BusinessMirror April 18, 2023

‘Rice buffer stock must blend local,

LAWMAKERS on Monday called on the national government to boost the rice buffer stock of the National Food Authority (NFA) “in a mix of both domestic sources and imports” as the agency projects the country’s rice inventory will fall by yearend to 45 days’ worth of consumption, below its 90-day mandate.

H ouse Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda, however, clarified that he hopes the government will limit its imports to

the lean months of July and August. “ With El Niño, it’s always good to be prepared. Rice prices are actually declining globally, so it may be a good time to bolster our buffer stock,” Salceda said.

For his part, Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred Delos Santos said the best way to ensure rice supply is to buy buffer stocks from local farmers.  What the National Food Authority can still do is maintain its own NFA buffer stocks. It should be in preparation for the lean months from late June to mid-September,” he said.  The NFA must source its buffer stocks primarily and directly from local rice farmers and cooperatives,” added

Delos Santos.

Moreover, Salceda backed the NFA’s call for an expansion of the government’s rice-buying operations—subject to close coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Global rice prices have declined by 3.2 percent from February to March 2023. The House tax chair says he expects “global price levels for rice to be very close to pre-pandemic levels by July or August 2023,” he said.

“ The trend shows significant price reductions as the world fertilizer markets adjust better to the now-stagnant Ukraine situation. If a rice price downtrend affects local farmgate prices, al -

though I don’t think they will by much, the NFA can also undertake a highlytargeted buying program to support prices in certain areas,” Salceda added. To ensure, however, that the NFA’s buying program—which places a 2- to 3-peso premium on farmgate prices— does not accelerate inflation, the government may need to source its rice from imports during the lean season—but not for the rest of the year, Salceda said. Incidentally, the rice lean season is also around July and August, so it might be a good time to buy externally just a bit earlier than that—when global prices are also declining,” Salceda said.

BusinessMirror

2.4% FEB REMITTANCE RISE SLOWEST IN 7 MOS

COSTLY HEALTHCARE CAUSES PINOYS TO SEE SHORTER LIVES

EXPENSIVE healthcare has reduced the confidence of Filipinos that they will live longer and healthier lives, according to the latest study released by Manulife Philippines.

₧120,000, tourists can now have KIG adventure

O n Monday, BSP said the data showed this was the slowest since July 2022 when remittances posted a year-on-year growth of 2.3 percent. In the first two months of the year, cash remittances grew 3 percent.

T he level of cash remittances also reached P2.569 billion, the lowest level since May 2022 when remittances amounted to P2.425 billion. In the January to February period, remittances amounted to P5.331 billion.

The first two months were perhaps a window period as developed countries try to ward off threats of being in a recession,” Institute for Migration and Development Issues (IMDI) Executive Director Jeremaiah M. Opiniano told the BusinessMirror . “For as long as developed countries’ economic growth levels remain in positive territory, hopefully cash remittances will remain steady.”

T he slower growth of remittances, Opiniano said, could be seasonal similar to the prepandemic period.

Remittances would tend to post faster growth at the start of school years or during Christmas and tend to slow after these major expenses.

O piniano noted, however, that the latest data from the BSP’s Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) showed more OFWs and their families were saving. He said more households may have greater motivation to save following the negative impact of the pandemic.

S ome 43 percent or almost half of OFW households were able to use remittances to save in the first quarter of 2023. This was the highest since the first quarter of 2020 when it was at 44.7 percent. (full story: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/04/17/foodeducation-medicine-still-topexpenses-of-ofws/) “

Since the third quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter last year, CES survey data show that allotments to savings have reached at least 29 percent, or nearly a third,” Opiniano said.

B ased on data from the Manulife Asia Care Survey 2023, Filipinos expect to live only three more years after retiring at around 59 years old.

O f those surveyed, Filipino millennials aged 25 to 34 are the most pessimistic, believing they will only remain healthy until they are 55, below the average perceived health longevity.

Filipinos are realizing that personal health issues cannot be isolated from the financial implications of critical illness, along with wider economic uncertainties,” Rahul Hora, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Philippines said.

“ While it is inevitable that our bodies change as we age and that the state of the global economy may be beyond our control, Filipinos can take proactive steps to strengthen their health and finances and have a more financially secure future,” he asserted.

High treatment costs

MANULIFE said financial risks

posed by poor health lies in the cost of medical treatment, a significant concern for many Filipinos.

Nearly half or 49 percent of those surveyed said that the expense of treatment was their number one health management worry.

O ther concerns of those surveyed include loss of income or job because of illness (37 percent), and not knowing who will take care of them in the event of illness (26 percent).

A lmost all of those surveyed, Manulife said, are worried about at least one illness—with heart disease, diabetes and cancer being their top three main fears.

T he Manulife study also found that around a third of Filipinos surveyed believe they currently enjoy excellent physical and mental health.

W ith concerns about both their current health and health longevity, nearly all Filipinos surveyed claim that they are taking action to manage their well-being through exercise (65 percent), better diet (62 percent), regular body checks (52 percent), and closer selfmonitoring (50 percent).

THE Palawan government recently launched an ambitious project to promote the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the West Philippine Sea as a destination for wildlife adventureseeking tourists.

T he maiden voyage occurred March 19, 2023 in five stops—Ulu -

gan Bay in Puerto Princesa, Lawak Island, Patag Island, Likas Island and Pagasa Island. In what was dubbed the “Great Kalayaan Expedition,” tourists sailed on board Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702), for seven days and six nights. The “unique” adventure includes experiencing

GROWTH in remittances from Filipinos abroad slowed to 2.4 percent in February, the slowest in seven months, according to the latest data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

10.8K-MW new capacity seen from ’23-’27 power projects

B ased on latest data released by the agency, coal facilities account for 3,685.4MW; renewable energy (RE), 3,580.97MW; natural gas, 3,500MW; and oil-based,

41.75MW.

T he capacity from committed battery energy storage system (BESS) projects is expected to reach 2,084 MW.

Continued from A1

marine wildlife awaits tourists such as the bird sanctuary in Lawak Island and turtle sanctuary in Likas Island.

We have a very vast playground for sports fishing and scuba diving,” said Khenjap Hupanda, program manager of Kalayaan Tourism Development Project.

Hupanda said the Palawan tourism office wants to tap tourism as the main economic driver for residents of Kalayaan Island municipal-

ity, a fifth-class municipality that is heavily dependent on the national government for its operation.

He said 95 percent of the 200 residents in Pagasa Island are heavily dependent on fisheries for a living. Fishermen usually earn P500 per day from commercial fishing.

W ith KIG being promoted as an ecotourism destination, fishermen can earn as much as P1,500 per day from fishing enthusiasts. “ We’re looking at least at a

T he DOE defined committed power projects as those that have secured financial closing.

O f the total committed projects, 9,705.79MW of capacity and 1,504MW of BESS are to be built in Luzon. The same data indicates that natural gas takes up most of the committed power projects in Luzon, followed by coal with 3,280.4MW, and RE with 2,914.35MW.

F or Visayas, the committed power projects will result in 562.97MW of additional capacity and 300MW from BESS.  RE projects will bring an additional 408.3 MW to the grid, followed by coal with 135MW, and the remaining 19.67MW will come from oil-based power projects.

50-percent shift to sports fishing or tourism. We can improve the economic conditions of our local fishermen in Pagasa Island and promote sustainable fishing,” Hupanda said.

T he fishing activities under the Great Kalayaan Expedition would be “highly regulated” for catch and release only.

Our vision is by 2040, we want to be the center of adventure tourism in Palawan,” Hupanda said, noting that expedition cruising is now famous in other Palawan islands like El Nido and Coron.

O ther claimants in the Spratlys

GOVT DEALING WITH AMBULANCE CHASERS PREYING ON SEAFARERS

MALACAÑANG said on Monday the government is now addressing the alleged prevalence of “ambulance chasers” who are preying on Filipino seafarers.

tional Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), are able to secure “inflated disability claims” for their clients.  E arlier, BusinessMirror quoted several international shipowners airing this complaint.

Mindanao could have 539.36MW of additional capacity from committed power projects and 280MW from BESS. Committed coal power projects will bring in 270MW of capacity. RE projects would boost the grid’s capacity by 258.32MW more.

T he DOE data stated that the period coverage of the committed power projects is from 2023 to 2027, including projects without firm commercial operations date.

T he DOE is targeting a 35-percent RE share in the country’s power generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040 to boost RE capacity. The agency also expects increasing LNG investments to help augment the supply of power.

have already tapped tourism in the islands they are controlling.

M alaysia has developed Swallow Reef as a diving destination. China also has opened the Paracel Islands to tourists. Vietnam recently offered “special sovereignty cruise” to Vietnamese tourists in reefs and islands in the Spratlys.

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said developing the KIG as a tourism destination is a good way to establish sovereignty claims.

“ We have a long way to go,” he said, noting that the area is still militarized and the islands are still very far away from Palawan mainland.

T he tour package for Great Kalayaan Expedition costs P120,000 per person, broken down thus:

■ P113,000 operational expenses

■ P4,000 entrance fees (LGUrevenue code)

■ P1,500 environmental fees (LGU - revenue code)

■ P1,500 sustainable tourism development fee (LGU-Revenue Code)

Continued from A1

Salceda said he doesn’t necessarily agree that the government should be the one to import the entire projected rice inventory deficiency for the rest of the year. Let’s do the lean season of July to August, just to be sure. But for the rest of the year, let the private sector do what it needs to do,” he argued.

“ We can negotiate something closer to ‘drawing rights’ from, say, Vietnam or India, so that if we ever need it outside July and August, we can get the rice we need. We can even pay a premium for the right to do so, instead of having to buy rice that we might not need,” he said.

Balance in supply, demand

THE way forward, Delos Santos, meanwhile, said, is to impress upon rice importers and consumers that balance must be maintained between rice supply and rice demand.

One probable complication is when an El Niño cycle emerges in the coming months because the lack of rainwater will reduce harvest of rice, other crops, livestock production, and even cause some fish kill and red tide algae blooms,” he said.

“ It must also be impressed upon rice importers that the national government still has enough police powers and administrative powers to crack down on hoarding, smuggling, price manipulation, and economic sabotage,” he added.

According to Delos Santos, the clear message must be sent that it is not good business to create artificial rice shortages now or anytime in the future.

“ For the long term, long overdue is the creation of the country’s national and regional clusters’ grains commodity exchanges where rice and corn can be transparently traded to ensure stable supplies and fair, affordable retail prices,” he added.

“ The administration assures the public at large that the entire government system will be working to address and stop these horrific practices that erode the credibility and competence of the seafaring industry in the country,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a brief statement.

T he pronouncement was in response to the open letter issued by the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) asking the government to stop unscrupulous lawyers who sweet-talk sick seafarers to file compensation claims.

T he lawyers, who are supposedly in cahoots with some arbiters from the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) and the Na -

“All the more that the savings habit should be accelerated among these exponential income earners from abroad.”

Inflation in host countries

MEANWHILE , Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael Ricafort said the slowdown in OFW remittances data may reflect the higher prices or inflation in host countries abroad.

R icafort added that the weaker peso exchange rate versus the US dollar compared to year-ago levels may also account for the slowdown.

He stressed that the peso has seen 8- to 9-percent depreciation compared to levels before the Russia-Ukraine war started in February 2022.

For the coming months, singledigit/modest growth in OFW remittances could continue as OFW families/dependents still need to cope with relatively higher prices/ inflation locally,” Ricafort said.

[This] would require the sending of more remittances, as well as some normalization of spending by consumers/households for both essentials and non-essentials,” he added.

B SP traced the slight expansion in cash remittances in February 2023 to the growth in receipts from landand sea-based workers.

O n a year-to-date basis, cash remittances coursed through banks in January-February 2023 amounted to $5.33 billion, up by 3 percent from

U FS said the practice is discouraging international shipowners from hiring Filipino seafarers.

The administration is very well aware of the plight and condition of our Filipino seafarers who are well-known for their competence and skills in the sector,” PCO said.

The government is doing all it can to protect and look after the welfare of our seafarers and their families who ultimately bear the burden of these unscrupulous groups and individuals,” it added.  Maritime stakeholders have been lobbying for reforms to address ambulance chasers through the passage bill creating the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers. Samuel P. Medenilla

Continued from A1

$5.18 billion recorded in the same period a year-ago.

T he growth in cash remittances from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Qatar contributed mainly to the increase in remittances in January-February 2023.

Meanwhile, in terms of country sources, the US posted the highest share of overall remittances during the period, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Japan. There are some limitations on the remittance data by source. A common practice of remittance centers in various cities abroad is to course remittances through correspondent banks, most of which are located in the US,” the BSP said.

Therefore, the US would appear to be the main source of OF remittances because banks attribute the origin of funds to the most immediate source,” it added.

Me anwhile, personal remittances from Overseas Filipinos (OFs) rose by 2.4 percent to $2.86 billion in February 2023 from $2.79 billion recorded in the same month last year. Personal remittances, BSP said, covers cash sent through banks and informal channels as well as remittances in kind.

T he expansion in February 2023 remittances increased the cumulative personal remittances to $5.93 billion in the first two months of 2023, which is 3 percent higher than the $5.76 billion in the comparable period in 2022.

Continued from A1

W ith their interwoven concerns about their health, finances and the economy, Manulife said 80 percent of Filipinos surveyed were keen on buying insurance, the highest in the region, where the average is 68 percent.

However, their current ownership of insurance is only at 59 percent and is the lowest in the region, where the average is 70 percent.

D uring the coming 12 months, however, 87 percent of those surveyed said they intend to buy insurance, with health at 36 percent, life at 34 percent, and hospitalization at 33 percent topping the list.

“ It’s reassuring that Filipinos recognize the value and protection that insurance offers. After all, the insurance premiums will be far less than the cost of critical illness treatment,” Hora said.

“ The best first step for those unsure how to purchase the right insurance plan for their needs and budget would be to talk to their trusted financial advisor, who would lay out and explain the various options without any obligation,” he added.

Retirement plan

MEANWHILE , the Manulife study showed that the majority of Filipinos surveyed or 80 percent positively view retirement planning but only a third have a plan in place.

R etirement planning is considered by 55 percent of those surveyed as their top personal finance goal. However, 70 percent said they will have plans set up within three years.

Most are looking at relying on their cash savings or deposits at 46 percent; potential inheritance from family members, 18 percent; government or state subsidy, 18 percent; and support from their children, 17 percent.

While these sources of financial support may be available to some, they are not guaranteed and can only go so far. They may exact a heavy toll on relationships, as expectations and burdens placed on supporting parties, especially if they are family members or loved ones, are often causes of conflict,” Hora added.

T he Manulife Asia Care Survey was conducted via online self-completed questionnaires in seven markets: mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.

A total of 7,224 people, aged 25 to 60 years old, were surveyed in late December 2022 and early January 2023.

I n the Philippines, 1,004 people were surveyed. Each person surveyed either owns insurance or intends to buy insurance.

THE Department of Energy (DOE) expects over 10,800 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity in the next few years should the committed power projects from 2023 to 2027 reach their commercial operations without delays.

AHOUSE deputy speaker on Monday urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to open the Oriental Mindoro oil spill site for a multi-nation “environmental Balikatan” exercise.

Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said it is not yet late for the government to turn the Mindoro oil spill as a site for an environmental Balikatan where even nations at loggerheads with each other, like the US and China, can “work together in fighting a real ecological disaster instead of an imaginary enemy.”

Recto said he believes that should “the country issue an SOS, our true friends will come.”

He said the Philippines could bank on the “global humanitarian tradition” of helping a nation in distress “when its resources are overwhelmed by the challenges at hand.”

When there is a disaster in another country, we automatically send aid. When the earthquake hit Turkey, we immediately sent a plane full of medical and rescue personnel and equipment,” he said.

W hen it comes to the oil spill, Recto said nations “are raring to test their manpower and equipment in real life, not tabletop, situation.”

More than a month after MT

Princess Empress sank off Naujan and Pola towns in Oriental Mindoro, reports said the 800,000 liters of industrial fuel it was carrying have seeped out and destroyed marine life in three regions.

R ecto said if this month’s Balikatan in five provinces can mobilize 17,000 troops from three countries for a “mock war, then even a fraction of the personnel and logistics involved will be a great help in battling a real, not simulated, ecological threat.”

R ecto said if Beijing and Washington are competing for our affection, then they should see the Mindoro oil spill as an opportunity for them to show their solidarity with the Philippines.

“ Each has made a declaration of supporting us. But what we need is an actual demonstration that will affirm their intention,” he said.

T he entire province of Oriental Mindoro is now under a state of calamity because of the oil spill, which has also hit coastal areas in Batangas, Antique and Palawan.

The Nation

Remulla: DOJ eyeing to designate Arnie Teves as terrorist under anti-terror law

THE government is looking at the possibility of designating suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. as a “terrorist” over his alleged involvement in the killing of the late Governor Roel Degamo and eight others. Appearing at the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs chaired by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Monday, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said the assassination of Degamo wherein eight others were also killed may have fulfilled some of the provisions of the anti-terror law.

“The activities that led to the killing on March 4, all are covered by the anti-terrorism law. The recruitment, the financing, the purchase of firearms, the distribution of firearms, everything that transpired has the hallmarks of terrorism in it,” Remulla told the committee.

Remulla was responding to the question of Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva whether the murder and how it was carried out could fit under the anti-terrorism law for which the senator was among its original prime movers or sponsors.

Villanueva raised the brazenness of the killing wherein even a governor was no longer safe inside his own compound.

Clarification

REMULLA , however, clarified that criminal charges would have to be filed first against Teves before the government can move to have him declared as a terrorist. He made the clarification following his statement during the Senate hearing.

Contributor

APART from family, single Filipinos prefer someone who not only loves them but Mother Earth as well, a new study revealed.

T imely to the upcoming World Earth Day celebration on April 22,

Bumble has released the outcomes of its latest reports, highlighting the impact of the environment on peoples’ love lives—from values to traits of potential partner that they may find attractive or unmatched to

HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday vowed to bring women empowerment to new heights by adopting a digital public infrastructure (DPI) in the Philippines.

Citing the success of women as an integral part of modern society, Romualdez said he wants to make sure Filipino women won’t be left behind in the Marcos administration’s push for the Philippines to adopt a DPI.  R omualdez made the statement after hearing the remarks of philanthropist and women advocate Melinda French Gates in her lecture at the World Bank (WB)-International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings.

“Melinda French Gates also mentioned how important the digital public infrastructure is to women’s empowerment. DPI provides them access to capital and opportunities. It gives them dignity and respect and allows them to engage in more activities,” Romualdez said.

T he event took place Saturday (Philippine time) at the headquarters of the IMF in the United States capitol of Washington, D.C. Romualdez said he was both “impressed and inspired” by the lecture

Remulla said the activities that led to the March 4 attack on Degamo are covered by the Anti-Terror law, including the recruitment, the financing, the purchase and distribution of firearms, and everything that transpired has the hallmarks of terrorism in it.

Remulla explained that the filing of criminal charges against Teves before the court might help convince the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) to designate him as a terrorist and consequently pave the way for the freezing of his assets.

Likewise, the DOJ chief said the filing of criminal charges against Teves could be used as basis in filing a petition for proscription.

“It will all depend on how the cases go later on. But, if it is the best way to get him back to the country we will do it,” Remulla said when asked if the DOJ will still push through with Teves’ designation as a terrorist even

their likings.

T he issue of environmental sustainability, particularly in recent years, has gained greater attention and concern to either seal or break the deal.

Given that more than a third of millennials (78 percent) and Gen Zs (80 percent) are mindful of trying to lessen their carbon footprints, no wonder singles in the Philippines are changing their lifestyle one green act at a time, including their dating and love lives.

So going green is becoming more of a “Green Flag” on the likelihood of

of French Gates, who is a co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest private charitable organizations.

T he ex-wife of Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, French Gates has written about women empowerment and is an advocate of increasing the number of women technologists in the workplace, having seen firsthand how men dominate the field.

“French Gates’ words ring true in that even in this day and age, women are still marginalized professionally. We cannot keep ignoring this unfortunate situation if we are to truly have an inclusive society. Luckily, digitization can be the great equalizer and place women on equal footing as men in terms of work opportunities, power, and influence,” the Speaker said.

Earlier Saturday, Romualdez also attended a lecture on digital public infrastructure where he had a chance to speak to Nandan Nilekani, one of the founders of Indian multinational information technology company Infosys.

Digital public infrastructure is defined as infrastructure that allows people to engage in public and civic life in digital space. It is funded

if the latter decides to return to the country and submit himself under the jurisdiction of the court.

Other cases vs Rep. Teves REMULLA added more than 20 cases, including Degamo’s murder, have been filed in Negros Oriental, and “all with political implications.”

I nterior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos said that all the 11 suspects in the assassination have also been accounted for, and all, according to the National Bureau of Investigation, are former soldiers.

While the killing has the hallmark of anti-terrorism law, Abalos said they filed 28 informations for murder, frustrated murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives and other criminal charges.

Remulla said the charges are easier to prosecute, while at the same time, also carries the same

a good match.

I n fact, the research conducted by Milieu Insight Pte Ltd commissioned by Bumble showed that 94 percent of Filipinos who are single care about living an environmentally sustainable lifestyle.

O verall, over 7 in 10 (72 percent) of the 1,000 loveless individuals aged 18 to 41 surveyed online from December 18 to 26, 2022, likewise, indicated that apart from being eco-lovers, they want their partners to share the same views on sustainability and environmental responsibility as well.

mostly by the government and taxpayers and is not profit-oriented, unlike privately owned digital platforms that rake in billions mostly from advertising.

Romualdez suggested that the Philippines enter into a digital public infrastructure partnership with the US and India.

“ There should be no stopping women from being key players in this infrastructure. We will make sure to empower women in this regard through legislation, once we have laid down this digital public infrastructure,” Romualdez said.

“ Women empowerment has definitely worked in our collective favor in the House of Representatives. To see this replicated across all workplaces through the flywheel of digitalization, will make French Gates proud,” he said.

Romualdez said that digitalization will “prove to be the panacea to the economic problems left behind by Covid-19.”

The Philippine government under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had recognized the value of digital transformation and had been moving towards this goal way before the WB-IMF Spring Meetings. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

punishment as violation of the antiterrorism law.

Dela Rosa and his committee rejected Teves’ request for a virtual participation due to legal issues despite assuring the suspended congressman earlier that he could be accommodated.

Villanueva said his friends told him that they saw Teves eating in a hotel in South Korea several days ago.

Teves’ younger brother, former Negros Oriental Governor Henry Pryde Teves and Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, physically attended the hearing.

Database for dishonorably discharged soldiers

MEANWHILE, the involvement of former soldiers, some of them with specialized trainings, in Degamo’s killing prompted the military to take up measures in order to ensure that former military personnel will not be

T he women-first dating app found out a new trend it called “Green Dating,” which marks the growing importance of making more values-driven dating decisions, and specifically involves searching for romantic partners who share with them similar values and practices on protecting the nature.

B ased on a separate study done by Bumble itself using internal polling from October 12 to November 1 of last year, 59 percent of 14,300 users of the app worldwide, including the Philippines, believe that it is now more important for lovers

THE Philippines is eyeing bigger access to Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) as the two countries hold a high-level consultation today, Tuesday, to strengthen partnerships for accelerating their respective climate agenda both at the global and national levels.

DENR Secretary Antonia YuloLoyzaga and Germany’s State Secretary and Special Envoy will lead the 1st PHL-German Consultation on Climate for International Climate Action Jennifer Lee Morgan.

The Philippines is a focus of Germany’s IKI being one of the most vulnerable countries in the world.

To date, IKI projects with the Philippines exceeded 63 million euros in funding covering projects on mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to the impacts of climate change, and conservation of natural carbon

utilized in criminal activities.

Among the measures was the drawing up of a database on dishonorably discharged soldiers with specials skills like sniping and counter terrorism and explosive experts, according to Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Major Gen. Fernando Reyeg.

Another database has also been created for personnel, either retired or still in active service, with special skills.

Reyeg said they have also been reviewing their policies for soldiers who have gone AWOL (absence without leave) or dishonorably discharged.

In a related development, the Degamo camp said they expect the murder cases to be filed against the suspended lawmaker soon.

“I think it’s very soon because we also have our own affidavits pointing to them as suspects. And the DOJ has separate evidence they have not yet brought out in the open,” lawyer Levito Baligod, who is serving as the counsel of the Degamo family, said.

Baligod was present during the preliminary investigation of the case against the arrested suspects in the March 4 attack held at the DOJ on Monday.

The DOJ also held a preliminary hearing on the illegal possession of firearms and explosives complaints against Teves and his sons, Axel and Kurt.

Lawyer Andres Manuel, counsel of the younger Teveses, said they are still completing the documents for their respective counter affidavits. He said his clients were given until April 19, Wednesday, to complete the documents.

T he next hearing on the case is set on April 21 at 10 in the morning.

to have common beliefs on social causes and/or political issues early in their relationship.

With this result, Green Dating is expected to become more popular among these age groups in the near future. For Gen Z and millennials, conversations about the environment are front and center and over the past couple of years, we’ve seen this impact our dating lives more and more. On Bumble, people can connect over shared lifestyles, values, and beliefs,” said Lucille McCart, communications director for Asia Pacific at Bumble.

sinks with a focus on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), and biodiversity conservation.

The IKI is a funding program initiative for climate action and biodiversity conservation established in 2018 by the German government as part of its commitments in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

At least 700 projects in more than 120 countries are funded by IKI with around 3.9 billion euros.

Loyzaga will be joined in the discussion by senior officials from the member agencies of the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and Disaster Risk Reduction, while Morgan will be accompanied by German Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel and other senior officials at the German Embassy Manila.

The consultation aims to come up with a blueprint on how the two countries can start activating a hotline between their respective

environment authorities and other key government agencies to accelerate the implementation of some of the priority environmental programs of the Philippines, including its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The NDC binds the Philippines to attain an emission or avoidance in its greenhouse gas by 75 percent, which is equivalent to 3,340 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, as part of the country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Agenda items also include critical environmental issues of immediate global and national concern, such as the Philippines’ environmental priority programs on water security, decarbonization of the Philippine economy through transitioning to renewable and sustainable energy in keeping with its NDC target, and the strengthening of the country’s climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management capacities.

Recto prods Palace to open oil spill site for ‘envi Balikatan’

Pinoys are ‘green’ minded when it comes to love life–study

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Farmers group warns of possible rice shortage in Q3

WHILE the country’s rice supply may be sufficient until June, a deficiency in the staple food could happen during the lean harvest months from July to September 2023, a farmers’ group revealed on Monday.

Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) national manager Raul Montemayor warned of a repeat of the rice crisis in 2018, saying the scenario being experienced at present on the spike

of rice prices and possible shortage has similarities.

If you recall, in 2018, regular rice reached P45 [per kilo] because of the rice crisis. The situation in 2018 is equivalent to the situation now and at that time, the NFA [National Food Authority] still had the authority to import, unlike now,” Montemayor pointed out.

H e said Republic Act (RA)

11203 on the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) removed the power of the NFA to import.

During the rice crisis in 2018, Filipinos lined up for NFA rice, which was rationed out at a cheaper price.

Moreover, Montemayor said the government should not allow a repeat of the crisis experienced during the administration of then president Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“I hope [queuing for rice] would not happen and the government should look for a solution,” he added.

M ontemayor also warned that hoarders will again take advantage of the situation if another rice cri -

sis unfolds.

“Every time we have a crisis, unscrupulous traders take advantage, just like what happened to the onions. The government needs to act as we have a problem on rice,” he said.

Retail price of onions in December 2022 reached as high as P720 per kilo amid a shortage in supply.

Under the RTL, the government eliminated the quantitative restriction on the importation of the staple grain, Montemayor said.

He said the upward trend in retail

prices was due to the increase in the cost of imported rice.

The [demand for] imported rice is increasing. That’s the reason there is a spike in the retail prices as unlike before when cheap imported rice entered the country, traders were also forced to bring down the retail prices of local rice, but since the imported rice is going up, the local price is also increasing,” Montemayor said.

He added the retail price of imported and local rice had already

increased by P6 per kilo. Based on monitoring of the Department of Agriculture, the retail price of local regular milled rice reached P40 per kilo; local wellmilled rice at P46 per kilo; local premium rice, P49 per kilo; and local special rice, P60 per kilo. On the other hand, imported regular milled rice was pegged at P44 per kilo; imported well-milled rice, P46 per kilo; imported premium rice, P52 per kilo; and imported special rice, P58 per kilo.

Generative AI capabilities to boost work force productivity

ity boost can only happen if technology leaders put in the work to support business employees during this transition.

But IT teams and their leaders have to think strategically about how to upskill workers so that they can reap value from these tools, especially as  vendors embed generative AI capabilities throughout business units.

ALLOW me to highlight the importance of generative artifical intelligence (AI) again, given this exciting development information technology (IT) teams and their leaders have to think strategically about how to upskill workers so that they can reap value from these tools.

Research shows this productiv-

O ne of the most crucial aspects of effectively and efficiently using conversational generative AI models, like ChatGPT and others, is the prompt. Prompts are the instructions or guides given to an AI tool that informs what content is needed, the parameters and context. We have to understand that based on what is asked, how it’s asked and what details are included, prompts can alter what a tool generates as a response.

In other words, prompts are the key to reaping value, but not all of

them are created equally.

Becoming a good prompter

IT teams need to familiarize themselves with the tools and identify common use cases that would benefit the business.

Most good prompts have these six things in common:

Clarity: clear and easy to understand.

Specific: specificity about the information or output they seek.

Context: they include relevant context such as background information, purpose of the response and target audience.

Understand: shows understanding of the AI system

Concise: prompts that are to the point

Structure: includes a question format or a clear framework. Good prompters aren’t distracted by the “shiny new toy” and are always thinking about what’s best for the business, rather than en-

couraging the use of a new technology just for the sake of it.

Upskilling workers

ONCE IT teams get comfortable with using the tools and creating prompts based on business specific needs, they then need to share some of that knowledge with other business employees.

A s generative AI becomes more pervasive in the business world and workplace tools, enterprises can support employees by providing education on how to use them effectively.

T here are several ways IT teams can support other business units during this transition. IT teams can create chat prompt libraries and examples, level set expectations on what workers can and cannot accomplish with generative AI today and formulate a code of conduct with what kind of data is okay and not okay to insert into prompts.

T he generative AI tools are creating a new sort of user experience for other technologies, just like we trained people (during) digital transformations to use certain types of digital tools. This is just like that same training.

Technology advances, adoption follows, and in the case of ChatGPT, businesses are intrigued by the mostly favorable public reaction and engagement. This has led business technology leaders to imagine how they might customize generative AI models for their enterprises’ goals and needs.

I n conclusion, allow me to focus on IT Governance as these emerging technologies evolve. These high-risk, high-reward technologies require frameworks and ethical guidelines

Governance models should include guiding principles focused on privacy, data security, algorithmic transparency within AI models and

cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

T he technology is the easy aspect, but these governance models are very critical for emerging technologies, like generative AI, ChatGPT and others, to work effectively within an organization and come to the right outcomes.

L egislation also plays an important role in developing and implementing AI-powered solutions. IT departments will have to closely watch the  evolving laws and regulations and implement them into governance models.

G enerative AI adoption, like cloud transformation or “as a Service” systems, requires a level of modernization that most companies need to embrace.

I wish you luck in adopting generative AI capabilities to boost workforce productivity and the profitability of your organization. Feedback would be of interest; you can contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com

DOH reports 23% rise in Covid cases in past week

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported

a total of 2,386 new Covid-19 cases from April 10 to April 16.

T he average daily case is 341, higher by 23 percent as compared to the previous week.

Meanwhile, the top five regions with the most number of new cases in the last 14 days are: National Capital Region (NCR) with 1,344; Calabarzon, 493; Davao Region, 446; Northern Mindanao; and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with 232.

Severe and critical

OF the new-recorded cases, 17 are severe and critical.

A s of April 6, there were a total 356 severe and critical cases.

Of the 1,900 ICU beds for Covid-19 patients, 234 or 12.3 percent are occupied.

T here were 20 deaths recorded but none occurred from April 3 to 16.

S. Korea regains spot as PHL’s top tourism market with 1.35 million arrivals Q1 2023

D ata from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed visitor arrivals reaching 1.35 million from January 1 to March 28 this year, or 38.6 percent less than the 2.2 million who arrived in the first quarter of 2019. Of total arrivals so far this year, foreign tourists accounted for 1.24 million, while overseas Filipinos, or Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad, were 106,806.

V isitors from South Korea reached 349,180 from January 1 to March 28 this year, accounting

for some 26 percent of the period’s total arrivals. They were about 33 percent less than the 519,584 who arrived in the first quarter of 2019.

T his developed as the DOT reported 1,400 South Koreans arriving in Cebu City on an incentive tour from their company, Unicity, a direct-selling company on health functional foods, cosmetics and household items, and present in over   60 markets worldwide. Initial batches arrived on April 9 and 13, with more arriving on the 17th and 21st, said

the agency in a news statement.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco received 300 South Korean tourists who arrived on April 13 at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport via chartered Korean Airlines flight 9615.

“They’re coming on a daily ba- T hey’reThey ’re ’re basis and the numbers are increasing by the day. Last year, they were at number two, because the United States [was our] number one top source market. But this year, the Koreans have reclaimed the number one spot and we send out the message to all our friends in Korea, that you are more than welcome to keep coming back again and again to Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, and the rest of our beautiful islands in the Philippines,” she said.

Prior to the pandemic, South Korea ranked number one in terms of visitor arrivals to the Philippines, with close to 2 million, or 24.08 percent of the country s total number of arrivals in 2019.

from the United States ranked second in terms of market share with 243,327 arrivals, or 18 percent of total arrivals. The market was only 17 percent less than the 293,780 who arrived in the first quarter of 2019.

I n third place was Canada with 67,237 arrivals (less 7.1 percent from 2019); followed by Australia with 64,301 (-12.1 percent); Japan 62,280 (-65 percent); Taiwan 41,293 (-47 percent); China 41,260 (-91 percent); the United Kingdom 39,945 (-25.2 percent); Singapore 34,438 (-12.8 percent); Malaysia 24,450 (-35 percent); and Germany 23,984 (-29 percent).

R ajah Tours Philippines President Jose C. Clemente III noted other markets picking up even as China arrivals continued to lag poorly. “As we have seen during the reopening [last year], other markets have now discovered or have been offering the Philippines more vigorously than in the past, resulting in higher revenues, if not in total arrivals, at least from the

leisure standpoint.”

H e noted for instance his experience in the recent ITB Berlin Convention, a major travel trade show in Europe. “It was sort of us picking up where we left off in 2019, when we were picking up momentum [prior to the pandemic]. The buyers still want to send clients to the Philippines. Interest was coming from across the board in Europe. Our main concern will be accessibility and availability of flights.”

C lemente, a past president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines added, the buyers’ questions focused mostly “on the entry protocols and traveling around the country. They’ve done their research actually. Inter-island connectivity was also what they wanted to be clarified on.”

T he DOT has been working on government to offer e-visa arrivals for China and India to boost tourist arrivals from both countries. (See, “Does PHL tourism rely unduly on China?” in the BusinessMirror , April 10, 2023.)

PEZA DESIGNATES SPOKESPERSON

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has officially announced on Thursday, April 13, 2023, its spokesperson, Atty. Maria Liavel C. Badillo-Crisostomo by virtue of Special Order No. 2023-022 signed by Peza Director General (DG) Tereso O. Panga.

GOVERNMENT housing beneficiaries can now receive their billing and make online payments, according to the National Housing Authority (NHA).

N HA General Manager Joeben

Tai said the housing beneficiaries could make online transactions by downloading the Maya Philippines application on their mobile phones.

N HA said through the Maya mobile application, housing beneficiaries may settle their dues as well as receive billing notices and remittance of collected payments through email or via SMS notifications.

Apart from efficiency in payments, remittances and billing, the digital payment service will also open up livelihood opportunities to beneficiaries who intend to become merchants in their respective communities for Maya e-wallet cash-ins,” NHA said.

Last October 2022, Tsai and Maya Philippines Inc. Associate Director Marvin C. Santos signed a memorandum of agreement for the online payment application to receive housing payment transactions.

NHA said it is putting forward more innovations to make its processes more accessible to its clients in the hope of making beneficiaryfriendly transactions and achieving collection efficiency.

T he agency said the initiative is also being done in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 8792 or the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000, mandating all government agencies to accept payments through electronic means.

T his is also consistent with RA 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, which directs all offices and agencies to improve their transactions and procedures.

T he goal of the Build Better and More (BBM) Housing Program of the NHA is to provide quality housing for Filipino families and create sustainable communities.

MANY key biodiversity areas in the Philippines remain unprotected, and measures that seek to protect these, including natural resources in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS), are imperative.

T his was stressed by Dr. Ma. Carmen Ablan-Lagman, a professor at the Department of Biology, De La Salle University, Manila, who spoke about the richness of the biological diversity in the disputed territory during a webinar organized by Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies on Monday.

“ Finding new species new to science is not new to the Philippines. We are the center of the center marine biodiversity. In 2015, the California Academy of Sciences launched an expedition through which they discovered over 100 new species,” she noted.

“Biodiversity creates the conditions for human existence and the ability to survive it provides the water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we eat, the shelter [we need],” she said.

However, Ablan-Lagman said disruptive fishing practices and even

coastal development, aggravated by climate change impacts, are putting pressure on biodiversity.

A s far as fishery resources are concerned, she said the Bajo Masinloc and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the WPS provide hope.

For the fish, habitats like mangroves, seagrass, and corals are important for them to survive, she added.

Ablan-Lagman said that in 2020, fisheries yield in Bajo Masinloc is a lot higher than the national average, and higher in terms of yield compared to any other areas in the world.

Other studies, she noted, also have similar results, highlighting the productivity of the WPS in terms of fishery production.

A ccording to Ablan-Lagman, House Bill 6373, or the KIG Scarborough Shoal Marine Protected Area Bill, and Senate Bill 1697, or an Act declaring the three nautical miles surrounding the KIG Group and the Scarborough Shoal in the WPS as a Marine Protected Area under Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System of 1992 as amended by Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2019 are a welcome initiative, given that biodiversity in these areas means food,

water and even shelter that needs to be protected and harnessed.

Looking at how the Philippines requires protection, these are some of the bills that we actually needed,” she said.

However, Lagman-Ablan said the aspect of area protection should be extensively discussed because there are other interests other than just protection, although she highlighted that protection gives people food, water, and shelter, in general.

She noted that China, for one, has unilaterally declared a ban on fishing in the disputed areas, which is pushing Filipino fishermen away from their traditional fishing grounds. Other claimant countries, she noted, also have fishing policies that may be in conflict with that of other claimants to territories being disputed in fish-rich areas.

W hat is needed, Ablan-Lagman emphasized is for the Philippines to harmonize its environmental and fisheries policies with that of other countries that have a stake in the territory.

Moving forward, she said there’s a need for a spatially explicit management plan bringing together biodiversity protection and multiple interests to be shared openly with stakeholders.

According to Panga, “We welcome the designation of Atty. Lia as the Authority’s spokesperson who will help bridge the gap between Peza and its wide array of stakeholders as well as in marketing the country to potential investors. The spokesperson will also provide prompt and up to date agency performance reports and industry developments to media and other institutions.”

B efore her appointment as the spokesperson, Atty. Maria Liavel or Lia has worked in public service having recently served as the assistant secretary of a national government agency and prior to the same, she worked in the private sector as a general counsel, HR Director, and corporate director of a big agro-processing ecozone locator company in Palawan.

S he also provided extensive legal expertise and counsel, due diligence, and negotiations to

name a few with manufacturing, real estate, and insurance companies and investors. Atty. Lia also previously worked as a TV anchor and columnist in a reputable media outfit.

H aving accepted the designation, Atty. Lia said, “I am honored and humbled to be the spokesperson of one of the country’s top investment promotion agencies. Rest assured that I will wholeheartedly commit to communicate pertinent and accurate information our kababayans need. Peza will not only cater to the needs of the stakeholders with red carpet treatment as pledged by our DG but it will make sure that all will be just, fair, and done with integrity.

I believe that Peza will not only reach greater heights because of the new leadership but it will also provide the much-needed economic value through its new and existing policies which includes a stronger commitment to render public service and transformational leadership—with a heart. I am ready to take on this role with passion and discipline and under the guidance of DG Theo and the entire Peza Family, I know we will all be ready to serve.”

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is stepping up the parcelization of lands awarded to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) through collective certificates of landownership award (CCLOAs) in of North Cotabato as part of the implementation of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project.

T he DAR said the CCLOAs subjected to parcelization include the collective title of Danilo Talatala et al. in Rangayen, Alamada with an area of 1,688.1252 hectares; Ali Shariff et al. in Rangayen, Alamada with an area of 928.6914 square meters; and 20 other small lots with collective CLOAs located at Barangays Pacao, Camansi, Paruayan, Upper Dado, Malitubog, Rangayen and Lower Dado with a combined total area of 159.8693 hectares. The move aims to strengthen

the property rights of ARBs nationwide.

“The issuance of individual land titles would improve land tenure security and stabilize the property rights of the ARBs,” Soccsksargen Regional Director Mariannie Lauban-Baunto said in a statement.

The DAR had already deployed Field Validation Teams to speed up the activities in determining the exact metes and bounds of the areas covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to be issued to ARBs.

“Having their individual land titles would give the ARBs full control in making their lands productive,” she said.

The validation teams also paid a courtesy visit to Alamada Mayor Jesus Sacdalan who committed his full support for the project that will benefit the ARBs in his municipality.  Jonathan L. Mayuga

TOURIST arrivals in the Philippines continues to recover, with South Koreans leading the way and regaining their top spot with the largest market share.

‘Picking up where we left off’ MEANWHILE , visitor arrivals

169.

ALEXANDER STUART

HR Process Excellence And Design Manager

Work closely with HR programme & product owners to understand the strategic direction and goals of the business. Design future-state HR processes that drive for scalability, efficiency, velocity and enhanced people experience. Conduct a current state assessment of end-to-end business processes. In HR and drive improvements through variance reduction, waste elimination and standardisation. Create and maintain the global process governance in close partnership with the functional teams and SME across HR. Work across HR functions to facilitate, develop, document and measure end-to-end processes utilizing processes improvement methodologies, tools, and techniques (i.e., VSM, Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, PDCA, A3, Kaizen). Develop embed and maintain the HR process taxonomy and library across global and local teams. Collaborate with key crossfunctional partners during the road mapping cycle to identity, influence and recommend impactful process solutions.

Basic Qualification: 5+ years of experience in business process excellence with a focus on fundamental continuous improvement, process management, and system thinking. Extensive handson experience with continuous improvement principles and practices including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, PDCA, A3 and/or 5S. Experience in process mapping and workflow design tools (i.e. MS Visio, Lucidchart, Blueworks). Demonstrate experience building

G-7 diplomats reject Chinese, N. Korean, Russian aggression

KARUIZAWA,

Sudan battles intensify on 3rd day; civilian deaths reach 97

KHARTOUM, Sudan—Sudan’s embattled capital awoke Monday to a third day of heavy fighting between the army and a powerful rival force for control of the country, as the weekend’s civilian death toll rose to 97.

Airstrikes and shelling intensified in parts of Khartoum and the adjoining city of Omdurman. Rapid, sustained firing was heard near the military headquarters, with white smoke rising from the area. Residents hunkering down in their homes reported power outages and incidents of looting.

The clashes are part of a power struggle between Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the commander of the armed forces, and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group. The two generals are former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s short-lived transition to democracy.

a hospital south of Khartoum on Monday morning, without causing causalities.

The chaotic scenes of fighting with tanks, truck-mounted machine guns, artillery and warplanes in densely populated areas of the capital are unprecedented. Sudan has a long history of civil strife, but much of that has taken place in remote tribal areas, far from Khartoum.

The violence erupted during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan which ends later this week and is capped by the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday.

On Sunday, the warring sides agreed to a three-hour pause in fighting to allow civilians to stock up on necessities. Compliance was spotty, and there were reports of casualties during the humanitarian pause.

Top diplomats urged the sides to stop fighting, including the US secretary of state, the UN secretary-general, the EU foreign policy chief, the head of the Arab League and the head of the African Union Commission. The UN Security Council was to discuss the developments in Sudan later on Monday.

Russia’s war in Ukraine will consume much of the agenda Monday as the envoys gather in this Japanese hot spring resort town for Day Two of talks meant to pave the way for action by G-7 leaders when they meet next month in Hiroshima.

The world is at “turning point” on the fighting in Ukraine and must “firmly reject unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its threats of the use of nuclear weapons,”

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his colleagues, according to a Japanese summary.

For the American delegation, the meeting comes at a crucial moment in the world’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and efforts to deal with China, two issues that G-7 ministers from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union regard as potent challenges to the post-World War II rules-based international order.

A senior US official traveling with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that the Biden administration’s goal for the talks is to shore up support for Ukraine, including a major initiative on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure launched at last year’s G-7 gatherings in Germany, as well as to ensure the continued provision of military assistance

to Kyiv. Ramping up punishment against Russia for the conflict, particularly through economic and financial sanctions that were first threatened by the G-7 in December 2021, before the invasion, will also be a priority, the official said.

Ukraine faces an important moment in coming weeks with Russia’s current offensive largely stalled and Ukraine preparing a counter-offensive. The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Blinken’s priorities at the closed-door meetings, said there would be discussion about ways to deepen support for Ukraine’s long-term defense and deterrence capabilities. That might also improve Kyiv’s position for potential negotiations that could end the conflict on its terms.

The role of Japan—the only Asian member of the G-7—as chairman of this year’s talks provides an opportunity to discuss coordinated action on China. Leaders and foreign ministers of G-7 countries, most recently France and Germany, have recently concluded visits to China, and the diplomats in Karuizawa are expected to discuss their impressions of where the Chinese stand on numerous issues, including the war in Ukraine, North Korea, and Taiwan, which is a particular sore point in US-Chinese relations.

At a private working dinner on Sunday night that was the diplomats’ first formal meeting,

Hayashi urged continued dialogue with China on the many global challenges where participation from Beijing is seen as crucial. Among the Chinese interests that are intertwined with those of wealthy democracies are global trade, finance and climate efforts.

But the diplomats are also looking to address China’s more aggressive recent stance in Northeast Asia, where it has threatened Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its own.

Hayashi told ministers that outside nations must continue “building a constructive and stable relationship, while also directly expressing our concerns and calling for China to act as a responsible member of the international community,” according to a summary of the closed-door dinner.

China recently sent planes and ships to simulate an encirclement of Taiwan. Beijing has also been rapidly adding nuclear warheads, taking a tougher line on its claim to the South China Sea and painting a scenario of impending confrontation.

The worry in Japan can be seen it its efforts in recent years to make a major break from its self-defense-only post-WWII principles, working to acquire preemptive strike capabilities and cruise missiles to counter growing threats.

Blinken, the top US diplomat, had been due to visit Beijing in February, but the trip was postponed because of a Chinese spy balloon

incident over US airspace and has yet to be rescheduled.

Blinken met briefly with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Forum, but high-level contacts between Washington and Beijing have become rare. Thus, Blinken will be seeking insight from his French and German counterparts on their interactions with the Chinese, the senior US official said.

Despite indications, notably comments from French President Emmanuel Macron, that the G-7 is split over China, the official said there is shared worry among G-7 nations over China’s actions. The official added that the foreign ministers would be discussing how to continue a coordinated approach to China.

North Korea is also a key area of worry for Japan and other neighbors in the region.

Since last year, Pyongyang has test-fired around 100 missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that showed the potential of reaching the US mainland and a variety of other shorter-range weapons that threaten South Korea and Japan.

Hayashi “expressed grave concern over North Korea’s launch of ballistic missiles with an unprecedented frequency and in unprecedented manners, including the launch in the previous week, and the G-7 Foreign Ministers strongly condemned North Korea’s repeated launches of ballistic missiles,” according to the summary.

Australia says no single power should dominate Indo-Pacific

INDO-PACIFIC nations oppose having their future “dictated by a single major power,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, as the region faces an intensifying struggle for influence between the US and China.

In a major speech to the National Press Club on Monday, Wong warned that strategic competition between the US and China needs to be managed “responsibly” and is not merely about who is “top dog” in the Indo-Pacific.

“It’s clear to me from my travels throughout the region that countries don’t want to live in a closed, hierarchical region where the rules are dictated by a single major power to suit its own interests,” Wong said in Canberra.

The foreign minister defended Australia’s right to build up its military capabilities, including the Aukus agreement, which will see it field a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines as early as the 2030s. China has warned the move could

trigger a regional arms race.

Australia needs to strengthen both its foreign and defense policies to make it “more influential in the world,” Wong said. “Together, they make it harder for states to coerce other states against their interests through force or the

threatened use of force.”

Australia has long balanced its close security relationship with the US and vast economic ties with China, its largest trading partner. Since the election of the center-left Labor government in May 2022, relations between Australia and

China have rapidly improved, with senior ministers from both sides meeting for the first time in years.

Trade sanctions imposed by China on Australia in the wake of a 2020 call by Canberra for an international investigation into the origins of Covid-19 are slowly being lifted. In the past week, Beijing announced a review of heavy tariffs imposed on Australian barley.

In her speech, Wong said “China is going to keep being China” and middle powers such as Australia need to use their influence to shape the region in a way that is “open, stable and prosperous.”

Australia’s chief diplomat said “frenzied discussion” over potential flashpoints for armed conflict in the Indo-Pacific was unhelpful and “the most dangerous of parlor games.”

“Let me be absolutely clear. A war over Taiwan would be catastrophic for all. We know that there would be no real winners, and we know maintaining the status quo is comprehensively superior to any alternative,” she said.

Both men have dug in, saying they would not negotiate a truce, instead engaging in verbal attacks and demanding the other’s surrender. Still, both have powerful foreign backers, making them potentially susceptible to mounting diplomatic pressure.

Since fighting erupted on Saturday, 97 civilians have been killed and hundreds have been wounded, said the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate, a pro-democracy group monitoring casualties.

There has been no official word on the number of fighters killed.

Footage posted online Monday purported to show RSF barracks in Omdurman. The bodies of dozens of men in camouflage uniforms were seen sprawled on beds and the floor of a medical ward and in a sandy outdoor area. Another video showed civilians inside the base, apparently looting food.

The authenticity of the videos could not be confirmed independently, but they surfaced after the military said it has targeted RSF bases with airstrikes. Mohmed al-Mokhtar al-Nour, an RSF adviser, told the Al Jazeera satellite network Sunday that RSF forces have withdrawn from the camp.

The doctors’ group said a stray shell struck

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed his call for a truce and a return to negotiations during a meeting of the Group of Seven wealthy nations in Japan on Monday.

“People in Sudan want the military back in the barracks,” he said. “They want democracy. They want the civilian-led government, Sudan needs to return to that path.” The fighting also spread to the warwrecked western Darfur region, and areas of northern and eastern Sudan, near the borders with Egypt and Ethiopia. Over the weekend, the World Food Program suspended its operations in Sudan after three of its employees were killed in fighting in Darfur.

In recent months, negotiations had been under way to get back on a path to democracy. Under international pressure, Burhan and Dagalo agreed to a framework agreement with political parties and pro-democracy groups. However, the deal was vague on key points of dispute, including how the RSF would be integrated into the armed force and who would have final control. The signing of the deal was put off repeatedly, amid rising tensions between Burhan and Dagalo. Magdy reported from Cairo.

Lack of security for Japanese prime minister surprised many

WAKAYAMA, Japan—The fishermen

who tackled the man suspected of the second attack on a Japanese political leader in less than a year were surprised by the lack of security for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Fisherman Tsutomu Konishi was watching Kishida at a campaign event at this fishing port when an object flew overhead and landed near the prime minister, Konishi said. A security officer covered the object with a bulletproof briefcase, Konishi said. The fishermen swarmed the attacker.

“I never thought a crime like this would happen in my hometown, which is a rather small fishing area,” Konishi, 41, said Sunday as he sipped a can of coffee at the port of Saikazaki. “I’m still shocked and stunned.”

The prime minister was unhurt but like many others in Japan, Konishi was mulling Sunday over what the country should do to better protect public figures.

“At a time when Japan’s serving prime minister was visiting, perhaps we may have needed a metal detector,” Konishi said.

Masaki Nishide, a 55-year-old fisherman from Saikazaki, said most of the people at Saturday’s event were residents and supporters of the local candidate. He said the young man carrying the silver-gray backpack stood out.

“People here all dress like me, and nobody carries a backpack; it was only him,” Nishide said, wearing a sweatsuit and red rubber boots. “If I were in charge of security, I would have asked for a bag check.”

After the failed attack on the prime minister, one of the fishermen grabbed the suspect’s neck from behind, another pushed his head down, and Konishi latched onto his leg. They were holding the man as police officers pulled him to the ground.

The chaotic scene was reminiscent of the assassination nine months ago of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which prompted

police to tighten their protective measures after an investigation found holes in Abe’s security. Abe, one of Japan’s most influential and divisive politicians, was killed with a homemade gun during a campaign speech. Suspect Tetsuya Yamagami has been charged with murder and several other crimes, including violating gun-control laws. Authorities have said Yamagami told investigators he killed Abe because of the former prime minister’s apparent links to a religious group that Yamagami hated. In statements and in social media postings attributed to him, Yamagami said his mother’s donations to the Unification Church bankrupted his family and ruined his life.

Violent crimes are rare in Japan, and with its strict gun control laws, the country has only a handful of gun-related crimes annually. Most of the cases are gang-related, though in recent years there has been growing concern about homemade guns and explosives. There also have been some high-profile cases of random knifing on subways and arson attacks.

Groups of several officers have guarded serving prime ministers. Fewer officers have been watching Cabinet ministers and former leaders.

Compared with the US elections, audiences at political campaigns in Japan are often allowed to be quite close to dignitaries. At the campaign event for Kishida the frontrow audience was within touching distance. Only one person, a police official, was hurt, his arm cut by fragments of the device, which didn’t fully explode. Police arrested 24-year-old Ryuji Nakamura on suspicion of throwing an explosive in a metal tube at Kishida.

Police sent a special counter-explosives team to the suspect’s home in Hyogo prefecture to search for evidence of bombmaking. There are nationwide local elections this month, and Japan is hosting a series of Group of Seven meetings leading up to the May 19-21 leaders’ summit in Hiroshima. Diplomats arrived Sunday for the G-7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Karuizawa.

Japan—Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies are vowing a tough stance on China’s increasing threats to Taiwan and on North Korea’s unchecked tests of long-range missiles, while building momentum on ways to boost support for Ukraine and punish Russia for its invasion.

7, 2023.

Russia’s UN council presidency is most contentious in memory

UNITED NATIONS—First the Russians gave the UN spotlight to the commissioner of children’s rights accused with President Vladimir Putin of war crimes for deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, sparking a walkout by the US and several others.

Then Russia went after the West by claiming it is violating international laws in arming Ukraine, drawing blistering retorts that Ukraine has every right to defend itself against Putin’s invading army.

So far, the Russian presidency of the UN Security Council has been the most contentious in the memory of longtime UN diplomats and officials. And it’s just at the midway point.

More fireworks are to come later in the month when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov presides over the premier event of the presidency—an open council meeting on defending the principles of the UN Charter. Russia is widely accused of violating the charter by invading Ukraine and flouting its underpinning principles of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The presidency of the Security Council rotates monthly in alphabetical order of its 15 members. As Russia’s turn approached, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell both called it an April Fool’s joke. The US envoy promised to “use every opportunity to push back on their using their perch in the chair to spread disinformation, and to use their chair to push support of their efforts.”

At the incoming president’s traditional first-day news conference, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia pushed back against the April Fool’s comments, asking Borrell, “Who’s talking?”

He said Russia had been “an honest broker” when chairing the council in the past and would try to maintain that approach.

As for US claims Russia would spread disinformation about Ukraine, Nebenzia dismissed it as part of “the Western narrative.”

“We think just the opposite,” he said.

The Security Council president presides over meetings and gets to decide the topics of signature sessions, often chaired by foreign ministers and sometimes presidents. Lavrov on April 24 will preside over a session on “effective multilateralism through the defense of the principles of the UN Charter,” where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will brief members.

Nebenzia told reporters Russia is seeking a forward-looking discussion on the formation of “a new multipolar world order based on sovereign equality, equal rights and self-determination, justice and security, friendly relations and cooperation between nations, with full respect for the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.” Ukraine’s allies are already preparing their rebuttals.

There are also required monthly meetings, including on the Middle East, which Lavrov will also preside over. Others focus on global hotspots, including Syria, Mali, Libya, Yemen, Haiti, Africa’s Great Lakes region and Colombia.

At last week’s Mali meeting, Russia’s Wagner Group, a private military contractor, which has close ties to the West African nation and is fighting in Ukraine, was raised by several of Kyiv’s supporters.

To start their presidency, the Russians chose one of the hottest issues of the Ukraine war—the fate of Ukrainian children taken to Russia. For the informal Security Council meeting, they chose as its briefer Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian children’s rights commissioner, who along with Putin is being sought by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges.

In an initial protest, ambassadors from Western countries boycotted the meeting, sending low-level diplomats instead. And when Lvova-Belova started to address the council by video link from Russia, the diplomats from the United States, Britain, Malta and Albania walked out.

US political adviser Ngoyi Ngoyi called it “outrageous” that she was allowed to speak and said children aged between 4 months and 17 years had been moved to 40 facilities in Russia or Russian-occupied Ukraine. He said at least two of those centers coordinate adoptions by Russians, which Russia denies.

“If Russia is not trying to hide a systematic program to force Russian citizenship upon Ukraine’s children, then it should give humanitarian organizations full access,” Ngoyi said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Lvova-Belova said the children were taken to Russia for their safety and Moscow was coordinating with international organizations to return them to their families. The International Committee of the Red Cross said later it has been in contact with her about returning Ukrainian children, and UNICEF also said it has been in communication with Russian officials “but has not received feedback on our offer to facilitate reunification processes.”

There is a huge discrepancy over how many children have been removed from Ukraine.

Ukraine’s UN ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, tweeted that more than 19,500 children had been seized from their families or orphanages and forcibly deported. Lvova-Belova said that since Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Russia has taken in more than 5 million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children—all with parents, relatives or legal guardians, except for 2,000 from orphanages in the eastern Donbas.

France’s deputy human rights adviser, Thibault Samson, called the meeting a “new cynical exercise in disinformation,” accusing Lvova-Belova of spreading “propaganda” and “a false version of the situation.”

“A lie repeated ad nauseam remains a lie,” Samson said.

Before Russia’s second signature event, on the export of weapons and military equipment, its ambassador said the discussion would be “from an arms control perspective,” rather than focusing on a specific country.

But at the April 10 official council meeting, Nebenzia accused the West of encouraging countries to violate agreements not to export arms from Russia without its written consent, with the aim of increasing supplies to Ukraine. He said the West also is urging the resumption of production of Soviet weapons by East European countries that were once part of the Soviet block and are now Western allies.

Nebenzia then denied what he called “baseless accusations” from the West that Iran and North Korea are providing weapons to Moscow in violation of Security Council sanctions. Again, Western ambassadors boycotted the meeting, leaving seats in the council chamber filled by deputies and low-level diplomats.

Pope Francis slams ‘insinuations’ against St. John Paul II as baseless

In remarks to tourists and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, Francis said he was aiming to interpret the feelings of the faithful worldwide by expressing gratitude to the Polish pontiff’s memory.

Days earlier, the Vatican’s media apparatus had described as “slanderous” an audiotape from a purported Roman mobster who insinuated that John Paul would go out looking for underage girls to molest.

The tape was played on an Italian TV program by Pietro Orlandi, brother of Emanuela Orlandi, the teenage daughter of a Vatican employee who lived at the Vatican. The disappearance of the 15-yearold in 1983 is an enduring mystery that has spawned countless theories and so far fruitless investigations in the decades since.

Francis noted that in Sunday’s crowd in the square were pilgrims and other faithful in town to pray at a sanctuary for divine mercy, a quality John Paul stressed often in his papacy, which spanned from

1978 to 2005.

“Confident of interpreting the sentiment of all the faithful of the entire world, I direct a grateful thought to the memory of St. John Paul II, in these days the object of offensive and baseless insinuations,” Francis said, his voice turning stern and his words drawing applause.

Last week, Pietro Orlandi met for hours with Vatican prosecutors who earlier this year reopened the investigation into his sister’s disappearance. Italy’s Parliament has also begun a commission of inquest into the case.

Emanuela vanished on June 22, 1983, after leaving her family’s Vatican City apartment to go to a music lesson in Rome. Her father was a lay employee of the Holy See.

Among the theories about what happened to her have been ones linking the disappearance to the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt against John Paul in 1981 in St. Peter’s Square or to the

international financial scandal over the Vatican bank. Still other theories envision a role played by Rome’s criminal underworld.

The recent four-part Netflix documentary “Vatican Girl” explored those possible scenarios and provided new testimony from a friend who said Emanuela had told her a week before she disappeared that a high-ranking Vatican cleric had made sexual advances toward her.

Her brother has long insisted the Vatican knows more than it has said. The Vatican prosecutor in charge of the probe says the pontiff has given him free rein to try to find the truth.

While at the Vatican last week, Pietro Orlandi provided Vatican prosecutors with an audiotape from a purported Roman mobster insinuating that John Paul would

go out looking for underage girls to molest. The Vatican’s editorial director in a scathing editorial noted the insinuation lacked any “evidence, clues, testimonies or corroboration.”

Writing in the Vatican’s newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Andrea Tornielli said “no one deserves to be vilified in this way, without even a shred of a clue, on the basis of the ‘rumors’ of some unknown figure in the criminal underworld or some sleazy anonymous comment produced on live TV.”

John Paul’s longtime secretary, Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, also criticized the insinuations as “unreal, false and laughable if they weren’t tragic and even criminal.”

Pietro Orlandi’s lawyer, Laura Sgro, has insisted her client wasn’t accusing anyone.

US, allies conduct more drills in face of North Korean threat

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea—The United States, South Korea and Japan conducted a joint missile defense exercise Monday in waters near the Korean Peninsula as they expand military training to counter the growing threats of North Korea’s nuclear-capable missiles.

Last week, North Korea conducted one of its most provocative weapons demonstrations in years by flight-testing for the first time an intercontinental ballistic missile powered by solid propellants, as it pursues a weapon that’s more responsive, harder to detect and could directly target the continental United States.

North Korea’s unprecedented run of weapons tests has so far involved more than 100 missiles of various ranges fired into the sea since the start of 2022 as the country attempts to build a viable nuclear arsenal that could threaten its rival neighbors and the United States.

The South Korea-US-Japan training could trigger a belligerent response from North Korea, which condemns the United States’ military drills with its Asian allies as invasion rehearsals. The North has used those drills as a pretext to accelerate its own weapons development, creating a cycle of titfor-tat that has raised tensions in recent months.

South Korea’s navy said Monday’s three-way naval drills took place in international waters off the country’s eastern coast and focused on mastering the procedures for detecting, tracking and sharing information on incoming North Korean ballistic missiles. The one-day naval exercise involved an Aegis destroyer from each country.

“The drills’ goal is to improve

our response capabilities against ballistic missiles and strengthen our ability to conduct joint operations as North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats continue to escalate,” Jang Do-young, a spokesperson of South Korea’s navy, said in a news briefing.

The United States and South Korea also launched drills Monday involving some 110 warplanes, including advanced F-35 fighter jets, which will continue through April 28.

The US-South Korean aerial drills are designed to enhance combined airpower execution and train aircrews to successfully respond in combat scenarios involving robust surface-to-air and air-to-air threats, according to the militaries. The training events “reaffirm the US’s ironclad commitment to the ROK,” the US Seventh Air Force said in a statement, using the initials of South Korea’s formal name, the Republic of Korea.

Also Monday, South Korea and Japan resumed a security meeting of senior diplomats and defense officials following a five-year hiatus.

The meeting is one of many recent events that show ties between Seoul and Tokyo are improving in the face of North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats after years of disputes over history and trade.

During Monday’s meeting, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Seoul and Tokyo discussed North Korea’s nuclear program and a trilateral cooperation with the United States.

The United States and South Korea conducted their biggest filed exercises in years in March and have also held separate naval and aerial drills involving a US aircraft carrier battle group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers. The North responded by dialing up its own testing activity.

Monday marks 11 straight days that North Korea has not responded to South Korean checkup calls on a set of cross-border interKorean hotlines, South Korean officials say, raising concerns about potential kinetic provocations. Communications on those channels are meant to prevent accidental clashes along the rivals’

sea borders.

On Saturday, a South Korean naval vessel fired warning shots to repel a North Korean patrol vessel that temporarily crossed the countries’ disputed western sea boundary while chasing a Chinese fishing boat. There were no exchanges of fire between the North and South Korean vessels.

While the South’s military strengthened monitoring and readiness after the intrusion, it didn’t immediately detect any unusual activity from the North Korean military, Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung Jun said Monday.

North Korea’s aggressive nuclear push under ruler Kim Jong Un is aimed at forcing the United States to accept the idea of the North as a legitimate nuclear power and negotiating economic concessions from a position of strength, many experts say. Nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have remained derailed since 2019.

However, there are also signs that the costs of Kim’s campaign is piling up as North Korea apparently grapples with food insecurity and other domestic problems worsened by pandemic-related border restrictions that disrupted trade with China, its main ally and economic lifeline. Chasing tangible economic achievements, Kim’s government has prioritized construction and agricultural projects.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Monday that Kim attended an event over the weekend celebrating the building of 10,000 new homes at a district in Pyongyang. The project is part of broader plans to supply 50,000 new homes in the capital under a five-year national development plan that runs through 2025.

ROME—Pope Francis on Sunday publicly defended St. John Paul II, condemning as “offensive and baseless” insinuations that recently surfaced about the late pontiff.

You have sore eyes?

You may have Covid

Anew Covid variant that spreads faster than the Omicron has prompted warnings from scientists that it could potentially become the dominant strain worldwide. The world Health Organization is keeping an eye on the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, known as “Arcturus”, which has been listed as a variant under monitoring.

Health experts said the “Arcturus” has a higher transmissibility rate than previous strains but doesn’t appear to be more dangerous. Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, said “one new feature of cases caused by this variant is that it seems to be causing conjunctivitis, or red and itchy eyes, in young patients. This is not something that we’ve seen with prior strains of the virus.”

A study by the University of Tokyo showed that Arcturus is nearly 1.2 times as transmissible as XBB.1.5, also known as Kraken, the most infectious sub-variant before Arcturus. The symptoms of Arcturus are reportedly the same as previous variants, which include fever, shortness of breath and cough. However, many of those infected are also reporting conjunctivitis and sticky eyes.

From Bloomberg: “A number of Asian nations are reporting an uptick in Covid-19 infections as the region treats the virus as endemic, with the fresh wave exerting limited pressure on health-care systems. Singapore’s infections almost doubled in the final week of March to the highest this year, data from the Ministry of Health showed. India reported its biggest single-day tally since late-August, while Indonesia’s daily caseload is near a four-month high and Vietnam is ramping up virus prevention measures.”

In Singapore, which dropped most mask mandates in February due to the significantly reduced threat from Covid, Bloomberg said weekly cases topped 28,000 by the end of March, up from 14,467 a week earlier.

“While infections are rising, countries across Asia are attributing the wave to a mix of XBB sub-variants—a highly transmissible Omicron strain that, so far, isn’t causing widespread severe illness. Most of the region’s population have been vaccinated or had prior infections and governments have counseled that new coronavirus waves are to be expected from time to time after the pivot to living with Covid and dismantling many curbs,” Bloomberg said.

In the Philippines, the Department of Health last week detected 39 new cases of Omicron XBB.1.91 sub-variant, an XBB sub-lineage. “The variant was initially flagged due to its increasing global prevalence and higher growth advantage. The variant has been detected in 63 countries or jurisdictions across six continents, according to sequence submissions in GISAID [Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data],” the DOH said.

About 199 samples were sequenced by the University of the PhilippinesPhilippine Genome Center Main and Mindanao branches from April 3 to 11. Out of these, 114 or 57.29 percent were classified as XBB, including 30 XBB.1.5 cases and the 39 XBB.1.9.1 cases.

Thirty-five of the 39 XBB.1.9.1 cases were tagged local—22 from Davao Region; seven from Ilocos Region; four from the National Capital Region; and one each from Central Visayas and Soccsksargen. The remaining four cases were returning overseas Filipinos.

After the government eased mobility restrictions, life in the Philippines has continued to move toward pre-pandemic norms. The emergence of highly transmissible Omicron sub-variants, however, tells us that we are not yet out of the woods and the risk of getting Covid remains.

We know the drill, so let’s continue following the general safety guidelines: Wash your hands frequently; avoid close contact with people who are sick; and stay home if you feel sick or have any symptoms of Covid. We can help avoid a community spread of the new Omicron XBB sub-variants by not letting our guards down. The best way to prevent Covid is to avoid being exposed to the old or new super infectious virus.

Rail lines as lifeblood of Filipino commuters

THE EnTrEprEnEur

RAIl transportation is by far the most efficient way of sending commuters and workers to their offices and destinations. Here in Metro Manila, the rail lines offer the best mode of transportation for our weary workers and students. Commuter trains are fast while travel time is predictable, unlike jeepneys and buses that must navigate the maze of road networks in the metropolis.

Rails, as in other urban centers in the world, provide the fastest and most cost-effective transportation mode for moving huge numbers of commuters. In other nations, a single rail commuter can transport nine times as many people as one traffic lane of cars in just one hour.

Building more roads to accommodate other land transportation modes and the increasing number of Filipino commuters has become an impossible task in the National Capital Region. For instance, in the densely populated urban area between and around Tokyo and Yokohama in Japan, 19 rail lines transport four million people daily. One has to build the equivalent of eight highway lanes in both sides between Japan’s two major cities to match the passenger capacity of the rail system. Space limitations in Metro Manila will easily render the alternative road system unviable.

The popularity of commuter trains in our urban center, however, has made rail fare adjustments sensitive to the common commuter. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. just

Rails, as in other urban centers in the world, provide the fastest and most cost-effective transportation mode for moving huge numbers of commuters. In other nations, a single rail commuter can transport nine times as many people as one traffic lane of cars in just one hour.

the Pulse Asia survey respondents.

ture, judging from the new unsolicited proposals received by the DOTr. The agency reported offers worth a combined P194.05 billion—an 18-kilometer Metro Railway Transit Line 11 between Quezon City and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan and a 22.5-kilometer C5 MRT 10 project between Quezon City and Parañaque City.

last week ordered the Department of Transportation to postpone fare increases for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2 “pending a thorough study on the economic impact” to commuters after the agency announced the planned hikes.

I do not blame Mr. Marcos for his directive to the DOTr. In this regime of high inflation, immediately raising the rail fares will be too much for the train commuters. Rail fare is one of the gut issues that the nation’s chief executive must be mindful of.

And the high inflation rate remains a major concern for the Filipinos. Mr. Marcos’s approval ratings not surprisingly dropped four points due to public dissatisfaction over high prices, but he remains popular, per the latest Pulse Asia survey.

The survey found that 78 percent of 1,200 respondents polled in March approved of Marcos’s performance, down from 82 percent he received in November. President Marcos has had to grapple with high inflation after assuming power in June last year. Controlling the costs of living was the top concern of 63 percent of

The DOTr complied with the President’s instruction and committed to carefully study the economic repercussions of the increase to passengers of the three major rail lines in Metro Manila, including the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3). The transportation agency on March 27 approved the boarding fare increase of P2.29 and P0.21 per kilometer distance fare for LRT-1 and LRT-2. The boarding fare for both train lines stands at P11 plus P1 per kilometer.

The last approved fare hike for rail lines LRT-2 and MRT-3 was way back in 2015. The LRT-1, which was privatized in 2015, filed petitions for fare adjustments in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022—all of which, according to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, were deferred.

The fare hikes will come in due time. As in any other business operation, the rail network needs funds to finance a periodic upgrade and make it efficient and safe for the commuters.

Popular mode

THE rail system will continue to be the popular mode of transportation among commuters in Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the near fu-

I personally welcome these proposals. They will further modernize our mass transportation system, open new economic opportunities and shorten the travel time of our commuters.

The proposed P81.79-billion MRT 11, per the report of the DOTr, aims to connect Caloocan City and Quezon City to San Jose de Monte City. It may involve the construction of an elevated structure from EDSA in Balintawak, Quezon City passing through Quirino Highway, Novaliches and Zabarte Road in North Caloocan City up to Barangay Gayagaya in San Jose del Monte.

The proposed P112.26-billion C5 MRT 10 project, meanwhile, covers about 22.5 kilometers of mostly elevated light railway transit system consisting of 16 stations along Circumferential Road 5 connecting Ninoy Aquino Airport Terminal 3 in Parañaque City to Quezon City. It would end at Commonwealth Avenue, with a possible interchange with MRT 7 at Tandang Sora Station and LRT Line 2 at Aurora Station. A series of rail networks bodes well for the Philippine economy. They will serve as the lifeblood of students and the working class.

For comments, send e-mail to mbv_secretariat@vistaland.com.ph or visit www.mannyvillar.com.ph

noble results.

Profits before ESG OuTSIDE THE BOX

IT all started with “Train to Busan” and then “Squid Game.” In 2023 I am now a binge watcher of: “Kill Bok-soon,” “The Glory,” “Taxi Driver,” “All of Us Are Dead,” “The Fiery Priest,” “My name,” and others.

You know K-shows are super popular in the Philippines when the streaming services subtitle the shows in Filipino. One expert gave several reasons for this popularity.

“Filipinos enjoy the Korean culture, the background music, swoon-worthy lead actors, and regardless of the storyline, the characters are pretty much real people (except I assume

for the serial killers, zombies, and assassins).”

Perhaps the reason that these Korean shows and films are so popular is that they provide something that is missing, particularly from the offerings that come from the West. Every K-show or film that I watch is entertaining. A legend is told of iconic Holly-

wood producer Samuel Goldwyn. A screenwriter comes to his office saying, “I’ve got a great story. Not only is it a sure box-office winner, but it also carries a great message.” “Look,” grunted the producer. “All I want is a story. If you’ve got a message, send a telegram.”

Everyone who can economically, socially, and physically has an obligation to leave the world a better place than when they were born. But the latest hypocrisy for that effort is ESG—Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance.”

In the 1950s, the vast pension funds managed by the trade unions recognized “the opportunity to affect the wider social environment using their capital assets.” The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers invested their capital in developing affordable housing projects, while the United Mine Workers invested in health facilities. Noble causes with

But those same unions practicing early “ESG investing” did then and still exhibit corruption equal to any from “Big Business” and “Big Government.”

Investing with ESG in mind is “sustainable investing, responsible investing, and socially responsible investing. ESG investors seek to ensure the companies they fund are responsible stewards of the environment, good corporate citizens, and are led by accountable managers.”

But in the real world, companies that are responsible—and without the “ESG label”—are the ones that make profits and then have a long corporate life. Even the “creator” of ESG investing, the United Nations, acknowledges that as a fact. From the Sustainable Finance Hub of the United Nations Development Pro-

ON the day devoted to the memory of America’s poet laureate, Robert Frost, President John F. Kennedy said in remarks at Amherst College in Massachusetts to honor the giant of American letters: “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” Today, we honor and remember one of the greatest sons of Naga City and the pride of the Bicol Region, the late Raul Sagarbarria Roco. I will not delve on his scholastic achievements, his exemplary feat as the lawyers’ lawyer, and his outstanding performance as a public servant since they are matters of public record. One should not attempt to embellish a legend.

As a fellow Bedan and Bicolano and a brother in the profession who had closely followed his career as a prolific lawyer and a prodigious lawmaker, not to mention his foray into film producing, it is my privilege to dedicate his bust on this momentous event. This bust sculpted by our foremost artist, Mr. Manolo Sicat of the University of the Philippines, embodies Roco’s attributes that set him apart from ordinary mortals—superior intellect, indomitable courage, sterling leadership and unblemished ethical conduct. Roco’s image is now cast in stone, bronzeplated, to remind anyone who will gaze upon his statue that a man of humble origin—a son of a farmer and a public school teacher—can scale the combined heights of Mt. Isarog, Mt. Mayon and Mt. Bulusan through sheer talents, hardwork and perseverance. Sen. Roco definitely fits in Mt. Rushmore or Mt. Olympus where immortal men like him rightfully belong.

It was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who immortalized our heroes when he said: “Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.” It now befalls upon us, the living, to honor and memorialize this outstanding Bicolano, one of the most illustrious Filipinos whose star had illumined our political firmament during the dark years of Martial Law and the nascent years of the Cory government. Sen. Roco was the author of several landmark legislation, which helped rebuild our economy and stabilized

Multiple tax audits

Tax Law for Business

TAxPAYERS get anxious whenever they receive Letters of Authority (LOA) from the tax authority. This is normal because the receipt of a LOA by a taxpayer signals the conduct of a tax audit. And whenever there is audit, there is corresponding assessment for deficiency taxes. And whenever there is deficiency tax assessment, the taxpayer has to undergo the tiresome process of contesting the same, and if unsuccessful, will eventually result in the payment in full or portion of the assessment.

gram: “Negative externalities are not adequately priced into the economic system. They matter to corporate profit and loss statements to the extent that price signals promote economic development that is fully sustainable.”

In other words, companies that always must adapt to the real world through market pricing “promote economic development that is fully sustainable.” Profitable companies are in fact the ones creating the objectives of ESG. Further on the environment, for example, “Companies with documented poor engagement with deforestation risk-reducing measures receive some of the highest environmental ESG scores.”

Then the Sustainable Finance Hub says, “Viewing sustainability through an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risk lens still

our post-EDSA government and political institutions. He was the best congressman and the best senator when he served both Houses of Congress, but we denied ourselves the best president our country could ever have when our people did not elect him President—not only once but twice. Roco did not fail us; we failed him. And that was our people’s grievous blunder in our political history. Roco served his people and country well. As a student leader, as a lawyer, as a lawmaker and as our Secretary of Education, he has given us honor and fame. He never shunned away from challenges nor shirked from any burden. And as we dedicate his bust to his birthplace and the proud people of Naga City who have always occupied a special place in his heart, I recall our beloved San Beda Alma Mater Hymn, the lyrics of which Sen. Roco wrote himself:

“Bring out the challenges, we’ll win them all,

And fear neither fire nor blood

Bedans will answer the clarion’s call

For San Beda, our country and God.”

For Raul, that was not just a school hymn. It was his article of faith upon which he lived, and died.  Mabuhay ka, Raul. Valor ka kang San Beda. Maurag kang aki ning Naga; orgullo ka ning Bicolandia. Aren’t we all blessed that we are born and lived during the life and time of Raul?  Dios mabalos saindo gabos.

Speech delivered by Atty. Emmanuel F. Dooc on March 21, 2023 at the Unveiling and Blessing of Sen. Roco’s Bust at Sen. Raul S. Roco Library and Museum, Naga City.

systematically underestimates future financial risks and fails to identify emerging opportunities.” You know who is genuinely effective at estimating future financial risks and recognizing emerging opportunities? Companies that require sustainable profits to create sustainable legacies. Apple was the most profitable global company in 2022 and also was fifth highest in ESG score, according to Investor’s Business Daily. Renewable energy company Ormat Technologies ranks #99 in ESG and also has a negative 7 percent 3-year EPS growth rate.

Good companies, it turns out, can be responsible for both ESG and profitability. But without profits, there is not any ESG, just like the idea that entertainment should first be entertaining.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

Taxpayers are very much familiar with the LOA issued for the conduct of a regular audit or investigation. Here, an LOA is issued in accordance with the BIR’s power to examine the tax returns of a taxpayer and to assess the correct amount of taxes due. The LOA authorizes specific BIR revenue officers to examine the taxpayer’s books of accounts and other accounting records for the taxable period indicated in the letter. Upon receipt of the letter, the taxpayer is required to make available or submit required documents, books and records for the examiners to be able to conduct the investigation. Assessment notices may then be issued containing the audit findings. In all the stages of the assessment process, the taxpayer may contest the audit findings in accordance with the remedies available until the issues are resolved or the taxes finally determined to be

due are paid.

May a taxpayer be subjected to another round of examination for the same period?

A LOA may also be issued in cases other than in a regular tax audit. Note that the BIR has also the power to conduct inventory taking and observation or surveillance of a taxpayer’s business operations. The BIR exercises this power if it has reason to believe that a taxpayer is not declaring its correct income, sales or receipts for internal revenue tax purposes. A Mission Order is normally issued for this purpose. If the result of the surveillance activities indicates that the veracity of the taxpayer’s accounting records is not reliable, the BIR may issue LOA, assess the taxpayer, and issue assessment notices (RMO No. 03-2009)

The taxpayer may also be audited by the BIR in instances when

deficiency tax arises from incorrect information stated on the face of the tax returns, late filing of tax returns and non-payment or underpayment of taxes (RMO No. 17-2006). In these cases, Returns Processing System (RPS) Audit Results/Assessment Notices are issued to the concerned taxpayer. These are different and separate from the assessment notices issued under the regular tax audit. As a rule, the RPS Assessment Notice must also be preceded by a LOA except in cases when no preliminary assessment notice (PAN) is required, that is: when the deficiency tax is the result of mathematical error in the computation; when a discrepancy is determined between the tax withheld and the amount actually remitted by the withholding agent; when a taxpayer who opted to claim a refund or tax credit of excess creditable withholding tax has carried over the same to the succeeding taxable year; when the excise tax due has not been paid; and when the article locally purchased or imported by an exempt person has been transferred to non-exempt persons (CTA Case No. 9766, July 15, 2019).

It is then possible that a taxpayer may receive more than one LOA for the same taxable year under the different powers of the BIR. The current system and procedures of the BIR apparently makes multiple tax audits possible.

It is not then surprising when we hear taxpayers worrying when they receive assessment notices after a Mission Order while a regu-

lar tax audit is ongoing. Some also complain when RPS Audit Results/ Assessment Notices are issued requiring taxpayers to pay penalties for alleged late payment of taxes for a particular period, even after the regular tax audit for the same period was already completed and terminated.

Why can’t the taxpayer be subjected to tax audit only once? Shouldn’t all deviations from compliance be covered in one audit?

In case of multiple tax audits, what can taxpayers do? Taxpayers may seek relief from the tax court by questioning the issuance of the other LOAs and assessments emanating from the LOAs. A LOA may be invalidated if it covers the same taxable period that was previously investigated by the BIR under another LOA (CTA Case No. 10618, March 6, 2023).

The conduct of multiple tax audits are among the areas that need to be reviewed for the protection of the taxpayers. As our laws are being reviewed, I hope that this area should also be given the same attention.

The author is a junior partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law), a memberfirm of WTS Global.

The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at mabel.buted@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 160.

Dozens of POWs freed as Ukraine marks Orthodox Easter

KYIV, Ukraine—More than 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released as part of a major Easter exchange with Russia, a top official said Sunday, as Orthodox Ukrainians marked the holiday for a second time since Moscow unleashed its brutal full-scale war last February.

While celebrations were subdued due to security risks, with a curfew barring the faithful from customary all-night services, Ukrainian authorities and ordinary people shared messages of hope, linking the story of Jesus’ resurrection to their longing for peace and a Ukrainian victory.

Dozens of families had special reasons to rejoice, as presidential adviser Andriy Yermak announced that 130 soldiers, sailors, border guards and others captured by Moscow were on their way back home following a “big Easter prisoner exchange.”

Yermak said in a Telegram post Sunday that those released included troops who fought near Bakhmut, the eastern mining city which has for months been the focus of Russia’s grinding offensive.

“The lives of our people are the highest value for us,” Yermak said, adding that Kyiv’s goal was to bring back all remaining POWs.

There was no immediate information on how many Russian prisoners were released, but the press service of the founder of the Wagner Group, the Kremlin-affiliated paramilitary force whose fighters are prominent in eastern Ukraine, also released a video Sunday showing Ukrainian prisoners of war being readied for an exchange.

The video, published on the Tele-

gram messaging service, features Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin instructing a soldier to prepare the Ukrainian captives to leave Russiancontrolled territory “by lunchtime” on Sunday. The POWs are then shown boarding trucks and walking along a road.

In his Easter address released on Sunday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the holiday as marking “the victory of good, the victory of truth, the victory of life,” and he stressed what he said was Ukrainian unity in the face of Russian aggression.

“Belief in victory unites all of us always, and especially today. At Easter, which from time immemorial has been a family holiday for Ukrainians, a day of warmth, hope and great unity. We are one big family— Ukrainians. We have one big home— Ukraine. We have one big goal—victory for all,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine’s top soldier, Gen. Valery Zaluzhnyy, likewise drew parallels between the Christian message of resurrection and renewal and Ukraine’s hopes for victory.

“Easter is a holiday of great hope. Hope that will bring us peace. I believe that together, united, we will overcome the enemy,” he wrote in a Facebook post. He also thanked all front-line soldiers who he said will

“hold the defense in the trenches, stay in the dugouts, (...) carry out combat duty” as the rest of the country celebrates.

In central Kyiv, people gathered in the courtyard of the landmark St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery on Sunday morning to have their Easter eggs and baskets of food blessed by a priest. A curfew had prevented most from attending the traditional all-night service there hours earlier, with many tuning into a live stream instead.

Ukrainian churches are usually crowded on Orthodox Easter Sunday. But this year, the wide courtyard was barely half full, and the line of people waiting for the priest to sprinkle holy water on their adorned baskets was moving briskly.

For a second year in a row, Moscow’s brutal war has interrupted holiday routines. Ukraine’s main security service this week issued a statement urging residents not to linger in churches on Sunday, in order to avoid crowding and minimize security risks. Alla Voronina, one of the people who came to St. Michael’s with baskets containing Easter cakes and multi-colored eggs, said that the restrictions were “very hard” on residents’ morale.

“You constantly recall how it used to be before the war,” she told The Associated Press. She said that she and her family would nevertheless follow the security recommendations and go straight home after receiving the blessing.

Others in the line echoed Zaluzhnyy’s words about a wartime Easter being a symbol of hope.

“As never before, Easter at a time

of war inspires us with hope and faith in the future, in the victory of Ukraine, in God’s protection of our Motherland,” said Inna Holivets.

Another worshipper, Tetiana Voloshyna, said she was praying for Ukrainian troops “who defend us and make it possible for us to have this holiday.” She added she had come to the monastery with her “personal pain and personal requests to God for victory, peace and life.”

Despite the shared Orthodox holiday, Russian shelling and missile attacks continued to sow destruction in Ukraine, according to social media statements from Ukrainian regional officials. Officials in the country’s south and east said that churches had not been spared. The governor of the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, Serhii Lysak, claimed in a Telegram update that Russian forces stationed at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant shelled a church in a nearby town, wounding two civilians.

“The Russians have once again confirmed that they hold nothing sacred,” Lysak said in his post. He did not immediately provide evidence of the strike or its consequences.

Earlier on Sunday, the head of the local military administration in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia province reported that Russian shelling overnight hit an Orthodox church in the town of Komyshuvakha. Photos showed local residents rescuing icons from the church, its gutted frame visible in the background.

At least four civilians were killed and eight others were wounded on Saturday and overnight, Ukrainian officials reported on Sunday morning.

Wall Street tells new high school graduates to pick tech career over finance

Bloomberg Opinion

GRADUATING high school students will be best off pursuing a career in tech rather than finance, investors said.

For soon-to-be adults, tech is the smartest route despite recent layoffs at Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc., the latest MLIV Pulse survey with 678 respondents suggests. Tech savvy is seen as ever more important in a world increasingly influenced by digital

platforms and artificial intelligence.

“The highest paying jobs were so clearly in the finance sector for two or three decades, and now tech is really competitive with that—they’re kind of neck and neck,” said Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of human-resources consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. Even with the rise of AI he expects tech and finance to remain among the most lucrative careers for the next 20 or 30 years. “I don’t see that going away,” he said. Some 52 percent of 556 profes-

sional investors said that technology is the way to go for high school students. Among 122 retail investors, 48 percent voted for tech.

Recent hiring trends support the results. While the current downturn has hit both Big Tech and Silicon Valley startups hard, recruiters in traditional industries—from automakers to the federal government—have rushed to snap up laid-off tech talent and new grads. These days, every company is a tech company, as the saying goes. Part of the perception that the

grass is greener in Silicon Valley may also stem from the way that tech has transformed the inner workings of Wall Street. “There are lots of people that have brilliant financial minds, and yet they can’t put into effect a trading strategy without relying on serious programmers to come in and actually implement it because it’s moved past human beings in some ways,” Challenger said. “I can see why they feel that threat.” Investors have a different recommendation for kids graduating

from kindergarten this year. Nearly 40% of respondents said those children will be best off with a career in health care. Jobs in the medical fields often involve much more human-to-human interaction, which many believe AI is unlikely to ever fully replace.

Retail investors were slightly more enthusiastic about the heath care—it was a top pick for 41 percent. Among professional investors, 38 percent chose medical services.

A recent Goldman Sachs Group Inc. report estimated that some 300

million full-time jobs worldwide may soon be affected by AI automation. Demographic trends may also be supporting the idea that becoming a doctor or a nurse will be a wiser choice for the youngest generation: Economists forecast massive demand for health-care workers as the population ages in the US and around the world. As for the potential impact of AI on Wall Street, only 12 percent said finance would be the best career option for today’s kindergarteners. With assistance from Heather Burke / Bloomberg

‘Roco served his people and country well’

OFWs in Sudan fear for lives amid war

FILIPINO workers in Sudan

are worried for their safety as air bombings and explosions that began Saturday—when warring military factions tried to wrestle power over the African state —continue.

Glen Lampa, a barista based in Sudan’s capital of Khartoum, said that they are now restricted inside their accommodation because of nonstop bombardment and armed fighting in the city.

“Puro pagsabog, wala nga ngayong kuryente eh. Nakakatako t [So many explosions, there’s no electricity; it’s scary],” Lampa told Business -

Mirror

A t least 97 civilians have been killed and 365 injured since the fighting in Sudan started early on Saturday, wire reports quoted Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate as saying.

T he clashes are part of a power struggle between the Army and another military faction who once orchestrated the October 2021 military coup.

L ampa said the security situation now is “far worse” than what he experienced during the 2021 coup.

H e said he could feel the building where he is staying shake whenever there are airstrikes in the city.

“Ang problema walang mabilhan ng pagkain at tubig ngayon  [The problem is there’s nowhere we can buy food and water now],” the 47-year old native of San Miguel, Bulacan said.

T he Department of Foreign Affairs counted 209 Filipinos in Sudan, as of a June 2022 survey.

L ampa estimates there are fewer than 100 Filipinos in the capital of Khartoum. He knew some of them from his choir church group, who expressed the same fear and panic over their security.

T here is no Philippine Embassy based in Sudan. The Philippine Embassy in Egypt has jurisdiction over Sudan. It has an honorary consulate which has been keeping in touch with the FIlipino community.

T he Consulate told BusinessMirror that the conditions in Sudan “are very bad.”

“ The Filipino community is all fine. They are communicating with each other, and we gave them the necessary guidance not to move from their homes completely (sic),” the Consulate said.

It also advised Filipinos not to stand on rooftops and near the windows.

Their house should be completely closed,” it added.

T he Embassy in Cairo, meanwhile, has issued an advisory to the Filipinos in Sudan to refrain from going outside their residences.

Filipinos are advised to get in touch with the Embassy or consulate at these numbers:

P hilippine Embassy in Cairo WhatsApp/Mobile: (+20) 122

743 6472 Facebook/Messenger: PHinEgypt Email: cairo.pe@dfa. gov.ph

P hilippine Consulate in Khartoum Telephone Number: (+249)

91 239 9448 Email: phil.cons@ elnefeidigroup.comhttps:// web.facebook.com/photo/?fb

id=542210648096200&set=p

cb.542211498096115

L ampa said there is no advice yet for Filipinos to evacuate Sudan. The airport is closed, anyway, and all flights to and from Sudan have been suspended.

Suit urges SC to strike down SIM registry law

Technology (DICT) estimates that 168,977,773 SIM cards are currently in use in the country.

O f that figure, only about 62,170,268 or 36.79 percent have so far registered under the SIM Registration Act.

T hus, 63.21 percent or 106,807,505 SIM cards will be deactivated and their users will be permanently silenced when the April 26 deadline comes.

DMW now processing ex-Saudi OFW papers

of privacy over their cell phones and SIM cards, learned and committed to heart because of fears of spams, scams, and surveillance, both from government and corporations, have taught us to hesitate before sharing, to vet before registering, and to adopt and update security measures whenever possible,” they added.

In a 59-page petition, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and several other individuals also sought the immediate issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or a writ of preliminary injunction enjoining the implementation of the law pending the resolution of the petition.

T hey said there is a need to immediately enjoin the implementation of the law as more than 106 million other unregistered Filipinos stand to be disfranchised through automatic deactivation of their SIMs if they fail to comply with the April 26 deadline.

T he petitioners also urged the Court to order public telecommunication entities (PTEs) to cease and desist from using, storing, transferring, and processing all information gathered into the SIM register and to destroy data already gathered.

T he assailed law, according to the petitioners, is unconstitutional

as it violates their right to freedom of speech by imposing a system of prior restraint; right against unreasonable searches and seizures and to privacy of communication by intruding into the petitioners’ reasonable expectation of privacy and circumventing the requirement of a judicial warrant; and substantive due process by intruding into the life, liberty, and property of petitioners.

Given the nature of cell phones and devices connected to the internet, the SIM Registration Act partakes in the nature of prior restraint. On its face, the law chills all speech done through SIM cards if disclosure is not made,” the petition read.

By imposing a condition to speech expressed through the modern-day equivalent of the printing press, the SIM Registration Act imposes prior restraint,” it added.

T he petitioners noted that as of April 7, 2023, the Department of Information and Communications

T he deactivation of these SIM cards, according to the petitioners, will affect the government dissemination of public service announcements and ordinary citizens will not be able to capture, share, and discuss the misbehavior of their public servants—a right so vital in a democratic country.

Furthermore, unregistered Filipinos will be deprived of essential online services such as digital banking, online shopping, and transportation to courier services.

Unregistered Filipinos will not be able to use internet services, websites, and social media platforms that require phone numbers as a mode of receiving one-time passwords (OTPs) to secure or recover user accounts,” the petitioners explained.

T he petitioners also argued that they have reasonable expectation of privacy over their SIM cards, such as who to have or to pass on information it contains.

As such, the law’s compelled disclosure, which is not sanctioned through a search warrant, and the subsequent exempted access of law enforcement, constitutes an unreasonable search under the Constitution,” the petitioners said.

Filipinos’ objective expectation

T he petitioners also argued that the law violates free access to courts by limiting access to justice only to registered devices.

T he implementation of the law, they said, would affect the effort of the Supreme Court to speed up the disposition of cases through the adaption of videoconferencing to conduct court proceedings.

To an extent that is difficult to quantify, this Honorable Court’s technology-driven rules and guidelines have breathed new life into citizen’s rights to the speedy disposition of their cases and to free access to courts. But all these rules and guidelines rely on a foundation built on unimpeded access to SIM cards,” the petitioners said.

N amed respondents in the petition were the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the National Privacy Commission, DICT, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education, and telecommunication companies such as Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications, Inc., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Dito Telecommunity Corporation, Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc., Sun Cellular and Cherry Mobile Communications Inc.

PHL, Czech Republic eye expanded ties

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the country is now eyeing to expand economic and defense cooperation with the Czech Republic.

M arcos made the pronouncement in a press conference after his bilateral meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who arrived in the country last Sunday, for the first leg of his 10-day Asian tour.

During this meeting, Prime Minister Fiala and I discussed a range of issues of mutual interests, including defense cooperation, trade and investment, universityto-university linkages, and labor cooperation,” Marcos said.

We recognize the importance of building on the existing areas

of cooperation and exploring new opportunities for collaboration,” he added.

Private sector cooperation

THIS was echoed by Fiala, who hopes his visit in the country will result in more partnerships be -

tween Czech and Philippine firms.   Our companies offer solutions in many fields and many areas‚ agriculture, aviation, transportation or space technologies,” Fiala said.  For agriculture, he said Czech firms can offer technological assistance to the Philippine National Dairy Authority on storing raw milk and its processing.

A s for defense, the Czech head of state said their firm, Česká zbrojovka, can also offer its services for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to include transfer of technology.

F

iala said they are also studying the recruitment of more Filipino workers due to the commendable performance in the

Czech Republic.

International issues

DURING the bilateral talks, Marcos said he and Fiala also exchanged views on regional and international issues.

“We had a very interesting exchange of views regarding regional and international issues, including the West Philippine Sea and cross-strait relations, and the war in Ukraine, amongst others,” Marcos said.

“ We both emphasize our country’s shared commitment to democracy, to human rights, and the rule of law,” he added.

A fter his visit to the Philippines, Fiala will fly to Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. S amuel P. Medenilla

OVER 7,500 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who were retrenched from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have submitted the required email for the processing of their claims, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

I n a television interview with PTV on Monday, DMW Secretary Susan V. Ople disclosed the enthusiastic response from the affected OFWs since she urged them last Friday to submit the email containing the needed details for the processing at  saudiclaims@dmw.gov.ph.

The emails should contain the contact details, record of employment in KSA, passport number and salary of the concerned claimants before they were displaced.

As of now, 7,500 plus [OFWs] have emailed us so it will take a few more [emails] so we can complete the 10,000 plus number of claimants,” Ople said in Filipino.

Hopefully, before May 1, all the emails will be in,” she added.

T hose who can submit the needed email will be prioritized by the Saudi government in processing the claims, according to Ople.

T he DMW warned unscrupulous individuals not to try filing fake claims since all of the applications will be thoroughly screened by the Saudi government.  “ They may be able to get through us, but they know it will be the Saudi government, which will screen and conduct the validation process [for the claims],” Ople explained.

T he Saudi government has allocated 2 billion Saudi Riyal to settle the claims of around 10,000 OFW who worked in Saudi firms that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.

T he DMW official earlier said she hopes the guidelines for the processing and release of the claims will be completed during her meeting with the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) on May 24, 2023.

T he guidelines, she said, will pave the way for the payment of the claims within the year.

A side from the claims, Ople said she will also discuss with the MHRSD other issues concerning OFWs, including their wages and standard employment contract.

APETITION was filed on Monday before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to declare unconstitutional Republic Act No. 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, on the ground that it violates the  basic constitutional rights of SIM card users.

Companies

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

‘PLDT is keen on rolling out reforms after budget mess’

First Grade Finance Inc. Managing Director Astro C. del Castillo said he observed that the “so-called retirement and resignation” of some bosses from the pLDT management is “just another move to implement reforms after the fiasco — the budget mess.”

“The budget mess was not only a major concern to management but also to stockholders. I’m sure more news related to the scandal will be announced to avoid such a mess again moving forward. The amount is earthshaking,” he said.

In filings with the stock exchange, pLDT said its s V p, CFo, and CRMo Anabelle Chua, who has been on leave since the p48-billion budget overrun was announced in December, availed

of early retirement. It took effect on sunday.

pLDT s V p and Head of network

Mario Tamayo, who has spearheaded several key infrastructure initiatives for the company, also stepped down from the company, availing also of the early retirement option.

Tamayo’s retirement took effect on Friday.

Meanwhile, pLDT s V p and Chief procurement officer Mary Rose Dela paz and Vp Wilson Bobier had “voluntarily resigned.” Their resignations took effect on Friday and sunday, respectively.

pL DT V p Alexander Kibanoff, meanwhile, took advantage of the company’s manpower reduction

program. He left the company on sunday.

To recall, the company announced in the fourth quarter of 2022 that it incurred p4 8 billion in “budget overrun.”

pLDT has so far reduced its p4 8billion budget overrun by a third, after executing a settlement and mutual release program that cuts its outstanding purchase orders from vendors.

With the execution of the said program, pLDT was able to taper its capital expenditures (capex) overspend to p33 billion. pLDT was sought for comment on the management positions’ shakeup, but it refused to divulge further details “more than what was disclosed.”

The company has conducted a forensics review of the transactions in question. The review has been “substantially” completed. “Until the final results of the investigation will be announced then I think that’s the time where most shareholders will be at peace,” Del Castillo said.

pLDT saw its profits plunging by 60 percent to p10.49 billion in 2022 from p26.37 billion the year prior, no thanks to the “accelerated deprecia-

tion” that it booked last year, referring to the capex issue.

Its telco core income, meanwhile, rose 10 percent to p33.12 billion from p30.23 billion the year prior, as the company recorded a 6-percent increase in total revenues to p205.25 billion from p193.26 billion.

Individual service revenues accounted for the lion’s share of the revenue pie at p82 billion, which is 5 percent lower than the p86.2 billion.

The company’s home business, meanwhile, was its best performing segment at 20 percent revenue growth to p57.4 billion, followed by the enterprise vertical, which booked p47.5 billion in revenues.

International and carrier business remains the least performing of all the verticals, booking a 23-percent drop in revenues to p3.1 billion from p4.1 billion.

The telco group’s expenses ballooned by 38 percent to p210.75 billion from p152.50 billion, mainly driven by higher depreciation costs.

Earlier, pLDT Chairman Manuel pangilinan said he expects the capex overspend to continue to have an effect for the 2023 full year results of pLDT, but said this will have a smaller effect versus the year prior.

Upson 2022 income rises by 33%

Upson International Corp., a retailer of personal comput-

ers and information technology products, said its income rose 33 percent to p537.86 million in 2022 from the previous year’s p403.64 million.

The company’s revenues went up by 10 percent to p9.46 billion in 2022 from p8.57 billion recorded in 2021. “our financial performance is a testament to our commitment to be the shopping gateway to technology. This commitment shall be our legacy

contribution to support the digital transformation of our country,” said Upson president and CEo Arlene sy

“This is why we are continuously expanding our retail footprint nationwide, along with warehouses and logistics operations, to reach underserved markets.”

Upson operates several retail outlets, such as octagon Computer superstore, Micro Valley, Gadget King, as well as concept and specialty stores like Acer, Hp Brother, si lvertec and octagon Mobile in select locations.

As of December 2022, the company operates 207 branches nationwide and a total of six warehouses in

Manila, Cebu, Cagayan De oro, and Davao City. A significant driver of the company’s financial growth in 2022 was the expansion of Upson’s retail branch network. The company added 24 new branches to their existing 183 retail branches in 2021.

Upson is the second initial public offering of the year. Its offering consists of 625 million primary common shares, with an overallotment option of up to 62.5 million shares, priced at p2.40 per share. The Ipo raised p1.65 billion.

The company plans to use this amount to fund its committed store network expansion by opening 250

stores from 2023 to 2027, or an additional retail space of 25,000 square meters. For this year, Upson aims to open 50 stores within the national Capital Region, and key cities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“We understand the ever-growing need for electronic gadgets and accessories, and how it invites competition. nevertheless, we believe that to maintain our market leadership and for a stronger presence, this will be attained by further establishing stores nationwide. Having a robust nationwide network also helps sustain our customers’ top-of-mind recall of our brands,” sy said.

Aboitiz: Shape the future at the inaugural AI summit

AB o I TI z Data Innovation (ADI), Data science and Artificial Intelligence (DsAI) arm of the Aboitiz Group, is inviting the shapers of tomorrow to the inaugural AI summit philippines, happening on May 10 to 11, 2023 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom.

The country’s AI and tech trailblazers and playmakers gather under one roof to discuss and shed light on turning data into actionable insights for scaling across industries as well as the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in AI.

At the frontlines of the Aboitiz Group’s Great Transformation journey to become the philippines’ first Techglomerate is ADI, responsible for operationalizing DsAI to transform data into business and sustainability outcomes. This has re-invigorated the Group with a data-driven mindset and culture of innovation. The AI summit is a milestone in this Great Transformation and a reflection of the Group’s commitment to advancing AI development in the country.

“We have an unparalleled opportunity to leapfrog the digital revolution in the philippines and transform vital industries that will drive the country’s progress by leveraging enabling technologies such as Data science and AI,” said ADI Chief Executive officer (CEo)

“The Aboitiz Group is the first of many Techglomerates to come as data-driven innovation is injected into businesses, large and small. At ADI, we are thrilled to partner with Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Union Bank of the philippines in launching the AI summit philippines as we believe this will play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption and operationalization of DsAI in the country,” he added. Behind the latest and most advanced technologies are the people

bringing them to life through realworld use cases and applications. The two-day summit will feature keynote speeches and panel discussions led by renowned leaders and experts.

These thought-provoking discussions will focus on three streams: Data science and Transformation in Financial services, powering smart Cities through Data; and operationalizing Data science and AI.

ADI said the AI summit will also provide an excellent opportunity for participants to network and meet

with enthusiasts and industry leaders, learn about the latest trends and best practices, and explore potential collaborations with like-minded individuals and organizations.

From public officials to industry practitioners, and students to lifelong learners, this event will provide invaluable insights, knowledge, and connections to contribute to the adoption and development of AI in the philippines. Register at www.aiphsummit.ph to get complimentary entry to the event.

B1

Strong demand for coconut products lifts Axelum profit

Ax ELUM Resources Corp., a trader of coconut products, on Monday said its net income in 2022 rose 37 percent to p983.52 million from the previous year’s p715.33 million on sustained global demand for its products.

The company said its sales last year reached p7.04 billion, up 11 percent from p6.36 billion in the previous year, driven by stable volumes, higher average selling prices and the impact of a stronger dollar.

Gross margins hit 30 percent due to the larger contribution of highvalue products.

s u stained global market demand, improved shipping conditions and the strength of the dollar catapulted us to historic levels for 2022. Looking ahead, we are determined to build on this momentum despite prolonged effects of global macroeconomic headwinds particularly geopolitical armed conflicts overseas and untamed inflation,” Henry J. Raperoga, the company’s president and Coo said.

Axelum said it is readying to accelerate its consumer segment with

GLoBAL tech care company

Asurion said it is aiming to add over 700 local full-time jobs in Central Luzon this year.

“We are thrilled to support the development of Central Luzon’s labor economy, given its growing infrastructure, talented workforce, and vibrant environment,” Trevor Williams, Asurion Clark site director, said in a statement on Monday.

With the company’s continued growth and its benefits and perks,

the planned launch of new prime branded offerings to meet increasing requirements for plant-based food substitutes due to emerging mainstream preference for vegan and non-dairy choices.

“This forms part of Axelum’s strategy to unlock its massive retail potential in the long-term by leveraging on its proven manufacturing and export model.”

The company uses all the parts of the coconut in its production resulting in a full-line of coconut products including coconut water, desiccated coconuts, coconut milk powder, coconut milk, reduced fat coconut, sweetened coconut, coconut oil and other coconut products.

The main production facility of the company is in Medina, Misamis or iental while manufacturing and distribution facilities are in the United states and Australia.

The company sells its products to multinational food and beverage companies, confectioneries, bakeries, and also provides customized products to international and local brands. VG Cabuag

Williams believes that these would entice pa mpanga locals to work within the province instead of the “highly populated” central business districts.

According to the tech care firm, the company is expected to create more than 700 local full-time jobs within 2023 for technical support, customer care representatives, with additional human resources, operations, training, and support positions. Andrea E. San Juan

The resignation and “early retirement” of several key executives of telco titan PLDT Inc. is a move towards reforms after the company figured into a multibillion-peso budget mess, an analyst said on Monday.

BOC shuts warehouses of ‘smuggled’ goods

OFFICIALS of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced its personnel discovered a total of P150 million worth of agricultural products, including frozen meat and fresh fruits, in six warehouses in Metro Manila that they suspect to be smuggled goods.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said he has issued Letters of Authority (LOAs) mandating the actions by members of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and Enforcement and Security Service assigned to the Manila International Container Port and the bureau’s Quick Reaction Team.

Juvymax R. Uy, deputy commissioner for Intelligence Group, said the LOAs issued by Rubio allowed them to act on the derogatory information they received on the warehouses.

Customs Administrative Order 03-2019 defines the LOA as “a written authorization signed by the Commissioner of Customs in the exercise

of the power to visit and inspect premises and goods, identifying the Customs Officers authorized to demand evidence of payment of duties and taxes on imported goods openly offered for sale or kept in storage.”

The LOA that Rubio issued targets six warehouses located in Caloocan, Manila and Navotas. The BOC said its personnel found the latter warehouse to be empty and under construction for a cold-storage facility. The BOC said its personnel has temporarily padlocked and blocked access to these warehouses.

The BOC said inventory of the goods will be conducted by the assigned customs examiner and wit-

nessed by agents from the CIIS and ESS-QRT. The owners of the goods will be required to present importation documents or proof of payment, Uy explained.

He added that “if proper documents are not presented, seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be conducted against the shipments.”

The latter is for violation of Sec.

1400 [“Misdeclaration, Misclassification, Undervaluation, in Goods Declaration”] in relation to Sec. 1113 [“Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture”] of Republic Act 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).

“Right now, our team is a welloiled machine running after these

smuggling groups,” Rubio was quoted in a statement the BOC issued last Monday. “The operations yesterday [April 16] showed how our officers work day and night to make sure these products will not make it to our local markets.”

Rubio said he and Uy plan to personally visit the facilities where the suspected smuggled products were found.

“The BOC is sending a clear message to these groups that we will never tire in our efforts to prevent these products from entering our local markets. We commend our officers for their commitment to our mandate,” Uy said.

Handling friends who borrow money Marikina’s good financial housekeeping cited by DILG

YOU’VE been doing a lot of changes to improve your financial health. You’re proud of your accomplishments and your friends could tell that you’re doing well. Then one day, a friend confides that he’s been having money problems and hopes that you could help by lending him some cash.

What do you do? Do you immediately dig into your pocket and help your friend? Or do you simply keep quiet and pretend you didn’t hear anything and change the topic of the conversation?

It takes a special bond among friends before they could comfortably talk and be open about each other’s financial problems. If you find yourself in this situation with someone you barely know (which I’ve seen happen), then the best advice is to simply say, “I’m sorry, but as a rule, I don’t lend money to friends.”

This statement is straightforward and gives your message without attacking the character of the person.

But how about those friends you’ve known for years? Do you treat them the same way or do you give in to their request for the sake of friendship? You say to yourself, “Friendship is more important than money; it takes time to gain friends but money you can easily earn with your income.”

I believe this is true; but I also believe that in most cases, allowing them to borrow your money is not the best way to help a friend.

When a friend wants to borrow money from you, ask where it’s going to be used. Be serious with the question but genuinely show concern over his financial troubles. You want to get the most honest possible answer.

After he relates his situation, it’s best to say that you would have to consult your budget if you can afford to lend him the amount he needs.

Wait it out for at least two or three days. This will give your friend time to look for other ways to get the money while you try to learn more about his situation from other friends and his family.

Your first judgment call is to decide if your friend deserves the loan. The harsh truth is that sometimes, the money is simply being used to fuel an addiction. This does not necessarily mean illegal drugs but more often a frivolous obsession like keeping up with fads or maintaining a hobby that’s too expensive for him or her. If you find your friend complaining about financial woes while drinking a Starbucks Frappuccino, then there’s something wrong there.

Special situations involve medical emergencies and business proposals. With the first case, I know that it’s really hard to refuse when the life of a person is involved, but immediately giving in to the request is like buying on impulse.

There could have been a cheaper alternative or the situation was not serious in the first place. So it pays to take stock of the situation and know your and your friend’s options first. When a friend is asking money from you to start or expand a business, then you would have to clarify if he’s asking you for a loan or if he’s inviting you to be an investor.

In the first one, you’re expected to

be paid back but in the second one, you’ll be sharing in the company’s profits instead. This situation calls for more extensive evaluation especially if you’re being asked to be an investor.

In general, the fastest way to give a judgment call on whether your friend deserves the loan or not is to examine his entrepreneurial skills Does he have what it takes to make this business successful? Did he do extensive studies and carefully planned out this venture? If the answers are yes, then I think that it’s worth giving your friend more attention and considering a business partnership.

If your friend has valid and acceptable reasons for borrowing money, then your next judgment call is to determine if you can afford it or not. However, if you don’t have a working budget for your expenses. Then I suggest that you make one before you lend out your money.

By having a clear picture of your financial situation, you do not risk having money problems of your own in the end. It’s best to take out this expense from your entertainment budget.

Be sure of the amount you could afford to give, this is more important than how much your friend needs. In the end, no matter the amount you gave, a true friend will deeply appreciate the sacrifice.

It may also help to be honest and open with your friend and ask how exactly he is planning to pay you back. Where will he get the money? Will he be paying in installments or as a lump sum? What will be the payment schedule? When the amount is considerably big, it’s best to get everything in writing. A lot of people get “amnesia” whenever they borrow money.

It’s not rude to ask for collateral or ask them to issue post-dated checks. Especially if this is a business transaction, it is necessary to get all legal documents ready to avoid future conflicts in the partnership.

In the end—when everything goes well—you can use that contract as a testament to your genuine friendship.

If you think that your friend’s reasons for the loan are capricious and unfounded, then try to help him understand this. Be calm, diplomatic, and most importantly, offer to help in another way such as teaching him how to properly track his expenses so he won’t run out of money regularly. Both of you could also explore possible income opportunities to augment your earnings.

It takes character to resist the temptation of giving in to unreasonable monetary requests from friends. Be firm with your decision and believe that a true friend will not hold it against you if you choose to keep your money to yourself.

Fitz Villafuerte is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines.

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) honored the local government of Marikina City with the 2022 “Good Financial Housekeeping,” or “GFH,” award for complying with financial transparency and fiscal accountability.

The DILG-National Capital Region has conferred Marikina, under the leadership of Mayor Marcelino R. Teodoro, with the Mark of Recognition for passing the 2022 GFH assessment.

DILG-Marikina Director Mary Jane SE Nacario was quoted in A statement as saying that Marikina has also been commended as the “Most Improved LGU” for the year 2022. Nacario added that the 2022 GFH Award was bestowed to Marikina for its financial transparency and accountability and for having instituted public reporting of the budget and expenditure of

the city government.

A statement issued by the Marikina Local Government Unit (LGU) said it was also given a check by the DILG for P100,000 for being the third place among 17 LGUs in Metro Manila in the implementation of the Manila Bay clean-up,

rehabilitation and preservation program.

The DILG-Marikina said the financial reward will be used to fund the city’s the “ Taga-linis [cleaner] On Wheels” and the “Munting Basura, Ibulsa Muna” (put trash in a pocket) programs, which are focused on

maintaining order and cleanliness within the city.

Teodoro and his wife Marikina First District Rep. Marjorie Ann A. Teodoro received the awards during the celebration of the city’s 393rd Foundation Anniversary last Monday. The celebration of the city’s founding anniversary was also graced by Vice Mayor Marion S. Andres, members of the City Council, officials from various law enforcement agencies and personnel of the LGU.

In 2019, the DILG awarded the city government of Marikina was awarded the Seal of Excellence in Governance for sustaining the obstruction-free status of roads and sidewalks.

Then Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año personally handed the award to Mayor Teodoro during the grand launching of the “Disiplina Muna” (discipline first) campaign.

GCG urged to stop restructuring in Duty-Free PHL

OFFICERS of a labor union of the Duty Free Philippines Corp. (DFPC) urged the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GCG) to overhaul or abort the reorganization plan of their management, which, they said, will result into mass retrenchments.

United Workers of Duty Free Philippines-Federation of Free Workers (UWDFP-FFW) President Ernesto Mangalindan said the union was relieved after the GCG approved

the request by DFPC management to defer the implementation of its “New Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern,” or “OSSP,” for 60 days beginning March 15.

Nonetheless, Mangalindan said the union is still seeking a permanent solution to address their concerns on DFPC’s plan to trim the company into 32 organizational units with a total of 345 positions. In a letter submitted to the GCG last December, the union said the plan will compel the over 700 workers of DFPC to apply for the 345 approved positions.

The union said in its letter to the GCG that this move is a violation of

Republic Act (RA) 9593 (Tourism Act of 2009), which prohibits the mandatory separation of employees as a result of reorganization.

The labor union also pointed out the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), which was cited by the DFPC management for the reorganization plan, is no longer tenable.

It also accused the DFPC management of using the reorganization to privatize the DFPC.

“The reorganization plan which was hastily adopted sans employees’ consultation in the last months of the Duterte administration needs overhauling if not aborting,” Man-

CCAP cautions youth in credit card use

USING credit cards can help young Filipinos in their “adulting journey” but the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) cautioned them to still be mindful of their credit behaviors.

Citing data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the CCAP said Filipinos own an average of 2.3 credit cards with 11.3 million cards-in-force as of the end-2022.

The organization further said fresh college graduates who are joining the workforce and embarking on their “adulting” journey help prop up the numbers for the credit card industry.

“No one is born with a good credit score so be conscious of your credit behavior,” CCAP Executive Director Alex G. Ilagan advised young people. “Track your billing cycles and due dates. Avoid accumulating interest charges and debt to maintain a good credit score.”

By doing these, Ilagan said spending could be monitored.

“This also helps you track your spending and spot any budget guzzlers you can do without,” he added.

While local card issuers are prohibited by law to issue a credit card to those who cannot show proof of income from employment or business, fresh college graduates or those ages 18 years old and below can still have access to this financial tool by being a supplementary

cardholder.

Being a supplementary credit cardholder allows young Filipinos to take the initial step in benefitting from the financing available in having credit cards. CCAP said having credit cards can also help those who are about to enter the formal workforce.

“It is important for young people to be equipped with the right tools in managing their adulting life by knowing how credit cards can work for their cash flows,” Ilagan said.

“Our aim is to educate them as early as possible so they know what credit is and how they can manage their credit cards well when they get theirs. Any organization, not just schools, can reach us for these enlightening seminars,” he added.

The CCAP has been actively conducting credit awareness programs in various colleges and universities since 2017.

Loan application

MEANWHILE, the BSP’s Consumer Expectation Survey (CES) results showed that about 8.6 percent of households expressed their intention to apply for a loan in the next quarter.

BSP data also showed that more Filipinos or 9.6 percent of households intend to borrow financing in the next 12 months.

Those who intend to borrow money are mainly from Areas Outside of the National Capital Region (NCR) and are earning less than P10,000 a month.

The data showed that 9.3 percent of households from AONCR intend to secure loans next quarter while only 4.5 percent of respondent households from NCR intend to do the same in the April to June period this year.

The BSP said 10.1 percent of households in AONCR intend to obtain loans in the next 12 months, higher than the 6.6 percent recorded among NCR-based households.

In terms of income, 10.7 percent of those earning less than P10,000 a month intend to borrow funds in the second quarter followed by the 9.2 percent earning between P10,000 and P29,999 and 5.7 percent earning P30,000 and above.

The credit access of those intending to borrow funds in the second quarter averaged 89.6 percent, the lowest since the second quarter of 2022.

The BSP data also showed 11.7 percent of those belonging to the income group earning less than P10,000 intend to borrow in the next 12 months.

This was followed by 10 percent among those earning P10,000 and P29,999 a month and 7 percent earning P30,000 and over.

The credit access of those who intend to borrow in the next 12 months is higher at 93.3 percent, the highest in the past 12 quarters.

Currently, 22.8 percent of households obtained loans in the past 12 months.

More than half or 52.1 percent of these loans were used to purchase basic goods.

galindan was quoted in a statement the union issued last Monday.

The UWDFP-FFW is appealing to GCG and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. “to prioritize the well-being of the workers and their families by considering alternative solutions that will not result in job losses.”

FFW President Jose G. Matula said they are prepared to take legal action to help UWDFP-FFW in case the GCG will allow the DFPC to continue its restructuring.

“Members of our legal team are also preparing our pleading for appropriate legal action for any adverse decision,” Matula said.

GSIS parks $300M in infra fund

THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) announced it parked $300 million (about P16.78 billion at current exchange rates) to Global Infrastructure Management LLC (doing business as Global Infrastructure Partners, or GIP), a New York City-based investment company.

A statement issued by the GSIS said its President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso and James Amine, a partner in GIP’s Emerging Markets Fund signed the agreement recently.

“This partnership is in line with our continued effort to further diversify our assets and generate higher returns for the benefit of our more than two million members and pensioners,” Veloso was quoted in the statement as saying.

According to Bloomberg News, GIP invests in the natural resources infrastructure, water distribution and treatment, power, utilities, seaports, and waste management sectors. Raadee S. Sausa

Jun Impas visualizes the colors of Filipino culture

bright hues that characterize them.

After all, painting people, particularly his own, is what made Impas a celebrated artist. The Cebuano painter specializes in Filipino portraiture, where his impressive oeuvre includes paintings of some of the country’s top figures in politics and religion. Like a true, pure portrait artist, he creates his art with the intention of not only illustrating the subject’s appearance but reflecting his or her spirit as well.

Impas was offered by the University of Santo Tomas a scholarship in Fine Arts, and went on to become an exhibiting artist around the country and all over the world, from Italy to New York. In Colors of Culture, Impas proves why he is considered as among today’s most prominent Filipino realist painters. The featured artworks in the exhibit, mostly portrayals of the famous Philippine festivals, showcase his mastery of light and painstaking attention to detail.

AWORD often used to describe the Filipino people is “vibrant.” While our penchant to celebrate, to exchange smiles, to share laughs obviously colored this impression, what exactly is the extent of that vibrancy?

Visual artist Jun Impas ponders the question in his latest solo exhibition, wherein he arrives with a prismatic rainbow full of life for an answer. In Colors of Culture, currently on view at Galerie Anna (www. facebook.com/galerieanna) until April 25, Impas depicts the country’s most lively festivals along with the

Impas developed the idea early on while working as a poster and billboard maker in a local cinema. The job demanded that he become a visual storyteller, able to relay a captivating gist of the product or movie to the viewer with a mere glance. Impas may have only taken the job to support his fisherman father and housewife mother in raising him and nine other siblings, but he decided to stay and dive deeper into the practice after quickly discovering his talent and passion for painting.

Impas furthered his career by joining local art groups. He inhaled everything the new environment had to offer, from the theoretical principles of books to the practical bits of advice from peers. Before long,

ITALY PLANNING 5-FIGURE FINES FOR MONUMENT AND ART VANDALISM

ROME—Italy will push for a law imposing stiff, fivefigure fines on vandals who damage monuments or other cultural sites, to help pay for the repairs and clean-up.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the government approved proposed legislation championed by the culture minister that would impose fines starting at €10,000 (nearly $11,000) and as high as €60,000 (about $65,000).

Premier Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government has a comfortable majority in Parliament, so the proposal is expected to be easily approved and adopted into law.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said that it recently cost the government €40,000 (almost $44,000) to clean the façade of the 15th-century Palazzo Madama, which is home to the Italian Senate, after it was vandalized. Just days ago, activists pressing for more action on climate change dumped black dye into the waters of a monumental

fountain sculpted by Bernini at the foot of the Spanish Steps.

“The attacks on monuments and artistic sites produce economic damage to all,’’ the minister said in a statement.

“To clean it up, the intervention of highly specialized personnel and the use of very costly machines are needed,’’ he said.

“Whoever carries out these acts must assume also the financial responsibility.” The Bernini fountain was also trashed in 2015 by Dutch soccer fans, who left empty beer bottles floating in its water.

In July 2022, Italian environmental activists glued their hands to the glass protecting Sandro Botticelli’s iconic painting Spring in the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, police said. The museum said thanks to the glass, which was installed as a precaution several years ago, the masterpiece was unharmed. AP

Halad sa Senyor, for instance, serves as Impas’s love letter to his hometown Cebu. In it, a dancer dressed in Sinulog’s traditional and popping dresses captures eyes in the foreground, as a woman ever-so-gently clutches in her arms an image of the Santo Niño. Meanwhile, in the Maskara series, movement and color define the performers in Bacolod’s own annual festival. A sense of vibrancy can be felt not only from their eye-catching costumes of gold, pink and orange, but also from the very jovial spirit that Impas was able to capture and communicate. It’s something that Impas does throughout the exhibition, as he has achieved throughout his entire career. ■

JEFRË ‘POINTS OF ORIGIN’ FIRST SOLO MUSEUM SHOW

AFTER a decade as a creator of iconic artworks worldwide, US-based Filipino-American artist JEFRË (Jeffrey Manuel) turns eastward to his ancestors’ homeland, the Philippines, with Points of Origin, his very first solo museum show in the country. The homecoming exhibition is a celebration of the monumentality of the artist’s accomplishments, and a way of connecting his two facets, his two homes: that of his origins and the home of his American dream.

Encompassing past works as well as his current practice, the exhibition takes as its point of departure pieces from his debut US solo museum exhibition held in 2021, complemented by newer artworks created for the Metropolitan Museum of Manila show. These include sculptures inspired by the energy and emotions evoked by the world’s great cities.

Selected pieces from the artist’s portfolio have been scaled down. His once-bound, site-specific, monumental sculptures and installations may now be experienced within the walls of the museum.

On view until to July 1 at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila Bonifacio Global City, Points of Origin is presented by the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in partnership with Philippine Airlines, with additional support from Megawide Construction Corp. and Asian Tigers Philippines.

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS

DAY: America Ferrera, 39; Melissa Joan Hart, 47; Conan O’Brien, 60; Jane Leeves, 62.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Patience will be necessary if you want to finish things this year. There will be no shortage of good ideas, insight and creative thinking, but emotional angst will take over if you can’t settle into a routine that helps you overlook what’s happening around you and focus on your goal. Mind over matter will keep you on top of your game. Your numbers are 6, 17, 20, 28, 34, 42, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Determine how to improve your living conditions or arrangements. Take time to handle the matter personally and to allocate how and where your money will have the most significant impact. Reconnecting with an old friend will help you let go of the past. ★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll do better if you act fast. Assess, define your position and adjust your life to whatever works best for you. Change is favored if you are quick to decide and follow through. Defer to an expert regarding health and money. ★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Align yourself with people who understand you and offer support and solutions, not criticism. Don’t let negativity get you down or hold you back. Let your actions speak for you and your kindness lead the way. Selfimprovement will lead to compliments. ★★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If something isn’t going your way, head in a direction that makes it easier to reach your destination. Keep matters simple, make your words count and stay within your budget. Let experience be your guide. ★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Refuse to let someone take over or make alterations that don’t suit your needs. A Leo’s charm, insight and hands-on help will encourage others to see things your way. An emotional issue will give you the strength and courage to make a difference. ★★★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Move forward cautiously. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way or let others put unfair demands on you. The adjustments you make will send a clear message to anyone giving you a difficult time. Don’t let work cause a problem for you at home. ★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll have to cover a lot of ground today. Put on your running shoes and head out. Preparation will help considerably, so don’t scrimp when it comes to detail. If you love someone, share your intentions and be prepared to make reasonable adjustments. ★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t share secrets or make changes for the wrong reason. Be creative, and you’ll devise a plan far exceeding your expectations. Refuse to let an oversight at home end up costing you too much. Take on only what’s feasible. ★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are heading in the right direction but are not focused on the result. Go back and rethink your motives, and you’ll figure out how to achieve your goal. Attending a social event or spending time with someone you love will ease stress. ★★★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider changes at home that will make your life easier. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don’t want or spending more than your budget allows. Keep your thoughts and plans to yourself until you have everything in place and are ready to go. ★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take nothing for granted, but be ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way. There are investments and positions available that can help you zigzag your way to the top. Personal growth, selfimprovement and love are favored. ★★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you hear. Wear your heart on your sleeve, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Call the shots and do what feels right to you. Avoid events that can lead to health repercussions. ★★★

BIRTHDAY BABY:

You are sensitive, loving and forceful. You are helpful and possessive.

‘what a spread!’ BY JUSTIN WERFEL

‘Mario’ tops charts again; ‘Beau is Afraid’ wins in limited

Lo GMa ilocos norte.

BroAdcAst giAnt l Aunches 12th

regionAl stAtion

in ilocos norte

Media giant GMa network, thru GMa Regional TV (RTV), continues to bring local news that matter to every Filipino as it launches its 12th regional station in the Philippines with GMa ilocos norte on March 17.

Set to further strengthen the network’s presence in northern Luzon, GMa i ocos norte can be accessed by viewers via GMa TV 5 on free TV, GMa affordabox, and GMa now. it is the network’s fifth regional station in Luzon after GMa dagupan, GMa ilocos Sur, GMa Bicol, and GMa Batangas. “With the launch of GMa ilocos norte Station as one of the key hubs of GMa Regional TV, this strengthens our local news coverage in north Central Luzon, and solidifies GMa integrated news’ position as the ‘news authority of the Filipino.’ Recently, as part of our 2023 initiatives, we have also introduced our morning news program Mornings with GMA Regional TV, which perfectly complements our top-rating afternoon newscast GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon,” said first vice president and head of GMa Regional TV and Synergy, and acting head of GMa integrated news oliver Victor amoroso.

Joining amoroso at the station inauguration and blessing were Rizalina d. Garduque, consultant for sales, sales and marketing group; ann Marie o. Tan, senior assistant vice president for local sales, and concurrent station manager for Central and eastern Visayas; Sheila Marie R. Medina, senior station manager for GMa ilocos Sur and norte stations; Jennevieve ocaña, station manager, Zamboanga, along with other GMa RTV head office managers. also present were ilocos norte LGu heads led by Vice Governor Cecilia araneta Marcos, Laoag City Mayor Michael Marcos Keon, and Vice Mayor Carlos Fariñas. as part of the activities for the station launch, ilocanos were treated to a fun-filled Kapuso Mall Show in Robinsons ilocos featuring Sparkle artists and TikToClock hosts Rabiya Mateo and Jayson Gainza. Joining them were AllOut Sundays’ hannah Precillas and Garrett Bolden. GMa Synergy’s Game On! host Martin Javier hosted the mall show. at present, GMa has five regional stations in Luzon, three in Visayas, and four in Mindanao. Moreover, GMa RTV introduced its newscast GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon in September last year. The newscast services the provinces of Pangasinan, Benguet, La union, nueva ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Tuguegarao, isabela, Baler, olongapo, ilocos norte, ilocos Sur, abra, and Batanes. earlier this year, GMa RTV also launched Mornings with GMA Regional TV

THE Super Mario Bros. Movie scored the best second weekend ever for an animated movie in North American theaters with $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates on Sunday. The family-friendly Universal release dropped a slim 41 percent from its recordmaking opening weekend.

With $94 million from international showings, Mario’s global total now stands at a staggering $678 million, surpassing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to become biggest film of 2023 in just two weekends.

“There are not enough adjectives to describe the enormity of this box office performance,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for comSore.

For most blockbusters, second weekends are usually down by about 60 percent, making Mario’s 41 percent drop especially noteworthy. According to Comscore, only a handful of films that opened over $100 million have had less of a fall, including Shrek 2, Frozen 2, 2002’s Spider-Man, The Force Awakens and 2016’s The Jungle Book.

“To the casual observer that may not seem like a big deal, but that is an important metric,” Dergarabedian said. “It’s the greatest indicator of audience love for the movie.”

Mario faced little major competition this weekend even with a slew of new national releases including Renfield, The Pope’s Exorcist, Mafia Mamma and the animated Suzume. It still has two weekends before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 flies into theaters to jumpstart the summer moviegoing season.

Sony and Screen Gem’s R-rated The Pope’s Exorcist starring Russell Crowe as the late Father Gabriele Amorth—the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome from 1986 to his death at 91 in 2016—fared the best. It made an estimated $9.2 million from 3,178 locations.

Third place went to John Wick: Chapter 4 in its fourth weekend with $7.9 million. The Lionsgate action pic

The second coming of Romnick Sarmenta

long-running drama series Gulong ng Palad Sarmenta to many households. And when he was in his teens, Sarmenta’s loveteam with Sheryl Cruz also created a huge following.

Over the years, Sarmenta would try to remain visible as as movie actor, but his journey would be one of many hits and misses. He’d also make himself available for television roles but more often than not, it’s for economic reasons.

has now made over $160.1 million domestically.

Universal’s Renfield, the supernatural thriller starring Nicolas Cage as Dracula and Nicholas Hoult as the title character, opened in fourth place with $7.8 million.

Some wondered if opening Renfield and The Pope’s Exorcist the same weekend—both R-rated and of similar genres—hurt the films. But Dergarabedian said that while audiences may have been similar, “these films play for more than just one weekend.”

Ben Affleck’s Air Jordan origin story Air rounded out the top five, with $7.7 million in its second weekend to bring its total domestic earnings to $33.3 million.

Makoto Shinkai’s PG-rated anime Suzume, released domestically by Sony with both dubbed and subtitled versions available, opened in 2,170 theaters and grossed an estimated $5 million in ticket sales.

A24 also debuted its new Ari Aster R-rated mindbender Beau is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix, in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles where it made $320,396 over the weekend, boasting many sold-out showings. The three-hour odyssey from the director

of horror favorites Hereditary and Midsommar expands nationwide on Friday.

Beau’s nearly $81,000 per-screen average is as remarkable as the slim Mario drop, Dergarabedian said, and is playing out in a marketplace with options for every kind of moviegoer.

“It’s one of the most diverse lineups of films I’ve seen on the marquee in years rivaling a streaming service in terms of the depth and breadth of content,” Dergarabedian said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to comScore.

1. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, $87 million

2. The Pope’s Exorcist, $9.2 million

3. John Wick: Chapter 4, $7.9 million

4. Renfield, $7.8 million

5. Air, $7.7 million

6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, $7.4 million

7. Suzume, $5 million

8. Mafia Mamma, $2 million

9. Scream VI, $1.5 million

10. Nefarious, $1.3 million. n

Biden taps Gaga, Clooney, Garner, others for arts committee

WINNINg the best actor plum at the first-ever Summer Metro Manila Film Festival awards ceremonies is a reaffirmation of Romnick Sarmenta’s skills as a thespian.

His much talked-about performance in Jun Lana’s psychological drama About Us But Not About Us was early on predicted to give Sarmenta the festival prize and when his name was announced, nobody was surprised except Sarmenta himself, who mentioned in his acceptance speech, “Hindi ko inasahan ito eh.”

For those who know him well, that’s very Romnick, someone who lives a day at a time, and goes with the flow. We remember talking to him briefly many years ago when he was doing the Derick Cabrido horror movie Clarita, and he told us that he always listens to his inner voice when it comes to accepting a movie role.

“I always trust my instincts, and then give my all during the shoot. When I’m done, I let go of my character and do not expect anything. Or perhaps the few times that I do, I keep my expectations in check, always at a very realistic level, because a finished movie is a collaboration of the works of many people, not just myself. Then I’m off to a new character, a new role, a new movie.”

For someone who started facing the cameras at the tender age of five, Sarmenta has certainly gone through many cycles as an actor. For those who grew up in the 1970s, his portrayal of Peping in the

During his down periods, Sarmenta would nudge himself for the works he has done with great directors and amazing filmmakers. He also had a huge best actor win at the prestigious Asian Television Awards in 1999 for a telecine, a constant reminder that he has what it takes to compete with the best outside Philippine territories.

His personal life has also been shaken a couple of times. But like the phoenix, Sarmenta would rise again and heal the wounds of his heart. He is now happier than ever with his newfound love, actress Barbara Ruaro, and the couple’s adorable toddler Bean.

Roles like the one in About Us But Not About Us plays Eric, a professor who meets up with his student with whom he undergoes a complex relationship— does not come along too often, and when it fell on the lap of Sarmenta, he knew he only had to be truthful and honest and sincere in giving life to the role. And it certainly has paid off very well, with many in the industry describing it as Sarmenta’s real second coming as an actor.

The artist in Sarmenta has never ceased to lose hope despite the many challenges that have come and gone. Now 50, he continues to strive for the truth in the roles entrusted to him, keeping his expectations still grounded, but hopeful that Philippine cinema would have a few wonderful surprises from time to time.

WASHINgTON—The White House on Thursday announced a star-studded slate of members for the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a panel of artists, museum professionals, academics and philanthropists that serves as an advisory board to President Joe Biden on culture issues. The group will be cochaired by Bruce Cohen, an Academy Award-winning producer known for films such as American Beauty and Silver Linings Playbook, and pop megastar and grammy Award winner Lady gaga, also known as Stefani germanotta, according to the White House.

Others tapped to the committee include musician Jon Batiste, who performed at the White House state dinner in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron in December, television producer Shonda Rhimes, Grammy Award winner Joe Walsh, and actors George Clooney, Jennifer Garner, Troy Kotsur and Kerry Washington. It also includes one former member of Congress: Democrat Steve Israel, who represented New York in the House.

Tsione Wolde-Michael, the committee’s executive director, says it is “positioned to do meaningful work that will positively impact the arts, libraries, museums, and public humanities work in communities across the country.”

Many of the members appointed to the arts and humanities committee have previously partnered with Biden on key issues, such as Gaga on the “It’s On Us” campaign to battle sexual assault on college campuses. Veteran television producer Marta Kauffman, who was also selected for the committee, hosted first lady Jill Biden at her home for a fundraiser in September. AP

Buildrite’s innovative products continue to inspire young inventors, biz owners

when choosing the products they need to use for specific requirements, including the standard best practices in construction projects. The campaign also sparked more interest in understanding construction chemical standards and the chemistry behind each product.

During the recently concluded World Building and Construction Exposition (WorldBEX) 2023, Buildrite launched eight new innovative products. The launching ceremony was graced by the presence of Inventor Ronald Pagsanghan, FIS National President, and Mr. William Chua, Vice President of Operations.

PASSENGERS, foreign or local, traversing through the Port of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro are now getting first class treatment with the official inauguration of the world class sea port Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) last week.

Port stakeholders and several members of the media were also present during the historic event. Another highlight of the ceremonial opening of the passenger terminal was the unveiling of the terminal’s marker.

The construction of the Port Terminal Building in Calapan started on March 1, 2021, during the pandemic, and was completed on February 18, 2023 at a total project cost of P353 million.

Engr. Elvis Medalla, Port Manager of the Port of Mindoro, says that the PTB can accommodate at least 3,500 passengers with its state-of-the-art facilities, spacious waiting areas, and modern amenities convenient to the needs of travelers passing through the Port of Calapan,

IN the fast-paced world of business, innovation has become a buzzword for companies that strive to stay ahead of the curve. But what does it mean to truly innovate?

One company that's leading the charge in this area is Magna Prime Chemical Technologies, Inc., the parent company of Buildrite Construction Chemicals and Sinclair Paints.

Buildrite is a proud member of the Filipino Inventors Society (FIS), an organization that aims to promote the country's inventors and foster a culture of innovation. In 2019, Buildrite was awarded Second Best Invention in the Utility Model Category for their lightweight tile adhesive during the National Inventors Week, organized by FIS and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

For Magna Prime CEO Derrick Tan, innovation isn't just about creating new products – it's about solving problems and making a positive impact on society.

“Need is the mother of all inventions. We believe that by listening to the needs and concerns of the people, we can solve their problems through innovative and cost-efficient construction chemical products,” said Tan.

Since the launch of their Magtanong Para Sigurado campaign in 2018, the first and original online campaign that teaches the right construction chemical products and methodologies, Buildrite has been dubbed one of the best innovators in construction chemical technology in the Philippines.

Fast forward to today, the campaign's reach has become more comprehensive than ever. Fueled by the actual situations, requirements, and concerns of its customers, the company accelerates its efforts of innovating construction chemical products by considering the

Through this approach, Buildrite has promoted broader awareness about construction chemicals, which allowed more people to have informed decisions

In a brief speech, the FIS President said there's a high demand for innovative construction materials, particularly among young inventors. He explained that most inventors are shifting to the construction industry because of its continuous technological advancements.

Pagsanghan also expressed his admiration for his fellow inventor Derrick Tan and his team's dedication to driving innovation in the Philippine construction industry. He then invited Tan to give a talk at one of their events to inspire young inventors, especially students, to create more innovations for the betterment of the country.

“Congratulations, Buildrite! Please continue to innovate… Keep up the good work, Mr. Derrick Tan, and may you continue being an inspiration to our youths,” he concluded.

In a conversation with his fellow inventors, Pagsanghan mentioned his intent to include Tan in FIS' future events. Tan agreed, and they also talked about future collaborations on how the FIS, with the help of Buildrite's influence, can create programs to encourage young inventors to solve problems and make a difference in society.

Raul C. Pagdanganan: How an accounting graduate found success in managing medical institutions

THE study of Accountancy was first established in the Philippines through the Accountancy Act of 1923 exactly 100 years ago. To commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime milestone, the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy (BOA) awarded 100 of the most excellent certified public accountants (CPA) who have shown untarnished integrity and reputation and have greatly contributed to the advancement of the accountancy profession in the country in the last 100 years.

Among the awardees was Raul C. Pagdanganan, President and CEO of Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC), a hospital. “A medical institution is certainly not the first place you would expect a certified public accountant to be leading,” Pagdanganan said. “But I firmly believe it was my calling.”

Pagdanganan had wanted to be a doctor, which was why he enrolled in the Bachelor of Zoology program at the University of the Philippines (UP). He ended up shifting to the College of Business Administration instead and finished his Business Administration and Accountancy degree in 1981, passing the board exam as part of the top 20 successful takers.

Since then, Pagdanganan has worked as a senior finance executive and member of senior management committees in different companies and industries. In July 2021, he became a member of the UP Board of Regents.

However, destiny led him right back to what he initially wanted to pursue –health care. “My first foray into health care started when I was engaged by Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings - now Metro Pacific Health - as a financial consultant in the due diligence of Delos Santos Medical Center, which they were hoping to acquire,” Pagdanganan said. “After the acquisition, I was appointed its President and CEO.”

The appointment made Pagdanganan the very first CPA to manage a private

tertiary hospital. The following years saw him in a concurrent capacity as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital and member of the Board of Directors of Marikina Valley Medical Center.

Eventually, he was appointed President and CEO of CSMC in September 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was a challenge that put Pagdanganan’s expertise to the test. “There is no textbook for the pandemic, but being an accountant helped me in identifying the risks and opportunities that allowed the hospital to survive and move forward,” Pagdanganan recounted.

Under Pagdanganan’s leadership, CSMC was able to immediately secure financial preparedness and sustainability, particularly in working capital and supply chain management. Pagdanganan also rallied the CSMC team to immediately focus on operational adaptability and digital transformation.

“Cardinal Santos is, no doubt, one of the most reputable hospitals in the country, with doctors who have the most loyal patients because of their clinical expertise. Having said that, a hospital cannot survive on clinical acumen alone,” Pagdanganan said.

“Health care has expanded to incorporate standardization into work processes, technologies, analytics and automation. My expertise in Accountancy allowed us to use financial data, to bring greater efficiency to the revenue cycle for the hospital and its people.”

Pagdanganan’s leadership has certainly helped boost CSMC’s reputation as one of the Philippines’ leading hospitals in the fields of Cardiology, Oncology, Neurology and more. In fact, he was honored last year with the Dangal ng Lipi Award for Health, the highest award given by the provincial government of Bulacan. In 2018, he was awarded with the Rotary Golden Wheel Award for Good Governance in Hospital Administration by the Rotary International District 3780.

“Becoming a CPA takes intention and effort, but the rewards for joining a profession known for its trustworthiness and rigor are numerous for those who meet the requirements,” said Pagdanganan.

“It is also not as linear as one may think. Accountants today are sitting in key positions in corporate boardrooms, conducting high-level government auditing work, strategic planning and financial management and leading the growing field of environmental, social, governance and healthcare work where CPAs help identify businesses’ social impact.”

Pagdanganan was presented with many opportunities throughout his life that he believes led him to where he is today - achieving a decent level of success as the head of one of the finest hospitals in the country.

“There is a poem by Robert Frost that I really like, which I believe describes my situation perfectly. I had dreamt of becoming a doctor, but I chose to take up Accountancy instead. And yet, I was led back to health care through my perseverance and dedication to this field,” Pagdanganan shared. “To quote Frost, ‘I took the road less traveled by, and that, I think, has made all the difference.’”

For more information about the programs and services that CSMC offers, please visit https://cardinalsantos.com.ph/. CSMC is also on Facebook, like and follow them at www.facebook.com/CardinalSantos.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go led the inauguration of the new port facility located in Port Area, Barangay San Antonio. Joining Go in the roll of esteemed guests during the ceremonial opening of the facility were Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito A. Dolor, 1st District Oriental Rep. Arnan C Panaligan, Calapan City Mayor Marilou F Morillo and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Atty. Jay Santiago.

While the terminal building has been in operation for a couple of weeks already, its official inauguration last week augurs well for the daily average of 3,500 passenger being served by the PTB. This is expected to increase even further with the onset of the Holy Week and the summer season with the influx of both foreign and domestic tourists, Medalla pointed out.

Cebuana Lhuillier Bank reopens its Nasugbu branch, now more accessible to small business owners

CEBUANA Lhuillier Bank (CLB), the banking arm of PJ Lhuillier, Inc., reopened its Nasugbu branch in a more central location that is more accessible to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The momentous event was graced by Cebuana Lhuillier Senior Executive Vice President Philippe Andre Lhuillier, CLB President Dennis Valdes, CLB Vice

President Jimmy Ang, CLB Board Directors Ma. Rhodora Bañares and Andrew David Alcid, and Nasugbu Vice Mayor Mildred Belo-Sanchez.

Through the bank’s tireless efforts, CLB has grown exponentially from being a small rural bank in Cavite to one of the most innovative names in the banking industry. CLB is also set to expand and open more branches around the Philippines this year.

MPIC Wins Gold at Asia Integrated Reporting Awards

METRO Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), the country’s leading infrastructure investments company, was honored as Asia’s Best Integrated Report, bagging the Gold award for First Time category at the 8th Asia Integrated Reporting Awards (AIRA), widely considered as the most distinguished accolade for integrated reporting in the region.

In a virtual awards ceremony held recently, MPIC was recognized alongside other integrated reporting leaders in Asia, celebrating best practices in integrated reporting and communications. Communicating MPIC’s value creation process through its maiden integrated report follows global frameworks and standards that cater to the needs of its investors and shareholders.

“This integrated annual report reflects our dedication to transparency, as well as our efforts to deliver long-term value to all our stakeholders,” said MPIC Chairman, President, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan. “This recognition from AIRA inspires us to do even more to elevate sustainability practices, which will not only benefit our immediate stakeholders, but also the country-at-large.”

The virtual awards ceremony began with an opening address by the H.E. Ms. Kara Owen, the British High Commissioner to Singapore. The awards were revealed by Tom Moody, Regional Director, South East Asia for Climate and Energy and Charis Yeap,

Regional Lead for Green Finance at the British High Commission in Singapore, and Elaine Cohen, a well-respected sustainability reporting expert and a member of the ASRA judging panel. Integrated reporting provides a comprehensive and transparent view of an organization's governance, performance, strategy, and prospects, enabling providers of capital to make informed decisions and assessments. Investors use integrated reports to assess the organization's ability to create value in the short, mid, and long term. This has led to the increasing adoption of integrated reporting by companies and market regulators worldwide, backed by investors.

“MPIC has showcased exemplary leadership in integrated reporting,” said Rajesh Chhabara, founder of AIRA and Managing Director of CSWorks. He added that the company's integrated report is a best practice example, highlighting its application of integrated thinking and a multi-capital approach to generate long-term value for its shareholders and stakeholders.

The AIRA awards go to integrated reports that demonstrate high-quality, value-creation reporting. The winning reports are selected based on a rigorous assessment process, where an independent judging panel determines the finalists and winners. The judging process not only evaluates the quality of the report but also conducts comprehensive due diligence that takes into account companies' reputations among their stakeholders.

“Embedding sustainability into our corporate DNA permeates all fronts of how we run our business, including how we tell the story of our sustainability journey,” says MPIC Chief Finance, Risk, and Sustainability Officer Chaye A. Cabal-Revilla. “It is our responsibility to share the positive, pervasive impact that our company makes in achieving a better, more resilient future for all.”

Mindoro travelers get a taste of first class with newly opened passenger terminal building in Calapan port

EU leaders beat path to Xi’s door seeking China’s help

Shooting at Alabama birthday party kills 4 people, wounds 28

The Associated Press

DADEVILLE, Ala.—Alabama law enforcement officers Sunday were imploring people to come forward with information about a shooting that killed four people and injured 28 others during a teenager’s birthday party.

Among those killed was a high school senior who planned to play college football and was celebrating his sister’s 16th birthday. The shooting erupted Saturday night at a dance studio in downtown Dadeville.

During two news conferences Sunday, Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency did not take questions. He did not say if a suspect was in custody or if investigators knew about any motivation. He did not provide the names of those killed.

“We’ve got to have information from the community,” Burkett said during a Sunday evening news conference.

Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, a Dadeville High School senior who had committed to Jacksonville State University, was celebrating at his sister Alexis’ party before he was shot to death, his grandmother Annette Allen told the Montgomery Advertiser.

“He was a very, very humble child. Never messed with anybody. Always had a smile on his face,” Allen told the newspaper, calling it “a million-dollar smile.”

Dowdell’s mother was among those hurt in the shooting.

“Everybody’s grieving,” Allen said.

Burkett said the shooting occurred about 10:30 p.m. Saturday. “There were four lives tragically lost in this incident,” he said.

The shootings rocked the city of 3,200 residents, which is about 57 miles (92 kilometers) northeast of Montgomery, Alabama.

Keenan Cooper, the DJ at the party, told WBMA-TV that the party was stopped briefly when attendees heard someone had a gun. He said people with guns were asked to leave, but no one left. Cooper said when the shooting began an hour later, some people took shelter under a table where he was standing, and others ran out.

Pastor Jason Whetstone, who leads the Christian Faith Fellowship, said the granddaughter of one of his church members was shot in the foot and underwent surgery Sunday.

“All of our hearts are hurting right now. We’re just trying to pull together to find strength and comfort,” Whetstone said before an interfaith vigil in the parking lot of First Baptist Church.

“We are a loving community,” he said. “We’re pulling together in every aspect to comfort each and every one of these children, the teachers, all of the community.”

Dadeville’s compact downtown is centered on a courthouse square with one- and two-story brick buildings. The town’s busiest commercial district is a few blocks north of the square, off a bustling four-lane highway that runs between Birmingham and Auburn. Dadeville is close to Lake Martin, a popular recreational area.

Investigators on Sunday continued filing in and out of the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, denoted by a banner hanging on the outside of a one-story brick building just off the square. At least five bullet holes were visible in the studio’s front windows. Less than a block away, the American and Alabama flags were lowered to half-staff outside the Tallapoosa County Courthouse.

Dadeville Mayor Frank Goodman said he was in bed asleep when a council member called him just before 11 p.m. Saturday. He said he went to Lake Martin Community Hospital in Dadeville, where some of the people who had been shot were taken.

“It was chaotic,”Goodman said. “There were people running around. They were crying and screaming. There were police cars everywhere, there were ambulances everywhere. People were trying to find out about their loved ones. That was a scene, where we never had anything like this happen in our city before.”

Pastor Ben Hayes, who serves as chaplain for the Dadeville Police Department and for the local high school football team, said most of the victims are teenagers. Dowdell was within weeks of graduation and faced a bright future, Hayes told The Associated Press.

“He was a strong competitor on the field,” Hayes said. “You didn’t want to try to tackle him or get tackled by him. But when he came off the field, he was one of the nicest young men that you could ever meet, very respectful and well-respected by his peers.”

Antojuan Woody, from the neighboring town of Camp Hill, was a senior and fellow wide receiver with Dowdell on a Dadeville Tigers football team that went undefeated before losing in the second round of the playoffs last year. He said he and Dowdell had been best friends for all of their lives. “It hurts,” Woody said as a steady stream of friends and teammates walked over to hug him during Sunday’s prayer vigil. “It’s unreal. I can’t believe it.”

Woody said he and Dowdell had a special relationship on the football field. “Us being friends forever like that, our chemistry was spot on. We always celebrated together on the field,” he said. He described the victims “as great people who didn’t deserve what happened to them.”

Hayes, the pastor, said worried families swarmed the local hospital Saturday night trying to find the condition of their children. He said serious crime is rare in Dadeville, and the small city is “sad, traumatized, in shock.”

Jacksonville State football coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement Sunday: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Philstavious Dowdell and the other victims of the senseless tragedy last night. He was a great young man with a bright future.”

Dowdell also recently won medals at a high school track meet at Troy University. Counseling will be available for students at Tallapoosa County schools Monday, said the school district superintendent, Raymond C. Porter.

“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said on social media.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting, the White House said, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation and has been in touch with local officials and law enforcement to offer support.

“What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear? When parents have to worry every time their kids walk out the door to school, to the movie theater, or to the park?” Biden said in a statement Sunday. “Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising—not declining. This is outrageous and unacceptable.”

Biden called on Congress to “require safe storage of firearms, require background checks for all gun sales, eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.”

The mayor said Dowdell was “a great young man.” He also said he is concerned about those wounded and psychologically traumatized by the shooting. Chandler reported from Huntsville, Alabama.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a high-profile state visit to Beijing last week accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, just days after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in the northeast port city of Tianjin on Thursday, following a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, would have been in China this week, too, but he tested positive for Covid-19. For the 27-nation trading bloc, the reasons to head to China are clear.

As an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi could play a pivotal role in helping to end the war in Ukraine. The conflict has dragged on for over a year, driven up energy prices and inflicted more damage on economies struggling to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Europeans want Xi’s help. They want him to talk to Ukraine’s president as well as Russia’s, but they don’t see him as the key mediator. China’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine is mostly a list of its previously known positions and is unacceptable, EU officials say.

The EU also fears that Xi might supply weapons to Russia. They’ve been particularly disturbed by Putin’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. That announcement came just days after Xi and Putin met to cement their “no-limits friendship.”

Baerbock said the war is “top of my agenda.” Praising Beijing for easing tensions between Sau -

di Arabia and Iran, she said that “its influence vis à vis Russia will have consequences for the whole of Europe and for our relationship with China.”

At the same time, the EU is deeply concerned about a military escalation in the Taiwan Strait. China launched war games just after Macron left. But unlike the US, with its military and strategic interest in Taiwan, the Europeans mostly see the island in economic and pro-democracy terms.

So the visits are meant to reassure Xi of respect for Beijing’s control over all of Chinese territory and to urge calm. They also highlight the challenge the US faces as it tries to build a coalition of countries to ramp up pressure on Beijing over its expansionist policies.

“The key is that we have every interest, both in Europe and in China, to maintain the status quo,” a senior EU official said Wednesday, briefing reporters on plans for Borrell’s sensitive trip on condition that he not be named. “It has worked well for all sides for decades.”

Beyond the geopolitics lies business. The EU and China did more than 2.3 billion euros’ ($2.5 billion) worth of trade every day last year, and the Europeans don’t want to endanger that. However, the EU’s trade deficit has more than tripled over the past decade, and it wants to level the business playing field.

It’s also desperate to limit its imports of critical resources from China, like rare earth minerals or hi-tech components, after pain -

fully weaning itself off its biggest, and most unreliable, gas supplier, Russia.

It’s a fine line to walk, and China is adept at divide-and-conquer politics.

Over the past two decades, the Chinese government has often used its economic heft to pry France, Germany and other allies away from the US on issues ranging from military security and trade to human rights and Taiwan.

Beijing has called repeatedly for a “multi-polar world,” a reference to Chinese frustration with US dominance of global affairs and the ruling Communist Party’s ambition to see the country become an international leader.

“There has been a serious deviation in US understanding and positioning about China, treating China as the primary opponent and the biggest geopolitical challenge,” the Chinese foreign minister, Qin Gang, told reporters last month.

“China-Europe relations are not targeted, dependent, or subject to third parties,” he said.

Macron’s visit appeared to illustrate that Qin’s view isn’t just wishful thinking. As tensions rise between Beijing and Washington, the French leader said, it is important for Europe to retain its “strategic autonomy.”

“Being a friend doesn’t mean that you have to be a vassal,” Macron said Wednesday, repeating a remark from his trip that alarmed some European partners. “Just because we’re allies, it doesn’t mean

[that] we no longer have the right to think for ourselves.”

Such comments could strain ties with the US and have also exposed divisions within the EU. Without mentioning Macron, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned that some in Europe were too slow to heed the “wake-up call” on China.

“You could see this over the past couple of weeks as some European leaders went to Beijing,” Morawiecki said, adding: “I do not quite understand the idea of strategic autonomy, if it means defacto shooting into our own knee.”

For its part, the White House has sought to downplay Macron’s talk of Europe as “an independent pole in a multi-polar world.”

It thinks European skepticism toward Beijing is growing. US officials note a recent Dutch decision to restrict China’s access to advanced computer chip components or Scholz publicly prodding Xi not to deliver weapons to Russia.

Despite the differences of national emphasis, the EU’s strategy on China remains much as it was enshrined in 2019—that the Asian giant is “a partner, a competitor and systemic rival.” The aim of the recent visits fit that mold: to secure Xi’s commitment to peace, keep trade flowing fairly and reduce Europe’s reliance on China for critical resources.

Joe McDonald in Beijing, Aamer Madhani in Washington, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Vanessa Gera in Warsaw and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed.

Case for flying cars as a climate solution

GEORGE JETSON , the character in the animated TV series The Jetsons, was born in a fictional 2022. By the time he reaches middle age, 40 years later, people are zooming around in flying cars.

Venkat Viswanathan thinks there’s a “straight shot” from today to the technologies needed to build that future, despite all the jokes about flying cars being fantasy. The professor at Carnegie Mellon University is obsessed with building the batteries that will power these zero-emission aircraft.

Viswanathan has worked with next-generation battery companies such as QuantumScape Corp., 24M Technologies Inc., and Aionics Inc., and concluded that aviation is “the most important problem that batteries can address,”

he told the Zero podcast. While the “straight shot” may exist, technologically speaking, it will still take a lot of work. That’s why Viswanathan serves as an adviser to companies that make aircraft powered by batteries— known as “electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft,” or eVTOLs. Later this year, he’ll move to the University of Michigan’s aerospace engineering department to double-down on battery research for electric aviation.

Time is of the essence. Even if the world gets on track to reach net-zero by 2050 and emissions from most sectors decline, carbon produced by the aviation industry is projected to increase. BloombergNEF estimates the sector’s carbon pollution is set to double between now and 2050.

The problem is that it’s hard to beat jet fuel when it comes to the right combination of weight and

power needed to lift a plane (with passengers and cargo) off the ground. To make a battery that is powerful but light enough to accomplish the same feat is bound to be extremely expensive.

That’s why Viswanathan believes the first application will have to be in the luxury market. Electric aviation will replace the types of trips people might take via helicopter or private jet. The ultimate aspiration may be to make long-haul flights electric, but at first the market will be “small distances and people that value time a lot who will be willing to pay a much higher price to travel that mile.”

While it may seem like a waste of energy, Viswanathan says that electric flying cars are likely to replace trips covering tens of miles that are typically taken by gasoline-powered cars today, in which case “there is a clear energy

efficiency argument to be made that an eVTOL would definitely reduce emissions.”

Viswanathan argues that we are close to a “Roadster” moment for aviation. Aviation will go electric the same way the auto industry did after the luxury Tesla Roadster showed there was demand for electric cars.

If this sounds too good to be true, rest easy that Viswanathan is also in the business of poking holes in battery technology that overpromises. It’s easy for startups to take advantage of complicated science to create hype for an idea that may be bunk, he says.

When venture capitalists are trying to figure out if a battery startup is worth investing in, they bring in Viswanathan to look at their claims. The key, he says, is combining “optimism with a healthy dose of skepticism.” With assistance from Oscar Boyd/Bloomberg

Press

BRUSSELS—In the weeks since Chinese leader Xi Jinping won a third five-year term as president, setting him on course to remain in power for life, leaders and diplomats from around the world have beaten a path to his door. None more so than those from Europe.

Avaricio going sentimental in Cavinti golf

CHANELLE AVARICIO returns to the site of one of her three Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) victories last year as she shoots for a repeat in Cavinti but wary of a vibrant blend of pros and amateurs out to foil her bid in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Caliraya Springs Championship firing off Tuesday.

For one, Pauline del Rosario is keen on fully drawing on her Epson Tour experience to fuel a title run in probably her first and only LPGT stint this year while on a break from the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s farm league, and the likes of Chihiro Ikeda, Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy are all eager to rebound from their recent unsuccessful campaigns in Bacolod and Iloilo ruled by Avaricio and top amateur Rianne Malixi, respectively.

B ut while Malixi is skipping this week’s event to focus on her campaign in a top Japan junior tournament next week, Avaricio is setting out for another shot at an LPGT trophy with an eye on duplicating her one-stroke victory over Ikeda in Caliraya Springs’ firstever hosting of an LPGT event last year. “ Yes, there’s a bit of advantage because I have proven to myself that I can win on this course,” said Avaricio. “Winning is my biggest motivation and I’m looking forward to scoring a repeat this week.”

But to make it back-to-back in the P1 million event put up by ICTSI, the striking and talented shotmaker said her putting must click in all three days.

“ If my putting gets hot, I think I can put up a good score,” she said. The rest, meanwhile, expect to put up a good fight.

Despite Malixi’s absence, fellow amateurs and national team mainstays LK Go and Mafy Singson, along with Laurea Duque, look forward to figuring in the title hunt in the 54-hole championship, which also drew Marvi Monsalve, Sarah Ababa, Rev Alcantara, Kristine Fleetwood, Gretchen Villacencio, Florence Bisera and Pamela Mariano. Focus will also be on Uy, who is going all-out to redeem herself from a final round meltdown in Iloilo that saw her blow a six-stroke lead in the last 18 holes and end up at joint fourth after a closing 81.

I keda, the reigning Order of Merit champion, is likewise coming into the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.organized event exuding confidence, fully-rested after the Visayan swing and motivated to finish on top after placing sixth at Marapara and snatching runner-up honors in Iloilo.

Constantino, who swept the last two legs of last year’s LPGT at Pradera Verde and at Villamor Match Play, is also due for a big finish after struggling to 29th place in the Anvaya Ladies International last February, winding up seventh in Bacolod and ending up tied for sixth in Iloilo.

I’m looking forward to competing against them but mainly I will just focus on my own game. I’ll do my best to play well,” said Avaricio.

A five-player Korean crew also sets off for a big surprise with Kim Seoyun seeking to better her runner-up finish to Malixi at Riviera-Langer last year. Others in the fold are Jane Jeong, Yang Juyoung, Kim Minyeong and Hua Nam Eun.

Completing the 25-player cast are Sheryl Villasencio, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Miñoza and Apple Fudolin.

CONE: WE DIDN’T DEFEND

Miguel head coach Tim

Cone has one primary reason why the TNT Tropang Giga won Game 3 running way.

“ We didn’t defend,” the 65-yearold Cone, the most successful coach in the Philippine Basketball Association, told BusinessMirror the morning after the Gin Kings absorbed a 116-104 clobbering from the Tropang Giga.

“ We hit 3s too, but it’s all about defending and I’m not talking about shooting.”

The best-of-seven championship series for the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup crown is not tied at 2-2 with Game 5 set at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Giga were simply unstoppable from three-point territory in Game 4, making 21 of 43 attempts for a new league record. Ginebra attempted less with 30 and made half of them.

T NT played without main gunner Roger Pogoy because of a fractured hand but his average 12-point production was never missed in the game as Ginebra couldn’t defend the 3s fired by Jayson Castro, Kib Montalbo, Calvin Oftana, Mikey Williams and even Glenn Khobunting.

Th at disappointed Cone as his

Que, Go to give PGT regulars touch challenge in Caliraya

in Laguna to add strength to an already-formidable roster in the rich International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Caliraya Springs Championship which reels off Tuesday at the Caliraya Springs Golf Club.

A lthough the duo didn’t have much of a success in the World City Championship in Hong Kong three weeks ago and the International Series Vietnam over the weekend, they expect to not just pose a challenge but also crowd the big guns for top honors in the P2.5 million championship given their experience while competing against the best of the Asian Tour.

Q ue, a multi-titled campaigner on the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT), is also hungry for local recognition after coming up short in all his three stints at Eagle Ridge, Riviera and Pradera Verde last year, while Go, a full card holder in the region’s premier circuit following a Top 7 finish in the 2022 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit, mounts his own battle in pursuit of a career breakthrough.

G o actually took control midway

through the Eagle Ridge-Aoki championship last year and co-led with Tony Lascuña and eventual winner Michael Bibat after 54 holes. But the former national champion wilted under pressure in the final round and wound up ninth instead on a closing 76.

But the rising Cebuano star has gained so much in terms of know-how and strength from his stints in the ADT and in this year’s Asian Tour, making him one of the marked players in the four-day event serving as the third leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Q ue and Go, however, are in for an exacting week as they face the cream of the country’s pro crop, led by Bacolod and Iloilo leg winners Ira Alido and Rupert Zaragosa, respectively, and defending champion Zanieboy Gialon, while Lascuña goes all-out to nail the elusive win after back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Visayan swing last month.

With Guido van der Valk, the runaway winner at the recent The Country Club Invitational, former Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla and leg winners Jhonnel Ababa, Reymon Jaraula, Joenard Rates, Jay Bayron, Frankie Miñoza and Bibat also coming into the event in top form following a three-week break, a shootout looms in the next four days.

A slew of young guns are likewise raring to get going and press their respective bids early, including recent PGT Q-School topnotcher Rho Hyun Ho of Korea, Gabriel Manotoc, Josh Jorge, Russel Bautista, Kristoffer Arevalo, Don Petil, Ivan Monsalve, Elee Bisera and Sean Ramos.

OP-PMS pulls rug from under NHA; PNP in semis hunt

THE Office of the PresidentPresidential Management Staff (OP-PMS) and Philippine National Police (PNP) made the race for the last two semifinals berths in the 9th UNTV Cup more exciting with huge wins over the weekend at the Paco Arena in Manila. e OPS-PMS Trailblazers stunned the National Housing Authority (NHA) Home Masters, 81-67, in a win that tied them with their victims for the lead on a 7-4 win-loss record.

e PNP Responders kept their own

semifinals bid alive in the event offering a tax-free P3 million top prize to the chosen charity of the champion team by clobbering the GSIS Furies, 84-66.

The win improved PNP’s record to 6-4—thanks to the vintage performance of former University of the East player Olan Omiping who exploded for 26 points.

I n the Executive Face-Off, the Judiciary Magis—with Wendell Ramiterre scattering 13 points— forged four-way tie for the early lead in the seven-team field with a 78-48

BGC inaugural Kampeon Cup champ

HELAH MAE CADAG scored a brace as Bonifacio Global City (BGC) shut out Muntinlupa, 5-0, and become the inaugural champion of the AIA Vitality Women’s Kampeon Cup on Sunday night at the McKinley Hill Stadium.

Maegan Alforque, Dea Dolino and Joyce Semacio complemented tournament leading scorer Cadag explosive performance in a show of complete dominance by BGC from opening whistle to the end.

Cadag broke the ice with a goal right in the fourth minute and the BGC gals were on their way to a virtual easy

night with goals from Dolino in sixth and Alforque in the eighth minute.

Cadag’s brace came in the second half to wind up with nine goals in the tournament.

“

I’m happy for the girls,” BGC coach Shane Cosgrove said. “Every week in the 7s, they go hard against each other but in this team, they found a common cause to collectively take home a championship.”

Semacio raced down the right flank, drew four defenders and the do-it-all player sent a cross to an unmarked Cadag who blasted the ball past Hazel Arce for the first goal.

A m inute later, defender Dolina cleared the ball from deep inside their territory with a long ball.

drubbing of the Furies.

I n beating the Home Masters, the Trailblazers went to Jhon Kenneth Aljard and the sweet-shooting guard did not disappointing with 30 points.

Aljard got significant support from Roverick Abalos and Paul Carvajal who combined for 25 points and 19 rebounds.

W ith the loss, the Home Masters must beat the Furies on Sunday and hope for a Trailblazers win over the Responders also on Sunday to join the early semifinalists Armed Forces of the Philippines and Judiciary.

Gin Kings allowed Castro to score 17 points, Montalbo, Williams and Oftana 16 points each and Khobunting eight points.

We didn’t rebound,” said Cone, who owns 25 PBA titles with two grand slam conquests. “It was disappointing on many levels, it’s embarrassing.”

Justin Brownlee finished with 28 points—within his usual production—but his TNT counterpart Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who snapped his string of Best Import awards, played inspired for 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson also kept his numbers with 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but Christian Standhardinger wasn’t entirely in the form as the Best Player of the Conference and had 10 points and nine assists.

What we did was we went back to what we do best and that’s executing proper spacing to allow our shooters to get their shots,” TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa told the post-game press conference Sunday.

The series has seesawed—Ginebra won Game 1, 102-90, TNT clinched Game 2, 95-82, with an impeccable tough from downtown, and the Gin Kings got their shooting back in Game 3, 117-103, with a franchise record 18 triples.

GINEBRA head coach Tim Cone will be drawing a plan to primarily stop TNT from shooting 3s.

Ortega grabs 2 crowns in Tuburan national juniors tennis tournament

LOCAL ace Samantha Ortega

upset top seed Mary Brigoli in a grueling three-set quarterfinal battle then went on to capture the girls’ 18-under singles crown with a 6-0, 6-2 rout of Vinz Penalosa for a “double” in the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Mayor Aljun Diamante national juniors tennis tournament in Tuburan, Cebu, over the weekend.

A fter besting Donna Mae Diamante, 6-4, 6-1, in the 16-under finals at the Roy Tabotabo clay courts, Ortega got past Gesellyn Constancio. 4-1, 4-1, in the first round in 18-under play then pulled off a 4-0, 2-4, 10-7 victory over Brigoli before ripping Jamie Carmona, 6-1, 6-2, in the semifinals.

S he then dominated Penalosa in a duel of unranked bets after the latter bundled out second seed Cheska Mamac, 6-4, 6-2, in their semifinals duel.

C laudwin Toñacao, on the other hand, posted a victory and a runnerup finish in the boys’ side to share the MVP honors with Ortega in the Group 2 tournament held as part of the country’s longest talentsearch put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

The Bogo (Cebu) bet held off Andrio Estrella, 6-3, 6-3, in the

12-under finals but yielded to Al Jose Gairanot, Jr. of Cebu City, 0-6, 2-6, in the 14-under championship.

O ther winners in the weeklong event staged to boost the host city’s sports development program through the efforts of Mayor Diamante were Danao, Cebu’s Kate Imalay; Tuburan’s Thea Castro; Toledo, Cebu’s Miecoz Candelasa; and Ariel Cabaral of Bais City. The top-seeded Imalay routed Donna Diamante, 6-1, 6-1, for the girls’ 14-under title; Castro blasted Danica Diamante, 6-0, 6-3, for the girls’ 12-under crown; Candelasa downed Benedict Goco, 6-2, 6-1, for the boys’ 18-under diadem; and topranked Cabaral survived No. 3 Juvels Velos, 2-6, 6-4, 10-8, for the boys’ 16-under trophy.

S haring the spotlight were Legends men’s doubles winners Cliff Acaso and Nino Villaceran (40s), and Roy Tabotabo and Titus Tabotabo (50s); Legends men’s champions Acasa (35) and Roy Tabotabo (45).

M eanwhile, junior action moves to Luzon for the PPS-PEPP Imus (Cavite) from April 20 to 24 with Lucena hosting the next stop from April 27 to 30 and Cainta (Rizal) staging the Open, Juniors and Legends from May 1 to 14.

20 teams see action in Asia Tour 3x3

THE best 3x3 basketball teams across the continent are coming to Manila for the inaugural Asia Tour 3x3 set this Saturday and Sunday at the Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.

Twenty teams—12 men and eight women—including several national squads and top professional 3x3 clubs from six countries, will strut their wares in the two-day event offering $25,000 in prizes.

“ 3x3 basketball is fast becoming one of the popular sports these

days and it is just the right thing to start the Asia Tour 3x3 to a country whose love to the sport is almost unparalleled,” Asia Tour 3x3 founder Connor Nguyen of Vietnam said.

B annering the hometown bets in the men’s division are Philippine Basketball Association 3x3 teams TNT Triple Giga and Cavitex. Joining them are Zamboanga Valientes, Happy Hotel and Demigod.  R ising Star, Harimau A and Harimau B fly the colors of Malaysia while The Performance Lab from Vietnam, SG Lion from Singapore and 3BL from are also in the fold.

The formidable squads in the women’s division are Philippine teams Uratex Tibay, Uratex Dreams and Discovery Pelas and Malaysia’s Harimau A and B, Singapore’s SG Lioness, Thailand’s Sniper and Vietnam’s VN Red and Gold.

The men’s competition will be divided into four groups consisting of three teams where they play in a singleround robin format in the pool phase.

L ooking to merely find either Cadag or Alforque, the ball looked like it was going so sail wide right but dipped inside the right top corner for an unlikely goal.  Six minutes into the match and Muntinlupa was already in a hole and

Semacio smashed in a spot kick to make it 4-0 before the water break.

“ They knew that Muntinlupa had great quality but we stuck to our game plan of stopping their playmakers and it worked for us,” Cosgrove added.

The top teams from each group get an outright ticket to the quarterfinals while the second- and third-placed teams figure in a crossover play-in match to determine which four teams will advance to the playoffs.

The women’s side, on the other hand, will have two groups of four teams in the pool phase which will figure in the qualification games in a single round-robin format.