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Imelda hospitalized for pneumonia

PRESIDENT Marcos said former first lady
Imelda Marcos is in “good spirits” despite
being hospitalized due to slight pneumonia
and a fever.
Senator Imee Marcos also revealed her
mother’s hospitalization on Tuesday.
“I just spoke with my mother’s doctors. She
is suffering from slight pneumonia and is run-
Next page
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 25 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024

PCG, China ships collide

Chinese also water-cannon supply ship, hurting 4 Pinoys on board
By Rey Requejo, Vince Lopez, and Macon Ramos-Araneta

C
`HINA Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions
with Philippine boats and water cannoned one of them,
leaving four Filipino crew injured during a resupply
mission in the West Philippine Sea, the National Security
Council said.
The incidents happened in waters bassy deputy chief of mission Zhou
around Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Zhiyong that the “aggressive actions” of
Shoal) in the Spratly Islands. the China Coast Guard and other ves-
The Philippine Department of For- sels were “unacceptable”.
eign Affairs said it told Chinese em- Next page

Speaker vows support to Coast Guard, AFP

AMID the latest conflicts with China
in the West Philippine Sea, Speaker
Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez
on Tuesday reaffirmed the full sup-
port of the House of Representatives
to enhancing the Philippine Coast
Guard’s capabilities and modernizing
the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“We stand united in support of
President Marcos Jr.’s firm resolve
to enhance our defense capabilities CLASHES AT SEA. In these frame grabs, the Chinese Coast
to uphold our country’s sovereignty Guard ship 2155 is about to collide with the Philippine Coast
and protect our national interest in Guard’s BRP Sindangan near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philip-
pine Sea on Tuesday. The Chinese ships also water-cannoned the
Next page
PH civilian ship Unaizah May 4, damaging parts of it (inset). PCG
Photos with AFP

Senate orders arrest of Quiboloy, Padilla disagrees Zubiri thanks senators for trust;
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
and Maricel Cruz House: We didn’t start coup talk
the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ man trafficking and sex-related offenses.
(KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy, citing “I cite in contempt Apollo Carre-
him in contempt after snubbing a subpoe- on Quiboloy for his refusal to be
A SENATE committee has ordered na to attend the hearing on cases of hu- Next page
HOUSE leaders on Tuesday rejected This was as 13 members of the Sen-
claims that coup rumors against Sen- ate majority bloc signed a manifesto
ate President Juan Miguel Zubiri ema- of support for Zubiri, who said he was
nated from the Lower Chamber, saying emboldened by his colleagues’ contin-
lawmakers should not be dragged into ued trust in his leadership.
the political drama of the Upper Cham- Senator Imee Marcos, who claimed
ber. Next page

PBBM TO AUSSIES: Inflation rises

SEEK ROOTS IN PH to 3.4% in Feb.,
food big culprit
WOMEN LAWMAKERS. The 81 women lawmakers in the House of Representatives, led by Association of Women Legislators Foundation NEWS / A2
Inc. chair Rep. Yedda Romualdez and president Rep. Linabelle Villarica (center, seated), gather to mark Women’s Month in Congress on Tuesday.

Comelec: No to early plebiscite Cha-cha opponents may change

THE country’s inflation rate in Feb-
ruary picked up to 3.4 percent from
2.8 percent in January on higher
By Vito Barcelo than 2025 would be rigorous for the
poll body and would stop the ongoing
THE Commission on Elections on voter registration for the National and
minds via more hearings—Angara food, beverage and transport prices,
the Philippine Statistics Authority
said Tuesday.
SOME senators opposed to Charter other resource persons, Senator Sonny “This brings the national average
Tuesday said holding a plebiscite to Local Elections in May that year. change would change their stand on Angara said Tuesday. inflation from January 2024 to Feb-
amend the 1987 Constitution earlier Next page amending the 1987 Constitution when “Some of my colleagues may possi- ruary 2024 at 3.1 percent. In Febru-
they hear the views of the country’s bly change their minds along the way. ary 2023, the inflation rate was high-

#ANONGBALITA
legal luminaries, top economists, and Next page Next page

French ‘Spider-Man’ Bezos dethrones Umamin din! PM

Alain Robert climbs Musk as world’s defends Singapore
Makati tower anew richest with $200b pact with Swift

NEWS / A2 NEWS / A2 NEWS / A2

A2
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Reconnect with roots, Fil-Aussies told
By Charles Dantes
P
RESIDENT Marcos on Tuesday urged Filipinos in
Australia to reconnect with their roots by visiting the
Philippines and experiencing the administration’s
“Bagong Pilipinas” campaign.
“Let us always remember that the
adage that is true, that home is where
the heart is. So, cherish your Filipino
identity because in that way you remain
connected to us, to the Philippines, no
matter where you are,” President Mar-
CHED OK with
foreigners fully
owning schools
COM MISSION on Higher Edu-
cation chairman Prospero De
Vera on Tuesday said his agency
is in favor of amending the 1987
Constitution to allow full foreign
ownership of schools.
The proposed amendments to the
economic provisions of the Constitu-
tion are embodied in Resolution of
Both Houses No. 6.
Aside from education, full owner-
ship is also being sought for public
utilities and advertising.
Facing the subcommittee of the
Senate Committee on Constitutional
Amendments, De Vera acknowl-
edged that opening the control and
administration of Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) to foreign na-
tionals would facilitate university-
to-university linkages between local
and foreign universities and will also
increase foreign student enrollment.
“But more important, we are happy
that this is being discussed because
it allows us to reopen discussions on
the framework for higher education,
particularly on how to improve qual-
ity in higher education, how to en-
sure that our Philippine universities
are competitive, and the kind of in-
terventions and policies that the gov-
ernment must put in place to ensure
access to quality higher education,”
De Vera said.
The Korean Chamber of Com-
merce-Philippines, meanwhile, ral-
lied behind the proposed constitu-
tional amendment.
KCCP president Hyun Chong Un
told the fifth hearing of the Committee
of the Whole House of Representatives
on Resolution of Both Houses 7 that his
group welcomes the planned liberaliza-
tion of Philippine education.
He said more Koreans and foreign stu-
dents would come to the country if there
are foreign schools operating here.
Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority Deputy Di-
rector General Rosanna Urdaneta
meanwhile said the agency supports
the proposed amendment to allow
foreign participation in higher-level
Technical Vocational Education
and Training.
She noted that is a source of skills,
knowledge and technology needed to
drive employment and productivity.
Urdaneta also noted the importance
of foreign investments in providing
state-of-the-art equipment and facili-
ties, as well as expertise from foreign
trainers. Macon Ramos-Araneta
and Maricel V. Cruz
Zubiri...
From A1
the pressure to change the Senate lead-
ership came from the House, has yet to
sign the manifesto, along with fellow
majority bloc members Jinggoy Es-
trada, Ramon Revilla Jr., Francis Escu-
dero, Robin Padilla and Cynthia Villar.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino
Pimentel III and Sen. Risa Hontiveros
from the minority bloc and independ-
ent senators Alan Cayetano and Pia
Cayetano also have yet to sign the
statement of support for Zubiri.
“We have heard about [Sen. Mar-
cos’ claims], but we can’t interfere [in
the affairs of the Senate]. It’s like in a
household, it’s their house, why should
we interfere? The one who claimed that
the rumors came from the House – I
don’t know where the person got that,”
promoting. That’s what I’m fighting
for,” he added.
President Marcos is in Australia to
participate in the Australia-ASEAN
Special Summit.
Mr. Marcos also encouraged Filipino-
Australians to embrace and celebrate
their heritage, passing on their love for
cos said during a meeting with the Fili- the Philippines to future generations.
pino community in Australia. He urged them to teach the younger
“Before I end, let me invite you again Filipinos about the country, its heroes,
to visit the Philippines soon and see and its beautiful tourist destinations.
for yourself the new Philippines, Ang “Bring them back to the Philippines so
Bagong Pilipinas. That’s what we’re they can see what you’re talking about,”
Malacanang has yet to react to the
PCG,... incident as of press time, but foreign
From A1
governments were quick to condemn
China’s actions.
It ordered the Chinese vessels to leave President Marcos is currently in Mel-
the vicinity of the reef “immediately”, bourne for the four-day ASEAN-Aus-
the department said in a statement. tralia Special Summit.
“China Coast Guard and Chinese US Ambassador to the Philippines
Maritime Militia vessels harassed, MaryKay Carlson condemned China’s
blocked, deployed water cannons, and “dangerous maneuvers” in a post on
executed dangerous maneuvers in an- social media platform X, saying they
other attempt to illegally impede or “endangered lives, resulted in injuries,
obstruct a routine resupply and rotation and damaged (Philippine Coast Guard)
mission,” the NSC said in a statement.
vessels.”
“The systematic and consistent man-
Luc Veron, the EU envoy to Manila,
ner in which the People’s Republic of
said on X he was “troubled” by China’s
China carries out these illegal and ir-
efforts to target “Philippine vessels en-
responsible actions puts into question
gaged in crucial resupply missions.”
the sincerity of its calls for peaceful
In a statement, the Japanese Embas-
dialogue and lessening of tensions.”
sy in Manila said: “Japan reiterates its
The China Coast Guard, however,
grave concern on the repeated danger-
said it “took control measures” against
ous actions in the SCS... Japan will con-
Philippine ships’ “illegal intrusion” in
tinue to stand with the Philippines and
waters around the shoal.
cooperate with like-minded countries
in Ayungin Shoal to deliver supplies to
Speaker... Navy personnel stationed on the ship
From A1
(see banner story – Editors).
In his keynote address at the Lowy
the West Philippine Sea. The House of Institute in Melbourne on Monday,
Representatives is solidly behind his President Marcos said the Philippines
decisive leadership and unwavering will continue to upgrade the capabili-
commitment to safeguarding our sov- ties of the PCG and pursue the mod-
ereignty and territorial integrity,” said ernization of the AFP, in line with his
Romualdez. stand that the Philippines shall never
The leader of the over 300-strong surrender “even a square inch” of its
House of Representatives issued the territory and maritime jurisdiction to
statement on the heels of the collision any country.
incident Tuesday morning between a “The House pledges its full coop-
PCG vessel escorting the rotation and eration in the legislative process to
reprovisioning operation of the AFP ensure the timely implementation of
with a bigger Chinese Coast Guard measures to strengthen the Philippine
ship. Coast Guard and modernize the AFP
The Philippine vessels were on their to bolster our country’s defense posture
way to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in the face of emerging challenges,”
decision of the committee to cite Pastor
Senate... Quiboloy in contempt,” Padilla said.
From A1
While Hontiveros noted Padilla’s ob-
jection, she noted that only a majority
sworn or to testify before this inves-
tigation. This committee requests the
of the members of the committee may
reverse or modify a contempt order
Senate President to order his arrest so within seven days.
that he may be brought to testify,” Sen- “The majority of the members of the
ate Committee on Women, Children, committee have seven days to formal-
Family Relations, and Gender Equality ize the objection to the ruling of the
chairperson Risa Hontiveros said. chair to hold Pastor Quiboloy in con-
Senator Robin Padilla, however, op- tempt,” she said.
posed the ruling of the panel. “[But] my call for the other members
“With all due respect, I object to the of the committee is to uphold the rul-
Meanwhile, lawmakers at the
Cha-cha... House of Representatives allayed
From A1
fears of some business groups on
proposals to amend the restrictive
Maybe they will be swayed by the ar- economic provisions of the Consti-
guments they will hear in the coming tution, saying they should attend
weeks and months,” said Angara. hearings on Charter change and
House Deputy Majority Leader for
Communications and ACT-CIS party- Comelec:...
From A1
list Rep. Erwin Tulfo said.
“Besides, they should be the ones talk-
ing among themselves. Do not involve us “If you are to conduct a national
here because we don’t care if they change plebiscite, there are a lot of logistical
leadership. They can do anything they problems, because you must not only
want and we don’t care about that. Let consult Filipino voters in the country
them take care of their lives – they are but also Filipinos abroad,” Comelec
grown up, they are also old,” he added. chairman George Garcia said.
House Assistant Majority Leader Garcia said the poll body can conduct
Raul Angelo Bongalon of Ako Bicol a plebiscite, but “we can’t do it if there’s
party-list added: “There was a senator
who said that we are just congressmen,
that we are just party-list representa-
tives. So, I guess with that... maybe we
don’t have the ability to interfere in the Imelda...
From A1
internal matters of the Senate.”
“So despite this political drama, my
only appeal is to just focus on the leg- ning a fever. She has been put on a course
islative agenda. I hope that the Senate of antibiotics and the doctors are confi- Australia to participate in the Asso-
will handle its internal matters appro- dent that this will relieve her fever,” Presi- ciation of the Southeast Asian Nations
priately,” Bongalon said. dent Marcos said in a statement.
President Marcos said, referring to the
younger Filipinos in Australia.
Inspired by the achievements of Fili-
pinos abroad, the President reiterated his
administration’s commitment to improv-
ing the lives and livelihoods of every Fili-
pino, regardless of their location.
He assured the Filipino community in
Melbourne that the Philippine economy
is thriving with robust growth, optimistic
forecasts, and record highs in employ-
ment, tourism, and manufacturing.
Australia is home to at least 408,000 Fili-
pinos and Australians of Filipino descent.
to maintain the peace and stability in
the region.”
The BRP Sindangan, along with a
sister ship, had been deployed to sup-
port the military chartered Unaizah
May 4 and Unaizah May 1 boats car-
rying replacement soldiers and supplies
to Ayungin Shoal where Filipino troops
are stationed on a grounded Philippine
navy vessel, the BRP Sierra Madre.
Four crew on board the Unaizah May
4 were injured when two China Coast
Guard ships simultaneously fired water
cannons at it, shattering the windshield,
the National Task Force for the West
Philippine Sea said in a statement.
It said a China Coast Guard vessel
also caused a “minor collision” with the
Unaizah May 4, which turned back to
shore without delivering its cargo.
The Unaizah May 1 was able to un-
load its provisions, which the troops on
the BRP Sierra Madre depend on for
their survival.
stressed Romualdez, who is part of the
President’s official delegation to the
ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.
President Marcos revealed that ear-
lier this year, he approved the updated
acquisition plan of the AFP called Re-
Horizon 3, in line with the country’s
Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense
Concept.
Under the defense plan, President
Marcos said Philippine forces must be
able to guarantee, to the fullest extent
possible, Filipinos, Philippine corpora-
tions, and those authorized by the Phil-
ippine government, unimpeded and
peaceful exploration and exploitation
of all natural resources in areas where
the country has jurisdiction, including
within its exclusive economic zone in
accordance with international law.
ing of contempt to pave the way for the
Senate president to have Quiboloy ar-
rested for the purpose of making him
appear at the hearing,” Hontiveros said.
Apart from Hontiveros and Padilla,
the other members of the Senate com-
mittee are Senators Pia Cayetano, Cyn-
thia Villar, Nancy Binay, Imee Marcos,
Raffy Tulfo, Christopher Go, Grace
Poe, JV Ejercito, and Mark Villar.
Ex-officio members are Senate Presi-
dent Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Ma-
jority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Mi-
nority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III.
express their misgivings about the
efforts.
Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman main-
tained that business groups expressing
apprehension about economic amend-
ments to the Constitution should attend
the congressional hearings.
going to be national and local elections
and barangay and Sangguniang Ka-
bataan elections.”
“We are pressed for time. We don’t
have enough time to prepare for the
two elections in 2025. And so, the
conduct of the plebiscite before the
year ends, based on my opinion, is
too short a time for the Commission
on Elections,” he added.
However, the Comelec chief said the
agency will obey Congress should it
“She is in good spirits, has no diffi-
culty in breathing, and is resting well. I
thank the Filipino public for their con-
cern and prayers,” he added.
President Marcos is currently in
(ASEAN)-Australia Special Summit
NEWS
#ANONGBALITA
Umamin din! PM
defends Singapore
pact with Swift
SINGAPORE struck a deal ensur-
ing Taylor Swift played the city-
state but nowhere else in Southeast
Asia, the country’s prime minister
Lee Hsien Loong admitted Tuesday
while defending the secretive ar-
rangement that drew flak from Thai-
land, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Pop icon Swift is halfway through a
run of six sold-out shows in Singapore,
the only city in Southeast Asia to feature
in her blockbuster Eras world tour.
The star’s schedule has sparked
controversy in the music-mad re-
gion, with Singapore accused of
throwing cash at Swift to stop her
from appearing in other locations.
House ways and means panel chair
Rep. Joey Salceda earlier asked the De-
partment of Foreign Affairs to make the
Singaporean Embassy in Manila explain
the alleged exclusive deal the rich city-
state made for the concert tour.
Bezos dethrones
Musk as world’s
richest with $200b
AMAZON founder Jeff Bezos took
back his spot as the world’s richest man
on Monday, dethroning Elon Musk on
the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Bezos’ net worth stands at $200
billion, according to the tracker, sur-
passing the Tesla chief’s $198 billion.
Musk, who also heads X (formerly
Twitter) and SpaceX, has seen his
riches fall by more than $30 billion
as Tesla’s share price has dropped 25
percent in recent months.
Adding to Musk’s woes, a court
in January approved the annulment
of his enormous Tesla compensation
agreement, worth $55.8 billion and
originally struck in 2018.
French ‘Spider-Man’
Alain Robert climbs
Makati tower anew
ALAIN Robert, a 61-year-old urban
climber who has been nicknamed
“the French Spider-Man,” displayed
his climbing prowess at the GT In-
ternational Tower in Makati City
yesterday.
He reached the 47th floor of the
country’s 10th tallest building before
he was arrested by Makati City police.
This was the second time that
Robert scaled the Makati building,
which has a height of 712 feet.
In 2019, he managed to reach the
43rd floor of GT International Tower
before he arrested.
Inflation...
From A1
er at 8.6 percent,” the PSA said in a
statement.
The National Economic and Devel-
opment Authority (NEDA) said de-
spite the uptick, the higher inflation
remained within the government’s
2024 target range of 2 percent to 4
percent, a statement echoed by the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The BSP said it is also consistent
with its expectations that inflation
will likely remain within the target
range in the first quarter of 2024 due
largely to negative base effects.
Given the current trend, BSP said
the interest rates will likely remain
unchanged over the near term.
decide to conduct the plebiscite sepa-
rate from the midterm polls.
“On the question of whether the
plebiscite and elections could be
done simultaneously or not, that is
a legal issue and a political issue
which the Comelec cannot interfere
with,” Garcia said.
“The Comelec will always respect
the decision of our political depart-
ments—the executive and legislative
departments of government,” he added.
Earlier, Senator Marcos broke the
news that the 94-year-old former first
lady was hospitalized after bouts of
coughs and feverishness.
The senator said the family would
prefer to “take precautions,” adding:
“We brought her to the hospital for
close monitoring.”
NEWS
DAY’S HARVEST. Farmers of Badoc, Ilocos Norte lug their day’s harvest to ensure their families have enough food on the table come mealtime. Revoli Cortez
Makati-Taguig territorial quarrel
worsens with filing of criminal raps
Senate panel
cites relevance M
of natural gas
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
DEVELOPING the country’s natural
gas industry is critical to driving in-
vestments that will enhance national
energy security, reduce electricity costs
and create more jobs for Filipinos.
The Senate Committee on Energy
Technical Working Group (TWG) is-
sued this observation during a meet-
ing on Senate Bill No. 2247 seek-
ing to promote the development of a
“comprehensive, and integrated legis-
lative policy that aids in the rapid de-
velopment of the Philippines’ natural
gas sector.”
Lawyer Gareth Tungol, special legal
counsel of Senator Raffy Tulfo, said
developing the country’s natural gas
industry will open up a larger market
share for investors as government poli-
cy shifts towards clean energy.
Tulfo underscored the urgency of
the bill’s passage as he cited the critical
need to extend the life of the Malam-
paya field which provides about 40
percent of the country’s natural energy
needs since 2001.
The TWG also noted that the bill
added “priority” dispatch for indig-
enous natural gas to encourage more
investments in the development of in-
digenous gas resources.
“When it comes to using fuel for gas-
fired power plants, my gas will come
first...we are prioritizing Filipino gas
first,” Tungol said.
“I think that’s the best driver of our in-
vestment because instead of investing on
importation, they should invest on facili-
ties, and infrastructure,” he added.
Samal gets P1-m
aid from Makati
By Butch Gunio
SAMAL town in Bataan has received
P1 million financial assistance from its
sister-city of Makati.
Samal Mayor Alex Acuzar and mu-
nicipal treasurer Emilia Dela Rosa re-
ceived the check from Makati Mayor
Abigail Binay in simple ceremony held
in Makati recently.
Acuzar thanked Binay for the finan-
cial aid to be used for assistance to Sa-
mal residents who were victimized by
typhoons Egay and Falcon.
Aside from financial assistance,
Makati also conducts disaster prepar-
edness training for personnel of its
sister-local government units.
Meanwhile, Mayor Acuzar also
launched Dalaw Barangay 2024 to
bring government services closer to
the people.
The 10th episode of the program was
held in Brgy. East Daan Bago on Mon-
day headed by Acuzar and Sangguni-
ang Bayan members led by Vice Mayor
Ronnie Ortiguerra.
Earlier, free legal consultations
were held by lawyer-councilors Tony
Roman and Jomar Gaza in some Sa-
mal barangays.
By Joel E. Zurbano
AKATI City government employees have filed
charges of illegal detention and grave coercion
against Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano and
other city officials and personnel following a standoff at the
Makati City Park and Garden situated in the villages now
under Taguig’s territorial jurisdiction.
Cited as respondents in the complaints
were Mayor Cayetano, city administra-
tor Jose Luis Montales, Maria Theresa
Veloso, Danny Cañaveral, and several
John Does, who introduced themselves
as personnel of the Taguig City govern-
ment during the confrontation.
Three counts of illegal detention and
one count of grave coercion have been
Iloilo trailblazes PH waste-to-energy quest with P2.3-b deal
PIONEERING WASTE-TO-ENERGY PROJECT. Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas
seals a landmark joint venture agreement with Andrew Pangilinan, president and CEO
of Metropacific Water Investment Corp., and Jose Maria Madara, president and CEO
of MetPower Venture Partners Holding Corp. for the construction of a cutting-edge
Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility in the city, reputedly a first in the country.
Camp Karingal cops set to plant 1m trees in Quezon City
By Rio N. Araja
THE Quezon City Police District on Tues-
day launched its Project Green Camp Ka-
ringal eyeing to plant one million trees.
The project was in line with Mayor Joy
Belmonte’s ecological initiatives to up-
hold environmental laws, QCPD director
Brig. Gen. Rederico Maranan said.
The mayor lauded the entire QCPD
for becoming the first police unit to
Laguna to hold 8-day Anilag fest
By Roy C. Tomandao
CALAMBA CITY—From its impressive
comeback in 2023, Anilag Festival 2024
promises to open with a bang as Laguna
province, led by Gov. Ramil Hernandez
and provincial officials ushers in the annual
festivity with the theme, “Tuloy-tuloy ang
saya. Tara na sa Laguna.”
“It’s all systems go with all prepa-
rations in place to make this year’s
festival even more exciting, bigger,
bolder and brighter,” Hernandez told
Manila Standard.
The festivities will take place on
March 10-17 with the capitol grounds
and the Laguna Sports Complex be-
coming more colorful during the pe-
riod, Hernandez said
“In acknowledging and remembering
lodged against the Taguig officials at the
Office of the City Prosecutors in Taguig.
Three complainants charged that they
were harassed and detained against their will
by several Taguig personnel who claimed to
have acted on orders of Mayor Cayetano.
They said three separate incidents
occurred repeatedly on March 1, 2
and 3, 2024, all in the vicinity of the
transform its area into a green camp in
Metro Manila.
Upon her arrival at Camp Tomas Ka-
ringal in Barangay Sikatuna, Belmonte
was surprised to see the camp’s greenery
transformation.
Maranan said the initiative is an-
chored on one of the Philippine Nation-
al Police’s core values, “Makalikasan.”
Since last year, members of the QCPD
have grown various fruit-bearing trees
why we birthed Anilag, we are reminded
of that fine balance of hope and despair,”
Hernandez added.
The Anilag Festival was conceived as
a celebration of hope, optimism, and re-
silience in the face of challenging events,
while also promoting tourism, in line with
“Love Laguna” tourism program of Lagu-
na 2nd District Rep. Ruth Hernandez.
The lawmaker said cultural presen-
tations such as Sayaw Laguna, Anilag
arts and music festival with hot air bal-
loon exhibition would make the festivi-
ties more exciting.
The Voice of Laguna, Himig Laguna
song-writing competition, Binibini at
Ginoong Laguna, Mr & Mrs Laguna,
Pinakamagandang Lola and That’s My
Lolo pageants were expected to further
enflame the excitement.
Makati Park and Garden.
One of them stated that on March 1,
Friday, several men arrived in front of the
park, introduced themselves as person-
nel of the Taguig government, chained
and padlocked the gate, and blocked all
entrances to the park while he and his co-
employees were still inside. The group
warned them not to attempt to get out,
while prohibiting entry to the park.
Another employee complained of be-
ing illegally detained for one day on Mar.
2 at the Makati Park Amphitheater, while
another complainant charged that the fol-
lowing day, around 6:30 am, a Taguig
patrol vehicle arrived and removed the
tarpaulin installed earlier by Makati City,
replacing it with a new one stating a closure
order from Taguig on the basis that the fa-
cility had no business permit.
ILOILO City—The country’s first waste-
to-energy project will start construction
here this year under a public-private part-
nership (PPP) arrangement.
Last March 1, the city government
and Metro Pacific Water (MPW), a
wholly-ownedsubsidiary of Metro Pa-
cific Water Investments Corporation
(MPWIC), forged the contract for the
construction of a state-of-the-art Inte-
grated Solid Waste Management Facil-
ity (ISWMF) in this city.
The deal was handed over to the MPW
on Dec. 19, 2023, after the local govern-
ment decided on the competitive chal-
lenge with no other bidders joining in.
“This outcome marks a historic mile-
stone for us—building one of the coun-
try’s most technologically advanced
waste recovery facilities only here in Il-
oilo City,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Treñas presided at the contract ex-
and ornamental plants, as well as vegeta-
bles inside the camp.
Maranan said they support Belmon-
te’s advocacy of environmental aware-
ness and the importance to protect the
environment.
The project has the theme “Million
Trees Begin With One” to symbolize,
he added.
Another activity under the project is
the implementation of solid waste seg-
2024 ANILAG FESTIVAL. Laguna Governor Ramil Fernandez (standing)
announces during a press briefing the unfolding of the 2024 Anilag Festival
to be held March 10-17 at the capitol grounds and sports complex in Calamba
City. Roy Tomandao
A3
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
MST.DAYDESK@GMAIL.COM
SC affirms DOE
powers over oil
industry during
emergencies
By Rey E. Requejo
THE Supreme Court (SC) has declared
that the Department of Energy (DOE)
has the authority to take control of the
operations of the oil industry as di-
rected by the President, particularly in
times of emergencies.
In a decision penned by Senior As-
sociate Justice Marvic Leonen, the SC
upheld the constitutionality of Sec-
tion 14 (e) of Republic Act 8479, or the
Downstream Oil Industry Deregula-
tion Act of 1998.
The said provision empowers the DOE
to temporarily oversee the operations of
the oil industry under specific circum-
stances, such as in times of emergencies.
The SC ruling was promulgated on
February 21, 2023 but made public
only last Mar. 4.
The SC decision arose from a peti-
tion for review filed by then former
executive secretary Leandro Mendoza,
the late DOE chief Angelo Reyes and
the DOE-DOJ Joint Task Force assail-
ing the 2013 ruling of the Court of Ap-
peals that had deemed the provision
unconstitutional.
The case stemmed from an executive
order issued by then President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo on Oct. 2, 2009 di-
recting oil industry players to maintain
the prices of their petroleum products
in the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy
and Pepeng which wreaked havoc on
Luzon, leaving almost 1, 000 fatalities,
700 injured and 84 missing.
Finding Arroyo’s order prejudicial
to oil companies, Pilipinas Shell filed
a petition before the Makati Regional
Trial Court, arguing that the executive
order was “unreasonable, oppressive,
and invalid delegation of power to the
Executive.”
The lower court granted Pilipi-
nas Shell’s plea for the issuance of
a temporary restraining order on
Nov. 13, 2009.
change ceremony, along with MPWIC
president and CEO
Andrew Pangilinan, Metro Pacific Il-
oilo Water (MPIW) chief operating of-
ficer Rob Cabiles, and MetPower Ven-
ture Partners Holdings, Inc. (MVPHI)
president and CEO Jose Maria Madara.
To be erected on a three-hectare prop-
erty in Barangay Ingore, La Paz district,
the P2.3-billion ISWMF will handle 475
tons of waste per day.
The facility can produce up to 3.5 meg-
awatts of power to augment the 10 mega-
watts for the desalination plant, which
can produce additional water supply at a
lower cost for city residents.
The city government will also get
a share of the power generated from
the facility.
The project represents an important
building block in establishing Iloilo City
as a major investment hub.
regation and management practices,
embracing the Reuse, Reduce, and Re-
cycle (3Rs) concept.
The mayor planted a guyabano tree
near the camp’s grandstand as a gesture
of here unity with the police’s project.
At least 166 police officers or the so-
called green cops had been sworn in
to oversee the green project not only at
Camp Karingal but in all 16 police sta-
tions in the city.
A4
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Agencies told: Implement
P500 discount to seniors, PWDs
By Maricel V. Cruz
LAWMAKERS are urging concerned
agencies to implement by the end of this
month the P500 monthly grocery dis-
count for millions of senior citizens and
persons with disability.
This came during a meeting of the
House of Representatives Committee
on Ways and Means. Deputy Majority
Leader and Erwin Tulfo of ACT-CIS
party-list followed up on the promise
the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) gave to Speaker Ferdinand Mar-
tin G. Romualdez last week on the in-
creased discount.
The present discount is P65 a week or
P260 a month. This would go up to P125
a week or P500 a month.
Tulfo said he attended the Speaker’s
meeting with DTI Undersecretary
Carolina Sanchez and would like to in-
‘Low-priced rice should be for consumers’
By Maricel V. Cruz
S
PEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said he
wished that the low-priced rice the National Food
Authority (NFA) reportedly sold to certain traders
should have been offered to consumers in public markets.
House Deputy Majority Leader for
Communications and ACT-CIS Party-list
Rep. Erwin Tulfo said Romualdez con-
veyed this “wish,” adding that Romual-
dez also noted that had the NFA sold the
rice to the public, thousands of consumers
MILLION
TREE
INITIATIVE.
Quezon City
Mayor Joy
Belmonte
together with
Quezon City Police
District (QCPD)
Director BGen
Redrico Maranan,
led the signing
of the pledge of
commitment of
the Quezon City
LGU and the QCPD
to take part in
the “A Million
Trees Begin with
One: Quezon
City’s One Million
Tree Initiative”
at the QCPD
headquarters in
Camp Karingal.
Manny Palmero
PhilHealth chief vows better, more responsive health benefit packages
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
PHILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp.
(PhilHealth) president and CEO Em-
manuel R. Ledesma Jr. on Tuesday as-
sured President Ferdinand R. Marcos,
Jr. that PhilHealth members and their
beneficiaries can expect better and more
responsive health benefit packages.
“We have laid down many enhance-
ments which can be felt by beneficiar-
ies,” Ledesma said, adding that this will
include lower hospital bills.
Finance dep’t eyeing ban on disposable
vapes due to safety, tax evasion issues
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE Department of Finance (DOF) is
proposing a ban on disposable vapes
citing concerns over safety, lack of
regulations, and possible tax evasion.
DOF Secretary Ralph Recto said
that most disposable vapes sold in the
Philippines are unregistered with the
Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) and avoid paying excise taxes.
“I think we should ban disposable
vape products. Most if not all dispos-
able vape products are unregistered
with DTI and do not pay excise tax-
DFA: Benefits processing for Middle East OFWs now under DMW mandate
By Rey E. Requejo
THE Department of Foreign Affairs on
Tuesday said the processing of end-of-
service benefits (ESB) for overseas Fili-
pino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East
is now the duty of the Department of Mi-
grant Workers (DMW).
quire from the implementing agencies
“how we are doing.”
He said Sanchez’s commitment was to
effect the increase in the grocery discount
on basic food items, meat and agricultural
products by the end of this month.
DTI’s Consumer Policy and Advo-
cacy Bureau director Marcus Valdez of
informed the committee that the DTI is
now coordinating with the Department
of Agriculture (DA) and the Depart-
ment of Energy (DOE) for the imple-
mentation of the increased discount.
“We confirm the promise made last
week and the timeline,” he said.
On the other hand, Agriculture As-
sistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs
and concurrent for Legislative Affairs
Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra said
public consultations are scheduled to be
held on March 11 and 12 before the in-
creased discount is given.
would have benefitted.
He said the NFA apparently sold the
rice at the low price of P25 per kilo.
“They should really be responsible for
that. While our countrymen cannot afford
to buy (rice)... at P30, P40, they will drop
Ledesma announced that the 30-per-
cent increase in most of its case rate pack-
ages already took effect for all admissions
starting Feb. 14, 2024.
This was the first time that an across-
the-board increase was implemented
since the all case rate scheme was
launched in 2013.
He noted that the 30% increase in case
rates will restore substantial coverage af-
fected by health inflation.
Ledesma noted that the PhilHealth’s
benefit committee has recently approved
es,” Recto said.
A disposable vape is a non-re-
chargeable device that comes pre-
charged and pre-filled with e-liquid.
Unlike a rechargeable mod, dispos-
able vapes do not require recharging
or refilling.
He estimates that if they complied
with regulations, their price would
be much higher than the current mar-
ket range of P122 to P439 per device.
Recto also expressed concerns that
disposable vapes are designed to be
attractive to minors, potentially lead-
ing them to vaping habits.
In an advisory, the DFA said the task
has been formally transferred to the
DMW on Feb. 4, 2024.
“Effective 04 February 2024, the Depart-
ment of Migrant Workers (DMW) will han-
dle all new End-of Service Benefits (ESB)
applications, claims, and remittances for
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the
PBBM IN ASEAN-AUSTRALIA SUMMIT. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. takes part in a ritual smoking
ceremony by a Wurundjeri Elder alongside other heads of state as part of a formal welcome from Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese at the ASEAN-Australia Summit in Melbourne on Tuesday. PPO
them to P25, isn’t that insulting?” Tulfo
also said.
Tulfo called for accountability and
eventual punishment for those responsi-
ble for the sale.
Tulfo said he and his colleagues are in-
terested in finding out why the NFA sold
the rice to traders who re-bagged it and
sold it to their customers, instead of sell-
ing it in public markets.
House Assistant Majority Leader Raul
Angelo Bongalon of Ako Bicol Partylist
supported Tulfo’s call for accountability
for those behind the sale, but suggested
the enhancement of the Z Benefits for
breast cancer effective in March 2024.
He also highlighted that the agency
enhanced several benefit packages af-
ter 13 years without changes, including:
High Risk Pneumonia, from P32,000
to P90,100, or a 182-percent increase;
Acute Stroke Ischemia from P28,000
to P76,000, a 171-percent increase; and
Acute Stroke Hemorrhagic from P30,000
to P80,000, a 111-percent increase.
He said the Z Benefits package for co-
lon and rectal cancers were also recently
Middle East,” the DFA said.
The department said for OFWs in the
Middle East whose employment has re-
cently ended, or beneficiaries or next-of-
kin of a deceased OFW, new applications
for ESB claims must now be submitted to
the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) at
the Philippine Embassy or Consulate or
NEWS
that private persons involved should be
held accountable as well.
This developed as House leaders on
lauded the administration’s strong resolve
in going after erring officials of the NFA
in light of the preventive suspension of
139 officials and employees of the agency
over an alleged disadvantageous transac-
tion involving the sale of rice buffer stock.
Some lawmakers also favor the re-
structuring the mandate of the NFA, cit-
ing efforts from past Congresses to study
the proposal.
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF)
MIAA warns airport pest control
contractors: Shape up or ship out
By Joel E. Zurbano
Shape up or ship out.
The Manila International Airport Au-
thority (MIAA) has initiated a meeting
with housekeeping and pest control serv-
ice contractors and gave an ultimatum to
perform according to the terms of their
contracts or face being banned from future
project biddings.
The meeting held Monday was attended
by terminal administrators, service con-
tractors, and health experts from the Bu-
reau of Quarantine and MIAA Medical
Team to review the current state of sanita-
tion services in four terminals.
Terminal administration groups have
been instructed to deploy more inspectors
to monitor and supervise the work of con-
tractors and re-evaluate the effectiveness
enhanced, allowing patients with meta-
chronous colorectal tumor to re-avail of
the package for colon and rectal cancer.
Ledesma said PhilHealth also revised
the policy on select orthopedic implants,
which allowed beneficiaries to avail of a
maximum of two Z Benefits packages,
regardless of laterality for procedures that
were done on different dates, or on the
same day, within the same confinement
period by patients with single or multiple
injuries that requires more than one im-
plant.
NITAS
MEETING.
The Network of
Independent Travel
and Allied Services,
Philippines, Inc.
(NITAS) recently
held a general
membership meeting
at the Crown
Regency Hotel in
Makati. In the photo
are: Stanley Ng,
Philippine Airlines
president and COO;
NITAS President
Angel Ramos Bognot
(left); and Catherine
Uy Dela Pena, Crown
Regency Director of
Corporate Sales.
the DMW in Manila.
Meanwhile, the DFA said it will continue
to process the applications for ESB claims
or remittances filed before Feb. 4, 2024.
“ESB claims already submitted to the
MWO or DMW shall continue to be proc-
essed by the MWO or DMW,” the DFA
said.
meanwhile urged the Department of Ag-
riculture (DA) to review the Rice Tarrifi-
cation Law (RTL) to effectively exercise
it mandate and a deeper probe into the
rice disbursement and price fixing issue
at the NFA.
Former Agriculture secretary, now
FFF chairman Leonardo Montemayor
said that the RTL removed the palay and
rice price stabilization functions of the
NFA and effectively disallows it from
selling subsidized rice to the public, such
as through the KADIWA outlets, unless
there is a calamity.
of current housekeeping and pest control
standard operating procedures in light
of the increasing volume of people and
changing conditions inside the terminals.
The MIAA is set to revise the Terms
of Reference (TOR) for service contracts,
imposing stiffer and higher penalties for
liquidated damages.
Contractors will be required to submit
weekly and monthly commitments of
work to be done and establish an immedi-
ate response mechanism through close co-
ordination between contractors and MIAA
management.
The airport chief expressed disappoint-
ment over recent sightings of pests and in-
sects in Terminals 2 and 3 but clarified that
the ultimatum was to remind contractors
about the accountability clauses in their
service agreements with the MIAA.
SC nullifies rule
on traffic violation
receipts, licenses
By Rey E. Requejo
The Supreme Court (SC) has nulli-
fied the provision in 15 traffic ordi-
nances in Metro Manila allowing the
issuance of traffic violation receipts
known as the Ordinance Violation
Receipts (OVRs) and the confiscation
of drivers’ licenses by traffic enforc-
ers.
In a 41-page en banc decision
penned by Associate Justice Ben-
jamin Caguiao, the SC granted the
petition for review filed by various
transport groups seeking the reversal
of the Court of Appeals’ (CA) deci-
sion dated Dec. 7, 2012 and resolution
dated Oct. 3, 2013, which declared the
assailed ordinances as legal and con-
stitutional.
The 15-member bench held that the
said ordinances are invalid for viola-
tion of Republic Act No. 7924 or the
Metro Manila Development Author-
ity (MMDA) Law which gives the
agency the exclusive power to come
up with policies concerning traffic in
the metropolis and to coordinate and
regulate the implementation of all pro-
grams and projects concerning traffic.
Section 5 of the said law mandates
the MMDA to “install and administer
single ticketing system…and confis-
cate and suspend or revoke driver’s
licenses in the enforcement of such
traffic laws and regulations…”
“All told, the Court thus declares as
invalid the common provision in the
said traffic codes or ordinances of the
LGUs in Metro Manila empowering
each of them to issue OVRs to erring
drivers and motorists.
OPINION
NFA corruption: A rotting scandal
IN THE annals of governmental in-
eptitude and corruption, the recent
revelations at the National Food Au-
thority stand as a putrid testament to
the depths of depravity that certain
individuals will plumb in pursuit of
personal gain.
The stench of malfeasance emanat-
ing from this once-respected institu-
tion is suffocating, and the perpetra-
tors of this heinous betrayal of public
trust must be held accountable with
the full force of the law.
The report, like a dagger plunged
into the heart of decency, exposes
the sordid machinations of NFA Ad-
ministrator Roderico Bioco and his
cohorts in the despicable saga of rice
sales to favored traders. Assistant
Administrator Lemuel Pagayunan,
a lone voice crying out against the
darkness, bravely brought forward
evidence of Bioco’s collusion in the
sale of 75,000 bags of NFA rice, to-
taling a staggering P93.75 million, to
select cronies under the guise of dis-
posing “deteriorating stocks.”
But what Pagayunan uncovered
was not mere negligence or misman-
agement; it was a calculated conspir-
acy to defraud the Filipino people.
Bioco, like a kingpin of a crimi-
nal syndicate, issued memoranda
authorizing the sale of rice unfit for
consumption, but rather treated and
perfectly suitable for the market. The
audacity of this deception is breath-
taking in its contempt for the very
citizens it purports to serve.
Furthermore, the revelation that
these transactions were conducted
without the approval of the NFA
Council, the governing body mandat-
ed by Presidential Decree 4 to over-
see such matters, adds another layer
of criminality to this sordid affair.
Bioco and his accomplices, includ-
ing former Assistant Administrator
John Robert Hermano and NFA Re-
gion 4 Regional Manager Alwin Uy,
flouted established procedures with
brazen impunity, thumbing their nos-
es at the rule of law.
Editor’s Note: There was no im-
mediately available comment from
Bioco, Hermano and Uy as the paper
goes to press.)
What is perhaps most galling is the
complete absence of remorse or ac-
countability on the part of these mal-
efactors.
Above-normal temperatures
for March-May due to El Niño—UN
GENEVA, Switzerland—The warm-
ing El Niño weather phenomenon
that peaked in December was one of
the five strongest ever recorded, the
United Nations said Tuesday, predict-
ing it would produce above-normal
temperatures from now to May.
Though El Niño is now gradually
weakening, its impact will continue
over the coming months by fueling
the heat trapped in the atmosphere
by greenhouse gases, the UN’s World
Meteorological Organization said.
Therefore “above normal tempera-
tures are predicted over almost all
land areas between March and May.”
the WMO said in a quarterly update.
El Niño, the large-scale warming
of surface temperatures in the central
and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean,
typically has the greatest impact on
the global climate in the year after it
develops, in this instance 2024.
It is a naturally occurring climate
pattern typically associated with in-
creased heat worldwide, as well as
drought in some parts of the world
and heavy rains elsewhere.
The weather phenomenon occurs
on average every two to seven years,
and episodes typically last nine to 12
months.
Conditions oscillate between El
Niño and its generally cooling oppo-
site La Nina, with neutral conditions
in between.
“There is about a 60 percent chance
of El Niño persisting during March-
May and a 80 percent chance of neu-
tral conditions in April to June,” the
WMO said.
There is a chance of La Nina devel-
oping later in the year, but the odds
Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard
Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo
de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.
Telephone numbers 8-5646225 and 8-5646229
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Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandard.net
Instead of acknowledging their
wrongdoing and facing the conse-
quences, they sought to cover their
tracks by pre-selecting buyers and
bypassing any semblance of trans-
parency in the sale process.
The notion that the best interests
of the Filipino people were even a
fleeting consideration in their minds
is laughable; their only concern was
—“—
The rot within the NFA
must be excised with
surgical precision, and
those responsible must
be made to answer for
their crimes
fattening their own wallets at the ex-
pense of the nation’s most vulnerable.
In the face of such egregious mis-
conduct, the call for swift and deci-
sive action is deafening.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco
Tiu Laurel Jr. must not only launch a
thorough investigation into these al-
legations but also ensure those found
guilty are prosecuted to the fullest
extent of the law.
Anything less would be a betrayal
of the public trust and an invitation
for further abuses to go unchecked.
The time for half-measures and
empty promises is over.
The rot within the NFA must be
excised with surgical precision, and
those responsible must be made to
answer for their crimes.
The Filipino people deserve noth-
ing less than justice, and it is incum-
bent upon the authorities to deliver it
swiftly and unequivocally.
In the words of Leigh Bardugo, an
American writer and novelist, “Dark-
ness resides in us all, a shadow wait-
ing to consume the light. It’s a battle
we wage every day, fighting against
the monsters within.”
But let it be known that the monsters
lurking within the halls of power will
not prevail, not so long as there are
those among us brave enough to shine a
light into the darkness and demand ac-
countability. The time for reckoning is
at hand, and woe unto those who would
dare to stand in its way.
are currently uncertain, the WMO
said.
WMO chief Celeste Saulo said the
record temperatures recorded over
recent months were exacerbated by
the El Niño effect.
But it needed to be seen in the con-
text of a climate being changed by
human activities.
Concentrations of the three main
greenhouse gases—carbon dioxide,
methane and nitrous oxide—were
chiefly to blame, Saulo said.
—“—
It can also cause
severe droughts over
Australia, Indonesia,
parts of southern
Asia, Central America
and northern South
America
“Every month since June 2023 has
set a new monthly temperature record
—and 2023 was by far the warmest
year on record,” she said.
“El Niño has contributed to these
record temperatures, but heat-trap-
ping greenhouse gases are unequivo-
cally the main culprit.
“Ocean surface temperatures in
the equatorial Pacific clearly re-
flect El Niño. But sea surface tem-
peratures in other parts of the globe
have been persistently and unusu-
ally high for the past 10 months,”
Saulo added.
“The January 2024 sea-surface
ManilaStandard
Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno
can be accessed at:
ONLINE manilastandard.net
MEMBER
PPI
Philippine Press Institute
Edgar M. Valmorida
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers
Resolving maritime disputes
T
HE Philippines holds the magnetic compass when
it called for a peaceful resolution of maritime
disputes with China, which has been harassing the
former’s vessels on humanitarian missions in the West
Philippine Sea.
Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo
said that much this week during the
2024 ASEAN-Australia summit in
Melbourne where he unleashed a
simple but unmistakable message to
China to “stop harassing us.”
We agree with Manalo in seeking
international and regional support,
while closely monitoring the upcoming
US election next November for its
potential impact on US-Philippines
relations and regional stability.
Manalo made it loud when he said
the Philippines was “committed to a
peaceful resolution of disputes” with
China through “peaceful means”
—even as Chinese research vessels
have been spotted in the Philippine
Rise, clearly within the Philippines’
200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone
and continental shelf.
Tuesday, the Philippine Coast
Guard said one of its ships was
damaged in a collision with a China
Coast Guard vessel during a resupply
mission to Filipino troops on a remote
outpost in the South China Sea.
It was the latest incident in waters
around Second Thomas Shoal in the
Spratly Islands where the countries
have contesting maritime claims.
Chinese coast guard and other
vessels undertook “dangerous
WE HATE doing this, i.e., casting as-
persions on government line agencies
whose tasks are vital to protecting na-
tional sovereignty and the public inter-
est.
But we are convinced some of our
public officials deserve censure for
sleeping on the job, doing nothing amid
assaults on the national economy by
hostile business forces out to pick the
pockets of unsuspecting Filipino inves-
tors.
Journalists, after all, are duty-bound
to be watchdogs against corruption and
iniquities in public service.
We refer in particular to the National
Telecommunications Commission and
the Anti-Money Laundering Council
which appear to have manifested out-
right indifference to the illicit pres-
ence in the Philippines of crypto giant
Binance.
Over the past year or so, Binance has
been acting as a cryptocurrency ex-
change without establishing a presence
here, or obtaining the required licenses
from regulators.
The grapevine has it that Binance il-
legally amassed billions of pesos from
the domestic investment market.
That is big money, untaxed as it is, in
any language, and we have yet to hear
from pertinent authorities if they are
doing anything about it.
Or, do they prefer to look the other
way? Your guess is as good as mine.
Binance does not even deny violat-
ing money laundering laws and regula-
tions.
This was admitted by no less than its
founder.
Indubitable proof is the over $4 bil-
lion fine slapped by a US federal judge
on Binance founder and former CEO
Changpeng Zhao following his admis-
sion that he violated the country’s anti-
money laundering and other financing
laws.
temperature was by far the highest on
record for January. This is worrying
and can not be explained by El Niño
alone.”
The current El Niño developed
in June 2023 and was at its strong-
est between November and Janu-
ary.
It hit a peak of around 2.0 degrees
Celsius above the 1991 to 2020 aver-
age sea surface temperature for the
eastern and central tropical Pacific
Ocean.
Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser
Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager
Baldwin R. Felipe Head—Ad Solutions
Circulation Manager
HONOR BLANCO CABIE, Editor
EDITORIAL
—“—
This is where we feel
diplomacy is just a
call away – to ensure
peaceful relations
among nations
maneuvers and blocking,” leading
to a collision that resulted in “minor
structural damage to the PCG
vessel,” Coast Guard Commodore
Jay Tarriela said in a post on social
media platform X.
We endorse Manalo’s defense of
the Philippine government’s policy
of publicizing Chinese maneuvers
in contested maritime territory—
including the recent passage of
warships near Scarborough Shoal,
underlining that “It’s merely trying to
inform the people of what’s going on.”
“And some countries or one
country at least has some difficulty
with that,” he said, adding, “But our
simple explanation is if you would
stop harassing us and, and perhaps
Sleeping on the job
The penalty was said to be the largest
ever imposed against a money services
business and was “commensurate with the
severity of Binance’s criminal conduct.”
—“—
The SEC has publicly
banned Binance,
categorically declaring
that it has no authority
to operate as a crypto
exchange
It might do the AMLC good to sim-
ply read the news.
As US District Judge Richard Jones
in Washington said: “Binance profited
from the US financial system without
playing by its rules and, as a result,
criminals used the exchange to move
hundreds of millions of dollars of sto-
len funds and illicit proceeds.”
While the Securities and Exchange
Commission has come up with a sup-
posed “ban” on Binance, this has not
been enforced.
Our agencies will remain the laugh-
ing stock of these cryptocurrency com-
panies and no one will take the Philip-
pine government seriously as long as
the “ban” remains unimplemented.
That cryptocurrency exchanges are
regulated by the SEC and the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas here is undisputed.
Yet Binance, and a number of other
unregulated crypto exchanges are op-
erating in plain sight, easily download-
able by Filipinos as mobile apps, and
blatantly holding public events to at-
tract Filipino users.
We see ads and posters of unregulat-
ed crypto exchanges like CoinEx, Ku-
Coin, BitGet, and ByBit everywhere.
That made it one of the five strong-
est El Niño events ever.
El Niño events are typically as-
sociated with increased rainfall in
parts of southern South America, the
southern United States, the Horn of
Africa and central Asia.
It can also cause severe droughts
over Australia, Indonesia, parts of
southern Asia, Central America and
northern South America.
The WMO says the last El Niño
was in 2015-2016.
Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher
Joyce Pangco Pañares Managing Editor
Jimbo Owen Gulle News Editor
Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
B1
performing other actions, there
wouldn’t be any news to report.”
Philippine officials have repeatedly
said the Philippines is committed to a
peaceful resolution of disputes “through
diplomatic means, or peaceful means,”
but insisted “this will not be done at the
expense of our national interest.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr,
also in Melbourne on Monday, said
the Philippines would push back
when its sovereignty and maritime
rights are ignored.
Speaking at a Lowy Institute forum,
the President said he was committed to
working with Southeast Asian nations
and China for a long-delayed code
of conduct in the South China Sea
anchored on international law.
China claims almost the entire
South China Sea which includes the
West Philippine Sea as its territory,
sweeping aside claims from a host of
Southeast Asian nations.
Scarborough Shoal – a triangular
chain of reefs and rocks in the
disputed South China Sea – has been
a flashpoint between the countries
since China seized it from the
Philippines in 2012 – but the 66-year-
old President Marcos has said the
Philippines will not cede “one square
inch” of territory.
This is where we feel diplomacy is
just a call away – to ensure peaceful
relations among nations which may
include negotiating trade deals,
discussing mutual problems like the
maritime issues, implementing new
policies and tackling disputes.
We hope diplomacy will eventually
win over the bullying tactics of some.
These companies market heavily to
Filipinos despite having no presence
here whatsoever.
What happens to Filipino inves-
tors should these companies suddenly
close, which has happened many times
before?
Remember FTX? Barely two years
ago, FTX was the second biggest global
cryptocurrency exchange. Yet it col-
lapsed in a matter of days, taking with it
billions of dollars in investors’ money.
Imagine if FTX launched a market-
ing campaign here. Do you think Fili-
pinos would stand a chance?
The SEC has publicly banned Binance,
categorically declaring it has no authority
to operate as a crypto exchange.
That should have been enough for
the AMLC, NTC, and others to follow
suit. Yet still no action.
Our efforts pale in comparison to
another country with similar circum-
stances—Nigeria.
Authorities there enjoined local
telecommunications firms to restrict
access to Binance, with several ex-
ecutives arrested and its current CEO
summoned by Congress.
In contrast, not even a slap on the
wrist in the Philippines. What is going
on here, anyway?
Nigeria, like the Philippines, was
included in the Financial Action Task
Force Grey List in February 2023.
By December 2023, they were al-
ready being commended for their ef-
forts to exit.
Meanwhile we are way past our Jan-
uary 2023 FATF deadline.
No surprise why we’re still in the
Grey List, despite the order of the Pres-
ident himself to prioritize our exit.
This should be a wake-up call for
the NTC, the AMLC and other govern-
ment agencies to do the right thing un-
der pain of losing their jobs.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
From 2020 to early 2023, the world
was affected by an unusually pro-
tracted La Nina, which lasted for
three years.
It was the first so-called triple-dip
La Nina of the 21st century and only
the third since 1950.
But its cooling effects did not stop
the nine hottest individual years on
record all being from 2015 onwards.
The WMO has urged drastic green-
house gas emissions cuts to combat
climate change. AFP
Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor
Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer
 CYAN
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QUEZONCITY CITY BRANCH
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QUEZONCITY CITY Branch
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rtc1qzn100@judiciary.gov.ph
rtc1qzn100@judiciary.gov.ph 09153627642
09153627642/ /(02)86506669
(02)86506669/ /(02)88597908
(02)88597908 09153627642
09153627642/ /(02)86506669
(02)86506669/ /(02)88597908
(02)88597908 E-mail:
E-mail:rtc1qzn219@judiciary.gov.ph
rtc1qzn219@judiciary.gov.ph
WEDNESDAY, MARCH
Tel.
Tel.No. 6, 2024
No.8639-1731
8639-1731 rtc2qzn224@judiciary.gov.ph
rtc2qzn224@judiciary.gov.ph rtc2qzn224@judiciary.gov.ph
rtc2qzn224@judiciary.gov.ph Landline:
Landline:8659-6832
8659-6832/ /Mobile:
Mobile:0956-0925873
0956-0925873
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
ININTHE
THEMATTER
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JUDICIAL
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OF JONALYN
JONALYNHOYBIA
HOYBIAKAWAJIRI,
KAWAJIRI,
Petitioner,
Petitioner, Petitioner,
Petitioner,
DIVORCE
DIVORCEDECREE
DECREEAND
AND Petitioner,
Petitioner,
CANCELLATION AND/OR
CANCELLATION AND/OR
-versus-
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R-QZN-23-11466-SP
RACHEL
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roreign
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basedononArticle
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THE
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2626(2)
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basedononArticle
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HIROSHI
HIROSHIMORI, MORI,PHILIPPINE
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PHILIPPINE Rules
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STATISTICS
STATISTICSAUTHORITY,
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Respondents.
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amid reg’l tensions

x----------------------------------------------------------x
x----------------------------------------------------------x REGISTRAR,
REGISTRAR, REGISTRAR,
REGISTRAR,
Respondents, the
theQUEZON
QUEZONCITY CITYLOCAL
LOCALCIVIL CIVIL
ORDER
ORDER Respondents, Respondents,
Respondents,
x-----------------------------------------------------x
x-----------------------------------------------------x x-----------------------------------------------------x
x-----------------------------------------------------x
REGISTRAR,
REGISTRAR, in Norwalk, California
This
Thisisisaaverified
verifiedPetition
Petitionfiled
filedby
byPetitioner
PetitionerRachel
Rachel Respondents.
x------------------------------------------------------x ahead of the California
Respondents.
ORDER
ORDER ORDER
ORDER
Tan x------------------------------------------------------x
Tan Carrasco,
Carrasco, praying,
praying, that
that after
after due
due notice
notice and
and
hearing,
hearing,the
theHonorable
HonorableCourt
Courtrender
renderjudgment;
judgment;
(Notice
(NoticeofofHearing)
Hearing) (Notice
(NoticeofofHearing)
Hearing) ORDER
ORDERAND
ANDNOTICE
NOTICEOF Primary election
OFHEARING
HEARING
BEIJING—China announced Tues- AAverified
verifiedPetition Petitionfor forthe therecognition
recognitionofofforeign foreigndivorce
divorce AAverified
verifiedPetitionPetitionfor forthe therecognition
recognitionofofforeign foreigndivorcedivorce Before
Beforethe thecourt
courtisisa averified
verifiedpetition,
petition,praying on ‘Super
praying that
thatafter Tuesday.’
after due
due
between
betweenthe thepetitioner
petitionerand andrespondent
respondentHiroshi HiroshiMori Mori(“private
(“private between
betweenthe thepetitioner
petitionerand andrespondent
respondentHiroshi HiroshiMori Mori(“private
(“private
day1.it1.GRANTING
would
GRANTING boost
the its defense
theinstant
instant Petition;spend-
Petition; respondent’)
respondent’)was wasfiled,filed,alleging
allegingasasfollows: follows:the thepetitioner
petitionerand and respondent’)
respondent’)was wasfiled,
filed,alleging
allegingasasfollows: follows:the thepetitioner
petitionerand and
notice
notice and
the
theforeign
and hearing,
hearing, a a judgment
foreigndivorce
divorceofofpetitioner
judgment bebe rendered,
petitionerJonalynJonalynHoybia
Americans
rendered, recognizing
HoybiaKawajiri
Kawajiriand
from
recognizing
and
15
ing in 2024, as hostility over Taiwan private
privaterespondent
respondentgot gotmarried
marriedononSeptember September6,6,2006 2006ininChuo-
Chuo- private
privaterespondent
respondentgot gotmarried
marriedononSeptember September6,6,2006 2006ininChuo-Chuo- respondent
respondentYoichi YoichiKawajiri.
Kawajiri. states and one territory
2.2.ORDER
ORDERthe therecognition
recognitionofofthe theCertificate
CertificateofofFinal Final Ku,Ku,Chiba
ChibaShi, Shi,Chiba
ChibaPrefecture,
Prefecture,Japan Japanbeforebeforethe thesolemnizing
solemnizing Ku,Ku,Chiba
ChibaShi, Shi,Chiba
ChibaPrefecture,
Prefecture,Japan Japanbeforebeforethe thesolemnizing
solemnizing
vote on ‘Super Tuesday,’
and in the South
Judgment
Judgment (Divorce)
(Divorce) China
dated
dated17 Sea
17Marchgrows.
March 2022,
2022,dissolving
dissolving officer,
officer,Mayor MayorHiroshi HiroshiOta; Ota;ononDecember December18, 18,2006,
2006,they theyhadhad officer,
officer,Mayor MayorHiroshi HiroshiOta; Ota;ononDecember December18, 18,2006,2006,they theyhadhad The
Thepetition
petitionalleges
allegesasasfollows:
follows:
The
the 7.2 percent
themarriage
marriage between
between increase,
Petitioner
PetitionerRachel identical
Rachel Tan
TanCarrasco
Carrasco
their
theirmarriage
marriageregisteredregisteredwith withthe thePhilippine
PhilippineEmbassy EmbassyininTokyo, Tokyo, their
theirmarriage
marriageregistered
registeredwith withthe thePhilippine
PhilippineEmbassy EmbassyininTokyo, Tokyo, a campaign calendar
Japan;
Japan;the therespondent
respondentworked workedasasa aconstruction
constructionworker workerand andwaswas Japan;
Japan;the therespondent
respondentworked workedasasa aconstruction
constructionworker workerand andwaswas 1.1. Petitioner
PetitionerJonalyn
JonalynHoybiaHoybiaKawajiri,
Kawajiri,Filipino milestone
Filipino and
andrespondent, expected to
respondent,
to last year’s figure, was announced at
andand Respondent
Respondent Ian
Ian David
David Strudwick
Strudwick pursuant
pursuant totothe
the notnot earning
earning enough
enough ininorder
order to to finance
finance even
even his
his own
own personal
personal notnot earning
earning enough
enough ininorder
order to to finance
finance even
even his
his own
own personal
personal Yoichi
YoichiKawajiri,
Kawajiri,Japanese
Japanesecitizen,citizen,were
leave
weremarried
former
marriedononMarch March
US President
Certificate
CertificateofofFinal FinalJudgment
Judgmentdated dated17 17March
March2022 2022 needs;
needs;the thepetitioner
petitioneralso alsolearned
learnedthat thatthe therespondent
respondentwas was needs;
needs;the thepetitioner
petitioneralso alsolearned
learnedthat thatthe therespondent
respondentwas was 18,18,2010
2010whichwhichwas wassolemnized
solemnizedininNakatsugawaNakatsugawaCity, City,Gifu
Gifu
theissued
startbyby
issued ofthe the
the annual
Family
Family Justice
Justicemeeting
Courts
Courtsofof ofthe the
the Republic
Republicofof drowning
drowningininendless endlessdebts debtsand andthe thelacklackofofcash cashflow flowpinned
pinned drowning
drowningininendless endlessdebts debtsand andthe thelacklackofofcash cashflow flowpinned
pinned Prefecture,
Prefecture,Japan;Japan; and 2024 presidential
thethestart
startofofthe thediscord
discordofoftheir theirrelationship;
relationship;their theirmarriage
marriagewas thethestart
startofofthe thediscord
discordofoftheir theirrelationship;
relationship;their theirmarriage
marriagewas
country’s
Singapore;
Singapore;and rubber-stamp
and parliament, blessed
blessedwith witha adaughter
daughterininthe thenamenameofofYuka YukaMori MoriononNovember
November
was
blessed
blessedwith witha adaughter
daughterininthe thenamenameofofYuka YukaMori MoriononNovember
November
was 2.2. After
Aftertheir
theirmarriage
insecurities,
marriagerespondent’s
insecurities,jealousy
jealousyand
respondent’sbehavior
andirresponsibleness.
hopeful
behavior
irresponsibleness. He
was
wasmarked Donald
marked
Herefused
byby
refused
Trump
the National People’s Congress. 15,15,2007;
2007;the therespondent
respondentunilaterally
unilaterallydecided decidedtotoabandon abandonthe the 15,15,2007;
2007;the therespondent
respondentunilaterally
unilaterallydecided decidedtotoabandon abandonthe the totohelphelpcarecarefor fortheir
theirchild
childAoi AoiKajari. a
Kajari. His hair’s
Hisjealousy breadth
jealousyand and from
3.3. DIRECTING
DIRECTING the the Office
Office ofof the the Civil
Civil Registrar
Registrar
China will spend 1.665 trillion petitioner
petitionerand andtheirtheirdaughter
daughterininTokyo TokyototomigratemigratetotoChiba ChibaCityCity petitioner
petitionerand andtheirtheirdaughter
daughterininTokyo TokyototomigratemigratetotoChiba ChibaCity City insecurities
insecuritiestriggered
triggeredhim physicallysecuring
himtotophysically hurt
hurtthe the Republican
thepetitioner.
petitioner.
General
Generalto; to; where
wherehehecould couldgogototowork; work;their theirlong-distance
long-distancerelationshiprelationship where
wherehehecould couldgogototowork; work;their theirlong-distance
long-distancerelationship relationship Their
Theirtumultuous
tumultuousrelationship
relationshiponly onlycamecametotoananend endinin2014,
2014,
yuan ($231.4 billion) on defense in made
made it difficult
it difficult forforthe
the couple
couple to to maintain
maintain their
their communication;
communication; made
made it difficult
it difficult for
forthe
the couple
couple to to maintain
maintain their
their communication;
communication; after
afterpetitioner
petitionerfiled filedforfordivorce
divorcebybyvirtue Party’s presidential
virtueofofa adistrict
districtcourt
court
2024, accordinga.a.REGISTER
REGISTER toAND theRECORD
AND budget the
RECORD theCertificate
report Certificateofof thethe
ananend
petitioner
petitioner expressed
expressed her
her desire
desire toto seek
seek a adivorce
divorce and
and put
put thethe petitioner
petitioner expressed
expressed her
her desire
desire toto seek
seek a adivorce
divorce and
and put
put judgment.
judgment. nomination. AFP
endtototheir theirrelationship
relationshiptotowhich whichthe therespondent
respondentacceded accededbyby ananend endtototheir theirrelationship
relationshiptotowhich whichthe therespondent
respondentacceded accededbyby 3.3. TheThe divorce
divorce decree
decree became
became final
final onon February
February 7, 2014.
7, 2014. OnOn
Final
FinalJudgment
Judgmentdated dated17 17March
March2022 2022issued
issuedby bythethe
that lays Family
Family outJusticetheCourts
Justice government’s
Courtsofofthe theRepublic
Republicfinan-
ofofSingapore,
Singapore,
filing
was
filingfor
wasfiled
fordivorce;
divorce;ononMarch
filedatatthe theOffice
March30,
Officeofofthe
30,2012,
theMayor
2012,a aCertificate
CertificateofofAcceptance
MayorofofMusashinoMusashinoCity,
Acceptance
City,Tokyo,
Tokyo,
filing
was
filingfor
wasfiled
fordivorce;
divorce;ononMarch
filedatatthe theOffice
March30,
Officeofofthe
30,2012,
theMayor
2012,a aCertificate
CertificateofofAcceptance
MayorofofMusashinoMusashinoCity,
Acceptance
City,Tokyo,
Tokyo,
March
March10, 10,2014,
2014,a aNotification
NotificationofofDivorce Divorcewas wasissued
issuedbybythe the
Mayor
MayorofofNakatsugawa
NakatsugawaCity, City,Gifu GifuPrefecture,
Prefecture,which whichlaterlater
cial plans finally
finallyfor dissolving
dissolving
the year thethemarriage
marriagebetween
ahead. betweenPetitioner
Petitioner Japan
Japanand andit itwas wasthereafter
thereafterregistered
registeredunder underthe theFamily
FamilyRegister
Register Japan
Japanand andit itwaswasthereafter
thereafterregistered
registeredunder underthe theFamily
FamilyRegister
Register issued
issueda aCertificate
CertificateofofAcceptance.
Acceptance. The Thesaid
saiddivorce
divorcewas was
Rachel
Rachel TanTan Carrasco
Carrasco and
and Respondent
Respondent Ian
Ian David
David ofofHiroshi
HiroshiMori; Mori;and andthatthatsheshesubmits
submitsthe theApostilled
ApostilledCertificate
Certificate ofofHiroshi
HiroshiMori; Mori;and andthatthatsheshesubmits
submitsthe theApostilled
ApostilledCertificate
Certificate then
then registered
registered under
under the
the Family
Family Register
Register ofofYoichi
Yoichi Kawajiri.
Kawajiri.
China Strudwick;
has the world’s second-larg- ofofAcceptance
AcceptanceofofDivorce, Divorce,Apostilled
ApostilledFamily FamilyRegister
RegisterofofHiroshi
Hiroshi ofofAcceptance
AcceptanceofofDivorce, Divorce,Apostilled
ApostilledFamily FamilyRegisterRegisterofofHiroshiHiroshi 4.4. The Thedivorce
divorceobtained
obtainedbybythe thepartie
partieisisvalidvalidand
andrecognized
Strudwick;and and recognized
est defense budget behind the United Mori,
Mori,and anda acertified
certifiedtrue truecopy
copyofofthe theEnglisht
Englishttranslation
translationofofthe the Mori,
Mori,and anda acertified
certifiedtrue truecopy
copyofofthe theEnglisht
Englishttranslation
translationofofthe the under
underthe theJapanese
JapaneseLaws. Laws.
Civil
CivilCode
CodeofofJapan Japanissuedissuedbybythe theDepartment
DepartmentofofForeign ForeignAffairs.
Affairs. Civil
CivilCode
CodeofofJapan Japanissued
issuedbybythe theDepartment
DepartmentofofForeign ForeignAffairs.
Affairs. 5.5. Petitioner
PetitionerJonalyn
JonalynHoybia HoybiaKawajiriKawajirinow nowseeks
seeksthat thatsaid
said
States, even though the People’s Lib-
b.b. CANCEL
CANCEL AND/OR
AND/OR CORRECT
CORRECT the
theentries
entries and/
and/ foreign
foreigndivorce
divorcebeberecognized,
recognized,and andthat thatshe
shebebedeclared
declared
ororrecords
recordsofofmarriage marriageofofPetitionerPetitionerRachel RachelTan Tan The
The petitioner
petitioner prays prays that that judgment
judgment bebe rendered: rendered: (1) (1) The
The petitioner
petitioner prays prays that that judgment
judgment bebe rendered: rendered: (1) (1)
eration Army and
Carrasco
Carrasco and
surpasses
Respondent
Respondent Ian
the US Ian David
mili- Strudwick
David Strudwick recognizing
recognizingthe thedivorce
divorcebetween
betweenpetitioner petitionerKatrineKatrineJoyceJoyceDizonDizon recognizing
recognizingthe thedivorce
divorcebetween
betweenpetitioner petitionerKatrineKatrineJoyce JoyceDizon Dizon
capacitated
capacitated totoremarry.
remarry.

tary by number of personnel. Mori

Moriand andrespondent
respondentHiroshi HiroshiMori Moriregistered
registeredunder underthe theFamily
Family Mori
Moriand andrespondent
respondentHiroshi HiroshiMori Moriregistered
registeredunder underthe theFamily
Family

Pyongyang warns of consequences

found
found ininthe thePhilippine
Philippine Statistics
StatisticsAuthority.
Authority. Finding
Findingthe thepetition
petitiontotobebesufficient
sufficientininform, form,the
thesame
sameisisgivengiven
Register
RegisterofofHiroshi HiroshiMori MoriininOffice
Officeofofthe theMayor
MayorofofMusashino
MusashinoCity, City, Register
RegisterofofHiroshi HiroshiMori MoriininOffice
Officeofofthe theMayor
MayorofofMusashino
MusashinoCity, City, due
duecourse.
course.
Still, China’s military spend is Tokyo,
Tokyo,Japan; Japan;and and(2) (2)ordering
orderingthe theOffice
Officeofofthe theCivil
CivilRegistrar
Registrar Tokyo,
Tokyo,Japan; Japan;and and(2) (2)ordering
orderingthe theOffice
Officeofofthe theCivil
CivilRegistrar
Registrar
Finding
Finding the the Petition
Petition toto be be sufficient
sufficient inin form form and and andandthe thePhilippine
PhilippineStatisticsStatisticsAuthority
Authoritytotoannotate annotatethe theDIvorce
around
substance,
three
substance,notice
times
noticeisishereby
smaller
herebygiven giventhat
than
thatthe thepetition
petitionisis Decree
Decreeininthe theReport
ReportofofMarriageMarriageofofthe theparties
partiesand
DIvorce
andcorrect/
correct/
andandthe
Decree
thePhilippine
Decreeininthe
PhilippineStatistics
theReport
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over Washington-Seoul war drills

myRoad, will maintain “reasonable growth” WHEREFORE,
WHEREFORE, notice notice isis hereby hereby set set onon April April 25. 25. 2024
2024 WHEREFORE,
WHEREFORE, notice notice isis hereby hereby set set onon April April 25. 25. 2024
2024 why
whythe thepetition
petitionshould
shouldnot notbebegranted.
granted.
Road,Diliman,Diliman,Quezon QuezonCity Cityatatwhichwhichdate dateand andtime,
time, atat11:30
11:30ininthe themorning
morningatatwhich whichdate dateand andtime,time,allallpersons
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allpersons
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any, AtAtthetheexpense
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sovereignty, thesecurity andnot
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expense
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than the United States or Russia, ac- Washington with
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SOORDERED.
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thePhilippine
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the serious Civil level
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6.6. Yoichi
YoichiKawajiri
moment,”
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the if attacked, calling Seoul the North’s
2525January
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But its defense expansion is viewed
QuezonCity, City,Metro
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Manila. scale military
Registrar
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courier. would entail missile
registered interception
mail or accredited drills,
private courier. North Korea has long condemned and invariable arch-enemy.”
with suspicion by Washington, as registered mail or accredited private courier.
Presiding
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Moreover,
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thePetitioner
Petitioner January, North Korea fired an ar-
well as other powers in the region
Copy
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furnished:
urging theanyany
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publication ofofthis
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Order. It has carriedSOSOout ORDERED.
weapons tests
ORDERED.
border islands, prompting a live-fire
Makati City,Metro
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theIAN
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(Sgd.)ZITA ZITAMARIE M.M.ATIENZA-FAJARDO (Sgd.)
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ALCANTARA JOAQUIN AND ALCANTARA LAW – counsel for declared South Korea its MARIE “principal ATIENZA-FAJARDO
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Hamas. AFP
Calacal “The threat of war may not be im-
PARTICULARLY
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JONATHAN
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mission chief Ursula von der Leyen
Wife
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KATRINAJOYJOYC.C. said last Republic week,
Republic ofofthe adding:
the Philippines
Philippines “It is time for
EROA,
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Regional up.”
TrialCourt Court
National Capital
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NATIONAL
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REGISTRARGENERAL GENERALOF OFTHETHEPHILIPPINE
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CARMELITA
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OTHER ing the Soviet Union’s collapse in the

Iran executed 834 people last year—rights groups

Petitioner,
Petitioner,
PERSONS
PERSONSWHO WHOMAY MAYBE BEAFFECTED
AFFECTEDTHEREBY,THEREBY,
Respondents.
Respondents. -versus-
-versus-
1990s, she said. CASE
CASENO. NO.R-QZN-21-12122-CV
R-QZN-21-12122-CV
x----------------------------------------------------------x
x----------------------------------------------------------x
ORDER
ORDER
The war For: For:Declaration
in UkraineofofNullity
Declaration hasofofforced
Nullity
Marriage
Marriage(Art. (Art.35[4])
35[4])
AAverified
verifiedPetition
Petitionwas wasfiled
filedbefore
beforethis
thisCourt
CourtononDecember
December Brussels to innovate, and an EU de-
19.
19.2023
2023bybypetitioner
petitionerJonathan
JonathanPeraPeraEroa,
Eroa,praying
prayingforforthe
the PARIS—Iran executed a “staggering” total of at least 834 people It marked only the second time in two de-MARISSA MARISSA fense ILAO strategy
HIDALGO, to be presented Tues-
ILAOHIDALGO,
correction
correctionofofentry
entryininthe
theCertificate
CertificateofofLive
Livebirth
birthofofhis
hisdaughter
daughter Respondent.
Respondent.
Carlisle
CarlisleSamantha
SamanthaC.C.Eroa, Eroa,particularly
particularlyEntry
EntryNo.
No.1111pertaining
pertaining last year, the highest number since 2015 as capital punishment day by commissioner Thierry Breton
cades that over 800 executions were recordedx---------------------------------------------------x
x---------------------------------------------------x
totothe
thefather’s
father’smiddle
middlename namefrom
from“Calacal”
“Calacal”toto“Pera”.
“Pera”. borrows from some mechanisms al-
surged in the Islamic republic, two rights groups said Tuesday. in a year, after 972 executions in 2015, Nor- SUMMONS
SUMMONS BY BYPUBLICATION
PUBLICATION
Finding
Finding the
the verified
verified Petition
Petition toto bebe sufficient
sufficient inin form
form and
and The number of executions, which Iran has carried out by hanging way-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-basedTO: TO:
ready put in place.
substance,
substance,the
theCourt
Courtgives
givesdue
duecourse
coursethereto.
thereto.
in recent years, was up some 43 percent on 2022. Together Against the Death Penalty said in theMARISSAMARISSAILAO These
ILAO HIDALGO
HIDALGO include the bloc’s Act in
3789
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WHEREFORE,
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Production
newspaper
newspaperofofgeneral
generalcirculation
circulationininthe
thePhilippines
Philippinesonce
oncea aweek
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for
for three (3) consecutive weeks at petitioner’s expense,upon
three (3) consecutive weeks at petitioner’s expense, upon The groups accused Iran of using the death GREETINGS:
GREETINGS: (ASAP), which according to Breton
coordination
coordinationwith
withthe
theOffice
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theClerk
ClerkofofCourt,
Court,Regional
RegionalTrial
Trial penalty to spread fear throughout society in the2023 Pursuant
Pursuant will totothe swell
the Orderthe
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this Court
Courtdated of December
dated shells
Decemberpro- 21,21,
Court,
Court,Quezon
QuezonCity.
City. 2023granting
grantingpetitioner’s
petitioner’sMotionMotionfor forLeave
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wake of the protests sparked by the SeptemberSummons duced
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Hall
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atatwhich
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appear
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whythe thepetition
petitionshould
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notbebegranted.
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“Instilling societal fear is the regime’s only NOW NOWTHEREFORE,
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respondent MARISSAILAO ILAOHIDALGOHIDALGO
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forDeclaration
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voring common purchases of weap-
Iran has executed nine men in cases linkedofofthethePhilippines. under
under Article
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resides.
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fileher made
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circulationininthe thePhilippines,
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SO
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ORDERED. “Of particular concern is the dramatic escala-the
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evidenceininsupport
2023, which rose to 471 people, more than 18ofofthethepetition. petition. AnHowever, overall
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Cc:
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WITNESS theTHE USHONORABLE
THE one.
HONORABLE JOSE JOSE L.L. BAUTISTA,BAUTISTA, JR., JR.,
th th
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ity were executed in total, accounting for 20 creating a “catalogue” so that EU
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percent of the total executions in 2023, even (Sgd.)
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though the minority accounts for only around members’ defence industries can of-
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BUSINESS B3
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
extrastory2000@gmail.com

PCC, Australian counterpart AEV earned P23.5b

share competition practices
By Othel V. Campos The MOU encourages technical
assistance and capacity-building
activities between the two agencies, as
for its achievements in promoting fair and
driven by power
business in 2023
By Jenniffer B. Austria
competitive markets in the Philippines.
“The ACCC is proud to be a partner CONGLOMERATE Aboitiz Equity

T
he Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) well as coordination and cooperation of the PCC in advancing the common Ventures Inc. (AEV) said Tuesday
and the Australian Competition and Consumer on cases of mutual interest, subject to goals of consumer welfare and net income dropped 2 percent in 2023
Commission (ACCC) signed a memorandum confidentiality and legal requirements. economic development,” she said. to P23.5 billion from P24 billion in
Aguinaldo thanked the ACCC for She expressed confidence that the 2022 in the absence of one-time gains
of understanding (MOU) in Canberra to strengthen its ongoing support to the PCC since MOU will foster closer collaboration and lower contribution from banking
cooperation on competition advocacy and enforcement. its establishment in 2016, specifically between the two agencies. business.
its assistance in finalizing Philippine The PCC is the Philippines’ primary Core net income, which excludes
PCC chairperson Michael Aguinaldo “The MOU will further solidify Competition Act rules and regulations, competition authority responsible for non-recurring net gains of P1.4
and ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb the strong bilateral ties between the secondments of personnel under the enforcing the Philippine Competition billion, reached P22.1 billion in 2023,
signed the MOU on Feb. 28, 2024, Philippines and Australia and will Competition Law Implementation Act. The ACCC is Australia’s or 8 percent higher than a year ago.
which aims to facilitate the exchange enable the PCC to contribute to the Program (CLIP) and regular capacity- independent statutory authority that Power business remained the
of information, experiences and best effective enforcement of their respective building activities. administers the Competition and biggest contributor to the group’s
practices on competition law and policy. competition laws,” Aguinaldo said. Cass-Gottlieb commended the PCC Consumer Act of 2010. net income in 2023, accounting for
67 percent, followed by financial
services at 18 percent.

PH stocks slump Income contributions from

infrastructure, food and real estate

on higher inflation, strategic business units (SBUs) were

at 6 percent, 5 percent, and 4 percent,

track US market
PHILIPPINE stocks ended lower
Tuesday on higher-than-expected
February inflation and the decline in
US markets.
The 30-company Philippine Stock
Exchange index dropped 46.21
points, or 0.67 percent, to close at
6,905.46, while the broader all-shares
index went down by 14.68 points, or
0.41 percent, to 3,604.27.
Philstocks Financial Inc. research
analyst Mikhail Plopenio said the
market declined as investors digested
the February inflation data, which
came in at 3.4 percent, higher than
January’s 2.8 percent.
“This also broke the 4-month
declining trend in inflation,” Plopenio
said.
“Wall Street’s decline overnight
spilled over to the bourse as well,
amid profit taking after S&P and
NASDAQ reached record highs last
week,” Plopenio said.
Market turnover reached
P4.8 billion, as foreign buying
continued to boost the market with
overseas buying reaching P308.8
respectively.
“Building on our resilience and
steady core performance, we are ready
for another exciting phase of growth
and innovation. Our acquisition of
Coke’s bottling operations with our
partner Coca Cola European Partners
accelerates our diversification into
the consumer market. And the
recently announced investment of
AboitizPower in gas projects with
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and
San Miguel Global Power diversifies
our energy mix as we transition to
cleaner energy. We are confident that
2024 will be a transformative year
for AEV and its business units,” said
Aboitiz Group president and chief
executive Sabin Aboitiz.
AEV’s net income more than
doubled to P5.5 billion in fourth
quarter alone compared to P2.7 billion
reported in the same period in 2022.
Income contribution of Aboitiz
Power Corp. to AEV in 2023 rose 28
GLOBIS HUB. GLOBIS University, Japan’s largest business school, launches its sixth global hub, GLOBIS Manila, percent year-on-year to P17.3 billion.
with an inaugural event led by president and founder Yoshito Hori. Started in 1992, GLOBIS established itself as On a stand-alone basis, the core net
the largest business school in Japan, with a global presence spanning the United States, Europe, China, Singapore, income of AboitizPower grew by
Thailand and now the Philippines. The event unveiled the institution’s commitment to the Philippine market and
29 percent in 2023 to P32 billion in
introduced its pre-MBA program, now accepting enrollees for its April 2024 term.
2023, from P24.8 billion in 2022.

AC Logistics, Glacier Megafridge to build cold storage facility in Panabo City

million.
Meanwhile, Asian markets largely
fell on Tuesday after China set an
ambitious five percent annual growth
target and Wall Street shares dropped
ahead of the release of key US
economic indicators.
Tokyo finished flat, a day after
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index hit
a record high, closing above 40,000
points for the first time.
Wall Street retreated on Monday as
investors locked in profits after recent
rallies fueled by tech optimism.
In China on Tuesday, leaders set a
2024 growth target of five percent, in
line with last year’s GDP gains but
GMAC Logitech Refrigeration Corp.
(GMAC), a joint venture of Ayala’s AC
Logistics Holdings Corp. and Glacier
Megafridge Inc., is set to build a cold
storage facility in Panabo City, Davao
del Norte.
AC Logistics said in a statement
Tuesday the planned cold storage
facility would have a capacity of
11,798 industrial pallet once it becomes
operational by the first quarter of 2025.
The facility is expected to cater to
local food producers, manufacturers,
importers, institutional food service and
quick service restaurant clients.
This will also triple GMAC’s capacity
to 17,000 industrial pallets by 2025.
“This is the second cold storage
facility that GMAC will build and
operate following the first facility
in Cagayan De Oro which opened
last year and there are other plans
to develop cold storage facilities in
several locations in the country as a
demonstration of our commitment to
ensure food safety and preservation,”
said AC Logistics president and chief
executive and GMAC director Rene
Almendras.
GMAC opened its first storage facility
in 2023 in Tablon, Cagayan de Oro City.
The Davao cold storage will be located
within the ANFLO Industrial Estate, a
PEZA-registered special economic zone
in Davao del Norte that is owned and
operated by Damosa Land Inc.
The 63-hectare industrial park,
equipped with modern facilities and
logistics support that serve agri-
industrial operations, is ideal because of
its proximity to the Davao International
Container Terminal.
GMI is a technology-driven company
which has been in the cold storage
and logistics industry since 2005
serving importers, food processors,
manufacturers and food and beverage
retailers. Jenniffer B. Austria

Subic solar power project adds

well off the double-digit expansion
that for years drove the world’s
second-largest economy.

72-MW capacity to Luzon grid

At the National People’s Congress,
an annual rubber-stamp legislative
session, the focus this week will be on
China’s struggling economy, which is
beset by a prolonged property sector
crisis, record youth unemployment,
and a global slowdown that is
hammering demand for Chinese
exports.
“Beijing is setting a status quo GDP
target in a down market to project
confidence and slow the downward
economic spiral,” Drew Thompson,
a former Pentagon official and senior
fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School
of Public Policy in Singapore, told
Bloomberg.
“Without major consumer-centric
stimulus or market liberalization
policies, foreign businesses in China
will continue to face challenges.”
Jenniffer B. Austria with AFP
By Alena Mae S. Flores
EMERGING Power Inc. said
Tuesday an additional 72 megawatts
of solar energy capacity from its
subsidiary Jobin-SQM Inc. (JSI) is
now connected to the Luzon grid and
commenced energization.
EPI said in a statement the
expansion brings JSI’s installed and
operational solar power capacity to
DIGITAL AGRICULTURE. Officials from PLDT Enterprise and Charoen 172 MW, making it one of the largest
Pokphand Foods Philippines Corp. sign a landmark partnership to revolutionize
connectivity in rural farming, ensuring innovation and sustainability for the agro-
in the country coming from a single
solar power generation plant.
industry. Signing the agreement are (from left) Charoen Pokphand IT department
heads Adrian Dela Rosa and Raymark Oconer, assistant vice president Park JSI’s renewable energy generation
asset is located in a contiguous area in
Kitchaichankul, PLDT Enterprise vice president and enterprise revenue group head Jay
Mt. Sta. Rita situated within the Subic
Lagdameo, assistant vice president and customer relationship management head for
Luzon Dennis Magbatoc and customer relationship management business head for Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales.
North Luzon Rex Gongora. “The additional capacity is using
the 580-watt solar PV panels, thereby
optimizing the generation capability
within the available land area. The
panels are arranged in a sprawling
layout housing 14 medium voltage
(MV) stations,” the company said.
It said the expansion project also
includes the installation of a compact
state-of-the-art substation.
The substation has smart features
supporting advanced communications
and remote operations control
functions including faster response
time in case of technical incidents.
The new substation servicing the
72-MW expansion connects via a
new transmission line to the existing
substation servicing the 100MW solar
plant.

RCBC aligns sustainability framework with global standards DIGITAL COMMERCE.

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp.
(RCBC) said Tuesday it amended its
Sustainable Finance Framework to
align with current global standards.
RCBC said in a disclosure to the
stock exchange the new framework
follows the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) Guidelines
on Eligible Blue Projects and the
International Finance Corp. (IFC)
Guidelines for Blue Finance.
“We remain to be a catalyst for
positive change through responsible
finance which can help contribute
to the protection and restoration of
our planet’s invaluable ecosystems.
The amended framework also
reinforces our support in addressing
societal needs toward sustainable
development,” RCBC president and
chief executive Eugene Acevedo said.
He said it was also updated to
align with latest developments from
the International Capital Market
Association (ICMA) on Green Bond
Principles, Social Bond Principles
and Sustainability Bond Guidelines,
as well as with the Loan Market
Association (LMA), Asia Pacific
Loan Market Association (APLMA)
and Loan Syndications and Trading
Association (LSTA) Green Loan and
Social Loan Principles.
It continues to conform to the
ASEAN Capital Markets Forum
(ACMF) Green Bond, Social Bond
TikTok Shop Philippines
continues to showcase its
and Sustainability Bond Standards. transformative impact on the
The framework was amended digital commerce landscape,
under the supervision of the redefining the shopping
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. experience through
(SMBC) Singapore Sustainability innovative ‘Shoppertainment’
strategies. Adriann Eusebio,
Solutions Group APAC and a second total foods commercial
party opinion has been issued director-PH at PepsiCo Inc.,
by Sustainalytics, affirming the says the company achieved
alignment of the bank’s Sustainable success with TikTok Shop,
Finance Framework with relevant posting 600-percent GMV
principles and market practices. growth. Since its local
The bank said its updated launch in 2022, TikTok Shop
Sustainable Finance Framework has impacted businesses
remains aligned with the four of all sizes, fostering brand
pillars of sustainable finance: use discovery and sales through
engaging content and a
of proceeds, project evaluation and vibrant community.
selection, management of proceeds
and reporting. Jenniffer B. Austria
B4
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
extrastory2000@gmail.com
RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor
BUSINESS
ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

BoC collection hit

P70.6b, topped
February target
T
HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday it
collected P70.601-billion revenues in February
2024, up from P63 billion in the same period last
year.
“Preliminary reports showed that
the bureau exceeded February 2024
revenue goal by generating a surplus
of 6.64 percent, or P4.393 billion over
the target of P66.207 billion,” the
agency said in a statement.
Data showed, however, that the
February figure went down from
P73.3 billion the agency collected in
January. BOC is in charge of collect-
ing import tariff.
“From year-to-date, the BOC’s
collection grew by an impressive
P10.444 billion, or 7.82 percent com-
pared to 2023 collection in the same
period. This notable increase high-
lights the BOC’s commitment for ex-
cellence and dedication in enhancing
its collection performance,” the BOC
said.
It said several factors contributed to
the surge in BOC collection, includ-
ing the agency’s higher assessment
rate due to improved system of deter-
mining the customs value of imported
goods.
“Through enhanced strategies and
technological advancements, the
BOC has optimized its procedures
and trade facilitation efforts,” it said.
The BOC said it also bolstered its
border protection and anti-smuggling
campaign. The agency participated
last month in the World Customs Or-
ganization Regional Intelligence Li-
aison Office for Asia and the Pacific,
reflecting the bureau’s drive to further
strengthen its anti-smuggling capa-
bilities.
Department of Finance Secretary
Ralph Recto, during the BOC’s 122nd
anniversary, reiterated the bureau’s
mission to meet revenue targets while
emphasizing its impact on the Fili-
pino people.
“The BOC’s target to raise P1 tril-
lion this year is not a mere ledger en-
try to be submitted to the government.
Rather, it will fund a spreadsheet of
programs, including the solutions to
the problems that you yourselves en-
counter every day,” Recto said.
BIR Commissioner Bienvenido
Rubio affirmed the agency’s role in
revenue generation. “We remain
committed to our mission of excel-
lence, fiscal responsibility and service
to the Filipino people. As we con-
tinue to innovate and adapt to evolv-
ing challenges, the BOC is poised to
achieve even greater milestones in the
future,” he said. Vito Barcelo
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (sixth from left) and Cabinet Secretaries meet
with representatives from Macquarie Group, a leading financial services company in Melbourne, Australia. The
high-level meeting emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to building robust partnerships with key private
companies like Macquarie Group. With the president are (from left) Macquarie Capital Philippines managing
director and head Justin Ocampo, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines HK
Yu, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Macquarie Capital Infrastructure Energy and Capital Asia Pacific
head Ivan Varughese, Macquarie Group managing director and chief executive Shemara Wikramanayake, Trade
Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Canberra PE Ambassador Ma. Hellen De La Vega and
Australian Embassy in Manila senior trade and investment commissioner Christopher Lim.
Petron’s net income jumped 51% to P10.1b in 2023
By Alena Mae S. Flores (LPG) sales backed by higher produc- Petron sold 79.5 million barrels un-
tion at its Bataan and Port Dickson re- der its Philippine operations in 2023,
OIL refiner Petron Corp. said Tuesday fineries drove the group’s strong vol- higher than 2022’s 68.5 million bar-
it posted a consolidated net income of ume performance. rels.
P10.1 billion last year, or 51 percent “Our strategy to capture the eco- The company fortified its leader-
higher than the P6.7 billion reported nomic resurgence and minimize ex- ship in the retail, industrial and LPG
in 2022 on the back of a 13-percent ternal pressures played a key role markets supported by the sustained
increase in sales. to our success. While challenges re- economic recovery and Petron’s ef-
The company said in a statement it mained, our company managed to fective marketing strategies.
delivered a combined sales volume of deliver significant improvements in It noted the more than 50-percent
126.9 million barrels, up from 112.8 high-demand sectors. We are commit- growth in jet fuel which cornered
million barrels sold in 2022, fueled ted to strengthen these efforts, among about 80 percent of the market in
by its wide presence and effective other initiatives that will not only so- 2023.
volume-generation strategies in the lidify our recovery but will also take Domestic LPG sales rose 26 per-
Philippines and Malaysia. us further ahead in nation-building,” cent year-on-year on the strength of
It said the significant growth in its Petron president and chief executive Petron’s LPG brands, Petron Gasul
jet fuel and liquefied petroleum gas Ramon Ang said. and Fiesta Gas.

NDC, Bistro Group DOJ, industry group vow to address

sign 25-year lease
for Makati property
THE National Development Com-
pany (NDC), an investment arm of
the Philippine government, said it
signed a 25-year commercial lease
with TBG Shared Services Inc., the
operator of 23 restaurant brands in
the Philippines including TGI Fri-
days, Hard Rock Cafe and Texas
Roadhouse.
The long-term commercial lease
covers a vacant lot owned by NDC
along Kamagong Street, Makati
City and will become the site of
TBG Shared Services’ new corpo-
rate head office.
“Kamagong St. is an integral
part of our company’s history. We
established our roots in this space
in 1994 and it has been our home
since. It was a testament to the
growth of The Bistro Group for
legal issues hampering BPO industry
By Othel V. Campos
THE Department of Justice (DOJ)
and key stakeholders reaffirmed their
commitment to fostering competi-
tion, driving innovation and address-
ing legal issues within the informa-
tion technology and business process
management (IT-BPM) industry.
The IT and Business Process Asso-
ciation of the Philippines (IBPAP) in
collaboration with the DOJ-Office for
Competition discussed justice issues
in the sector in a recent forum.
“As an industry, it is to our collec-
tive advantage to contribute to re-
solving these issues that hinder our
RECOVERY ASSISTANCE. Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corp. holds its annual growth,” said IBPAP chief policy of-
‘Agripost Conference’ to celebrate and recognize the top-performing local retailers
in various parts of the country. The event also serves as an opportunity to provide ficer Celeste Ilagan.
product and industry updates to its partners. “Failing to address these challenges
jeopardizes our target of creating 1.1
million jobs by 2028 and generating
$59 billion in export revenue,” she
said.
Both entities underscored the im-
portance of promoting a legal frame-
work that deters illegal practices and
encourages healthy competition with-
in the industry.
“The government’s support to the
IT-BPM sector is unwavering, How-
ever, adapting laws and regulations to
the evolving cyber landscape is cru-
cial to enable continued innovation,”
said DOJ Undersecretary Geronimo
Sy.
DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Bata-
pa-Sigue highlighted the need to im-
prove existing policies to address the
changing landscape.

nearly 30 years. We find this an
ideal location for some Bistro res-
taurants that we will open at the
ground level in the near future,”
said TBG president Jean Paul Man-
uud.
The hub will consist of up to five
floors of office space, along with
planned commercial spaces at the
ground-floor.
NDC general manager Anton
Mauricio said the lease represents
a professional business partnership
and model of cooperation between
the private sector and the public
sector.
A state-owned enterprise, the
NDC is the government’s invest-
ment arm undertaking vital projects
on its own, or in joint venture with
the private sector. Othel V. Cam-
DITO rated top mobile network in 2023 Ookla awards
DITO Telecommunity clinched the
leading mobile network spot in the
Philippines at the Ookla Speedtest
Awards 2023.
Ookla, the global leader in network
intelligence and connectivity insights
and pioneer of the world-renowned
Speedtest and Downdetector plat-
forms, said DITO achieved a rating of
3.6 based on comprehensive data col-
lected from July 1 to July 31, 2023.
DITO chief executive and president
Eric Alberto and chief revenue officer-
consumer Evelyn Jimenez received the
award from Ookla chief executive Ste-
phen Bye at the Ookla Booth during the
Mobile World Congress in Barcelona,
Spain on Feb. 27, 2024.
“After conducting an in-depth
analysis of consumer-initiated tests
taken with Speedtest, DITO has been
named the Top Rated Mobile Net-
work in the Philippines by Ooklaʼs
Speedtest Awards,” said Bye.
“This award is given to mobile
network operators that demonstrate
exceptional ratings in comparison
to other major mobile networks in
the market for Q3-Q4 2023. We are
thrilled to acknowledge DITO for this
achievement, which is the result of
their unwavering focus on delivering
Meralco seeks ERC approval for 1,800 MW
a superior network experience to their
customers,” said Bye.
The Top Rated Award, bestowed on
top providers, is determined by users
who complete tests on Speedtest.net
or via the Speedtest applications on
Android and iOS devices.
Consumers are prompted to “Rate
Your Provider” on a scale of one to
five stars. Each survey response asso-
ciated with the test results is subjected
to the same data quality filtering and
sample construction applied to the
Speedtest Fastest Awards to ensure
the data is accurate and reflects con-
sumer behavior.
ACEN, Marubeni
investing in BESS
projects in Australia
ACEN Australia, a unit of ACEN
Corp. and Marubeni Asian Power
Singapore signed an agreement for
the joint development of battery
energy storage systems in Austra-
lia with projected investments of
around Au$250 million.
The 50-50 partnership involved a
200 megawatt/400 megawatt-hour
BESS in New South Wales targeted
for completion by 2025, with a po-
tential for expansion.
The signing ceremony for the
agreement took place at the Philip-
pine Business Forum held in Mel-

of supply with lower rates for consumers
POWER retailer Manila Electric Co.
said Tuesday it filed for approval with
the Energy Regulatory Commission
three separate power supply agree-
ments (PSA) covering 1,800-mega-
watt baseload requirement that would
save consumers about P11 billion.
Meralco and Excellent Energy Re-
GLOBAL AWARD. TEAM ADVENTURINE, led by BS Sanitary Engineering students sources Inc. filed a joint application
Jose Luis Valencia, Nathaniel Regodon and Maureen Fadullo at Batangas State University, with the ERC for approval of their
The National Engineering University (BatStateU), guided by their mentor Dr. Mark Sibag
PSA that is seen to save consumers
showcase their innovative design ‘Green Sustainable Phyto-fence Assembled using Cured
Source-collected Urine for Urban Environmental Balance (SPACE)’ which won third place at
nearly P7 billion.
the World Engineering Day (WED) Hackathon on March 4, 2024. Organized annually by the EERI won the bid to supply 1,200
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in collaboration MW to Meralco out of its 1,800
with Engineers Without Borders International (EWB-I) and The Big Creative, the WED -MW requirement following a com-
Hackathon represents a global initiative for cooperation and innovation in engineering. petitive selection process or bidding
held last year.
EERI was awarded the PSA for its
offer of P7.1094 per kWh (total deliv-
ered levelized cost of electricity, VAT
inclusive). EERI will supply Meralco
from its 1,275-MW combined cycle
power plant in Ilijan, Batangas City.
Meralco and EERI submitted the
PSA for approval to the ERC after ex-
ecuting it on Feb. 5, 2024.
The parties said that given a certain
set of assumptions, the annual effec-
tive rate under the Meralco-EERI
PSA is P6.0417 per kWh (at plant
gate, VAT exclusive).
Alena Mae S. Flores
bourne on Monday and was pre-
sented to the President Ferdinand
Romualdez Marcos Jr.
David Pollington, ACEN Aus-
tralia managing director, said the
agreement shows the collaborative
efforts of Marubeni and ACEN to
promote the sustainable supply of
renewable energy in Australia.
“ACEN has a bold strategy to help
Australia transition to a clean energy
future, and we are excited by this part-
nership with Marubeni. Battery stor-
age will play a critical role in bringing
renewable energy projects to life and
clean electricity for Australian homes
and businesses,” Pollington said.
Alena Mae S. Flores
SPORTS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor
RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor
C1
EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor

Junior Altas
vs. Red Robins,
Staglets battle
Squires in semis
By Dennis Abrina
AFTER finishing the elimination
round with an 8-1 card, the no. 1 Per-
petual Junior Altas are now preparing
for the Final Four against no. 4 Ma-
layan School (Mapua) Red Robins on
Sunday in season 99 of the National
Collegiate Athletic Association at the
FilOil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.
This is the first time since 2010
that the Las Piñas team has entered
the semifinals, with a twice-to-beat
advantage to boot.
The Junior Altas-Red Robins’ game
Carlo Biado
will take place at noon, while Letran
presented drapes
Squires (No. 2) and SSCR Staglets
his gold medal
(No. 3) face off at 2:30 p.m.
around the
The Altalettes of coach Joph Cleopas
neck of his wife
hope to enter the finals for the first time
Niecky. (Predator
in 40 years since joining the league in
Pro Billiard
1984 and make a mark in the history of
Series)
the University of Perpetual Help.
Cleopas will bank on his players,

Biado’s secret to his US success?

MVP contender Amiel Acido, who
had averages of 17.6 points, 10 boards
and 4.1 assists per game in the elims,
JD Pagulayan (14 points, 4.6 rebounds
and 3.37 assists), Mark Gojo Cruz and
center LeBron Daep, along with point

His wife Niecky always by his side

By Randy Caluag the gold medal around her neck, a sym-
bolic gesture of appreciation.
“Ano pa nga bang mahihiling ko?
Open Pool Championship, a testament
to his wife’s persuasive instincts.
“Eventually, I followed her advice
guards Regie Ayon, Icee Callangan and
Muntinlupa native Jamal Diaz.
Perpetual is expected to have an in-
teresting semifinal battle against the
team that handed the Junior Altas their
lone loss in the season.
Coach Yong Garcia will fight with his
players Lawrence Mangubat, Sean Sal-
vador, Jonalance Masiglat, Nico Muling-
tapang and Aki Valina of Mapua, which
defeated the Junior Altas with a score of

S
INCE trying his luck in the United States’ Lahat ng ito ay inaalay ko sa’yo Pan- and proved that she’s really my lucky 72-71 on February 25, 2024.
billiards scene during the pandemic in 2021, ginoon. Maraming salamat sa gabay charm,” Biado acknowledged in a pre- On the other hand, no. 2 defending
at pagbibigay sakin ng lakas sa bawat vious interview with the media. champion Letran Squires duels with the
Carlo Biado’s wife Niecky has always been on laban ko. Sabi ko nga, my wife is a gift Biado recognizes that luck, while no. 4 San Sebastian College-Recoletos
his side. for me. She guides and supports me in crucial, must be complemented by Staglets in other semis game at 2:30 p.m.
my journey. I owe you big time Bebs! hard work. Coach Allen Ricardo of the Intramu-
This steadfast partnership reached “My wife is a wonderful gift. She is And to my kids, lahat ng ito ay para sa “Success is no accident. It is hard ros squad will lean on Moses Manalili,
a pinnacle on Monday when Biado always there, everywhere I go. I wanted inyo,” the 40-year-old expressed on his work, learning, sacrifice, and most of all Jovel Baliling, Jolo Navarro, Daniel
clinched the title of the 2024 WPA to thank her for supporting me,” Biado official Facebook page. love of what you do. Don’t stop dream- Padilla, George Diamante and Justine
Predator World 10-Ball Championships shared with reporters as he held his Niecky played a pivotal role in Bia- ing. Dreaming is one of the best feelings Hugo, while coach Juan Miguel Martin
at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino trophy and the champion’s purse, a sub- do’s decision to try his luck in the US in the world; then make it happen,” add- of Staglets will rely to Jhun Penaverde,
in Las Vegas. stantial $75,000 or P4.2 million. in 2021, urging him to explore new op- ed the 2017 World 9-ball champion. Ruvic Danag, Kit Bonus, Rion Porcadas,
After securing a 3-1 victory over After acknowledging his opponent and portunities amid the absence of signifi- Prior to his world 10-ball conquest, Ben Jimenez and Angelo Herrera.
Naoyuki Oi of Japan in the finals, Bia- the cheering crowd, including a small cant billiard events in the Philippines. Biado achieved a runner-up position in

Dutchwoman,
do took a moment to express his grati- group of Filipinos, Biado presented the Four months after arriving in the US, the Las Vegas Open, culminating in a
tude to his wife. Predator trophy to his wife and draped Biado emerged victorious in the US fantastic week for the Filipino ace.

Eala climbs to career-best no. 166 in WTA rankings Turk shine in

By Peter Atencio
ALEX Eala continues to rise in the Women’s Ten-
nis Association rankings.
The 18-year-old Eala, who won over Nastas-
ja Mariana Schunk, 6-0, 6-3, to barge into the
second qualifying round of the W75 Trvana In-
ternational Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament
in Slovakia on Monday, reached another career-
high of no. 166 in the world.
With her new rankings, her total earnings rose as
well, now pegged at $200,708, or roughly P11.242
million.
The Filipina tennis sensation, who was at no.
176 last week, got nearer to earning a slot in the
32-player main draw round of this $60,000 tour-
nament.
Eala, who is set to meet Iryna Shymanovich of
Belarus, moved up by 10 points in the live rankings
after she reached the singles’ quarterfinals of the
W50 Trnava event last week.
More points were earned after she and Turkish
partner Zeynep Sonmez fought their way to the
doubles’ semifinals as well.
Last week, she earned 430 points after she
got past North Macedonian netter Lina Gjorch-
renka, 6-4, 6-2, in the quarterfinals, before
bowing to Belarusian Anastasila Gureva, 2-6,
6-3, 6-7 (3).
In the doubles, Eala and Somnez fought their
way to the semis after defeating Czech player
Aneta Kucmova and Russian Ilona Ghloroale,
5-7, 6-3, 10-5.
So far, Eala picked an additional pot of more than
$1,300 from her campaign.
Meanwhile, the 198th-ranked Shymanovich
turned back Nina Vargova, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-4, to set
a clash with Eala.
kiteboarding
ICTSI finale
IN A dazzling display of skill and ath-
leticism, Mariska Wildenberg of the
Netherlands and Turkey’s Ilhan Aykurt
emerged as standout performers,
showcasing their awe-inspiring kite-
boarding prowess in the final leg of the
ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour
at the Aqua Resort in Bulabog Beach,
Boracay over the weekend.
Wildenberg, a prominent qualifier
for this year’s Worlds and Europeans,
and Aykurt captivated both specta-
tors and judges with their remarkable
tricks, spins and flips as the dynamic
Alex Eala duo clinched the top honors in the Free-
style event, marking the conclusion of
an exhilarating Season 9 that unfolded

Hora rules Go For Gold Criterium Race Series 1

ESTEVE Hora Jr. sprinted in the last few
hundred meters with all his might to rule
the men’s elite race of the Go For Gold
Criterium Race Series 1 on Sunday at the
iconic Sacobia Bridge in Clark, Pampanga.
Slicing through the field in a high-
velocity bunch finish, Hora accelerated
past his rivals with 75 meters left to reach
the line in 53 minutes and 30.97 seconds,
capping a long festive day of cycling.
The designated sprinter from Standard
Insurance nosed out Mervin Corpuz of
Excellent Noodles Pro Team (53:31.00)
and Go For Gold Cycling Team’s Aidan
James Mendoza (53:31.10) in a daring
display of skill and grit.
``Nakakita ako ng pagkakataon kaya
binuhos ko na lahat. Masaya ako dahil
naipakita ko ang kakayahan ko,’’ said
Hora from San Manuel, Pangasinan.
Veteran Ronald Oranza of Standard
Insurance checked in fourth, sharing the
time with Mendoza, while Marc Ryan
Magene, SPN Cycle, Booster C Energy
Shot, Hytera, Cycles and Brew and
Royce Hotel aims to bring back the an-
imated local atmosphere in the sport.
``Quality races have significantly
decreased here in the Philippines. We
want to bring them back starting with
this criterium series,’’ said Go For
Gold founder Jeremy Go.
Kim Bonilla raced in the women’s junior
and open categories and won both with the
sprinter from Team Bikexzone/Champbul-
lies getting the better of her veteran team-
mate Jermyn Prado in the open.
Bonilla topped the open in 49:06.07 be-
fore Prado arrived (49:24.62) followed by
Althea Campana (50:28.12) to complete
the podium. Bonilla ruled the junior race
early in the day by clocking 40:24.48 ahead
Phil Navy Standard’s young recruit Esteve Hora (middle) hoists the championship of Maria Michaela Mandel (41:06.54) and
trophy and P41,000 cheque after besting 78 other topnotch riders in the first Go for Roselle Suarez (41:06.64).
Gold Criterium Race Series at the Iconic New Sacobia Bridge in Clarkfield, Pampanga. Go For Gold reigned supreme in the
Second from left is Go For Gold founder Jeremy Go. men’s junior with the duo of Marvic
Mandac (36:38.52) and Mac BJ Arellano
Lago of Go For Gold wasn’t far behind pated in 10 different categories, the (36:42.67) pulling off a 1-2 finish be-
either, .21 seconds back. kick-off leg of the three-leg race series fore third-placer Josiah Nudo (36:43.04)
With over 400 cyclists who partici- supported by Go For Gold, Scratchit, checked in.
across premier kiteboarding venues in
the country.
The competition featured a diverse
range of disciplines, underscoring
the versatility and adrenaline-fueled
excitement inherent in kiteboarding.
With fierce competition across the
board, kiteboard athletes demonstrated
exceptional talent, pushing the bound-
aries of the sport to new heights.
Wildenberg continued to make
waves by dominating the women’s
side of the Masters division, while
Stefan Vance claimed the top spot
in the men’s category. The duo also
reigned supreme in the Foil Racing
class, displaying their expertise and
dominance in various kiteboarding
disciplines.
Local talent Dilbert Bayog and
Triina Trei of Estonia, on the other
hand, flashed their aerial prowess in
the Hangtime category, staying air-
borne for remarkable durations. Bay-
og secured victory with an impres-
sive 6.44 seconds, while Trei took the
ladies’ crown with a gravity-defying
5.5 seconds.
C2
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
Malykhin
cherishes
3-division
supremacy
AFTER growing up in the small in-
dustrial city of Kemorovo, Russia,
Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malyhin can now
call himself the king of the world af-
ter he made history at ONE 166: Qa-
tar this past Friday, 1 March.
By beating Reinier “The Dutch
Knight” de Ridder, Malykhin did
something that no one else in the his-
tory of mixed martial arts has done
– he now holds three different World
Titles simultaneously in the heavy-
weight, light heavyweight and mid-
dleweight divisions.
It’s an achievement that remains
surreal for Malykhin, even after
achieving it.
“It’s difficult to express with words
how I feel right now. I come from a
very small town back in Russia and
my friends here can witness that. Be-
ing not only a three-division cham-
pion but also a father, it’s an absolute
honor. I don’t have the words to ex-
press it,” he said.
For the jovial Russian, he wouldn’t
have been able to reach this posi-
tion without his ever-supportive wife
Anita – who also stands as his man-
ager – at his side.
In fact, “Sladkiy” thanked her for
believing in him since he was a no-
body in mixed martial arts.
“It’s very hard to believe that to-
gether with my wife, when I started
this dream, we moved to Thailand.
And she was the person that sold
everything she had because she be-
lieved in me. She believed in my
dream,” he said.
Anatoly
‘Sladkiy’
Malyhin
Japanese,
Samanodi
show way
with 69s
DAVAO—Ozeki Kakeru recovered
from a quadruple bogey on No. 15 with
a birdie on the 17th, saving a 69 and
share of the lead with Kuresh Samano-
di at the start of the Philippine Golf
Tour Q-School at the South Pacific
Golf and Leisure Estates here Tuesday.
Both spiked their three-under cards
with eagles but Kakeru missed seizing
early control with that “7” on the par-3
15th, ruining what could’ve been a flaw-
less start for the Japanese, who dominat-
ed the challenging layout with a blister-
ing six-under card after 14 holes.
That featured birdies on Nos. 1, 7, 9
and 14 and an eagle on the par-5 No.
12. But he hit a couple of errant shots
on the par-3 15th, leading to a 7 al-
though his late birdie kept him in step
with Sumanodi, who rode on a fiery
eagle-birdie-birdie run from No. 7 to
fuel his drive for one of the coveted 30
berths in this year’s circuit organized
by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Kakeru, a first timer here with a previ-
ous tournament win in 2018 back home,
expressed satisfaction with his perfor-
mance, labeling it the “best score here.”
Sumanodi, meanwhile, yielded a
stroke on the 12th against a run of pars
to produce a 32-37 for an early share
of the lead with the Japanese, a stroke
ahead of amateur Drew Proctor of the
US, who also flourished with a bogey-
free four-under card after 10 holes,
only to surrender a shot on the 12th.
Though he regained the stroke with
another birdie on the 17th, Proctor hob-
bled at the finish, double-bogeying the
par-5 18th to slip to solo third at 70.
Scientists develop mathematical model
to optimize elite athletes’ performance
P
ARIS—Scientists have developed a mathematical
model that promises to optimize training for
competitors in 400-metre and 1,500-metre athletics
events, according to a study published Tuesday.
The model is based on performance
data gathered from elite athletes in-
cluding Olympic 1,500 metres cham-
pion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway,
Dutch world indoor 400m world re-
cord holder Femke Bol and Britain’s
Matthew Hudson-Smith at the 2022
European Championships in Munich.
“We wanted to understand what was
happening at the physiological level in
a 400 metres, which is a sprint, and
a 1,500 metres, which is the first
Kazakhstan grabs 2 golds in Asian age-group swimfest
CAPAS, Tarlac—Kazakhstan
pocketed two gold medals, while
China got one in the mix free solo
event of the 11th Asian Age Group
Championships artistic competition
at the New Clark City Aquatic Center
here Monday night.
Karina Magrupova ruled the
junior category with a score of
404.0525 points. Thailand’s Patraw-
ee Chayawarak (330.9342) took the
silver and Uzbekistan’s Ziyodakhon
Toshkhujaeva (328.1150) settled for
the bronze.
Kazakhstan’s entry in the 13-15
category, Dayana Jamanchalova reg-
istered the highest score of 233.5386.
China’s Ya Dai (233.1047) and
Uzbekistan’s Sabina Makhmudova
(200.5405) placed second and third,
respectively.
Filipino Antonia Lucia Raffaele of
Bacolod City scored 114.8200 to fin-
ish 12th among 14 entries.
In the 12 and under categor y,
PH bets Antonia, Zoe show grace in artistic swimming
CAPAS, Tarlac—Antonia Lucia Raf-
faele and Zoe Lim, both neophytes in
an Asian level competition, showed
classy acts that wowed a small Filipino
crowd here, but their performances in
artistic swimming were overwhelmed
by rivals from traditional superpowers
in the 11th Asian Age Group champion-
ships at the New Clark Aquatics Center
on Monday night.
The 13-year-old Antonia, a student at
St. Scholastica’s Academy in Bacolod
City, gracefully finished her routine
under Sinatra’s New York, New York.
Still, the technical judge’s standard
proved too high for the young Filipina
as she scored 114.8200 to finish 12th
among 14 participants in the girls’ 13-
15 class solo free.
Kazakhstan’s Jamanchaluva Dayana
edged out Dai Ya of China by a hairline
as she scored 233.5386 against her ri-
val (233.1047) to clinch the gold medal.
Uzbekistan’s Makhmudova Sabina got
the bronze with a score of 200.5405.
“It’s a great experience. Participating
in this kind of high-level competition
endurance race,” Amandine Aftalion,
co-author of the study published in the
journal Frontiers in Sports and Active
Living, told AFP.
Thanks to new technology of GPS
sensors placed under athletes’ jer-
seys, researchers were able to trace
with precision the speeds of each
athlete, with their position indicated
ten times per second.
They integrated equations cal-
culating physiological variables
Gold medalist Yutong Xing of China (center) is shown with silver medalist Elizaveta
Kasatkina of Uzbekistan (left) and bronze medalist Yi Jia Isabella Lim of Singapore dur-
ing the awarding ceremony of the artistic swimming mix free solo 12-and-under event
of the 11th Asian Age Group Championships (AAGC) at the New Clark City Aquatic
Center Monday night. With them is Local Organizing Committee President and CEO
Joseph ‘Jojit’ Alcazar. AAGC photo
is already an achievement that’s why
I expressed my gratitude to coach Gi-
ella and to the Philippine Aquatics, Inc.
(PAI),” said Antonia.
Her friend and long-time swimming
companion Zoe Lim, who performed
ahead of her in the girls’ 12-under
class, was lovely on her routine off
Mambo Italiano tune, but her best was
good enough for 11th place (99.0298) in
the event dominated by Chinese Xing
Yutong with a score of 200.0355.
Kasatkina Elizaveta of Uzbekistan
got the silver medal at 196.6779 while
Singaporean Lim Isabella Jia Yi took
the bronze at 194.4735.
“I’ll just try my best and enjoy
these chances of competing against
the best in Asia.,” stressed Zoe, a
12-year-old Grade schooler at the St.
John’s Institute.
Artistic swimming coach Giella San-
chez said she is very proud of Zoe and
Antonia’s performances, despite the
lack of experience and training, par-
ticularly exposure to both local and for-
eign competitions.
SPORTS
—energy expenditure during exer-
cise, maximum oxygen consumption
(VO2), running economy and motor
control—in other words the role of
the brain in the process of movement
such as motivation, which has a role
in the delay in action.
The data was later examined by sci-
entists from the French National Cen-
tre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
who observed how they influenced the
speed of the champions.
“Thanks to the quantification of costs
and benefits, the model provides in-
stant access to the best strategy so that
the runner ‘performs’ in an optimised
manner,” the CNRS said in a statement.
The study shows the importance of
a rapid start in the first 50 metres, for
Antonia Lucia Raffaele (left) and Zoe Lim
“They both started with me when
they were 3 years old (in our learn to
swim program, WeSwim Aquatics),
and they started competing in swim-
ming (competitive) when they were 6
years old. But their artistic swimming
training started when they were each 9
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
of Norway (right)
edges out Yomif
Kejelcha of
Ethiopia (left) in
the Men’s 3000m
during the 2023
Prefontaine
Classic and Wanda
Diamond League
Final at Hayward
Field in Eugene,
Oregon. Scientists
have developed
a mathematical
model based on
performance data
gathered from elite
athletes, including
Ingebrigtsen. AFP
reasons linked to the speed of oxygen
consumption, or that of less decelera-
tion at the end of a 400 metres.
The simulations notably explained
the performance of middle distance
runner Ingebrigtsen by his ability to
quickly reach his maximum oxygen
consumption (VO2), and to maintain it
throughout the race.
A particularity which allows the
Olympic champion “to run at a greater
pace than his competitors throughout
the race, even though we see him start
less strongly,” explained Aftalion.
The model could lead to performance
support software so that coaches can
“refine the racing strategy in relation to
the physiological profile of the runner”,
the researcher concluded. AFP
China’s Yutong Xing captured
the gold medal with the score of
200.0355.
The silver medal went to Uzbeki-
stan’s Elizaveta Kasatkina (196.6779)
while Singapore’s Yi Jia Isabella Lim
scored 194.4735 to secure the bronze
medal.
The Philippines’ Zoe Lim, also from
Bacolod City, ranked 11th among 14
entries with a score 99.0298
The free duet event in the three cat-
egories will be held Tuesday night.
In water polo, Japan clobbered Sri
Lanka, 47-3, for its second straight win
in the women’s division.
Skipper Shoka Fukuda had
seven goals while Mirae Ohmae
and Sakura Sobajima chipped in
six goals each.
In other matches, Thailand downed
Singapore, 19-8, and China defeated
Uzbekistan, 19-11.
Thailand, China and Kazakhstan
sport identical 1-0 records.
years old (Zoe) and 10 years old (An-
tonia). Antonia joined the Singapore
Invitational Artistic Swimming Cham-
pionships back in 2019 and both did
several Online / Virtual Artistic Swim
competitions during the pandemic
(2021 - 2022),” said Sanchez.
 C3
SHOWBIZ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, Editor
ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

Heart Evangelista makes runway debut at Paris Fashion Week

By Nickie Wang
HEART Evangelista made her runway
debut at Paris Fashion Week, opening
the show for Vietnamese designer Phan
Huy on March 2.
Wearing an elegant, sheer tube peplum
gown with a plunging V-neckline,
the style queen exuded elegance as
she sashayed down the runway with
confidence at the show’s opening, held
at the historic Maison de L’Amérique
Latine, located at 217 Boulevard Saint-
Germain in Paris.
Heart’s dress was from the Tam Giang
Lagoon Collection, which, according to
Huy, draws inspiration from the serene
waters of Central Vietnam.
Heart’s hair was elegantly styled and
slicked back for her runway debut, and
her accessories remained minimal, with
only perfectly coordinated black gloves.
The show was impeccably styled by dream,” the five-foot-two actress and
Steven Doan, Chief Brand Officer of fashion icon added.
Phan Huy. Apart from opening Huy’s
“Small girl, big dreams,” Heart wrote collection, Heart attended various
in an Instagram post showing herself fashion shows, donning creations by Heart
Evangelista
alongside towering models. renowned designers such as Hermès,
astonishes in
“So grateful for everything. Work Alexander McQueen, Manolo a Phan Huy
hard, never step on others to get ahead, Blahnik, Giambattista Valli, YSL, and gown inspired
focus on your goals, and enjoy each Louis Vuitton, among others. by the waters
process, good or bad. And one day, The Paris Fashion Week began on of Central
little by little, you shall be living your Feb. 26 and concluded on March 5 Vietnam

Heaven Paralejo (left) and Marco Gallo make hearts soar Mark Bautista (left) and Jona (right) steal hearts with a soulful duet
with their performance

Star-studded affair
celebrates BingoPlus’ 2nd year
Comedian and TV host
Vice Ganda is one of the
brand endorsers that
graced the event

M
ARKING gowns and dashing suits. Peralejo, Sarah Lahbati, Jona, Mark Bautista, Regine
two years of The main show, hosted by Robi Domingo, streamed live Tolentino, G22, VXON, Alamat, and PPop Generation.
on the official Facebook pages of Viva and BingoPlus. The Adding to the thrill of the night, BingoPlus announced a whopping
bringing joy and
program, which was broadcast live on GTV, featured P50 million worth of prizes to be given away. This included P10
entertainment, appearances by BingoPlus endorsers Maine Mendoza, million each for five lucky “Sure Bingonaryo” app winners and a
BingoPlus celebrated its Piolo Pascual, Alden Richards, and Vice Ganda. luxurious car valued at P2 million.
anniversary with a grand The show featured the performances of Arthur For more information, please visit www.bingoplus.com.
event on March 1 at the Nery, SB19’s Stell and Felip, Marco Gallo, Heaven
Grand Hyatt Manila.
Attendees were treated to Sarah Lahbati
a red-carpet experience, is also
followed by a main program one of the
performers
filled with performances, good during the
food, and exciting prizes. event
Boy Band
Alamat takes
The evening commenced with an center stage
exclusive press conference featuring and dazzles
BingoPlus President Jasper Vicencio the crowd
with their
and DigiPlus Interactive Corporation
dance moves
President Andy Tsui. It was followed
by a red carpet event where stars walked
down the red carpet in their glamorous

Singapore says Taylor Swift gig grant

Power couple
Enrique Gil
(left) and Liza
Soberano

not as high as speculated

SINGAPORE said
Monday its grant to
Taylor Swift for her
concerts in the city was
nowhere near as high
as speculated, following
media reports that the
superstar was offered
millions of dollars per gig.
Around 300,000 people from
Singapore and around the region
are expected to attend the six
sold-out shows that began March
Swift was paid millions to keep her
from performing anywhere else in
the region.
“There has been some online
speculation as to the size of the grant.
I can say that it is not accurate and
not anywhere as high as speculated,”
Singapore’s culture minister Edwin
Tong told parliament.
“Due to business confidentiality
reasons, we cannot reveal the
specific size of the grant or the
conditions of the grant.”
Thavisin had reportedly said, citing
a concert promoter, that Singapore
offered Swift up to $3 million per
concert if she did not play anywhere
else in Southeast Asia.
A lawmaker in the Philippines
also criticized Singapore, reportedly
saying this was not “what good
neighbors do”.
Tong played down the role the
grant may have played in convincing
Swift to perform only in Singapore.
“Promoters of top artists will

Better late than never! 2 – but some neighbors were not

happy about being left off The
Tong added that the “economic
benefits to Singapore are assessed to
do their own calculation and
assess where they want to perform

Liza Soberano throws block screening

Eras Tour. be significant and outweigh the size and for how long,” he said,
Some, including reportedly the of the grant”. citing Singapore’s location and
Thai prime minister, have said that Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha infrastructure as key factors. AFP

for Enrique Gil’s film

By Angelica Villanueva
ACTRESS Liza Soberano showed support for her boyfriend, actor
Enrique Gil, in his latest film, I Am Not Big Bird. The Lisa Frankenstein
star said that she went straight to the cinema to ensure she didn’t miss Singapore
watching the film. being the
“Went straight to the theaters from the airport last night to watch I Am Not only country
in Southeast
Big Bird,” wrote Liza in an Instagram story post tagging Enrique. Asia that
“Congratulations @enriquegilrz!! The movie had me crying from housed
laughing so much!” she added praising the film. Taylor
Based on her Instagram stories, it appeared that the Hollywood actress Swift’s ‘Eras
hosted a block screening for Enrique’s film. And it was attended by a few Tour’ raises
friends and fans of the couple. eyebrows
Rumors about Liza and Enrique’s possible separation had been circulating among its
neighbors
since last year but Enrique dismissed such speculations last month,
confirming that he and Liza are still together and happy.
In a previous interview with Manila Standard Entertainment, the
31-year-old actor said that they mutually agreed to pursue individual acting
opportunities beyond their established on-screen pairing.
 C4
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024
lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, Editor
ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer
By Tet Defensor
BALLERINA
Anya Nicole
Alindada, the only
Filipina graduate of
London’s prestigious
English National Ballet
School (ENBS), isn’t just
dancing her way to stardom.
Her flawless movements are
redefining fashion spreads, as
evidenced by her captivating
Ballerina Anya
Alindada’s modeling portfolio showcasing her
journey began stylish, playful poses. Seeing
during the London a ballerina strike a pose,
Fashion Week fully limber in jeans, isn’t an
everyday occurrence, but Anya
transcends the expectations.
Anya’s love for
dance blossomed early,
nurtured by gymnastics
The stylish movements of Anya Alindada
and blossoming into lessons in jazz and
flamenco. Ballet, however, captured her
heart. “Growing up immersed in ballets,
musicals, and plays, I knew dancing was
my dream and passion,” she recalls. “I
started ballet at seven and by ten, I was
determined to make it my career.”
At 14, competition beckoned. Anya
participated in a competition in Japan
(2019) and attended masterclasses with
international artistic directors. This led to
a scholarship at the Melbourne Academy
of the Arts’ European Masters Intensive,
further propelling her journey.
The pandemic brought online
competitions and continued auditions.
Finally, her dream came true - acceptance
into the ENBS full-time program. “ENBS
was always one of my dream schools,”
she beams, “and even now, it’s surreal.”
Now a 19-year-old London resident and
recent ENBS graduate, Anya continues
her artistic journey through the school’s
Professional Graduate Program. While
dance remains her primary focus, she’s
gracefully carving space for fashion.
“Modeling is a recent venture,” Anya
explains. “Two years ago, my school’s
artistic director connected me with Justin
Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, founders
of the renowned British fashion brand
Preen. They needed dancers for London
Fashion Week, and I was among those
chosen. It was an incredible experience.”
This exposure ignited a new spark. “The
joy I felt during the show made me consider
modeling,” she reveals. “But with a full-
time ballet schedule, it had to wait. So, I
collaborated with fashion students to gain
experience. Now, with graduation behind
me and the professional program offering
more flexibility, I can explore it further.”
Encouraged by her artistic director, Anya
embraces both worlds. “Ballet dancers often
LIFE
model,” she shares, “and photographers
seem drawn to our dance abilities and ability
to strike unique poses.”
Currently a freelance model seeking
representation, Anya thrives in a
competitive environment. “Being both an
artist and a model is exciting,” she says.
“Modeling has even influenced my style,
both on and offstage.”
After recovering from an injury, Anya
plans to return to dancing soon. London
may be her second home now, but she’s
open to where her ballet journey takes her.
One dream, however, stays constant:
“I yearn to return to the Philippines and
establish a school,” she confides. “I want
to guide and empower aspiring Filipino
dancers, helping them reach prestigious
schools and companies worldwide. That
support is something I wish I had received.
Filipinos are incredibly talented, and I want
to help showcase that talent to the world.”

Celebration of language,
culture, and creativity
The music accompanying the dancers utilized
instruments such as the ‘Sanshin (three-stringed lute,’
‘Fue (flute),’ and ‘Taiko (drum)’

Several
Glazing Life dancers
wear
Glaiza Lee

A
FTER watching Harukana
Receive!, a sports-themed anime
about a young girl who learns
about beach volleyball, I have
wanted to visit Okinawa, Japan. The anime
features different places in Okinawa, including
Gushikawa Beach where the protagonist and
her friends would play beach volleyball.
Japan’s southernmost prefecture, Okinawa is an archipelagic
place with own history as an independent kingdom and a distinctly
subtropical climate. It is also known as the birthplace of karate.
During the recently concluded Nihongo Fiesta, I was able to
watch a karate performance called Bu no Mai. A creative dance
based on the motif of karate, it emphasizes defense without
any weapon and is unique to Okinawa, a place that places great
importance on peace.
The karate performance was part of the Ryukyu Buyo, an event
organized by The Japan Foundation, Manila to promote the
Okinawan dance to the Filipino people.
Originating in the Ryukyu Kingdom period, Ryukyu Buyo was
mainly performed on a stage to welcome envoys from China. The
dancers would wear vivid costumes decorated with Okinawa’s
unique dyed fabric called Bingata, and their graceful dancing to the
melody of Sanshin (three-stringed lute), Fue (flute), Taiko (drum),
and other instruments.
For the JFM event, six graduates of Okinawa Prefectural
University of Arts, the only university in the world dedicated to the
From left: Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the
Philippines President Shigeru Shimoda, Speech Contest Grand Champion
Jacob Fuentebella, and Japan Foundation Director Tsutomu ‘Ben’ Suzuki
costumes
crafted
using
Bingata,
a unique
dyed
fabric
from
Okinawa
inheritance and development of Okinawa’s traditional and new arts.,
performed the Okinawan traditional dances.
The six graduates formed a special group for the performances
in Manila – namely dancers, Kiyoko Higa-san, Satoru Arakaki-
san, and Sachiko Isa-san, and musicians Hiroya Yokome-san,
Hiromichi Yokome-san, and Miho Toyozato-san.
The group performed Yotsutake, often presented to welcome
guests from abroad during the Ryukyu Kingdom period. The dancers
would clink four pieces of bamboo (like castanets) in their hands to
purify the place and express happiness upon meeting their guests.
For their next performance, one of the dancers performed Agechikuten,
a classical dance performed by men. It is a celebratory
dance that joyfully praises the blessings of nature
and depicts scenes such as the twin-leaved pine
trees growing so beautifully enough
to embrace rocks and celebrate
blessings from heaven, such as rain and
dew. The dancer holds fans in both hands
and dances valiantly.
The third performance, the Higasa
Odori, is a dance that gracefully expresses
the beauty of a woman in love. Holding a
parasol in her hand, the dancer wore a kimono
in a way that was unique to Okinawa.
To put the spotlight on the Okinawan vocals, the
musicians sang “Kotobuki no Mai,” a song of celebration,
and “Kurushima Kuduchi,” which expresses the brightness
and resilience of the Okinawan people. The latter song
depicts the beautiful scenery of Kurushima Island and the
Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa.
Rukyu Buyo was part of the Nihongo Fiesta, which
aims to foster deeper connections between Japan and
the Philippines. It provides a fertile ground for the
flourishing community of Nihongo speakers and
enthusiasts, welcoming individuals from all walks
of life, from eager language learners to seasoned
professionals, to take part in an immersive arts
and cultural experience unlike any other.
One of the highlights of the Nihongo Fiesta
2024, the 51st Nihongo Speech Contest,
where nine finalists from all over the Philippines showcased their
talents and skills in communicating their thoughts in Japanese.
This year’s Grand Champion was Jacob Fuentebella (Bulacan), a
UP Diliman graduate who is currently working as a Korean Account
Associate, he talked about his language learning journey from
Korean to Japanese, in his speech People-to-People Connections
Through Foreign Language Studies.
Erina Sotoya (Cebu) won second place with her piece
Irreplaceable Person, where she shared her memories with her father
and how those shaped her deep appreciation for present connections.
Third placer Anferee Tizon (Taguig), a 4th year BA
Communications student at Adamson University,
reflected on his personal journey on friendships
and how the lessons he learned shaped his current
perspective and attitude towards people, similar
to how his taste for coffee has changed with his
speech Not All Coffee Tastes Bitter.
A Special Jury Award was given to Niño
Raphael Mesajon (Davao), a Grade 12
student from Philippine Nikkeijin Kai
International School, for his speech
Truth Beyond First Sight, which
talked about how his perspective
changed during a visit to a Lumad
community, leading him to question
the true meaning of living a good life.
The contestants were judged according to the
following criteria: Content (originality, organization,
and impact), Delivery (voice and manner), and
Language (appropriateness and correctness).
The recipient of the Grand Champion
Award will join the Study Tour hosted by the
Japan Overseas Enterprises Association,
with airfare sponsored by the Japanese
Association, Manila, Inc. and the Japanese
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of
the Philippines, Inc.
The Nihongo Fiesta features a ‘Bu no Mai’
performance as part of the ‘Ryukyu Buyo’

Erehwon wins prestigious award

as cultural institution
EREHWON Center for the Arts founder and
chairman Rafael R. Benitez was conferred the
Philippine Golden Leaf Presidential Award for
his exceptional contributions to the Philippine
arts and cultural scene, as well as for the
significant impact of the Erehwon Center for
the Arts in nurturing and promoting artistic
talent.
The awarding took place at the 2nd Philippine
Leaf Awards Tertulia at Parangal 2024 at the
Metropolitan Theater Manila, on Feb. 8.
The Golden Leaf Presidential Award was also
conferred on Erehwon’s Chief Artistic and Cultural
Director Anton Juan, for his “groundbreaking
work in theater, film, and literature, which has
effectively challenged convention, and enriched
our cultural tapestry with powerful visuals and
thought-provoking writing.”
The Erehwon-produced and Anton Juan-
directed Bayan Bayanan: Letters from Home
received the Philippine Leaf Award for
Outstanding Musical Ensemble, as well. Bayan
Bayanan, a play adapted from the original script
written by multi-awarded playwright Bienvenido
Noriega, was transformed into a musical and
presented by Erehwon at the Cultural Center.
The Philippine LEAF Awards is a prestigious
award-giving body founded in 2017 that aims
to recognize and celebrate the outstanding
achievements of Filipino artists in the fields of
live entertainment, performing arts, fashion, and
festivals. The awardees with Presidential Golden Leaf awardees Rafael Benitez and Anton Juan (fourth and fifth from right)