TUBBATAHA The Crown Jewel of the Philippines

TUBBATAHA Reefs Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sulu sea of the Philippines. The marine and bird sanctuary consists of two huge atolls and the smaller Jessie Beazley Reef covering a total area of 97,030 hectares. Over 700 species of fish and 360 species of corals can be found.

PLDT to buy Sky Cable for P6.75B

 

By The Manila Times

THE third time could be the charm for PLDT Inc., which has been seeking to take over ABS-CBN Corp.'s cable TV and broadband business, following an announcement on Thursday of a P6.75-billion deal for Sky Cable Corp.

In disclosures, both PLDT and ABS-CBN said the Pangilinan-led telco would be purchasing 100 percent of Sky Cable's outstanding capital stock from the broadcast network, Lopez Inc. and Sky Vision Corp.

The deal remains subject to certain conditions, including that of securing all government approvals, Sky Cable getting out of the pay TV and cable business, and focusing solely on broadband, stockholder consent, and that "no event shall have occurred that would prevent a party from fulfilling its obligations or the transactions contemplated from happening."

PLDT Chairman Manuel Pangilinan previously offered to buy Sky Cable from embattled ABS-CBN in 2020 but dropped the bid due to monopoly issues. One of PLDT's affiliate businesses is Cignal TV Inc., which also provides cable TV services.

Cignal then offered to buy 38.9 percent of Sky Cable for P2.86 billion last year as part of a deal between ABS-CBN and PLDT where both would have taken stakes in each other. The agreement, however, was called off after regulators and legislators objected.

ABS-CBN, which lost its franchise in 2020 after Congress refused to renew the authorization, is now focused on creating content and servicing former rivals such as GMA-7 and Pangilan-owned TV 5.

In its disclosure, the firm said the Sky Cable sale "was a strategic decision resulting from, among other things, the significant capital expenditure requirements of Sky Cable to maintain its competitiveness."

"The proceeds from the sale of the shares of ABS-CBN and the settlement of Sky Vision's obligations to ABS-CBN will be used by ABS-CBN to settle and fund its retirement obligations," it added.

"The sale of the company's ownership in Sky will also allow ABS-CBN to focus its resources on content creation."

PLDT, for its part, said "the proposed transaction is aligned with PLDT's mission to narrow the digital divide by expanding broadband connectivity and supports the government's push to expand the nation's digital infrastructure."

It is also "expected to benefit the existing broadband subscribers of both PLDT and Sky by strengthening and expanding the coverage of their offerings and services, particularly in remote areas, and upgrading overall customer experience through the combined expertise, resources and capabilities of PLDT and Sky."

How the cable TV business would be wound down was not detailed. ABS-CBN said the service would continue while regulatory approvals were being secured.

"Once approvals are obtained, Sky Cable is committed to working with all its cable TV subscribers to ensure a transition to their preferred service," it added.

ABS-CBN will receive approximately P4 billion for its 58.7-percent stake in Sky Cable. It will receive 94 percent of this once closing conditions are satisfied, with the rest to be paid upon delivery of registration and tax clearance certificates.

The overall purchase price was said to have been based on an agreed implied equity valuation minus Sky's recorded payables and contingent liabilities as of Dec. 31, 2022, based on Sky's latest audited financial statements and a PLDT due diligence review.

PLDT's share price fell by P10, or 0.76 percent, to P1,300 while ABS-CBN's lost 0.68 percent, or 5 centavos, to P7.26 amid a 0.95-percent drop for the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index.

Fare discount scheme ready for rollout – LTFRB

By Franco Jose C. Baroña

March 17, 2023 

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is preparing to implement a nationwide fare discount scheme for public utility vehicles (PUVs) as proposed by the Department of Transportation (DoTr).

The DoTr in an earlier memorandum to the LTFRB called for lower fares for traditional and modern jeepneys, buses and UV Express.

The proposal includes a P12 to P9 rollback for traditional jeepneys and P14 to P11 for modern jeepneys. A fare cut of P3 to P4 is being considered for buses.

The memo did not mention fare cuts for UV Express.

The LTFRB said that the discounted fare scheme will be implemented after the termination of the Libreng Sakay (free ride) program along Edsa.

"We also have to take the cue from the Office of the (DoTr) Secretary, how they intend to do it. I think the only thing they will do is give the people a discount so that the P1.2 billion budget for the program can be used for many transport services on a nationwide scale," LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz 3rd said.

"I believe the budget may last only for about six months — half a year. So as early as now, I am requesting the DoTr to come up with additional funding so that the budget will last until the end of the year," he added.

The budget for the service contracting program was reduced from P8.4 billion in 2022 to P2.16 billion in 2023.

This year's budget includes P1.285 billion in programmed appropriations and another P875 million lodged under unprogrammed appropriations.

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'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' Beloved, now, then and always

Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, and Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess

By Christina Alpad

March 16, 2023 

The Sound of Music is arguably one of the most recognizable musicals of all time. Who can forget the troublesome but charming Maria? How about the adorable Von Trapp children and the stern but loving head of the family Captain Von Trapp? Most of all, who can resist singing along to such classics tunes as "Do-Re-Mi," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" just to name a few?

The Sound of Music (which inspired the 1965 hit movie adaptation of the same title starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer) has been showcased numerous times — a thousand times, to be actually, with London's West End alone recording more than 2,000 performance.

But there's no stopping in retelling the uplifting true story of Maria, the fun-loving governess who changed the lives of the widowed Captain von Trapp and his seven children by reintroducing them to music, and the family's flight across the Austrian mountains as tensions rise prior to the outbreak of World War 2.

In fact, a brand new international production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic is currently playing in Manila, with performance running until March 26 at the the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.

The cast of ‘The Sound of Music’ plays in Manila through March 16.

Presented by Broadway International Group, Broadway Asia, AMA Group of Companies, and in association with GMG Productions, The Sound of Music in Manila is the third stop of the international tour after having played successful runs in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

The tour highlights the original creative work of three-time Tony Award winning director Jack O'Brien, Broadway choreographer Danny Mefford, and Musical Supervision by Andy Einhorn as well as an established award-winning Broadway creative, design, and production team.

The Sound of Music stars Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess, and Joshua La Force as Max, and Lauren O'Brien as Liesl, and joining the Touring company for the Manila season are Filipino talents Karylle Tatlonghari as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder and Markki Stroem as Rolf.

The Von Trapp children starring in the musical joined the company for the first time during the Manila production.

Now, if the musical is such a classic, why should the audience, Filipinos in particular, still watch the show if, say they have seen previous stagings or watched the movie?

For lead actors Wiley and Martin, the story of hope that Maria and the Von Trapp family brings is needed now more than ever.

"History repeats itself and I feel like this show is more relevant now more so than ever with everything's that happening especially in Ukraine. It's one of those stories that present here's what could be the outcome," Wiley, who plays Maria said.

Unfortunately it's not always everybody's outcome [the happy ending that the family had] but here, we have a message of hope, of fighting for what you believe in, of family and standing up for what's right and I think it's an honor to share this with the audience," she added.

Martin agreed, saying, "Over the course of time, every, unfortunately, all over the globe, the story continues to happen over and over again — people are forced out of their countries, forced away from government and tyranny that they are trying to escape for them and their families, all the time, in every continent and every country.

"So hopefully, the show can present a sense of hope, and can instill a sense of courage. It's an amazing thing to be able to play someone [Captain von Trapp] who doesn't back from his principles. I would hope in that if I were to face the same situation, I would do the same thing — to choose what's right for me, for my family and for my country."

In ending, Martin, who plays the principle Captain von Trapp, noted, "It's always a relevant story no matter what year we do it in."

Catch Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music in Manila from Tuesday to Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. until March 26.

For tickets, visit ticketworld.com.ph.

How Difficult is Philippines Highest Mountain? Mt Apo, Mindanao

Daniel Marsh

463K subscribers

278,263 views Premiered Feb 21, 2023 PHILIPPINES

Join us in this exhilarating adventure as we attempt to conquer Mt. Apo, the tallest mountain in the Philippines, within just 24 hours. Follow our journey as we trek through lush forests, climb steep slopes, and push ourselves to the limit to reach the summit. Along the way, we share tips, challenges, and breathtaking views of the mountain and its surroundings. Will we make it to the top within the time limit? Watch this video to find out! Thank you to Anjo Dorado from #teamexplorer Philippines for making this adventure possible https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEAM....

8 women power songs from Filipina artists

 KZ Tandingan

Everyone loves a good song, more so when they inspire and move listeners toward self-discovery and betterment.

In celebration of Women's Month, Tarsier Records shares eight tracks that champion the strength, vulnerability, and individuality of Filipinas and embolden them to shine in their own ways:

1. KZ Tandingan's "Winning" KZ Tandigan's second international single empowers listeners to 'take the high road' and push themselves to strive and succeed by themselves. Its music video also bears out-of-this world visuals highlighting how KZ rules her 'queendom' with her individuality.

2. Allen&elle's "Call You" Filipina duo allen&elle talk about the importance of seeking help when in need in their dancey gospel-soul track. It emphasizes the value of prayer as "our way to call for help from God" in the midst of day-to-day struggles.

3. Relden's "couldn't speak" The song is artist's message to the people who tried so hard to bring her down. She wrote it at a time when she felt like she couldn't stand up for herself so she would turn to dance to release her emotions.

4. Daze's "Magic" Pampanga-born Daze celebrates and embraces her femininity in the 80s-inspired, familiar yet fresh-sounding R&B song. The modern soul, upbeat track conveys the exciting feeling of pursuing intimacy and warmth with someone you deeply love.

5. Sab's "Happy You Stayed" Sab dedicated her song "Happy You Stayed" to her close friends who stayed with her. The indie-pop track is all about thankfulness for the people who are still present in her life regardless of the different journeys they have to take.

6. Yuzon's "Oh My Days" The song is a dream-pop soundtrack to thinking of better days. Written at the height of the quarantine, it brings hope and stirs enjoyment in new passions and self-discovery. The artist dedicates "Oh My Days" music video to female skaters all over the world.

Kiana V

7. Kiana V's "5:30" The track captures the initial stages of love where there is a desire to get to know someone a little bit better. The soulful summer track evokes vulnerability and, at the same time, willpower to pursue love.

8. "Heal" (various artists) A collaboration among Filipina artists Jayda, Jona, Kyla, KZ, Lesha, Moira Dela Torre, and Xela, Indonesian singers Rinni Wulandari and Yura Yunita, Malaysian artists DOLLA and Shalma Eliana, Singaporean talents Haneri and Haven, and Thai artist Valentina Ploy, Heal is a track that encourages healing during difficult times.

Adobo becomes first Filipino food featured in Google Doodle

Jan Milo Severo - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Today’s animated Google Doodle celebrates Adobo, the first Filipino food to be featured in the platform.

"Adobo is an important part of the story of Filipinos. It is an evolving, well-loved comfort food or way of cooking that crosses all economic boundaries. For adobo to be featured as a Google Doodle – the first Filipino dish at that – is a Pinoy Pride moment,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Google Philippines.

“It is an honor to launch this Doodle that celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of Filipino cuisine on such a global platform," he added. 

Adobo can be found far and wide, whether it’s at a five-star restaurant in Manila or inside the homes of Filipino families around the world. The word “adobo” was first added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in December 2006 and was included on the word list of the next OED quarterly update, released on this day in 2007.

There are many different kinds of Adobo, but they all share the same basic elements: marinated meat or vegetables braised into a stew. Common ingredients include vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper. The local flavors make Filipino adobo much sweeter, sourer, and saltier in taste compared to other versions.

Several areas within the Philippines give their Adobo a regional twist. Locals in Visayas enjoy adobong puti (White Adobo), considered by some to be the original indigenous style, which exclusively uses vinegar without any soy sauce. In places like Southern Luzon, where coconut milk is a food staple, creamier adobo recipes like Adobong Manok sa Gata (chicken adobo with coconut milk) are extremely popular. Others substitute meat with seafood like squid, or locally available vegetables like kangkong (water spinach) or sitaw (string beans).

"Adobo is a source of Filipino pride and identity. The mere mention of the word 'adobo' to Filipinos wherever they are in the world will easily get them craving for the taste of home. Whether it's eaten with rice, pandesal or just on its own, there is nothing like our very own Adobo," said renowned restaurateur and food writer Claude Tayag. 

"Celebrating Adobo as the very first Filipino food Google Doodle is truly commendable. This is a great way to create meaningful conversations online about our rich and diverse food heritage," he added. 

Anthony Irwin, the Doodle artist from Google reflected on the process, “I ordered some southern-style chicken Adobo from a local restaurant to stir up some memories while working on the art for this Doodle, and the first thing that hit me was the smell. It was so bright and nostalgic, and instantly filled my apartment with that familiar feeling: this is exactly how things are supposed to be. So I tried to capture that simple childhood joy of leaning in and savoring the kind of food that makes home feel like home. Kain nang mabuti!”

After evolving throughout the centuries, this iconic dish is now enjoyed worldwide. It’s a symbol and expression of Filipino pride that varies from region to region, family to family, palate to palate. The history is rich, the taste is unmatched, and the aromas are enticing – the children in today’s artwork would definitely agree. Wherever and however it’s served, Adobo leaves stomachs happy and mouths watering for more.

SC: Senior citizens’ 20% discount covers funeral, burial expenses

BY REY G. PANALIGAN

Mar 16, 2023 

  

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the statutorily mandated 20 percent discount for senior citizens covers funeral and burial expenses.

The mandatory discount is provided for under Republic Act No. 7432, the Senior Citizens Act of 1992, as amended by RA Nos. 9257 and 9994 which expanded the coverage of the discount.

A copy of the SC decision, written by Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda, was not available as of posting.  The SC’s public information office (PIO) issued a summary of the decision.

In ruling that funeral and burial services are covered by the 20 percent discount, the PIO said that the SC “emphasized that the Senior Citizens Act is a law created to grant a bundle of benefits in favor of senior citizens or those at least 60 years old, giving flesh to the declared policy of motivating senior citizens to contribute to nation building and encouraging their families and communities to reaffirm the Filipino tradition of caring for the senior citizens.”

The PIO said “the SC noted that both RA 9257 and RA 9994, in amending RA 7432, do not provide for an exact definition of the term ‘funeral and burial services.’”

“Notably, the said laws likewise do not limit the scope of the services falling under ‘funeral and burial services,’” it said.

It said that “the Court added that as pointed out by Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier in her Concurring Opinion that it would be unreasonable to infer that Congress intended to differentiate between the deceased’s final solace for the purpose of granting the 20% discount absent a clear legislative intent to the contrary.”

“The Court said that based on the definition of the term ‘burial’ as it is commonly understood, ‘burial service’ pertains to any service offered or provided in connection with the final disposition, entombment, or interment of human remains,” the PIO said.

Thus, the PIO said “the SC held that it follows that burial services necessarily include interment services, such as digging the land for the deceased person’s grave, its concreting, and other services being done during the actual burial.”

“This conclusion, said the Court, was supported by the IRRs (Implementing Rules and Regulations) which prescribe the guidelines in the application of the 20% discount on funeral and burial services in that a comparison of the IRRs of RA 9257 and RA 9994 shows that the two are substantially the same,” it said.

“The exception is that Section 6 of the IRR of RA 9994 expounded on the term ‘other related services’ by including a sample list of ‘services’ and excluding obituary publication and cost of memorial plot,” it also said.

But the PIO said: “The Court ruled that the enumeration in Section 6 is not exclusive. It stressed that the phrase ‘other related services’ does not refer only to the enumerated examples so as to exclude interment services.

“The Court maintained that this interpretation was in keeping with the policies and objectives of the law, particularly of RA 9994 which echoes Section 4, Article XV of the Constitution declaring that it is the duty of the family to take care of its elderly members while the state may design programs of social security for them,” it said.

The SC decision granted the petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The petition challenged the 2018 ruling of the Cagayan de Oro City regional trial court (RTC) which excluded funeral and burial services from the coverage of the senior citizens’ discount.

The RTC ruling was handed down on the case filed by Pryce Corporation, Inc., a firm engaged in the business of selling memorial lots and offering interment services.  The firm claimed that interment service is not among the services entitled to the 20 percent senior citizens’ discount.

The RTC ruled that the IRR of RA 9994 only mentioned the services of purchase of casket or urn, embalming, hospital morgue, and transport of the body to the intended burial site.

Specifically, the RTC held that the digging of land for the grave of the deceased, the concreting of the gravesite, and the other services done during the actual burial are not subject to the discount.

In granting the government’s petition, the PIO said “the Court found that the exclusion by the RTC of interment services from the coverage of the 20 percent senior citizen discount is not provided under the law, and that the IRR, which does not explicitly exclude interment services, cannot be interpreted to support the lower court’s Resolution.”

The SC stressed that “a law cannot be amended by a mere regulation, and the administrative agency issuing the regulation may not enlarge, alter, or restrict the provisions of the law it administers,” the PIO also said in its summary.

It said the SC’s decision on the petition, docketed as Republic vs. Pryce Corporation, Inc. under GR No. 243133, will be uploaded at its website – sc.judiciary.gov.ph – once available.