Manila Standard - 2025 January 10 - Friday

6 in 10 Pinoys favor Quad probe

By Rachelle Tonelada

SIX in 10 Filipinos are in favor of the House Quad Committee's probe into extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and illegal POGO activities, a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group showed.

At least 61 percent of Filipinos approved of the investigations being jointly conducted by the four committees of the House of Representa

PNP resurrecting probe into PCSO official's slay

By Maricel Cruz

T(PNP) is reopening its investigation into the 2020 murder of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

Millions join slow-moving ‘Traslacion’ procession

By Charles Dantes, Rachelle

On Sunday, PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil said he ordered the reopening of the cold case after whistleblower Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told the House Quad Committee that he helped carry out the killing at the behest of ex-PCSO general manager Royina Garma.

Mendoza narrated before congressmen how Garma allegedly facilitated the PCSO official’s roadside assassination on July 30, 2020 by providing the necessary information about his schedule, details about his vehicle and the funding necessary to carry it out.

The whistleblower also implicated incumbent National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in the planning of the murder.

Barayuga was a retired police general and lawyer who supposedly threatened to expose corruption within the PCSO shortly before he was shot dead in Mandaluyong City.

Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Colonel, allegedly gained the top spot at the PCSO because of her in-

THE latest Social Weather Stations survey showing that most Filipinos support the filing of impeachment cases against Vice President Sara Duterte comes as no surprise given the “glaring” evidence of alleged fund misuse and betrayal of public trust, two House leaders said yesterday.

“The numbers don’t lie. The public is demanding accountability, and this survey reflects their growing frustration over the glaring irregularities surrounding the Vice President’s actions,” Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun said. He noted that congressional hearings covered the existence of fabricated recipients like “Mary Grace Piattos” as well as thousands of suspicious transactions tied to the confidential funds under the Vice President’s control.

Some P171 million in standby fund is also available for utilization by the DSWD, including P123 million which can be allotted as Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the central office of the DSWD. In Batanes, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) advised residents to secure their roofs and install window shutters as Typhoon Julian is expected to make landfall

Marcos, Biden, Ishiba to hold trilateral call

By Charles Dantes

Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry

adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

THE legal counsel of Chinese businessman Tony Yang sought to disparage lawmakers’ conclusions about his client’s supposedly sketchy past and his alleged ties with Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators (POGOs) and even organized crime.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun questioned the House Quad Committee’s impartiality and its ability to pin Chinese national Yang down for ay wrongdoing in a real criminal court.

By Darwin Amojelar

By Angelica Villanueva

TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime Bautista denied an online news report claiming that Malacañang was angry with the increase in airport fees without the approval of the Cabinet members.

“The Bilyonaryo article is malicious and unfounded,” Bautista said in a Viber message, referring to the website that published the said story. “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. Bilyonaryo reported online that “Bautista and his long-time protege in Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are at the center of the storm after it was

“I am very interested in how they [Quad Comm members] can prove this criminal network in court. In Congress, lawmakers act as both prosecutor and judge,” he said. Yang, who already admitted having a fake Philippine birth certificate, is the brother of Michael Yang, a presidential economic

Fortun, a lawyer who often finds himself at the center high-profile cases, apparently sought to mock congressmen, calling their probe “unacceptable.”

Navy spokes debunks China claim of military exercises in Scarborough shoal

of illegal drugs and illegal activities associated with POGOs,” Suarez said in a mixture of Filipino and English.

The solons explained how the matrix details Yang’s connections to other individuals involved in illicit activities, including the operations of

By Rex Espiritu

THE on Sunday the recent announce ment by China that it conducted military exercises off Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarbor ough Shoal, in the West Philip pine Sea (WPS).

cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did not monitor

jing’s statement was meant only

“Our troops did not observestand that sometimes,

nouncement coinciding with the fourth Multilateral Maritime Co operative Activity between the Philippines, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the re gional waters over the weekend. Philippine Navy Spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vin -

By Rio N. Araja

PAGASA

President Joe Biden, President Ferdinand Marcos, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

Pope warns about AI, fake news

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis warned on Thursday of the dangers of misinformation and its spread via social media and artificial intelligence (AI), cautioning it could be "misused to manipulate minds."

In his traditional New Year's address to diplomats at the Vatican, Francis lamented the increasing polarization of society, "aggravated by the continuous creation and spread of fake news, which not only distorts facts but also perceptions."

"This phenomenon generates false images of reality, a climate of

6 in 10...

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Only one in 10 Filipinos or 11 percent of the respondents said they do not favor the investigation.

The survey showed support is strongest in the National Capital Region with 73 percent favoring the Quad investigation, followed by Balance Luzon at 66 percent and the Visayas at 59 percent.

Support was lowest at 46 percent in Mindanao, a bailiwick of the Dutertes implicated in the investigations.

Among socio-economic classes, support was highest among Classes ABC, with 64 percent backing the Quad Comm's efforts.

Survey results also highlighted what the public wanted the most to achieve from the Quad Comm investigations.

For 37 percent of the respondents, they expect the Quad Comm to be

Solons:..

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Duterte was accused of allegedly mismanaging P612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her term as Secretary.

“This is about accountability. The evidence against the Vice President is glaring, from the misuse of confidential funds to a pattern of governance riddled with questions. The Filipino people deserve answers, and their support for impeachment shows they are demanding transparency and justice,” Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V.

The survey, conducted between December 12 and 18, 2024, showed

Celebrities...

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Emmy-winning actor James Woods posted a video on X showing flames engulfing trees and bushes near his Pacific Palisades home as he got ready to evacuate, and shortly afterwards said all the fire alarms were going off.

"I couldn't believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one," Woods said.

"Star Wars" star Mark Hamill told his followers on Instagram that he had fled his Malibu home on Tuesday.

"Evacuated Malibu so last-minute there were small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH," he wrote, referring to the Pacific Coast Highway, a scenic road that connects seafront settlements.

Hamill said he and his wife Marilou York, along with a pet dog, had gone to their daughter's Hollywood home to escape what he dubbed the "most horrific fire since '93."

Premieres cancelled Meanwhile, several major Hollywood events were abruptly called off

suspicion that foments hate, undermines people's sense of security and compromises civil coexistence and the stability of entire nations," the 88-year-old pontiff said.

Francis regularly rails against fake news.

But his comments on Thursday come two days after tech giant Meta,

able to identify the government officials responsible for EJKs, illegal drug activities, and illicit POGO operations.

Another 27 percent expressed hope the investigations will lead to the creation of new laws to address these issues, while 11 percent wanted the investigations to result in the prosecution and conviction of those involved in these criminal networks.

The survey was conducted from November 26 to December 3, 2024 with 2,400 respondents. It has a margin of error of ±2 percent.

Last month, the Commission on Human Rights said it supports a recommendation of the Quad Comm to file crimes against humanity charges against those involved in EJKs during the Duterte administration.

Throughout the 13 Quad Comm hearings, the CHR said it has consistently monitored the testimonies, affidavits and sworn statements of all

that 41 percent of Filipinos support Duterte’s impeachment, while 35 percent are opposed to it, and 19 percent remain undecided.

Duterte is facing three impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives, accusing her of gross incompetence, betrayal of public trust, and deliberate misuse of public funds, among others.

During the hearings of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, it was revealed that alleged falsified acknowledgment receipts were issued, signed by fictitious individuals such as “Mary Grace Piattos” and “Kokoy Villamin,” among others, who were listed as recipients of confidential funds under Duterte’s leadership.

The Philippine Statistics Authority confirmed that no records of these

due to the disaster.

The annual Critics Choice Awards gala, which honors the year's best in film and television and is attended by dozens of A-list stars, was postponed from this Sunday to January 26.

Anderson's premiere for "The Last Showgirl" was scrapped due to the unfolding disaster, while Paramount also cancelled a glitzy red-carpet screening of the Robbie Williams musical film "Better Man."

Netflix pulled the plug on a press conference for its Golden Globe winner "Emilia Perez."

A live announcement to unveil this year's Screen Actors Guild nominations was abandoned on Wednesday morning, in favor of a simple press release.

Filming of Los Angeles-based shows such as "Grey's Anatomy," "Hacks" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" was paused. And the Universal Studios theme park was closed for the day due to the extreme winds and fire conditions.

‘Burn’

Steve Guttenberg—star of 1984 comedy "Police Academy"—was among those helping get people out of Pacific Palisades as the fire began spreading on Tuesday. AFP

which owns Facebook, announced it was ending its third-party fact-checking program in the United States and adopting a crowd-sourced model to police misinformation similar to that of the Elon Musk-owned X.

In remarks directed at political leaders, the pope said: "In our time, the denial of self-evident truths seems to have gained the upper hand."

"These tendencies can be amplified by the modern communications media and by artificial intelligence; they can be misused to manipulate minds for economic, political and ideological ends," he added.

resource persons to ensure that human rights violations are actively addressed by the state and that perpetrators are held accountable.

Specifically, the committee called for the filing of charges against exPresident Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Christopher Go, ex-Philippine National Police chiefs Oscar Albayalde and Debold Sinas, ex-colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo and former Malacañang official "Muking" Espino.

“The CHR views the collective action of the Philippine government and civil society towards supporting the victims of extrajudicial killings and their families as a crucial step in reshaping the Philippines' drug policy in a way that upholds human rights, justice and accountability. No one, regardless of position or rank, should be allowed to stand above the law,” the CHR said.

The Department of Justice like-

names exist, raising serious doubts about the legitimacy of the transactions.

The committee also found that the OVP spent P16 million to rent 34 safe houses for just 11 days in late 2022, with one safe house costing nearly P91,000 per day.

“The public expects us to ensure that no one is above the law, no matter how powerful they may be. The survey is just the beginning. The evidence is overwhelming, and the Filipino people deserve justice. No one is above the law—not even the Vice President,” Khonghun said.

“Filipinos are watching. They are sending a clear message that leadership should be built on trust, not entitlement. It is now up to Congress to respond to their call for accountability,” Ortega added.

Meanwhile, a lawyer in the third

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"This is our prayer that every year we expect a change. When it comes to the maturity of devotees, this is a good sign that we are growing in faith," Quiapo Church spokesperson Fr. Robert Arellano told journalists.

"We see better what is important and what is not,” the priest added.

The procession to bring the Black Nazarene image from the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta to the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno along Quezon Boulevard began at 4:41 a.m., it was reported.

Still, some overzealous devotees attempted to climb the “andas” or the wheeled carriage that transported Christ’s image despite repeated pleas from marshals for them to come down.

The added weight on the wagon seemingly slowed the flow of the massive procession.

As a result, it took almost two hours before Christ’s image to reach the Ayala Bridge over the Pasig River.

During the early morning mass held in Luneta Grandstand, the Manila police initially estimated the crowd at

Francis, who has been head of the worldwide Catholic Church since 2013, emphasized the need for media literacy education to promote critical thinking. He did not deliver the speech himself, saying he had a cold, but it was read out on his behalf by a senior cleric.

In the address, the Pope also warned against "cancel culture," which "tolerates no differences and focuses on individual rights to the detriments of duties towards others, especially the weakest." He cited as "particularly worrying" attempts to "manipulate multilateral

wise raised the possibility of granting state witness status to resource persons who will be invited for its parallel probe into EJKs if their testimonies are needed to secure a conviction.

DOJ Usec. Jesse Andres said based on the Quad Comm hearings, two possible EJK cases have a "trail of possible evidence."

He cited the killing of former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020 and the deaths of three Chinese drug convicts at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016.

"We will talk to all the possible resource persons there and if needed, we will grant them the stature of a state witness, if their testimony is very much needed to ensure the conviction of the real perpetrators," Andres said.

Earlier, police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told the Quad Comm that Leonardo and Garma conspired to have Barayuga killed.

impeachment complaint filed against the Vice President attributed the increasing support for her removal to more Filipinos demanding accountability.

Legal counsel Amando Virgil Ligutan said: “It's not surprising that more Filipinos are in favor of impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte than those opposed to it. There is palpable broad-based support for the initiatives to hold her accountable for the controversial manner she spent the multi-million confidential funds.”

The undecided 19 percent of survey respondents also encouraged the impeachment proponents to further intensify their efforts in raising awareness about the alleged irregularities, the lawyer.

Commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy, the survey showed support for

more than 830,000 people, which later swelled to around 1.6 million along the procession's 6 6-kilometer route.

Quiapo church officials placed the crowd that joined the procession from Luneta to the Minor Basilica at around two million.

Earlier on Thursday, Manila Cardinal Jose Advincula urged the millions of Filipino devotees of the Black Nazarene to turn away from evil, greed and vices and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

"Let us live up to his commandments, embrace his teachings and follow his example. It is better to follow the Beloved Lord," he said in a homily ahead of the procession. Devotees turned the streets of Manila into a sea of maroon and yellow, in a grand display of religious devotion.

Many of the devotees threw white towels at the image as marshals wiped them of its surface, believing that touching the statue would bless them and heal their illnesses.

Thousands of devotees shouted "Viva Nazareno" as the black wooden cross carried by the image of Jesus Christ passed along the every corner of the streets. The centuries-old tradition of pay-

documents—by changing the meaning of terms or unilaterally reinterpreting the content of human rights treaties—in order to advance divisive ideologies." "In this regard, it is unacceptable, for example, to speak of an alleged 'right to abortion' that contradicts human rights, particularly the right to life," he said.

Francis also cautioned that multilateral institutions risked becoming "like-minded clubs that only let in those who think in the same way"— and as such, said they "no longer seem capable of ensuring peace and stability." AFP

Garma was also implicated in the killings of suspected Chinese drug lords Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan and Wong Meng Pin inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

Garma admitted during a Quad Comm hearing that former President Duterte and other high-ranking officials during his term operationalized the so-called "Davao model" of EJKs on a nationwide scale, rewarding cops for every drug suspect killed with incentives ranging from P20,000 to P1 million.

During the anti-drug campaign he launched shortly after taking office in 2016, Duterte ordered cops to shoot dead suspects if the police believed their lives were in danger.

"Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses. I did what I had to do, and whether or not you believe it or not, I did it for my country," the 79-yearold Duterte said in a Senate hearing in October.

impeachment was highest in Balance Luzon, where 50 percent of respondents are in favor of the impeachment, followed by Visayas at 40 percent. Meanwhile, Mindanao, considered Duterte’s bailiwick, recorded the lowest support at 22 percent, with 56 percent opposing the impeachment.

“Results from the same survey also show that 46 percent of Filipinos believe that the unexplained spending of confidential and intelligence funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education may be the best basis to impeach Duterte,” Stratbase said.

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reaction,” Sotto told reporters outside the courthouse.

The comedian said his decision to file charges was a matter of principle.

“This is not some personal vendetta. I just trust in the justice system. I will fight irresponsible people, especially those on social media,” Sotto added.

In a statement sent to ABS-CBN News, Yap remained firm that his film was based on documented events.

“We will respond to the complaint as soon as it reaches us. As for me, all the materials I have released or will release

are documented—I am not fabricating anything to malign,” Yap said.

“There is nothing personal. I am simply presenting what happened in the past as seen in publications from the 1980s. That has already been made public.”

“I did not say that Vic Sotto is the one referred to by the title of the movie—they were the ones who said that.

It is important for them to watch the entire film first. Thank you,” the filmmaker added.

Paloma was found dead in her apartment in 1985, with authorities ruling it a suicide. Her case, however, has been marked by allegations of sexual assault and coercion.

Marcos,...

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cooperation, security, and maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The three leaders have demonstrated a commitment to strengthening partnerships amid growing geopolitical challenges.

The Philippines, a long-time ally of the United States and a strategic partner of Japan, plays a crucial role in fostering regional stability and cooperation.

Further details about the agenda or potential outcomes of the call have yet to be announced. The meeting between the longstanding allies follows the trilateral summit held in Washington last year, where the leaders discussed a broad range of issues, including security cooperation, infrastructure development, and regional economic resilience.

During the meeting, the US and Japan had vowed to support a range of projects in the Philippines including the implementation of the Open Radio Access Network, work-

ing homage to the black wooden statue of Jesus Christ, believed to have healing powers, drew massive numbers of Catholics to take part in the procession.

Meanwhile, President Marcos highlighted the enduring devotion associated with the centuries-old tradition, which draws millions of devotees to Manila for the grand procession of the revered image of the Black Nazarene.

"This historic tradition, founded in great devotion, reminds us of the strength that allows us to find harmony in our faith as a people," Mr. Marcos said in a statement.

"The carrying of the Black Nazarene and His own cross reflects the great sacrifice our Lord and Savior endured, as well as the immense power and compassion of God who walks with us and hears our prayers, especially in our time of need," he added.

The president lauded the procession as a testament to the unity and camaraderie of the Filipino people, calling on devotees to embody the values of faith, grace, and empathy in their daily lives.

For her part, Vice President Sara Duterte said the calls “devotees to show humility, kindness, and mercy to everyone in need, even to those who persecute us.”

In a press conference last year, Duterte expressed openness to the impeachment cases filed against her, viewing them as a chance to address the allegations “exclusively” directed at her. TV...

force development for the semiconductor industry, capacity building in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and the country’s membership in the Minerals Security Partnership Forum Furthermore, the three countries also held a multilateral maritime cooperative activity in December last year in a bid to demonstrate joint commitment to safeguarding international waters and ensuring free navigation in the Indo-Pacific region in light of

Duterte allies set nationwide rally in Davao

By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa

ALLIES and supporters of the Duterte family will hold a nationwide prayer rally on January 13, a Congressional candidate in Davao Del Norte said.

Businessman Cesar Cuntapay who is a PDP bet in the First District of Davao Del Norte and will be challenging Vice Governor De Carlo Oyo Uy’s candidacy as the latter is running for Congress for First District, in an interview on Thursday told Manila Standard that there is some changes in their plan of action regarding the protest rally which will be set by a religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on January 13.

Cuntapay who originally planned to fly to Manila to join the rally said that he is no longer flying to Manila and will instead stay to join his colleagues in Davao City.

Cuntapay said originally it was an INC rally and they would be joining but after some discussions with other supporters, it was decided that it would be a simultaneous rally and would be done nationwide.

“It was decided that we will do it simultaneously so Congressman Napoleon Alvarez most likely will be there too, myself as well as other supporters of the Vice President and President Duterte, will be joining the Davao protest and prayer rally,” Cuntapay said over the phone on Thursday.

The rally he said is for peace, justice, and prosperity.

Cuntapay said they will convene at the Coastal Road at 1 pm and will start marching at 2 pm towards Rizal Park in Davao City.

Cops nab suspect in Eastman case

ASECOND suspect in the kidnapping of an American man who police say was likely killed by his captors has been arrested, police said Thursday.

Elliot Eastman was snatched from his home on the southern island of Mindanao on October 17 last year, and police subsequently said his kidnappers shot him dead that day when he tried to escape.

Jakaria Jamani, a resident of the Mindanao municipality of Sibuco, was arrested at sea on Tuesday and is being held without bail while awaiting trial for the kidnapping, a police statement said.

The statement described him as the “mastermind/planner” of the abduction.

Another suspect, arrested in November, has told police Eastman was dead.

Last month police told AFP a relative of one of the suspects reported the kidnappers threw the American’s body into the sea. It has never been recovered.

Mindanao was wracked for decades by kidnappings for ransom, but incidents have waned in recent years.

Police said the suspects in the Eastman abduction were not thought to be affiliated with kidnap gangs from previous years, and their motive remains unknown. AFP

The US embassy in Manila has declined to comment on developments in the case, referring queries to Filipino authorities.

FREE FLU VACCINE. The local government of Cavite City under the leadership of Mayor Denver Chua led the administration of flu vaccines for residents on January 7 at the Montano Hall covered court in Barangay Caridad. Dennis Abrina

Solon backs granting of 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN

By Maricel V. Cruz

A PARTY-list lawmaker expressed support for the recent moves to grant a new 25-year legislative franchise to ABS-CBN Corp.

Rep. Perci Cendaña of Akbayan party-list group also urged greater worker protections and guarantees for broadcast workers, employees, and artists to showcase a pro-worker franchise.

“In the service of the Filipino workers’

welfare we must push for a franchise na may workers’ protection, security of tenure, better work conditions, and greater participation in decision-making,” he said. He lamented the effect of the loss of ABSCBN’s franchise on Filipinos.

“Granting ABS-CBN a new franchise would be most welcome to the millions of Filipinos who were deprived of a source of reliable news and public service. Nakakalungkot na nung hi-

LTO issues show-cause versus car dealers

By Rio N. Araja

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) issued a show-cause order against 1,046 dealers in 2024 for non-registration of brand-new motor vehicles within the prescribed time period.

“Unfortunately, there were some motor vehicle dealers which did not comply at the expense of their clients despite our repeated reminders of the need to strictly follow the rule,” LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said.

He cited the agency’s Citizen’s Charter mandating the registration of newly bought motor vehicles to be registered within seven days after the transaction is completed in motor vehicle dealerships.

narangan ang pagrenew ng franchise nawalan rin ng trabaho ang almost 11,000 na manggagawa,” according to Cendaña.

It was Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado who the ABS-CBN franchise bill in the past Congress. Last Tuesday, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda revived the proposal.

ABS-CBN ceased its operations in May 2020 after former President Duterte’s allies in Congress denied its franchise renewal application.

MANDA AND LUYONG. Colorful paintings of Manda and Luyong adorn Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong, highlighting one of the stories behind the city’s ancient name. Manny Palmero

IN BRIEF

Civil Defense urges residents to remain patient

THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday urged residents affected by the Kanlaon eruptions to exercise patience.

During a press conference held by the Regional InterAgency Coordinating Cell (RIACC) regarding updates on Kanlaon’s eruptions, Raul Fernandez, chair of Task Force Kanlaon and Director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Western Visayas said the government is aiming for a zero causality.

“The government is facing the problem head-on and is batting for zero casualty. Nature is just testing our resilience,” the official said. He further emphasized the government’s commitment to support the eruption victims.

Fernandez reminded residents that returning to their homes within the six-kilometer extended danger zone remains unsafe, despite locals asserting their understanding of the volcano’s behavior. He pointed out that increased presence in the danger zone could unnecessarily expose more lives to risk.

Dela Rosa allays fears on AFP gun exemption law

SENATOR Ronald dela Rosa addressed recent concerns regarding the exemption granted to Armed Forces personnel under the Comprehensive Firearms Law in the Philippines.

He reassured citizens that the Philippine National Police (PNP) is the primary enforcer of this legislation and that the recent memorandum from the Chief PNP regarding military personnel is both valid and legal.

He clarified that this exemption is not preferential treatment but a practical measure to avoid redundancy and unnecessary costs for active military and police officers.

According to the senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, these individuals already undergo regular drug and neuro-psychiatric tests as part of their service requirements. Ram Superable

Task force sets initial survey for fire training drills

THE Joint Task Force (JTF) Central artillery units conducted an initial site survey for the possible training venues for a joint littoral live fire exercise (JLLFX) which is planned to be implemented in early 2025.

The Task Force is composed of the Philippine Army’s Artillery Regiment 6th Field Artillery Battalion (6FAB), 7FAB, 9FAB, and 10FAB, Philippine Marine Corps’ 15th Marine Company (15MC), Field Artillery Battalion of the 1st Marine Brigade and the Philippine Navy.

The purpose of the survey is the ensure the availability, suitability, and training-worthiness of possible locations.

The JLLX is designed to develop and enhance the skills, capabilities, and interoperability of artillery units within JTF Central to fire howitzers toward the sea in the most probable avenues of approach of attacking forces, strengthening the territorial defense of the country. Rex Espiritu

NAVOTAS BOAT RACE. Navotas City holds a boat race in celebration of the city’s 119th founding anniversary celebration. Winners of the ‘Karera ng mga Bangka’ received cash prizes up to P20,000. Andrew Rabulan

AIRPORTS UPGRADE. This airport in Dipolog City, along with other major airports in the country, are bound to get equipment and systems upgrade to enhance their global competitiveness, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) which has earmarked a total of P11.4 billion for the program.

13 CL towns ‘areas of concern’

By Vince Lopez

AT LEAST 12 municipalities in Central Luzon have been recommended by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be classified as “areas of concern” in light of the midterm elections this coming May.

Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) di-

rector Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said they have already submitted their recommendation to place the 12 towns in Central Luzon in the list of areas of concern to the Commission on Elections for review and approval.

The affected towns are located in Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pampanga, and Bulacan.

‘Election results to be sent only after voting ends’

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said election results will be transmitted after the end of voting hours for the May 12 polls.

Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said this is to address fears of hacking and allegations of premature transmission of poll results.

“The machines cannot transmit the results to the PPCRV, NAMFREL, majority and minority parties, the Comelec central server, media server, and canvassing centers before 7 p.m.,” Garcia said.

“It is programmed this way, and all the servers and consolidation systems used will not accept the election results before 7 p.m.,” he added.

The poll body commissioned the South Korean firm Miru Systems for the P17.99 billion automated election system (AES) for the upcoming polls, including the lease of 110,000 new automated counting machines (ACMs).

Garcia reiterated that the ACMs have new features for the elections, including a three-day battery life.

He also said the ACMs will print the election returns (ERs) before transmitting the results to election servers, including those allocated for election watchdogs, majority and minority parties, and canvassing boards.

“We have 12 municipalities that have been recommended there and those are still being deliberated. As the election period approaches, we will look at the security environment,” Maranan told reporters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“Historically, Central Luzon has really

had intense political rivalries. There were also violent incidents that happened during the last election, so those areas are our focus and are also among those we have recommended for further monitoring. We are increasing our resources there including the addition of police and our logistical resources,” he added.

Maranan said however, the political situation in the region remained manageable.

“Right now, our political situation in Region 3 is manageable, although it is inevitable that there will be news from time to time, but we are continuing to validate that,” he noted.

Maranan also said he directed all police in Central Luzon to intensify

their operations against private armed groups and loose firearms.

According to him, there is only one remaining private armed (PAG) in the region, and authorities were keeping an eye on the group said to be operating in Nueva Ecija.

“In Region 3, in the last quarter of 2024, we have dismantled five criminal gangs. We only have one private armed group left that we are targeting. In the coming days, hopefully we will neutralize it. This PAG is in Nueva Ecija and we are watching and monitoring their movements. In fact, we have already added more than 200 police officers in Nueva Ecija so that we can limit the movements of this PAG,” Maranan said.

IN BRIEF

Composite team busts online crime syndicate

A COMPOSITE team of law enforcers has dismantled a crime ring based in Parañaque City and specializing in online scam operations.

The raid was staged by operatives of the Parañaque City police, the Bureau of Immigration intelligence, fugitive search, and anti-terrorist group, as well as the National Bureau of Investigation who swooped down on the syndicate’s headquarters at a corporate center on Aseana Ave., Brgy. Tambo, Parañaque.

Those arrested were allegedly engaged in various unlawful activities, including online scams and violating Immigration laws.

Among those apprehended was a foreigner identified only as “Liang,” with some 400 foreign and local nationals involved in illegal activities.

“The Southern Police District (SPD) will fully support and coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in addressing illegal activities involving foreign nationals. We stand with the Bureau of Immigration in ensuring that those engaged in unlawful activities are held accountable, while maintaining the integrity of our immigration laws in the Philippines," SPD chief Brig. Gen. Manuel Abrugena said. Vince Lopez

P3.4-m shabu seized, 2 nabbed in Cotabato

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has seized 500 grams of shabu worth P3.4 million and nabbed two alleged high-value targets in a buybust operation in Cotabato City.

The raid, held with the assistance of the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Marine, was stated at Poblacion 5, Cotabato City on Jan. 8.

The suspects were identified only as Thing and Saima, both from Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte.

The duo allegedly operated their illegal drug business in nearby towns in the Maguindanao area, including Cotabato City. Rio N. Araja

ATI holds 1st monthly staff meeting of 2025

MATEO, Isabela—The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center here convened on Jan. 6 its first monthly staff meeting of the year.

The conference sought to assess recent achievements, address existing challenges, and develop strategic plans for the coming year.

ATI Director Claris MarayagAlaska extended her gratitude to the staff for their commitment and dedication over the past year, saying she looks forward to more collaborative efforts among them. Meanwhile, information chief Vladimir Caliguiran provided an overview of ATI programs, while Mayflor Macmac, chief of the planning, monitoring, and evaluation unit, discussed the ATI core values and quality policy. Jessica M. Bacud

CAAP to invest P12.4b for airport equipment, systems upgrade

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has announced a significant investment of ₱10.6 billion for civil works and ₱1.8 billion for equipment and system upgrades in 2025.

These initiatives align with CAAP’s

mission to modernize aviation infrastructure and enhance the country’s global competitiveness in the aviation sector.

During the pilot episode of the Department of Transportation’s “Sakay Na” program, hosted by executive assistant to the Secretary Jonathan Gesmundo on Radyo Pilipinas, CAAP director general Capt. Manuel Anto

SolGen moves to revive Dengvaxia cases

By Rio N. Araja

FAMILIES of school children whose deaths were linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine on Thursday expressed support to a move by the Office of the Solicitor General to revive eight Dengvaxia cases dismissed by a Quezon City court.

Sumachen Dominguez, president of the Samahan ng mga Magulang, Anak at Biktima ng Dengvaxia, lauded Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra for the filing of petitions for review on certiorari before the Court of Appeals, questioning the Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s dismissal of the eight criminal charges filed against former Department of Health Secretary Janette Garin. Apart from Garin, who is currently Iloilo representative, the others who were cited as respondents were exPhilippine Children’s Medical Center director Julius

Lecciones, Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr., Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Dr. Irma Asuncion, Dr. Maria Joyce Ducusin, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Dr. Rosalind Vianzon, Carlito Realuyo, and Conchita Santos.

“This petition for Certiorari under Rule 65 of the Revised Rules of Court seeks to reverse, annul, and set aside the following issuances rendered by Respondent

Judge Cleto R. Villacorta III, Presiding Judge of Branch 229, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City, in Criminal Case Nos. R-QZN-20-08619-CR, R-QZN-21-05256CR, R-QZN-22-03837-CR, R-QZN-22-03938-CR, R-QZN-20–08618-CR, R-QZN-09218-CR, R-QZN20-09662-CR, and R-QZN-20-03936-CR, all entitled People of the Philippines v. Dr. Janette L. Garin, et al.,” Guevarra’s petition read.

He challenged Villacorta’s orders granting the demurrer to evidence filed by Garin and her co- respondents.

nio Tamayo and his deputy for administration Danjun Lucas highlighted the government’s commitment to improving airport facilities, increasing operational efficiency, and ensuring a safer, more seamless travel experience for passengers.

Key priorities for 2025 include upgrading Cauayan, Dipolog, and Pa-

gadian airports for night operations, allowing for safe and efficient flight activity during the evening to meet the growing demands for air traffic. Additionally, Bukidnon Airport is set to begin operations for general aviation in the first quarter of 2025, providing a crucial gateway for regional travel and trade.

OPINION

Hopeless

IN MY primary grades, our music teacher would let us sing “Whispering Hope” at the onset of the season of joy. Few but us senior citizens would yet recognize this song.

The simple lyrics written upon a plaintive melody tell us to “Wait till the darkness is over, wait till the tempest is done. Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is gone.”

I would not be truthful if I were to say “sunshine” would come this new year, after the political darkness, the tempest over a beastly budget despite the cosmetic creative accounting, and the drought followed by floods of the past horrible year.

For one, food security will continue to bedevil us, with La Nina threatening to unleash more rains that would flood our newly planted crop. With little photosynthesis expected, the summer crop, usually bountiful, could be bad.

If our agriculture officials are whistling in the dark, whispering frail hopes, it looks like we will be importing close to five million tons of rice, at inflated prices too, because the condition in the Mekong River delta is not too good either.

Petrol-led inflation will continue its volatility, unless Trump is able to work out a negotiated settlement in the Ukraine and the Middle East, as he trumpeted.

But for a country like ours, taming the prices of food will be much more difficult, and all the huffing and puffing from our agriculture officials, to include such senseless efforts to forcebrand a fungible commodity like rice, ostensibly to protect local farmers will be for naught.

Decades of neglect have come to roost, and we simply do not produce enough rice or grain, livestock or greens, even fish which we blame on China’s incursions into the WPS, as to give us reason to hope this year for even a modicum of food security, even beyond. Ah, but there is “ayuda” which should temporarily assuage the pangs of hunger of the lumpen, minus the “kaltas” of the barangays and the political favorites of our bleeding-heart legislators.

Be it AKAP, AICS, TUPAD, MAIP, even as the 4Ps have been reduced shamelessly, voters are likely to thank their politicians for their tender mercies, even if they are being cooked in their own lard.

There were some who had hoped the president would tame the greed and cut slabs from the pork, whether hard as in useless and corruption-laced “projects” or soft as in ayuda, but no, he simply caviled to the desires of the legislature, hoping perhaps that he would get them to rally behind him in the forthcoming lameduck years.

Those of us who did not trust him

enough to support his presidential quest are being proven right. He is just another politician, with neither vision nor statesmanship.

There are those who pin their hopes in the elections for 12 new and or recycled senators, as if the Senate still matters these days, their non-iconic 33 billionpeso structure soon to be a relic.

Voters would choose from a menu of comedians, charlatans, recidivists, nonperformers and dynasts.

Oh, there will be two or three who will somehow perform. They would be the “comite de pakialam,” preaching truth to the majority of the “comite de silencio” who would pay no heed, neither comprehend the issues that bedevil the benighted land?

Our balance of trade will be negative, with more imports than exports to satisfy a consumption-driven economy that produces very little of value to the rest of the world.

The president is just another politician, with neither vision nor statesmanship

Our fiscal deficit will grow beyond 2 trillion pesos, which means we will need to borrow that much more to sustain an expenditure program that is more politically-driven than economically correct.

Consumer confidence is shaken, and shopkeepers are glum; meeting their payrolls in 2025 would be problematic.

The property sector is in deep slumber, as it would take some 34 months for the current over-supply of condo units to be sold. How will buyers pay their loans?

In its year-end survey, SWS found only 90 perent of our people hopeful for the new year, in a country where hope springs eternal, and where the season of joy is always regarded with optimism. 90 percent is the lowest hopeful index since 2009, when it registered 89 percent, but knowing how our people respond to surveys, more than the honest 10 percent are really hoping against hope, whistling in the dark.

This coming Monday, the monolithic Iglesia ni Cristo will hold massive rallies throughout the country, a political statement that highlights the division that hounds us all, a polarization never before seen since the dying days of authoritarian rule.

Who does not want to write about better days instead of being a jeremiad of woeful days ahead?

But writers like us have a duty to ourselves to tell the truth, and the painful truth is, there ain’t no sunshine coming through.

Rice

WHAT exactly does the Department of Agriculture intend to do by considering invoking a food security emergency under the amended Rice Tariffication Law?

Such a move, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., would authorize the release of buffer stocks from the National Food Authority to curb rice price volatility and stabilize market prices

Other measures are also being considered as part of efforts to ensure affordability and food security.

Among these are the option of allowing government corporations like the Food Terminal Inc. to import significant quantities of rice to compete directly with private importers. The DA legal division will also study whether provisions of the Consumer Price Act could be activated to deal with suspected profiteering.

The DA now concedes that the reduction of rice tariffs by President Marcos Jr. from 35 percent to 15 percent in July last year has failed to bring down the prices of some rice brands.

In late December, the DA claimed market rice retailers started lowering prices following the successful imple-

mentation of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo “Rice-for-All” program across Metro Manila. Rice being sold by the Kadiwa and its retailers is cheaper by ₱3 to ₱5 compared with those being sold by market retailers, resulting in increased sales by rolling stores.

Hope is not just a sentiment but a demand: for accountability, equity, and leadership that transforms aspirations into action

Under Republic Act 12078, which amended the Rice Tariffication Law, the agriculture chief can declare a food security emergency upon the recommendation of the National Price Coordination Council if there is a supply shortage or extraordinary price fluctuations. If implemented, the NFA will be au-

WEDITORIAL

Post-POGO clean-up

ITH Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators

(POGOs) officially banned by the end of December 2024, the government can now focus on the clean-up of the mess they’ve left behind.

POGOs were ordered closed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by Dec. 31, citing their involvement in criminal activities such as scamming, human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and murder.

The first order of business this month is actually two-pronged: the seizure of POGO assets and the purge of fraudulent birth records, with the Office of the Solicitor General playing a key role.

The OSG’s post-POGO responsibilities would include taking possession of properties the POGOs have illegally acquired. As of now, the agency has no definite figures on the aggregate value of the POGO assets, as this can be determined only after taking actual control of these properties.

The OSG will have to promptly

review the documents provided to assess potential legal actions against Chinese nationals accused of fraudulently acquiring properties in the Philippines.

After reviewing the files the OSG would coordinate with other government agencies to gather further evidence and build the cases.

The appropriate legal actions against properties illegally acquired

Now is the time for the government to show that it is determined to put the POGO nightmare behind us

by POGOs could include civil forfeiture, reversion, and escheat.

Bottom of FormCivil forfeiture, governed by the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, allows the government to seize money or property tied to illegal activities without requiring a criminal conviction.

Reversion refers to the return of illegally acquired property to the state, while escheatment involves transferring property to the government when there are no heirs or when the

Duty of civility

Part 2

IN A digital world where social media platforms have evolved into a political forum, some candidates or their supporters make statements and conclusions based on sweeping one-liners intended to incite outcry.

The public is led to make conclusions without critical thinking and reasonable assessment of evidence.

These “knee-jerk sentiments” of social media users through commenting unnecessarily have been exploited by some political candidates to help frame the minds of the public.

However, these social media reactions such as liking and sharing have been protected in the case of Disini, et al. v. Secretary of Justice, thereby encouraging reactions in the absence of fact checking.

Admittedly, the Disini case in its desire to protect free speech had unintentionally opened a floodgate utilized by social media users that unfortunately biases the mind of readers.

Worse, readers tend to jump on the bandwagon, unwittingly corrupting the definition of a public political forum as understood by Rawls.

“To be clear, the idea of public reason does not apply to civil society or what Rawls called the ‘background

thorized to release its buffer stocks at appropriate prices to alleviate the crisis.

The agency currently holds 5.5 million 50-kilogram bags in reserve. The rice emergency declaration would allow the NFA to release nearly six million bags of rice to the public at flexible prices.

“If declaring a rice emergency allows us to sell NFA’s nearly six million bags of rice at flexible prices to the public, then that’s definitely a good move,” Laurel said, as it would target profiteers.

“If we really want to tackle those exploiting certain rice brands, this is the best way to hit them where it hurts— their pockets,” he added.

Even better than declaring a rice emergency, from where we sit, is for the government to bring charges against the known rice hoarders and profiteers and send them to jail for economic sabotage.

Jail congestion

The politically correct term these days for those imprisoned or detained for various crimes, of course, is “persons deprived of liberty” or PDLs.

Deprivation of liberty in the con-

culture.’ In the background culture -- in books and journals, in churches and mosques, in community groups and voluntary clubs, and of course at home and with friends -we should feel free to make whatever arguments we like”

(Daniel Chandler, Free and Equal).

—“—

Readers tend to jump on the bandwagon, unwittingly corrupting the de nition of a public political forum

“This is where we can thrash out whether God exists and the meaning of life. The fact that debates like these take place in the background culture does not diminish their importance -- for many of us, they are the ones we are most passionate about, and the basic liberties are there precisely to make sure that we can discuss them freely” (Chandler, Free and Equal).

“But, as far as possible, we should keep them separate from questions of what the law should be.

“This doesn’t mean that politics will become technocratic and stripped of moral content - far from it. It simply means that our political conversation will be concerned with political values

crete Philippine context means being packed like sardines in overcrowded prisons, with literally no space to move about at all times.

That’s because three in five jails in the country are bursting at the seams with PDLs as congestion rates have reached as high as 2,827 percent in 2023, way beyond acceptable standards.

Based on the latest annual report of the Commission on Audit, 324 out of the total 482 jail facilities nationwide are overcrowded, or a congestion rate of 67.22 percent, which is far beyond the acceptable standards set by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the United Nations for the treatment of prisoners.

What this shows is the “unhealthy living conditions of the PDLs,” the COA noted, with congestion one of the biggest challenges in carrying out the government’s mandate of humane safekeeping and development of PDLs under its care.”

With a total jail population of 117,425 in 2023, the government needs to create a cell area of at least 551,897 square me-

property is abandoned.

At the same time, the OSG will initiate proceedings to cancel fraudulent birth certificates issued to foreign nationals.

The House of Representatives, which investigated offshore gaming activities, has already moved to approve a measure to expedite the cancellation of fraudulent birth certificates issued to foreign nationals through House Bill No. 11117 or the proposed fraudulent birth certificate cancellation law.

Thousands of foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, managed to obtain false Philippine birth certificates to acquire official documents.

These documents enabled them to engage in activities restricted to Filipino nationals, such as purchasing land, starting businesses, and even running for public office.

In July last year, the National Bureau of Investigation revealed that it had uncovered close to 200 falsified birth certificates issued to Chinese nationals between 2018 and 2019 by the civil registry of a single town, referring to Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. Now is the time for the government to show that it is determined to put the POGO nightmare behind us, and to find other ways to boost economic growth.

like fairness, equality and freedom, rather than religious ones like sin or faith” (Chandler, Free and Equal).

“Finally, the idea of public reason doesn’t preclude people from appealing to religious or other non-public reasons altogether.

“Rawls argued that citizens could appeal to such reasons even in the public political forum, subject to the ‘proviso’ that their positions were also supported by genuinely public ones… [such as the right to life or protection of human rights, among others]” (Chandler, Free and Equal).

For Rawls, “political debate [in the 20th century] falls far short of the… duty of civility and his notion of public reason…”

“[A] civil and respectful public culture is a vital public assetsomething that is built up gradually through constant practice, but which can all too easily be lost” (Chandler, Free and Equal).

In the 21st century it still rings true today that “[w]e have run down our stocks of civility to dangerously low levels, and building a more inclusive and respectful public debate is one of the central challenges facing democratic societies” (Chandler, Free and Equal).

Our leaders and public servants must be aware that their statements, whether wittingly or unwittingly made, spark discussions that affect the nation’s political and policy directions.

Their statements must be well thought out, guiding political discussions that truly bring out the best of democratic leadership.

ters to provide a habitable space of 4.7 sqm per inmate that meets standards. But the BJMP, which runs and supervises city, municipal and district jails in the country, had a combined cell area of only 216,788 sqm in that year. This means that the bureau would need more jail space of at least 335,109 sqm to prevent overcrowding. State auditors have proposed several recommendations to address jail congestion. One is for the BJMP management to request donations of lots to add more jail sites; urge Congress to increase the agency’s budget for the acquisition of lots for the construction of additional jail facilities; and facilitate the early release of qualified detainees in line with the good conduct time allowance law. We think the COA recommendations deserve serious consideration by the national government. After all, persons deprived of liberty do not deserve to be deprived as well of their humanity, or the chance, as it were, to turn over a new leaf.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

3. SPI is the Administrator1 of the IPP – Administration Agreement (the “IPPAA”) executed between SPI and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (“PSALM”) with the conformity of the National Power Corporation (“NPC”) for the management and control of the 1000 MW Net Contracted Capacity of the Sual Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant (the “Plant”);

4. The Joint Applicants may be served with the orders, notices and other processes of the Honorable Commission through their respective undersigned counsels at the addresses indicated herein; NATURE OF THE APPLICATION

5. The Joint Application for approval of the Power Supply Agreement (“PSA”) entered into by and between BILECO and SPI, is being submitted to the Honorable Commission for its review and approval pursuant to Sections 252 and 45(b)3 of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (the “EPIRA”), Rules 5, Section4(e)4 and 11, Section 55 of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), Rule 20(B) of its Rules of Practice and Procedure, and other pertinent rules and regulations and ; STATEMENT OF FACTS

This Agreement shall take effect immediately from Effective Date, and from such date, shall remain in force and effect until December 25, 2033, unless sooner terminated in accordance with this Agreement and upon approval by the ERC. Effectivity Date

The Parties’ rights and obligations under this Agreement shall commence on Effective Date, which shall be the date upon which all of the following conditions are satisfied: a.) Corporate Approvals. The receipt of the Seller of a certificate executed by the corporate or partnership, as applicable, or a resolution duly and validly issued by the board of directors of Buyer, attesting to the fact that the board of directors of Buyer has adopted resolutions (i) authorizing Buyer to execute and to enter into and deliver this Agreement and perform all its obligation hereunder, and (ii) designating the person authorized to execute this Agreement on behalf of the Buyer; and b.) Government Authorizations. All governmental authorizations (except ERC which are required to have been obtained in connection with the execution, delivery, and commencement of performance of this Agreement, shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect.

Within five (5) Days after the satisfaction of the conditions referred to in this

Section, each Party shall send a written notice to the other Party confirming satisfaction of such conditions. Within five (5) Days from receipt of written notice from the Seller, the Buyer shall then inform the Seller of the Effective Date, which date shall be confirmed by the Seller.

ERC Approval

4.1 The Parties shall jointly file the application for the approval of the Agreement (“ERC Application”) with the ERC. Parties shall exert its best efforts to secure the ERC approval of the Agreement within a reasonable time.

4.2 In the event that ERC issues any decision on the ERC Application which effectively modifies or amends any of the terms of the Agreement including provisions on amounts payable under the Agreement, and which requires an amendment thereof, the Seller may file a motion for reconsideration of such decision within fifteen (15) Days from receipt thereof, and before the decision attains finality.

4.3 In the meantime, upon receipt of the ERC decision requiring amendments to the Agreement, the Parties shall cooperate in good faith to address the ERC modification of the Agreement and/or to negotiate amendments to the Agreement. In the event that the Parties agree to an amended Agreement, the Parties shall file the amended Agreement for approval by the ERC within thirty (30) Days from the execution of such amended Agreement.

Reduction of Contract Capacity

From time to time upon and after the implementation of Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA), Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), Metering programs, and other similar government programs, Buyer shall deliver to Seller written notice within thirty (30) Days prior to the target effectivity specifying the name of the affected customer, capacity and when such reductions shall take place, provided that actual reduction of Contract Capacity shall take place upon the receipt of ERC approval. Any such reduction shall be implemented pursuant to Schedule 6 of this Agreement. All other terms and conditions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Outages

ERC CASE NO. 2024-165 RC

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6. BILECO has been sourcing its electricity requirements from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) since August 26, 2024, following the expiration of its Emergency Power Supply Agreement with FDCUI which had a capacity of 8MW.

THE CONDUCT OF COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS

7. Through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), ten (10) Electric Cooperatives (EC) of Region 8, including BILECO, agreed to conduct a joint procurement for their baseload requirement for the period of 2024 to 2033. The joint procurement was referred to as the Region 8 Joint Competitive Power Supply Procurement (R8 JCPSP).

8. Under the MOA, the Federation of Rural Electric Cooperatives in Region 8 Association, Inc. (FRECOR 8) was tasked to supervise and facilitate the transaction process, documentary requirements, and operational coordination among the member ECs of the R8 JCPSP.

9. A Joint Board of Directors (JBOD) was also created composed of General Managers and Board Presidents of the member ECs, which acts as the governing and policy-making body of the R8 JCPSP.

10. The JBOD passed Board Resolution No. 2023-11-002, Series of 2023 constituting the R8 Joint Bids and Awards Committee (JBAC) for the R8 JCPSP. A Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) and a Joint Secretariat was also created.

11. The R8 JCPSP was for the procurement of an aggregate power supply of 190 MW, divided into two (2) lots: Lot 1 for 162 MW, which commences in 2024, and Lot 2 for 28 MW, which commences in 2027. The R8 JCPSP followed the policy and rules prescribed under Department of Energy (DOE) Department Circular No. DC2023-06-0021, and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Resolution No. 16, Series of 2023.7

12. On 15 December 2023, R8 JCPSP Bidding Documents, including Invitation to Bid, Terms of Reference, and Instructions to Bidders, were submitted to NEA. NEA then issued a Certificate of Conformity No. NEARAO-COC-2024-02 dated 22 March 2024 when it found the R8 JCPSP’s Bidding Documents to be consistent with the latest posted 2023-2032 Power Supply Procurement Plan of the member ECs of the R8 JCPSP. NEA likewise allowed the member ECs of the R8 JCPSP to proceed with the CSP.

13. Thereafter on 6 and 13 April 2024, the Invitation to Bid and Terms of Reference were published in the Manila Bulletin newspaper.

14. There was likewise a local publication under the Leyte Samar Daily Express and the EV Mail.

15. Invitations to power suppliers were also sent through electronic mail and postings were made in the DOE CSP Portal and respective EC websites. 16. On 12 April 2024, Invitations to CSP Observers were sent to attend the Pre-Bid Conference, including NEA, DOE, ERC, consumer representatives, community representatives, interested civil society organizations and consumers, and regional development council for Eastern Visayas.

17. On 23 April 2024, the JBAC conducted its Pre-bid Conference 1. During the Pre-bid Conference 1, the comments and questions submitted by the bidders were reviewed and discussed.

18. On 18 May 2024, Supplemental Bid Bulletin Nos. 03 to 05 were issued and were posted on the DOE CSP Portal. They referred to amendments to the Terms of Reference, amendments to instruction to bidders, and amendments to the draft power supply agreement based on the comments and clarifications from the bidders of Pre-Bid Conference 1.

19. On 22 May 2024, the JBAC conducted the Pre-Bid Conference 2 to provide another opportunity for the bidders to seek clarification on the Bidding Documents and revisions made therein. CSP Observers were invited again.

20. On 08 June 2024, the JBAC issued the Final Instructions to Bidders, Final Terms of Reference, Supplemental Bid Bulletin Nos. 06 and 07 and other documents as requested by bidders in preparation for the submission and opening of bids. Invitations to CSP Observers were sent to attend the submission and opening of bids on 25 to 26 June 2024.

21. On 25 June 2024, bidders submitted their respective bids for Lot 1 and Lot 2. The bids were opened on 25 June 2024 for Lot 1, and on 26 June 2024 for Lot 2 in the presence of JBAC, participating bidders, CSP Observers and an Independent Auditor.

22. On 1 to 3 July 2024, the JBAC conducted a postqualification evaluation of the lowest calculated bids for Lot 1 and Lot 2.

23. On 3 July 2024, the JBAC issued Resolution No. 02, Series of 2024, recommending to the JBOD to award the power supply agreements to the following bidders for Lot 1 for the period of supply of 2024-2033: Bidder Capacity (Lot 1) Therma Luzon Inc. 81 MW Sual Power, Inc. 50 MW KEPCO SPC Power Corp 31 MW

24. Further, the JBAC issued Resolution No. 03, Series of 2024, recommending to the JBOD to award the capacity of 50 MW for the period of supply of 2024-2033 to SPI as the bidder having the lowest calculated responsive bid.

25. Consequently, on 3 July 2024, JBOD approved JBAC’s Recommendation to award the Power Supply Agreements to the bidders with the lowest calculated responsive bids.

26. After its receipt of NEA’s Notice to Issue Award dated 13 August

timely submitted to NEA the finalized draft PSA together with the Board Resolution and the justifications to the changes made in the PSA, for the issuance of the Notice to Execute Agreement. However, it was only on 13 September 2024 when FRECOR 8 received NEA’s Notice to Execute Agreement dated 12 September 2024.

28. Thus, on 13 September 2024, BILECO and SPI executed the Power Supply Agreement (PSA), commencing on the Effectivity Date and from such date, shall remain in force and effect until 25 December 2033 with a contract capacity of 2 MW, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the PSA and upon approval by the ERC.

Except in cases of Force Majeure events, the Seller shall guarantee continuous supply even during Scheduled and Unscheduled

The Seller shall extend PPD equivalent to PhP0.9000/kWh of Associated Energy to the Buyer if full payment of the power bill invoice is made within ten (10) Days from receipt thereof. Provided further, that the Buyer has no outstanding payables to the Seller including any required posting/replenishment of Security Deposit under this Agreement.

The Buyer shall not automatically deduct the PPD from the payment of its current power bill invoice and any unilateral deduction shall be considered a breach of its obligations under this Agreement. The PPD for the current power bill invoice will be made available to the Buyer in the succeeding power bill invoice. The Buyer with an expiring Agreement who is qualified to avail the PPD under its power bill invoice, shall receive its discount upon final settlement and clearance of its Agreement with the Seller

of Associated Energy to the Buyer if full payment of the power bill invoice is made within ten (10) Days from receipt thereof. Provided further, that the Buyer has no outstanding payables to the Seller including any required posting/replenishment of Security Deposit under this Agreement.

The Buyer

Schedule 2 of the PSA Contract Capacity and Contract Energy

ERC CASE NO. 2024-165 RC NOTICE OF VIRTUAL HEARING/16 DECEMBER 2024 PAGE 9 of 19

Schedule 3 of the PSA Electricity Fees

The Buyer shall be allowed to nominate at least 50% of the Contract Capacity per interval divided by twelve (12) on all 5minute Trading Intervals, but at the end of the relevant billing period, the Buyer shall be obligated to pay for the Product at 65% monthly minimum CUF or actual energy purchased, whichever is higher. The Buyer will be billed based on Monthly CUF if, at the end of the billing period and after reconciliation, the nomination falls below the Monthly CUF for reasons other than FM.

Compliance with the Pre-filing Requirements

31. Copies of the foregoing documents and/or information are attached to the Joint Application as annexes and made integral parts hereof:

Annex Documents/Information

"A" Certified True Copy of the (a) Certificate of Registration (b) Certificate of Franchise (c) Articles of Incorporation (d) Constitution and By-laws (e) Company Profile "B" Verified Certification of the EC showing list of Board of Directors of BILECO "C" (a)Power Supply Agreement (PSA) between SPI (b) SPI Sec Amended By-Laws (c) SPI Sec AOI (d) SPI SEC GIS "D"

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ERC CASE NO. 2024-165 RC NOTICE

47. Lastly and corollary to the foregoing, SPI would like to implore the discerning wisdom of the Honorable Commission to include in its issuance for this purpose the “procedures for the handling or returning the confidential information, as appropriate, upon the close of the proceedings or at the end of the period for which the information is to be treated as confidential9”.

48. This is guided by the fact that SPI will seek for the return of these sought to be declared confidential annexes after its utilization as evidence in this case and/or at the close of the proceedings hereof, so as to relieve the Honorable Commission of the burden of safekeeping the trade secrets of SPI enclosed in the subject annexes.

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, premises considered, Joint Applicants BILECO and SPI most respectfully pray that the Honorable Commission:

i. a Provisional Authority of Interim Relief confirm the authority of the Joint Applicants to immediately implement the PSA subject of this case in entirety;

ii. ISSUE an Order treating Annexes “E” and “Q” as confidential in perpetuity, directing its non-disclosure to persons other than the officers and staff of the Honorable Commission, perpetually protecting the said information from public disclosure by maintaining the same separate and apart from the records of the case, ensuring that these are not divulged to unauthorized persons, and that these confidential documents are returned to SPI after the termination of this case pursuant to Rule 4 of its Rules of Practice and Procedure;

iii. After due notice and hearing, ISSUE a Decision approving the instant Joint Application in toto which will thereby allow/authorize BILECO to charge and collect the fees from its customers reckoned from the commencement of the supply to the latter by SPI. Other reliefs just and reasonable under the premises are, likewise, prayed for. The Commission sets the instant Joint Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-Trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on the following dates and online platform for

the Legal Service through legal@erc.ph, their Opposition or Comment thereon at least five (5) calendar days prior to the initial virtual hearing. Rule 9 of the ERC Revised Rules of Practice and Procedure shall govern. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following:

1) The name, mailing address, and e-mail address of such person;

2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon.

All interested parties filing their Petition to Intervene, Opposition or Comment are required to submit the

Whole streets burn as fires rage around Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES— At least five people have been killed in wildfires rampaging around Los Angeles, officials said Wednesday, with firefighters overwhelmed by the speed and ferocity of multiple blazes -including in Hollywood.

Up to 1,500 buildings have burned in fires that have broken out around America’s second biggest city, forcing over 100,000 people from their homes.

Hurricane-force winds whipped up fireballs that leapt from house to house in the upmarket Pacific Pali-

sades area, incinerating a swathe of California’s most desirable real estate favored by Hollywood celebrities.

On Wednesday evening, a new fire erupted in the Hollywood Hills, just a few hundred meters (yards) from the storied Hollywood Boulevard, spark-

ing an evacuation order for the

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said his crews were overwhelmed by the scale and speed of the unfolding disasters.

“We’re doing the very best we can. But no, we don’t have enough fire personnel in LA County between all the departments to handle this,” he said. The fire raging in Pacific Palisades had consumed around 6,500 hectares as of Wednesday afternoon (Thursday in Manila), taking 1,000 homes and businesses with it.

Ukraine allies to hold last defense meet

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany—

Ukraine’s Western allies will gather with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a US base in Germany on Thursday in their last such meeting before Donald Trump returns to the White House in less than two weeks.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to announce a substantial new military aid package for Kyiv at the 25th such talks at Ramstein Air Base that will include representatives from some 50 countries.

Ukrainian president Zelensky only confirmed late Wednesday that he will fly in for the meeting.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas were also expected at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting starting at 1000 GMT alongside Ger-

man Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.

Russian and Ukrainian forces now engaged in fierce fighting in the almost threeyear-old war are looking to secure their battlefield positions before Trump’s January 20 inauguration.

Once back in office, Trump, who has criticised US military aid for Kyiv, has promised to bring a swift end to the war, but without making any concrete proposals for a ceasefire or peace deal.

The United States under President Joe Biden has been Ukraine’s biggest wartime backer, providing military aid worth more than $65 billion since February 2022, and a senior US defence official told journalists this week that a “substantial announcement” on aid is likely to come at the Thursday meeting. AFP

Australia frets over Meta halt to US fact-checking

SYDNEY—Australia is deeply concerned by Meta’s decision to scrap US fact-check operations on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, a senior government minister said Thursday.

Australia -- which has been at the forefront of efforts to rein in social media giants -- was worried about a surge of false information spreading on social media, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

“Misinformation and disinformation is very dangerous, and we’ve seen it really kind of explode in the last few years,” Chalmers told national broadcaster ABC.

“And it’s a very damaging development,

damaging for our democracy. It can be damaging for people’s mental health to get the wrong information on social media, and so of course we are concerned about that.”

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday the group would “get rid of fact-checkers” and replace them with community-based posts, starting in the United States. Chalmers said the decision was “very concerning”.

The government had invested in trusted Australian news providers such as the ABC and national newswire AAP to ensure people had reliable sources for information, he said. AFP

A separate 10,600-acre (4,300-hectare) fire was burning around Altadena, north of the city, where flames tore through suburban streets. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said five people were known to have perished, with more deaths feared.

“Remember, this is still a very fluid situation, there’s zero containment on this fire. I’m really praying we don’t find more, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case,” he said. William Gonzales got out alive, but his Altadena home was gone. AFP

Standard standard standard standard IN

BRIEF

Yakuza leader pleads guilty in US court

NEW YORK—A member of the Japanese yakuza criminal underworld pleaded guilty to handling nuclear material sourced from Myanmar and seeking to sell it to fund an illicit arms deal, US authorities said Wednesday. Yakuza leader Takeshi Ebisawa and co-defendant Somphop Singhasiri had previously been charged in April 2022 with drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and both were remanded. He was then additionally charged in February 2024 with conspiring to sell weapons-grade nuclear material and lethal narcotics from Myanmar, and to purchase military weaponry on behalf of an armed insurgent group, prosecutors said.

The military weaponry to be part of the arms deal included surface-to-air missiles, the indictment alleged.

“As he admitted in federal court today, Takeshi Ebisawa brazenly trafficked nuclear material, including weapons-grade plutonium, out of Burma,” said Acting US attorney Edward Kim, using another name for Myanmar.

“At the same time, he worked to send massive quantities of heroin and methamphetamine to the United States in exchange for heavy-duty weaponry such as surface-to-air missiles to be used on battlefields in Burma.” Prosecutors alleged that Ebisawa, 60, “brazenly” moved material containing uranium and weapons-grade plutonium, alongside drugs, from Myanmar. AFP

37 killed in clashes in northern Syria

DAMASCUS—attles between Turkishbacked groups, supported by air strikes, and Kurdish-led forces killed 37 people on Thursday in Syria’s northern Manbij region, a war monitor said. The latest reported fighting comes despite the United States saying Wednesday that it was working to address Turkey’s concerns in Syria to dissuade the NATO ally from escalating an offensive against Kurdish fighters.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported “fierce battles in the Manbij countryside... in the past hours between the (Kurdish-led) Syrian Democratic Forces and the (Turkish-backed) National Army factions... with Turkish air cover”.

“The attacks killed 37 people in a preliminary toll,” mostly Turkishbacked combatants, but also six SDF fighters and five civilians, said the British-based Observatory with a network of sources inside Syria. The monitor said at least 322 people have been killed in fighting in the Manbij countryside since last month. AFP

HIGH-LEVEL DIPLOMACY. Finland’s Minister of Foreign A airs Elina Valtonen (right) speaks to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) during their meeting in Kyiv on Jan. 8, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy played down concerns over comments by US-President elect Donald Trump that he understood why Russia does not want Ukraine to join the NATO defense alliance. AFP

DEADLY WILDFIRES. A Bank of America is fully engulfed in ames along Lake Ave. during the Eaton re in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, California on Thursday, Manila time. At least ve people are now known to have died in wild res raging around Los Angeles, with more deaths feared, law enforcement said as terrifying blazes

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor

RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor

EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor

PSC transferring to Philsports as Rizal complex rehab continues

By Peter Atencio

THE Philippine Sports Commission

looks forward to relocating its offices and activities to the Philsports Complex in Pasig. This will take place this year, once the government sports agency finalizes its budget and continues doing repairs and makeovers on the facilities to be used by national athletes, their coaches and the national sports associations for their grassroots’ programs.

Chairman Richard Bachmann said the main office of the PSC at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila will be among the facilities undergoing a facelift this year.

Bachmann said the main building has gotten old and has developed cracks from recent earthquakes, with its roofing and elevator now leaking from rainwater.

“We plan to go to Philsports muna, once we start the retrofitting of the PSC building,” said Bachmann.

The agency is prioritizing work to improve the condition of the baseball field at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex as facilities around the field are steadily getting upgrades in order to meet international standards.

This is the second phase of a project that began in September last year.

Back then, the agency started work on putting up a new seven-story dormitory for boxing and pencak silat.

Crafting a maintenance program for facilities that are under the care of the PSC is also in the planning stages.

The agency’s infrastructure plans will become clearer once its budget for this year is finalized.

“We need a maintenance program to maintain all these facilities. If we need a foreign corporation to teach us (how to do this), so be it,” said Bachmann, hinting on a getting foreign consultants to assist the agency in getting the job done.

The agency is also now involved in a partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways in its bid to strengthen multiple infrastructures that will provide the best quality for the welfare of national athletes.

SPORTS

PH world champions in boxing, billiards to be honored by PSA

TWO world champions in boxing and billiards lead the list of major awardees to be feted in the San Miguel CorporationPhilippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night three weeks from now at the grand ballroom of the Manila Hotel.

Pool icons Rubilen Amit and Carlo Biado, along with boxing champions Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran are the recipients of major awards from the country’s oldest media organization which honors the best of 2024 during its traditional awards presentation on Jan. 27.

Amit finally won the WPA Women’s World 9-Ball Championship last year, which Biado followed up by copping the WPA Predator World 10Ball Championship, while Jerusalem reigned as WBC mini-flyweight king, and Taduran regained the IBF minimumweight crown.

Together with them, six others will be given major awards during the star-studded affair co-presented by ArenaPlus, Cignal, and Media Quest.

The six include Daniel Quizon (chess), Rianne Malixi (golf), Tachiana Mangin (taekwondo), John Alvin Guce (horse racing), Batang Manda (horse racing), and Benhur Abalos (horse racing).

Gymnast Carlos Yulo, who achieved an unprecedented double gold medal for the Philippines in the Paris Olympics, shines brightest among all stars as the recipient of the 2024 Athlete of the Year, which serves as highlight of the biggest PSA Awards Night ever made possible by major sponsors Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, PLDT/ Smart, Senator Bong Go, and Januarius Holdings, with backing from the PBA, PVL, 1-Pacman Party List, AcroCity, Rain or Shine, and Akari. Incidentally, both Amit and Biado were one-time recipients of the Ath-

lete of the Year honor in 2009 and 2016, respectively.

Quizon made his mark in chess last year by becoming the country’s 17th Grandmaster during the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Hungary, while Malixi struck in the Women’s Australian Master of the Amateurs, and then achieved back-to-back triumphs in the US Girls’ Junior and the US

Women’s Amateur, respectively, to soar at a high No. 5 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

For her part, the 16-year-old Mangin bagged the gold in the women’s -49kgs of the World Taekwondo Juniors Championships in Chuncheon, South Korea.

Meanwhile the trio of Guce, Batang Manda, and Abalos made

Philippines, Japan strengthen volleyball ties

THE Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and Japan Volleyball Association (JVA) vowed to continue to strengthen their partnership as they look to raise the profile of the sport in the continent.

Japan Minister and Consul General Takahiro Hanada led the turnover of volleyball supplies from the JVA on Thursday at the new PNVF Office at The Bonifacio Prime in Taguig City and Asian Volleyball Confederation president and FIVB executive vice president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, also the PNVF chief, expressed gratitude as the Philippines gets another big boost nine months ahead of its hosting of the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championships.

“With the sport seeing recordbreaking attendances and emerging talents, I believe our cooperation

comes at an exciting time for volleyball’s culture,” Hanada said.

“We eagerly take this opportunity to support the Philippines’ emerging volleyball scene… We are proud to

Chances, opportunities

The Designated Kit Man Erel Cabatbat

IN a rare opportunity, The Designated Kit Man was able to talk with John Gutierrez, president of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). I will not discuss the past, but rather more on the future. The future of the Philippine Women’s Futsal Team (PWFT) for starters and their forthcoming campaign in the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Last Wednesday, the PFF officially announced the composition of the PWFT. Sheen Borres, Shelah Mae Cadag, Sara Castañeda, Judy Connolly, Alisha Del Campo, Isabella Falnigan, Catherine Graversen, Kartina Guillou and Sanuera, Samantha Hughes. Joining them on the squad, too, are Rocelle Mendaño, Vren-

have this equipment in the hands of young and eager Filipinos,” Hanada added. “It is my hope that these volleyballs play a vital part in fueling the dreams and connections of the

delle Nuera, Regine Rebosora, Kayla Santiago and Dionesa Tolentin. The PWFT will compete against quality opponents such as Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Australia in Group C of the continental qualifiers from January 11 to 19, 2025. Barcelona-born Rafa Merino Rodriguez will call the shots, while former youth team coordinator Patrick Valenzuela is the team manager.

Of the Pinay5, the team managed by Danny Moran and helmed by coach Vic Hermans, that competed in the ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship held last November, only Santiago, Hughes, Graversen, Del Campo, and Nuera made it to the Uzbekistan tournament.

Rather than dwell on the issues surrounding the PWFT off the futsal court before 2024 ended, Gutierrez said the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) chose to remain silent to shield the players from the controversies so that they can concentrate on the Asian Cup qualifiers. Gutierrez reiterated that the main goal is

Philippines’ youth.” Suzara expressed gratitude as the PNVF gets a huge help in its efforts to discover talent and at the same time expand the viewership of the sport.

“The Philippines is a volleyball country,” Suzara said. “That’s our main slogan now.”

“These equipment will fuel the enthusiasm of young players in the provinces… These balls will reach many young players in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon,” Suzara said as he thanked Hanada and the JVA for continued support.

“We appreciate Japan’s continuing support of Asian volleyball and we hope to continue this relationship with Japan not only in terms of equipment but also coaching, national team training camps and even management.”

to qualify for the AFC Championships, even if the Philippines has already qualified to the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup 2025 as the host nation. Gutierrez expressed confidence that the team will do well in the Asian Cup Qualifiers.

“It’s not nearly enough time for an AFC qualifier, but we are going into this tournament, at least in my mind and in the mind of the coaching staff, with the strongest possible combination we have in the country and out,” he said during my one on one interview with him.

I asked him his expectations from the team that was barely in existence less than two weeks ago.

“We expect to win the group and continue to the next round,” he said confidently.

So the next question was is this the final team that will eventually play in the Futsal World Cup?

“If the (FIFA Women’s Futsal) World Cup is in two weeks, this would be the team. However, we still have 10-11 months of preparation. These players will still have to fight for their spot or to keep their spot in the national team,” he explained.

He also clarified that choosing who will eventually play in the biggest futsal event this year will be based entirely on merit, nothing more, nothing less.

their presence felt in the wonderful world of horse racing.

Guce emerged as Jockey of the Year, Batang Manda as Horse of the Year including winning the rich and prestigious Philracom-PCSO Presidential Gold Cup at Metro Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas, while Abalos won the Horse Owner of the Year award.

Rassohyna oozing with confidence

ALYONA Rassohyna boasts of tons of confidence entering her ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Title fight against Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga this weekend.

The pair will duke it out in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 27 this Saturday, January 11, from inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, to see who gets to unify belts with divisional queen Stamp Fairtex.

Rassohyna believes her diverse skill set will give her the upper hand against the pride of Quezon City, Philippines –noting how her previous battles with reigning atomweight queen Stamp proved that.

“I call myself a well-rounded fighter because I can work both in stand-up and grappling. That was confirmed in my last two fights with Stamp,” she said.

Zamboanga might have impressed others with her striking, particularly with her boxing, but not Rassohyna.

She believes “The Menace” expectedly looked good against fighters who weren’t on her level when it comes to the stand-up game.

Add to that the fact that Rassohyna spent six rounds with Stamp in two different fights and was never finished on the feet gives her the confidence that she can handle the Filipina’s striking.

“Again, we are not going to choose based on sentiments or emotional attachments. They have to be in tip-top shape, on their toes, 100% performance. Otherwise, if somebody else, who is better, comes along then the coaching staff might just decide to replace them. This is just being professional,” Gutierrez explained.

In order to get the best possible futsal players in the country, Gutierrez said he will ask the 35 regional football associations in the country to nominate their best two futsal players, who will join the technical ID camp in Manila after the Uzbekistan qualifiers.

“By February 1, we are going to have a camp composed of anybody who’s interested in serving the country by playing for the World Cup,” he said. He maintained that being included in the Tashkent tournament is not an assurance of clinching a spot in November.

“At any given time, any spot will be given to somebody else who puts in more work, more sacrifices and who wants it more,” Gutierrez maintained. Gutierrez remained mum on the fallout with Moran and Hermans.

An insider within the PFF, however, had several things to say on what transpired leading to the removal of Moran,

Hermans and several players on the team.

The source said contrary to earlier claims, the PFF was in fact in constant communication with Hermans and company. The PFF recommended to Pinay5 four new players to strengthen the team. Hermans and Moran refused and allegedly insisted on bringing the same team to Uzbekistan, despite not winning a single game in the ASEAN tournament. The source maintained that the PFF needs to send a strong team in Tashkent, but the people behind Pinay5 allegedly insisted “take all or no one at all.” “Pakyawan ang gusto nila,” the source explained.

The source also claimed that the PFF even went to team captain Isabella Bandoja and three other players a day before Christmas to offer them slots in the new team, even if they couldn’t join the camp due to the Christmas season. All the PFF asked was for the four to commit to the team. Bandoja and the three others refused. For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at erel_cabatbat@yahoo.com or follow his account at Twitter: @erelcabatbat

(For full text of column, go to manilastandard.net)

Biado Jerusalem Taduran

FIVB Executive Vice President and AVC and AVC president Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara and Japan Minister and Consul General Takahiro Hanada with Alas Pilipinas members Thea Gagate, Dawn Catindig, Vince Lorenzo and EJ Casaña

World billiards’ champions Rubilen Amit (above) and Carlo Biado, along with world boxing titlists Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran will be honored by the PSA during its traditional awards’ presentation on Jan. 27.

BUSINESS

By Alena Mae S. Flores

“We

rates,” he said.

WESM operator Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippine said that for the December 2024 billing month, the rates were driven by a combination of higher supply and lower demand across all regions.

Data showed that on a systemwide level, average supply increased 3.4 percent or 658 megawatts in the December billing, reaching 20,150 megawatts, while average demand went down by 2.8 percent or 384 MW to 13,275 MW.

IEMOP said the supply and demand dynamics led to a 21.9-percent reduction in the system average price, which dropped to P3.45 per kilowatthour from P4.42 per kWh.

Fitch unit

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is likely to slash interest rates by 25 basis points at its next meeting in February 2025, BMI, a Fitch Solutions Company, said Thursday.

“The BSP is still on track to deliver another 25bps cut at its next meeting. But broadly speaking, we think that the pace of easing will slow against the backdrop of a more hawkish Fed,” BMI said in a report.

The Monetary Board is scheduled to hold its first meeting of the year on Feb. 20.

“To be clear, we think that the BSP

THE Philippines incurred a trade deficit of $4.77 billion in November 2024 as merchandise exports tumbled 8.7 percent, deeper than the 4.9-percent decrease in imports.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the trade deficit in the first 11 months of 2024 reached $49.96 billion, wider than the $48.41-billion gap registered in the same period in 2023. Export sales in November amounted to $5.69 billion, down 8.7 percent from $6.23 billion a year ago. This brought total exports from January to November to $67.55 billion, down 0.4 percent from $67.83 billion in the same period in 2023.

By commodity group, electronic products remained the country’s top exports in November with total earnings of $2.79 billion or 48.9 percent of the total.

By major type of goods, exports of manufactured goods contributed the largest to the total exports in November 2024, amounting to $4.43 billion. This was followed by mineral products with $563.17 million and agrobased products which contributed $539.32 million. Exports to the United States comprised the highest export value amounting to $969.09 million. It was followed by Japan with $916.12 million and China $786.35 million.

will frontload interest rate cuts to support the economy. But its hands are tied when it comes to the extent of its loosening cycle,” BMI said.

Given this, BMI revised its Philippine policy rate forecast from 4.50 percent to 5 percent in 2025.

“This would represent 50 bps fewer rate cuts compared to our previous projection,” BMI said.

“We are only projecting about 75 bps of cuts this year, with 50bps in the first half and the remaining 25 bps in the second half,” it said. BMI said the constraint emanates from the US Federal Reserve which clearly signaled its appetite for fewer cuts this year.

“The Fed has dialed back on its own projections for interest rate cuts following Trump’s return to the White House. Our team believes that monetary settings in the US will remain restrictive and are expecting just 100 bps of cuts in 2025 compared to 150 bps previously,” it said.

BMI said the BSP’s room for significant interest rate cuts is limited compared to the Fed, given the need

By Jenniffer B. Austria

CHINA Banking Corp. said Thursday its plans to raise up to P100 billion from the debt market over the next three years to support expansion.

China Bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board of directors approved the bank’s plan to raise fresh funds via issuances of retail bonds and commercial papers or both.

The debt papers will be issued in several tranches. “The proceeds shall be used to support the bank’s strategic initiatives and expansion programs,” China Bank said.

China Bank issued retails bonds worth P20 billion in February 2021 as second tranche from its P45-billion bond program launched in 2020.

China Bank, one the banking units of conglomerate SM Investments Corp., booked a record net income of P18.4 billion in nine months of 2024 on the back of sustained growth from core businesses.

Operating income rose 14 percent year-on-year to P46.3 billion, driven by higher interest income from loans, securities and other investments, coupled with growth in transaction-based income. Net interest margin improved to 4.4 percent.

MEDICAL SCHOOL. iPeople, an education joint venture between Ayala Corp. and the House of Investments, launches the Mapua School of Medicine, the newest medical school in the country. Leading the event are Ayala Corp. chairman Jaime Zobel de Ayala and House of Investments chairperson Helen Yuchengco Dee and director Yvonne Yuchengco. The Mapúa School of Medicine was established in collaboration with Arizona State University and Cintana Education.

Source: Facebook Page of Jaime Zobel de Ayala.

China Bank chief finance officer Patrick Cheng earlier said the bank aimed to expand its loan book by 10 percent to 12 percent annually amid growing demand for both consumer and corporate credit.

China Bank is the country’s fourth largest private domestic bank with assets of P1.6 trillion as of end-September 2024. Its loan portfolio hit P871.6 billion, up 14 percent from a year ago, as both business and consumer lending segments grew. It has a nationwide network of more than 648 branches and 1,069 automated teller machines.

to maintain external stability.

“This is not to say that the BSP must match the Fed’s timing when it comes to cuts. The BSP has clearly demonstrated that it is prepared to act independently. For example, the bank cut its benchmark policy rate ahead of the Fed last August. We think that this time it will be similar, with the BSP enacting the bulk of its policy rate cuts in the first half and the Fed in the second half,” BMI said. The BSP ended the year with a 25bps cut on Dec. 19. The central bank delivered a quarter-percentage-point cut at every meeting since August, taking the benchmark policy rate from 6.50 percent to 5.75 percent in the course of 2024.

IN BRIEF

THE government is set to privatize the 796.64-megawatt Caliraya-BotocanKalayaan (CBK) hydroelectric power plant complex in Lumban, Majayjay and Kalayaan Laguna in April 2025.

The CBK is the oldest hydropower plant complex in the country.

Department of Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, who also sits as the vicechairman of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., said the CBK privatization was postponed due to the delayed price determination methodology for the third round of the Green Energy Auction.

“The price determination methodology was supposed to have already

been acted upon by ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission] in October but chairman Dimalanta was suspended by the Ombudsman and that cascaded in all the delays and therefore that’s why we had to, we could not proceed with it,” Lotilla said. “Because the concern that had to be addressed was how to maximize the value of CBK. So it’s not PSALM’s fault. PSALM would have been able to privatize that even without GEA-3, but the concern of the Department of Finance was to enhance the privatization value of CBK, and that’s why

got delayed,”

HERITAGE IN FLIGHT. Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco attends Cebu Pacific

Air’s ‘Heritage in Flight’ event on Jan. 8, 2025 at the Balmori Tent, Rockwell, Makati City. The event is a celebration of tourism and Filipino cultural heritage. Frasco lauded Cebu Pacific’s platform for promoting the nation’s community of weavers, emphasizing its role in sustaining Filipino identity while creating economic opportunities.

been granted an exclusive franchise by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to operate electric light and power services to one (1) City and Five (5) municipalities of Leyte, namely: Baybay City, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato, and Matalom. A copy of applicant LEYECO IV’s Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Certificate of Franchise is hereto attached as Annex “A”.

1. Applicant SPI is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, represented in this instance by its General Manager, Elenita D. Go, of legal age with office address at 5th Floor C5 Office Building Complex, No. 100 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, C5 Road, Bo. Ugong, Pasig City, Philippines, where Applicant SPI may be served with notices and other processes of this Honorable Commission through its Counsel at the address indicated herein.; 2. SPI is the Administrator1 of the IPP – Administration Agreement (the “IPP-AA”) executed between SPI and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (“PSALM”) with the conformity of the National Power Corporation (“NPC”) for the management and control of the 1000 MW Net Contracted Capacity of the Sual Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant ( the “Plant”);

3. The Joint Applicants may be served with the orders,

4. The

Application for

of

(“PSA”)

is being submitted to the Honorable Commission for its review and approval pursuant to Sections 252 and 45(b)3 of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (the “EPIRA”), Rules 5, Section 4(e)4 and 11, Section 55 of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), Rule 20(B) of its Rules of Practice and Procedure, and other pertinent rules and regulations and ; STATEMENT OF FACTS

5. Section 23 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) mandates that a distribution utility has the obligation to supply electricity in the least cost manner to its captive market, subject to collection of retail rate duly approved by this Honorable Commission. In relation to this, Section 45 (b) of the EPIRA expressly allows distribution utilities to enter into bilateral power supply contracts subject to the review of this Honorable Commission. The same are consistent with the State’s policy to ensure the quality, reliability, security, and affordability of the supply of electric power.

BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS

6. Through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), ten (10) Electric Cooperatives (EC) of Region 8 agreed to conduct a joint procurement for their baseload requirement for the period of 2024 to 2033. The joint procurement was referred to as the Region 8 Joint Competitive Power Supply Procurement (R8 JCPSP). LEYECO IV is a member EC under R8 JCPSP.

7. Under the MOA, the Federation of Rural Electric Cooperatives in Region 8 Association, Inc. (FRECOR 8) was tasked to supervise and facilitate the transaction process, documentary requirements, and operational coordination among the member ECs of the R8 JCPSP.

8. A Joint Board of Directors (JBOD) was also created composed of General Managers and Board Presidents of the member ECs, which acts as the governing and policy-making body of the R8 JCPSP.

9. The JBOD passed Board Resolution No. 2023-11-002, Series of 2023 constituting the R8 Joint Bids and Awards Committee (JBAC) for the R8 JCPSP. A Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) and a Joint Secretariat were also created.

10. The R8 JCPSP was for the procurement of an aggregate power supply of 190 MW, divided into two (2) lots: Lot 1 for 162 MW, which commences in 2024, and Lot 2 for 28 MW, which commences in 2027. The R8 JCPSP followed the policy and rules prescribed under the Department of Energy (DOE) Department Circular No. DC2023-06-0021, and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Resolution No. 16, Series of 2023.

11. On 15 December 2023, R8 JCPSP Bidding Documents were submitted to NEA. NEA then issued a Certificate of Conformity No. NEA-RAOCOC-2024-02 dated 22 March 2024 when found the R8 JCPSP’s Bidding Documents to be consistent with the latest posted 2023-2032 Power Supply Procurement Plan of the member ECs of the R8 JCPSP. NEA likewise allowed the member ECs of the R8 JCPSP to proceed with the CSP.

12. Thereafter on 6 and 13 April 2024, the Invitation to Bid and Terms of Reference were published in the Manila Bulletin newspaper.

13. There was likewise a local publication under the Leyte Samar Daily Express and the EV Mail. Invitations to power suppliers were also sent through electronic mail and postings were made in the DOE CSP Portal and respective EC websites.

14. On 12 April 2024, Invitations to CSP Observers were sent to attend the PreBid Conference, including NEA, DOE, ERC, consumer representatives, community representatives, interested civil society organizations and consumers, and the Regional Development Council for Eastern Visayas.

15. On 23 April 2024, the JBAC conducted its Pre-bid Conference 1. During the Pre-bid Conference 1, the comments and questions submitted by the bidders were reviewed and discussed.

16. On 18 May 2024, Supplemental Bid Bulletin Nos. 03 to 05 were issued and were posted on the DOE CSP Portal. They referred to amendments to the Terms of Reference, amendments to instruction to bidders, and amendments to the draft power supply agreement based on the comments and clarifications from the bidders of Pre-Bid Conference 1.

17. On 22 May 2024, the JBAC conducted the Pre-Bid Conference 2 to provide another opportunity for the bidders to seek clarification on the Bidding Documents and revisions made therein. CSP Observers were invited again.

18. On 08 June 2024, the JBAC issued the Final Instructions to Bidders, Final Terms of Reference, Supplemental Bid Bulletin Nos. 06 and 07 and other documents as requested by bidders in preparation for the submission and opening of bids. Invitations to CSP Observers were sent to attend the submission and opening of bids on 25 to 26 June 2024.

19. On 25 June 2024, bidders submitted their respective bids for Lot 1 and Lot 2. The bids were opened on June 25, 2024 for Lot 1 and on June 26, 2024 for Lot 2 in the presence of JBAC, participating bidders, CSP Observers and an Independent Auditor.

20. On 1 to 3 July 2024, the JBAC conducted a post-qualification evaluation of the lowest calculated bids for Lot 1 and Lot 2.

21. On 3 July 2024, the JBAC issued Resolution No. 02, Series of 2024, recommending to the JBOD to award the power supply agreements to the following bidders for Lot 1 for the period of supply of 2024-2033: Bidder Capacity (Lot 1) Therma Luzon Inc. 81 MW Sual Power, Inc. 50 MW KEPCO SPC Power Corp 31 MW

22. Further, the JBAC issued Resolution No. 03, Series of 2024, recommending to the JBOD to award the capacity of 28 MW for Lot 2 for the period of supply of 2027-2033 to SPI as the bidder having the lowest calculated responsive bid.

23. Consequently, on 3 July 2024, JBOD approved JBAC’s Recommendation to award the Power Supply Agreements to the bidders with the lowest calculated responsive bids for Lot 1 and Lot 2 through JBOD Resolution No. 2024-07-001 and 2024-007-002, respectively.

24. After its receipt of NEA’s Notice to Issue Award dated 13 August 2024 last 14 August 2024, on 19 August 2024, the JBAC

governmental authorizations (except ERC) which are required to have been obtained in connection with the execution, delivery, and commencement of performance of this Agreement, shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect. Within five (5) Days after the satisfaction of the conditions referred to in this Section, each Party shall send a written notice to the other Party confirming satisfaction of such conditions. Within five (5) Days from receipt of written notice from the Seller, the Buyer shall then inform the Seller of the Effective Date, which date shall be confirmed by the Seller. (d) Contract Capacity. The capacity,

clearly be thwarted if it is compelled to disclose such information;

42. Accordingly, SPI submits one (1) copy of Annexes “E” and “Q”, in a sealed envelope, with the said envelope and each page of the documents and/ or information stamped with the word “Confidential”.

43. Lastly and corollary to the foregoing, SPI would like to implore the discerning wisdom of the Honorable Commission to include in its issuance for this purpose the “procedures for the handling or returning the confidential information, as appropriate, upon the close of the proceedings or at the end of the period for which the information is to be treated as confidential7

44. This is guided by the fact that SPI will seek for the return of these sought to be declared confidential annexes after its utilization as evidence in this case and/or at the close of the proceedings hereof, so as to relieve the Honorable Commission of the burden of safekeeping the trade secrets of SPI enclosed in the subject annexes.

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, premises considered, Joint Applicants LEYECO IV and SPI most respectfully pray that the Honorable Commission:

i. Pending trial on the merits, GRANT Provisional Authority or Interim Relief allowing the implementation of the PSA between LEYECO IV and SPI in entirety, reckoned from the start of the supply by SPI to LEYECO IV under the PSA subject of this Joint Application;

ii. ISSUE an Order treating Annexes “E” and “Q” as confidential in perpetuity, directing its non-disclosure to persons other than the officers and staff of the Honorable Commission, perpetually protecting the said information from public disclosure by maintaining the same separate and apart from the records of the case,

Puregold’s gross revenues surpassed P130b in 2024

By Othel V. Campos

Puregold Price Club Inc. reported P137.8 billion in gross revenues in 2024, according to a thirdparty report.

Puregold Price Club Inc. president Ferdinand Vincent Co noted Puregold’s dominance in the supermarket industry.

“Reaching P137.8 billion in gross revenues is a milestone that reflects the trust of our customers and the hard work of our entire team. This achievement

inspires us to keep innovating, improving efficiency, and delivering value to our customers, partners, and shareholders,” he said in a statement.

The company operates over 600 sites including Puregold Stores, S&R Membership Shopping Warehouses and S&R New York Style Pizza outlets.

The company’s extensive footprint has been a key driver of revenue, supported by programs that truly benefits customers.

Initiatives like “Mas Pinababang Presyo Araw-Araw,” “Hakot Every 1,” and the Tindahan Ni Aling Puring (TNAP) loyalty program for micro-entrepreneurs have played a significant role in sustaining

customer trust and driving sales growth.

The company posted a consolidated net income of P6.9 billion in the first nine months of 2024, up 4.5 percent year-onyear. Same-store sales growth contributed to its performance, with Puregold Stores achieving a 3.5-percent increase and S&R Warehouse Clubs posting a 4.1 percent gain. Despite inflationary pressures that tempered revenue growth among the country’s largest corporations to 7.2 percent in 2023, Puregold’s ability to maintain its upward trajectory highlights its strong fundamentals and strategic focus, the company said.

BOI approves P2.3-b modernization program for ICTSI Visayas

terminal

THE Board of Investments (BOI) granted International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) a certificate of registration for the modernization, management and operation of the P2.35-billion Visayan Container Terminal (VCT).

The project will transform the old Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC) into a state-of-the-art facility and contribute to regional economic growth and competitiveness.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo emphasized the project’s alignment with the government’s vision to modernize port operations and logistics services.

PH stocks climb above 6,500 on last-minute buying

By Jenniffer B. Austria

“This initiative is vital to our national development, facilitating the movement of goods and people across our islands and strengthening our position in international trade,” he said.

The initiative is part of a 25-year Port Terminal Management Contract between the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and ICTSI.

Modernization efforts include investments in advanced cargo handling equipment, cuttingedge information technology systems, and enhanced civil infrastructure, setting a new standard for service quality in the region.

Upgrades have expanded existing berths to accommodate large foreign vessels and increased cargo capacity as part of the 25-year modernization program.

An important aspect is the deployment of mobile harbor cranes (MHCs) with a 46-meter reach and a 100-ton lifting capacity, suitable for containerized, bulk, general, and project cargo.

The modernized port is expected to generate over 3,000 jobs, directly and indirectly benefiting the region.

Improved operational efficiency, expanded cargo handling capabilities and enhanced connectivity promise to attract new investments across Panay and neighboring areas.

The project supports the PPA’s port modernization program, which aims to elevate port facilities and services to international standards. Othel V. Campos

PHILIPPINE stocks closed higher Thursday after trading in the red for most of the morning session. The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 14.85 points, or 0.23 percent, on last minute buying to close at

Statistician of the PhilSys Registry Office, assistant secretary Rosalinda Bautista (third from left), regional director of Regional Statistical Services Office - Cordillera Administrative Region Villafe Alibuyog (second from right) and Tublay, Benguet Mayor Armando Lauro (center) attend the ceremonial contract signing for the municipality’s use of National ID authentication services on Dec. 16, 2024. The partnership marks the use of the National ID authentication service, specifically the electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC), in the municipality’s Registry of Barangay Inhabitants (RBI) System, which covers all the eight barangays of the municipality with 19,429 residents.

TRANSPORT

DOTr wants major infra projects completed by 2028

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to complete big-ticket infrastructure projects before the end of the Marcos administration in 2028, despite facing implementation challenges.

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency has 69 transport infrastructure projects out of the 186 approved by the National Economic and Development Authority.

Bautista identified the North-South Commuter Railway, Metro Manila Subway, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 4, MRT 7, LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project, PNR South Long Haul, Cebu International Container Port, New Cebu International Container Port and New Dumaguete Airport as among the agency’s top priorities.

The transport chief expects the NorthSouth Commuter Railway to be partially operational by the end of 2028.

A flagship project under the Build Better More Program, the NSCR is a mega railway network spanning 148 kilometers, with 37 stations and 464 train cars and encompassing three segments—the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos), PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) and PNR Calamba (Solis-Calamba).

The mass transport project, which stretches across 26 cities and municipalities within the three regions of Central Luzon, National Capital Region and CALABARZON, is expected to serve over a million passengers daily.

2GO optimistic on sustaining growth this year

2GO, the Philippines’ leading logistics and sea travel solutions provider, is poised for sustained growth in 2025 following a year of significant transformation in 2024.

“We are building on the solid foundation we established in 2024 to achieve even greater success in 2025,” Frederic C. DyBuncio, president and chief executive of 2GO said.

“With the support of our stakeholders and the dedication of our team, we are ready to tackle new challenges, seize opportunities, and continue delivering exceptional value to our customers and partners,” he added.

In 2024, 2GO launched a groundbreaking ship re-fleeting program, introducing state-of-theart vessels that significantly boosted operational efficiency, expanded cargo capacity by 35 percent, improved passenger comfort, and enabled route expansions to Davao and General Santos City. This initiative underscores 2GO’s commitment to delivering enhanced services while connecting more businesses and communities across the Philippines.

The company also strengthened its retail network, particularly in the Visayas region, fostering increased trade within and beyond the area. With solutions tailored to diverse customer needs, from less-than-container-load (LCL) temperature-controlled shipments to reliable package and parcel services, 2GO’s offerings continue to cater to a wide range of logistical requirements. Collaboration was key to 2GO’s success in 2024. The company partnered with key organizations and events, including IRONMAN Philippines and the Department of Tourism, aligning itself with the Filipino Brand of Service. It also teamed up with Cebu Pacific to enhance cargo scanning processes for air forwarding.

It is also envisioned to enhance connectivity and mobility and provide the commuting public with long-lasting comfort and convenience.

The project aims to reduce travel time between Clark, Pampanga and Calamba, Laguna to two hours and service over 800,000 passengers daily once operational.

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), however, is expected to become fully operational by end of 2029.

The MMSP is the first underground railway system in the Philippines and a flagship project under the “Build, Better, More” program of the Marcos Administration.

Spanning 33 kilometers across eight local governments units in Metro Manila and passing through three central business districts, the MMSP is an expansive system that will be interconnected with LRT-1, MRT-3 and MRT-7 at the Common Station, LRT-2 at Anonas Station and a physical run through into the NSCR-EX at FTI and Bicutan Stations

While acknowledging challenges including right-of-way acquisition, securing adequate funding, relocating affected communities, managing utility relocations and addressing property registration issues, Bautista said the agency is actively working to overcome these obstacles.

He said one of the biggest problems is the issue of “right-of-way” (ROW). The agency presented solutions to the Cabinet to ensure that all projects would be implemented before the President’s term ends.

“We are working to keep the project on track,” he said.

Bautista said the government formed an inter-agency committee under Administrative Order No. 19 issued by the President last year. The body is called the Inter-Agency Committee for ROW Activities for National Railway Projects.

This is composed of DOTr, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General.

Most of the projects being implemented started during the previous administrations when issues already existed and needed resolutions. Darwin G. Amojelar

PAL expands Cebu hub with new link to Catarman, Siargao

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) is further

boosting its network hub in Cebu by introducing a new Cebu-Catarman route and mounting more frequent flights between Cebu and Siargao.

From March 1, the flag carrier is pioneering a thrice weekly service to link Cebu with Catarman City, the capital of Northern Samar and one of the leading commercial and educational centers in Eastern Visayas.

Likewise from March 1, PAL is ramping up its popular Cebu-Siargao services by adding midmorning flights on Wednesdays and Sundays, for a total of 18 weekly flights between Cebu and Siargao Island, the surfing capital of the Philippines and home to pristine beaches, white sand islets and hidden lagoons.

“Philippine Airlines is happy to upgrade services to Catarman through this new link from Cebu. Samar residents and travelers will now have better access to Cebu, and the new route

will also give Cebuanos more options to visit Northern Samar,” said PAL Express President Mr. Rabbi Ang. “The new Cebu hub services to Catarman and Siargao are part of our continuing commitment to enhance inter-island connectivity, boosting tourism and stimulating business.”

“We are glad to partner with the Northern Samar government authorities and the local community in helping build up air travel to support the success of this new route to Catarman,” he added.

The Cebu-Catarman flights will operate with the 86-seater De Havilland Dash 8 Series 400 Next Generation aircraft, offering near-jet speeds and quieter comfort than comparable aircraft.

Travelers from Catarman City may use PAL’s Cebu hub to connect conveniently to Caticlan (Boracay), Clark, Busuanga (Coron), Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa and Siargao.

Ninja Van teams up with URC to enhance product distribution

NLEX spreads holiday cheer to communities

IN THE true spirit of the season, NLEX Corporation held gift-giving initiatives for its host communities along NLEX, SCTEX, and NLEX Connector.

NLEX employees and NLEX Road Warriors team members brought joy and entertainment to the elderly people at Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly in San Juan, Manila, and Emmaus House of Apostolate in Malolos, Bulacan. In addition to the sacks of rice, milk, pantry supplies and toiletries, serenades and dance performances added to the festive cheer.

The tollway company also spread Christmas warmth to children during orphanage visits. Electric fans, toys, toiletries, assorted food items, school supplies, monoblack chairs, long tables, and undergarments were donated to Send the Light Foundation Orphanage in Mabalacat, Pampanga; Navotas Bahay Pag-asa; and Tahanang Mapagkalinga ni Madre Rita, Inc. in Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Guiguinto. The latter was also the beneficiary of the NLEX Toys for Tots donation drive, a traditional gift-giving initiative of all NLEX employees.

In appreciation of the continued partnership, Christmas baskets were also given to SCTEX community farm volunteers, the barangay councils of the NLEX, SCTEX, and NLEX Connector host communities, and the NLEX Tullahan River clean-up volunteers. To help the Tullahan volunteers in the monthly clean-up, the tollway company also donated heavy-duty life vests with whistles, paddles, a boat, and a fiberglass extension ladder.

TECH-ENABLED logistics company

Ninja Van Philippines is working with Universal Robina Corporation (URC), one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage companies in the country, for the efficient restocking and distribution of URC products in key regions.

Under the trial phase of the partnership, Ninja Van is utilizing Ninja Restock - its flagship B2B logistics service - to pick up, sort, and then distribute various URC products to key retail points in South Luzon. Ninja Restock leverages Ninja Van’s e-commerce express logistics network to enable URC to serve a variety of retail touchpoints - from bigbox retailers like malls to low-volume, small-door formats like convenience stores and local grocery stores.

“Ninja Restock is an innovation that aims to help fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies and other big brands to stay agile with the evolving nature of retail distribution,” Ninja Van Philippines Country head Vin Perez said.

“Current models of distribution are beset with a lot of inefficiencies, and are unable to serve ever-smaller retail doors like convenience stores, drugstores, and local groceries,” he added.

With Restock, Ninja Van is now able to co-load and deliver direct-to-store to major retailers’ branches across South Luzon - a boon to many manufactures and brands who usually have to endure longer wait times to fill a full truckload (FTL) before they could restock various stores. “Even if it’s just one case, or one pallet, you need to send out, you can co-load with other products, pay only for the space you need, and we can get to your desired destination more speedily,” Perez added.

Christmas baskets were distributed to senior citizens in Brgy. 368, Sta Cruz, Manila, while boxes of maintenance medicines and fruits were given to senior citizens in Brgy. 500, Sampaloc, Manila.

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista

MOA Arena scores big as sports venue of the year

THE SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena was named Sports Venue of the Year at the 6th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards. The world-class venue for sports, entertainment, and cultural events was recognized for its significant role in hosting premier local and international sporting events.

Arnel Gonzales, senior assistant vice president and general manager of the SM MOA Arena, received the

WITNESSING

self-made entrepreneur

Angely Dub grow Access Travel into a thriving business through celebrity reviews while simultaneously pursuing and sharing her personal growth online has been inspiring.

I have been following her on Instagram for quite a number of years already, and she truly embodies the spirit of confidence, adventure, and self-improvement a woman would aspire to have. Her insights are valuable for anyone looking to make positive changes in their lives.

The Cosmo Women of Influence 2024 awardee’s passion for travel led her to found Access Travel, a travel agency that has helped countless individuals explore the world.

Angely is a graduate of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and recently earned her Master’s degree in Customer Experience and Innovation from IE University in Madrid, Spain.

The businesswoman and content creator’s dedication to empowering others extends beyond the travel industry, as evidenced by her growing podcast, Life in Progress. This is an online platform where she shares her experiences and insights to inspire personal growth.

In a recent episode of Life in Progress, Angely shared some powerful advice for navigating 2025.

Here’s a rough breakdown of her key tips: Stop people-pleasing

One of Angely’s core messages is the importance of shedding the need to please others. She highlights how this behavior often stems from fear and insecurity.

“Why do we people-please?

Because we are scared,” she explains.

“I think people underestimate the power of being ourselves. You know, when you know yourself, it’s so easy to say no to all the things you don’t want to do.” And if we think about it, there is so much power in that.

Angely emphasizes that it’s simply not feasible to please everyone, given the diversity of perspectives and experiences in the world.

“Everyone is different because we all have different backgrounds, we all have different jobs, we all have different traumas, we all have different experiences,” she says.

“So, it’s impossible to please everyone.”

Instead of seeking external validation, Angely encourages focusing on self-awareness and

award during the ceremony, which highlighted the venue’s contribution to positioning the Philippines as a hub for global sports tourism.

Since its inauguration, the SM MOA Arena has hosted numerous landmark sporting events. Among its milestones is the NBA Global Games in 2013, featuring the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets. It has also served as a venue for the International

Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Championships, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fight Night in 2015, and the International Premier Tennis League.

In 2023, the arena was a key site for the FIBA Basketball World Cup group and final stages, where Germany clinched victory against Serbia. Earlier that year, it hosted the Volleyball Nations League (VNL),

drawing global volleyball fans.

On the domestic front, the arena has been the stage for annual tournaments such as the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), and the Philippine Volleyball League (PVL). It has also embraced e-sports, hosting tournaments for games like Dota 2 and

Angely Dub’s guide to leveling up life in 2025

embracing your true self.

“Learn how to love your own company.

Learn how to celebrate your own success,”

she advises. “Yes, other people can be your audience, but your first audience is yourself.” Fix your finances

Financial awareness is another crucial aspect of Angely’s advice for personal growth. She urges listeners to understand their spending habits and plan for the future.

“It’s okay to be spontaneous,”

she explains. However, for Angely, spontaneity in spending is a privilege we should indulge in only after ensuring that important expenses and savings have been covered first.

Angely cautions against falling prey to impulsive spending driven by social media trends or fleeting desires.

“You always need to compare. Can I afford to buy that?” she says. “Compare your finances to the income bracket of those you see on social media. Because we can’t just add everything we see on social media to our cart.”

It is refreshing to see someone with so much influence reminding us not to be easily swayed by what celebrities or what society calls “influencers” tell us to.

Angely advocates for a mindful approach to spending, prioritizing needs over wants. She also shared her personal financial goals, which include investing in properties and adopting a more disciplined approach to spending.

“I need to learn that not every day is

self-care or self-indulgence day,” she declares. This is a good reminder as the online platforms we are constantly exposed to are flooded with marketing messages that tell us to add to cart and check something out because we deserve it.

Perfection doesn’t exist

Angely’s travels to over 130 countries have taught her a profound lesson: perfection is an illusion.

“Perfection doesn’t exist, guys. Believe me, there is no perfect time, no perfect person, no perfect moment,” she asserts. “Those things don’t exist, at least for me.”

She encourages her listeners to embrace authenticity and not let the pursuit of perfection hold them back.

“Don’t let perfection keep you from starting, creating, or just, you know, being authentic,” she says. “Because there is no perfect time. Nobody is perfect. Nothing is perfect.”

Angely believes that waiting for the “perfect” moment can lead to missed opportunities and regrets.

“If you’re waiting for the right time, oh my, you might be dead by then, just waiting for that perfect moment,” she warns, mincing no words. “So live your life, be present.”

Resilience is key but enjoy the journey

Angely’s final piece of advice centers on resilience and enjoying the journey of life. She acknowledges that achieving your goals often requires hard work and sacrifice.

“We need to be resilient. We need to endure. We need to sometimes hold back if we want to buy something to have a better future,” she says.

However, she also emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the present moment and maintaining a healthy relationship with money.

“Money should be enjoyed,” she says.

SMART Communications Inc. has delivered its innovative School-in-a-Bag (SIAB) program to Apo Elementary School, a remote institution located on Apo Island, 7 kilometers off the southeastern tip of Negros Oriental. The learning package, designed to enhance access to digital education in underserved areas, includes a laptop, tablets, Smart LTE pocket WiFi devices with load allocation, and pre-loaded educational materials. These resources feature contextualized Learning Activ-

Mobile Legends. The SM MOA Arena has invested

$4.5 million in upgrades over the past four years to enhance its LED displays, lighting, seating, and acoustics to meet global standards. This year, MOA Arena is set to host the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Men’s World Championship.

“You need to have a relationship with money to enjoy your life.”

“I was raised by a very humble and hardworking mom because my dad died when I was 13,” Angely shares, clarifying that she did not inherit the businesses she runs today. Her journey, from her childhood experiences to her global adventures and entrepreneurial successes, is a powerful reminder that life is a continuous learning and growth process.

ity Sheets (LAS) and 10 #LearnSmart apps aimed at improving literacy and numeracy in local languages.

By embracing authenticity, letting go of the pursuit of perfection, and practicing financial awareness, we can all create a more fulfilling and meaningful life in progress.

Check out all the details and other inspiring episodes on Angely’s Life in Progress podcast on Spotify and YouTube. Follow her journey on Instagram too: @angelydub.

For your random thoughts, e-mail the author at randomrepublika@gmail.com.

“This initiative bridges the digital divide, providing children in remote communities with the same learning tools as their urban counterparts,” said Marylou Gocotano, Visayas Relations Head of PLDT and Smart Stakeholder Management Team. Apo Elementary School head Anna Lyn Abella expressed gratitude for the program, highlighting its importance in enhancing teaching and learning experiences, especially during disruptions caused by natural disasters. Since its inception, PLDT and Smart have deployed over 650 SIABs nationwide, supporting thousands of students and teachers in remote communities and promoting asynchronous learning. The initiative aligns with the PLDT Group’s #NoLearnerLeftBehind advocacy and contributes to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education.

Entrepreneur

Angely Dub

The intense action unfolds at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena 2023, with teams battling for supremacy in front of an excited crowd

The SM Mall of Asia Arena’s iconic eye-shaped structure symbolizes the vision of holding events that are ‘a feast for the eyes’

SM MOA Arena’s senior assistant vice president and general manager Arnel Gonzales (center) proudly accepts the Sports Venue of the Year award at the 6th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards