Manila Bulletin honors Newsmakers of the Year

BY POCH EULALIA

Feb 17, 2024 10:40 AM

  

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NEWSMAKERS — The Manila Bulletin holds its first-ever Newsmakers of the Year Award as it celebrates its 124th anniversary at the Tent City of the Manila Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Newsmakers of the Year recognized 10 personalities representing themselves or organizations that have captured the nation’s attention and imagination with their achievements full of inspiration and motivation – Sarisuki, Magdalena Gamayo, Gilas Pilipinas, Kathryn Bernardo, Jeremy de Leon, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Expedock, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Kindred, and Tagbilaran City. Joining them are Manila Bulletin Chairman Basilio C. Yap, MB President and Vice Chairman Emil C. Yap III (second row, fifth and fourth from left) and MB Publisher Sonny Coloma (third row, fourth from left). (Noel B. Pabalate)

 

As Manila Bulletin celebrated its 124th anniversary, it took pride in presenting the first lineup of its Newsmakers of the Year awardees during a special ceremony held on Thursday, Feb. 15, at The Tent City, Manila Hotel.

“The Newsmakers are more than just their stories. They are also catalysts of change, embodiments of inspiration, and living testaments to the power of human potential,” said Manila Bulletin president Emilio C. Yap III during his opening remarks. These 10 individuals and organizations were honored for their remarkable initiatives, achievements, and success stories from the previous year. Their inspiring endeavors have empowered and captivated readers and viewers alike, both online and in print.  

• Magdalena Gamayo, a master weaver of the inabel cloth, is known for her unique weaving techniques. She was conferred with the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) award in 2012 and recognized as a National Living Treasure. Gamayo celebrated her 99th birthday on Aug. 13, 2023, making her the oldest living GAMABA awardee.

• Expedock, a game-changer in the global supply industry, is an AI-powered supply chain startup that aims to automate the international freight industry. Its founders King Alandy Dy, Rui Aguiar, Jeff Tan, and Jig Young were included in the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list under the industry, manufacturing, and energy category.

• SariSuki, established by Brian Cu, Philippe Lorenzo, Bam Mejia, and Angelo Loo in 2021, is a virtual grocery store that purchases directly from farmers, enabling sustainable opportunities for community sellers. It partnered with AIR21 in 2023 to bring fresh produce from farmers in the province to community sellers in the metro.

• Jeremy De Leon, through his invention of a keychain microscope known as the Make-roscope, has provided users easy access to the microscopic world. His invention allows cameras on smartphones and tablets to magnify objects up to 400 times.The Make-roscope represented the Philippines in the international round of the 2023 James Dyson Award and was awarded as the national champion.  

• Kindred, a pioneering FemTech startup founded in 2022 by Jessica de Mesa and Abetina Valenzuela, is known for its dedication to improving women’s healthcare. It was included in the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2023 list. It also successfully secured $1 million in seed funding just after a year of operations.

• Kathryn Bernardo, hailed by her generation as the “Box Office Queen,” is the first and only Filipina actress to reach the ₱800 million mark for her top-grossing films. Last year, she was named Outstanding Asian Star at the 18th Seoul International Drama Awards for the TV series 2 Good 2 Be True, making her the second Filipina actress to win the award.

• Tagbilaran City, together with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, launched the Paleng-QR Ph program in January 2023. The program aims to build a nationwide digital payments ecosystem by promoting cashless QR payments in public markets and local transportation. The program’s rollout was widely accepted by merchants and transport groups in the city's Dao Public Market.

• Gilas Pilipinas, under the guidance of coach Tim Cone, helped bring a 61-year gold medal drought to an end by defeating the Jordanian team and bagging the win in men's basketball at the 19th Asian Games.

• Aboitiz Equity Ventures’ and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Plc's (CCEP) joint acquisition of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) in a $1.8 billion deal made it one of the country’s biggest corporate takeovers in 2023. 

• Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s efforts in transforming Quezon City into an environmental trailblazer earned her the distinction of becoming the first Filipino to be recognized as a “Champion of the Earth” by the United Nations Environment Program, the UN’s highest environmental honor.

The Manila Bulletin Newsmakers of the Year Awards was co-presented by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), GCash, SM Development Corporation, and The Medical City. This event was also supported by its major partner SM Supermalls. Each awardee was presented with a uniquely crafted trophy made from an upcycled metal printing plate, an integral item in the newspaper printing process. The printing plate, rolled up and affixed on a wooden block, represents a medium that continues to be relevant and resilient in the digital era.

ASAP Natin 'To' unleashes performances from Joshua, Moira, and Yeng, celebrates Zsa Zsa's 41st showbiz anniversary

Plus, a new single surprise from BGYO and Melai's exhilarating solo act...

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Feb 17, 2024 00:48 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• It's a sure-fire dance fever on the ASAP stage as Kapamilya heartthrob Joshua Garcia swoons fans with his smooth moves alongside next-gen dance princess AC Bonifacio, OG dance idol Shaina Magdayao, plus Jameson Blake, Jeremy G, Aljon Mendoza, and Edward Barber.

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Unleash the party vibes as your favorite weekend viewing habit brings more must-watch performances from your favorite Kapamilya stars this Sunday (Feb. 18) on "ASAP Natin 'To" on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, and TV5.

It's a sure-fire dance fever on the ASAP stage as Kapamilya heartthrob Joshua Garcia swoons fans with his smooth moves alongside next-gen dance princess AC Bonifacio, OG dance idol Shaina Magdayao, plus Jameson Blake, Jeremy G, Aljon Mendoza, and Edward Barber.

Follow it up with a fresh back-to-back ASAP concert experience from OPM's hit artists, Yeng Constantino and Moira dela Torre. Also, celebrate the showbiz anniversary of the country's Divine Diva, Zsa Zsa Padilla, as she celebrates her 41st year in the industry—joined alongside Bituin Escalante and Frenchie Dy.

Keep the Rivermaya reunion high rocking with a stacked performance of their timeless hits from Martin Nievera, Zsa Zsa, Erik Santos, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Vina Morales, Nina, and more of your ASAP Kapamilya.

Unleash the P-Pop fever with a comeback single performance from BGYO. More dance treats await from next-gen groove idols Gela Atayde, Sheena Belarmino, and Ken San Jose with It's Showtime's Baby Dolls and Fresno Style PH, plus a splashing solo treat from Melai Cantiveros.

Sing your hearts out to your favorite hugot hits together with Bugoy Drilon, Klarisse de Guzman, Lyka Estrella, Reiven Umali, Khimo Gumatay, Fana, Sheena, JM Yosures, Marielle Montellano, JM dela Cerna, Katrina Velarde, and Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 7 grand winner Rea Gen Villareal.

House bill proposes P50,000 as teacher’s monthly pay | INQToday

The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives files a bill proposing a significant increase in teachers’ salaries.

Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey collaborating for 'Yes, And?' remix

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Pop singer Ariana Grande tapped fellow artist and "lifelong inspiration" Mariah Carey for a remix of her latest song "Yes, And?"

The track released last January 12 is Ariana's lead single off her upcoming seventh album "Eternal Sunshine," which comes out in full on March 8.

Ariana released a music video for the Madonna-inspired track on the same day featuring choreography that mirrors the song's lyrics about how she deals with the public perception on her personal life, relationships and appearance.

"Yes, And?" was well-received by critics and fans alike, topping global charts, and Ariana is continuing the song's success with a remix featuring Mariah.

The singer confirmed the remix in an Instagram post with a photo of her and Mariah, announcing the track would drop on February 16 and describing Mariah as "the one and only, queen of my heart, and lifelong inspiration."

"There truly are no words that suffice. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this dream come true and for sprinkling your brilliance and magic on my little song," Ariana said. "It means more to me than I could ever possibly articulate and I cannot wait for everyone to hear this! I love you eternally!!!!!!!"

Mariah reflected her gratitude in the comments section, "Darling angel, I am so effing excited to be joining you on the 'Yes, And?" remix!! This is such a magical moment!! Love you."

The two artists previously collaborated with Jennifer Hudson for the 2020 remix of Mariah's Christmas hit "Oh Santa!"; both Grammy winners also joined Mariah for a performance of the song last December.

Ariana's last solo release before "Yes, And?" was for her sixth album "Positions" from 2020, though she had since collaborated with The Weeknd, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson and Kid Cudi.

Massive oil price hikes to squeeze consumers’ pockets anew

Gasoline price increase inching close to P2.00/liter

BY MYRNA M. VELASCO

Feb 16, 2024 08:12 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• On the calculation of the industry players, gasoline prices will rise by P1.40 to P1.90 per liter, diesel to escalate by P1.20 to P1.60 per liter; and kerosene prices will go up by P1.20 to P1.60 per liter.

• If based solely on price movements of the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) index, the quantified price hikes from the outcome of four-day trading had been: P1.421 per liter for gasoline products; then P1.126 per liter for diesel; and kerosene products by P1.292 per liter.

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Huge cash will be burned at the pumps next week, as oil products are anticipated to be on hefty price hikes again by Tuesday (February 20), according to the estimates of the oil companies.

On the calculation of the industry players, gasoline prices will rise by P1.40 to P1.90 per liter, while diesel prices will also escalate by P1.20 to P1.60 per liter.

Kerosene, which is the other commodity in the weekly price swings and an essential base for aviation fuel, will also tick up by P1.20 to P1.60 per liter.

If based solely on price movements of the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) index, the quantified price hikes from the outcome of four-day trading had been: P1.421 per liter for gasoline products; then P1.126 per liter for diesel; and kerosene products by P1.292 per liter.

The final price adjustments will be reckoned after end-week trading on Friday (February 16), but the oil firms indicated that the scenario of elevated prices cannot be reversed anymore.

As the global price compass swung above $82 per barrel in recent days for international benchmark Brent crude, last week’s marginal rollback completely took a reverse turn.

Industry experts noted that the new surge in prices can still be attributed to the raging war in the Middle East with the uncertainties getting more complicated following an impasse on an earlier ceasefire plan between the Israeli and Palestine forces – and the aggravating factor to that is the Red Sea friction which has been whipping up risk premium for oil commodities to stride above $3.00 per barrel.

 Beyond geopolitical events soaring to boiling points, the other factors which precipitated soar in prices had been forecast of trimmed production growth in non-OPEC countries, primarily in Russia and the United States; while the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had kept demand growth projection unchanged for 2024-2025.

Saudi Arabia, which is the world’s biggest oil producer, similarly indicated plans to curb output to 12 million barrels per day level, as it is opting for higher capital infusion to renewables as part of its energy transition investment trajectory.

As emphasized by industry watchers, these global energy development ripples had dominated market sentiments last week; that even the higher-than-expected inflation figures in the US as well as reports of its inventory buildup had not done much to tame spiral in prices. 

Improve quality of life, health care for elderly Filipinos

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Feb 15, 2024 10:25 AM

  

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Yesterday’s 100th birthday celebration of Juan Ponce Enrile, fondly called Manong Johnny, who serves presently as the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, calls attention to longevity of Filipinos. 

On Feb. 17, Whang-od Oggay, a Filipino cultural icon, will mark her 107th birthday. According to a New York Times story, she is also known as Apo Maria Oggay, a tattoo artist from the village of Buscalan in Tinglayan, Kalinga-Apayao, and is often described as the “last” and oldest mambabatok;  she belongs to the Butbut people of the Kalinga ethnic group. In April 2023, 106-year-old Whang-od became the oldest person to grace the cover of Vogue Philippines magazine.

President Marcos conferred on Apo Whang-od the Presidential Merit Award in Malacañang yesterday, Feb. 14, “in recognition of her unparalleled contributions to Philippine heritage and culture.”

The Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), displays an infographic in its website that says: “Did you know that Filipinos have a life expectancy of 71 years? This is an increase of 15 years in the average lifespan compared to the 1960s. With the improvement of the Filipino population’s health, there is a need to ensure social security and health services for the elderly.”

The current life expectancy for Filipinos is 71.79 years old, according to Macrotrends, a digital information service that provides access to key economic and demographic indicators. In Macrotrends’ table of life expectancy in the Philippines from 1950 to 2024, the baseline is at 54.49 years in 1950; 60.70 years in 1960; and 63.06 in 1970. If the concept of a generation is flexed to 25 years, the life expectancy in 1975 was 63.23 years, or just slightly higher than the 1970 figure; in 2000, it was at 68.73 years.

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2020 census reports that there were 9,222,672 Filipinos who were 60 years old and over; 5,855,449 were 65 years old and over. Both houses of Congress have passed Senate Bill 2028, Expanding the Coverage of the Centenarians Act. Its actual enactment will come after being reviewed by the Office of the President. This bodes well for Filipino centenarians. As contemplated in the updated Centenarians Act, Filipino senior citizens living in the Philippines or abroad shall be granted ₱10,000 upon reaching 80 years old, ₱20,000 upon reaching 90 years old and ₱100,000 upon reaching 100 years old. 

Senators Imee Marcos and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who sponsored and introduced the bill, respectively, noted that many Filipinos do not reach the age of 100 and are unable to enjoy the “benefits and privileges of the present law which awards ₱100,000 cash to every Filipino centenarian.” They cited the rising cost of living and healthcare expenses that has made it very difficult for senior citizens to afford basic necessities. According to a 2017 UP Diliman study: “Older Filipinos are generally not materially well-off, not well-educated and about half consider themselves to be of average health, but have poor use of health services. They also believe that it would be best living by themselves.”

Beyond increasing monetary benefits, it is imperative that health care services for elderly Filipinos be upgraded significantly – and that they be afforded the opportunity to enjoy gentler, kinder living into their sunset years.

The STANDS - Philippine Daily Inquirer Sports Newsletter

 

February 16, 2024

The San Miguel Beermen are your PBA Commissioner's Cup champions.  (AUGUST DELA CRUZ)

Hey there sports fan, Here's a basketball-related trivia question: Shaquille O’Neal is the third NBA player whose number was retired by three franchises, the other two being Wilt Chamberlain and who else? Make a guess. We'll give the answer later. San Miguel Beer is a champion for the 29th time in PBA history. The Beermen annexed the PBA Commissioner's Cup last Wednesday, turning back Magnolia, 104-102 in Game 6 of their best-of-seven series. CJ Perez was named Finals MVP during the awards ceremonies, but not before getting an earful from coach Jorge Gallent earlier in the game. If you need a complete recap of the Finals, you can find everything you'll ever need—from stories, to photos to videos—in one place. Seriously, everything.  If you need a breather from all that nervy Finals action, though, you can check out a few Valentine's-themed stories we have for you.  It's about love. And more love.

La Salle will rest its defense on a new-look squad.  (CONTRIBUTED)

Meanwhile... The UAAP women's volleyball team is about to get started and La Salle kicks off the season's schedule as it opens its title defense against dark horse Adamson. The Lady Spikers have been hit with several departures of key players but they're still pumped up for their trophy-retention bid.  There will be a lot of challengers, inbcluding young squads like University of the East and University of Santo Tomas, who will either try to crawl out of last season's rut or rebuild on a strong finish last time around.  What we're up to next: We are now wrapping up nominations for the Inquirer Sports Awards slated in March and we will announce the list of names and teams by the end of this week. Also, we will be on ground in the UAAP, bringing you features and sidelights from opening weekend. We're also going to get into the groove of our coverage of Gilas Pilipinas as it prepares for a couple of very important windows. Number of the Week: 10 Number of titles won by San Miguel Beer superstar June Mar Fajardo so far.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “At the end of the day, they are not the ones feeding my family” —Jericho Cruz, on his growing infamy among fans of San Miguel Beer opponents.

The answer to our trivia question? "Pistol" Pete Maravich. If you think you can ace our weekly Friday sports quiz, and if you want more sports updates, join our Viber community.  Buy the Inquirer at newsstands, subscribe to our digital edition, Inquirer Plus, visit our online site and follow us on socials (Twitter: @inquirersports; FB: facebook.com/inquirersports) for more stories and updates—or to send us questions or suggestions of stories you'd want to read. See you next Friday! Francis Francis T. J. Ochoa is the Sports Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For comments, suggestions and questions, hit him up on Twitter (@ftjochoaINQ).

Typical Filipino (XLI) - Typisch Philippinisch (XLI): Erfolge, Verwandschaft, Alter - Achievments, relatives and age

 

Die neue Kernfamilie sucht nach materieller Sicherheit und Anerkennung seitens der Gemeinschaft. Oft hat die Ehefrau freie Hand, eigene unternehmerischen Fähigkeiten zu entwickeln. Sie gilt grundsätzlich als wichtige zusätzliche Verdienerin. Materieller Erfolg und Wohlstand werden jedoch nur anerkannt, wenn sie mit wachsenden Ansehen in der Gesellschaft einhergehen. Also versucht die Familie während des ganzen Lebens, jeden Erfolg und jede positive Überraschung durch Einladungen oder Feste mit Verwandten und engen Freunden zu teilen. Eine Beförderung, eine hohe berufliche Auszeichnung oder selbst der Sieg bei einem Schönheitswettbewerb sind willkommene Anlässe für ein großes Fest, um alle an der Familienehre und dem glücklichen Moment teilhaben zu lassen.

Andere Gelegenheiten sind die "runden Geburtstage" (40, 50, 60, 70 und so weiter), Silberne, Goldene oder Diamante Hochzeit. Diese werden häufig mit einer Erneuerung des Ehegelübdes begangen.

Im Alter ist der Filipino für die Wärme und Geborgenheit der Drei- bis Viergenerationenfamilie eingebettet. Dies darf ich seit vielen Jahren selbst erfahren. Altersheime kennt man auf den Philippinen so gut wie nicht. Die Kinder sehen es als ihre Pflicht an, für die Eltern im Alter zu sorgen. Ältere Menschen werden respektiert und verlieren so gut wie nie die Zuneigung der Jüngeren. Oft suchen die Enkel  bei den Großeltern Rat.

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

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The new nuclear family looks for material security and recognition from the community. The wife often has free rein to develop her own entrepreneurial skills. She is generally considered an important additional earner. However, material success and prosperity are only recognized if they are accompanied by increasing reputation in society. So throughout life, the family tries to share every success and every positive surprise with relatives and close friends through invitations or celebrations. A promotion, a high professional award or even a victory in a beauty contest are welcome occasions for a big celebration so that everyone can share in the family honor and the happy moment.

Other occasions are the "round birthdays" (40, 50, 60, 70 and so on), silver, golden or diamond weddings. These are often celebrated with a renewal of wedding vows.

In old age, the Filipino is embedded in the warmth and security of the three- to four-generation family. I have been able to experience this myself for many years. Retirement homes are almost unheard of in the Philippines. The children see it as their duty to care for their parents in old age. Older people are respected and almost never lose the affection of younger people. The grandchildren often look to their grandparents for advice.

(To be continued!)