Huang shared an update on the progress of the construction and revealed that significant groundwork has already been completed, including the selection and purchase of the project site, a geological survey, and the architectural design.
The groundbreaking ceremony is expected to take place by the end of this year or early next year.
Michael Wong Ho
jing International Chinese College (BICC) organized the event, with Chiang Kai Shek College and the Association of ChineseFilipino Schools in the Philippines as co-organizers.
More than 500 teachers, students, and distinguished guests gathered to mark the start of the cultural exchange.
FFCCCII president Dr. Cecilio Pedro, vice president and cultural education committee supervisor Hong Jian Xiong, Chiang Kai Shel College’s Chinese Department director Zhu Hui Ling, BICC rotating executive director principal Chen Hui Ling and BICC office head Xing Kai expressed their support for the event.
Pedro said Kangji has a long history and is rich in cultural significance. He said the development and evolution of Chinese characters reflect the brilliance and depth of Chinese civilization.
“Through the ‘Chinese Character [Kangji] Carnival’ tour, we hope to encourage Overseas Chinese to gain a deeper appreciation of the beauty of Kangji, strengthen their understanding of traditional Chinese culture, and ignite greater enthusiasm for learning the Chinese language,” he said.
He also highlighted the event’s role as a cultural bridge, fostering closer ties between the Philippines and China and promoting friendship between the two nations.
By Julie Ann Lope
FOR over half a century, Jose Mari Chan has been more than just a celebrated singer and songwriter. He has become a symbol of Christmas in the Philippines, with his music being an integral part of the holiday season.
Every year, as the “ber” months approach, his songs are guaranteed to be played in public places, at homes and on radio stations. His music has become inseparable from the Filipino Christmas experience, as essential as the parol and noche buena.
Born in March 1945 in the bustling city of Iloilo, Chan is a Filipino-Chinese singer, songwriter and businessman. His father, a young Chinese immigrant from Fujian, arrived in the Philippines at the age of 13. He later established a sugar trading business in Bacolod, imparting to Chan the values of hard work, dedication and perseverance. While acknowledging his son’s musical talent, his father emphasized the importance of staying focused on business.
Chan’s mother, the only child of a Chinese mestizo and a Cebuana mestiza, instilled in him a deep sense of kindness, filial piety and the importance of family.
He was introduced to music early in life, with his maternal grandmother from Cebu often playing music at their home, while his mother, a talented pianist, further nurtured his musical exposure. By the 1970s, Chan had already established himself in the Philippine
music scene with his smooth voice and unforgettable songs. It was in the 1990s that he cemented his legacy with the release of Christmas in Our Hearts, an album that would go on to define the Christmas soundtrack for an entire generation.
The album, which includes beloved tracks like Christmas in Our Hearts, A Perfect Christmas and Little Christmas Tree, quickly became a classic. What makes Chan’s Christmas music so cherished is its simplicity, warmth and emotional depth. His songs evoke feelings of nostalgia, familial love and togetherness--values that are central to Filipino Christmas celebrations.
GOOD Luck Hot Pot Restaurant opened its Greenhills branch in San Juan City on Nov. 29, 2024.
Senator JV Ejercito, San Juan City Mayor Francisco Zamora and other VIP guests attended the event.
Zamora emphasized the positive impact of the restaurant’s expansion, noting that it does not only offer delicious cuisine, but also contributes to the cultural exchange between the Philippines and China.
“Good Luck Hot Pat brings new vitality to our city and serves as a symbol of the strong ties between our two nations,” he said.
Winny Chang, chairperson of the restaurant’s board of directors, called the Greenhills opening a significant milestone in the company’s growth.
She highlighted the restaurant’s mission to introduce Chinese hot pot cuisine and performance arts to the Filipino market while strengthening bilateral cultural relations.
Since its entry into the Philippine market, Good Luck Hot Pot has opened four branches and created over 800 jobs.
The restaurant has also been actively involved in local community development.
The opening ceremony featured a traditional Subli dance, a Filipino cultural performance that celebrates good life and unity. Michael Wong Ho
and volunteers
THE Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) conducted a medical mission in Barangay 65, Tondo, Manila on November 24, 2024.
The initiative aimed to provide essential healthcare services to local residents.
The FFCCCII medical team, which consisted of five doctors and ten dentists, served 346 beneficiaries during the event.
THE Parañaque Filipino-Chinese Fire Volunteer Association (PFCFVA), in collaboration with St. Florian Rescue Academy, held a series of critical emergency response training aimed at strengthening the capabilities of local firefighters and emergency responders.
Basic firefighting training was conducted at the Camelray Industrial Park in Canlubang, Laguna on Nov. 16 and 23, 2024.
Led by Von Laurel Cypress, program director of St. Florian Rescue Academy and assisted by PFCFVA members, the training was designed for the Carmelray Industrial Park Emergency Response Team.
It focused on essential fire suppression skills, safety protocols and emergency management procedures, equipping participants with the knowledge and practical tools needed to respond effectively to firerelated emergencies. Physical agility test and live fire exercise were conducted on Nov. 24 and 25 in the same location. The exercise was designed to simulate real-world fire scenarios, aimed to assess the physical fitness and practical skills of participants in responding to fire incidents.
The physical agility test measured endurance, strength, and coordination, which
are crucial for the physically demanding nature of firefighting tasks.
Meanwhile, the live fire exercise allowed participants to engage in real-time fire suppression activities in a controlled but challenging environment, providing invaluable hands-on experience.
After the event, the participants were honored with a water baptism, a traditional way of celebrating their successful completion of the intense training. It served as a symbol of their dedication, commitment, and readiness to serve their communities in times of crisis.
Julie Ann Lope
The outreach is part of FFCCCII’s ongoing efforts to bring healthcare services to marginalized communities across the country.
The organization’s social responsibility committee hold similar medical missions every Sunday, serving grassroots residents in various districts. Julie Ann Lope
They provided free consultations and medications to 267 patients. About 38 individuals received dental services, including tooth extractions, while 41 pairs of reading glasses were distributed to those in need. As part of the community outreach, FFCCCII vice president and social responsibility committee supervisor William Castro personally donated sports shoes made by his company, GIBI, to several patients.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024
lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, Editor
ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer
ABIGAIL ADRIATICO, Writer
By Angelica Villanueva
FOLLOWING her return to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last year with When I Met You in Tokyo , the “Star For All Seasons” is returning for the second year in a row with the muchawaited psychological thriller
Vilma Santos has been a big name in Philippine cinema for decades, but despite her more than 60 years in the business, the seasoned actress admitted that she was still searching for challenging roles—until she received an invitation to star in Uninvited
“At this point in my career, it’s hard for me to find a role that suits my age and one that will challenge me. In more than 62 years in the industry, I feel that I have done a lot of different kinds of characters. Some were all the
same,” the actress shared.
Despite her legendary status and countless achievements, Vilma is far from complacent.
“If I ever make a movie, I will make sure to do a film that will challenge me. In ‘Uninvited,’ my role was challenging,” she added.
At the recent grand launch of Uninvited at Solaire North, Vilma couldn’t hide her excitement as she, together with her fellow cast members and crew, finally unveiled the movie, which she described as a
“dream project.”
Uninvited is my dream project.
I’ve long wanted to make a film that happens within 24 hours. It starts beautifully and ends up dilapidated. That’s what I want,” Vilma said. She then mentioned that she had been envisioning this kind of project for years, and the filmmakers took her idea and helped shape it into a reality.
“I don’t know about the middle. How will that happen? The directors added the story in the middle until
AT THE FAPCCA Media Awards, which took place on Nov. 24 in Whittier, Los Angeles County, 24 additional people were presented with their trophies. The Filipino American Press Club of California (FAPCCA) gave the medals and trophies to a select group of media professionals in the United States.
I believe I may have the least number of years spent in America among the awardees, though it’s not necessary to confirm that. What matters to me is how personally significant the recognition feels, being relatively new to the Filipino American community — a network I have found to be both embracing and empowering.
There is no more tangible proof of this positive vibe than the honor I accepted at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, in the presence of esteemed journalists, advocates of factual reporting, and
Touchbass Yugel Losorata
respected guests, all achievers in their own right. The award came with a medal and certificates of recognition from the California State Assembly and the City of Carson. I was officially honored with the “Outstanding Author and Journalist” award due to my credentials as, first, a writer of articles published in various media outlets — primarily based in the Philippines, with a few operating in California — and second, as the author of several books, including the recently published And For The
Uninvited came together,” she continued, highlighting that director Dan Villegas and Mentorque Productions helped her fill the missing puzzle pieces of her dream movie.
Having won Best Actress at the 2023 MMFF for When I Met You in Tokyo and again at the Manila International Film Festival Awards Night in the United States, the awardwinning actress has never been one to rest on her laurels.
“I’m not thinking about winning another Best Actress award. What
Record, parts of which I wrote while staying at my mother’s place in San Bernardino County. Part of what makes a particular award-giving body stand out is its clarity in identifying who belongs in its pool of honorees. In the case of the FAPCCA Media Awards, a biennial event now in its third edition, its objective is clear: to recognize Filipino-born individuals or those of Filipino descent working in the US, either fulltime or part-time, as media professionals. It’s no surprise that the roster of awardees includes top news anchors Tony Cabrera, Irene Cruz, and Denise Dador; editors-in-chief Marc Pijuan and Leizel Trinidad; and photojournalists Joe Cobilla, Andy Tecson, and Bobby Crisostomo We are united not by our proximity to VIPs and newsmakers but by our years of dedicated practice as media professionals. I have personally experienced the challenges of this profession — being pushed aside in a crowd while chasing quotes from celebrities, occasionally bullied by rock stars who disliked my published critiques of their music, or even mocked
I want is to create a beautiful film that we can be proud of.
That’s what’s on our minds. When we conceptualized the movie, there was no plan to include it in the MMFF. The only discussion was to make a good film that we can be proud of. But we were lucky and got accepted into the MMFF. It just so happened to be right after each other in the MMFF,” explained Ate Vi.
Uninvited also served as a reunion movie for Vilma and actor Aga Muhlach, whose last collaboration was over three decades ago in NagIisang Bituin.
“Initially, we even called this ‘Project Red.’ But when they laid out the story, it wasn’t easy, and the characters are very important for the movie to be effective. And when it was finalized, the team and I spoke with Direk Dan, and there was no other choice on who would play Guilly. The first name that came to mind was Aga Muhlach,” the actress shared.
Apart from Vilma and Aga, Uninvited boasts a stellar cast including Nadine Lustre, RK Bagatsing, Mylene Dizon, Lotlot de Leon, Gabby Padilla, Elijah Canlas, Ketchup Eusebio, Gio Alvarez, Cholo Barretto, Ron Angeles, Nonie Buencamino, and Tirso Cruz III
by an intoxicated individual who assumed media work relied solely on sensationalism. Working in media involves a touch of glamour but requires immense grit.
While I can’t speak for the other awardees, the trophy I took home, accompanied by a short acceptance speech, symbolizes my journey as a writer. In my speech, I shared how I’ve further advanced my career since moving to America, finishing a memoir published by Penguin Random House, penning a Christmas ballad (“Sana Kapiling Ka” by Neon) distributed by ABS-CBN Music, and even swapping my usual Manila brandy for Jack Daniel’s. These milestones are a testament to my passion for storytelling. Ever since I discovered my love for writing and realized I could craft stories that resonate, I knew it was my life’s calling. When I was hired by Manila Bulletin in 2000 as a staff writer for features, just a year after graduating college, I felt certain I had found the community where I truly belonged.
Although I also have roots in the music industry as a recording artist and songwriter, my work in media plays a different yet equally thrilling tune. It’s a rhythm sustained by telling stories, from the fading stars stepping out of the spotlight to the rising talents capturing the public’s imagination. Media practice can span a lifetime, and I wouldn’t be surprised if all my co-awardees continue sharing news until they write “30.”
“The club promotes excellence across elements of mass media, publicity, public relations, marketing, and entertainment,” said FAPCCA founder Thelma Calabio. Her co-founder Andy Edralin also expressed, “By fostering a strong sense of community, the organization has become a trusted source of information and a catalyst for positive change.”
I want to thank FAPCCA for recognizing the value of sharing information professionally, carried out by men and women who are trained and passionate about delivering with class, style, and a commitment to truth and tenacity. That evening, at the media awards gala with my mother and siblings—who dressed up to support me—and all the honorable individuals in attendance, I went home with a sweet smile and a sense of pride. It reminded me that being a writer, or a media professional, is indeed noble work.
By Nickie Wang
JULIA Barretto certainly knows how to introduce a brand. She recently partnered with a local soap brand that she describes as a beauty company rooted in causes that promote women’s empowerment.
Speaking to Manila Standard Life, Julia jokingly said that if the soap she’s endorsing could talk, it would say, “Your skin is more hydrated than ever.” In response, she would give it an award, which she cleverly called the “Box Office Soap.”
Always under the sun, Julia has been searching for products that suit her lifestyle. As an actress, a travel program host, and a beach enthusiast, she seeks products that not only keep her hydrated but also protect her skin.
“We need to hydrate inside to complement the products we use on our skin. When you’re under the sun, your skin is exposed to the elements and can get dry, so a soap that protects my skin from harmful elements and keeps it moisturized is essential,” Julia said.
Pina Beauty is a skincare brand that aims to empower Filipino women and celebrate their excellence worldwide. Its products include Pina Light Soap, Pina Glow Soap, and Pina Glow Lotion. The Pina Light and Pina Glow soaps were recognized as Best Skincare Soaps at the Mega Beauty Awards 2024. Julia expressed being flattered and honored by the opportunity to endorse Pina Beauty PH. She admires the brand’s advocacy of uplifting the image of Filipino women in various fields globally.
“This is one of the reasons why I didn’t hesitate to say yes to being an ambassador for Pina,” she shared.
“What I love about their product is that it doesn’t have a drying effect. From my experience, the ingredients have a moisturizing effect, and you can
feel the difference when you rub your skin — it goes from rough to smooth. This product makes you glow, especially if you use it consistently, and it’s very affordable,” Julia added.
When partnering with a brand, Julia looks for genuine connection and collaboration, she noted.
“Apart from really loving and believing in their products, it’s so nice when a brand genuinely wants to build a relationship. During our meetings, we discussed their causes and advocacies, and that drew me to them even more,” she said.
Pina executives agreed that Julia was the perfect ambassador, praising her as the embodiment of a true Pina beauty — confident, empowered, youthful, yet sophisticated.
“Pina first collaborated with beauty queens and asked them what ingredients they wanted in a soap, so they said collagen and niacinamide. That’s what we did. Now with Julia on board, we’ll be able to share the products with a wider audience,” a Pina executive said. The name Pina is derived from FiliPINA, symbolizing the importance the brand places on Filipino heritage and culture. And for her part, Julia wants to grow with the brand.
“They are very passionate and driven. A big factor is they want to give back to the community. That’s a great motivation to make something work,” she said.
Pina products are available at SM Malls, All Day Supermarket, Magic Mall, Sta. Lucia Mall, Unimart, Makati Supermart, and online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shops.
ACTOR and public servant Alfred Vargas has achieved a rare feat, securing his third Best Actor award in 2024 for his role in Pieta. Vargas joined a select group of Filipino actors who have won three acting awards for a single film at the Ima Wa Ima Asian International Film Festival in Osaka, Japan.
. The awards night drew prominent Asian stars, including Japanese actor Shun Shioya and South Korea’s Kim Ji Soo
Pieta, directed by Adolf Alix and starring National Artist Nora Aunor and acclaimed actress Gina Alajar also earned Vargas Best Actor accolades at the 72nd FAMAS Awards and the 3rd WuWei Taipei International Film Festival.
Expressing gratitude for his latest recognition, Vargas said, “To God be the glory! Competing alongside nominees from countries like Japan, Korea, and Indonesia makes this win even more meaningful. I’m proud to have represented the Philippines on the world stage.”
He credited his co-stars, director, and the film’s team for their contributions, saying, “Without them, this achievement would not have been possible.”
Asia. the
THE Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) reaffirmed its dedication to advancing fundamental Filipino values through the Bálay Pinoy School Caravan during Filipino Values Month, which is observed annually in November. Students in Metro Manila benefited from cultural enrichment because of the program’s collaboration with the National Council for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The Ima Wa Ima awards, held on Dec. 1 at Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Main Hall, aim to honor exceptional creativity and talent in Asia. Organized by the Global Maharlika in Kansai, the Philippine Community Coordinating Council, and other cultural groups, the event recognized achievements in film, television, and new media. During his acceptance speech, Vargas thanked his wife and family and shared a touching moment with his son, Cristiano, whom he invited onstage.
foundation’s dedication to values education, emphasizing its integration across various subjects. “We always make sure to integrate values in all the educational shows that we produce, even if it is for Mathematics, Science, Araling Panlipunan, Technology and Livelihood Education, or Physical Education,” he said.
NCCA deputy director Marichu Tellano echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of Values Month and its role in shaping the character of Filipino youth. “Education is key to instilling essential values early on, fostering their holistic development,” she said.
Addressing his son, Vargas said, “This award is for you. Always dream big, and when you succeed, don’t
The two-day caravan visited Pedro Guevarra Elementary School in Binondo, Manila, and Jose Rizal Elementary School in Pasay on Nov. 14 and 15. More than 700 students participated in the activities, making it a meaningful celebration of Values Month with KCFI and NCCA.
Hosted by Kapamilya singer and host Marlo Mortel, the event featured performances by rising singer-songwriter Daniel Paringit and multi-Palanca award-winning ventriloquist Ony Carcamo. Their acts introduced Filipino culture and values to young audiences in engaging ways.
KCFI Vice President Edric Calma underscored the
As a gesture of appreciation, KCFI and NCCA gifted each school a Knowledge Channel Portable Media Library package. The package provides offline access to over 1,500 video lessons and resources aligned with the Department of Education’s curriculum.
The Bálay Pinoy School Caravan reflects the continuing efforts of KCFI and NCCA to uphold and celebrate Filipino values among the next generation.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024 lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, ABIGAIL ADRIATICO,
A MOLE or beauty mark can enhance your appearance, but it can also signal something serious. While most moles and skin growths are harmless, some may indicate melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer.
According to Dr. Donna Marie Sarrosa of Makati Medical Center, melanoma begins in melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin, which gives skin its color.
“Most moles, dark spots, and skin growths are harmless,” says Dr. Sarrosa of the Dermatology & Phototherapy Center of top hospital in the Philippines, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed).
“Unfortunately, some growths tend to be mistaken for moles when they’re actually melanoma, a form of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes, or the cells responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its color.”
Despite their darker skin, Filipinos are not immune. Between 2011 and 2021, 2,700 Filipinos were diagnosed with skin cancer, including basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma.
Melanomas can develop anywhere, including the nails, soles of the feet, and even internal organs. Dr. Sarrosa notes that about 30 percent of melanomas start as moles. She recommends using the ABCDE method to identify suspicious growths. Look for asymmetry, irregular or uneven borders, unusual color variations, a diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and changes in size, shape, or color over time. Risk factors for melanoma include constant sun exposure, a family history of skin cancer, having numerous moles, or a weakened immune system.
Diagnosing melanoma involves procedures like dermoscopy or total body mapping, while imaging tests such as CT scans or MRIs help determine the stage if malignant. Treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy, depending on the severity. Prevention is key to reducing risk. Dr. Sarrosa advises avoiding sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., using sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and wearing protective clothing like hats, long-sleeved shirts, and sunglasses. Early detection is crucial, as melanomas caught early have a 99 percent cure rate.
For concerns about unusual moles or growths, consult a doctor or contact Makati Medical Center at +632.88888 999 or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.
AWESAM Smile Dental Clinic is doubling down on its mission to promote dental hygiene, recently holding a dental caravan in Tondo to educate children and families about the importance of oral health in overall wellness. The initiative, spearheaded by dentist Dr. Sam Bernardo , aims to address the gap in dental education and care, particularly in underserved areas.
Dr. Sam, who started her practice in her family home,
has expanded Awesam Smile into a successful network of clinics across Metro Manila. She said the outreach programs are essential for raising awareness about the impact of good dental habits on general health. Joining Awesam Smile’s advocacy is Brazilian actor and model Daniel Matsunaga , who was recently introduced as the clinic’s ambassador. Known for his healthy lifestyle, Daniel said he aligned with Awesam Smile’s vision
of making dental health a priority for Filipinos.
“Dental health has always been important to me,” Daniel, who celebrated his 36th birthday during his launch as celebrity ambassador, said. “Awesam Smile’s use of advanced technology and their commitment to patient care inspired me to partner with them. It’s not just about creating beautiful smiles but promoting lifelong oral health.”
Dr. Sam described Daniel as a perfect fit for the
clinic’s mission, citing his dedication to wellness and influence among younger generations.
“Daniel embodies the essence of Awesam Smile. His presence will help us inspire more people to prioritize their oral health,” she said. Awesam Smile plans to expand its outreach efforts with Daniel as its ambassador to bring attention to dental care innovations and ensuring more communities understand the value of oral hygiene.
THE Philippines is making a daring move to become a top destination for wellness tourism as it enters the global wellness arena. This large-scale initiative is in line with the Global Wellness Institute’s (GWI) recent research at the Global Wellness Summit in the UK, which said that the global wellness sector reached a record $6.3 trillion in 2023. One of the main factors propelling this growth is wellness tourism, which is predicted to reach $9 trillion by 2028.
According to GWI, the wellness economy would expand at a rate of 7.3 percent per year between 2023 and 2028, surpassing the growth of the world GDP. By 2027, the market value of wellness tourism is predicted to have grown from $830 billion to $1.4 trillion, with an annual growth rate of 10.2 percent.
The Philippines is in a unique position to profit from this trend since it provides tourists with a remarkable fusion of holistic wellness experiences, The country’s rich cultural heritage shines through its wellness offerings, from the renowned Filipino Hilot massage to farm-totable cuisine and spiritual retreats. Advanced medical programs, including diagnostic testing and longevity therapies, complement these traditional practices, creating a holistic approach that appeals to modern wellness travelers.
At the forefront of this movement is the Wellness Tourism Association of the Philippines (WeTAP). Recognized by the Department of Tourism (DOT) as the industry’s official voice, WeTAP envisions wellness tourism as a catalyst for nation-building. By 2028, the group aims to position the Philippines as a global leader in wellness tourism, offering world-class facilities and unique Filipino wellness experiences.
Catherine Brillantes-Turvill, President of WeTAP and Founder of Nurture Wellness Village in Tagaytay, views this as a pivotal moment for the tourism sector.
“The Philippines has everything it takes to lead in wellness tourism – from breathtaking
landscapes to our tradition of nurturing care,” she shared.
Jennifer Sanvictores, marketing head of WeTAP and global sales director for The Farm at San Benito, echoed this sentiment. She emphasized the potential of wellness tourism to transform lives, foster sustainability, and uplift local communities.
The Philippines’ wellness tourism push is more than an economic strategy—it is a call to redefine travel as a transformative, regenerative experience. With initiatives like eco-luxury resorts, integrative medical programs, and community-driven projects, the country is poised to emerge as Asia’s sanctuary for holistic healing.
WeTAP is now inviting businesses and professionals in wellness and tourism to join its mission to elevate the Philippines on the global wellness map. As the world seeks destinations that nurture the body, mind, and spirit, the Philippines is ready to answer the call. For membership inquiries, email wellnesstourismph@gmail.com or connect on social media at @wtaphilippines.
