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BBM eyes 3 inaugural sites

Luneta top choice with Fort Santiago, National Museum as alternatives

VOL. XXXVI • NO. 103 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE camp of Presidentelect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is looking at outdoor historical sites, including the Quirino Grandstand, Fort Santiago, and the National Museum, as possible venues for his inauguration, his eldest sister, Senator Imee Marcos, said Sunday.

LIKELY VENUE. President-elect Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. is looking at the Quirino Grandstand as a possible venue for his inauguration, along with other outdoor historical sites such as Fort Santiago and the National Museum.

Imee: Next SP should come from UniTeam

FOR former First Lady Imelda Marcos, last week's proclamation of her son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos jr., as the country's next president was an “adrenaline rush.” "I have two presidents!” Mrs. Marcos said after her son presented her a copy of the resolution of the Commission on Elections proclaiming his victory. The remark of the 92-year-old Imelda was captured in a video clip that was part of the president-elect's latest video blog on Youtube. In the next clip, the 64-yearold Marcos Jr. could be seen telling

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has ordered the immediate repatriation of Filipinos in Sri Lanka who want to return home amid the ongoing economic crisis in the foreign country. “Get them home. We have the money,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin

WEATHER Cloudy skies most part of the country THE southwest monsoon will bring cloudy skies and scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the western section of Luzon and could cause flash floods or landslides due to heavy rains, the weather bureau said Sunday. In its 4 p.m. weather forecast, the state weather bureau said a Next page

his mother: “These are all for you and Daddy.” The Marcos patriarch, Ferdinand Sr., died in 1989, three years after being removed from office by the People Power Revolution in February 1986. “I was surprised because I saw her (Imelda) approaching and when I turned around, she was already on the stage,” Marcos Jr. said, recalling how his mother was able to join him on stage during his proclamation. “I wondered how she was able to get up on the stage. And it turned out that Next page

Hospital group allays concerns on rising COVID, dengue cases 'EVERYTHING'S FOR YOU AND DADDY.' Presidentelect Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. embraces his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, during his proclamation as the country's 17th president at the House of Representatives on May 25, 2022. Marcos Jr. told his mother in a recent vlog that all of his efforts were 'for you and daddy.' AFP

DFA moves to repatriate Pinoys in Sri Lanka By Rey E. Requejo

Imelda on son’s victory: ‘I have two presidents’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE next Senate President should come from the UniTeam senatorial slate to ensure the quick passage of crucial pieces of legislation under the next adm-inistration, Senator Imee Marcos said on Sunday. “I think everyone agreed that as far as the Senate is concerned, [the head] should come from UniTeam. What we need is a strong majority with 13 votes that we can count on,” said the senator and elder sister of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “That should be the case because with all the problems that we are facing, we should be able to move quickly in passing much needed laws,” she added. Sen. Marcos earlier said she will not seek the Senate presidency or any other leadership position in the 19th Congress. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Cynthia Villar, Senator

“Sentimentally, I want it in Luneta. We are also looking at the Quirino Grandstand. But it is currently being temporarily used as a site for a hospital and quarantine,” she said in a radio interview. The senator said an outdoor venue will lower the risk of COVID-19 infections as there will be enough space for social distancing. The Quirino Grandstand is currently

Jr. said on Sunday. Locsin issued the order to attend to Filipinos who would seek repatriation amid the ongoing financial crisis in Sri Lanka. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said the department, through the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka and the Philippine Consulate in Colombo,

By Willie Casas and Rey E. Requejo THE Private Hospitals Associations of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) on Sunday played down concerns about the reported rise in dengue and COVID-19 infections,

saying these are still manageable for now. In an interview over radio dzBB, PHAPI president Dr. Rene Jose de Grano said the rainy season has caused the increase in dengue cases, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao, in the last two weeks. Next page

continues to monitor the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka. “We are also closely coordinating with Filipino community leaders on the situation on the ground,” Arriola added. Last week, the DFA said they were ready to repatriate nationals should circumstances necessitate their return to the Philippines. Next page

7 missing in sea collision off Palawan RESCUERS searched waters off the Philippines on Sunday for seven people missing after a collision between a fishing boat and a cargo ship, authorities said. The Philippine fishing vessel and Marshall Islands-flagged MV Happy Hiro collided Saturday east of Palawan Island, the Philippine Coast Guard said. The fishing boat capsized and sank in the Sulu sea, coast guard spokesman Commodore Armando Balilo said. Thirteen of its 20 crew members were plucked from the water by another fishing boat before being transferred to

the Happy Hiro. They suffered minor injuries. The coast guard deployed rescue teams from nearby stations to scour the waters for the seven missing crew members. The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, has a poor maritime safety record. Mishaps and overcrowding are common on vessels that are often wooden-hulled outriggers used for fishing or transporting people. Next page

BACK IN MANILA. Vice President Leni Robredo and her daughters arrive in the country late Saturday evening from the United States where she attended the graduation of her youngest, Jillian, from New York University with a double major in economics and mathematics.

News

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mexico confirms 1st monkeypox case H EALTh officials in Mexico confirmed Saturday the country's first known case of monkeypox, in a 50-year-old US resident being treated in Mexico City.

ROAMING THE STREETS.

President Rodrigo Duterte tours Digos City aboard a three-wheeled motorcycle over the weekend. FB page of Pebbles Duque

ailments seem to have disappeared. “She’s suddenly able to hear, to walk. All of her ailments during COVID-19 seem to have vanished. She’s very energetic...It’s like she’s no longer 92 but 29,” the senator said. Imelda, who will turn 93 in July, has openly declared her wish for Marcos Jr. to seek the presidency. "Bongbong is well-educated and he is prepared," she said in a Kyodo News interview in 2013. "I'd be privileged and happy, not

only because I'm the mother, but because he was molded, even as a child, in an atmosphere of service to people. He knows exactly an idea of what leadership is,” she added. In an interview after his proclamation, Marcos Jr. said he was “humbled” by his victory as he promised to "strive for perfection" as the country's 17th Chief Executive. “I want to do well because when a President does well, the country does well, and I want to do well for this country," he said.

“I am humbled because for anyone in public service or in a public life, the most valuable you may receive from fellow citizens is their vote because embedded in that vote are their hopes and aspirations for the future. Also embedded in that vote are the trust and confidence that they give to you to take them to that aspirational future. And that is why to have received over 31 million votes from our countrymen is as valuable an expression of trust as can be had by anyone in public life," Marcos Jr. added.

Visayas, according to the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas. Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje assured the public that the dengue cases remain manageable, but said they have already advised health facilities to prepare for an increase in admissions, especially for children. Cabotaje noted that the 22,277 dengue cases recorded from January to April this year was 15 percent lower than cases recorded during the same period last year. De Grano underscored the importance of COVID-19 vaccination amid the slight increase in infections, albeit manageable. The Philippines on Saturday logged 199 new COVID-19 infections, which brought the country's active case count to 2,434, a slight increase from the 2,422 recorded on Friday. De Grano expressed alarm over the increase in monthly premium contribution to be imposed by

the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in June. PhilHealth earlier said the contribution rate will be hiked to 4 percent for members earning P10,000 to P80,000 per month, which will allow the agency to collect P205 billion in 2022. “The public was shocked that there was a sudden .5 percent increase every year. They thought it froze to 3 percent due to the pandemic. They said this is too high,” he said. The 4 percent premium rate means that those earning P10,000 and below would have to pay a P400 monthly contribution to PhilHealth. Those earning over P10,000 but lower than P80,000 need to pay a higher monthly premium ranging between P400 and P3,200 while those earning over P80,000 would have to pay a flat rate of P3,200. PhilHealth assured its members that their contributions would be

used to help Filipinos ease the burden of hospitalization and expand other benefits amid the impending increase in the monthly premium rate next month and its retroactive effect from the start of the year. Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it has already distributed food assistance to more than 500 Filipinos around Shanghai, which is under a COVID-19 lockdown. The DFA said a total of 535 Filipinos were provided food packs. The department said each beneficiary received multiple packages containing essential food items such as rice, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits, cooking oil and dry goods. “They also received a taste of home via a selection of locally available Philippine-branded canned fish and meat products, noodles, soup mixes, sauces, biscuits, snack items, and condiments,” the DFA said.

DFA...

Imee:...

From A1

is poised to become the Speaker in the 19th Congress. Aside from his own Lakas-CMD, other parties that have declared their support for Romualdez include the ruling PDP-Laban, National Unity Party, Nacionalista Party, Liberal Party, Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc., Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Nationalist People’s Coalition, independents, and a group of neophyte lawmakers. His endorsers now comprise an overwhelming majority of the members of the incoming House. In a previous statement, former President and incoming Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo said she and Romualdez “have been working together for decades in a joint effort to do our best to serve the Filipino people.” She said she was “throwing my support for Majority Leader Martin Romualdez to be elected as House Speaker in the next Congress” and was urging “all members of our party to do the same.”

Imelda... From A1

when people were helping her and asking her to use the wheelchair, she refused and insisted she could do it.” “She was smiling from ear to ear. It was a joyous moment. I think the adrenaline rush powered her through,” Marcos Jr. said in his vlog. Earlier, his sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, said their mother was “extra excited”—so much so that her

Hospital... From A1

“Due to the rains, sometimes stagnant water get collected. These become the breeding places of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus,” De Grano said. “Some of the people dying from dengue are due to complications. Most of them are just asymptomatic and could be treated. Almost no one, so far, has died of dengue,” De Grano said. Reports said 19 people have already died due to dengue in Zamboanga City, which declared a dengue outbreak. The cases in the city reached over 2,000 from January to May 14, 2022. Meanwhile, 11 people have died in Cebu City also due to dengue, with more than 700 dengue cases recorded from January up to May 7 this year. The figure is the highest in Central

Filipinos in Sri Lanka who wish to return to the Philippines may contact the Philippine Consulate in Colombo through +94 114322267; +94 114322268; +94 112307162; philcon.cmb@cotrop.net; or philcon1.cmb@cotrop.net. They can also reach out to the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh through +88 01735349427 and dhaka.pe@dfa.gov.ph. Arriola said distressed overseas Filipino workers in Sri Lanka may also reach the DFA by sending a message to their Facebook page, OFW Help. Sri Lanka has suffered months of dire shortages and anti-government protests, with importers unable to finance vital food, fuel and medicines. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, 73, was sworn in as finance minister after two weeks of wrangling among coalition partners for the crucial position ahead of bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. Wickremesinghe is expected to soon unveil a revised budget promising relief for poorer Sri Lankans suffering through record inflation and spiralling food prices. Sri Lanka has already defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt and appointed international consultants on Tuesday to help restructure its international sovereign bonds and other bilateral loans. The government has effectively ended subsidies on fuel by raising prices to a record high and Wickremesinghe's administration is expected to hike electricity and water tariffs to raise much-needed revenue. Gasoline and diesel both remain in short supply and motorists are forced to queue, sometimes for days, to fill up. With AFP

7 missing... From A1

On Monday, seven people were killed and 127 were rescued after a fire ripped through a ferry and forced passengers to jump overboard. The 186-person capacity fast craft boat was about a kilometer from Real, in Quezon province on the main island of Luzon, when the blaze started. Meanwhile, 26 people were missing Saturday after a ferry ran out of fuel and sank in bad weather off the

Sherwin Gatchalian, and Senator-elect Francis Escudero are among lawmakers reportedly vying for the Senate’s top position. “For the Senate committee chairmanships, they must be willing to compromise because we need to be united,” Sen. Marcos said. Among the winning senatorial bets who belong to the UniTeam slate are actor Robin Padilla, former Public Works chief Mark Villar, former senator Loren Legarda, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, and reelectionists Zubiri and Gatchalian. Of the 24 senators who will comprise the 19th Congress, only Sen. Risa Hontiveros belongs to the minority. She is in talks with Sen. Koko Pimentel for a possible alliance as a supermajority shapes up in the Senate. At the House of Representatives, reelected Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez

coast of Indonesia, officials said. The country's search and rescue agency said the vessel was carrying 43 people when it capsized on Thursday in the Makassar Strait, the sea separating the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo. News of the accident only reached officials on Saturday, said the local head of search and rescue Djuanidi, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name. "Seventeen people have been rescued alive by two tugboats that were passing by. We have deployed a rescue team to search for the missing others," he said.

A group of 40 rescuers were at sea searching for survivors, Djuanidi added. Marine accidents are common in Indonesia, a Southeast Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands where safety standards are often lax. Last week a ferry carrying more than 800 people ran aground in shallow waters off East Nusa Tenggara province and remained stuck for two days before being dislodged. No one was hurt. In 2018 more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island. AFP

The man, a permanent resident of New York City, "was probably infected in the Netherlands," Hugo Lopez-Gatell, an undersecretary of health, said on Twitter. "Fortunately, he is stable and in preventive isolation," Lopez-Gatell said. "We hope he will recover without complications." He provided no information on the patient's possible contacts with other people. On Friday, health authorities in Argentina confirmed the first two known cases of the disease anywhere in Latin America—those of a 40-year-old man who had returned to Argentina from Spain, and of a Spaniard who was visiting Buenos Aires. The two cases apparently were unconnected. The World Health Organization cautioned Friday (Saturday in Manila) that some 200 monkeypox cases found in recent weeks outside of countries where the virus usually circulates could be just the beginning. "We don't know if we are just seeing the peak of the iceberg," Sylvie Briand, WHO's epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention chief, acknowledged in a briefing to countries on the "unusual" spread of the virus. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

BBM... From A1

the site of the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital where mild cases are quarantined. In an advisory over the weekend, however, the local government of the City of Manila said it will end its 24/7 drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination and swab testing at the Quirino Grandstand on June 7. Sen. Marcos confirmed that Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso has already communicated with the family for preparations for the possible holding of the inauguration at the Quirino Grandstand. "He texted me that whatever the arrangement, he would help," she said. Earlier, Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio said her inauguration is set for June 19 at the San Pedro Square in her hometown. "It's just right—it's the pride of Davao City and Davao Region that they can witness an oath-taking of a vice president," Duterte-Carpio said in a recent radio interview. "The intent is I will be the first to take the oath so that I can attend the inauguration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.," she added. Earlier, the Palace said President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to give his successor, Marcos Jr, pieces of advice especially concerning the war on illegal drugs. “The President is now ready to retire. On the other hand, he also said he is there to help if the next President needs his advice," acting presidential spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said. Marcos on Thursday said he was open to tapping Duterte as his drug czar if the outgoing president wants to join his Cabinet. Duterte-Carpio, on the other hand, has formally reached out to the office of Vice President Leni Robredo and the Department of Education ahead of her expected takeover of both agencies starting July 1, according to her spokesman, Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco. “As the transition process is still ongoing entailing detailed discussions on all aspects of the workings of the OVP and the DepEd, information on the completion of this process will be released once available,” Frasco added.

Cloudy... From A1

low-pressure area (LPA) was spotted 790 kilometers east southeast of Davao City. Caraga, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms caused by the LPA. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms caused by localized thunderstorms. PAGASA warned of possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. Wind speeds in the western section of Luzon and Visayas are expected to be moderate with moderate coastal water conditions, ranging from 1.2 to 2.5 meters. Light to moderate wind speeds will be experienced by the rest of the country with slight to moderate coastal water conditions, ranging from 0.6 to 2.1 meters.

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MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tolentino pushes probe on P843-b net losses of SSS By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR is pushing for a congressional probe into reported massive net losses incurred by the Social Security System (SSS).

HI-RISE CLEANING.

Workers clean and polish the glass windows of a building along Ayala Avenue in Makati City wearing just harnesses and without the usual elevator cleaning platform, making their job even more dangerous.

Air Force investigates crash of Hermes drone THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) is now investigating the exact cause of the crashlanding of its Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while it was about to land at the Lumbia Airport, Cagayan De Oro City Saturday. PAF spokesperson Col. Maynard Mariano, in a statement forwarded to reporters Saturday night, said the UAV or drone aircraft took off at around 9:30 a.m. to perform a functional check flight (FCF). “Upon takeoff, the UAV proceeded to 5NM (five nautical miles) east of Lumbia and ascended to 10,000 ft. After finding the FCF procedure to be satisfactory, the pilots declared the termination of the test,

and started to descend 5,000 ft 1.5 miles east of Lumbia Airport,” he added. At around 11:46 a.m., communication with the UAV was cut. “All emergency procedures were performed, and ﬁeld service representatives were called for troubleshooting,” Mariano said. He added that the Hermes 900 UAV crash-landed in a vegetated area where it was last conﬁrmed to have lost contact. “No civilian casualties and damage to properties were reported. The Command will be conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of such an incident,” Mariano said. Mariano said the UAV, which is the

same size as a small trainer plane, is still recoverable. “As of the moment, the recovery is ongoing. The aircraft suffered considerable damage but was recoverable,” he added. The Hermes 900 is an Israeli mediumsize, multi-payload, medium-altitude long-endurance UAV designed for tactical missions. It is a successor to the Hermes 450 series of drones, one of the most widely used military drones in the world. It has an endurance of over 30 hours and can ﬂy at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet, with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance, and communications relay.

Senator Francis Tolentino aired his concern over the net losses amounting to P843.9 billion as shown in the 2021 unaudited financial statements of SSS. Earlier, Tolentino filed Senate Resolution No. 1006, urging the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the reported losses in the SSS’s unaudited financial statements. The senator said this would ensure the state insurer’s financial viability and capacity to carry out its fiduciary responsibilities to the general public. “The effect of the aforementioned reported losses should be scrutinized for the purpose of crafting laws and regulations that would provide further security to the agency’s long-term financial standing,” said Tolentino. SSS President and CEO Michael Regino earlier explained that the multibillion net loss shown in its unaudited financial statements is due to a change in accounting standards brought by Philippine Financial Reporting Standards (PFRS) 4. The increase in its net loss from the previous year is due to the recognition of the Margin for Adverse Deviation (MfAD) in policy reserves, Regino added. But the senator said that with the increasing membership base of SSS, there is a need to revisit existing social security benefits guaranteed under the Social Security Act of 2018 to assist

Filipino pensioners and beneficiaries in addressing their financial burdens. As of April 2021, 40.49 million Filipinos are enrolled with SSS. About 76% or 30.77 million are employed members, while 5.03 million are voluntary paying members, 3.35 million are self-employed members, and 1.34 million are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) members, based on the latest data posted on the agency’s website. Regino, however, assured SSS members and pensioners the reported losses do not affect the SSS’ current cash flow and funding situation and the fund remains financially viable in providing benefits to stakeholders. In a statement, SSS said cash inflows composed of contribution collections and investment and other income in 2021 reached P262 billion, exceeding cash outflows of P234 billion composed of benefit payments and operating expenses in the same year by P28 billion. “This increase in net loss from the previous year is due to the recognition of the margin for adverse deviation in our policy reserves. MfAD serves as a buffer for conservatism, which we have considered in our financial statements beginning 2021,” Regino said. Policy reserves are forward-looking estimates of net future liabilities. These include benefit payments that will be disbursed to SSS members and their beneficiaries in the future.

Villar SIPAG opens search for top 10 youth social biz TO further boost youth empowerment, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar announced over the weekend the start of the 5th Villar SIPAG Youth Poverty Reduction Challenge search for the 10 Most Outstanding Social Enterprises. Villar said the competition intends to motivate the youth to embark on social enterprises “especially during these difﬁcult times when the country is recovering from an economic slump due to COVID-19 pandemic.” “This is our way of supporting youth empowerment in the hope to further encourage more young people to signiﬁcantly contribute to our goals as a nation,” said Villar, also Director of Villar SIPAG. “We want our young people to engage in worthy programs that

would make a signiﬁcant impact in alleviating poverty in their respective communities,” she added. Furthermore, she noted that this competition among young Pinoy entrepreneurs is her family’s way of acknowledging their efforts, passion, and selﬂess dedication to creating a positive change in our society. “If your organization is composed of youth members 16-29 years old and operating for at least 3 years to improve the living conditions of people, you are exactly what we are looking for,” stressed the senator. To be chosen among the 10 Most Outstanding Youth Organizations, Villar said a youth group must prove that it has become a sustainable and successful social enterprise in helping overcome poverty. Macon Ramos-Araneta

LEARNING DOESN’T STOP. A mother watches over her child doing a homework module while they wait for alms on the street along Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City on Sunday.

PH backs Int’l Labor Confab call for safe, healthy workplaces THE Philippine delegation in the 110th Session of the International Labor Conference (ILC) in Geneva is pushing for the global call for the inclusion of safe and healthy working conditions in the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Framework of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. As the world of work wrestles with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine contingent to the ILC, headed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, is embarking on a 15-day

discussion of the world of work issues. They are pinpointing issues on occupational safety and health, apprenticeships, as well as the social and solidarity economy, Bello said in a statement on Sunday. “Our Philippine team in this international parliament of labor is one with the ILC in pushing for the inclusion of safe and healthy working conditions in the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) framework of fundamental principles and rights at work,” he said.

“More than ever, our obligation and commitment to the life, health, and dignity of workers cannot be overemphasized,” Bello added. The ILC kicked off on May 27 and will culminate on June 11. The conference will also discuss the social and solidarity economy and the international standardization of the quality apprenticeship, deﬁned by the ILO as “a unique form of technical vocational education and training, combining on-the-job training and

Blaze traps, kills 3 kids at home in Tatalon QC on Sunday dawn

SUMMER ACTIVITY. On

Saturday, children frolic while listening to free swimming lessons at the Bernardo Park pool in Kamuning, Quezon City. A total of 157 participants aged 5 to 17 registered and will be divided into two batches. Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Angeles trade, tourism fair rakes in ₱147k ANGELES CITY—The three-day Agcatan Angeleño Pa trade and tourism fair of the city government, held from May 24 to 26 at the new parking lot here, has earned ₱147,644, Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. said. Lazatin said the project is in line with the goal of the city government to assist the local tourism and business industries gravely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, the earnings reached ₱52,741 during the ﬁrst day, ₱33,790 on the second day, and ₱61,113 on the third and last day, when a rafﬂe was also held for Angelenos who purchased worth ₱500. The trade fair was supervised by Manuel with Laza-

off-the-job learning. Bello is joined by key ofﬁcials of the Department of Labor and Employment in the labor relations and occupational health and safety clusters. They are composed of Undersecretaries Benjo Santos Benavidez, Renato L. Ebarle, Randy B. Escolango, Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresita S. Cucueco, Executive Director Noel C. Binag, and Director Ma. Consuelo S. Bacay.

tin’s Chief Adviser IC Calaguas, the Angeles City Economic Development Investment and Promotions Ofﬁce led by Irish Bonus-Llego, and the Angeles City Tourism Ofﬁce headed by Anneleen Antonio-Sugui. Among the partner-merchants who displayed their Gawang Angeleño products were Impact Balibago Arts and Crafts (IBAC), Tamayuc bayong bags, Cutud Weavers’ plant baskets, Stitched by RAJ hair bows, bags/purses from recycled plastics by Ellen Turla, Bel’s Woodcraft, kitchen organizers by Flores Handicrafts, fashion accessories by K’s Creations, and hand-painted jars, fork and spoon, and clay pots by Tabaks. Butch Gunio

THREE children died when a fire broke out at their house in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City before dawn on Sunday. According to a report on Super Radyo dzBB, the fire started at 4:19 a.m. at a residential building on Kaliraya Street. The fatalities were aged 9, 8, and 4 years old, according to the children’s father. The father said his wife woke up and was surprised there was smoke in their room, located on the third floor of the building. When they opened their bedroom door, the living room was already engulfed in smoke, and the fire was already spreading. The man said they ran, and he shouted for help, crawling to grab his youngest, a baby who was only four months old. They ran to the second floor, and

the father said he threw the baby out the window to a neighbor who caught the infant safely. He and his wife, as well as their eldest child, then jumped out of the second-floor window. All three had injuries. Their three other children—two girls and a boy—were trapped on the third floor. The fire reached the first alarm before it was put out around 5 a.m. The Bureau of Fire Protection had difficulty putting out the fire due to the narrow street leading to the house. Personnel from the crime laboratory were on site as of press time. An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire and the amount of property damage, but local fire officials said it is looking at faulty electrical wiring as a possible cause.

128 N. Cotabato farmers get land titles from DAR MAKILALA, North Cotabato—A total of 128 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) recently received certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in a series of CLOA distribution activities in 18 barangays here. Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Charish Paña said the distributed CLOAs covered 149.9 hectares of land implemented under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). “I would like to congratulate all the beneficiaries on their recent victory of having ownership and possession of their CLOA. It is indeed a great opportunity and a privilege to be an ARB. Take good care of the land and make it productive,” Paña said. According to Julie Garcia, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer, all beneficiaries were oriented to their roles and responsibilities before releasing their CLOAs to them. “We also reminded the ARBs that the DAR will continue to provide support services interventions to make their lands more productive to generate more income for their respective families,” Garcia said. Virginia Pacturan, of Kisante, Makilala, was very grateful for his recent acceptance of CLOA from the DAR. “l could not contain my happiness upon receiving the CLOA. My endless appreciation and gratitude to DAR for their commitment to serving the ARBs. We have been excitedly waiting for this and now it is already in our hands,” Pacturan said. She also said her family will really treasure the land and plant more cash crops for their daily sustenance.

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

News

Gun ban violators now hit 3,447—PNP

FUMIGATION. Members of the MDRRMO conduct fumigation and disinfection at the Manila Education Center in Arroceros Park on Sunday. The fumigation is part of government’s efforts to prevent COVID-19 and dengue. Norman Cruz

Villafuerte asks lawmakers to OK ‘township’ bill for PH economy By Rio N. Araja CAMARINES Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte is hoping the next Congress would pass a “township revitalization” bill to brace for economic turbulence that could hit developing countries this year and onwards. The lawmaker cited as reasons the United States of America’s Federal Reserve raising interest rates and world economic growth slowing because of this monetary policy, the impact of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing RussiaUkraine conflict. His proposal to ensure a strong and sustainable economic rebound calls for the establishment of township revitalization programs nationwide to create a lot of jobs outside the national capital and thereby encourage people to stay put or return to their home provinces, which would in turn decongest Metro Manila. “The short-term goal of a township revitalization initiative is to generate economic activity and create jobs outside Metro Manila to accelerate and strengthen the country’s recovery from the lingering pandemic plus the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” he said. “Its long-term goal is to decongest Metro Manila and other urban centers by creating growth hubs in the countryside,” he added. Earlier, he filed House Bill 6970, which, in effect, institutionalizes the “Balik Probinsya” program of the outgoing Duterte administration. However, there is no more time for the current Congress to pass HB 6970 as it will adjourn sine die in June, he cited.

Comelec reminds poll bets: Follow June 8 deadline on expense report T HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged candidates in the May 9 national and local polls to follow the deadline for the filing of their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) which is set on June 8.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia, in an interview with ABSCBN’s TeleRadyo, said the Comelec “would not accept statements

on campaign expenses beyond the deadline.” “We’re reminding candidates, whether they withdrew or pushed through in running, whether they lost or won, all of them are required to file their SOCE,” Garcia said, adding that there will be no extension of the deadlines beyond June 8. The Comelec said candidates who will not submit their SOCE will face charges and a fine and those who fail to file for a second time “may be subjected to perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” Garcia said. The Comelec official, in the radio

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia

interview, added that “about 500 candidates in previous elections are facing possible perpetual disqualification to hold public office.” A candidate who won in the elections may also be removed from office over violations of SOCE regulations, Garcia warned. Garcia further said campaign donations must be reported and should be cross-checked with information from donors. Failure to declare campaign donations constitutes a violation of SOCE rules and candidates can also be charged of perjury, the Comelec official said.

Binay lauds decision to scrap insurance requirement for students By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Nancy Binay on Sunday thanked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Commission on Higher Education for their move to repeal the policy requiring students in higher education institutions (HEIs) to have medical insurance before participating in inperson classes. “We are thankful to the IATF and CHED for taking back the requirements that students in in-person classes should have medical insurance,” said Binay. Earlier, the senator had urged the government to scrap the policy, which she said was onerous and unnecessary given that all Filipinos are already automatic members of PhilHealth. Under Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Law, all Filipinos are automatically enrolled in the

Two brgy chiefs die in separate shooting incidents AUTHORITIES reported that two barangay chairmen have been shot in separate shooting incidents over the weekend and both barangay officials died. Police said 68-year-old barangay official Filemon Villanueva was shot outside of his own residence by an unidentified gunman in Barangay Tonsuya, Malabon City and has died on Saturday afternoon. Authorities also reported that Romeo Cañas, village chief of Barangay Tigbawan, was gunned down by still unidentified assailants in Barangay Elizabeth, Leyte town, Leyte on Saturday afternoon. In a GMA News report, Police Colonel Albert Barot, Malabon chief of police, confirmed the death of Villanueva at 3:20 p.m. on Saturday. Barot earlier reported that the shooting incident happened past 9 a.m. on Saturday. Police said the victim was sitting outside his house on C. Perez Street when the back rider in a motorcycle riding in tandem fired at him. Villanueva sustained gunshot wounds in the abdomen and leg and was brought to a hospital after the incident but he passed away hours later. The Malabon City police said an investigation regarding the matter is still ongoing. Authorities are also coordinating with two people who had witnessed the shooting incident. Police said Cañas was on board his motorcycle when the gunman approached and shot him. The perpetrator then boarded a motorcycle driven by another person and fled.

WITH still less than two weeks before the end of the election period, the number of gun ban violators reached 3,447, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said. In a statement on Saturday, the PNP said 3,338 of those apprehended were civilians, 61 security guards, 26 police officers, and 22 military personnel. A total of 3,239 police operations have also yielded 2,673 firearms, 16,684 pieces of ammunition, and 1,101 deadly weapons. Citing its latest data, the PNP said the top five regions in terms of the number of arrested violators are the National Capital Region with 1,242, followed by Calabarzon (373); Central Visayas (359); Central Luzon (312); and Western Visayas (200). According to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10728, the bearing, carrying, or transporting of firearms or deadly weapons is prohibited outside of the residence and in all public places from January 9 until June 8. Exempted from the ban are law enforcers but they should have authorization from the Comelec and wear an agencyprescribed uniform while on official duty during the election period. Violators face imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation. They also face disqualification from holding public office, deprivation of the right of suffrage, and cancellation or perpetual disqualification from securing a gun license.

National Health Insurance Program of PhilHealth. “It takes humility to admit when one needs to correct things and take a step back. We learn from mistakes and make things better. I am glad that the IATF saw it unnecessary to further pursue the insurance requirement. The requirement for students to have health insurance was imposed as a condition for the return to in-person classes this year. It was based on Section H of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-004 of the Commission on Education and the Department of Health which stated guidelines on the implementation of limited face-to-face classes for all programs of higher education institutions. The IATF allowed last March the conduct of in-person classes for HEIs in areas under Alert Level 1 to up to 100-percent classroom capacity.

AirAsia Philippines returns to Kota Kinabalu

FLORES DE MAYO, RAIN OR SHINE. The off-and-on light and gloomy

weather failed to dampen the excitement of Makati residents to finally enjoy Flores De Mayo which was temporarily shelved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Diana B. Noche

‘Intensify security measures amid bombings’ ALL regional directors of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been reminded to intensify the security measures in their respective areas following two bombing incidents in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat last week. Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, PNP director for operations, condemned “in the strongest terms” the bombing of a passenger bus that injured two people in Koronadal City, South Cotabato on Thursday. On the same day, another explosion, also using improvised explosive device occurred at a vacant lot in Barangay New Carmen, Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat -- both in Soccsksargen (Region 12). No one was injured. “But this condemnation should come with the necessary security adjust-

ments and new strategies to protect civilians, especially from similar attacks,” De Leon said in a statement on Saturday. De Leon said the unit commanders were directed to conduct inspections in all transport terminals; major thoroughfares and strategic roads; target-hardening of vital installations, public places, and other places of convergence; and beef up intelligence-gathering. “Our PNP OIC, Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., has already ordered a thorough investigation into the attacks in Koronadal City and Tacurong City to identify and hold responsible those involved. These people must be brought to justice; otherwise, they will be emboldened toundertake similar attacks in the future,” De Leon said.

AIRASIA Philippines has brought back flights to the capital city of Sabah, in Kota Kinabalu on May 27 May. The airline company also said it is confident of a strong rebound in the Asean Region with the resumption of flights to Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand commencing in June. A growing resort destination, Kota Kinabalu is home to an array of tropical islands, lush rainforests, and the famous Unesco site, Mount Kinabalu. It is also famous as an eco, wellness, health, and sports tourism destination. Aside from tourism, Kota Kinabalu is also the industrial and commercial center of Sabah which opens strong opportunities for business and employment for everyone, including Filipinos. “Our resumption of flights to key ASEAN destinations starting with Kota Kinabalu signifies our recovery especially in the international market. We hope to revive the tourism and economy of Sabah with the resumption of the Kota Kinabalu flights. We believe that the easing of safety protocols and test requirements by our neighboring countries have also revived the urge to travel among Filipinos,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said,

QUEUING UP. Passengers line up at the counter of AirAsia. The airline company recently announced that it will bring back its flights to Sabah, the capital of Kota Kinabalu.

Opinion Traffic jams just a maths problem, says Israeli AI firm sensory technology—have become central to automakers, Arnon said. With over 600 start-ups in the ISRAEL’S traffic congestion ranks near the worst among developed field— “second only to Silicon Valeconomies but an algorithm can help, ley”—Israel has become a “centre of says one of the country’s IT firms en- mobility,” Arnon said, noting that 35 gaged in the auto and mobility sector. global auto companies have operaITC, or Intelligent Traffic Control, tions in the country, including Genwas one of the artificial intelligence eral Motors. “The future of vehicles lies outside players at Tel Aviv’s recent EcoMotion showcase where high-tech and AI firms vehicles—in the cloud, our phones, in hope to make transport more efficient the cars to some extent, and all these elements create an open platform,” and cleaner. Its AI software collects real-time said Gil Golan, head of GM’s local data from road cameras and then technical center. “This open platform is a place sends instructions to manipulate traffor innovation and creativity, fic lights based on vehicle flows. “ITC managed to prove mathemati- which Israelis are good at.” Engineers needed cally that many traffic jams can be Also at EcoMotion was Rider Dome, prevented— if you intervene early enough,” said its co-founder and chief whose cameras mounted on the front technology officer Dvir Kenig, citing and back of motorcycles use artificial intelligence to a 30 percent drop warn riders of in traffic at the two nearby dangers. junctions using Road congestion is a “A driving astheir system. global scourge. sistant that has The company become a stansays road congesdard in nearly tion is a global scourge, calculating that the average every car does not exist in motorcydriver spends three days a year stuck cles,” chief executive Yoav Elgrichi in traffic, also pumping out green- said. “That’s why we decided to found Rider Dome.” house gas emissions. But some observers warn that Israel’s The problem is acute in Israel where, the Organisation for Economic Cooper- technology sector, including smart moation and Development says, “transpor- bility, could run out of steam. The Israel Innovation Authority tation infrastructure lags significantly behind” most member countries and says the tech sector, which accounts “road congestion is one of the worst in for half the country’s exports and one in 10 jobs, is “maturing” and the numthe OECD”. ber of new startups is on the decline. Military innovations Israel needs more engineers, arEcoMotion’s founder Meir Arnon told AFP that surging global interest in gues Lisya Bahar Manoah, a partsmart mobility had made Israel an auto ner at Catalyst Investments, if it industry player, even though it doesn’t wants to keep pace with the growing mobility sector that is expected manufacture any cars. “Cars changed,” said the industrialist to “double in size” globally over the turned investor. “Cars were metal and coming years. “The way that we can overcome wheels and a radio. Today these things don’t matter, they’re all mass produced the problem is—like in Europe, especially in Germany and Ausby the same companies for everyone. “What differentiates car manufactur- tria—they are creating professional ers today is the driving experience... the schools,” she said. “Israel needs to stop and think now vehicle’s ability to adapt itself to the about a way to create more engineers in driver,” he said. Systems developed by Israel’s army order to support the start-up system. We and private defence industry—nota- need to adjust our education system acbly surveillance, communication and cordingly.” AFP

By Jonah Mandel

The Arctic’s tricky quest for sustainable tourism By Pierre-Henry Deshayes HOME to polar bears, the midnight sun and the northern lights, a Norwegian archipelago perched high in the Arctic is trying to find a way to profit from its pristine wilderness without ruining it. The Svalbard archipelago, located 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the North Pole and reachable by commercial airline flights, offers visitors vast expanses of untouched nature, with majestic mountains, glaciers and frozen fjords. Or, the fjords used to be frozen. Svalbard is now on the frontline of climate change, with the Arctic warming three times faster than the planet. The local coal mines—the original reason for human settlements here— have closed one after the other over the years, and tourism has become one of the main pillars of the local economy, along with scientific research. “It’s always hard to defend because we know that tourism worldwide creates challenges to all the places people visit, but also in the bigger climate change perspective,” acknowledged Ronny Brunvoll, the head of tourism board Visit Svalbard. “But we can’t stop people from travelling. We can’t stop people from visiting each other, so we have to find solutions,” he said. Around 140,000 people visit these latitudes each year, according to pre-pandemic data, where 65 percent of the land is protected. Like the 3,000 local residents, visitors must follow strict rules that bar them from disturbing the animals— tracking a polar bear can lead to a big fine—or picking flowers in an ecosystem almost devoid of vegetation. “You are really confronted with nature. There are not a lot of places like

this left,” said Frederique Barraja, a French photographer on one of her frequent trips to the region. “It attracts people, like all rare places. But these places remain fragile, so you have to be respectful when you visit them.” Ultra-polluting heavy fuel, commonly used by large cruise ships, has been banned in the archipelago since the start of the year, ahead of a ban to be progressively implemented across the Arctic as of 2024. The ban may be another nail in the cofﬁn for the controversial cruise ships that sail into the region. The biggest of the behemoths can drop off up to 5,000 passengers in Longyearbyen, the archipelago’s modest main town whose infrastructure, such as roads and toilets, is not designed to accommodate such large crowds. Electric wave With tourism here already attracting a rather exclusive clientele, some operators are going further than regulations require, such as Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten which aims to become “the most environmental tour operator in the world”. Sustainability “shouldn’t be a competitive advantage”, said a senior executive with the group, Henrik Lund. “It should just give a right to play.” The company banned single-use plastics back in 2018, and now offers outings on electric snowmobiles. It also recently launched excursions on board a small cutting-edge hybrid vessel, the Kvitbjorn (Polar Bear, in Norwegian), combining a diesel motor and electric batteries. “In the idyllic exploration areas, we go full electric. We go silent and we don’t have any combustion fumes,” said Johan Inden, head of marine engine maker Volvo Penta.

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EDITORIAL

A better balance of power

HE Philippines was among 12 countries to sign up for a new trade pact initiated by the United States that is widely seen as a counterbalance to China’s economic and political dominance in the AsiaPaciﬁc region. The Indo-Paciﬁc Economic Framework (IPEF) launched by US President Joe Biden on May 23, includes Australia, Japan, South Korea, India and New Zealand and seven Asean states—Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Together, they represent 40 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. Although details of the trade pact have been sparse, its stated goal is to enhance economic security and supply chain resiliency. The group seeks to set the economic rules on the digital economy, supply chains, clean energy, infrastructure and taxation.

Signiﬁcantly, early reports focus on what IPEF is not. It is not a free trade agreement and is not intended to lower tariffs. It is also not a security pact like the Quad alliance that groups the United States with Australia, India and Japan.

This is a most welcome development. Instead, IPEF proposes to focus on four pillars: a connected economy, a resilient economy, a clean economy and a fair economy. Still, this did not stop Beijing from criticizing the US initiative. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said “the so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy is bound to fail.” IPEf should promote openness and cooperation instead of creating geopolitical confrontation, Wang said. He also accused the US of “politicizing, weaponizing and ideologizing economic issues and using economic means to coerce regional countries to choose sides between

China and the United States.” There is a point to Beijing’s criticism—an economic initiative that leaves out the world’s second biggest economy and the dominant player in the region—does seem political by its exclusion. On the other hand, Beijing should take a cue from the fact that so many countries, including seven from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), so quickly signed up for a pact that is so far short of details. Chinese leaders may want to consider how uncomfortable countries in the region are with their claims of friendship, cooperation and amity on one hand, while by word and by deed, in their bellicose and unjustiﬁed territorial claims on and actions in the South China Sea, they exhibit all the hallmarks of a military and economic superpower, ready to bully its neighbors into acquiescence. In such an environment, the counter-balancing influence of the United States—if the Americans can shake off their own domestic instability and put meat on the bones of the nascent IPEF—is a most welcome development.

Protect Philippine industries from online pirates

The consumer’s natural preference for lower costs plays perfectly into the marketing tactics of online pirates or for any producer and peddler of fake products. Thinking that they are getting a better deal, netizens are lured by these strong click baits and social media tricks that offer all kinds of videos and musical content—hijacking sales from the legitimate intellectual property (IP) owners that should rightfully earn revenues to support the content producers, the programmers, artists, production crew, and a host of linked industries with their own set of employees and dependents. This is what happens when you go for pirated material. All these stakeholders of connected businesses that actually produced the original content become victims of theft, violating their right for compensation for the intellectual property. You become complicit to this crime and pitch in to the enrichment of online pirates. The Philippines is one of the biggest losers to online piracy with billions being drained from the economy and thousands of workers in linked industries losing opportunities of what can be a globally competitive industry of digital innovators and media creators.

According to a 2014 study by The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and commissioned by the World Intellectual Property, copyright-based industries have been contributing 14.14 percent to Philippine employment since 2010 and accounted for 7.34 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. But when the lockdowns started in 2020, Online pirates hit hard with an estimated P1 billion in potential revenue losses to local video producers, distributors and aggregators in 2020, (Media Partners Asia). In a recent statement released by our co-convenor in CitizenWatch Philippines, Atty. Tim Abejo, we are calling on the incoming legislators to step in and take immediate action amending the Intellectual Property Code to give the IPOPHL greater administrative enforcement power and enable the NTC to block sites swiftly. This is similar to how Indonesia has effectively blocked off websites containing pirated material to the benefit of their local creative industry. The Philippines will also benefit from the IP provisions of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the 10 members of the ASEAN if ratified immediately. Concurrently, our government should actively support and promote our Philippine content producers just like how South Korea has successfully developed an entertainment industry with a music market estimated to be at $6 billion (IFPI Global Music Report). We have seen so many sparks of excellence from Filipino talents being recognized with accolades achieved through their own struggle and commitment to their craft. The government should protect these gems of Filipino talent and give them all the support to conquer the fast-expanding digital ecosystem of global consumers waiting for something new to make their lives better and happier. We can be the leading supplier of this worldwide demand.

plant—a fossil energy source that contributes to global warming. “Electriﬁcation makes sense, regardless of the energy source,” insisted Christian Eriksen of the Norwegian environmental group Bellona. Regardless of whether it comes from “dirty” or “clean” sources, electricity “makes it possible either way to reduce emissions,” Eriksen said, citing a study on electric cars that came to the same But electriﬁcation efforts in the ar- conclusion. Longyearbyen plans to close the chipelago are currently hobbled by the fact that electricity comes from a coal plant by the autumn of 2023, invest

in renewable energies and reduce its emissions by 80 percent by 2030. But Brunvoll, the head of the tourism board, noted the main problem is travel. “Even when addressing the things we can do locally, like the emissions from snowmobiles or cars, we must still acknowledge that the really big problem is the transport to and from Svalbard, both in tourism but also for us locals,” he said. “We have a climate footprint per capita in Longyearbyen that is insane.” AFP

WE are all benefiting from the online services we access on the internet for our daily business transactions, for communication, for shopping, and for entertainment. We look for what we need with a few keystrokes then a search engine will show the most relevant content, in the speed of light, on our devices. However, the extensiveness, ease, and speed of accessing digital services and content is being exploited by what some would call the “dark side” of the internet wielding the same technologies and skills of the digital innovators that gave us all these wonderful apps we heavily rely on and enjoy. For most consumers, the typical concept of value in a product or service, is how much benefit and/or enjoyment is experienced of what has been purchased. Less appreciated is the human and capital resources, and whole ecosystems that need to work efficiently to deliver a product or service. Just the same as brick-and-mortar operations, developing all these innovative online services and digital content was achieved with huge investments and thousands of man hours spent and will need to eventually earn sales revenue to be viable, sustained, and produce more innovations for us consumers to enjoy. This global surge in demand for online content created a virtually unlimited potential for online piracy websites that illegally stream proprietary content like movies, music, and other shows that were licensed to legitimate streaming platforms that then compensate the rightful owners of the intellectual property with a share of revenue from subscription fees and ads. Like any business, it’s about a system of investors making it possible for innovators or inventors to create new products that

will then be purchased by the market, generate proﬁts for the enterprise and employees and then a cycle of growth gains momentum for everyone. About a decade ago, the big problem was optical media piracy. There were rampant sales of these pirated DVDs that was probably 90 percent if not the whole collection of most homes with DVD players. Laws were passed and enforced forcing DVD pirates to push underground. Eventually lower prices of the originals and the coming of online streaming platforms became more preferred.

This is what happens when you go for pirated material.

A Norwegian archipelago is trying to ﬁnd a way to proﬁt from its pristine wilderness without ruining it.

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

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Jimbo Owen Gulle

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

World

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US ‘concerned’ amid visit of UN human rights chief to China THE United States expressed concern on Saturday over China’s “efforts to restrict and manipulate” the UN human rights chief’s visit to the Xinjiang region where Beijing is accused of detaining over a million people in indoctrination camps.

Michelle Bachelet’s long-planned trip this week took her to the far-western Xinjiang region, where the United States has labeled China’s detention of a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities a “genocide.” “We are concerned the conditions

Beijing authorities imposed on the visit did not enable a complete and independent assessment of the human rights environment in (China), including in Xinjiang, where genocide and crimes against humanity are ongoing,” US Secretary of State Antony

Manila

TODAY

ATTY. ARNEL P. KHO, Petitioner. x-------------------------------------------x ORDER This is a verified Petition for Probate of the Last Will and Testament of the Late Emmanuel Kenneth F. Velasco dated February 3, 2022, and which was received by this Court on February 9, 2022. The Petitioner alleges that to the best of his knowledge, Emmanuel Kenneth F. Valasco (Testator”) executed a L:ast Will and Testament (“Will”) sometime on August 2021, a copy of which was sent to him through Viber Message; that to the best of his knowledge, Testator died on September 27, 2021, as evidenced by a certified true copy of his Certificate of Death issued by the City Civil Registrar of Quezon City; that at the time of his death, Testator was a resident of 38 Rosa Alvero, Brgy. Loyola Heights, Quezon City; that the original copy of the Will was delivered to him by Mr. Benjamin F. Velasco; that a perusal of the Will, particularly item 3 thereof, shows that the Testator instructed the Petitioner to dispose of his personal investments and give from the rental or proceeds from sale of his personal investments to the following legatees: Legatees

Amount

Gerry Sy-Quia Lorelie Realingo Marlon Pedregosa

Php 1,000,000.00 Php 3,000,000.00 Proceeds from the sale of Testator’s interest in Palawan Property Balance of the proceeds from the sale of Testator’s personal real estate investments

Testator’s Brothers

The petitioner likewise alleges that to the best of his knowledge, Testator’s brothers are Benjamin and Emmanuel Hugh F. Velasco; that to the best of his knowledge, the only surviving heirs of Testator are his father, Emmanuel T. Velasco, and his mother, Gloria F. Velasco (collectively referred to hereinafter “Heirs”); that to the best of his knowledge and information, none of the Legatees, Testator’s Brother and / or the Heirs have presented and/or filed any petition to probate the Will of Testator before any competent court and/or applied for any letters of administration, and/or settlement of the estate of Testator in accordance with the Will; that to the best of his knowledge, the addresses of the Legatees, Testator’s Brothers and Heirs are: Name

Residence

Gerry Sy-Quia Lorelie Realingo Marlon Pedregoso

4. 5.

Emmanuel Hugh F. Velasco Benjamin F. Valasco

Heirs

1. 2.

Emmanuel T. Valasco Gloria F. Velasco

TODAY

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late CHARMAINE GONZALES CARANDANG and Remm Gonzales Carandang who died on May 10, 2015 and December 24, 2016 respectively in the City of Mandaluyong Philippines have been extrajudicially settled to Carl John G. Carandang.

This Settlement under Notary Public ATTY JAN RURIK D. PADIERNOS as per Doc. No. 210, Page No. 42, Book No. 10, Series of 2022. (MStandard-Apr. 29, May 6 & 13, 2022)

SPEC. PRO. CASE NO. R-QZN-22-00810-SP

1. 2. 3.

Manila

Standard AFFIDAVIT OF SELFADJUDICATION BY SOLE HEIR

The deceased left a Parcel of Land with TCT No. 008-2013000009.

IN THE MATTER OF THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF EMMANUEL KENNETH F. VELASCO

Legatees/Testator’s Brothers

her visit.” Bachelet defended her visit earlier on Saturday while still inside China, saying it was “not an investigation” but called on Beijing to avoid “arbitrary and indiscriminate measures” in its crackdown in Xinjiang. AFP

Russia: Strategic city in east Ukraine falls R Standard

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Judicial Region Quezon City, Metro Manila Branch 223

Blinken said in a statement. The top US diplomat reiterated his country’s stance that Chinese authorities would not allow Bachelet full access during her long-planned trip, saying the United States was “concerned” about China’s “efforts to restrict and manipulate

USSIAN forces engaged in an allout battle in eastern Ukraine have captured the strategic town of Lyman and surrounded a key industrial center, Moscow has claimed.

But a Ukrainian official has denied that the city of Severodonetsk – the focus of weeks of fierce fighting – has been encircled, saying government troops had repelled Russian forces from its outskirts. As the battle for Ukraine’s industrial heartland raged on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for “direct serious negotiations” between Russian leader Vladmir Putin and his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. The EU leaders also “insisted on an immediate ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian troops” in an 80-minute phone call with the Russian leader, the German chancellor’s office said. Since failing in its bid to capture the capital Kyiv in the war’s early stages, Russia has shifted its focus to the eastern Donbas region as it attempts to consolidate areas under its control. “The situation is very difficult, especially in those ar-

eas in the Donbas and Kharkiv regions, where the Russian army is trying to squeeze at least some result for itself,” Ukrainian President Zelensky said in his daily address to the nation. Earlier Saturday, Russia’s defense ministry said the “town of Krasny Liman has been entirely liberated from Ukrainian nationalists,” using Moscow’s name for Lyman. Lyman lies on the road to Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk, which a police official in Lugansk province cited by Russian state media said was “now surrounded.” But regional governor Sergiy Gaiday told Ukrainian television “Severodonetsk has not been cut off... there is still the possibility to deliver humanitarian aid.” His remarks came as Russia, in another exercise in military muscle-flexing, said it had successfully tested hypersonic missiles in the Arctic. Inside Severodentsk, where an estimated 15,000 civilians remain, a local official said “constant shelling” made it increasingly difficult to get in or out. “Evacuation is very unsafe, it’s isolated cases when we manage to get people out. Now the priority is for the wounded and people who need serious medical assistance,” said Oleksandr Stryuk, head of the city’s military and civil administration. AFP

8232 Avocado St., Marcelo Green Village, Parañaque City 12C Flerida St., Acacia, Malabon City 31-A East Tower, The Beaufort, 5th Avenue, corner 23rd Streets, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 17 Regidor St., Varsity Hills, Subdivision, Quezon City 2 King Pin St., Vermont Royale, Mayamot, Antipolo City

38 Rosa Alvero, Brgy. Loyola Heights, Quezon City 38 Rosa Alvero, Brgy. Loyola Heights, Quezon City

The petitioner further alleges that to the best of his knowledge and information, Testator left the following properties, which may be disposed of and/or used to honor the wishes of Testator: Real Properties: Nature

1. Condominium Unit

Condominium Certificate of Title (CCT) No. 18368

T a x Declaration No. TD No. EB011-02585

Location

Total A r e a (SQM)

Unit 115, Rosewood Condominium. U s u s a n , Taguig City

Assessed Value Per TD (Php)

M a r k e t Value Per TD (Php)

419,840.00

699,730.00

WHEN IT RAINS... A woman uses a plastic bag

2. Condominium Unit

18370

TD No. EB011-02586

Unit 116, Rosewood Condominium, U s u s a n , Taguig City

419,840.00

699,730.00

3. Condominium Unit

27193

TD No. Eb011-10667

Parking Area Rosewood Condominium, U s u s a n , Taguig City

12.50

32,000.00

80,000.00

Savings and Current Accounts with Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company in the total amount of Php 1,279,646.20 as of September 27, 2021, as shown by a Bank Certification dated December 9, 2021. The petitioner prays of this Honorable Court, that after notice and publication, (i) the Last Will and Testament of Testator Emmanuel Kenneth F. Velasco be probated, particularly item 3 of the Will; and (ii) petitioner Atty. Arnel P. Kho be appointed as executor and administrator with respect to item 3 of the subject Will of Testator. Wherefore, finding the verified petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is set fore hearing on July 29, 2022 at 8:30 in the morning, Session Hall of Branch 223 of this Court, at which date and time, petitioner and counsel are directed to appear to substantiate the allegations of the petition and for any interested persons may appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted. Let a copy of this Order be published at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation to be selected by raffle pursuant to Section 3 of Rule 76 of the Rules of Court, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing. Let a copy of this Order together with copies of the Petition and its annexes be furnished upon the Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City, who are directed to file their opposition to the petition within fifteen (15) days from the last date of publication of this Order. SO ORDERED. Given in Chambers. Quezon City, Philippines, March 30, 2022. (Sgd.) HON. CARIDAD M. WALSE-LUTERO Presiding Judge

The City Prosecutor’s Office DOJ Building, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Hall Quezon City Hall Complex Diliman, Quezon City

Emmanuel Hugh F. Velasco Legatees 17 Regidor St., Varsity Hills Subdivision, Quezon City

Office of the Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City

Benjamin F. Velasco Legatees 2 King Pin St., Vermont Royale, Mayamot, Antipolo City

The Local Civil Registrar Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office) East Ave., Quezon City Atty. Arnel P. Kho Petitioner Unit 502 Pacific Center Building, 33 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City Gerry Sy-Quia Legatees 8232 Avocado St., Marcelo Green Village, Parañaque City Lorelie Realingo Legatees 12C Flerida St., Acacia, Malabon City Marlon Pedgregosa Legatees 31-A East Tower, The Beaufort, 5th Avenue corner 23rd Streets, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

IN BRIEF Nepal flight missing with 22 people

Cash in Bank

CMWL/mcc SPEC. PRO. CASE NO. R-QZN-22-00810-SP/Initial Order Copy furnished:

as a rain cover as she cycles along a street in Beijing on May 29, 2022. AFP

A PASSENGER plane went missing in Nepal early on Sunday with 22 people on board, its airline said. The Twin Otter aircraft took off from the western town of Pokhara at 9:55 am (0410 GMT) but soon lost contact with air trafﬁc control. “A domestic ﬂight bound for Jomsom from Pokhara has lost contact,” Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesman for Tara Air, told AFP. He said there were 19 passengers on board and three crew members. Phanindra Mani Pokharel, a spokesman at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said two helicopters have been deployed for a search operation. But he said visibility was low. “The bad weather is likely to hamper the search operation. The visibility is so poor that nothing can be seen,” Pokharel said. Jomsom is a popular trekking destination in the Himalayas about 20 minutes by plane from Pokhara, which lies west of Kathmandu. AFP

27 civilians killed in Congo massacre

At least 27 civilians were killed by members of a notorious rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, the army and Red Cross said. The Kivu Security Tracker (KST), which monitors violence in the region via a team of experts on the ground, posted on Twitter to say that at least 27 civilians had been killed in the attack. “We heard bullets at dawn in the village of Beu Manyama,” army spokesman Anthony Mualushayi told AFP. “When we arrived, it was already too late because the enemy ADF had already killed more than a dozen of our fellow citizens with machetes.” Described by the so-called Islamic State as its local afﬁliate, the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have been accused of killing thousands of civilians in DRC’s troubled east. After the attack early Saturday, in the Beni region in North Kivu province, soldiers pursued the attackers and “neutralised seven ADF” and captured another, Mualushayi said.

Emmanuel T. Velasco Legatees 38 Rosa Alvero, Brgy. Loyola Heights, Quezon City Gloria F. Velasco Legatees 38 Rosa Alvero, Brgy. Loyola Heights, Quezon City Atty. Emmanuel s. Ypil e-mail: esypil@phylaw.com.ph Atty. Kimberly A. Yee e-mail: kayee@phylaw.com.ph Counsel for the Petiitoner Paner & Ypil Attorneys-at-Law (formerly: Paner Hosaka & Ypil Attorneys-at-Law) 502 Pacific Center Bldg., 33 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Phlippines 1600 Contact No: (632) 7798-2595/(632)8633-3611 Facsimile: (632) 8584-7310 E-mail Address: phylaw@phylaw.com.ph (MStandard - May 16, 23 & 30, 2022)

ON YOUR HANDS. A person wears fake blood to portray a gunshot to the head during a protest in support of gun control outside the National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meeting at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. America’s powerful NRA kicked off a major convention days after the horrific massacre of children at a Texas elementary school, but a string of high-profile no-shows underscored deep unease at the timing of the gun lobby event. AFP

Final touches in full swing for 4-day Jubilee NEXT weekend, people across the UK and beyond will celebrate the 96-year-old queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking her 70th year on the throne. And in the little village of Bidford-on-Avon, everything has to be perfect for the occasion. Here, as in most parts of the UK, Queen Elizabeth II remains extremely popular, and a small team of volunteers are putting in long hours to make sure the event is one to remember. “I wake up at three or four o’clock in the morning, and I suddenly think of something that we might have forgotten to order,” said Suze Meredith, chair of the village’s Platinum Jubilee committee. With just days left before the celebrations start, she is working against the clock to get everything ready on time. Her role in this pretty village in central England has been “full-time for three months,” she told AFP. That morning, firefighters came with a long ladder to hang red, white and blue bunting along the main street. A few hours later, a group of traditional dancers were to hold a final rehearsal. Every detail has been attended to for the long weekend from June 2 to 5, over which the celebrations will run. The Platinum Jubilee committee began meeting last summer in Bidford, with its 15th-century stone bridge. Its program for the four days of celebrations is impressively long: a best-decorated home and garden competition, a fancy-dress contest, a torch run and lighting of a beacon, cricket, tennis, football, bowling, a concert by the local choir as well as exhibitions and talks. AFP

Business

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Volatile market trading seen this week T By Jenniffer B. Austria

RADING at the Philippine Stock Exchange is expected to remain volatile this week amid economic uncertainties and jitters over the incoming new administration.

Analysts said rising inflation and interest rates remain the top concern of investors as these factors could slow down the recovery of the domestic economy. Investors will be monitoring the plans

and policies of the incoming administration, especially in ensuring the growth of the domestic economy. “Experts have guided that the new Marcos administration will be polarizing but capital markets so far welcome the return of familiar names for critical cabinet positions in the cabinet,” online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com said. “The economic team spanning from the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) to the finance bureau being composed of technocrats that were part of previous landmark-GDP growth runs should provide some calm, especially when the country’s investment grade rating comes

into question, in lieu of less favorable fiscal position, elevated inflation and post-pandemic fundamentals,” it added. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week slipped 0.3 percent to close 6,726.14 after the BSP hinted another rate hike in the upcoming June meeting, while the broader All Shares Index declined 0.5 percent to 3,596.13. Five of the six sectoral indices registered week-on-week decreases, led by financials, which fell 1 percent; holding firms dropped 0.6 percent; mining and oil dipped 0.3 percent; property lost 0.3 percent; and industrial dipped 0.2 percent. The services index, meanwhile, rose 0.6 percent.

Foreign selling accelerated to P9.8 billion last week from the previous week’s P623 million, the while average daily value traded rose to P8.9 billion from the previous week’s average of P7.6 billion. Weekly top price gainers were Manila Water Co. Inc., which advanced 7.5 percent to P18.70; Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. which rose 6.2 percent to P51; and International Container Terminal Services Inc., which climbed 5.9 percent to P222.80. Weekly top price losers were DITO CME Holdings Corp., which dropped 7.5 percent to P4.57; First Gen Corp., which declined 6.1 percent to P19.20;

UK firms start trial of four-day workweek for six months LONDON, United Kingdom—Louis Bloomsfield inspects the kegs of beer at his brewery in north London, eagerly awaiting June, when he will get an extra day off every week. The 36-year-old brewer plans to use the time to get involved in charity work, start a long-overdue course in particle physics, and spend more time with family. He and colleagues at the Pressure Drop brewery are taking part in a six-month trial of a four-day working week, with 3,000 others from 60 UK companies. The pilot—touted as the world’s biggest so far—aims to help companies shorten their working hours without cutting salaries or sacrificing revenues. Similar trials have also taken place in Spain, Iceland, the United States and Canada. Australia and New Zealand are scheduled to start theirs in August. Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a program manager at 4 Day Week Global, the campaign group behind the trial, said it will give firms “more time” to work through challenges, experiment with new practices and gather data. Smaller organizations should find it easier to adapt, as they can make big changes more readily, he told AFP. Pressure Drop, based in Tottenham Hale, is hoping the experiment will not only improve their employees’ productivity but also their wellbeing. At the same time, it will reduce their carbon footprint. The Royal Society of Biology, another participant in the trial, says it wants to give employees “more autonomy over their time and working patterns.” Both hope a shorter working week could help them retain employees, at a time when UK businesses are confronted with severe staff shortages, and job vacancies hitting a record 1.3 million. AFP

and Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which fell 5.4 percent to P6.25. Meanwhile, global stocks pushed higher on Friday, with US indices snapping a slump of weekly losses, while oil prices rallied to their highest level in two months. Following a positive day in European and Asian stock bourses, Wall Street stocks enjoyed another session entirely in positive territory, finishing higher for a third straight session. It’s been a blistering 2022 thus far for US equities as the Federal Reserve has launched aggressive steps to tighten monetary policy in response to inflation. With AFP

PSEi May 27, 2022

TOP GAINERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

TUGS LMG

1 3.6

0.2 0.56

25.00% 18.42%

3 4

TBGI DFNN

0.34 3.49

0.045 0.39

15.25% 12.58%

MBC

8.1

0.55

7.28%

6 7

APVI MG

17.1 0.128

0.94 0.007

5.82% 5.79%

8 9

CIC CHP

18.98 0.74

0.98 0.03

5.44% 4.23%

7.6

0.3

4.11%

TOP LOSERS WAGE DEMAND. In this May 26, 2022, photo courtesy of Raul H. Vidaurre of the Fast Food Union 32BJ SEIU, Chipotle restaurant workers protest to demand a US$20 minimum wage in New York City. Fast-food workers are demonstrating in Manhattan to demand a wage of $20 an hour. A demand that was unthinkable before the pandemic has now become a matter of course, as companies have multiplied spectacular increases that have not, however, reduced inequalities. AFP

Victoria’s Secret pays $8.3m to sacked Thai workers BANGKOK, Thailand—More than a thousand sacked Thai garment workers who made bras at a factory supplying lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret have received a landmark $8.3-million settlement, labor rights activists said Saturday. Brilliant Alliance Thai closed down its Samut Prakan factory in March 2021 after going bankrupt. But the 1,250 laid-off workers—many of whom had worked at the factory for over a decade—did not receive severance payouts mandated under Thai law. The factory also produced underwear for plus size American brands Lane Bryant and Torrid, owned by Sycamore Partners—but only Victoria’s Secret contributed to the settlement via a loan arrangement with the factory’s owners. Victoria’s Secret confirmed in a statement that an agreement had been reached, but did not mention the amount involved. “Over several months we had been in active communication with the factory

owners to facilitate a resolution,” the company said. “We regret they were not ultimately in a position to conclude this matter on their own so to ensure the workers received their full severance amounts owed, Victoria’s Secret agreed to advance the severance funds to the factory owners,” it added. Former worker Jitnawatcharee Panad had clocked up 25 years at the factory and said more than two thirds of the sacked workers were women aged 45 or older. “If we hadn’t fought for fair compensation, we wouldn’t have received anything,” Jitnawatcharee, who is also president of the Triumph International Workers’ Union of Thailand, told AFP. “The doors of the labor ministry were locked when we went there to seek help and the minister didn’t seem to want to listen to our problem.” The agreement is the largest ever wage theft settlement at an individual

garment factory, the international workers rights group Solidarity Centre said. “I think it’s extremely unprecedented and represents a new model—the scale of severance and interest paid on it... as well as direct engagement by the brand,” Solidarity Center Thailand country director David Welsh told AFP. For the past year, sacked workers and Thai union representatives have protested outside Government House in Bangkok calling for their pay. Confederation of Industrial Labor of Thailand president Prasit Prasopsuk said some protesting workers had been charged with criminal offenses, including violating public gathering rules during the pandemic. “This case serves as a lesson in the future for the government... to ensure that foreign companies doing business in Thailand allocate some portion of monthly profit for fair compensation when these companies cease domestic operations,” he said. AFP

Little things with a great impact: An Aim2Flourish experience ONE of our Integral Human Development class requirements is to create an Aim2Flourish assignment on the innovation of a Philippine-based business. For a business or company to qualify, one of the essential requirements is for it to address one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the website of Aim2Flourish, “AIM2Flourish is a global initiative that aims to steer future business leaders towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a flourishing world for all.” To create an Aim2Flourish assignment, we need to interview a business owner or the CEO of the company we aim to feature. We have to find out the story behind the innovation it adopts, its inspiration and its overall impact. We must also address its business, environmental and social benefits. I featured Create and Curate PH’s one-woman team, Vigie Ador. Ador is an AB Communication Major in Advertising graduate from De La Salle Lipa. She was a former photojournalist from Lavoxa, the official student publication of the same school. She also worked as a retail photography studio manager in Makati. The innovation of Create and Curate PH involves showcasing handwoven products on different social media platforms for marketing and advertising and showing how one product has multiple potentials and purposes. Ador was inspired to do the innovation when she saw a quote on the internet that says, “Your potential is endless.” She applied this concept to Create and Curate PH, which aims to show multiple functions of one specific product they sell to make it sustainable. The overall impact of the business was how the firm helped the local weavers gain a decent amount of income. It also impacted many people by being influenced to support small businesses and live an ecofriendly lifestyle. Ador also desires for us to help small businesses first.

STIFFE SHANNENE DE LEON

Green Light

I was moved by the goals and aspirations of Vigie Ador when I interviewed her. In her way, by using her passion for photography, she was able to help the local weavers of Tabaco City, Albay, in the middle of the pandemic. The stories she told behind the birth of Create and Curate PH need to be retold for us to help our communities to rise together during the crisis we are in right now. I was inspired by the story behind Create and Curate PH. During our interview, the business owner shared that she researched the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while establishing the business. It explicitly implies that the owner wanted to address the problems of society. Moreover, I have realized that we can use our talents and hobbies to help many people. I have thought about how self-rewarding it was—doing what you love, making it a source of income while helping the locals. It made me think of what that “little thing” is that I can do for our country that can make a huge impact not only for me but for my community and the world. Vigie Ador emphasized how we should be supporting local businesses first to help our communities. She has also stated how she wanted to encourage healthy competition among fellow small business owners. The business owner highlighted the importance of using sustainable and eco-friendly products in our daily life. The action I will commit will be patterned on the goals and aspirations of Create and Curate PH. I will

encourage everyone around me to support emerging businesses in our communities. By doing this, we will be able to inspire other aspiring entrepreneurs. According to Ador, “Environment-friendly lifestyle is the future.” I will commit myself to live a sustainable lifestyle to help our environment. I will start with myself and do every “little” way I think I can do for our country. To know more about the story of Create and Curate PH, you may visit https://aim2flourish.com/ innovations/little-thingswith-a-great-impact. The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, DLSU. She can be reached at stiffe_ deleon@dlsu.edu.ph. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and its administrators.

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

APO

0.88

-0.09

-9.28%

2 3

MJIC LODE

1.3 0.57

-0.13 -0.04

-9.09% -6.56%

4 5

NI DWC

0.94 1.7

-0.06 -0.1

-6.00% -5.56%

6 7

IRC PRMX

0.9 2.01

-0.05 -0.11

-5.26% -5.19%

8 9

PHR TCB2D

1.1 56

-0.06 -2.6

-5.17% -4.44%

ARA

1.59

-0.07

-4.22%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME

VALUE (PHP)

1 2

CNVRG SMPH

28,503,800 12,529,600

758,609,910 467,160,285

MONDE

24,215,000

401,044,490

4 5

ALI BDO

13,453,100 2,519,850

384,647,000 317,250,996

TEL

128,755

251,320,450

7 8

AC SPNEC

299,640 98,385,000

203,212,650 179,437,250

9 10

JFC SM

798,060 199,820

170,601,380 167,290,445

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

IN BRIEF PSE enforces revised backdoor listing rules THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the implementation of the revised rules on backdoor listing that will require more stringent approval to protect minority shareholders. PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon signed a memorandum circular that aims to implement the amended rules immediately. Under the revised rules, backdoor listing is deemed to occur if a listed company, directly or indirectly, acquires the shares or assets of an unlisted company or vice versa, and if such transaction results in change in control or de facto control of the listed company and/or substantial change in the business of the listed company. Any backdoor listing transactions will now need the approval a least two-thirds of the entire membership of the board, including the majority, but not less than two,of its independent directors and twothirds of of all stockholders of the listed company. A backdoor-listed company will also be required to conduct a public offering of at least 10 percent of its issued and outstanding shares within a year from closing or completion of the transaction. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business DTI’s Lopez asks new gov’t to track P450-b investments By Othel V. Campos

HE incoming administration has the opportunity to pursue P450-billion worth of investment leads from 250 foreign companies engaged in modern industries and services, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said over the weekend. The Department of Trade and Industry said foreign investors were encouraged by improvements in the business environment brought about by major economic policy reforms. “As this administration draws to a close, we shall be leaving behind a stron-

ger Philippine economy despite the pandemic. We have a legacy of sound policy directions, reforms, roadmaps, strategic plans, partnerships and programs that will help steer the country’s trade and industry sector toward sustainable and accelerated growth,” Lopez told investors at the general membership meeting of the Semiconductors and Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc. The DTI expressed optimism the economy would grow beyond 7 percent in 2022 following a higher-than-expected expansion in the first quarter and barring surges from COVID-19 variants and escalation of war-induced economic volatility. It also underscored the game-changing policy reforms recently approved and signed to help position the country towards a stronger post-pandemic recovery, leading to a more vibrant trade, investment and industry sectors. It said these reform measures, including the Ease of Doing Business Act, Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for

Globe expanding fiber network rollout

MAYA’S AWARDS.

TELECOM companies are ramping up fiber network rollout nationwide to serve the rising demand for high-speed broadband from consumers. “We are now seeing tremendous growth in our fiber subscribers. There’s still latent demand in the industry, and we will continue our accelerated fiber rollout to capture that demand. In the coming quarters,” said Globe Telecom chief commercial officer Issa Guevarra-Cabreira. Globe said to improve internet experience, it provides customers free migration to fiber. “Clearly, our customers already prefer the wired solution. As we brought them out of our wireless and legacy technology, then we will see growth in the coming months,” she said. Globe’s fiber broadband takeup jumped by 155 percent from January to March this year compared to the same period in 2021, pushing fiber revenues up by 164 percent. Darwin G. Amojelar

Maya, the country’s only all-in-one money platform, receives recognitions at the Privacy Awareness Week Awards 2022 organized by the National Privacy Commission for building a more secure ecosystem for consumers and enterprises. Maya senior data protection specialist Denriel Maverick Avila (left) and data protection officer John Christopher Retardo (right) take the stage with NPC Privacy Commissioner and chairman John Henry Naga (center) to accept the awards on behalf of the organization.

Wenceslao asks CA to void court ruling DM Wenceslao and Associates, through subsidiary Mandaue Land Consortium, asked the Court of Appeals to nullify a Pasig court decision ordering the implementation of a reclamation project in Mandaue City that was allegedly voided earlier by a government agency. The Pasig court decision favored a consortium led by Harbour Centre, whose project was annulled by the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission since it was already granted more than a decade earlier to the Wenceslao group. Wenceslao said in a statement it was not informed about the case, while the court was not told about the Wenceslao project although the city government, under a new mayor, was impleaded. The Pasig court issued its decision in December 2020, but Wenceslao learned about it in November 2021. The Mandaue City government, then under then Mayor Thadeo Ouano, awarded the project to Wenceslao in 2001 after a public bidding.

Enterprises Law, the amended Foreign Investments Act Retail Trade Liberalization Act and Public Service Act were expected to contribute to faster and more resilient economic recovery. “The Duterte administration is passing on a legacy of major policy reforms and programs that should strengthen the Philippine economic fundamentals moving forward, with blueprints for priority industries and MSME development that can drive the growth of our economy for years to come,” Lopez said. He said the dwindling COVID infections is a sign that the Philippines found the delicate balance of protecting lives and livelihood. “As we finally see the end of the pandemic, we are confident that the Philippines remains a prime investment destination as several international firms have already expressed strong interest in investing in new technology-based industries in the country. These are certainly exciting times,” Lopez said.

BSP allows travelers to fill out currency declaration forms online By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, approved further amendments to foreign exchange regulations to allow international travelers to accomplish the currency declaration forms online to provide faster, more efficient and timely capture of data on physical cross-border transfer of currencies. It also issued a new currency declaration form that replaces the foreign currency and other foreign exchange-denominated bearer monetary instruments declaration form and consolidates the data requirements of the Bureau of Customs, the Anti-Money Laundering

Council and the BSP. Any person bringing into or taking out of the Philippines legal tender Philippine notes and coins, checks, money order and other bills of exchange in excess of P50,000 and foreign currencies or other foreign currency-denominated bearer monetary instruments in excess of $10,000.00 or their equivalent is required to declare the whole amount using the prescribed currency declaration form. Other amendments include the clarification on the allowable purposes for cross-border transfer of local currency in excess of the peso limit and declaration under oath, which is a requirement of the Customs. “These reforms are part of the BSP’s

commitment to strengthen compliance with policy on cross-border transfer of currencies and to integrate digital technology into BSP’s processes,” the BSP said. The implementing circular will take effect 30 calendar days after its publication. The BSP earlier amended the foreign exchange rules to ease access to foreign exchange for trade and non-trade current account transactions and support digital payment transactions. It said the further amendments to FX regulations aimed to promote greater ease in the use of FX resources of the banking system and further streamline or simplify procedures and documentary requirements for FX transactions.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, May 27, 2022

80.62 PTS. 6,726.14

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

917,393,325 86,209

TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES

5,960,368,454.46 99

DECLINES

UNCHANGED

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.3790

Japan

Yen

0.007867

0.4121

Pound

1.260800

66.0394

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127397

6.6729

Switzerland

Franc

1.042644

54.6127

Canada

Dollar

0.782901

41.0076

Singapore

Dollar

0.728491

38.1576

Australia

Dollar

0.709400

37.1577

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652590

138.9400

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266631

13.9659

Brunei

Dollar

0.725847

38.0191

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.029240

1.5316

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2621

Euro

1.073200

56.2131

Korea

Won

0.000794

0.0416

China

Yuan

0.148414

7.7738

India

Rupee

0.012884

0.6749

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.227480

11.9152

New Zealand

Dollar

0.647900

33.9364

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034077

1.7849 Source: BSP

MREIT expects P15-b worth of asset infusion By Jenniffer B. Austria MREIT Inc., the real estate investment trust company of Megaworld Corp., said over the weekend it remains on track with its commitment to acquire P20-billion worth of commercial assets this year. MREIT said it would infuse another P15-billion worth of assets into the company over the next few quarters following the P5.3-billion property-for-share swap agreement with Megaworld. The company is in talks with Megaworld over the additional asset infusion. “For our next infusion, we are already considering properties from townships in key growth areas outside of Metro Manila where MREIT does not have a presence yet. This will further diversify our portfolio and allow us to tap into other growth centers around the country,” said MREIT president and chief executive Kevin Tan. Tan said during the company’s annual shareholders meeting Friday the acquisition of additional office assets is in line with the company’s commitment to maximize shareholder value by increasing revenue generation from its portfolio, improving operational efficiency and accelerating acquisition plans. “In line with our vision, we prepared a roadmap that calls for the expansion of MREIT’s property portfolio to one million square meters before the end of the decade. Given our access to Megaworld’s extensive office portfolio amounting to 1.4 million square meters, we believe that this is achievable,” Tan said. Tan said MREIT plans to declare dividends equivalent to P1 per share in 2022, which is 6 percent higher than originally contemplated in the REIT plan. The company’s portfolio included 14 prime, Grade A buildings that collectively span 280,000 square meters of gross leasable area as of end-2021. Once the pending acquisitions are completed, MREIT’s portfolio will cover 18 office properties with total portfolio value of P78.5 billion, up 34 percent from P58.5 billion.

Globaltech lawyer cites CA decision to prove ‘Peryahan ng Bayan’ legality

WATER MANAGEMENT.

The National Irrigation Administration signs a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technologies of the Department of Science and Technology on Water Resource Management Climate Resilient Infrastructure Initiative Program. Leading the signing ceremony at the NIA Administrator’s Conference Room in Quezon City are (from left) NIA administrator Ricardo Visaya and DOST-PCIEERD executive director Enrico Paringit.

GAMING technology firm Globaltech Mobile Online Corp. said a status quo ante order affirmed with finality by the Court of Appeals remains in force, allowing it to operate “Peryahan ng Bayan” games nationwide. Globaltech vice president for legal Bernard Vitriolo claimed a lower court could not recall a CA ruling, especially one that is final and executory. “We have never operated illegally. We are a legitimate, duly registered and lawabiding private corporation,” Vitriolo said. The lawyer said the principle of stability and immutability of final judicial decision and the principle of separation of powers was enshrined in the Constitution. Vitriolo said the CA final decision could

not be supplanted, superseded, overtaken, modified and reversed by an administrative order of the PCSO. Vitriolo claimed that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office misrepresented court issuances and rulings on the operations of PNB games, causing confusion with the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation. Vitriolo said the final decision of the CA affirming the SQA order was not recalled as claimed by PCSO general manager and vice chairperson Royina Garma. He said PCSO allegedly misrepresented a recall order issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 161 in February 2020.

Atok-Big Wedge plans to build 500-MW wind power project in Polillo Group of Islands north of Balesin By Alena Mae S. Flores ATOK-BIG Wedge Company Inc., a company led by businessman Roberto Ongpin, plans to build a 500-megawatt wind power project in the Polillo Group of Islands off Quezon province that includes Balesin Island, which is owned by sister company Alphaland Corp. The project will rise on a

750-hectare property in Patnanugan Island. Atok said it is in talks with a major power company in China, but did not make further disclosures. “The expansion into renewable energy is a significant step forward for AB, which is one of the oldest mining companies listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange Inc., having been incorporated in the ear-

ly 1930s,” the firm said. Atok owns Tidemark Corp., which in turn owns 20 percent of Forum Energy Plc., which has a 70-percent stake in Service Contract 72 covering the Recto Bank. Oil and gas exploration at SC 72 was put on hold over the territorial dispute with China. “In expanding into renewable energy, the board of AB decided to

participate in the climate change effort that the entire world is presently focusing on,” it said. Atok was incorporated and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Sept. 4, 1931. The company produced gold as its major product and silver as a byproduct. It changed its primary purpose in 1996 from mining to gen-

eral investment, but later reverted to its original purpose of engaging in the exploration and development of mining, oil, gas and other natural resources in 2010. It has two wholly-owned subsidiaries—AB Stock Transfers Corp., which establishes, operates and acts as a transfer agent and/ or registrar of corporations, and Tidemark.

Sports

Swiatek racks up 31st straight tennis win

PARIS—World number one Iga Swiatek was the only top 10 women’s seed left standing at the French Open on Saturday as Casper Ruud and Holger Rune gave Roland Garros a rare Nordic twist with landmark performances. Swiatek, the 2020 champion, dropped serve three times against 95th-ranked Danka Kovinic of Montenegro before sealing a 6-3, 7-5 third round victory, her 31st successive win. “I wanted to play really aggressively but sometimes I felt I was hitting with too much power and it was hard to control,” said the 20-year-old Pole. Swiatek’s winning streak is the best since Serena Williams’s 34 successive victories in 2013. She next faces Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen who made the last 16 on her debut when French veteran Alize Cornet, playing in her 61st consecutive Grand Slam, retired with a leg injury, trailing 6-0, 3-0. Having stunned 2018 champion Simona Halep in the second round, Zheng becomes only the fourth Chinese woman to make the fourth round in Paris where compatriot Li Na captured her landmark Slam title in 2011. “I always knew I had the level to do well, now I just want to keep going,” said the 19-year-old Zheng, ranked at 74. Cornet, the last Frenchwoman in the draw, was booed off by the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd. “It hurt more than my injury,” she said. Spain’s Paula Badosa, who made the quarter-finals in 2021, retired due to a calf injury when she was trailing Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 2-1. Aryna Sabalenka, the seventh seed, slipped to a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 defeat against Italy’s Camila Giorgi. The exits of Badosa and Sabalenka meant that for the first time in the Open era only one top 10 seed has survived to the fourth round. Ruud, Rune shine In stark contrast, nine of the top 10 men’s seeds have made the second week. Eighth-seeded Casper Ruud became the first Norwegian man to reach the last 16 with a 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. Ruud hit 39 winners and goes on to face Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year who is also in the last 16 in Paris for the first time. Meanwhile, Holger Rune became the first Danish man in the Roland Garros fourth round since 1959 when he knocked out France’s last man, Hugo Gaston. Rune, 19, and ranked at 40, breezed to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win and next faces 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas. The last Danish man to make a Slam fourth round was Kenneth Carlsen at the 1993 Australian Open. Fourth seed Tsitsipas needed just 92 minutes to clinch a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 win over 95th-ranked Mikael Ymer. The Greek star had to come back from two sets down to beat Lorenzo Musetti and then needed four hours and four sets to see off 134th-ranked qualifier Zdenek Kolar in his first two outings. AFP

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

Poland’s Iga Swiatek eyes the ball as she returns to Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic during their women’s singles match on Day 7 of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court PhilippeChatrier in Paris. AFP

POC to reward 31 SEA Games’ medalists with cash incentives st

HE Philippine Olympic Committee will honor the medalists in the recent Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games and announce the release of their ﬁnancial incentives during its General Assembly—the sixth for the year—at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City on Monday.

The General Assembly, according to POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, will also welcome the Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas and Philippine Esports Organization, as regular members of the organization. “Tops on the agenda is honoring our Filipino athletes who competed strongly in the Vietnam SEA Games,” Tolentino said. “The country may have relinquished the overall championship, but our athletes were a ‘fighting team’ in Vietnam.” Filipino athletes finished fourth in the medals race with 52 gold, 70 silver and 105 bronze medals—the best finish by the country when it’s not hosting the games—in the May 12 to 23 competitions that Vietnam exaggeratedly ruled with a haul of 205 gold medals with 125 silvers and 116 bronze medals. The host’s haul was 40 percent of

the 522 events spread out to 40 sports with Thailand finishing a far second with 92-103-136 gold-silver-bronze and Indonesia landing at third place with 69-91-81. Singapore was fifth with 4746-43. “Everyone knew beforehand that Vietnam will relentlessly dominate the games but still, our athletes still held their ground despite limitations in their training and preparations because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Tolentino said. “And to honor and recognize the athletes, the POC is rewarding them with incentives,” said Tolentino, who presided over the POC Executive Board meeting on Saturday at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Pasay City. “We’re hopeful that when the 32nd SEA Games are hosted by Cambodia in May 2023, our athletes will remain in gold medal form.” Tolentino, meanwhile, said the

Olympian Kurt Bryan Barbosa (right) gets a congratulatory handshake from Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

kickboxing federation headed by Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino and the esports bodies have completed the requisite two SEA Games participation to warrant their regular membership with the POC. Kickboxing accounted for two gold,

PH bets must start training for Cambodia soon By Peter Atencio

PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez

WITH the 32nd Southeast Asian Games set be held in Cambodia a year from now, national athletes will have to go back to training as soon as possible and be at their best again. Commissioner Ramon Fernandez said this as 53 national athletes, who won a total of 105 medals during the 31st edition of the meet will be feted this Wednesday in Malacañang by

Tough group for Filipinas in ASEAN football meet THE Philippine national women’s football will have a tough assignment in the coming 2022 ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship. The Filipinas, coached by Allen Stajcic, have been put in Group A with Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. This was confirmed following a draw held on Saturday afternoon at the Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas. The upcoming 2022 AFF Women’s Championship is slated on July 4 to 17 at the Binan Football Stadium in Laguna and at the Imus Grandstand field in Cavite. Reigning Southeast Asian Games

champion Vietnam is in Group B with Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Laos. Officials of the Philippine Football Federation said the Philippines, as one of two ASEAN nations to have qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, will test its mettle once more against Vietnam, the other World Cup qualifier from the region. This will be the Filipinas’ 12th appearance in the competition since 2004. Stajcic said this will be a great chance for the Filipinas to show how much they have improved. Peter Atencio

President Rodrigo Duterte. “Generally, the national sports associations will have to go back to the drawing board and find out kung saan dapat may improvement ang training program,” said Fernandez, who was the chef de mission of the national delegation when the games were held over the last two weeks this month. Malacañang has summoned all the medallists from the Games to Palace and hinted of giving addi-

tional incentives. Fernandez believes that before the Cambodian meet gets going, it is important for the athletes to go into international competitions and get the needed exposure. “The NSAs would know what to do about this,” added Fernandez. The Philippines won a total of 52 golds, 70 silvers and 108 bronzes to end up in fourth place in the Vietnam SEA Games.

Members of the Philippine women’s football team celebrate their 2-1 win over Myanmar on Saturday at the Cam Pha Stadium in Cam Pha City, Vietnam. The Filipinas ended a 37year medal drought in the biennial meet by taking the bronze medal.

four silver and two bronze medals and esports contributed two golds and two silvers in the Vietnam SEA Games campaign. The POC will also welcome the Philippine National Rugby League as a recognized member.

Parks stays with Nagoya in Japan’s B.League BOBBT Ray Parks Jr. is staying on with Nagoya Diamond Dolphins for another year. The 29-year-old Parks was re-signed for another season in the B.League in Japan following the Dolphins’ successful 20212022 campaign. With Parks as their rookie, the Diamond Dolphins earned the West District’s thirdbest record. and the league’s seventh-best, with their 34-15 win-loss slate. This allowed the Diamond Dolphins to barge into the quarterfinals playoff. The Kawasaki Brave Thunders, the second seed from the East District eventually won their two-game series with the Diamond Dolphins to reach the semifinals. The 6’4” star Parks averaged 10.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 22.2 minute in his last outing in the B.League. Meanwhile, La Salle standout Justine Baltazar is set to play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies. The Dragonflies recently confirmed on Twitter that they have 6’7” slotman of the De La Salle University Green Archers for the 2021-22 season. Baltazar saw action for the Green Archers during his collegiate days in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. And he was part of one championship while with the Green Archers. The Dragonflies completed their B.League season with a 29-28 card. Peter Atencio

Sports

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

Sarangani, Batangas keep lead; MPBL in SJ BATANGAS and Sarangani kept top spot in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season with hard-earned victories on Saturday night at the Batangas City Coliseum. The Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics subdued the GenSan Warriors, 68-62, while the Sarangani Marlins nipped the Marikina Shoe Masters, 73-69, to post their third straight win in as many starts. Bucking the absence of two key players, the Athletics dropped a 10-point bomb in the homestretch to hand the Warriors, who have homegrown actor Gerald Anderson in their roster, a second straight defeat in the 22-team tournament. Leaning on YouTube sensation Kyt Jimenez, Paul Sanga, Regie Boy Basibas and Gabby Espinas, the Marlins proved steady under pressure to pull down the Shoe Masters to a 1-2 card. Jimenez fired 11 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, handed 7 assists and pulled off 3 assists to become the Marlins’ most efficient performer. Sanga scored 14 points, Basibas added 13 and Espinas 11 for Coach John Kallos. Marikina drew 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists from Raymond Casajeros; 13 points from Alfred Gayosa, and 11 points plus 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals from Tiktoker Ahron Estacio. Batangas finally broke free at 66-56 as Ralph Olivares struck right away after being fielded back by Coach Cholo Villanueva. Olivares’ 10 points was enough to pace Batangas, which bucked the absence of injured gunner Juneric Baloria and inside operator Jeckster Apinan, to stay on course of another title run since the Athletics ruled the MPBL inaugural Rajah Cup in 2018. Levi Hernandez and Mark Dela Virgen contributed 9 points each, Cedrick Ablaza 8, and Vincent Imprtanta and Jaycee Asuncion 7 each for Batangas. GenSan led at 48-42, on a lay-up by Anderson, but Hernandez presided over a 9-point blitz to push Batangas ahead at 51-49 after three quarters. Trailing Batangas and Sarangani with 2-0 records are Bacolod and Zamboanga, followed by Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga with 1-0 slates. The MPBL goes to the FilOIl Flying V Center today (Monday) with another doubleheader pitting Mindoro (0-3) against Pasig (0-1) at 7 p.m. and San Juan (0-1) against Valenzuela (3-1) at 9 p.m.

Locals seek to dominate PPS netfest in Kidapawan

Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 12th hole during the third round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. AFP

Scheffler grabs PGA lead with closing birdie L

OS ANGELES—Top-ranked Masters champion Scottie Schefﬂer closed with a 30-foot birdie putt to seize a two-stroke lead after Saturday’s wind-whipped third round of the US PGA Charles Schwab Challenge. The 25-year-old American, chasing his fifth victory of the year, fired a twounder par 68 to stand on 11-under 199 after 54 holes at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. “The winds were up really high. The greens were actually pretty firm, and so it was challenging,” said Scheffler. “The birdies were not coming easy to anybody out there late in the day.” Scheffler, among eight players sharing the 18-hole lead and four coleaders after 36, had not made a bogey over the first 52 holes before stumbling at the 17th. But he responded with a dramatic birdie at the 18th to stretch his lead back to two entering Sunday’s final round. “I was glad it was going toward the cup. I hit it a little bit too firm,” Scheffler said of his final birdie. “I struggled a little bit with the speed of the greens today. It’s tough when the wind gets blowing that hard. “Like 18, I’m putting downhill but straight into the wind. That one I was

just trying to make sure I got to the hole because putting downhill when the greens get iffy late in the day is very tough... fortunately that one hit the bottom of the cup.” An eagle-birdie start helped American Brendon Todd shoot 65, the day’s low round, to share second on 201 with countryman Scott Stallings. American Harold Varner was in fourth on 202. Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, was on 203 with fellow Americans John Huh and Chris Kirk and Australian Cam Davis. Scheffler could become the first world number one to win the event since Australian Adam Scott in 2014. With a victory, Scheffler would join South African Bobby Locke from 1947 and Australian Joe Kirkwood Sr. from 1923 as players winning their first five US PGA Tour titles in the same season. Locke took six in his debut campaign while Kirkwood won five. After winning his first US PGA title at Phoenix in February, Scheffler won

at Bay Hill and captured the WGC Match Play title in March then won his first major title at Augusta National in April to overtake Spain’s Jon Rahm as world number one. ‘It’s very challenging’ Patience was at a premium on a blustery day for Scheffler, who parred his way through the front nine to remain tied for the lead. At the 10th, Scheffler found greenside rough but chipped in from 20 feet to seize the solo lead, then landed his approach at the par-5 11th inches from the cup and tapped in to reach 11-under and lead by two. At 14, Scheffler chipped from 70 feet to inches from the cup for a tapin par, but his bogey-free run ended with a five-foot par putt miss at the 17th, setting the stage for his dramatic birdie finish. “This is a golf course you have to be pretty careful around. It’s very challenging,” Scheffler said. Todd drove the green in two and sank an eight-foot eagle putt on the par-5 opening hole, then holed out from just over 33 feet at the second. Todd dropped his approach to four feet to set up a birdie at the sixth and rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt at the par-3 eighth, then parred his way to the clubhouse. AFP

JOSE Palo, Dhea Cua and two others set out to sustain their title runs at home, looking to stamp their class over their regional rivals in the PPS-PEPP President’s Cup national age-group tennis tournament, which got going over the weekend in Kidapawan City in Cotabato. Palo and Cua shared the MVP honors with two victories each in the 14- and 16-U divisions in last week’s Kabacan stop of the Mindanao swing of the country’s longest talent-search although they face stiff challenge from a slew of bidders out to spoil their bids in a full-packed field at the Kidapawan City courts. In fact, Cua, the top seed in girls’ 14-U, is disputing the last 16-U slot against Keena Villaraiz in a qualifier at presstime. Meanwhile, action in the Dunloppresented ranking circuit, shifts to Pigcawayan, also in Cotabato, on June 1-5. For listup, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. Palo, also the top ranked player in 14-U, hopes to draw inspiration from the local crowd as braces for a duel with either Inigo Barrios, Cian Ramirez, Rafa Ubag, Yusuf Maldo or Nathaniel Bolocboloc. He will also have his hands full to get another shot at the 16-U diadem against top seed RJ Saldivar, whom he upended in Kabacan. Joaquin Palo, meanwhile, tries to make it back-to-back in boys’ 18-U play, which also features Saldivar, Joshua Rayray, Derek Napala, Aiki Abasalo, Ben Flores and Pete Cua, while Carl Eduarte gears up for a showdown with Rafa Ubag, Jelord Entoma, Francis Florida or Rey Templa for the 12-U crown in the Group 2 tournament put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. Unranked Sanschena Francisco of Sultan Kudarat also seeks to prove her worth in girls’ 18-U side which she ruled last week although the likes of top seed Juliana Carvajal, No. 2 Kyle Sonza and Chelsea Bernaldez have vowed to stop her surge. Divine Collado from Libungan, Cotabato, also eyes another crown in the girls’ 12-U side headlined by Ayeesa Gilbang and Jhuane Flores with Princess Obaniana, Faye Arce, Kate Florida and Daneea Sinsuat joining the hunt for title and ranking points in the four-day tournament sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines.

Bigger World Slasher Cup 2 at Araneta Coliseum

Shown here are (starting from second to the left) 2022 World Slasher Cup 2 participants Faustino Datu, Ferdinand Chua, Dr. Belle Almojera and Edwin Tan, with Bb. Pilipinas Grand International Samantha Panlilio (left) and Bb. Pilipinas Runner-Up Meiji Cruz (right).

By Peter Atencio A BIGGER turnout is expected to take shape in the 2022 World Slasher Cup 2 Invitational 9-Cock Derby when it happens from May 31 to June 6 at the Araneta Coliseum. Around 200 aficionados are expected to take part, a big increase from the participation last March. Pit manager Dong Lamoste said that with more participants coming in, they have put up an online portal so that bettors can observe health and safety protocols for the duration of the event.

“We expect more entries, around 200. Ayos naman at maganda naman ang unang edition. Kaya lang, ngayon mas marami because of our partners,” said Lamoste. The two-cock eliminations will be held from May 31 to June 1. The tour nament is thankful for the help of their partners, Sabong Express and Uniprom, for providing them the needed assistance. The weeklong derby will then have a three-cock semifinals on June 2 and 3. This year’s second edition is seen to attract enthusiasts from

the international community in the United States, Kuwait, Malaysia and Indonesia. The four-cock pre-finals and finals matches are set on June 6, with organizers anticipating the return of TJ Marquez, who is the defending champion. Marquez won the March event with an impressive 8-1 win-loss record, using his impressive breed lineup from the Oakgrove and Roundhead bloodlines. The WSC is now on its sixth decade after it was first held at the Araneta Coliseum in 1963 and is considered as the “Olympics of Cockfighting.”

Mojdeh, White fuel BEST’s dominance MULTI-TITLED junior internationalists Jasmine Mojdeh and Vietnam-based Heather White stamped their class anew in their respective divisions as the Philippine BEST (Behrouz Elite Swimming Team) continued its dominance on the second day of competition in the Philippine Swimming Inc.-organized National Age-Group Championships on Saturday at the newly built Teofilo Ildefonso Swimming pool inside the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. The 16-year-old Brent International School student Mojdeh dominated her three events,

while the Filipino-Briton and ABC International School Vietnam swimming protegee White won in two events in their respective age-group classes to lead the BEST squads to a twoday haul of 20 golds, 20 silver, and seven bronze medals in the tournament, which will serve as tryouts for the national training pool and junior team. Nicknamed the ‘Water Beast’ by the local swimming community, Mojdeh, coming off an impressive three-gold medal sweep on the first day of the competition on Friday, delivered in the 50-m Fly with a time of 29.62

seconds, as well as in the 100-m breast (1: 18.33), and 400-m Individual Medley (5: 16.51) in the girls’ 16-18 class. She previously dominated the 50-m breast (35.67), 100-m fly (1: 04.17), and 200-m Individual Medley (2: 29.35). White, 15, was also impressive in the 200-m free (2:14) and 50-m fly (28.96) of the girls’ 1415 class. She stretched her dominance in the 200-m IM (2: 30.33), 100 Fly (1: 05.62), and 50-m Free (27.49) of the tournament, which attracted over 300 swimmers from various swimming clubs and organiza-

tions sanctioned by PSI. “We’re very happy with the performance of our swimmers, especially Jas and Heather. As a test of long-term training and perseverance from the grassroots level to becoming the elite of BEST and Swimming League Philippines, we can really see the result. Their exposure to tournaments abroad is also a big thing,” said BEST team manager Joan Mojdeh, regarding Jasmine’s recent participation in the prestigious Melun, France swim fest, where the 16-year-old national junior record holder took home one gold and one silver.

Jasmine Mojdeh: Dominant with 3 golds

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

South Korea wins big at Cannes film fest

Song Kang-Ho is the face of South Korean cinema at the Cannes Film Festival

THE South Korean cinema industry added to a global winning streak on Saturday by scooping two key prizes at the Cannes Film Festival for a pair of beloved veterans. Star filmmaker Park Chan-wook clinched the best director award for his erotic crime movie Decision To Leave while Song Kang-ho, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning Parasite, picked up the best actor gong for Broker. The Cannes spotlight also fell on Lee Jung-jae, the superstar actor in Netflix’s

Squid Game, whose debut as a director, Hunt, screened out of competition. Park’s Cannes entry came nearly two decades after his Oldboy, which won the festival’s second-highest prize in 2004. That mind-bending shocker helped catapult South Korean cinema onto the global stage—years before Parasite, which won the 2019 Palme d’Or and best picture at the 2020 Academy Awards. Park, 58, told the Cannes audience he was bullish about the future of moviegoing.

“With the pandemic, borders were closed. We were very afraid of each other, and theatres were empty. But little by little, audiences will rediscover cinema,” Park said. Decision to Leave features Chinese star Tang Wei and Korean actor Park Hae-il and tells the story of a detective who, investigating a man’s fatal fall from a mountain, comes under the spell of the victim’s wife, whom he suspects of having caused her husband’s death. Read full story on manilastandard.net

Kylie Padilla finds her place in male-dominated world A

T FIRST glance, Kylie VERY Padilla’s new television WANG character is fun and exciting – a determined young woman NICKIE WANG finding her own place under the sun. But behind the colorful character that she portrays are challenges that she had to overcome to make her performance honest, realistic, and believable. In Bolera, Kylie plays Joni, a billiard prodigy who is gifted with visual and spatial intelligence. She’s a trailblazer – one who challenges the norms of society and shows the world that women can also excel in a man’s world. The 29-year-old actress admitted that she didn’t know how to play the sport, and that’s one of the biggest challenges she had to deal with playing Joni, who is described as a left-handed player. “I’m so happy that the management gave me this project as my comeback show ko kahit hindi ako marunong mag-billiards. Nung sinabi sa akin na kaliwete si Joni, I took the challenge, I said okay, let’s go, let’s try. Mahirap siya nung una kasi I’m a righthanded person,” she explained. Just like in her previous television assignments, Kylie didn’t waste any time learning the character. She took everything seriously and was open to

feedback. She considers the people around her instrumental in portraying the role as believable as possible. “I took everything into account, I trusted na kaya natin ‘to. Nung pinapanood ko naman ang ganda. Thank you everyone for helping me to get the character right, to get the form right,” she carried on. Adding more color to Kylie’s character in the series are her leading men Rayver Cruz and Jak Roberto. Rayver takes the role of Miguel, a handsome and competitive billiard prodigy who will eventually become Joni’s opponent; while Jak is Toypits, Joni’s neighbor and childhood friend who has always had feelings for her. Making the series more interesting is a stellar roster of artists composed of Gardo Versoza as Marco “Cobrador” Santos, a billiard master who has no qualms resorting to underhanded tactics just to

Summer ‘Vibin’ with Ylona Garcia FILIPINO-AUSTRALIAN singer and songwriter Ylona Garcia reveals her vulnerable playful side with the release of “Vibin” via PARADISE RISING/88rising Music. With a smooth and catchy hook, and a light, airy production matched with Ylona’s crisp vocals, the track is a perfect summertime slow jam. “Vibin is a really special song to me,” the multi-instrumentalist said. “It truly captures where I am artistically, and where I plan to go sonically. The track is about meeting someone new and not wanting to feel pressured to define the relationship - we’re just vibin and enjoying every moment as they come.” “Vibin” follows the success of her hit Ylona Garcia’s new single ‘Vibin’ is a perfect single “Entertain Me,” which was featured summertime slow jam in the wildly popular game Valorant’s the fastest-rising, most prominent young launch trailer of new playable character voices in the Filipino music community. Neon, reaching #1 Trending on YouTube On social media, Ylona currently has and amassing over eight million views. over 4.2 million followers on Instagram The single currently has over 15 million and nearly 1 million followers on TikTok in plays on Spotify alone. addition to over 714,000 monthly listeners At only 20 years old, Ylona has set on Spotify and 212,000 subscribers on her her sights on the global landscape in the YouTube channel. next stage of her creative journey. With Ylona Garcia’s music is released multiple song releases under her belt by 88rising’s sister label PARADISE already, in addition to appearing on two of RISING, which was launched in 2020 to the biggest reality/talent contests shows in help bring Filipino music to the forefront the Philippines, Ylona has become one of of culture.

Live out your stage dreams with RWM’s ‘Calle-Oke Nights’ THE country’s premier lifestyle and entertainment destination, Resorts World Manila (RWM), opens the stage for guests to sing their hearts out in the new normal. At P500 cover charge, guests take the stage and perform three of their go-to karaoke songs every Sunday and Monday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight

El Calle Food and Music Hall’s stage is also home to some of the Metro’s hottest acoustic acts

at the El Calle Food and Music Hall 2F Newport Garden Wing. El Calle Food and Music Hall’s stage is also home to some of the Metro’s hottest acoustic acts every other day of the week. Last weekend started as early as Thursday, May 26, as Miguel Mendoza took the stage beginning at 8:30 p.m. On Friday, May 27, Cass was on deck from 8:00 p.m., followed by Rox Puno as he serenaded the crowd with his acoustic renditions of popular songs by 10:15 p.m. Then on Saturday, May 28, it’s Musica’s turn at 8:00 p.m. followed by Alex Arias at 10:15 p.m. Schedules are subject to change without prior notice. For more information on RWM’s Calle-Oke Nights and other thrilling entertainment offers, visit www. rwmanila.com or follow @rwmanila on Facebook and Twitter, and @ resortsworldmanila on Instagram.

(From left) Jak Roberto, Kylie Padilla, and Rayver Cruz

win; Joey Marquez as Freddie Roldan, a seemingly grumpy man who will become Joni’s mentor in the sport; Al Tantay as Joma, Joni’s father, and a former billiard champion; and Jaclyn Jose as Tessa Fajardo, Joni’s loving mother who will do anything for her family. Also starring in this original series are Via Veloso as Marla, the owner of the billiard bar that Joni

works at; Sue Prado as Roma, Toypit’s mother who will unravel a dark secret; David Remo as Tres, Joni’s supportive brother; Ge Villamil as Kikay, Tessa’s close friend; Luri Nalus as Pogi, Cobrador’s sidekick. Bolera, airing after First Lady on GMA Telebabad. is under the helm of esteemed directors Dominic Zapata and Jorron Lee Monroy.

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO “HI, Lovebirds” “Work In Progress” “Feel At Home” and “A Welcome Surprise”, half of the eight episodes of Gameboys Season 2 (showing on ktx. ph and Vivamax Plus, every Sunday, at 8:00 p.m.), have been enjoyed by the CaiReel supporters. The characters of Elijah Canlas and Kokoy De Santos in the Ivan Andrew Payawal and Ash Malanum-written phenomenal boys love drama now is now on its second ready to charm, and yes, seduce boys love drama aficionados all over the rainbow-colored world. In the initial episode of the sophomore season, loyal and new audiences became witnesses to the sugar and spice and all that is nice cohabiting situation of Cairo and Gavreel. The saying “you don’t truly know someone until you live with them” proves to be true in the case of this season opening salvo. Their relationship escalating to the next level gets a major interruption with the sudden arrival of Terrence Carreon, Kyle Velino’s character who happens to be the ex-boyfriend taking the spotlight in episode 2. The greeneyed monster, complete with razorsharp claws and fangs, takes over Cairo, and trouble not only brews but boils because of Cairo’s growing jealousy over Terrence. The supposed surprise in the fourth episode because of an unexpected visitor adds another layer of bewilderment and complication to the house of the “honeymooners”. “It is just like we are coming back home,” Elijah Canlas says of the second season of the Philippines’ alpha BL. “The first season was during the height of the pandemic, the second season, even if we are already doing other projects, seeing them again, being with them, it is automatically like a family reunion, being with friends that you love” “There are many things in this season that I totally relate to as Gavreel. The roller coaster of emotions that he experiences because of people and situations that happen in their house, hit me hard. Tagos sa

Kylie Padilla’s plays a left-handed billiard player in ‘Bolera’

Gameboys’ second coming, second wind puso,” De Santos interjects. From the first four episodes, some of the universal truths that all are in agreement with are the emotional and physical connection between Canlas and De Santos bringing the kilig and pulling the heartstrings. Much appreciation to the matinee idol presence of Velino. The fag hag and femme fairy tandem of Adriana So and Kych Minemoto as Pearl and Achilles respectively are a riotous wonder duo. The mere mention of Achilles means that Miggy Jimenez as Wesley Torres screams a bizarre love triangle that has Terrence in the equation. What Elijah enjoys the most about the second season is: “The fact that magkasama pa tayong lahat. Super na-touch ako. You know nowadays, we all have our respective projects and physically, it is becoming more difficult to be together. We have become not only good friends, but we are now family. The camaraderie is genuine. The love and respect and trust, truly for real.” De Santos adds: “I hope there will be no ending for the Gameboys family. Hindi ending ang gusto ko. Mas gusto ko yung happy kami. Buo kami. But there are givens that are inevitable, especially when it comes to our careers.” Aside from their regular television

shows, De Santos forthcoming films are Amoral and Death by Desire. Gawad Urian Best Actor Canlas stars in Live Scream. So and Minemoto together with Alex Diaz are the leads in Pa-Thirsty. Jimenez also has his own project with Paolo Pangilinan, a project billed as Two In One. Both Canlas and De Santos are in agreement that they are doing all these for their individual and collective futures. “Yes this is for the future,” says Elijah. “Pero mapapalayo ka sa aming lahat (pertaining to Kokoy), ma-mimiss kita.” To this, De Santos replies, “Ma-mi-miss rin kita.” Enough! Cairo and Gavreel, my tears are about to swell! Change is indeed the constant thing in all our lives and whatever happens to the career of this batch of actors that can be best described as Philippine show business’s new hope, we have Gameboys, its creators, and the whole village behind it. During the height of the pandemic and now that we all seem to be getting back the happy chaotic lives that we are all accustomed to, Gavreel, Cairo, Pearl, Terrence, Achilles, and Wesley, are not just characters to us, they are real people who made us feel about the game called love that knows no gender.

A scene from the second season of ‘Gameboys’

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

MONDAY, MAY 30,, 2022

City of Dreams Manila inspires change for a better future with its integrated and long-term approach to sustainability The color violet is a dominant theme during Flores De Laguna

Celebrating Filipino artistry through a well-loved tradition

The members of COD Manila Sustainability Initiatives committee City of Dreams Manila Property President Geoff Andres leads the resort’s sustainability program. In the background are locally sourced fresh produce from hydroponics farms

By Patricia Taculao

Forging ahead with sustainability initiatives

RMED with a firm belief that a sustainable future is a better future, City of Dreams Manila steps up its strategies to meet sustainability targets by 2030 aligned with the goal of its parent company Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s (Melco). Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the integrated resort has persisted in undertaking projects anchored on its core values of service to colleagues, guests, community, and the environment. The company’s sustainability strategy led by Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho dubbed “Above and Beyond” outlines ambitious goals including carbon-neutral resorts and zero-waste resorts by 2030. In adherence, City of Dreams Manila’s sustainability endeavors are focused on the environment (renewable energy, energy efficiency, zero waste initiatives, re-

duction in water consumption, recycling, digitalization of processes, sustainable gardening or organic urban farming; economy (sustainable sourcing and support to local small and medium enterprises) and social responsibility (looking after colleagues’ welfare, workforce diversity and training, and extending a helping hand to communities needing of aid through community development and volunteerism programs). City of Dreams Manila Property President Geoff Andres said, “We are committed to seamlessly integrate sustainability in our guests’ experience whether it be in

our restaurants, in our hotel rooms, even in our gaming and entertainment facilities. Inspired by the “Above and Beyond” ethos, we will continue to progress further with our green undertakings and soldier on contributing to a more sustainable future.” A testament to the resort’s commitment to sustainability is the 2022-2024 ASEAN Green Hotel Award presented to the three luxury hotels on property - Nüwa Manila, Nobu Hotel, and Hyatt Regency Manila, for their environment-friendly principles that include, resource consumption reduction and local community involvement. Melco has also been recognized at the 2019 Sustainable Business Awards (SBA) Philippines for its talent development program for its workforce in both Manila and Macau, as well as its energy efficiency efforts to tackle climate change at City of Dreams Manila. To bolster the property’s sustainability programs and in recognition of the

importance of each colleagues’ participation in the success of the property’s initiatives, City of Dreams Manila formed a sustainability committee composed of colleagues from different departments to initiate sustainability projects. Training programs for newly hired colleagues to engage them on Melco’s sustainability programs, goals, and initiatives are regularly implemented to promote awareness and drive employee responsibility. Employee surveys are also conducted annually to help the management improve its undertakings. As businesses continue to navigate the uncertainties resulting from the pandemic, City of Dreams Manila continues to align its green activities with Melco’s “Above and Beyond“ sustainability strategy, firmly set on taking positive strides towards a more sustainable future by being a force of good not only in the tourism industry but for the people and the planet. Read full story on manilastandard.net

WHENEVER May rolls around, Filipinos across the country celebrate a centuries-long tradition as a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the public’s Catholic faith. Known as Flores De Mayo, Spanish for “the flowers of May,” the festival lasts for the entire month, and participants wear pageant-like dresses as they parade through the town streets. Lavishly decorated floats or arches, complete with colorful flowers, accompany the participants through their route. Enchanted Kingdom, an amusement park in Santa Rosa, Laguna, returned its twist to the Philippine festival through Flores De Laguna 2022. The celebration honors the motherland, the people’s staunch devotion to religion, and the beauty and talent of Filipinos in pageantry and design. Flores De Laguna is an annual celebration at Enchanted Kingdom but abruptly stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two years later, the wellloved amusement park reinstated the event to delight its guests and honor the values they stand for. “Here in Enchanted Kingdom, we’re more than just the rides. We also want to build national pride. Many of our events are not just for entertainment; we want to build national pride and appreciate our culture,” said Enchanted Kingdom’s Chief Operating Officer Cynthia Mamon during the event proper last Sunday, May 22.

WTTC Global Summit NOT only is it the biggest tourism gathering in the country this year, it was also the biggest event hosted by the Philippines after the pandemic. The hybrid World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit, took place last month at the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Marriott Hotel. The biannual event is the most influential in the tourism industry and is always participated in by industry leaders, key government representatives, and the private sector from different countries. The numbers were definitely very impressive – 1200 in-person delegates, half of whom were foreign, representing more than 50 countries, 10,000-plus virtual participants, 200 international and local media, and 30 government delegations. Since the Asia-Pacific region is the fastest-growing in terms of travel and tourism GDP and the largest region for the sector’s employment prior to the pandemic, it was but fitting to hold the summit here in the country, to advance and discuss key strategic initiatives addressing the social, environmental and economic challenges brought about by the two years of our Industry’s hibernation. In his opening remarks, WTTC Chairperson Arnold Donald mentioned the current crisis in Ukraine and reiterated the council’s stand for peace, as he thanked all the summit’s participants for helping rediscover travel. It is very interesting to learn that, here in the Asia-Pacific region

alone, tourism accounted for 185 million jobs before the pandemic wreaked havoc on our industry, something that we, stakeholders, should now continuously work for, to bring those jobs back. Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat stressed the need for our industry to be inclusive, sustainable, and resilient, especially because, prior to the pandemic, it posted a 12 percent share of our country’s GDP and gave 5.7 million jobs to our countrymen. She urged everyone to be “united for the planet,” further emphasizing her focus on sustainable tourism. Sec. Romulo-Puyat also urged our local stakeholders to shift to regenerative tourism, to make destinations continuously better than how they were before. She also reminded everyone that our country’s wealth in biodiversity demands our disaster preparedness against the onslaught of climate change. She then gave the delegates a hint of what to expect during the three-day summit when she mentioned our country’s “rich and vibrant culture of songs, festivals, and cuisine.” Another tourism dignitary who took to the stage was Julia Simpson, President and Chief Executive Officer of WTTC, who congratulated the travel and tourism sectors’ resilience which made them survive the several years of tourism inactivity. She then encouraged all governments of the world to use science-based approaches to re-open borders towards

Local designers incorporate Filipino fashion concepts into their creations

Filipino performances took the spotlight at the Welcome Dinner at The Cove in Okada

further accelerating Tourism recovery, paving the way for “revenge travel” as the world’s population rediscovers cultures, places, flavors, and connections. What gave us a lot of hope was Simpson’s announcement that, by the end of 2022, the global industry would have already earned US$8.35 trillion in revenues, and that over the next ten years to 2032, the Industry will have an annual growth rate of 5.8 percent and will create 126 million new jobs during that period. Other dignitaries that lent their valuable time to this global event were: President Rodrigo Duterte who thanked all delegates for their participation and encouraged us to “work together to achieve the social growth and economic development that the tourism industry brings.” There was also Colombia President Ivan Duque Marquez who explained that his country “has sustainability in its agenda, with the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030.” Ban Ki-Moon, former United Nations Secretary General, highlighted that “travel broadens horizons and enables sharing of ideas and inspiration which are essential parts of the human experience.”

What I found very interesting was the talk given by a young Indonesian lady, Melati Wijsen, on the last day of the event. She was only 12 years old in 2013 when she decided to co-found Bye Bye Plastic Bags because her favorite beaches in Bali were littered with hundreds of plastic bottles and bags. This NGO started this crusade against the wanton disposal of plastic, manned by a group of youngsters her age, calling themselves Youthtopia, and all empowered to be changemakers. The group created a fundamental and lasting change in the environment, winning themselves many awards along the way. But, as Wijsen said, she was not really interested in the awards and plaques of recognition. She just wanted to persist until the expected change happened. The delegates enjoyed not only the very interesting daily sessions but also the Welcome Dinner at The Cove in Okada, where Filipino dances and songs were showcased, and a lively band playing dance music drew the fun-loving delegates to the dance floor. The Gala Dinner at PICC at the end of the Summit also won raves from the delegates because Filipino cuisine was bannered, thanks to the culinary expertise of a dozen famous Filipino chefs, each assigned to a stall where their respective specialties were made available to the delegates. As far as hosting big global events is concerned, I have to say that nothing beats the creativity, the colors, the sounds, and the tastes of the Philippines. I now echo the Department of Tourism’s enhanced tagline every time I talk to foreigners---It’s More Fun With You In The Philippines!

During the Flores De Laguna 2022, Enchanted Kingdom partnered with The Designers Circle Philippines (DCP) - Laguna to showcase 20 head-turning pieces from local, talented designers. Twenty models, chosen by the designers themselves, wore meaningfully and carefully crafted pieces as they sashayed throughout the park to delight their guests. A common theme throughout the pieces is the color purple which symbolizes wisdom, bravery, and spirituality, among other things. However, each designer had their vision, which they translated into textured gowns, intricate patterns, and bejeweled bodices. They also incorporated iconic Filipino fashion trends, like the pagoda sleeves distinct to many Filipiniana dresses. Moreover, the designers also drew inspiration from flowers, like orchids, to create unique silhouettes, patterns, and textures in their dresses. Enchanted Kingdom also treated guests to a song and dance performance from their female and male entertainment groups, Victoria’s Way and Kingsmen, respectively. They also demonstrated Filipino talent as they wowed guests with their vocals and dance moves. Filipinos are known for their religious devotion and adherence to wellloved traditions like the Flores De Mayo parade. In Enchanted Kingdom, they merge all these values and train the spotlight on Filipino artistry and talents through their meaningful events meant for everyone to enjoy.

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YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE: What do you call a fish without eyes? Fsh. These higantes eagerly await the arrival of the delegates at the PICC as they arrived for the Gala Dinner

Tourism Secretary Bernadette WTTC President and CEO Julia Romulo-Puyat Simpson

----------O---------For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@ gmail.com

The participants modeling the head turning dresses and suits around Enchanted Kingdom