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!)

 

Philippines Most Powerful Tidal Current

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Feb 15, 2024 #PowerfulWhirlpool

500 meters off the coast of Sorsogon in the Philippines is home to countless whirlpools and powerful water currents. Fishermen use this tidal current and powerful whirlpool to catch more fish.

 

So long to Sky Cable

BLITZ REVIEW - Juaniyo Y. Arcellana - The Philippine Star 

February 15, 2024 | 12:00am

 

Let’s say when first moved in the apartment complex, read condominium, the cornered cable TV provider was the then fledgling Destiny, whose lineup was not as illustrious as the larger companies Sky and Home, but nevertheless had its fair share of rare almost novel channels to seemingly make up for the shortfall, such as Sports plus (The NBA all day, because you asked for it we’re giving it to you) and the Japanese import Wowow, with its unusual combination of fringe movies, stellar sports events and animé.

But even before that big move to Mandaluyong 23 years ago, Sky Cable was our first-ever cable TV in the old apartment digs in Malate, where upon subscribing and telling our landlady about it, she remarked, “Ang yaman niyo!” or you’re so rich, it was such a novelty at the time almost like the telephone which Eastern Telecom had provided us off Vito Cruz after more than a decade phoneless but with pager, so cute and almost like a luxury you could kiss it.

Didn’t disconnect from Sky though despite the move, and thought of bringing it to Boni but for Destiny, or was it destiny that had us transfer the line to Maginhawa St. UP Village, at the old folks ancestral home, where they could watch Turner movie classics, Marimar dancing by the beach, the “X-files” as well as assorted game shows, not to mention the gaggle of news programs including CNN, on which they watched the planes crashing into the World Trade Center towers in New York. 

Even the kids who were toddlers then had a great kick out of the cartoon cluster, such as Cartoon Network (which the youngest pronounced Neckwork), Animax, and regular programs of “One Piece” and “Dragon Ball,” the golden age of animé is always in the elementary years.

The NBA, with its much-coveted basketball programing, did musical chairs with the cable providers, until it came out with a dedicated channel of League Pass with separate subscription, with only token game offerings on long weekends to further whet the appetite of fanatics. It was on Sky though that we got our first glimpse of the English Premier League, where players were hyper like energizer bunnies a step or two quicker than those in other leagues.

Then, too, there were definitive finds on Sky, not least the channel Filmbox Arthouse where you could have your fill of European classics and avant-garde cinema, from the silent movies of Charlie Chaplin to horror pioneer “Nosferatu,” as well the cult classic “Metropolis” and Ozu’s trilogy that forever changed the face of filmmaking, “Late Spring,” “Early Summer” and “Tokyo Story,” all featuring an actress whose role as Noriko was muse of postwar Japan. Also practically the whole Tarkovsky catalogue.

Things were never the same when during the pandemic, congressmen without much gray matter decided not to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, parent company of Sky Cable, and gradually the company began to feel the crunch forcing to lay off thousands of workers as if times weren’t hard enough.

During lockdowns and limited forays into the outside world, cable TV was the link for real time news and information, so much that if it went on the blink for some technical reason and no hotline to call, it was ABS-CBN and Sky point man Kane Choa who received our frantic texts verging on panic, and The STAR columnist always delivered to have cable restored and make quarantine less miserable, less out of touch.

News is out that Sky Cable will sign off by month’s end, making it the second major broadcast carrier and communications conglomerate to write 30 in as many months, after CNN Philippines last January. PLDT’s purchase of the cable provider has finally been approved by the concerned agencies, so Sky pay TV will transition to Cignal while still retaining its broadband service.

While channels may be comparable at more or less the same price, there’s the issue of bundled offerings (Internet plus cable) or standalone satellite dish, the latter frowned upon by condominium administration as the palangganas might be eyesores sticking out of apartments in 2024, not to mention safety hazards during storms. Also, what if the unit already has another Internet provider, say Converge, can’t Cignal harness this using existing Sky Cable lines and not resort to the dish?

So many questions, too little time to say goodbye to BeinSports and Mezzo classical station, the Aquarium channel, though Teleradyo Serbisyo and ANC can still be accessed through broadband to augment One News and OnePh that come with the buy in. So long also to Kyla the bot, whose quick stock responses were filler before connecting to an actual customer rep, but there’s no goodbyes for bots, only wishes that transition from Sky to Cignal would be as seamless as that of Destiny to Sky many years ago. Or maybe Converge Vision TV has a better, more feasible alternative.

(Erratum from last number on Brocka national anarchist: It was William Lorenzo not Alan Paule who was with the director the night he died.)

WORK CAN MAKE ME HAPPY

Some of the squishiest aspects of a job are also the ones that make it most rewarding: the values held by your company and your co-workers. Research has shown, for example, that all over the world job satisfaction depends on a sense of accomplishment, recognition for a job well done, and work-life balance.

Employees who see their work as worthwhile are nearly 2.5 times happier than others – with research by Robert Half finding that it's the biggest driver of happiness for people in the marketing and creative fields.

Of course, no employee is happy at work every single day, and even jobs you are passionate about can sometimes be frustrating or tedious. But if your career is something you generally enjoy and feel proud of, you are more likely to feel happy at work.

What makes people happy at work? There are seven major factors that make people happy: having a sense of purpose, feeling valued, the availability of wellness programs, feeling engaged, working in a collaborative environment, having flexibility, and being in a positive workplace culture.

Doing a job we enjoy and find satisfying can provide a meaningful focus for our lives, as well as bringing in an income. Our standard of living hinges on the money we make, while employment often contributes to our self-image and self-esteem. Work-related problems can affect our physical, emotional and mental health.

Employees tend to be happier and more hardworking when they are in a good working environment, for instance, being happy to work in a good working relationship. Group relationship is important and has effects on employees' absenteeism and turnover rate.

Does work make you happy? Not so much if you're in the developed world. Believe it or not.

“Why am I never happy with any job?!”: There are surprising reasons: You’re looking for happiness in all the wrong places. You’re looking for a job that makes you rich, not happy. You have a “good job” that you hate -- but that you just can’t quit. 

But wait, are you saying I’ll never be happy with any job??? Nope. In my turn I was happy with most of my jobs -- seriously -- even when things weren’t perfect. And it really came down to making sure my values matched the organizations and that I got the “perks” that were most important to me.

As a retiree at the age of 70, I have stayed in the Philippines now since 1999. I still enjoy writing, translating, and teaching. I just can't sit in my tropical garden or on the beach  under some palm trees. 

Philippine Fairy Tales (XXI) - Philippinische Märchen (XXI): Why Dogs Wag their Tails - Warum Hunde mit dem Schwanz wedeln

 

Why Dogs Wag their Tails - Warum Hunde mit dem Schwanz wedeln

A rich man in a certain town once owned a dog and a cat, both of which were very useful to him. The dog had served his master for many years and had become so old that he had lost his teeth and was unable to fight any more, but he was a good guide and companion to the cat who was strong and cunning.

The master had a daughter who was attending school at a convent some distance from home, and very often he sent the dog and the cat with presents to the girl.

One day he called the faithful animals and bade them carry a magic ring to his daughter.

“You are strong and brave,” he said to the cat “You may carry the ring, but you must be careful not to drop it”

And to the dog he said: “You must accompany the cat to guide her and keep her from harm.”

They promised to do their best, and started out. All went well until they came to a river. As there was neither bridge nor boat, there was no way to cross but to swim.

“Let me take the magic ring,” said the dog as they were about to plunge into the water.

“Oh, no,” replied the cat, “the master gave it to me to carry.”

“But you cannot swim well,” argued the dog. “I am strong and can take good care of it.”

But the cat refused to give up the ring until finally the dog threatened to kill her, and then she reluctantly gave it to him.

The river was wide and the water so swift that they grew very tired, and just before they reached the opposite bank the dog dropped the ring. They searched carefully, but could not find it anywhere, and after a while they turned back to tell their master of the sad loss. Just before reaching the house, however, the dog was so overcome with fear that he turned and ran away and never was seen again.

The cat went on alone, and when the master saw her coming he called out to know why she had returned so soon and what had become of her companion. The poor cat was frightened, but as well as she could she explained how the ring had been lost and how the dog had run away.

On hearing her story the master was very angry, and commanded that all his people should search for the dog, and that it should be punished by having its tail cut off.

He also ordered that all the dogs in the world should join in the search, and ever since when one dog meets another he says: “Are you the old dog that lost the magic ring? If so, your tail must be cut off.” Then immediately each shows his teeth and wags his tail to prove that he is not the guilty one.

Since then, too, cats have been afraid of water and will not swim across a river if they can avoid it.

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Ein reicher Mann in einer bestimmten Stadt besaß einst einen Hund und eine Katze, die ihm beide sehr nützlich waren. Der Hund hatte seinem Herrn viele Jahre lang gedient und war so alt geworden, dass er seine Zähne verloren hatte und nicht mehr kämpfen konnte, aber er war ein guter Führer und Begleiter der Katze, die stark und gerissen war.

Der Meister hatte eine Tochter, die in einem weit von zu Hause entfernten Kloster zur Schule ging, und sehr oft schickte er dem Mädchen den Hund und die Katze mit Geschenken.

Eines Tages rief er die treuen Tiere zu sich und befahl ihnen, seiner Tochter einen magischen Ring zu bringen.

„Du bist stark und mutig“, sagte er zur Katze. „Du darfst den Ring tragen, aber du musst aufpassen, dass du ihn nicht fallen lässt.“

Und zum Hund sagte er: „Du musst die Katze begleiten, um sie zu führen und sie vor Schaden zu bewahren.“

Sie versprachen, ihr Bestes zu geben, und machten sich auf den Weg. Alles ging gut, bis sie an einen Fluss kamen. Da es weder eine Brücke noch ein Boot gab, gab es zum Überqueren keine andere Möglichkeit als zu schwimmen.

„Lass mich den Zauberring nehmen“, sagte der Hund, als sie sich gerade ins Wasser stürzen wollten.

„Oh nein“, antwortete die Katze, „der Herr hat es mir zum Tragen gegeben.“

„Aber man kann nicht gut schwimmen“, argumentierte der Hund. „Ich bin stark und kann mich gut darum kümmern.“

Doch die Katze weigerte sich, den Ring herauszugeben, bis der Hund schließlich drohte, sie zu töten, und sie ihn ihm dann widerwillig gab.

Der Fluss war breit und das Wasser so schnell, dass sie sehr müde wurden, und kurz bevor sie das gegenüberliegende Ufer erreichten, ließ der Hund den Ring fallen. Sie suchten sorgfältig, konnten es aber nirgendwo finden, und nach einer Weile drehten sie sich um, um ihrem Herrn von dem traurigen Verlust zu berichten. Doch kurz bevor er das Haus erreichte, überkam ihn die Angst so sehr, dass er sich umdrehte, weglief und nie wieder gesehen wurde.

Die Katze ging alleine weiter, und als der Herr sie kommen sah, rief er, um zu erfahren, warum sie so bald zurückgekehrt sei und was aus ihrem Kameraden geworden sei. Die arme Katze hatte Angst, aber so gut sie konnte, erklärte sie, wie der Ring verloren gegangen war und wie der Hund weggelaufen war.

Als der Herr ihre Geschichte hörte, wurde er sehr wütend und befahl, dass alle seine Leute nach dem Hund suchen und ihm zur Strafe den Schwanz abschneiden sollten.

Er befahl auch, dass sich alle Hunde der Welt an der Suche beteiligen sollten, und seitdem sagt er, wenn ein Hund einen anderen trifft: „Bist du der alte Hund, der den magischen Ring verloren hat?“ Wenn ja, muss dir der Schwanz abgeschnitten werden.“ Dann zeigt jeder sofort seine Zähne und wedelt mit dem Schwanz, um zu beweisen, dass er nicht der Schuldige ist.

Auch seitdem haben Katzen Angst vor Wasser und schwimmen nicht über einen Fluss, wenn sie ihm ausweichen können.